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Wednesday, October 15, 2014

A Pedigree Dog Food Treat for Mr. Darcy @SamsClub #PedigreeGives #Cbias #shop

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PedigreeGives #CollectiveBias
Look at that mutt! Ahh...he grows on me a little more every year. Yep, Mr. Darcy is back on the blog today, sporting his 1993 middle school kid hair cut and a cheesy grin, to tell you all about Pedigree Dog Food and how you can support Pet Adopt Month this October.

Yesterday, I took all nine of my kids to Sam's Club---the only store in town big enough for us all to walk down the aisles together without being in anyone's way. We were on the hunt for some Pedigree dog food for Mr. Darcy and found a good deal on this case of 30 cans. For less than $17, we picked up 30 cans of Pedigree Choice Cuts. These are big cans too---each one will feed Mr. D for four or five days.

This is a great time to stock up on Pedigree at Sam's Club because, through the month of October, they'll donate one bowl of dog food to a shelter for every Pedigree product purchased at Sam's.

Not knowing about this great deal at Sam's Club, I usually buy him dry food and canned food is reserved for a treat. This morning I set out a can too see how he'd react. He sniffed around a minute and then laid down, happily waiting for me to open it up. That is, until O'Neill came along. Remember him? He's our cat we adopted from a pet shelter about six years ago. While he was very gracious to welcome Mr. Darcy to the neighborhood a couple years later, he still feels a little left out if the Yorkshire Terrorist gets something he doesn't.

I suppose it was sort of rotten of me to open this up outside where O'Neill could get a good, meaty whiff of the beef and gravy. I guess I'll need to pick him up some yummy gravyish cat food next time I'm out. Feeding our pets nutritious meals is important to us. We want them to live long healthy lives so they can continue to chase off mice, bugs, and scary intruders. Plus, like I said, we kind of like them---even if some of us (ahem.) were adamantly against pets to begin with. These Choice Cuts are meaty, moist, and great for Mr. D's skin and coat.

Here's where he gets the goods! Seriously, I did not see this dog's face the entire time he was devouring his lunch. Would it be weird to say I was kind of jealous that he got meat and gravy while I boycotted PB&J and skipped lunch? Yeah, probably. I won't go there. 

Look at that face! In the time it took me to wrap up the can and stick it in the fridge, he had licked the bowl clean. I didn't give in to the pout then, but now that I'm writing this, I feel bad. I think I'll go give him some more now, poor guy! 

Do you have a great pet adoption story? Share it in the comments---I'd love to hear about your favorite pets.

Check out Pedigree on Social Media:

The Homemaking Party: 2015 Daily Planner Review & Giveaway #dailyplanner

This is a sponsored post on behalf of HomemakersFriend.com. I was compensated monetarily and with a sample product in exchange for this review. All opinions are honest and are my own.
Welcome to the Homemaking Party! I'm happy to be sharing our party with Sue Hooley, creator of the 2015 Daily Planner. This is a beautiful and uplifting resource that I'm sure you'll find useful and encouraging as you start off your new year. 

Sue's planner is unique because, not only does it feature lots of ways to organize your schedule, it's also full of Scripture to bless you and help you keep God's word the focus of your day.

I like how this planner is designed for efficiency and aesthetics---as Sue says, it gives the user a visual layout of a week or month. See the dotted line along the edge of the page on the right? You can cut those out as you go along to expose the tab for the new month. This way, you can easily flip to the page you need without a lot of hassle. 

She's got cut out tabs on each weekly page, for the same reason. Genius!

The planner is divided into seven sections: Yearly, Monthly, and Weekly Calendars, Task List, Projects and Events, Information, and Shopping Lists. It's a great system for organizing everything you'll need to remember on a daily basis---all in one place! Make sure to check out HomemakersFriend.com to order---she's even got a buy one get one deal going on now!

Would you like a free copy of Sue Hooley's 2015 Daily Planner? I'm giving one away to one US winner. Enter to win on the Rafflecopter below and make sure to link up with the Homemaking Party! 
We had the biggest party yet last week so share with your friends to keep our party growing! The more people who visit, the more views we all get!


a Rafflecopter giveaway Linking with:

Monday, October 13, 2014

How to Save Money with the Walmart Savings Catcher App #WMTSavingsCatcher

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Crowdtap and Walmart. All opinions are honest and are my own. #WMTSavingsCatcher
Have you tried out the Walmart Savings Catcher option on the Walmart phone app? Earlier this summer, some Facebook friends told me about it and I first used it in August. Since then, I've got back over $23 in savings. That's enough for a Christmas present or two for my kids---definitely worth it. Before you read about how to use the app, make sure and visit the Savings Catcher contest. You could win a $2,000 Walmart shopping spree just by trying out Savings Catcher and sharing it with your friends!

