Savings of the Week

I've been sick this week so I sent E shopping. This is why we ended up with Doritos as a filler item. He missed a couple of things so the deals weren't as good as they could have been but overall he did a pretty good job. Thanks honey!

Total Spent: $66.96

Total Saved: $85.20 (56%)

Rewards Remaining: $38.75

Dress Shopping

I'm not sure how many of you know that I have a little sister. Now my sister and I are not terribly close in age, in fact we're about seven years apart, but as we get older we are becoming closer, probably because we have more in common. One thing we love to share right now is shopping. My sister is at an age Prom is the most important thing of the year and when we are together we have lots of fun looking at beautiful dresses. That is dresses she wants to wear this spring and dresses I dream of fitting back into.

One of our favorite places to look at dresses online is Prom Girl. I love that they have both formal and causal dresses to fit every occasion. There are dresses that I can see myself wearing as a mother and dresses that my sister would love to wear on a date. I, for example could totally see myself wearing this beautiful black dress to a fancy dinner with the hubby, after I loose some baby weight. My sister however loves this blue formal that she could wear to the high school dance.

Another thing we love about Prom Girl is that you can shop by style, occasion or price range. This makes it easy to find exactly what you're looking for even when you have a time crunch as most of their styles are ready to ship and will arrive before you know it. 

If you have a daughter, granddaughter, or just like to look at pretty dresses than Prom Girl is the place for you. They will tell you all about the hottest styles, hottest prices, and give you all the pictures you need to help you find the perfect dress for your special occasion. Make sure you check out all the awesome deals they have going on today!

Gourmet Gift Baskets Review

Since getting married I have gotten pretty good at putting together gift baskets for different occasions. I've done everything from baby showers to weddings to raffle events. The problem these days is that I just don't have time to make gift baskets like I would like.

Needless to say I was thrilled when I was introduced to Gourmet Gift Baskets. They have a wide selection of gift baskets to fit every style and occasion. I just love there selection of Valentines Gift Baskets as there are so many to choose from.

The gift basket we recently received was wonderful. It was well packaged and looked beautiful on arrival. It has also been really hard not to eat all the goodies myself as they are all of good quality and oh so yummy!

Gourmet Gift Baskets has so many wonderful options we are thrilled to have them as a sponsor for ABE. Please go check out all the great gift baskets they have to offer and look at all the great things they can put with your basket while you are there. If you haven't thought about what to get your loved one for Valentines yet, now is the time to place your order, and don't forget to add those roses, it will save you time at the store.

Online Marketing

With a new year I am excited to be finding some wonderful new brands and products to represent here on Kerrific. As online marketing strategies are changing, more and more brands are turning to online marketing to fill their advertising needs. Here at Kerrific we offer a variety of advertising options. We are happy to work directly with brands or to work through an advertising company. 

At this time we are looking for brands who would like a three to six month ad placement in our sidebar and brands who would like a post written specifically about them. Either of these options can provide great success to businesses as marketing strategies and Kerrific offers fair pricing to all who apply (provided I can write about them in a family friendly manner). 

To learn more about our advertising deals please contact A. (kerrific5@gmail.com) or have your advertising company send her a note. We will need to know what you would like advertised, the length of the post (or ad placement) and the time frame you would like it to appear during.

We firmly believe that we are here to help you and will work with you in any way we can during 2012.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Getting Ready for Valentines!

For anyone who hasn't yet seen we are having a big giveaway starting Monday! This is going to be a HUGE prize package (valued at $400) that is nothing but items to help you prepare for and enjoy your Valentines date. Make sure you stay tuned, check out the sponsor review posts, and be ready to enter away on Monday during ABE!

Adoptable: Hope

Hope is a beauty! She is a Collie and Aussie mix from my neck of the woods. For me, Hope is a great representation of the dogs we deal with every day. Most of them are some sort of cattle dog/collie mix with medium length hair and great dispositions. These dogs are totally trainable and make wonderful friends and family members. If you are looking for a great dog I highly recommend one of these mixes as they are smart, active and yet happy to sit by your feet too. In fact, our new dog B3 is just this type of dog.

You can find Hope and many other adoptable animals at Petfinder.

