Black Friday Holiday Shopping Started Giveaway, $241 value!

m So here is a great giveaway put together for you.
The package is a perfect choice for anyone who is interested in getting some great holiday gifts foGr cheap.

I am super excited to announce the prize package.

Tea Collection $100 gift card

Seriously, the cutest kid's clothes ever!!



Initials Inc
Get a Grip, savannah print "hands free" personalization $30 retail value



Mad K's Creations
a slouch hat in a brown color, similar to the one pictured below $12.00 retail value



Love1111 $10 gift certificate


This awesome skirt is just $9.95

Homespun Soaps and Body Products, $40 value

A collection of awesome bath and body products from Homespun Soaps and Body Products which include the following items--
Tummy Rub (perfect for pregnant or new mommies)
Oatmeal, Goat Milk and Honey unscented soap (amazing soap perfect for everyone!)
Bee's Knees Lip Balm (amazing lip balm for everyone!)
Whipped Shea Butter (perfect for dry skin or anyone who has sensitive skin)
Lavender Basil Shaving Soap (the best product for anyone that shaves)

Dapper Lads 12-18 mos boy's outfit valued at $49!

Total Prize Package $241!!!!!




 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

When Did Black Friday Shopping Become Thanksgiving Shopping??

So maybe I'm old school but I am seriously sad that Black Friday shopping has become Thanksgiving shopping.

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that is about thankfulness and being thankful for the things that we have and I feel the mass consumerism of Black Friday is going to ruin one of the most important holidays that we have. 

Of course, you might disagree that Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays but I would challenge you to take a look at the history of Thanksgiving in general.

One thing that has been a big misconception is the idea that turkey was the first Thanksgiving meal as it is not likely that turkey or pie were consumed.  However it is probable that other Thanksgiving favorites were served because they are harvested and grown at that time of the year.  Things like corn and cranberries to be specific.

The history of the first Thanksgiving dates back to September of 1620 when a small group of settlers in search of the new world set out from Plymouth England.  They wanted the freedom and prosperity that they believed only America could give them.

 

The group included 102 different people who were from different various backgrounds.  These individuals gave up everything that they had ever owned and boarded a ship to travel a world away from the only homeland where they had ever lived.  They boarded a ship that they called the Mayflower.

 

It took sixty six days for them to land on Cape Cod.  As they arrived they started planning their colony.  It was a very hard winter and only about half of the people survived as they chose to live on the boat rather than living on the land since their homes were not yet built.  When it came a year later and they were finally harvesting food and knew that they were going to survive they were thankful for all that they had.  The native people had taught them how to plant corn and other crops that would grow in America and they were happy with what they had.

 

This means that basically when you celebrate Thanksgiving you are celebrating being thankful for your life, for your things, and for all that you know.  The mass consumerism of Black Friday should have been kept away from a holiday that is as sacred as that.

 

Now I am all for great Black Friday deals and I love to go Black Friday shopping.  I didn't even complain when sales started happening at midnight on Friday instead of at 6 am as they used to be but I think that 8 pm on Thanksgiving is a bit early and it honestly keeps me from being able to enjoy my holiday with my family.  I would love to know what you guys think and if you are going out shopping early or waiting until Friday.  I am interested to check out the paper's versions of the ads tomorrow as I have only read them on the leaked online sites.  I doubt that I am going, I shopped early.  I need gift cards now and that is about all so there isn't really anything that I could get anyways while I was out.

 

 

Referral Contest

Calling all bloggers, here is a new referral contest for you.  I need some help getting new readers and having a larger following. 

So, I'm asking for help. 

Here are the things that you can do to get more followers to come to my blog.

You can link them to any post, but I would suggest the newest Black Friday giveaway that I have going on.  You can see this post here.

I have a package of wipes and a gift certificate for snap conversions or other products from Simply Cloth.

I also have a wallet from Initials Inc and will throw in a wall decal set.  The value of the package will be over $50!!!


Here is how you will get your chances and a radom number generator will pick the winner.

Make a blog post about my giveaway.  You will get 25 entries for each blog post that you make (up to one daily).  Please leave a comment with the link below.

Post a link to the above giveaway on your giveaway page.  Leave link below and get 10 entries.

Post a link to my giveaway on your FB fan page for 10 entries, leave a link below.

Post a link to your FB status and receive 5 entries, leave me the link below.

For every "friend" or "fan" that you send that become followers and comment below that you sent them, I will add 1 entry. 

So excited to see some growth.  Please help this blogging mama out.  Thanks!

Referral contest will end on Black Friday!

