• family

    Gift Hunting: Empire Theatres Give and Get Program

    December 10, 2010 - By 

    I am a big power shopping, bargain finding, coupon clipping momma from a long line of the same. I start my Christmas shopping early. In fact, I usually kick off next season’s shopping on Boxing Day. I try to stick to budget and I don’t jump on the latest trends right away. I research and make informed choices. I hate waste. I don’t like toys or products that break. I really love things that serve at least two functions. I don’t mind the hunt, especially if I know I am scoring the best deal in town. I love programs, sales…

  • family

    Snowmageddon and Welcome Wednesday

    December 8, 2010 - By 

    Dude, Where’s My Car? Well, here it is Wednesday and unheard of for us it is a snow day. Not only that, but a snow day, again. That’s right. Three days in a row. In September when I was in Asheville I chuckled at the ladies I met there when they stated that their city ground to a halt if they got two inches of snow. Ha! We, never grind to a halt, I bragged. I don’t know what it would take to have schools close here, I chuckled. We can have two feet of snow and still be expected to get our…

  • family

    CSN $45 Christmas giveaway

    December 6, 2010 - By 

    This time of year, I do a lot of my shopping on line. One excellent spot to find good quality products and great deals are the family of CSN Stores. Lucky me, I am a preferred blogger and as such get to offer my readers some great giveaways through CSN. Right now I’ve got my eye on some of the great toys for Xmas and the furniture selections are amazing too. Order now to receive your products by Dec. 24th. CSN makes it easy. Right now all items guaranteed to arrive by Christmas are marked with a snowflake on the sites.…

  • family

    Quaker Wellness Journey and Sodium

    December 6, 2010 - By 

    A couple of weeks ago I blogged about our family commitment to eating a more natural diet. We are still on that dietary journey together – so to speak and we are reading our labels and trying to buy smarter when it comes to food. But a visit from my Mother a week ago caused me to open my eyes to another hidden enemy of healthy eating: sodium. Leave it to a 75-year-old to point out that my freezer contained many foods with too much salt. I had no idea. See, my mother whose blood pressure fluctauates now has to watch…

  • Giveaways

    Sharing Smiles: Win a $100 Gift Card to Hasbro Toys – My Biggest Giveaway Yet – US Only

    November 30, 2010 - By 

    In the spirit of Christmas I want to make one lucky reader’s day by giving them a $100 Gift Card to purchase items at Hasbro Toys On Line. http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/ I received this one a couple of weeks ago and was thinking about using it for my kids. But honestly I got thinking today as I wrote my Demento Bunny Smiles post that my kids have enough toys and I would rather share this with someone who can really use it. $100 can buy some gorgeous Christmas presents. Hasbro makes some amazing toys, including great games, super hero figures, Tea Cup Pups,…

  • parenting

    Demento Bunny and What Makes Me Smile

    November 29, 2010 - By 

    On winter days when there is a chill in the air and it takes longer to get the kids out the door it is hard to find things to smile about. But these are precisely the times we need reminders of where we find our smiles. For us, here at the house of anything but normal, my kids give me reason to smile every day and my husband’s dopey one liners that he thinks are funny often give me reason to smile too. (Don’t let him know. It only encourages him.)This picture here makes me smile. We had it printed…

  • family

    CSN Stores

    November 29, 2010 - By 

    This time of year more than ever, I love to find my bargains on line. One excellent spot to find good quality products and great deals are the family of CSN Stores. Lucky me, I am a preferred blogger and as such get to offer my readers some great giveaways through CSN. Right now I’ve got my eye on some of the great toys for Xmas and the furniture selections are amazing too. See kitchen bar stools for some examples. I love the All American bar stools with saddle seats. There is something so cute about the style. Order now to…

  • Parenting

    National Adoption Awareness Month

    November 24, 2010 - By 

    As many of my readers know, ours is a family formed by adoption. I would quite simply not be a parent, if not for this unique and wonderful way of forming a family. I am forever grateful to the London Children’s Aid Society for helping us to become parents. November is National Adoption Awareness Month and today I head to Ottawa, with good friend LeeAnn to speak to the topic of adoption and permanency planning. It is a topic that currently has the eyes and ears of the federal government. Tomorrow I will try to convey all that is needs…

  • family

    Monday Mingle: November 22. The Day The Kid Did It

    November 23, 2010 - By 

    This is my Monday Mingle, hosted by Jennifer over at EightyMPHMom.com. My daughter did a better job than I did on my early take of this, so today she is running the show. Have an excellent week and wish me luck in the House of Commons talking adoption and permanency options for children in care. Happy Turkey Day, my American friends!

  • Giveaways

    My Santa Sack – Friday Finds and a Giveaway or two.

    November 19, 2010 - By 

    I have a few amazing deals that you will not want to miss this weekend. And the race is on starting tonight. Santa came early to my house..And since I feel like sharing, here are a few freebies and giveaways for you…please specify which giveaway you are entering. Good Luck! Win! Win! Win! Travel much? Shop Much? These are great for helping your child stay safe…Last chance to win my Mabel’s Labels 411 wristbands giveaway. I am going to draw for those on the 22nd. Enter that one here: http://thriftymommastips.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-411-mabels-labels-review-and.html (Canada and US) I have a family pass for four to London Regional…