2 Free Yankkee Candles......

Yankee Candle Company - use this printable coupon and get 2 free Yankee candles when you buy 2. What a deal!!

Monday Freebies

Christmas Light Trade-In - Home Depot has an offer to trade in Christmas Lights for $3 per strand for credit toward new LED lights. This offer is good Nov 5 -15. The LED lights are $5.97, so after the trade-in, they will be $2.97 per strand. You can trade up to 5 sets per customer. LED lights use 80% less energy. They will even take broken strands for the $3 credit.


Build a Bear - $5 off $25 at Build a Bear with this printable coupon

You can save up to a total of $15 on a Honey Baked Ham. First sign up at Honey Baked Ham to receive a coupon for $10 off an 8lb+ ham. Then submit for the Real Simple $5 refund. Note that the refund expires 11/19 so you'd need to get your ham early for Thanksgiving.

Walmart.com - DenTek Floss Picks - free sample

Where have I been?

I have been busy coaching these girls to 2 first place victories!! Congrats girls!!!

Natural Ways to Fight the Flu.....

I am a firm believer in immunizations and wish all kids would be immunized. I do respect others opinions though. I do have a child that can not take over the counter cold medicine so over the years we have learned a few "natural" ways to help when he gets sick. I share a few with you here.

Himalayan Institute Original Neti Pot this is great for cleaning out sinuses

Cold-Eeze Homeopathic, Cold Drop Lozenges,18 ea - PARENT we love these and take them regularly

Safety 1st Hospital's Choice 8 Second Digital Thermometer I am always monitoring temperatures on a sick one

Vicks VapoRub-Cough Suppressant, 6oz (170g) put put it on the bottom of feet as well as on the chest when a little one is congested.


Johnsons Baby Soothing Vapor Baby Bath - 15 Oz - great to add to a very warm bath. These vapors and the hot steam work wonders.


Gatorade-Sport Drink, 24/20oz Orange helps fight dehydration.

Heirloom Vegetable Harvest Part #1

Above is a picture of some of our heirloom vegetables that we've harvested this year. This particular picture shows a type of Dry Bean called "Cherokee Trail of Tears" beans. These beans were carried with the Cherokee Tribes when they were relocated on a march that left some 4000 deaths from Kentucky to Oklahoma. Thus the name "Trail of Tears". An interesting story and a great vegetable. The beans, when left to fully dry on the vine, are shiny and black.

We had a very wet year this year thus some of our crops, particularly our tomatoes, did not do well. Some of the beans have a brown tint and that is due to our local wildlife. Funny Story.....sort of. You see, the raccoons (probably) decided that they needed the Oxacan Green Dent Corn (another heirloom vegetable that has been planted in Mexico for centuries) that was growing and was being used as a support pole for the Beans more than we did. The raccoons (probably) knocked the corn down and ate the kernels right off the cob. Never bothered the beans, but the corn crop was destroyed and the beans laid in the drenched garden for weeks on end. We picked some early and dried them inside for fear of them rotting (thus some are more brown than black). Of 75 corn stalks we "harvested" 1 cob. And yes, we have our entire garden fenced in to a height of 4'. Keeps the deer out (we think) but not the other critters. Oh well, it's a funny story (at least that is what we keep telling ourselves).

As I've said before, we do not use pesticides and we only plant heirloom seeds that we recycle year after year. An initial purchase provides fresh vegetables that have an interesting history for years to come. For more information on other heirloom vegetables that we've planted / harvested this year, stay tuned. Up next, Hinkelhatz Peppers a Pennsylvania Dutch Heirloom Pepper.

Cyber Christmas Shopping.....

Time to start thinking about Christmas shopping. I like to start early and do a little at a time so it does not hit me all at once. Here are some early suggestions. More to come in the upcoming weeks.


Connect 4 x 4 - cool spin on a classic game


Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Mr. Squiggles - Light Brown - hot new toys for this Holiday season


Bakugan Battle Pack (Styles and Colors May Vary) - another hot toy for this Holiday season


LEGO Pirates Brickbeard's Bounty - this is such a cool set. I would love to get it for my son!


iCarly Sam's Remote - any iCarly fan would love this!!


Fisher Price Elmo's Tickle Hands this is so cute for any little Elmo fan


Scene It? Twilight Deluxe Edition great for Twilight fans!


Apple iPod nano 8 GB Purple (4th Generation) OLD MODEL - great for any age


Apple iPod touch 8 GB (3rd Generation) NEWEST MODEL upgrade to the hottest model


Snuggie Fleece Blanket As Seen On TV - a cult sensation!! Everyone loves a snuggie! It is all about freedom for the hands!


Shoes Under Space Saving Shoe Organizer I want this!!!


Note: I do get a small compensation from Amazon for anyone buying items through my links.

Home Made Fire Starters....

This is a reprint from last October. It is time for me to make these again this year.........


Every year, I make my own fire starters. I use all recycled items and turn them into something I use almost everyday. I start with shredded paper. I use the paper I get from the fax I receive from my work at home job each morning.



I ball the shredded paper up and place it into cardboard egg cartons and then top each section with old dryer lint.




I melt the old wax I save from my tart burner all year long.

I pour the melted wax on top of the filled egg cartons.

I let them sit to cool and harden.....

.....then I break them up and store them in this basket.

I use one each day to help me start the fire in the fireplace.

They are made from 100% recycled material and FREE!