prayers needed

if i win i don't need to buy it!

i won another giveaway - number 158! this time it was children's vitamins :)

i have had many people wonder about my contest winnings - how much time each day does it take, do i enter more then i win so is it really worth it, do i win things that i need or are they just wants - here i am trying to answer those questions.

i take about 2 hours a day (not all at once) to enter contests and giveaways. i only enter giveaways that are something i really want but can't afford or are something my family needs. for example, i recently won a box of ecologically sound cleaners. 7 full size bottles. now tell me you don't need those!
i won several bars of handmade soaps throughout the past year - that is several bars of soap i don't need to buy. :)
yes i enter to win things i don't need, like makeup or jewelry. not always, only if it's something i really want. or can use as a gift. sometimes the piece of jewelry is ugly so i don't enter! lol just like i don't enter for diaper bags - i have 3 and don't need anymore!

i have won 14 giveaways recently that i intend to give as christmas gifts. so that is 14 gifts i don't need to buy! hubby likes that!

some people think i waste my time entering giveaways. i don't. does the science book i won and use for school count as a good winning? it saved me from buying it.
the coconut oil i won is very expensive but i use it for baking and cooking. was the 32 oz bottle i won a waste of time? nope!

don't enter for things you don't like or can't imagine using. if it's ugly don't enter. if you don't have a baby and the giveaway is for a stroller don't enter. (but if you did and won you could donate it :) )

i consider my giveaways (and the freebies i send off for) part of my job. i receive over 30 magazines a month FOR FREE. i love to read so this is great. if i win a shirt for my son that costs $10 and he needs a shirt that saves me from spending $10 at the store. i may not "earn" money as a homemaker but i "save" money. this is an example of Pro 31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

if you are interested in giveaways check out my other blog for buttons to click on to take you to giveaways. sign up for my email so when i blog about a giveaway you hear it about it quickly.

any more qs? :)

my heart grieves

andrew from bella mella has died.

shellie at military mom lost her 2 yr old 2 days ago due to drowning.

remember the 2 yr old boy i wrote about here

such young beautiful children. pray for these families. pray for peace, comfort, rest.
oh my heart is saddened. hug them close ladies- nothing is guaranteed.

look what i found!

valerie at sweepsforbloggers has a new giveaway going on- guess what for?! HEADCOVERINGS!! go HERE to enter

i love their stuff and i love valerie so let's all go enter! :)

wordless wed!

just another monday

mon-mexican casserole
tues-navy bean soup
wed-chicken noodle soup
thur-bean burritos
fri-eggs and sausage


if i all of a sudden disappear it is becuz my desktop computer is on the fritz. it doesn't always come on nowadays! the laptop died a few weeks ago - we are praying they replace it!- and now the desktop!!!

it's cold here but no snow!! i am MAD!!! i love snow! now we have plastic on the windows of my old house, saving money on the electric bill that we were losing due to drafty windows but hubby chose the wrong plastic and we can't see out much! i hate it!!! but at least we are saving money. :)

my grocery budget has been cut in 1/2 and i am pleased to say that i have stayed within the new budget 2 weeks in a row and i am doing the happy dance!!! i have a little over $500 a month to feed all 9 of us and not too many ways to save with coupons since i don't have access to a lot of stores but i will make it! i promise! lol

christmas shopping is done! has been for a week or so now. i spent a grand total of $150 on all 7 children!!!!!! boy am i giddy over that!!! i won 12 giveaways that i was able to use as gifts (i even won 3 for hubby's gifts!) and i found great deals otherwise! i bought mr potato head for 50 cents- i ad-matched dollar general's ad of the toy on sale at walmart , making it $2.50 and then used a $2 off coupon. :) doing things like that save me big bucks :)

michael and i have already opened our gifts from parker! he couldn't wait! he had saved his money and bought us things and was just dying to give them to us so he did :) he gave me a wooden spoon from paula deen's line and gave michael a big bag of his favorite candy. (twizzlers) so i've been stirring and michael's been chewing. ~smile~

well i have giveaways to enter so i will go. i will post about why i do them and how- i'm FAST is the secret-later. i truly believe that by saving money i am doing one of the jobs described in proverbs 31. i save money by not spending it thus i earn money for other things. when i win a bar of soap i don't need to buy a bar of soap. :)

rememember if all of a sudden you don't hear from me it's becuz my desktop died.

SAD pray for this family

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (Dec. 13) - Authorities say a Rottweiler attacked and killed a Florida toddler when the boy reached to pick up a cookie he had dropped.


Kevin Doll of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office says 20-month-old Dallas Walters was at his aunt's home during a party Saturday night. Doll says the dog attacked Dallas when the boy dropped a cookie and went to grab it.


Family members at the party managed to pry the dog off the child and then took him to a hospital. The boy later died.


