Aloha Friday! Saving Money at Christmas

The last friday before Christmas! Time to hop around the blogosphere with my favorite end of the week meme. Just a fun time to ask a simple question and give a simple answer. It is an easy way to make new friends too.

The hub is centered at Islandlife808.com

My Question:

Has Christmas this year changed for you because of the economy?

My answer:

Yes it has.

Usually we see buying gifts as our way of expressing our love and appreciation for our families. This year money got so very tight that we had to find more creative ways of showing our devotion. I won a large amount of gifts from online giveaways on other blogs.

The rest is homemade.

One good thing was I was able to avoid the crowds at the stores!

Aloha Friday! Warm Food on a Cold Day

Aloha! I am thinking warm thoughts with Kailani at An Island life as I join her weekly Meme! If you want to join in just post a simple question that takes a simple answer - then link up with Kailani!

My Question:

What is your favorite food to eat when it is cold outside?

I just love to eat chili with a hot cinnamon roll! Oh yummy! It has been so stinking cold around here lately, and we have eaten lots of chili. I am needing a few fresh ideas.

Stay warm my friends!

And don't forget to enter my first every giveaway!! I am so excited to be hosting it for Brown Bag Parties!

Aloha Friday! Giveaways Galore

Ahhh, Friday!

Thank you Kailani of An Island Life for hosting this relaxing and enjoyable meme! Are you ready for the easiest and more fun blog hop ever? All you have to do to participate is ask a simple question that receives a simple answer. Then link up at An Island Life!

My Question:

Have you been entering blog giveaways like mad this Christmas season?

Wow, I sure have! I honestly spend at least 2 hours a day entering giveaways. You can probably tell by my collection of gift guide buttons on the left sidebar. It has paid off! I have quite a stash building up for Christmas (3 separate gifts is a good start anyways!) With money being so tight around here, I might as well try to enter as many as possible. It's free, so why not?

I'll be posting in the future about my experiences with different giveaways - what I have found works for me as an entrant and what turns me away. I really want that post to help other bloggers that run giveaways so they aren't turning people away.

Aloha Friday! Toys

Take a deep breath, it is Friday. Relax, the weekend is here!

Bloggers, take it easy. Ask a simple question, give a simple answer. Head on over to Kailani at an Island Life to link up and find other super simple questions to answer. It's an easy way to make new bloggy friends!

I am a Discovery Toys Educational Consultant. Discovery Toys is a direct sales company that produces the finest educational toys for children from birth to grade school. Click the link above to go to my personal toys page to peruse our fine catalog and find a toy for your child this Christmas!

Ok, Ok, ad over.

But this IS my blog - why not promote my business?

Onto the Aloha Friday Question:

What was your favorite

toy as a child?

Aloha Friday! Insects

Thanks to Kailani from An Island Life for hosting this fun meme - go to her site and find other fun and random questions to answer!

Aloha Friday is a time to take it easy - ask an easy question that only requires an easy answer!

My question:

If you could eliminate any one type of insect permanently from the earth, what would you get rid of?

I'd get rid of flies! oh they bug me - no pun intended! And what purpose do they serve, seriously? Ick....

Aloha Friday! Childhood TV

Finally Friday! Kailani at An Island's Life hosts this wonderful meme. Go there to see the other Aloha Friday blogs!

Aloha Friday is a time once a week to take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So bloggers ask and answer a simple question.

MY QUESTION:

What television shows were your favorite as a child?

My answers are below - and bonus points if you can tell me what they were!

WooHoo! Friday is HERE!!

Thank you Kailani at An Island Life for hosting! Aloha Friday is taking it easy, so you ask a simple question and get a simple answer. Go back to An Island Life for more Aloha Friday fun!

My question goes along with my search for the first ever Mama Dweeb Silly Blogger.

If ya wanna chance to be chosen, scroll down to the post below and give it a shot!

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "silly"?

Aloha Friday! Silly Fear?

Kailani from An Island's life describes Aloha Fridays as a time to kick back, relax and look forward to the weekend. Ask and easy question, give a short & easy answer. These are so much fun! Go to An Island's Life for more fun questions to answer - they are all so different!

I have a short story to introduce my Aloha Friday question:

So on Tuesday I was making cheesy chicken biscuit mini cassaroles. It called for refrigerated biscuit dough to be placed in a muffin tin to hold the chicken and cheese.

