Welcome to January?

This is the last week of January, I swear it. We had the doors open all day and enjoyed temps in the 70s. We are about halfway between Joplin and Springfield, and both of those cities set records at 74 degrees. I spent the day inside, however, due to my stupid fear of the wind. Ok, fear might not be the right word. It isn't like I am actually "afraid" of the wind. It is more that, when I am in the wind, I become anxious, nervous, and very, very irritable. I get a headache and try to hide. No, maybe not a fear. I mean, come on... wind is not caterpillars. Now THERE is something I can seriously fear.

I didn't actually spend ALL day inside. Little Bit and I went out and sat on the porch for a while. At 6 months old, she loves to go outside and experience things up-close. She loves going out and just touching the trees, feeling the breeze (!) and watching the birds at the bird feeder. But after a while, we went back in and had some "Belly time." She is getting ready to think about crawling, and actually was up on all fours for a while today. I love this stage, because you would think a baby that isn't crawling yet would pretty much stay where you put her, but they don't. Little Bit can roll all the way across the living room in the time it takes me to go to the kitchen and back. It is really important, when you are around children of all ages, to provide a safe environment in which they can explore. And encourage that exploration. That is how your child learns.

You don't have to spend a lot of money on educational toys for a baby. Giving him or her any safe item to explore will occupy them. Little Bit played with a bowl, a weighted ball, a spoon, and a sock today. We talked about round, smooth, light, heavy, blue, gray, yellow, soft, warm, upside down, and lots more. She banged on the bowl, rolled the ball, squeezed the sock, dropped the spoon (again, and again) and tasted everything. And the whole time, she was learning.

Have you heard about "Meatless Monday?" I decided we would try that tonight. We had four-cheese ravioli in spaghetti sauce and a salad. Everyone liked the menu, no complaints. But then after dinner, I realized I was still starving. So I ate leftover BBQ chicken from last night's dinner. I have never had any desire to be a vegetarian. I don't have anything against those that don't eat meat, I just DO eat meat. And I LIKE eating meat. A lot. So we may continue trying the whole "Meatless Monday" thing, but don't be surprised to learn that I eat leftovers, too. Meatless be damned.

Superbowl Sunday is coming fast. We usually just watch the game alone. Not this year! First of all, Sunday is our oldest daughter's birthday. McKelvie is going to be 21. TWENTY -ONE!!! How did that even happen? It doesn't seem like that long ago that she was curled up on the couch, reading an upside-down book about a bunny. Or chasing Grandpa's chickens around. I'm not sure what she was going to do once she caught one. Anyway, she has done the unthinkable and grown up. We now only see her a few times a year, since she lives so far away. (Sarcasm, folks... she lives about 15-20 minutes away) But, she is coming on Sunday for strawberry cupcakes with chocolate frosting-- her favorite.

Another thing happening on Sunday, which I may or may not have remembered to tell her, is that I am hosting a SodaStream Fizz & Football House Party! The way HouseParty.com works is simple: Manufacturers send their product to House Party. House Party, in turn, sets up a party plan, if you will. House Party participants (like me) apply to host a party on a specific date. When a participant is chosen, he or she has a limited amount of time to respond to the offer to host and invite people. Then, about a week before the party date, the host receives a Party Pack of items to share with their guests. In return, the host agrees to take and post a photo of the party guests enjoying the party and to share what the party guests thought of the products.

I had only applied for three or four parties when I got the email telling me I had been selected for the SodaStream party. Being so new to House Party, I was still a bit skeptical, but invited away, anyway. Last Friday, FedEx delivered my SodaStream House Party Pack. Very, very cool. I received, FREE OF CHARGE, a brand-new SodaStream Source starter kit, including the SodaStream machine, one CO2 canister and one Carbonating Bottle (to make the soda in.) I also, as part of my party pack, received a second bottle (the brand-new Stainless Steel bottle I was going to buy myself), two full-sized bottles of concentrate, and 18 trial-sized concentrates. I also received a T-shirt to wear at the party, a whistle, beads and lots of cups. A few select family members will be joining us for our SodaStream/Birthday/Superbowl party Sunday. We have the cupcakes and beverages covered, now to come up with a few ideas as to how to feed everyone, and our party is set!

Be aware, everyone, of the weather tomorrow as Old Man Winter comes back. The potential for severe weather will be there, starting tonight, so just be safe, okay? And that, my friends, is is enough randomness for one night. Enjoy!

Big Savings at Hip2Save

How many times have you had someone say, "You should check out this website!" only to forget completely about it by the time you got to a computer? I guess it doesn't happen as often now that so many are carrying a smartphone with them, but I am still trudging though my daily life with an un-smart phone.

 Luckily, when my friend, Brittney, mentioned "Hip2Save," I was at my computer and plugged it in to my favorite search engine right away. 

Best.Decision.Ever. 

Hip2Save.com

From the description on the website, "Hip2Save is a nationally-recognized coupon and savings blog. Collin Morgan, mother of three and proud wife to a former Marine, began the blog in the summer of 2008 as a way to help herself, family, and friends save money."

From me: Hip2Save is the best clearing house of coupons, sales, deals, and free offers I have ever seen. Seriously, since I started following Collin's blog, I have learned how to make the most of coupons and sales, and I have received a TON of free samples in the mail. Just today, the USPS brought me four pair of fleece-lined leggings (one for me and one for each of my three daughters) purchased on uber-sale, thanks to a post on Hip2Save, samples of Airborne and Hill's Science Diet IDEAL BALANCE Veggie Chips for our dogs (They love these crisp cracker-like treats.) and eleven, yes, eleven coupons, each good for one free 12-pack of Coke products through MyCokeRewards. I have been a member of MCR for a long time, but I would have totally missed the chance to snag these coupons had I not seen the posts on Hip2Save. 

Thanks to Collin, and the great deals she posts all the time, I have found a thickening shampoo and conditioner I love (Bumble & Bumble Thickening Shampoo and Thickening conditioner, along with their great products, Prep Spray and Thickening Hair Spray; Expensive, but so far, I have gotten free shipping and free samples with every order) and I have also actually EARNED money on Hershey's Kisses by using stacking store coupons and manufacturer coupons on after-Christmas sales. 

Nope, I am not being paid, or otherwise compensated, for saying all these swell things about the Hip2Save blog, it all comes straight from the heart.

And that, my friends, if my random thought at the moment!