Hi folks.  If you’re a regular reader, then you may be wondering what’s going on around here.  Keeping the Castle is now part of b5media’s lifestyle Blisstree.
I’ll still be bringing you tips on housekeeping and homemaking, as well as recipes, money saving tips, great giveaways, and more.  Feel free to leave a comment letting me know any topics you’d like tackled.
As always, you can also find me at Thrifty Mommy.

Hello everyone.  I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself.  My name is Karen Weideman, but you may also know me as Thrifty Mommy.  I have been writing for the b5media Thrifty Mommy blog for over two years now.  I’ve enjoyed getting to know the b5 bloggers and the close knit network that we have here.
Now a little about myself . . . In previous years I was an elementary school teacher, but have taken a break from that for a while until my children get a little older.  I have two children, ages 5 and 3.  You may …read more

It’s rather a miserable day. We have a Christmas Party to attend and it could have been quite impressive. It’s being held at Blackcreek Pioneer Village. We get the entire day to tramp around and sample Christmas as it might have been a hundred or so years ago and then we all gather for a Christmas Feast! Unfortunately, it is freezing rain.
But, it is supposed to improve and just rain… if that is an improvement. Just maybe it will simply turn to great big snowflakes… which sound quite impressive if you want to get into the Christmas spirit.
Anyway as I …read more

I love Wednesdays… because that is one day that I stop and take a look at what everyone else in the channel is up to. Here’s my five picks for this week.  Darn, I wish I hadn’t decided on a 5 post limit, but I did and I will have to live with it. I’m not saying that I didn’t check out more posts, so hint, hint… go take a look at a few others. You won’t be disappointed!
Cranberry Pumpkin Cookies… Rachel has perfected a cookie that I think that a lot of us are going to want to try …read more

I hope you will join me on a little blog hopping. I really should go out and shovel the front walk, but… I’m working   I have to keep up with the other talented ladies in my channel and it’s cold out there.
Holiday Baking Supply Stock Up Sales 
Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
Channel Your Inner Mrs. Claus
Dealing With Holiday Stress
Chocolate Zen: Dark Chocolate Espresso Beans

I’m still getting to know everyone here so I thought that I would go around and see what everyone is writing about today. Here’s just some of the interesting stuff I found.
Question of the month: What is your favorite comfort food?
Quick Thanksgiving Prep: Put those kids to  work
Of Dog Crates and End Tables
When Youngsters Are Satisfied With Books For Christmas
Junk Art from Light Bulbs and Plastic Bottles

To round out the Blogtoberfest giveaways here at Keeping the Castle, I’ve picked out the winner of the 3rd and last surprise prize. The prize is:

A bottle of EcoSmart Insect Repellent. This is a DEET-free bug repellent so you and your family will be able to fight off those nasty things without harmful chemicals.
And the winner is Theresa.
Congratulations! I will email you for the address to get the prize out to. Thank you very much for everyone who joined!

There are a lot of fans of Ty Pennington around here! Did you all see today’s episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, featuring the Anders-Beatty family? What a heart-warming tribute to teachers everywhere!
But back to the topic at hand… Thank you to all 105 of you who left a comment at the Blogtoberfest-sponsored post last Monday. The surprise prize for that post is a ‘Travel with Toddlers Gift Set’.

Today kicks off the beginning of our Second Annual b5media Lifestyles Channel Blogtoberfest Two Week Giveaway Event!
This year, we’re happy to introduce our sponsors, who with a combined effort, are giving away over $7,000 in prizes.
Go through the list and see what you can’t live without, or would just love to give to someone you know.
Now, to make things especially fun, we’ve mixed up the prizes and placed some on unlike sites so it won’t be so easy to figure out where those prizes are lurking.

Cleatskins- A cleat that you …read more

Ty Pennington, the host of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, combines an art education (specifically graphic design, painting and sculpture), carpentry skills, modeling and acting in one package. He attended Kennesaw College before transferring to the Atlanta Art Institute and then the Atlanta College of Art. His modeling after college took him all over the world, working for clothing companies and appearing in TV commercials.
On TV, Ty first gained popularity as the hunky, sometimes-shirtless carpenter of TLC’s Trading Spaces. He has since added to his TV credits as the design team leader and host of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and …read more