Time Management 101 E-Book

Thru the past several years, I have followed the MoneySavingMom blog which is a great resource for finding online coupons, retail/online deals and tips for juggling life. The author of this blog, Crystal Paine, introduces herself as first and foremost a child of God, who is passionate about glorifying Him (...she continues saying, All I have and all I am is thanks to my Creator and Redeemer...)

While Crystal's blog provides links to all kinds of homeschool-ing, craft-ing, bargain-ing sites and suggestions, recently I've spent some time reviewing & focusing on her tips for Time Management. Which is why I was excited to see that she compiled her thoughts on this topic in a new Time Management 101 e-book which you can either download OR print.

If you are looking to discover ways to more efficiently plan your days (and who of us are not!), I would highly recommend this resource.

More Indy Cousin Playdate...

While visiting cousins Jonah & Jared in Indy, we visited the Children's Museum which I think it about the 'funnest' place on earth for kids. Lots of creative people coming up with ideas to encourage families to spend time together! We visited the new Dora the Explorer exhibit followed by the the Egypt exhibit, Playscape area (think water, sand, blocks, trains, etc) and after lunch, the dinosaur adventure area.

jonah is 'working' an Egyptian storefront store..

here is the X-man digging up dinosaur bones...and pretending to be a baby dinosaur. love those (fish) lips! jared serving up coffee/tea... playing with the dinosaurs (and crocodiles)...

Happy Birthday, Jared!

The X-man and I spent the past couple of days in Indy with cousins Jonah & Jared and U.Peter and A.Penny. We had lots of fun, especially since we were able to join in a birthday celebration for Jared -- who turned 3 just one week ahead of Xander. These little guys are buddies -- well, at least when they're not playing with the toy/object that the other wants to play with! :)

birthday balloons were a big hit...

U.Peter was thinking when he said, "there are 3 boys so there must be 3 balloons!a sweet moment as A.Penny read bedtime stories...Jared with his birthday hat...big brother Jonah is pretty excited, too...10-4 good buddy! learning to operate the new walkie-talkies...

Another WTR Giveaway

Blake & I have been gifted with an additional 'ministry partner certificate' to Family Life's Weekend to Remember Conference which we are unable to take advantage of. So....we're giving it away to one of you! The certificate entitles you to attend a Weekend To Remember of your choice for FREE. It expires August 31, 2012.

To be eligible to win you must be (a) either engaged or married and (b) make a committment to redeem the certificate prior to its expiration date OR re-gift it to friends who will be able to attend the conference.

Check HERE for details regarding locations & dates for upcoming events. The Weekend to Remember can help a struggling marriage find hope OR make a good marriage even better. Either way, it's a WIN-WIN.

Please post a comment by 8AM on Tuesday, March 1st to enter the giveaway.

Too Funny!

After drinking an over abundance of liquids the night before, on Sunday morning Alexander woke up with a soggy diaper which had soaked thru his pajamas. As I walked toward his crib he warned me in a VERY serious voice while pointing to his soppy PJs.

"Momma. There is something gross down there. And it might be infected."

Where do they come up with this stuff?!?

EBATES.com = Cash Back

When it comes to saving money every little bit counts!

Here's a quick/easy way to earn a small kickback for shopping online (at over 1200+ online stores).

All you have to do is sign-up here. It's free! Then, whenever you are ready to place an order online, go to Ebates first and search for the website you're ordering from. More often than not, it will be listed. Click through the link to the website and place your order. NOTE: There are often coupon codes listed on the Ebates site which you can apply to your order, too, such as %-off discounts, free shipping, etc.

Upon placing your order, you'll be credited with cash back for a percentage of your purchase. Most cash back rewards are credited to your account within 48 hours (although some stores can/may take up to thirty days to confirm your cash back). The cash back amount averages 4% and while it might seem like a small amount, for me it is definitely worth clicking thru Ebates to place an order for something I am already planning to purchase.

When you first sign-up with Ebates, you get a $5 bonus (applied to your account once you have placed your first qualifying order). Then, as long as your eligible savings total $5.01 or more, you'll receive payment via a Big Fat Check or a credit to your Paypal account (you choose) every three months.

Ebates has a nice referral program too which pays you $5 for every new sign-up your referral link generates. If you try the program out and like it, you may as well pass the word along to your friends and help them earn a little cash back on their online purchases, too, right?

African Peanut Soup

A winter snowstorm is a perfect reason for a SOUP day.

This recipe was passed along by a friend -- it may have originated in Uganda but not completely certain. Ground nuts, in this case peanut butter, are a staple in African cooking used to thicken dishes, add protein and contribute flavor.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium chopped onions
2 red bell peppers
4 garlic cloves, chopped
28-ounce can diced tomatoes
8 cups chicken OR vegetable broth/stock
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. chili powder
2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup cooked brown rice

Saute the veggies in oil. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer until rice is tender. Add peanut butter just before serving & stir until incorporated. TOPPING OPTIONS: salted peanuts for crunch and/or sliced green onions for a bit of color contrast.

MY VARIATIONS: I used a can of Rotel (instead of diced tomatoes) only b/c I realized at the last minute that was all that was in the pantry. Since I usually serve this as a meal, not a side dish/appetizer, I like to double the amount of rice & add just a bit extra peanut butter.