More Clogged Pipes at the Kerr House

I have written quite a bit about our crazy plumbing problems. I don't know who the previous owner(s) of our house were but they really messed up the plumbing. While E has been off work for the last month one of his jobs was to fix our last, we hope, plumbing problem for a while.

This involved unclogging the basement drain in the laundry room. This is just the drain in the middle of the floor but when we mopped when we first moved in it got some water in it and it was still their two weeks later so we knew there was a problem. Thankfully we didn't have any floods while we were waiting for time to fix the problem.

When E finally opened it up what did he find? A shirt! That's right, someone had packed, and I mean packed, a t-shirt down the drain. After about 4 hours of prying and trying to get the thing out we got the shirt out of the drain. It came out in tiny pieces and stunk so bad it was ridiculous. Why someone would put a shirt in the drain I don't know but my kids better never try it because I do not want to help with that job again ever!

I am participating in a blogger campaign for Bucks2Blog about frozen pipes and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

SodaStream Reivew

Something interesting about our family is that B & I are allergic to soda. We haven't tested C or D yet, chances are they will also be allergic, so E very rarely gets soda. He thinks this is sad because he likes soda but at the same time it saves our budget not to buy it for him (usually some of it ends up going bad too).

E was thrilled when we got a SodaStream to review. Of course it came right between his birthday and Christmas so he was extra excited! He loves his new SodaStream and I do too.

The first reason I liked it was because it looks nice. I don't like having cluttered counters and the SodaStream's slick design makes it look stylish in my kitchen. I also like the fact that the outside of the SodaStream is easy to clean. This also helps my kitchen to stay clean and tidy!

E loves the SodaStream because it is easy to use. Simply fill the bottle with water, attach to the machine and push the button to carbonate, and add flavor. He has told me that some of the flavors are a little off, usually sweeter than store brands, but he has quickly learned to adjust them to his liking.

I love the size of the bottle as it doesn't take up the whole fridge. It is just the right size to last E 2-3 days which is a good amount so it doesn't go bad.




I would not recommend using the SodaStream to make soda for a party as it would take a long time and you would have to rotate containers but for everyday home use it is the perfect solution for a little soda treat now and again.

Brothers

CafeWell - A Social Site for Your Heath

This post brought to you by Cafe Well. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am a very busy mom and the last thing I want to do is spend extra time at the doctor because the boys aren't feeling well. This is why I am excited to have found a new tool called Cafe Well. Cafe Well is a social site but my favorite part is the symptom checker. Here I can first pick who has the problem, adult, child, male, female, and then I can choose what part of the body hurts. The symptom checker than gives me a list of possible problems. If it has a problem that fits our symptom I simply click on it to get a list of tips on how to help the problem at home and some idea of what to expect if a doctor visit becomes required.

They also have a wonderful program called Race to the Moon. This is a wellness program available to corporations to help encourage employees to exercise. The big benefit to this plan is that it provides wireless pedometers for each employee. By counting steps, each employee is encouraged to get off the couch and walk. It has also been said to cut down the number of individuals using the elevator and making stairs a fun activity. Race to the Moon is available to select Health America members. Just visit the website and begin setting your goals today!

What health problems do you have at your house? Can the symptom checker help?Or would you rather have a corporate program?

The Naughty Bucket List Book Review *Adult*

I had a great time putting a package together for our upcoming ABE event. I've decided to go with a Date Night theme. All of the prizes should help you plan a perfect Valentines for your special someone. Today I want to introduce you to the first piece of our prize pack.

The Naughty Bucket List is the ultimate idea book for those special occasions. It contains a list of suggestions to help you spice up your love life. E and I had a great time looking though this book. Although there are some suggestions that we would never try, there are many that we have either already done or would have a great time trying. Here are just a few ideas that are included.

1. Dirty Word Scrabble - It is much more challenging to spell only sex related words.
2. "Whoo hoo, we're pregnant!" Sex - Why not celebrate?
3. Handless Cllothing Removal - Use anything but your hands.
4. Tent - Don't pop the air mattress.

These are just a few of the ideas in this book. They go from everything from simple and fun to so ridiculous you might not stop laughing. If you really want to spice up your love life be ready to win during ABE.