Animal control has taken possession of the dog.
Filed under: Nation, Crime, Top Stories
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Jillian Won!

jillian won the detergent!!!! please email me by saturday night so i can get your prize out to you. i need your addy and last name :)
my email addy is listed on the sidebar.

my washer came and i am celebrating!

my washing machine came and i am celebrating! after two weeks of not a fun time i am rejoicing in the fact that i have a new washing machine and what better way to celebrate this fact than with a giveaway for my loyal readers!




Powdered Laundry Detergent
Environmentally Safe, Nontoxic Detergent

from the Tropical Tradition website:

Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent cleans and removes stains from your laundry with the power of Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer. Powdered Laundry Detergent is safe and effective at ALL temperatures on whites, permanent press, bright colors, pastels, prints, and delicates in hard or soft water. (Not suitable for Silk or Wool) Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent is non-toxic, environmentally safe and contains no phosphates. Powdered Laundry Detergent cleans and safely bleaches your clothes with the added power of Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer.

With our Laundry Detergent there are no harmful by-products upon decomposition. Powdered Laundry Detergent dissolves as completely as liquid detergents and rinses away completely leaving no residue in your clothes.

Powdered Laundry Detergent costs less to use than commercial liquid detergents and costs no more to use than commercial powdered household laundry detergents. Powdered Laundry Detergent contains no dyes, perfumes, fillers or phosphates. Compare our Laundry Detergent to your normal laundry detergent and you’ll see the difference!


okay, there is the product! my take on this detergent - i liked it! i liked the fact that it wasn't filled with chemicals and that it got my clothes clean. wanna know how i know it gets my clothes clean? as you all know i have had my share of troubles with the dryer and the washing machine for a month now. somehow in the midst of all these troubles i left a semi wet towel in the dryer for a few days!! yuck!! as a real test i washed this smelly towel in Tropical Tradition's detergent to see what would happen. well it came clean and smelled just fine!!!!! amazing!

i also had the chance to use this detergent in both a toploader (courtesy of the local laundromat) and my own front loader machine. this stuff works great in both!

i will saythis- my husband did a few loads in a toploader and complained about the soap not dissolving very well- leaving clumps. when i questioned him it turned out that he had used 2x as much as he was supposed to!! so ....... i'm thinking since i had no problems it was just HIM lol!

well anyway here are the ways to enter the giveaway! first one is mandatory!
1--sub to Tropical Tradition's newsletter (very worth it!)

2--ask me a question about something you want to know about me :)

leave a comment for each :)

giveaway ends friday nite!










Referral Program Instructions:
Here are a few important instructions for our Referral Program with step-by-step directions for first-time customers. New customers are required to place their initial order online, creating their new account, and attributing credit to their sponsor in the Referral Program. These referral orders must be placed online. Below is a suggested post to introduce the Referral Program to your readers:

Tropical Traditions also has a Referral Program, so if you place an order with them as a first-time customer, please select “Referred by a friend” and in the box that says “How did you hear of us?” enter my sponsor ID number… 5444709. By telling Tropical Traditions that I referred you, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy with your first order! This book is filled with testimonies and research showing how healthy coconut oil is, and it also includes over 85 recipes showing how one can incorporate coconut into their diet.

Here are some easy to use directions for your referrals:

1. Add the items you would like to purchase from the order form linked to Tropical Traditions. Visit www.healthybuyersclub.com/orderform.cfm

2. You'll be directed to the Order Form at the Tropical Traditions/Healthy Buyers Club website. You do not have to be a member or purchase a membership to buy from Tropical Traditions. Membership in the Healthy Buyers Club allows you to purchase in bulk amount at club member discounts if you choose to join. If you choose not to purchase a membership to the Healthy Buyers Club please order under the heading “Retail Sale Items”. This will enable you to purchase less than case amounts of any of the individual items without a membership.

3. Select the items you would like to purchase.

4. When you are ready to check out please click on the "Continue'' link which will take you to your shopping cart.

5. Review your order and then click on the "Check Out" button from your shopping cart.

6. Fill in your account information as directed. In the box: "How did you hear of us?'' you must select: "Referred by a friend'' on the drop down arrow. When you make this selection, a box for your sponsor's User ID number should appear if you are a first time customer.

7. Enter your sponsor's User ID number.

8. To complete your order click on "Save and Proceed to Checkout" at the bottom of this page and follow the instructions through the checkout process. You will receive an order number when you have successfully placed your order.

By following these steps, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy. Your sponsor will receive a coupon for a complimentary gift to redeem on their next order. You may view the current complimentary gift being offered here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//referral_program.htm

Those with additional questions about taking advantage of the referral program when creating their new account may email us using this link: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/customerservice.cfm

number 12

the winner has been picked! number 12! Ilana!!

i have emailed her and am waiting for a response. as usual i give 24 hours for an answer.

thank you to all who entered :)