It only takes seconds to run the app and your savings add up quick---especially if you're like me and use Walmart as your primary place to stock up on groceries. Recently, I bought some ingredients to make Pumpkin Pie Fudge for my family and scanned my receipt when I got home. Sure enough, I had a savings notification just a couple days later!

I've saved anywhere from 30 cents to several dollars per receipt. Just yesterday, I got a notification that I'd earned $3.86 cash back from just one receipt! It's easy to run the app. Once you've downloaded the Walmart app onto your phone, click on Savings Catcher.

You'll then be prompted to Scan a Receipt. Once you click there, a QR code reader will come up and you'll just scan the barcode or QR code at the bottom of your receipt. The app will then show you how it's scanning multiple stores in your area for competitive prices. You can stop at this point, or you can scan in another receipt. You'll also receive an email notification letting you know that your receipt has been received.

In a day or two, you'll get another email letting you know if you've earned cash back. Out of the 49 receipts I've scanned since August, about half of them have given me cash back. Once you have Reward Dollars in your account, you can use them to shop online or you can print off an eGift card to use them in store.

It's such a quick and simple way to make sure you're getting the lowest prices in your area. I'd love to hear about how much you've saved using the Walmart Savings Catcher App. Make sure to check out my Pumpkin Pie Fudge, too!

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Pink Christmas Trees

I've been busy in my imaginary art studio, that's really just a clutter-filled corner of my bedroom, making pink things. You may remember my sorta weird rose petal tree of a couple years ago...well I've since fixed it up cute but it's packed away so... You get to see my newest ones!

Is this teeny tiny post a desperate attempt to participate in Beverly's Pink Saturday this weekend? Why, yes it is! Head over and check out all the other PINK goodness and tell Beverly I sent you!

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

20 Delicious Squash Recipes --- Trim Healthy Mama

It's that time of year when fresh veggies abound but creative ideas are few! Squash became a part of our regular menu only recently, for this very reason. I just didn't know what to make with it! If you're like me and need a little creative shove, here are 20 great squash recipes. Special thanks to my mom (aka: Creative Consultant) for her time and research.

Butternut Squash
Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole
Butternut Squash Spinach, and Feta Pizza
Lasagna with Sausage and Butternut Squash
Almond Cranberry Squash Bake
Butternut Squash Carbonara
Ground Beef and Butternut Squash Breakfast Skillet
Butternut Squash Lasagna with Parmesan Spinach Sauce
Black Bean and Butternut Enchilada Skillet
Apple and Butternut Squash Pulled Pork Casserole

Yellow/Summer Squash
Squash and Tomato Casserole
How to Can Yellow Squash
Zucchini, Squash, Corn Casserole
Yellow Squash Casserole
Mexican Squash Casserole
Chicken, Quinoa and Summer Squash Casserole
Summer Squash Casserole
Cheesy Squash and Tomato Casserole

Spaghetti Squash
THM Spaghetti Squash Casserole (just like spaghetti---without noodles!)
Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Looking for some great Trim Healthy Mama Recipes? Try these! 

THM Lunches & Dinners

Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
Pork Egg Roll in a Bowl
Spaghetti Squash Casserole (No Pasta Spaghetti)
20 Squash Recipes
Baked Spinach and Pepperjack Chicken

THM Breakfasts

List of THM Breakfast Ideas
Chicken Ranch Omelette

THM Treats
Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy

THM Misc.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Make Your Own Chicken Stock & Broth
Zesty Burger Spread

Jamie Grace CD Giveaway

A few years ago, I was in the car doing errands and listening to KLove, when a super upbeat song came on. It was a new artist, Jamie Grace, and her song was, Hold Me. Not only was it a great tune with excellent ear-wormy lyrics, but it featured tobyMac---a favorite artist since I was in fourth grade. (Yes, I'm from the DC-Talk-is-playing-in-the-high-school-gym-tonight generation.)

Since then, I've loved listening to Jamie Grace. She's upbeat, and her music just makes you happy to be serving God. Would you absolutely love to win her CD, One Song at a Time? Make sure to check out the Rafflecopter below because Family Christian will be giving one of my readers a free copy!

Jamie's new CD, One Song at a Time features the following excellent songs: Ready to Fly, Hold Me, With You, Show Jesus, Come to Me, God Girl, Holding On, You Lead, One Song at a Time, 1945, and Not Alone.