Share Your Tips for Weight Loss

So I need some further tips for weight loss.  I never thought that something could and would be so hard.  With four kids it is hard to always pick healthy foods and not to have the unhealthy junk lying around.  I try to buy them junk that I don't enjoy but I seriously have some problems with trying to do this.  I never would have imagined that it could be so hard.  I know that this might sound stupid but I thought that it would be easier than this. 

So I'd love for you to share your tips.  I think a big one is accountability and seriously sharing with someone everything that I eat on a daily basis.  I think the other one is to make sure that I start to get more work-outs and exercise in.  Both of these are going to be hard for me but I am hoping that I can get it all done and start to look good and feel good soon!  

I'd love any tips that you have.  Let me know what you think and if you are on this journey yourself let's take it together.

Becoming More Positive

I am really trying to become a more positive & grateful person. This is hard when there's so much negativity around you all of the time.

So I'm implementing some changes. I'm posting on my personal Facebook page the things I am thankful for. I started this with the November thankful challenge but am hoping that I can continue it each day. In addition I have purchased several "I Like" books on my road to positiveness. The "I Like" books offer something for everyone. I got a kid's version for each of my littles. Basically you write something that you like about them each day.

In addition I purchased the couple's version of the book in hopes of adding more positive things to my relationship and a copy of the one offered for women. We'll see how it works but I'm hoping to see a lot more positive & a lot less negative in my life.

Making it All Work

We all have families and we all have to figure out how to make our lives work.  In the past this was something that I found terribly challenging and something that was hard for me.  As I have gotten into my new routine I am learning how to make my life work for me.  Of course there are things that I wish that I could make different but I am really learning to let them go and to move on with my life, focusing strongly on all of the positive that is around me.

I am trying hard to remember all of the things that I am thankful for each day.  I have had some problems in the recent past with my computer that prevented me from being on here and posting as regularly as I should have been and for that I sincerely apologize. I love blogging and writing about my life and how I make things work for me.

I have four of the world's most amazing children and an amazing man to share my life with.  I try with every ounce of my being to be a positive person  and to enjoy life as it is.

In my house we have reached a stage where things can be hectic.  There are days that I feel like a horrible mommy because I just do not handle things with as much grace as I'd like to.  Today was one of those days that would be counted as a mom fail.  :( 

For me it is hard to try and be it all.  My biggest goal in life is to be the best mommy possible and then it is to be the best wife (or pseudo wife at this point since Shane has not popped the question).  One of my biggest challenges is trying to be the best at everything.  I attempt to do it all and to be perfect as I am doing so.  Sometimes this just does not work out but other times it does and those times are great. 

Today my children seemed to be into everything.  I had a headache and was stressed about my final night of training at my new job.  I just started working part time, for a while a lot more hours but once things slow down I will just work every other weekend.  I work for a Marriott branded hotel that is owned by a separate hospitality group.  The job is fairly easy and something that I actually enjoy.  As a third shift night audit it does not take too much away from my family and I love that.  It also is basically audit paperwork so I enjoy that as well.

I am planning on returning to school but am not sure when I want to start.  I know that now is the perfect time in some ways, during my down time at work I would be able to do my homework and then I would be completed with school around the time that my youngest would be starting kindergarten.  I would then be able to get a full or even just a part time job that would utilize a bigger skill set and help me to be able to earn more income for our family.

I love being a stay at home mom so this transition is hard on me.  The hardest part for me has been all of the extra hours in training which has meant that I have had to spend more hours away from my family.  The only thing that has worked out well with this is that I am going to be able to have the best of both worlds when this time is over.  Plus I am getting the opportunity to make more money during this time which is sure helping us out for Christmas.

I have so many "Christmas" related bills to pay for and a weekend away planned with my children in Indianapolis.  I am excited but a bit stressed that we will be traveling so much in December and that we have so much going on up until then.

Work From Home, How I Make My Money

So I have seen a ton of posts lately on Facebook from mom friends and family who are wanting to work from home.  I thought that I would share my experience of working from home.

First of all I started writing and freelancing to make additional income and have since worked for a variety of online writing companies.  I have ended up in a position where I got screwed out of a significant amount of money and treated poorly with some of these companies.  Of course the ones that treat you bad are the ones that seem to pay you a considerable amount more.

With the basic freelance writing that I do now I make an okay income and I get treated well.  So this is important to me.  The best part is that I am constantly expanding my network, meeting new clients and learning new infomration about the business.  It is all working out well for me.

If you want the same experiences then you can just register at Freelancer for free and start working and earning an income almost immediatley.  If you are not a writer, do not fear there are all different types of work available on this website.