Learning About Food

Photo From The Polka-Dot Umbrella

With E and I at school everyday we have to work hard to find fun situations to teach our kids useful things. It is extra wonderful if these teaching times can help us get chores done as we are always crunched for time. Recently we have found a great new game that both B & C love and we get to learn at the same time. The game ... putting away groceries.

The way we play is that I look at the receipt from the store and tell both B & C to get one specific item (usually different things) and they have to look in all the bags and find them. As soon as they find it they have to come show me so I can mark it off the list and then take it to E and he helps them put it away.

As I said, both boys love this game and it is a big help. Not only do they get to learn about different foods and what they look like but they also get to learn descriptive words like hot, cold, and heavy. It is a great use for C's newly blossoming vocabulary and makes a sometimes frustrating chore a fun family activity that often provides laughs. Tonight for example, C was going to carry a gallon of milk to the kitchen but B said, "no, I have to carry it cause I have muscles and C doesn't have any yet." It was adorable!

What do you do with your kids to make chores fun? Let us know. We'd love to try it out!

Mailing a Hug

I found this adorable project at Roots & Wings. This would make a great Valentines gift for the loved one in your child's life. Even if you don't have someone far away I bet you could get it to Dad or Mom at work and make their day. Please let us know how your hugs turn out!

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review & Giveaway

Much to my kids dismay, I really like trying new food. Recently I have had the opportunity to try Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil and I am a convert! After about two months I now replace butter and/or oil in almost all my cooking and baking with coconut oil and it is delicious! Even E has not had a complaint and he claims to not like coconut.

There is now way I could share all the ways I have used the Coconut Oil with you but I will tell you that this week we made no bake cookies that were delicious. I used my regular recipe and replaced the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil. The cookies turned out perfect. They are moist just like we like and yet they have an extra little something in the flavor that makes them even richer and more delicious than they were before.

If you like coconut, or even if you don't, you should try Tropical Tradition's Coconut Oil in your favorite meals. You might be surprised with how much you enjoy this simple change.

Tropical Traditions has generously offered to give one Kerrific reader their very own jar of Coconut Oil to try. Please fill out the form below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Send A Frizbee Review

I'm sure by now most of you have noticed that I love easy gift ideas. Especially those that are easy to mail. Recently I had the opportunity to work with Send A Frizbee and review their FrizbeeGram service.

I must say that I am very impressed! My frizbee is awesome and the kids thought it was great when the mail arrived. I love that you can personalize your frizbee to say whatever you want. This is super simple to do and as you can see the frizbee looks great!

I think this is a super idea for those long distance friends and familiy! These would be so much better than a get well or happy birthday card. We have not used our frizbee yet, it's really cold, but I can already tell we're going to have lots of fun teaching the boys to play this summer!

Bamboobies Review & Giveaway

Some of you know that I became a cloth diaper convert not long after we found out we were expecting baby number 2. At that point it was all about the fact that we could not afford to diaper two small children in disposables. It didn't take long after the change to really fall in love with cloth. After switching and falling in love I began investigating my options for saving money and living green in other ways.

One of these was was with cloth nursing pads. Since I started using them I'm really not sure how I ever lived without them. Recently Bamboobies sent me a set of their nursing pads to try. They are pure luxury! You will really never understand how nice they are until you try them for yourself but I am going to tell you about a few of my favorite things.

The first thing I loved was that they are made of bamboo, organic cotton, and hemp. This not only makes them unbelievably soft but they are also amazingly absorbent. Because these materials are all so absorbent the Bamboobies are extremely thin and do not show in even the lightest of shirts. Also, you can't beat the adorable heart shape. This shape is cute but also very practical as it allows the pad to curve with your breast without wrinkling.

Nursing pads are only one of the things you will find in Bamboobies shop. You will also see many other wonderful products like nursing covers.

Bamboobies has generously offered to give one Kerrific readers a shop credit. This will be enough for two sets of nursing pads or you can use it on a higher priced item. Please use the form below to enter. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saving Saturday - Must Haves for Busy Moms

We had fun shopping this week. E & the boys came with me for the first time in a while so I let B & C pick our filler items. They thought that was great. Anyway, here are our totals.

Spent: $30.60

Saved: $95.98 (75.8%)

Rewards Remaining: $7.00

Please note that all my totals include 6% sales tax.

