This Week Haul

So with our move just 2 day away I have been going crazy trying to pack and get ready. My daughter is almost 2 and half and she can tell something is up.  When I pack another box she unpacks it and starts to play with whatever is in the box.  I need to keep her daily schedule the same as much as possible.

This week I have found some good scores I needed to get new colouring books for my daughter and the ones I found even the harry potter one are never used! Also the vtech book had battery's in it and works great.  We broke the head part of out swiffer and needed to replace it and guess what I found!!  We just saved $12 at the regular price.

I have found at least 4 of the codes to get free shirts, our whole family will have matching ones!

 

This week I also went to a free moms party and this was int he swag bag.  One free gift that I really want to do is to make a free ornament with my sons foot print.

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Playing the woodchips with the truck we found on our walk to the park (it was headed to the dump the truck was right behind me to pick up the trash!)

New idea

So I have not had much time to post blogs in about a year it seems. Many things have changed with me in that time and I think I have found what I would like to do with this blog.  First a little update about me for those interested.  I am a frugal mom to 2 a boy and a girl.  We are in the process of moving to a bigger house so our family can continue to grow. 
On to my ideas for this blog. It started when we started to pack up our house, I noticed that we have too much stuff.  Not just us but everyone does.  What has been bothering me is how people get rid of this stuff.  I just simply go for a walk and I could easily fill my stroller plus more with useful things people are just tossing out.  So what is this blog going to focus on, well I am going to post photos of my recycle walk finds and maybe somethings that I find but I can't bring home with me. 

Toady's walk I walked past baby baths, change tables, patio chairs stools and many other things.  While I have no need for everything I did take a few things that I thought I could use.  Some I will see how it works out and others I have already offered for free for other people to pick up.

Find number 1

Some little girls barbie house that is in great shape was in the blue bin.  My daughter is only 2 and just getting into barbies so I posted this free on Freecycle and it has a new home!

Find number 2



stroller again in good shape, you can see mine in the background.  This has been offered to someone who is picking it up this week.

Find 3

Some new wrapping paper in plastic still (4packs)

Leadpad

Leapfrog tag reader

Magazine

75 aeroplan points

birthday cds never opened 3 cds with kids music

books - some not shown my kids ran off with them.

Coupons: $15 in free gas not shown

$4 off ground beef

free bread

Also not shown I got a cabinet for over the toilet and a play fisher price BBQ.  I will update photos of these later. 



Blog contest ends very soon

Win tickets to Disney (4)
ends today 02/18/2011
http://www.letsstartsavingnow.com/2011/02/4-one-day-park-hopper-tickets-giveaway_10.html

I love Disney!

Wordless Wednesdays

I made a hair bow today while my daughter was napping . . .

(it looks huge from this angle, it is not that big on her)

Christmas Stockings 2011

My parents do so much for me and my family I thought that this coming Christmas I would take care of at least their stockings.  They currently do one for my brother his girlfriend, my husband daughter and I and themselves.  As I would still like to get them gifts the budget will be pretty low . . .

Currently I have:
- a glade candle
- $10 gc for Starbucks

wish me luck

Wordless Wednesdays

January Books read

So I started January off with a post about 4 books that I wanted to read plus 1 more that I had not picked.  This post is a summary of the books that a read, not quite from the list I had set out to read but non the less I did finish the below books:

