SpoonFullofJelly

Are you a hardcore Black Friday shopper? Do you skip sleep after the turkey to get in line to grab the craziest and wildest deals around? Do you enjoy the rush and often the let down? How about about your wallet? Are you prepared to pay for the hottest ticket item? More often than not, people do not prepare for this holiday shopping season. They forgo paying the cable bill or worse electricity bill, and even dip into college funds, or emergency savings to fund the Black Friday shopping trips. Do not think you got away with it because you are a Small Business Saturday shopper or an Internet Monday shopper. You guys fall into the same category with robbing Peter to pay Paul. So how do you get around this exciting, money saving weekend? Save the money early! 1. How much do you  have (talking ownership not obigated) to spend? Make a list of the number of gifts you have to purchase and the total amount you want to spend that weekend. I'm capping out at $100 for 6 peop

Hello Ladies! Let's talk about Aunt Flow, Mother Nature, the Dot, Period or another name there is. No woman likes their cycle, but every month it comes around for a few days. I was sent an Always Infinity pad to try out. I would have to say that this pad was shockingly nice. It was smooth, thin and paper thin. This pad seemed useless when I first opened it because it had many holes and slits in the surface, but it held up well. Do you move alot when you wear a pad? Don't you just hate when it bunches and clumps together during the day? This pad has solved that problem. After nearly 4 hours, it was still flat in the middle.  Don't take my word for it. Grab a box today!

The weather has changed all over the country and the leaves are changing colors. I even saw a pretty yellow oat tree in Greensboro, NC last weekend. So, that means raking and yard work has become apart of everyone's weekend chore list. Why not have your children do it or help? This is a triple fold lesson. Hear me out: 1. Children can leave how to rake a yard. Homeowner responsibilities start young and last a lifetime, really! Let them rake as much as their age will allow, let them jump into them, you do the same because I know you want to and then bag them up. 2. Point out to your older children the homes in the area that have yet to rake their leaves. The elder couple down the street would love for you to rake them. So go rake them, bag them and knock on the door to let them know you cared. 3. Show your children that they can assist the neighborhood and they can earn a small profit. Does $10 a yard or even $20 a yard sound nice to a 9 year old? You bet it does! 4. Sit

Are you looking for ways to make a small change in your wallet? Saving money can be a daunting task and it should begin by easing into it. An average meal at a family restaurant is roughly $20 per person: $12 a meal, $3 drink, $5 dessert. (Note! I said family restaurant not hip, fancy dining hall!) But who eats dinner alone at a restaurant? So a family of four can easily spend $52 with a child's meal coming in around $6. If $20 is saved per pay check (or every other week), roughly $480-$520 can be saved per year! Amount differs if you receive 26 checks a year. This minor adjustment makes a drastic change in behavior and your savings. Need a place to store the money? How about an attached savings account to your checking for easy transfer, a glass jar in your room, a shoe box or even a hole in the ground. Out of sight is out of mind, so place the money at a different bank's savings account if you have to. Often a different bank might have to be used if you have a habit of d

Mr. Mind and I are back on the scene tasting Autumn's newest foods. My husband has a cat tongue and stays clear from spicy foods, but I love spicy foods. I'm a "Taste This..." kind-of-wife and always shoving food in his mouth and looking for his opinion. So when we wanted to try Jingos I wanted spicy and he wanted cheddar. I won! Jingos! Such fun to say and boy do those little crackers have a punch a flavor. Hands down they are great! They give some excitement to hummus and cheese. Crumble them over soup for a little kick! You can throw them in for lunch or a snack. I'm glad that Pepperidge Farms created a different flavor. I'm tired of cheese and sea salt. Lime and Sweet Chili are a great addition to the cracker world. Give them a try and see for yourself!

Yesterday was a fantastic day because I had the opportunity to have an extended girl talk with one of my best friends. You might think that it's not big deal, but her and I live more than 1000 miles apart! Even though our conversations were all over the board, we spent a great deal of time focusing on someone whom she loves. I encouraged her to take the leap, jump, fly into the arms of love! She gave a compelling arguement about her reservations, but in the end, she realized that she loves him.  But why was this conversation special? Because I thought I was helping her and teacher her, yet she helped me and taught me! I hung up and realized that what matters to me today needs action TODAY. I am not to wait on anyone else (except Mr. Mind) to agree with my decisions and give me permission. True friends support you from tough beginnings to uncertain endings. I want to thank my 1000 mile best friend! I realized my goals and within that, a reason to feel fulfilled!!

I believe that Autumn is just like Spring in that it brings a refreshing being to everyone's lives. Homes are dusted, a new set of clothing is pulled from the attic and the weather begins to change. A calming sense comes over our household during this time of year. Evenings are quiet as we unwind after a busy work day. Dinner is often eaten from a bowl and with a spoon. When I ask Mr. Mind what he wants for dinner that week, he always adds soup to the list. Any kind, every kind, my husband loves soup! Autumn also means scarves and gloves, and the opportunity to picnic before the ground is covered in snow. Autumn means pies, leaves, apple and pumpkin picking. It also means canning pumpkin, apples slices, apple sauce, and apple cider in our home. Bike rides through state parks and outdoor book reading under the trees make our weekend lists this time of the year. Now that we live in a relaxing town, we looked at each other Sunday and laughed because we realized that we will actually g

I cant recall anything in my past that has prepared me for what seems to be happening to me. I am becoming a housewife. This has not been done on purpose, I must add. Four years of college, 3 years of graduate school, 6 years in the marketing field, and I can not land a full time position. With all the extra time on my hands, I have been preparing meals from scratch, learning to grow veggies on an apartment porch, and reusing broken items around the house. I have been quite busy for the past couple of summers. Now that we have moved  to a different state, I have noticed that my experiences have not been in vain. Many mothers have captured my attention this year as they describe their adventures in raising their children. Some mothers set aside their careers as teachers (often elementary) or other professions to enjoy every moment with their families. Their husband's support is often mentioned in their blogs/postings and to my surprise, they love that their home is filled with l