This is an excellent Christmas idea for the young lady on your list. I just might be giving mine away to a special girl I know this Christmas! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, October 6, 2014

Starting New Healthy Habits with LISTERINE #MC #sponsored

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for LISTERINE. I received samples for this review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.
Oral care and hygeine have always been really important to me---especially when it comes to my kids. With a family the size of ours, it can be difficult to establish good routines for the kids, but it's so important to do so when it comes to caring for our teeth and gums. A few great plaque and cavity fighting products, along with regular dental checkups, are part of a healthy oral care routine. I was recently sent a big selection of LISTERINE floss, rinses, and breath strips, and I'm looking forward to my family trying them all.

The kids enjoy using mouthwash and this fun Avengers themed anticavity flouride rinse is really going to get them excited. It helps prevent cavities and removes particles that they might miss when brushing. Since they're not always super thorough, this is a great extra step to take after brushing. Also, some of my kids absolutely love to floss. I know, that's probably not the norm, but they do. Then again, there are several that really need to make it
 a more regular habit. This soft floss in the Gentle Gum Care line is just right for sensitive gums. I think it's a good starting product for my littlest ones to practice flossing. 

As for the adults in the family, we're going to try out this Healthy White mouthrinse. It removes and prevents stains, is gentle on tooth enamel, and helps kill germs. My oldest, Lynzie, and I have been wanting to try some whitening products so this will be just perfect. I also know my husband will like having these breath strips for his pocket at work and I'm snagging the handled flosser. It looks like fun to use and I like that it gets back into hard to reach places.

Check out this list of locations to purchase LISTERINE products and check out these healthy habits videos on YouTube.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

The Homemaking Party: The One Room Schoolhouse



Welcome to the Homemaking Party! If you haven't already, please sign up for email subscriptions in my sidebar. I've just started a new email list and would love to send you updates!

This past week, our family visited a one room schoolhouse here in Northwest Arkansas.  It was built in 1905 and is being preserved by former students and teachers.



We arrived promptly at 9:00 am and the two "teachers" led the kids through Pioneer Day lessons and activities for four hours!




It was a wonderful experience and the very best field trip we've ever gone on.


Funny how so many of my Facebook friends thought my kids actually go to that school daily. Ha! Guess people think I'm more "out there" than I thought!

Hope you're all having a lovely week and thanks for linking up at the Homemaking Party!


Linking with: 
Homemaking Party @ Hope In Every Season
Vintage Thingie Thursday @ Coloradolady
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner
Thriving Thursday @ Serving Joyfully
Homeacre Hop   
Desire to Inspire @ A Royal Daughter
Think Tank Thursday @ Saving4Six 
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home 
Create It Thursday
Open House @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Thought-Provoking Thursday
Quitting Thursday Linkup
Hearts for Home
Handmade Hangout Inspiration Friday @ Dear Creatives
Anything Blue Friday
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Pintastic Party
Friendship Friday
The Best of the Weekend
No Rules Party
Essential Fridays

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

You Weren’t Raised That Way! {What To Do When You’re Doing It Differently Than Your Parents Did}

I'm at Raising Homemakers this morning answering the most common question I get from my readers. Please come check it out and leave your comments!

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Sweet Vintage Baby Things

A couple weeks ago, I had a campaign with Huggies so Mom and I were looking up baby stuff on Pinterest. I've just hired her as my Research Assistant and Creative Consultant and she did such a great job of finding fun vintage diaper things (like this 1950s diaper pail) that I thought I'd put together a fun round up for Pink Saturday!

This adorable box of Ivory Flakes sold on Etsy recently. It would be cute to decorate a laundry room with. Mom says, "Vintage Ivory Flakes Soap, 1960's. Clothes washed in this and line dried smelled soooooo wonderful!"


Betsy Wetsy was one of the most popular 'drink and wet' dolls of the Baby Boom era, originally issued by the Ideal Toy Company of New York in 1935. Says Mom, "I had one of these and I just loved her to the moon and back."



Aren't these diaper pins the cutest ever? I want some and I don't even cloth diaper!

Mom says, "Boiling diapers with baby on the table in 1943. We have come along way as far as (thoughts about) safety and all diaper types."

Look at this sweet diaper pail someone listed on eBay a few years ago. I want one!

Diaper bags in the '60s had to be gargantuan to fit in all those bulky cloth diapers, plastic pants, and...what else? Fill me in, readers!

The washer this woman is sitting at is not all that surprising to me---I've seen ones like it before. What is surprising to me is that she's sitting at it. Is this authentic? Something tells me no... Ha!

