Weekend Round-Up #118

Welcome to this week's Round Up, a post full of other posts and articles that I wanted to share with you!

FINANCIAL:

• How to Start Fighting Debt — Today by Matt Bell at Wisebread.  If you are just starting your journey to debt free living (or need a do-over), read this post. 
• “I Deserve It” at Well-Heeled Blog is a great read about rewarding yourself for good habits and what the best reward truly is. 
• Surviving Spouses: Financial Do’s and Don’ts at Christian PF is a great post about what needs to be done financially after the loss of a spouse. 
• Dumb (and Dumber) Things Smart People Do With Money at Careful Cents is a great post at a blog I have just started following. I expect to be bringing you lots more from this one. Actually - why don't you go ahead and follow along too? 
• 67+ Free and Inexpensive Hobbies at Saving Advice is a great resource to check out!
• Mistakes Young Families Make When Financing Their First Home at Smart Family Finance is one place to look if you are currently pondering the purchase of your first home.
• Bad Money Habits from our Childhood at DINKS Finance - this is a list that I really studied while considering what we are teaching our children. I want them to be more prepared and more educated than I was!

FAMILY/LIFE:

• How long will it take for your dream to come true? by Jon Acuff is brilliant.  So if you are dreaming, don't give up - and read this to be inspired. 
• Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies with White Chocolate Drizzle at Baking Serendipity looks AMAZING. Odd that I have it in the same category as a posts about making your dreams come true and potty training, but it's all about "life" - and these (among others) capture mine. 
• The Clock Keeps Ticking at The Wisdom Journal is a great post about time management. 
• Potty Training a Strong-Willed Child at The B Keeps Us Honest was something that hit really close to home for me. 
• WFMW: 200+ Date Night Ideas at We Are THAT Family is a great collection of ideas for you and your honey! Some of them are even FREE! =) 
• Hang Me Town by Shaun Groves just made me smile. I think it will make you smile too. 
• Jeremy Lin: An Underdog Story You Will Love at Get Busy Living is a powerful post. I'm so glad that I took the time to really dive into it. 
• The 5 Weirdest Office Gadgets You Didn’t Even Know You Wanted at The Jane Dough has some really awesome stuff here. Far too expensive stuff, but fun to look at! Check it out!
• 100 People Doing Extraordinary Things at Disrupting the Rabblement is incredible. These are ordinary people who are refusing to be ordinary. How inspiring!
• Why I argue in front of my kids (sometimes) written by Shaun Groves over at Simple Mom is AMAZING!  Simply the most beautiful written piece about arguments I have ever read. In. My. Life. I think I have been changed.

FAITH:

• Grace by Shaun Groves is a short post quoting Bono of U2 fame. And it's brilliant. 
• The R-word. at Stuff Christians Like is a great post about breaking habits and surrendering.

Friday Faves - Pinterest 2/17

Make yourself available - this is such a bad habit of mine!

Bwahahaha - this is the truth.

Bob Ross - because he's awesome

Patience is better than strength is some cases.

3 ingredients + 1 crock pot = yummy.  Great with chicken too I bet.

Dipped rice krispies treats - made these for neighbors this week. Would work for any occasion

Lime cookies?  Why yes, I think I will!

Mardi Gras cupcakes - just in time!

Icing cookies with no piping bag?  My unsteady hand might can actually do this!

God I pray...because they are worth it.

Enterprise pizza cutter. Chip would LOVE this!

Awkward Voldemort hugs.  Seriously.

Go ahead - show us your pins this week!  Leave a comment with a link or just start following me on Pinterest and I'll check out your boards!

Blog Posts You Should Have Read

Okay, just for a moment, I am going to talk to the other bloggers that are reading this.  If you aren't a blogger, hang in there...I'll be with you guys in just a moment.

Have you ever written a post that you really thought would get more reads or comments than it did?  Have you ever written and thought, "there." when you hit publish, but when people didn't respond the way you expected, you started wondering where you missed making your point?  Have you ever put your heart and soul behind a post and heard virtual crickets afterwards?  Have you ever written a post and the response made you question your worth as a blogger?

Well I have.

Many times.

And now is our chance to redeem those old posts.

In this linky, post a blog post of yours that you want us all to read.  Maybe you didn't get the response you wanted.  Maybe you were still a new blogger and didn't have a following yet.  Maybe you got a good response but want to share it again.