New Giveaway Event

It is a new year and with it comes some awesome new events. If you haven't seen what we're planning make sure you check out our right sidebar and watch for upcoming posts about some awesome giveaway opportunities.

Tonight I want to announce the Ohh, Baby, Baby Giveaway Hop sponsored by The Shopping Duck is taking signups now. This blog hop event will take place from April 1, 2012 to April 15, 2012 and is still accepting paricipants. Come join the fun!

Yet Another Insurance Hastle

This post brought to you by Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you fill your prescriptions at Walgreens you may want to check you insurance card before your next visit. Due to negotiation issues, Walgreens can no longer accept Express Script plans. Walgreens and Express Script have  been trying to solve this problem for a few months but they cannot seem to come to an agreement and on December 31st their contract ended.

Walgreens does want to help and they have made a new savings plan to help those customers effected by this change. Walgreens Prescription Savings Club  gives the member discounts on over 8000 brand-name and generic medications. You will also receive discounts on flu shots, pet medications, asthma supplies and diabetic supplies.

The best news is that through the end of January club membership comes at a discounted price. Right now you pay just $5 for an individual or $15 for a family membership. You can become a member online or by visiting your local pharmacy. Remember, this is a yearly deal so make sure you sign up this month at the discounted price to get the most out of your Savings Club membership.

To learn more please follow Walgreens on Twitter or visit Walgreens on Facebook where you can find more information about the Prescription Savings Club.

Adoptable: Lola

We saw one of these fine feathered friends the other day and my kids were amazed. After looking around Petfinder I was amazed to see that there were some for adoption.

What would your children think about adopting Lola? She is going to be a beautiful bird when she grows up! This particular peahen is going to need a little special care due to a previous injury to her feet but she should make a wonderful addition to a family. And of course you'll need a mate with those big, beautiful feathers.

Lets help Lola find a new home this week! If you, or someone you know, is interested in adopting please tell them about this beautiful bird today!

Child loves Pooh and Mickey Mouse

Thanks for the article from Laura Ryan

Last month my family went to Disney World and we had the best time. I was pleasantly surprised by how excited my son was to see all the characters. Since he is only one, I was worried he would be scared by the more than life size characters. However, it was the complete opposite. When the trip was over, he has a new love for Pooh and Mickey Mouse. Now, he can’t stop talking about them. We had to get him a Pooh stuffed animal and every Pooh movie available. Thankfully, Expert Satellite’s on demand has been a life saver. I think we have watched every show they offer. It has become a small obsession of my son’s to see Pooh and Mickey as much as possible. I am hoping it is a short phase because it can’t be healthy watching that much television. I will probably start limiting it soon, but right now it is cute. It is as if he has a small crush on them and wants to spend time with them. I can’t wait to go back to Disney World and see how he reacts next year.

Just Like Dad

Best Use for Soda Bottles

I found this today and couldn't help but laugh. This is the most adorable use of soda bottles ever. I can't wait to make some for my boys!

Source: tammypekas.blogspot.com via Kerrific on Pinterest

What I Wish Auto Insurance Covered

Lately I have been wishing that auto insurance covered more things. Like when your body breaks down and your medical insurance covers it. Right now the heater is not working in E's car, the one that gets ok gas mileage, and so we are driving my car to school every day. I really wish that our insurance would fix the broken car so I could be warm and life could be less expensive.

It seems silly that auto insurance only covers accidents. I mean, isn't it an accident when your heater quits working. It's not like we broke it on purpose which means it should qualify as an accident. Right?

It sure would make our lives easier if insurance covered anything that wasn't purposeful breakage. That's why you pay for insurance, is to cover the things you can't afford, so it seems like they should extend their coverage to take care of everything you can't afford.

The only other thing I can think of that would help our problem is better public transportation but I just don't see that happening out here. We don't have a dozen taxi cabs in town let alone a good bus system that runs often enough to make it worthwhile.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for san diego auto insurance and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Blocking out the Cold

Often as I sit and write I am doing so from campus. I have a few breaks between my classes during the day and I like to sit and blog. One of my favorite places to do this is in the math building because they have two areas that are all windows which allows me to sit in the sun.