Here's a fun video featuring "tape on Pampers". Yikes!

Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Song Movie: Inspired by Song of Solomon

Have you all heard about the new Christian movie, The Song, that hits theaters this weekend? Based on the Bible's Song of Solomon, this newest feature from City On a Hill tells the story of breakout music star, Jed, his wife, Rose, and their struggles when Jed's love song to Rose becomes a hit.

The movie takes place right here in the South and should really appeal to those who love American music and the dream of hitting it big as an indie artist. 

The movie's website also features lots of resources for couples, churches, and small groups.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the makers of this film bring a message of hope and redemption to the very real threat Christian marriages face in America today. The Song opens in theaters Friday, September 26th.

Check out videos and music from the movie at thesongmovie.com.

Hope In Every Season was compensated by Family Christian in exchange for promotion of this film. All opinions are my own.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

The Homemaking Party: Introducing Fable Springs Parables

Welcome to the Homemaking Party! Fall is in full swing here in Northwest Arkansas, we've just spent a lovely two weeks with my mom who is flying home today, and we're ready to settle in and start simmering soups and baking breads!

Today I'm hosting Miss Kathy of The Writer's Reverie, and her new project, Fable Springs Parables. Please take a minute to read about her first publication.

fable springs parables, pageant wagon publishing, pubslush
After ten years as a performance storyteller of truth-telling tales in the tradition of the classics, I'm expanding into independent publishing! A talented team plus peer mentors are in place. But, funding for production and marketing must be raised to put my Christian living and family discipleship materials into your hands! Your generous donations will put our debut Fable Springs Parables Book 1 – Mother Chicken’s Eggs: Choosing to Grow into Greater Things picture book on the press for release this December! The PUBSLUSH crowdfunding tool makes it easy to give to this project. We must meet our financial goal by Oct. 23. A gift of $30 or more assures you to receive the picture book. The study guide for homeschool and small group discipleship comes out March 2015. Won’t you help launch me in ministry growth to enrich you as you enrich your family and community?

Thank you for your kind and generous support!!
blog signature

Thank you for joining the Homemaking Party! You're welcome to link up all your favorite posts for the week on any subject. Special welcome to the many new participants who joined last week!

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Fall Cleaning and Decorating with Henkel Products & Grocery Coupons #APlusValues #shop #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #APlusValues #CollectiveBias

Everyone is familiar with spring cleaning---around our house, though, each new season tends to bring with it a desire to get things in order and redecorate. I like to give our home a new look every season, but fall is my favorite time of year to decorate and start making things seem more welcoming. I've already got my living room all prettied up for autumn. With a couple trusted and popular products from Henkel, I'm able to get my bathroom and kitchen sparkling this first week of fall. You can find Henkel coupons online to help you stock up on your favorites, as well.

Last week, I shopped at Walmart for a few things to make our home more cozy and inviting for the autumn season. I found a good selection of Renuzit air fresheners here in the cleaning supplies aisle.

Then the kids went around the corner and found a huge display at a great price! We picked up one scent for the bathroom and a second for the kitchen. After that, we headed to the cleaning supplies aisle for a bottle of Soft Scrub.

For a limited time, you can get $10 Back in Coupon Savings* when you shop for participating Henkel brand products. This is an excellent time to stock up on Renuzit and Soft Scrub, as well as other household names like Dial and Purex. Henkel products are already priced at a great value so the coupon savings are just icing!

I like a lingering fresh citrus or breezy scent after cleaning so lemon-scented Soft Scrub is perfect for my kitchen or bathroom chores.

Our 14 year old daughter, Lynzie, has just started learning to clean the bathrooms. She's tried a variety of cleaning aids: sprays, powders, and finally, liquid cleanser. She really prefers a liquid or cream to scrub the bathtub, especially.

The new Renuzit air freshener looks pretty in this little fall vignette I put together. After opening it, I found that the Simply Vanilla fragrance was just perfect for this small room.

I set up the Apples & Cinnamon freshener in the kitchen on my favorite hutch. I just purchased these super cute fox shakers and I think the air freshener blends right in with these fun decorations. It's an excellent scent for the kitchen and my kids have already commented on how nice it is.

Don't forget to qualify for your Henkel coupons and stock up on some great household products at an excellent price! In order to get your coupons, just upload your A+Value receipts at the website. Then enter your e-mail address and, if your receipt is valid, you will receive your $10 coupon booklet via e-mail from Henkel and Coupons.com*

*Coupon savings delivered electronically via opt-in e-mail. While supplies last. $20 purchase requirement based on advertised retail price, before coupons.
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