Regardless of why, share a post that you others to click over and read.

And now for all bloggers and non-bloggers, scroll through these and find one (or many) that you can click over to and read.  Let's all promote one another today.

Here are two I'll star the list off with:


Cash Spending - How Do You Do It?
Age Appropriate Chores

Tuesday Free For All - 02/14

Photo credit: http://www.freehugscampaign.org/

Happy Valentine's Day, loves! I hope you are all having a great week thus far.

Here are some freebies to hopefully fill your heart with happiness!

If you are looking for the linky to list your giveaways and/or enter others, scroll to the bottom of this post!

FREEBIES:

• Free "Brain Score" as well as Brain Training Games - Improve Memory and Attention from Lumosity.  I had fun on this site!
• Fill out this short form to get a coupon for a buy one get one free Ice Cream Creation from Cold Stone Creamery.
• Get Your Federal Refund Fast & Free - TaxACT is Free to Prepare, Print, & Efile Your Federal Return
• Get a free sample of Nescafe coffee (Facebook offer)
• See the all new Mantis Tillers in Action! Request a Free Mantis DVD.
• Grab your free sample Clean n Safe all purpose cleaning spray.
• Fill out this short form to get a free sample of Splenda.
• Like the Quaker Facebook page and sign up to get a free sample box of Quaker Oatmeal Squares. 
• Get a free sample of Life Choice Meal Bars from Walmart.
• Use this coupon to get a free break inspection and tire rotation at Pep boys.
• Fill out this short form to get a free sample of Hugo Boss cologne or perfume.
• Plan meals and save money?  Yes, you can.  Food on the Table combines the weekly sales from your local grocery store with your family's food preferences.  Join Food on the Table now with promo code FEBFREE and you'll get the premium version (normally $5/month) FREE for life! 
• FREE Smoothie on your birthday when you join the Robeks Reward Club 
• Visit daveramsey.com for Dumping Debt FREE mp3 Audio
• Visit your local Crabtree & Evelyn store on February 15th (TOMORROW!) to receive your FREE Advocado, Olive & Basil Body Lotion!  Offer valid on 50ml sizes only, while supplies last. 
• The Colbert Report announced that you can visit your participating Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop for a FREE sample of Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream ice cream.  Visit your local Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop between 5pm - 8pm on Valentine's Day for your FREE sample!  (yet another reason I love Stephen Colbert) 
• Free Sample of Olay 2-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths.  
• Free Sample of Purex Triple Action Detergent.
• Free Sample of Acqua di Gioia by Giorgio Armani 
• Sign up for the Bubble Guppies Fan Club on nickjr.com for 25 FREE Bubble Guppies Coloring Pages! 
• Get a Free Sample of Emergen-C Kidz Drink Mix 
• Sign up and get a Free Sample of Rachel Ray Nutrish Dog Food. Simply fill out the short form on the Rachael Ray site to request your free sample. I would hurry, these great pet food samples never last long!
• Peet’s Coffee & Tea is offering a Buy One Get One Free Beverages with the below printable coupon from now until 2/20/12.  Click HERE to find a location near you!
• Mark your calendars because February 28, 2012 is National Pancake Day (what a great holiday!). To celebrate IHOP will be giving everyone a small stack of pancakes for FREE.  All they ask is that you leave a little something behind for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and other designated local charities.
• Quick Chek is offering a printable coupon for a FREE Belvita Breakfast Bar. You must be a fan to print the coupon. Offer expires on 2/20/12.  Click here for a location near you.
• The German Information Center has created a printable coloring book to teach kids more about Germany. Click here to print the entire book.
• Scooter’s Coffeehouse is offering a printable coupon for a FREE small drink of your choice when you sign up for their eClub. Click here to find a location near you. 
• AND Check out Free Sample Freak's huge list of Valentine's Day Freebies! 