The disadvantage to this is that oftentimes these areas are very drafty. I always have to make sure I have my sweatshirt and coat as I get cold so easily. People often look at me like I am crazy as I sit here bundled up in a sweatshirt and coat with my hat on but I love the feel of the sun on my face even if I do freeze while I'm here.

There are days that I ponder what the school's heating bill must be. I know the bill at our house gets higher than we like to think about this time of year and we do everything we can to keep the heat in. I can't imagine what the bill would look like if we were opening and closing doors all day and had even larger windows than we already do. But I suppose that's the downfall of living in a cold place and enjoying sunlight.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for Thermal Block and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

What We Looked For In Buying A House

When we began looking for a house we began a very long process. Part of what made this so long was our specification in what we wanted. Because we didn't have a definite time frame this allowed us to find a great house that fit the majority of our needs.

The first thing we were looking for was that it had to be at least a 4 bed and 2 bath house. We knew that we needed at least this much room for our growing family. Another thing we looked for was to have three bedrooms on one level. This was not mandatory but I'm very glad we found one that met this requirement. It is very nice to know my kids are close when they need me.

Another thing we were very concerned about when buying our house was the yard. I rally wanted the boys to be able to play outside. I am very grateful that our new house has a good sized fenced yard. The fence is wonderful especially since our new house is on a fairly busy street.

Although we did get some of the things we really wanted one thing we did not get that we would have preferred is a master bath. There are days when I regret not having a master bath as sharing with the kids can be messy at times but overall I am very pleased with our new home and am very grateful for the space it has given us!

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for  St Louis county real estate and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Project: Toy Room

Over the recent break one of our projects was organizing the toy room in our new house. It is finally free of everything but toys and most of the toys are somewhat under control. When I saw this I knew we needed to have two, one for balls and one for stuffed animals. I hope E has time to do some building soon because these will be a wonderful addition to our play room and make clean up so much easier for the boys!

Source: Uploaded by user via Kelby on Pinterest

Clearance at EdenFantasys *Adult*

If you have any money left after the holidays and would like to share something special with your loved one this Valentines than you should head over to EdenFantasys today. Not only do they have sex toys but they also have an extensive line of lingerie at some awesome prices.

Right now EdenFantasys is having a huge clearance event with up to 70% off 700+ items. Here you can find just about anything you could want to add to your bedroom collection this year. These toys start at just $7 and continue up through their premium collections.

EdenFantasys is also currently running a set of deal packs so you can create your own sale. The way this works is that you get to choose three, four or even five toys for $20 (exclusions apply). This can be a great way to try something new or stock up for all those bridal showers we all know are coming this spring.

EdenFantasys really does have something for every style and budget. They have wonderful information to help you find the perfect product for you and their discrete billing and shipping will allow you to shop with the comfort of knowing your purchase will be a wonderful surprise.

Some Awesome Savings

I wasn't planning  on much shopping this week but there were some deals I just couldn't pass up. We were also completely out of dishwasher soap so I had to buy that and we were beginning to run low on dog food. While I was at Walgreens I found an awesome deal on Christmas lights, something E and I have been talking about for a while, so we got those while we could too. Hopefully our spending will pay off in days to come!

Total Spent: $126.58

Total Saved: $350.83 (73.4%)

Rewards Remaining: $8.00

Please note that I include sales tax in all my totals.

Spike Seasoning Mix Review & Giveaway

We were delighted over the past couple of months to be able to try out Spike Seasonings. These amazing seasonings are made naturally to fit dietary needs and are absolutely delicious. Although I cannot vouch for everyone I have enjoyed experimenting with these spices in my cooking and for the most part they have been absolutely delicious. Our favorite of the spices are probably the Salt Free and the Garlic, because these are what work best in  most of the meals we make regularly, but there are so many choices I'm sure you will find something you love.

Spike Seasoning has generously offered to give one Kerrific reader a complete set of seasonings to try.
Please use the form below to enter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

A Cold Creek Secret by RaeAnne Thayne

A Cold Creek Secret was a wonderful read that hit me close to home, literally. This enchanting story takes place right here in my own Tetons. The story begins as Jack arrives home from a tour of duty wanting nothing more than a hot meal and warm bed. As the snow begins to fall at his home, Cold Creek Ranch, disaster brings an unexpected visitor calling.

