Original Rockboard Scooter Review + Giveaway (Holiday Gift Guide)

With Christmas right around the corner, scooters are sure to be on the wish lists of many children this holiday season.  With so many kids scooters to choose from, it's difficult to know which ones are sure to be a hit and which ones are made to last and grow with your child.

 

The Rockboard Scooter has got to be the coolest and most unique scooter out there!  I know that I haven't seen another one like it anywhere!  The faster you "ROCK" your body back and forth, the faster you're going to go.  This scooter makes you work for your speed but it's so much fun!  This is the perfect way to get your child to exercise without them even realizing it!

I was beyond excited when I received a Rockboard Scooter as part of my holiday gift guide.  I knew that my kids were going to have so much fun and that my readers were going to be thrilled!

 

I'll admit that I was a little nervous to let my children ride on a kids scooter for the very first time.  Both of my kids hopped right on and took off without even blinking an eye.  It's like they had been riding scooters all their lives, when in fact this was the first time for both of them!

Of course my husband had to get in on the action as well.  Let me just say that I think my husband had just as much fun riding it around as our children did!

 

I love that the handle bars are adjustable so the scooter can easily fit children (and adults) of all sizes.  It also has a kickstand!  Maybe the best part of all, it comes assembled and ready to rock the pavement!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

 

Have fun, stay safe, and get lots of treats!

BathBlocks Make Bath Time Fun - Review & Giveaway (Holiday Gift Guide)

Bath time isn't only a time to wash, for children it's a time to play! Bath toys, bubbles, and splashing are among the favorite bath time activities for most young children! 

  

 

Sometimes the most educational toys are also the simplest toys -- toys with lots of open-ended possibilities that encourage young minds to think, to create and to explore. The best of these toys provide progressive layers of challenge for children to discover as they grow. At their very best, these toys encourage exploration, reward discovery and empower our children.

BathBlocks bring classic block play into a fun, new, fascinating watery environment. The bathtub is the perfect place to create water slides, ball runs, floating towns and more. The “sticky” viscosity of water creates a helpful cling between blocks, and the movement, buoyancy and flow of water add an engaging twist to classic block play.

I love that BathBlocks are colorful, soft, easy to hold for little hands, and most of all, the fact that they create hours of creative play. Children will not only have fun playing with these bath toys, they will also be able to use their imagination and creativity and learn the value of cause and effect.

 

Some interesting facts about BathBlocks: 

• BathBlocks empower children to create their vision as they experiment with geometry, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, balance, structure and cause-effect.

Frugal Holiday Gift Giving: Enter to Win! 2013 Holiday Gift Guide

Have you thought about winning some of your holiday gifts this year?  This is one of the ways I've been making my holiday budget stretch farther for several years now.  I enter blog giveaways and contests on a daily basis in hopes of winning.  Some of them I enter because they are perfect for my family and others I enter because they will make the perfect gift for a friend or family member on my holiday shopping list.

Now is the perfect time to start thinking about your holiday gift shopping.  It doesn't get any more frugal than FREE!

 

Check out the current Holiday Gift Guide giveaways here at Being Frugal and Making it Work:

When I Grow Up, I Wanna Be...

Dressing up is a fun activity that lets children use their imagination.  It’s no secret that some kids might want to be a princess at breakfast, a nurse at lunch, and a cowgirl by dinner - and having a chest full of costumes and dress-up clothes can provide hours of endless fun!

Finding the perfect Halloween costume can be both exciting and stressful.  Especially when you have a child that wants to be more than one thing, or constantly changes their mind.

 

 

My daughter is 9 1/2 this year, and we chose to go with something cute but a little more "grown-up."  She chose the Leopard Hoodie Kids Costume and it was absolutely perfect!  It was fun, cute, and stylish!  She felt like a "big girl" this year and got so many compliments!

The hooded half jacket was soft, warm, and very glittery - it even had ears!  She sparkled in the light and left "fairy dust" everywhere she went!  I loved that the skirt was a full tank dress which made it easy for her to keep up and it fit perfectly under her hoody and over her leggins'.