1. The Shack by William P. Young
1. To start off I should say while I do consider myself to be religious and spiritual I am not a regular church goer nor do I preach my thoughts of religion to others.  This book I did find moving.  The number one lesson for me was the importance of forgiveness and even though it is hard that we are not to be judge and jury to other people.  I am not sure if something similar happened to me if I would be able to let go and forgive the someone for causing so much pain and suffering. I did enjoy this book and was glad that I was given a copy for Christmas, otherwise I would not have read it I am sure.
2. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
1. I am not sure if I would enjoy the movie for this book so I think I will avoid it, but the book itself was a decent read.  I am however drawn to look up Julie's blog and read through some of her previous posts to read about her adventures.  I enjoyed the writing style,  humor and her growth within the story. 
3. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
1. I had read this for my January book club and I really enjoyed it.  All the members of the book club enjoyed this book.
4. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
1. I borrowed this book as an e-book from the library to have something else to listen to besides the radio while playing with my baby.  I don't listen to e-books often but I did truely enjoy having this going during the days as a change from the radio. I am nearly done this book and I think I may have taken more away from it if I had just read it not listened to it.
5. Invasion by Jon A Lewis
1. This is a book that I received to read and post a review from book sneeze.  See my post on this book here.
6. Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir
1. I am loving this book! not surprising since I love historical fiction type books especially when royalty is the subject. 

So I have completed 4 books and will have the other 2 finished before the end of the month.  I am posting this today because I will not have another chance before the month is up.  Next month I hope to read 4-5 books if anyone has any suggestion I would love to hear them.

review: Invasion by Jon A Lewis

So I received a copy of the book Invasion by Jon A Lewis to review the other day.  Here is a bit about the book from the sites page:

When a drunk driver kills Colt McAllister’s parents, his life is turned upside down… and he had no idea that was only the beginning. Before his journalist mother died, she was about to expose a mind control program run by Trident Industries, one of the world’s largest conglomerates. When an informant inside the company tells Colt that his parents were actually murdered, Colt becomes a target as well.

With nowhere to go, he’s forced to move in with his grandpa in Arizona. Bizarre things start to happen when Trident Industries awakens sleeper cell assassins who don’t realize they’re being used to commit murder. It’s impossible for Colt to know friend from foe.

Then Colt learns that Trident is a front for a group that wants to open a gateway to a world filled with shapeshifting aliens who want to wipe out humanity so they can colonize Earth. With the aid of his friends and a secret organization called CHAOS, Colt joins the fight to save mankind.

This is a book geared toward youth and those that like science fiction; my nephews would really enjoy reading this book.  The book is from the eyes of a 16 year old boy, we get to hear his adventures with the paranormal and that is done quite well.  The book describes a corporation like big brother trying to gain control of the world, only the corporation is run by Aliens looking to exterminate mankind.  With the help of CHOAS Colt and his friends try to stop them from destroying man kind.  What comes in the next chapter of Invasion, we will have to wait and see.

From my adult perspective the book did have enough emotion and in some cases I felt things did not get fully explained.  For example Colt looses his parents and we did not really get much of his feelings during the time of sorrow, but if a young man was reading this they might find that part of the story just right. 

Overall the book is very well written and is suitable for pre teen and teens to read, I didn't really mind it either. I would rate this 3/5

Reading goal for 2011

I am going to set a few goals for myself this year, one of them will be to start reading more books again.  Since having my daughter 7 months ago I have not read very many books as other things need to happen.  Well she is on a better schedule and I do have some free time, so I hope to be able to read 5-6 books a month.  Before having my daughter I was reading at least 6 books a month sometimes as many as 10.  I do miss settling into a good book and losing track of time. 

Any suggestions on what books to read?

My next books to read are going to be:
Innocent Traitor
No 1 ladies detective Agency (for my book club, I am looking forward to this)

Julie and Julia

Blood Promise

 

I hope to be able to read these books this month, and maybe 1 more if I can fit it in.

 

 

Book review: A Time to Dance

Book review: A Time to Dance

I received a copy of the novel A Time to dance by Karen Kingsbury.  This is the first book in the series with John and Abby as the main characters.

From the Authors website:

A Time to Dance

John and Abby were the perfect couple, but they are about to lose it all: On the verge of having an affair, John is no more the man Abby married than she is the long ago girl of his dreams. They make the sad decision to divorce. When they gather their three children to tell them the news, their daughter makes an announcement of her own: she's getting married that summer.