Mimi Van Hoyt, scandal trailed bad girl, is stranded while trying to visit an old friend. Away from home with a big secret, Mimi turns to Jack, a complete stranger, for protection from much more than the angry weather outside.

I was throughly touched by this book as it reminded me of why I love this area. Jack is a classic example of the caring nature of the people I have loved all my life. This is a great read for anyone who wants a wonderful story  of true love and compassion.

I Like Trucks

With three little boys, and one big boy, at my house things get very exciting when we see trucks. B and C especially like trucks in every shape and size. It is very funny to listen to them as we drive down the highway because they like to talk about the trucks that are “chasin' us.” It is so adorable and they have lots of fun looking out the windows as we drive.

Sometimes when the boys need a field trip we like to go visit Daddy at work so we can see all the trucks and tractors. There is hardly a day when we go visit that we can't sit in the parking lot and watch a truck get loaded or unloaded. The boys' favorite to watch are the flatbed trucks. They like these because they can really see what's going on. Most of the trucks they see are full of dirt or trees. It can be really amazing to watch piles of Christmas trees come in on long flatbed trucks or to see pallets of potting soil be unloaded with the tractor. We've also heard lots of fun stories about tractors tipping over as they unloaded pallets that were too heavy too. At the Kerr house there is never a dull moment when trucks are involved.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for flatbed trucking companies and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

NOOK Tablet Giveaway!

 We are excited to be participating int the Tablet Time NOOK Tablet Giveaway! 

The winner will receive their choice of a NOOK Tablet with cover or $275 paypal cash.

Use the form below to enter. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adoptable: Mumford

I have mentioned before about the need for forever families for every kind of pet. Today I want to introduce you to a pet that belongs to a species I hope to someday own.

This is Mumford. He is a 9 week old pig that was bottle raised indoor. Although Mumford will grow up to be a large animal pigs make wonderful pets if they are cared for correctly. You may not think there is much you can do with a pig but I know from experience that this is not true. Pigs can be great friends. They need much care other than the typical food and water. Pigs need baths, proper shelter (they sunburn) and some even need haircuts. If you think Mumford could be a good addition to your family or just want to learn more about the large variety of animals available across the country for adoption make sure you check out Petfinder.com today!

Wordless Wednesday: I Want the Burger!

Toddler Time: Bubble Painting

My boys love bubbles and probably always will. This is a project I can't wait to try on our next rainy day. I can just see the mess but the looks on their faces will be totally worth it! Have you ever tried this with your kids? I'm wondering about using more than one color at once. Would it work? Let me know what you think!

Source: familyfun.go.com via Kerrific on Pinterest

RuffGrip Review & Giveaway

When we adopted B3 one thing I new we needed was a good leash. Because of B3's large size and his strength I looked at a lot of different leashes before finally buying one. The one I bought worked ok for a while but when RuffGrip sent me one of their leads it replaced it in a heartbeat. We love our new RuffGrip lead and don't use anything else, especially for B3.

My very favorite thing about our RuffGrip lead is the rubber weave in combination with the leather. I have always had problems with my hands when I had large dogs in the past because they would pull the leads and eventually my hands would crack and hurt but that is no longer a problem with our RuffGrip lead. The rubber weave is just the right texture to allow a good grip, I can even have my gloves on, and the leash is not going to be pulled out of your hands. This is also great for the kids because I know when they are holding the leash that the rubber is strengthening their grip and will help them hold on better.

The 6 ft lead RuffGrip sent us has been the perfect length. We use it every time we take B3 out, and sometimes in the house too. I highly recommend these leashes to every dog owner. The price is not that much greater than a simple leash and it is much better quality. It will be well worth your investment!

RuffGrip has generously offered to give one Kerrific reader a 6 ft Lead of their very own. Please use the form below to enter and make sure to thank this great sponsor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Project: Painting

Part of the reason I have been gone the last two weeks (besides the holidays) was that we were trying to finish house repairs that were required on our home loan. One of these projects was to paint the garage, yes, we were required to paint the garage. But whatever, it's done now. What I wish I would have had before we stared was this great idea. You can bet my next painting job is going to be a lot cleaner.

What a great use for a rubber band.

Source: marthastewart.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Hope this year brings the best to you and those you love!