Alpha And Omega 2: A Howl-iday Adventure Blu-ray Combo Pack - Giveaway (Holiday Gift Guide)

 

Arriving just in time for the gift-giving season, Alpha And Omega 2: A Howl-iday Adventure brings a new breed of excitement to your holiday celebrations.  The sequel to the hugely popular family animated feature film Alpha And Omega, this brand-new wilderness adventure introduces us to Kate and Humphrey's new cubs and reminds us about the importance of family.

Snuggle up together and enjoy a brand new journey the whole family can share this howl-iday season when Alpha and Omega 2: A Howl-iday Adventure arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital), Digital Download and Video on Demand October 8 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Following the original Alpha and Omega theatrical film which grossed $50M box office worldwide and has sold over 1.1M DVDs to date, comes a new holiday movie featuring the unlikely pair of wolves, Kate and Humphrey, and their new frisky family of cubs in a heartwarming wilderness adventure.

Kate and Humphrey and their three wolf cubs (Stinky, Claudette and Runt) are happily preparing to celebrate their first winter holidays together when their smallest cub, Runt, mysteriously disappears. They must now go on a new journey across the wilderness to find and bring back Runt before the winter festivities begin at home. It's their greatest adventure yet, filled with action and suspense as well as plenty of the humor and heartwarming moments that made the original

FREE LEGO Club Magazine or LEGO Club Jr. Magazine 2-Year Subscription

 

Just in time for the holidays... if you have a LEGO fan in your family like we do, then this is the perfect freebie for you!  Right now, you can get a FREE two year subscription to Club LEGO Magazine!  My daughter receives this magazine and she absolutely loves it!  She gets super excited every time her new magazine arrives in the mail, and can't wait to start reading it!

Here is a photo of my daughter with just a tiny part of her amazing LEGO collection:

  

LEGO Club membership is valid for two years and includes free copies of LEGO Club Magazine or LEGO Club Jr. depending on the member’s age. 

 

Guylian Belgian Chocolate Sea Shell Truffles - Review & Giveaway (Holiday Gift Guide)

I think I may have found the most beautiful chocolates I've ever seen in my life.  When you think of chocolate you don't think of how pretty it is, but that was the first thing that came to mind when I opened my box of assorted Guylian Belgian Chocolate Truffles! 

They are so unique and beautiful, it's almost sinful to eat them.  At first I didn't want to, I wanted to save them.  They look like they should be be placed in a bowl and used for decorations.  They truly are that beautiful and would create the perfect accent or centerpiece - perfect for the holidays. 

Of course, my love for their beauty didn't last long because I had to taste them to see if they tasted as good as they looked.  I must say that Guylian Belgian Chocolates are simply divine.  They are smooth, rich and delicious!  I let them melt in my mouth as I savored every single moment.

 

I hate to admit it, but I had to hide some of them in the cupboard because I wanted to eat a few every time I walked past.  So, I resorted to the "out of sight, out of mind" technique in order to make them last longer!

Fairy Tale High Fashion Dolls - Perfect for Tweens (Review)

My daughter is 9 1/2 years old, and although she still enjoys playing with dolls, she's getting older and her preferences have changed!   She's at that in-between stage when girls are outgrowing traditional princess play but easily relate to the tween versions of princess and fairy tale characters!

 

Facing the fact that my baby is growing up is proving to be difficult, instead of wanting to play with baby dolls... now she is loving her Fairy Tale High teen dolls.  I will admit that there are certain dolls for girls that I refuse to let my daughter play with or have.  I love the fact that Fairy Tale High Dolls are age appropriate; from head to toe, clothing included!

Fairy Tale High fashion dolls are pretty and their clothes are bright, fun and colorful! They are your daughter's favorite princesses, just grown up like they are! They also come with fun accessories like headphones and cell phones!