I stared at the tub of dough, soon to explode in my hand without any prediction. I placed it in the sink and gingerly tore off the paper casing, bracing myself for the sudden "pop!" It never came...I tore the paper so slowly, killing myself with the suspense. I actually got the paper totally off the tube and it did not open.

Am I the only one scared of the exploding packaging these come in?

If Josh was here I would have asked him to open it - and taken every tease he had in his system, thinking it worth the taunts to escape the creepy cylinder.

That is your Aloha Friday question:

Do you have a silly fear?

Aloha Friday! Child branding

Hooray for Friday!! Here is another Aloha Friday from Kailani of An Island's Life! Just answer this short easy question - you can even skip my long post if you want, I won't mind :)

Wow, my title sounds terrible. Since I am from a rural part of the country, this reminds me of branding cattle.

But to some people buying children name brand toys/clothes/books (like Disney princess or Star Wars) is just as bad as cattle branding. Once you start introducing the idea of buying things in themes they grow up to be consumerist, not happy unless they have the "cool" version of an item.

I grew up pretty poor - food stamps and such. I had Wal-Mart shoes and plain t shirts to wear. My backpack was plain colored and my crayons were the cheaper simple kind, without the sharpener on the back. But I also grew up learning that I didn't have to pay 20 cents more to have Lisa Frank pencils or folders. I was (mostly) content with what I had and today I am totally content wearing plain shirts and cleaning with vinegar (better for the environment - bonus!!)

To save money I went back to our VCR (VHS tapes = cheap!) and Lizzie has been watching Disney movies. Now she is in love with Belle, Snow White, and Cinderella. I have enjoyed her joy at wearing her 1 Disney princess nightgown and purchased Disney princess books at garage sales (if she loves the pictures, she'll love to read, right?) She isn't spoiled - she doesn't get something at the store very often, and doesn't throw a fit to get stuff when we go shopping. But she still knows what she loves - Disney princess, and Thomas the Train.

Have I introduced her to consumerism too soon?

I don't think so. I think it is part of our culture and I need to teach her how to enjoy the fun things in life with balance and responsibility. I can't protect her from it, but I can teach her how to discern between wants and needs and how to handle her desires.

Your Aloha Friday question:

What do you think of Child Branding/Marketing?

Do you purchase name brand (Disney Princess, Thomas the Train, etc) for your children/grandchildren/friends?

Aloha Friday! Welcome Autumn!

Aloha Friday! Time to take it easy as we look forward to the weekend, so it is an easy blog with an easy question. Thanks to an Island's Life for starting this blog meme!

Yes, it is finally fall! The first day of fall (I think) is officially Tuesday. But if you look out my window you will think it started last week. The leaves are drifting gracefully to the ground, the air is crisp and cool. I don't need to run my air conditioner - wonderful money savings, even though we wake up shivering in the morning! And this does nothing for my already reluctance to get out of bed in the mornings.

Here I am, snuggled in my warm bed underneath my handmade quilt (I love my MIL!!) cuddling with my 2 very warm children, while my face feels the cold morning air that enters through the open windows. Why would I want to get out of bed? So I stay as long as possible. Usually my 2 year old wakes up before the baby. She will kiss me good morning and roll around in bed talking to me until she realizes she has to "pee pee!" Off she runs to the bathroom and then runs to the kitchen bare naked saying "reeces pieces! reeses pieces. Mama! reeses pieces peez?" Yes, reeses pieces are her reward for peeing the potty and make a great morning snack before breakfast. (isn't peanut butter a great source of protein? then I am doing a great job)

That is how I get up in the morning. I wait as long as possible.

Maybe I should close the windows.

Aloha Friday question:

What is your morning like - do you rise before everyone else and get the house in order or do you start with everyone like me?

Aloha Friday

I love Aloha Fridays! The responses I get really make me laugh, or feel better about myself (depending on the question of course!)

I am so glad Kailani @ An Island Life started this Meme. Truly is a lot of fun!

As she puts it: In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

Question: How would you describe the town/city/area you live in?

I live in a mostly quiet, kinda rural area. It has a touch of redneck, hick and small town about it. It is far away from the rest of the world - you can be totally oblivious to the nation's woes and be sucked into the local worries at the same time. There are blue skies, green grass, blacktops and congested traffic during school season! On the way to the grocery store you pass large military family SUVs, college students in shiny cars, young hick boys in their tricked out trucks, retirees in their Buicks or even a tractor or two!