SWEEPSTAKES:

• Laguna Candles’ Coastal Line Sweepstakes: Enter for a chance to win this all-natural, of coconut, palm and soy wax candle from Laguna Candles 
• iLuv Creative Technology iMM514 ArtStation Pro Sweepstakes: Enter for a chance to win iLuv speakers 
• Mint Plus Automatic Floor Cleaner Sweepstakes:  Enter for a chance to win a Mint Plus Automatic Floor Cleaner 
• The EcoRoman Shade Company Sweepstakes: Enter for a chance to win a up to four custom Ecoroman shades from The EcoRoman Shade Company 
• Magimix by Robot-Coupe Premium Collection Food Processor Sweepstakes: Enter for a chance to win a Magimix by Robot-Coupe Premium Collection Food Processor 
• Diabetic Living New Year, New You Makeover Sweepstakes: Win $1,000 for a healthy makeover this year!  Sweepstakes Ends: February 20, 2012 One entry per day. 
• Ladies Home Journal 2012 Walmart Shopping Spree Sweepstakes: Enter to WIN a $1,000 Walmart gift card! Sweepstakes Ends: February 29, 2012 One entry per day.

GIVEAWAYS:




*Huge thanks to my sources: Thunder Fap, , PointClickHome,  Parents.com, The Freebie Blogger, Deal Seeking Mom, Couponing 101, Free Sample Freak, Better Homes & Gardens, SwagGrabber, Mommies with Cents & "Deal"icious Mom

Do You Have a Bucket List?

Photo credit: TordDesign

You know...since the release of the movie The Bucket List, everyone has seem to be on this trend of having one of their own.

And I see people documenting their bucket lists on Pinterest frequently. 

Is it pathetic that I don't have one?

Not that I haven't sat down and written one, but that I really don't have any real plans or "want tos"? 

Until just recently, I have been pretty short sighted.  I mean, when I was little I had dreams, but since I've become an adult, it's been more about getting through the week, the month, or even the year.  My imagination sometimes ventures into the "when the kids grow up" future, but it is usually more in reference to my concerns for them, our relationships, or what I hope our financial health will be. 

I need some dreams.

And so far I have only come up with one.

I want to see the Northern Lights.  Aurora Borealis. 

Not from North Dakota (although it might be lovely from there).  Somewhere more exotic.  And since Chip's family is from Norway, I'm thinking that might be a good place to start.

Otherwise, I have no idea of things I would like to do "one day." Things that I actually have plans of crossing off a list.

Maybe it's time to make one. Want to help me out?


Do you have a bucket list?  What is on it?  What would you recommend for me?

Weekend Round-Up #117

I hope you're having a great weekend! I've had a super busy week, but I've still worked to gather up some great blog posts that I wanted you to read.

Without further ado, here they are!

FINANCIAL:

In both the family and financial category, there is an awesome post over at Financial Highway called
Dollar Matters: Kid Stuff.  It is a collection of posts and articles about teaching children financial responsibility.  I'm going to check it out and I hope you do too!
7 Frugal Myths Debunked by Kentin Waits at Wisebread is a great set to wrap your mind around what frugality actually is.  Don't listen to the bad wrap it has gotten in the past - check out this post and see what this lifestyle is really all about.
10 Small Ways to Increase your Emergency Fund Without Noticing at Enemy of Debt has a list you and I can both benefit from reading!


FAMILY/LIFE: 
How to remember your family is more important than social media. by Jon Acuff has an awesome suggestion in it!
Life Lessons from 6 Famous Failures at Christian PF is a great collection of people who have succeeded despite their failures.  If you need some motivation, this is a great list to inspire.
5 Tips to Improve Your Dishwasher at Small Notebook is a great set of tips to optimize your dishwasher.
Where I (we) fit in the political sphere at TYWKIDBI has a great quiz to take. I was shocked at my results.
I Couldn’t See Past Me ‘Til I Saw You is a beautiful video and song shared by BooMama. Get your tissues ready.

Friday Faves - Pinterest - Valentine's Treats

Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I thought I'd share with you the treats that I've pinned on my Pinterest Valentine board:

Classic thumbprint but with a Dove chocolate heart twist. YUM!

Valentine cupcakes to go

Tuxedo Red Velvet cookies

How fun and yummy - and easy!

Another delicious-looking variation of the thumbprint - Hershey's kiss in cherry shortbread.

Heart-shaped chocolate chip cherry muffins - great way to start the morning!

Red Velvet cookies

This looks so tempting to give a try!

Made this Red Velvet Cheesecake at Thanksgiving and it was a hit!

Another easy treat that the kids would LOVE!

Made this over Christmas and they became my favorite Christmas cookie.  They'd be great for Valentine's Day as well!

Another delicious cookie I made at Christmas. Use chocolate or white chips.

I love to make fudge and this red velvet variety is calling my name!

So show me what you've been pinning lately or your latest Valentine's pins.  I won't promise not to steal them for my own board though! =)