Enter the magical world of Fairy Tale High®, a place where magic happens and beloved fairy tale characters come together for the first time ever in a modern-day high school setting. Toting the latest accessories and sporting designer fashions and hip hairstyles, teenage Snow White, Rapunzel, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, Tinker Bell and Cinderella are brought to life as they might have been before they became fairy tale princesses. 

Fairy Tale High features a collection of beautifully designed fashion dolls, along with a series of webisodes and eBooks found for free at www.fairytalehigh.com, that showcase each character’s teenage story, revealing the qualities that will eventually make them princesses and the not-so-perfect flaws that trip them up along the way.

 

 As students in a performing arts high school, these hip and trendy teenage characters develop their talents and learn new ones as they study music, dance, art, and acting while dealing with romances, jealousies and personal challenges along the way. With guest appearances by classic heroines and villains like Victoria, the Wicked Witch of the West; Pinocchio, who cannot tell a truth; and many others, Fairy Tale High is for the princess-loving girl who is looking for one she can relate to.

Goosebumps Haunted Hollywood Vacation - TruMoo Sweepstakes!

If you love TruMoo, Halloween, Goosebumps and haunted houses, you're not going to want to miss this!  

From now through October 31, any time you purchase a half gallon or larger of specially marked Halloween Edition TruMoo^® milk.  You’ll find a code on your cap sticker — then simply enter it over on the TruMoo^® TruMoo^® Facebook page or TruMoo.com for a chance to win a FREE Goosebumps Haunted Hollywood Vacation:

• It’s a trip the whole family will enjoy: an all-expenses-paid vacation to Los Angeles, CA with private tours full of haunted Hollywood magic!
• The grand prize includes a terrifying behind-the-scenes tour of Fox Studios and a visit to Old Town Pasadena for a frightening special effects experience

You can enter as many codes as you want, and when you do, you’ll automatically receive a printable coupon for $2 off any Goosebumps DVD of your choice.

Ultimate Party Meatballs Recipe - Meatball Sliders

We are in the midst of wrestling season, so our nights are filled up with practices, homework, and workouts.  As much as we enjoy sitting down at the dinner table as a family, there are some nights where cooking just isn't an option.  It's on those nights where my crock pot becomes my best friend.

 

Ultimate Party Meatballs is a simple, go-to recipe for entertaining and a variety of other occasions.  Ultimate Party Meatballs uses just three ingredients that are easy to keep on hand – Heinz® Chili Sauce, a bag of Johnsonville® Classic Italian Meatballs and one can of Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce.  Three ingredients = total tastiness!

• Johnsonville® Classic Italian Meatballs are made with only premium cuts of meat and never any artificial flavors or colors. 
• Ocean Spray®’s delicious sweet and tangy cranberry sauce has been a tradition at the table for generations!
• Heinz is "America's Favorite brand" of Chili Sauce. Perfect for recipes, Heinz Chili Sauce has a tangy flavor, and is great on burgers and fries.

Last night was "one of those nights," so I decided to make some cute meatball sliders with cheese!  Not only were they adorable, they were also delicious and filling.  My kids thought they were the coolest dinner ever and even asked for seconds!

Spread Some Cheer with Tiny Prints Holiday Cards Review & Giveaway (Holiday Gift Guide)

One thing I look forward to every holiday season is receiving holiday cards in the mail from family and friends.  Although I love reading all of the cards that bless our family each year, photo cards are my absolute favorites!  I love to see how everyone has changed and grown over the years, especially the children!

Wishful Wonderment

I always have fun choosing our family Christmas cards each year, always a photo card to send to family and friends.  Most years it includes a picture or two of the kids, but this year it will have a family photo that was taken on the beach during vacation!

I'll admit that I haven't made my final decision yet, but I'm "swaying" towards the new Swaying Garland design with bracket trim.  I absolutely love it and I think it would be perfect for our beach photo!  I love this design because it's fancy yet simple, and unique!

Swaying Garland with Bracket Trim

There are some exciting new trim and design options available in the Tiny Prints 2013 holiday card collection & photo gifts.

