Scholastic Parent & Child is hosting the Mommy Blogger Awards.  Stop by and vote for your favorite blogs. The nominations close on February 13. Hmmm, I wonder which blog you’ll nominate. 

image from Scholastic

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

b5 has been nice enough to trust me with another blog.  You can also find me at Keeping the Castle where we can discuss tips, resources, and give advice for housekeeping and homemaking.  See you there!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Making Your Own Journal Saves You Money

The 2 Minutes Toss It Rule

Solar Powered Car for $5,560

Having Fun with Acrostic Poetry

Homemade Cough Syrup

Easy Hamburger Stroganoff

11 Ways to Use Pumpkins

Recycled Ghost Party Favors

Polenta with Prosciutto and Onions

Starbucks Hot Caramel Apple Cider Recipe

Trick or Treat Safety Tips

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

•  Eliza at Babylune talks about Fans preventing SIDS
• Tracey over at Foodie Obsessed gives us a great recipe for Pistachio Crusted Chicken
• Julie at TomKatCrazy has an adorable picture of Suri Cruise
• Brianne at Greetings has cute Jack-o-lantern Chicken Taco Cups
• Ali at Dumb Little Man tells us how our money is totally gone in 60 seconds
• Hey it’s free tells you where to eat free on your birthday
• Pat over at Frugal Living gives a touching glimpse into her mom’s life

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

The b5media Lifestyles Channel is excited to announce our Second Annual Channel Wide Blogtoberfest!

Blogtoberfest will run an entire two weeks throughout our channel beginning Monday, October 6th and wrapping up Friday, October 17th.

Here’s how it will work:

Each day select blogs within the channel will post as usual, the only difference is, they’ll post our beautiful Blogtoberfest button (shown above) and a special note letting you know that it is a sponsored post. That particular post will have a secret prize assigned to it from our list of awesome prizes that will be announced prior to opening day.

All you have to do to enter to win that prize is leave a comment! That’s it! All prizes will be available to the U.S. and Canada unless otherwise noted. We do have some goodies for our global friends too!

Within a few days of leaving your comment, check back with that blog to see what the prize is and if you’re the lucky winner as well as instructions on just how to claim your prize.

Our objective is to reward our loyal readers and subscribers. Loyal readers will know when to comment, if they’ve won and how to get their prize! Pretty good, huh?

Does that sound like you? Do you want that to sound like you?

If you would like to become a loyal reader, visit our channel blogs – add them to your favorites, subscribing to their feeds and checking back are the only ways to win.

And well, with the holidays just around the corner, it’s a great way to kick off your holiday shopping! For Free!

We do hope you’ll come celebrate Blogtoberfest with us! Happy Fall Y’all!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

In case you don’t normally purchase online you just fill up your cart and click on check out. Once at check out you will get a chance to place your code or promotion. Here’s a few codes for you:

JUNEBAR8- Save $10 when you spend $39 or more.

SENSEO15- Save 30% on Senseo. 

KETTLE45- Save 40% off Kettle Chips

Keep in mind when you spend over $25 you can also get FREE Shipping. Don’t forget to check out the bargains on Amazon. I’ve been searching for movies lately so my first stop is DVD deals where they have movies under $5.99 and others marked 50% off. Hope this helps.

This post was written by Eliza Ferree of Babylune.

Each hour today, we are blogging for charity.  Please consider making a donation to The Children’s Hunger Fund.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1. Save your egg cartons for sorting small things. Children, even the older kids, love to sort. Add a set of tongs. This is great for developing motor skills in young children.

2. Play-doh! Play-doh is a very cheap way to keep your children busy. My oldest all the way down to my youngest love to play with play-doh. I always hear parents say, “It is too messy.” But if you throw down a plastic shower curtain, the mess is contained. Throw in some cookie cutters and a rolling pin or two and you have at least 1 hour of fun. And if you don’t want to buy it, there are several sources on the internet for making your own. There is even a recipe for a fruity play-doh.

3. All kids love to play in shaving cream. You can get a bottle of shaving cream for under $1 at the dollar store and you can have loads of fun. Also it gets your table shiny and clean.

4. You need a good set of building blocks (initially they cost a little more but are well worth the cost) and a cheap set of plastic animals. This is another activity that will keep your children busy for hours.

5. Lastly, a sand table (any kind of sturdy, shallow, plastic box with a lid will do). This is a great rainy day activity. Again, throw your plastic shower curtain down on the floor and let the kids dig, dig, dig. We like to hide dinosaur bones (broken cotton swabs) or small treasures (coins, nuts, bolts, etc.) in ours and pretend to be treasure hunters.

Next time your kids are driving you crazy and you feel like you are losing your mind, pull out these few suggestions and enjoy a little peace and quiet.

Tami is a former teacher. She is now a stay-at-home mom and has four children. She enjoys writing about their everyday life and the adventures that motherhood brings. You can find her at Muddlin’ Thru Motherhood.

Each hour today, we are blogging for charity.  Please consider making a donation to The Children’s Hunger Fund. 

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Some have taken a very creative approach and painted a portrait with words as they stroll through windows of time, life and their spiritual growth, while others share actual images of what they see on a day-to-day basis.

We do hope you’ll enjoy this month’s gift to our readers.  Now push open the shutters and experience the world in the way we see our world . . .

——————–

Mary Emma Allen at One Book Two Book shares a view from her window that entertains and delights her grandchildren.

Also at One Book Two Book, Karen shares the sweetest view of her kids playing on the deck and how the two youngsters deal with the heat.  I’m thinking they’ve got the right idea!

Linette, one of our resident super bloggers is sharing views on three blogs.  The first is a beautiful view of her back yard that she’s sharing on She Knows Parties – it looks inviting – the only thing missing is my lawn chair and a cold iced tea.  Next, on Robust Cooking she shares a photo of her window herb garden – solid proof that she takes her cooking very seriously.  Last, on Mother Earth’s Garden she shares a beautiful view from her front porch.  Truly an images that makes you feel right at home.

Mary Emma Allen, at Quilting and Patchwork, tells us how she was influenced by her mothers’ view from a kitchen window, as well as suggesting views for quilters.

Marye at Baking Delights shares details of some of her favorite views throughout time and from some of her favorite windows in her massive farmhouse where she lives now.  Check out the veggie garden she has in her front yard.

Susan at Play Library shares a view from her car window as she and her husband go out to dinner for their anniversary.  Susan happens to live close by Disney World and is doing a fine job at making me jealous.

Trench – our resident Superhero on who spends his time tracking down crime both on the internet at My Crime Space and crimes of passion in the real world at Psycho for Love shares a figurative view of what life looks like from his windows.

Marcie at A Child Chosen shares a glimpse through the “types” of windows in her life as an international adoptive mother and more.

Peggy at Junk Creation shares an adorable image of Goslings on Parade as they waddle their way by Peggy’s window.

Our newest Lifestyles member Rachel comes on board her first channel carnival with an adorable detailed view of her new window with her fur baby, Louie.  Stop over and say hello at Drinks After Dark.

Lastly, Gayla shares a beautiful sunset in rural Indiana as it rests on full display behind the farm across the road on MomGadget.  It’s one of her favorite parts of living in the country.

Thanks to Gayla for putting together the blog carnival for us.  How’s your view?

image: Karen

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Some freebies you might like are samples of Clorox2 color safe bleach and a 10 pack of DVD+R.  Check them out.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Post from: Thrifty Mommy