A. B. C. D. & E. Kerr

Saving Saturday: Some Stocking Up

 

One of the nicest things for me about stockpiling is that I don't have to worry about shopping during school. There are just a few things I am looking to stock up on between semesters and I'm glad laundry soap was on sale this week because that was one of them.

Total Spent: $54.84

Total Saved: $38.49 (41%)

Mine Is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs

Mine is the Night is a wonderfully intriguing novel about Elizabeth Kerr and her mother-in-law, Marjory Kerr. These proud women were once Scottish nobility but were stripped of their titles, property, and fortune because their recently deceased kinsfolk fought on the wrong side of the war.

The story begins as Elizabeth and Marjory travel to Marjory's birthplace, a small town in the mountains. Here they persuade a distant cousin to give them refuge as they struggle to begin a new life. As the story continues there are some individuals who would much prefer the Kerrs leave this sleepy little town but there are others who are more than willing to look to the future with the Kerrs and learn to love them for who they are.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Not only was it interesting to read about women who share my name, but it was a book full of love, hope, redemption and restoration. The setting of eighteenth-century Scotland was beautifully described and the whole book was very well written. My only regret is that I haven't read the prequel Here Burns My Candle too.

About the Author: Liz Curtis Higgs has written twenty-eight books with over three million copies in print. Many are Scottish historical novels and travel guides for Scottland.

Shaving Soap

Recently I ran out of shaving soap and it made me ponder about how much I enjoy having shaving soap. I know this may seem silly but believe it or not there was a time in my adult life when I had never used shaving soap.

I will never forget the night I finally asked my new hubby why he needed this shaving cream stuff all the time. I was very unbelieving when he told me that it made shaving hurt less. The next week when he brought me home some shaving cream of my very own I was still in doubt and did not try it for about two weeks. For me shaving was painful, always had been and always would be.

Most will never understand my surprise and delight when I finally used the shaving soap and saw the change in my skin. No longer were my legs dry and sore but they were smooth and silky and beautiful. So thank you E for introducing me to the wonderful world of shaving cream. It is amazing what a big difference such a simple thing can make in your daily routine. Yes, I love my shaving soap and am very sad when I have to do without.

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog about shaving soap and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Adoptable: Maddie

The holidays are almost over and there are still a ton of animals needing a warm place to live. Maddie is one of these wonderful pets. She is a 6 year old Spaniel Mix. Maddie's family moved and were not able to take her with them and she is looking to find a new family to love. Maddie's foster mom says she is very loving, walks well on a leash and rides well in the car. Maddie does have a little weight to loose but other than that is a healthy girl. Maddie is located in Massachusetts and would love to find here forever family soon.

SEO and Kerrific's Anniversary

Because E and I are both students one of our main sources of income is this blog. It has been amazing to me over the last year how we have been blessed to have just enough income to make ends meet each month.

Contrary to popular belief, blogging is not an easy task. Many times I have to work very hard to find topics to blog about. I also spend many hours a week corresponding with different companies to be able to provide you with all the reviews and giveaways you see featured on Kerrific.

Another large portion of my time is spent dealing with the mailman. I receive many different packages and have tracking information on most of them that I check regularly. Our local mailman is horrible, today for example, I know I had three packages out for delivery but he only brought two. This is very frustrating for me as often I need those packages quickly (today's missing package has school books in it).

As Kerrific's first anniversary approaches it has been interesting to reflect on the turn my life has taken as I have integrated Kerrific. Thanks to all of you for sticking with me as I learn and grow. You are awesome!

I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog  for an seo company and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Announcing the Farsighted Social Media Whirlwind Tour!

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Farsighted eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including lots of Amazon gift cards (up to $100 in amount) and 5 autographed copies of the book. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 30th, so you don’t miss out.  

To Win the Prizes

1. Purchase your copy of Farsighted for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
2. Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!
4. BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!
5. DOUBLE BONUS: If I receive more comments than any other blogger, *I* win $100.

About Farsighted: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Farsighted is the winner of the 2011 Dragonfly eBook Awards. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. About the Author: Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.  

Hello 2012. Goodbye World!