• New trim options for 2013 – square, rounded, bracket, ticket & scallop
• New design styles for 2013 – Contemporary, Classic, Vintage, Full bleed photos, All That Glitters, Bold Expressions, Simply Chic, Woodland Wonder & The New Tradition
• Matching accessories – matching address labels and envelope liners 

See's Candies for Sweet Holiday Traditions! (Holiday Gift Guide Review & Giveaway)

If you have someone on your holiday gift list that is difficult to buy for either because they have everything or want nothing, chocolate and candy are the perfect go-to gift ideas!  As I sit here and think about it - I don't know a single person that wouldn't love getting one or the other - or even both! 

 

The holidays are all about family memories and traditions.  During Christmas vacation my two kids and I make several trips to the mall to enjoy the holiday samples, decorations, sales and of course, SANTA!  One seasonal store at the mall that my children and I are always most excited about is See's Candy!

See's Candies offers a variety of free samples and my children absolutely love their lollypops!  They always have a difficult time choosing a flavor, but remember that on our next visit they can choose a different one!  Chocolate and butterscotch seem to be their favorites!

See's Candy has a great selection of boxed chocolates, truffles and nuts perfect for holiday gift giving!  My family has had the pleasure of sampling several of their products and they are all delicious! 

 

A few of our personal favorites include:  

Prevent Head Lice with Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Hair Care Products (Review & Giveaway)

With kids being back in school, parents now have to prepare for new cases of head lice. Back to school is the most common time of year for lice outbreaks. Each year 85% of school districts report at least one outbreak. Just the thought of head lice makes my head itch and my skin crawl.  I have one elementary student (4th grade) and another in junior high (7th grade).   We have been very fortunate and have not yet been affected by head lice in our household... knock on wood!

 

From the time my 7th grader started Kindergarten, every time one of my kids bring home a letter stating that a student in their class has been diagnosed with head lice I mentally prepare myself for the fact that it could happen to us. 

One of the most important prevention tips that parents need to know is to do a head check at least once a week. It is best to catch an outbreak in the early stages before new eggs are laid. This is what makes head checks so important. A quick 10 minute head check is all it takes. It is best to check the “hot spots”, which are the back of the neck, behind the ears and the part lines. These are the warm places on the head that lice like to lay their eggs. It is much easier for parents to do a 10 minute head check once a week, than it is spending hours and days delousing heads, homes and cars.

As a mom, I know that often times prevention is my most valuable resource and fortunately, head lice outbreaks can be prevented safely and naturally in the comfort of my home.  Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel hair care is the leader in natural head lice prevention products that are safe for children.

 

Fairy Tales Hair Care created the first natural line of hair care products proven to repel head lice, Rosemary Repel. Rosemary Repel hair care is proven safe, gentle and effective to prevent head lice with its proprietary blend of natural, organic ingredients such as rosemary, tea tree and citronella. Clinically proven to be over 92% effective, Rosemary Repel is gentle and safe for everyday use. These products are non-toxic and free of nuts, gluten, soy and dairy for families with sensitivities to common allergens.

However, one of the most important prevention tips that parents need to know is to do a head check at least once a week. It is best to catch an outbreak in the early stages before new eggs are laid. This is what makes head checks so important. A quick 10 minute head check is all it takes. It is best to check the “hot spots”, which are the back of the neck, behind the ears and the part lines. These are the warm places on the head that lice like to lay their eggs. It is much easier for parents to do a 10 minute head check once a week, than it is spending hours and days delousing heads, homes and cars

Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel hair care is safe for daily use and infused with organic rosemary, citronella, tea tree, anise, lavender and geranium oils to help repel lice and other insects.

Friends That Stick Around - Shoulder Buddies Toy Review

Shoulder Buddies are adorable, wearable characters that come with "Smart Cards" that share valuable life lessons. Kids love to collect and wear their Shoulder Buddies, while learning about the great messages that come with them!

 

Shoulder Buddies are colorful, fun and adorable.  When I saw them they brought back fond childhood memories.  They remind me a lot of the trolls I used to play with as a kid!  The brightly colored hair that was both fun to feel and play with.