Determined not to ruin their daughter's season of happiness, Abby and John secretly agree to put their divorce plans on hold. But as the wedding nears, they wonder: Is it possible to find joy, after all these years, and perhaps the time...to dance

While reading this book you really did get the feeling that you where part of the couple’s lives.  The story is very real and the emotions that the people in the book feel are very real.  It would be easy for many couples to find themselves in the situation that John and Abby found themselves in after many years of marriage.   While I was reading the book I wanted to tell them to listen to the word of the lord and to say what they really mean out loud and not to be hurtful to protect themselves.  I have learned some lesions from this book to help build a relationship, always talk and make time for each other even when you are busy. I managed to read this book in 2 days and I loved it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.  I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

winner from first giveaway

lucky winner is
Teiva said...

I follow you and my favorite chocolate bar is the Ghiradelli Twilight Bar..a nice dark chocolate! Yum!

I will send you an e-mail shortly and you have 48 hours to claim your prize

Wordless Wednesday - a walk on the beach

Makeover Complete

So here are the after shots from my makeover:

The process of colouring my hair with L'oreal was so fast and easy I would easily do it again.  After application which took a bit of time because I have never done it before it was only another 10 minutes before I could wash it off and I got a good colour. 

The makeover that I got was fun and I did get a lot of L'oreal products to try, but sadly I didn't get a hair cut or to keep the outfit they dressed me in.  I would have loved to keep the dress I was wearing for the show!
All in all it was a great day and I had lots of fun being dressed up and made over!

Goodies last week

Well I missed a week, but this was last weeks goodies, I will post another entry with this weeks and the one I missed early next week!

Lots of magazines are arriving (all free) and coupons for free products - I love it!

Giveaways from other sites

So to enter this contest I needed to do a post on my blog and here it is:

Win a copy of: Wreck this journal and some chocolate!
I think the Wreck this journal would be fun!
http://adventureswithmrsw.blogspot.com/2010/10/back-to-normalgiveaway.html


I thought I would also include a few other sites I visit to look for giveaway, if anyone want to give me more ideas of other sites to visit for contest entries please leave a comment:

http://bloggiveaways.blogspot.com/
http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2010/10/got-great-giveaways-1014.html

Pre Makeover photos

So I won a Makeover that will take place on Monday.  Part of the deal is I need to colour my hair with the hair dye that they gave me before Monday.  So I have taken a few before shots of my own so I can see the transformation myself.

The colour that they gave me is 7G dark golden blond.  I am going to try this out later today and will post some after photo's of the new colour.  The reset of the transformation will need to wait for Monday when the professionals take over.  I am really excited about trying L'oreal hair dye; I haven't used colouring since I had my baby as there just doesn't seem to be enough time.  The box says it only needs to be on for 10 minutes plus the application time, I wonder what the total time will be from start to finish?  I am guessed a lot less then going to the salon for hair colouring, plus the price savings are

So that's me before . . . The after shots are being downloaded to the computer tonight and I will post them Tomorrow

Giveaway number 1 US only

Here is my first giveaway as promised.

I am giving away a copy of the book Holy Cow and Indian Adventure, a package of caramel hot chocolate, and a chocolate bar (that I have not picked out yet)  I am thinking maybe something not sold in the US to be different. 

Rules:

- You must follow on Google Friend Connect

-1 entry per person only

-must have a US postal address

-must be over 18 or have parents permission to enter

leave a comment telling me your favorite chocolate bar and in your post include a way to contact you.

Winner will be chosen on October 28 by random and will have 48 hours to reply before another winner is drawn.

Goddies from last week

It was a good week, I got $5 gas card, $2 cheque and free bacon coupons and samples.  I love samples they are great to help me find new products that work for me!

Wish I had more time to write up about last week but I want to get my giveaways and my makeover posts out soon.  (I hope to have these posted before the weekend) 

Wordess Wednesdays - from my garden

Goodbye Summer hello fall! the last beauty's of my Garden