My daughter wore her new little friend on her shoulder for the entire afternoon. Inside the house, playing outside and even on a bike ride to get our mail.  She really did have a new Shoulder Buddy!  Each one is just as cute as the next making it difficult to choose a favorite. My daughter has changed her mind several times already.

Shoulder Buddies are cute, colorful, collectible and affordable making them perfect for party favors, stocking stuffers, good behavior awards, prizes and so much more!

Soft & Silky Baby Blanket - AllyZabba Review

I'm very picky about the item that are going to be close to my baby's skin.  When I'm shopping for a baby blanket, there are two important things that I look for...  They must be cute and they must be super soft.

 

Babies, especially newborns, love the feel of silk against their skin. We’re not 100% sure why, but we’ve been told that silk is very similar in texture to the lining of the womb! You will probably notice your baby reacting to the soft silky texture right away.  Babies cuddle to sleep on a silky blanket like nothing else.

The reversible AllyZabba baby blanket is made of raised plush fabric and silky satin backing and is machine washable. It’s incredibly soft and cozy. All color variations of The AllyZabba are offered in our traditional multi-colored retro dot backing.

TWISTER DANCE RAVE Game Review & Giveaway (Holiday Gift Guide)

My daughter loves singing, music, and dancing!  She has a karaoke machine in her room as well as a few dance games for the Wii.  My daughter is also a commercial junkie, and her latest wish and obsession is for the new Twister Dance Rave game!

Not only is Twister Dance Rave a fun game for girls to play, it's also a great way to exercise!  They will be having so much fun that they won't even realize they are also getting a great workout!  It's the perfect way to get your daughter up and moving to the beat!

  

It’s party time! The TWISTER DANCE RAVE game brings the fun with today’s hottest music, great speakers and LED lights that shine to create your very own dance floor. Girls will love learning dances and showing off their moves to songs from popular artists, or they can plug their own mp3 players into the console, turning virtually any song into a dance song! The party never ends as players continue to learn new dances by following the lights and moving to the beat on the iconic TWISTER spots in head-to-head or freestyle play.

You can learn dances to:

· "Till the World Ends," TWISTER REMIX, performed by Britney Spears.

· "Whip My Hair," performed by Willow Smith.

· "We R Who We R," performed by Ke$ha.

· "Cupid Shuffle," performed by Cupid.

· And an exclusive track, "Caught Up in a Twister."

Disney On Ice Presents Rockin’ Ever After - Skating into the the Spokane Arena from November 7th - 10th!

My family looks forward to spending a fun family evening at Disney on Ice each year, and we have been carrying on this family tradition for years!

 

Get ready to rock out with some of the most magical idols of all in Disney On Ice presents Rockin’ Ever After, an all-new live production coming to Spokane! Featuring Spokane's own Kristin Cowan!

A cast of world-class skaters brings your favorite moments from Disney•Pixar’s BRAVE, Tangled, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast to life in a musical showcase that features the hottest tunes and talent from across the kingdom.

Jam to a Scottish jig as a group of royal contenders from the Academy Award-winning Disney•Pixar film, BRAVE, competes to win the heart of adventurous, sharp-shooting Merida, making her on-ice debut! Experience a show-stopping performance as Sebastian breaks out of his shell for one night only to make waves with Ariel. A chorus of harmless hooligans fromTangled unleashes musical mayhem when they get a visit from the sassy and spirited Rapunzel and her charming ally Flynn. And, get your feet moving as the Beast and his castle’s enchanted entourage take center stage in a spectacular show for Belle. 

It will be a rockin’ remix of royalty when Disney On Ice brings this superstar line-up to Spokane!

 

WHEN: November 7 – 10, 2013

Pacific Rim Blu-Ray Giveaway - Go BIG or go EXTINCT!

Pacific Rim was released TODAY, and I'm giving you the chance to WIN a Pacific Rim blu-ray for your own video collection (or possibly even a holiday gift).

About Pacific Rim:

Go BIG or go EXTINCT!

Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Pacific Rim is an epic science fiction film set in the 2020s. Earth is at war with Kaijus; colossal monsters from an inter-dimensional gateway on the Pacific Ocean floor. Humanity unites to fight these huge monsters by creating the Jaegers: gigantic humanoid robots that are controlled by two pilots whose minds and memories are linked. The story takes place in the later days of the war, following Raleigh Becket, a former Jaeger pilot called out of retirement and paired up with newbie pilot Mako Mori in a final effort to defeat the Kaijus!

Why you will LOVE the Pacific Rim Blog App:

Let Them Have Their Cake & Eat it Too - Betty Crocker’s First Birthday Smash Cakes!

Smash Cakes are becoming more and more popular for first birthday's and first birthday photo sessions.  When my son turned one, I made him a cute little circus train smash cake and when my daughter turned one, I made her a 3D ducky cake.  Of course, both cakes went along with the birthday party theme and decorations!

How to Make a Smash Cake: Baking up fun when baby turns 1!

Here are Betty Crocker’s favorite first birthday smash cake recipes, perfectly-sized for baby to dig right in!

	No. 1 Cutout Cake – This little cake says, “I’m one!” in a big way. Add your own twist to the toppings, including bits of fruit, crackers, sprinkles, cereal and more.
	Peas & Carrots Smash Cake – If you’re looking to sneak some fruits and veggies into baby’s first sweet treat, this round smash cake is your best bet.
	Polka Dot Smash Cake – Encourage your budding artist to create a messy masterpiece with this two-layered, three-inch round smash cake. The red confetti polka dots and turquoise-frosted cake will create swirls of color.

Thomas & Friends: Santa’s Little Engine DVD Giveaway (Holiday Gift Guide)

Thomas and his engine friends light up the tracks for a festive celebration in the all-new holiday release Thomas & Friends®: Santa’s Little Engine. 

Thomas & Friends continues to teach timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation, inviting children to enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train and the words of a story.

 

SYNOPSIS

Ho Ho Ho! Thomas is full steam ahead as a Really Useful Reindeer, saving the day by guiding Santa’s sleigh straight to the Sodor Christmas celebration! When snowfall transforms the island of Sodor into a winter wonderland, Thomas discovers that being safe is the best route to holiday fun. Percy makes everyone’s Christmas wishes come true and Gordon discovers his friends’ special skills are the gifts that keep on giving, all year long! Thomas delivers the true spirit of the season as Santa’s Little Engine!

CaseCow Bundle Sale - Save BIG on iPhone & iPad Cases!

If you're like me, having a fun, decorative case for your phone, tablet and iPod are must-have accessories!  I like to order a couple, so that way I can change them around every now and then!  

CaseCow is having a site-wide bundle sale and is offering some amazing prices on iPhone cases and iPad cases!  They carry a variety of durable and stylish cases made of aluminum, wood, felt, genuine leather, polycarbonate, and more!

My personal favorite is the hidden cheetah iPhone case.

Pay it Forward - Get a Free Starbucks Coffee (#PayItForward)

 

When was the last time you made someone's day?  Often times the littlest gesture can make a world of difference and "perk" up someone's day and put a smile on their face!

Starbucks customers do amazing things everyday. A customer buys the next person in line their favorite beverage — not as an act of charity or thanks — but an acknowledgement of commonality and humanity. The gesture is small, but the act is endlessly inspiring.

In times like these, small acts of kindness like these make a big difference. With that, we are extending a gesture. If you come into Starbucks and buy someone else their favorite beverage, we’ll give you a free tall brewed coffee. 

We’re hoping this small motivation will encourage you to be the spark of connection that helps bring us all a little closer at a time when showing our unity is so important. 

Come together, #payitforward — and lets see what can happen!

"Practice Candle-sense, Go Flameless" Candle Warmers Review & Giveaway (Holiday Gift Guide)

I love walking into a room that smells wonderful, fresh and clean!  Nothing is quite as soothing as a house that smells good!  Two of my favorite ways to make our house smell good are by baking and scented candles! 

 

 

As a mom who worries about everything, I love the fact that Candle Warmers don't require a flame like ordinary candles. I don't have to worry about the kids (or pets) knocking them over and starting a fire or getting burned by them.  I also don't have to worry about forgetting to blow them out or turn them off when I leave the house, after all it's just a light bulb! 

Candle Warmers give off the perfect amount of scent and it fills the entire room. We have a large bedroom and living room, so I know that the warmer works very well. Perfect for any size room, big or small.  The scent even reaches down the hallway and into the other rooms in our house. 

 

Candler Warmers are available in a variety of stylish and decorative lamps, crocks, plates, and plug-ins!  They even carry a variety of holiday warmers as well, including an adorable snowman and Santa!

A few of my personal favorites include:

Blogging Can Be a Great Personal Online Outlet!

Did you know that blogs were first used as online diaries, where people could write about their personal lives?

When I started blogging, I was simply using it as an outlet to share things that were happening in my life.  I was blogging about my family (especially my children), our summer vacations, how my kids were doing in school, and other everyday life events.  In a nutshell, it was my personal online diary that I was openly sharing with others.

Then I began sharing my love of clearance shopping, coupons, and frugal deals to help make my family's budget stretch as far as I possibly could.   As it progressed into more, it was comforting knowing that I was helping others to make their own lives just a little more frugal and rewarding.

blogskinny.com

Being frugal and crafty is how I help make ends meet and contribute to my family.  I earn money through blogging, social networking, pay to earn sites as well as contests and giveaways.  All of these "extras" have really helped our family over the years - by providing great gifts for family and friends and extra activities for my family.
 

My First October Blog Giveaway Win!

I won another great blog giveaway this week for a Diamond Candle!  I also won two $5 Amazon.com gift cards and a $10 Walmart gift card!  Those three wins equal more frugal gift shopping!

I enter blog giveaways on a daily basis in hopes of winning some great holiday gifts - not only for Christmas, but for birthdays and other special occasions as well!  Not only does it allow me to stretch my budget, it also allows me to give some pretty amazing gifts that I wouldn't be able to otherwise!

If you are looking for great blog giveaways, make sure to check out the sidebar here at Being Frugal and Making it Work. The 2013 Holiday Gift Guide is about to begin, and there are some great prizes for everyone on your holiday shopping list this year.

 

Being Frugal and Making it Work giveaways: 

Children's Claritin Back to School Allergy Tips

Its been a month since the kids started back to school, and I think I am finally back on task, and adjusted to our new routine.  It never fails, as soon as the kids are back in school, germs and allergies are running at full steam!

As a mom, I'm always looking for tips, tricks and ideas to help make daily life just a little bit easier!  Between after school activities, class projects, and homework - we can all use a little help!

 

Children's Claritin Back to School Allergy Tips:

1. Be sure to have Children’s Claritin, the #1 pediatrician-recommended non-drowsy allergy brand, on hand!

2. Multi-vitamins are building blocks to having a strong immune system. Make taking a multi-vitamin part of your child’s daily routine.

3. Let there be light! Mold doesn't like sunlight, so try to keep your curtains open during the day. Should be easy during the summer months!

4. Did you know that most pillows trap allergens, dust mites, and bacteria? Monitor the cleanliness of the pillow your child with allergies sleeps on and replace if necessary.

5. Back to school season means lots of laundry for many moms. Be sure to remove laundry from the washing machine promptly. Allowing wet clothes to sit in the washer means mold can quickly grow there.

Get a FREE Sample of Gevalia Mocha Latte for Your Keurig K-Cup Brewer

 

Do you love coffee? What about foam?  Get a free sample of Gevalia Mocha Latte, one of the new Gevalia cafe-style beverages made from real milk.  

That perfect café experience in your own home with your Keurig® K-Cup® Brewer.  Bring home that feeling of sitting in your favorite corner coffee shop with 3 exquisite café-style beverages to enjoy: Mocha Latte, Cappuccino and Caramel Macchiato.

Brew...Foam...Sip... ENJOY!