A Guest Post by Emlyn Chand

  The New Year is upon us. And if the Mayans were right, so is the apocalypse. Oh, man... Just when Earth was getting good. Well if I’m going to go by flame, flood, meteoric collision, or zombie uprising, I think it’s best to be prepared. No, not with a flame retardant unitard or a well-equipped cross bow, but with mental resolution—with a calm acceptance of humanity’s plight. Consider this a combo suicide note/ Dear John letter to the world. I might as well get a few final words in (just in case those Mayans knew what they were talking about). Pfffhew, here goes...   Dear World, I wish I didn’t have to write this letter. We’ve been together some twenty-seven years, and that’s a long time. Sure, we’ve had our clashes. You’ve sent a fair share of inclement weather my way. Remember that thunder storm when the tree almost broke through the window of my apartment? I was so scared. That was totally not cool on your part. And tornados? I mean what’s that about. Control your temper! But I know I’ve hurt you too. I’ve been frivolous with your resources and have sometimes even—gasp—littered. I bought a V6 when I could’ve bought a hybrid. In fact, I think my carbon footprint is a size 12 at least—and that’s a size you have to special order at the shoe store. Yeah, I’m not saying I’m perfect. We all do things we regret, but Earth, you know I love you, right? That’s why it’s so difficult saying what I have to say... We can’t be together anymore. I’ve heard talk of a major problem. They say you’re going to die a horrific death, and since I count on you for protection, I’m gonna die too. I’d like to say we’ll be together in the next world, but do planets go to Heaven? I can’t say for certain, so I think I should say goodbye instead. We’ve had a good run, you and I. And I never regret having loved you. How I wish I could save us both, but who am I to interfere with an ancient prophecy? I’ll miss the way you spill light through my closed blinds in the early morning, gently telling me it’s time to start my day. And I’ll remember fondly the way the ground smells after a restorative rain shower—the way the pitter patter on my skin prickles like teensy weensy fingers giving me a massage, the way the earthworms come out of the ground and dance on the pavement. The songs of birds in the morning are my favorite; they always sound so happy. I wish I understood the lyrics to their upbeat symphony so that I could join in with them. And ice cream? I’ll give you credit for that, because the cows are yours, the vanilla bean is yours, the sugar is yours. The taste is magnificent! To never feel that icy sensation arouse my taste buds again is such a great shame. I’m tearing up now just thinking about all our good times together. I hope you’ll remember me with the same fondness. No matter what happens, I will ALWAYS love you. Now it’s time to say goodbye. Go out with a smile,

Wordless Wednesday: Discovering Christmas

Funbites Review & Giveaway

With two toddlers in the house I end up cutting a lot of food into bite sized pieces. Funbites has made this task a whole lot easier and less time consuming! I love our new Funbites. They are simple to use and are very effective in cutting food into child sized pieces. Our favorite thing to use our Funbites for is cheese. Both B and C love cheese and cutting it up can be a pain. Now, thanks to Funbites, all I have to do is slice it and then use my Funbite cutters and we are ready for lunch! Funbites are not only simple to use but they are also very easy to clean, we just put them straight in the dishwasher (top rack) and they are always ready for their next meal.

Funbites are great in so many respects. I love that they cut down on food prep time and that they will cut almost anything (we've used them on everything from bread to apple slices). I wish that they came in more shapes as my boys are not much into hearts. I'd love to see more triangle and other shape options but I'm sure that will happen soon.

Funbites has offered to give some of their awesome cutters to one Kerrific reader. To enter please use the form below.








a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tips for Avoiding Frozen Pipes

With winter here I am very grateful that we no longer live in the trailer. We had so many problems with frozen pipes and I am very glad not to have to worry as much. Here are some tips that you should use this winter, no matter what your housing arrangement,  to avoid the disasters of frozen pipes.

1. Make sure your hoses are unhooked from ouside faucets. This is the fastest and easiest way to avoid problems with frozen pipes.
2. Make sure outside faucets are not dripping. 
3. Cover outside faucets with insulator kits. This can be kinda expensive but I like to watch the daily deal sites as many times I can find things like this for an awesome price.
4. Insulate pipes. This was a big deal at the trailer because of the pipes that ran under the trailer and were the main areas for frozen pipe problems. If you have these areas and use heating tape make sure it is working and rodent free. After talking to our old neighbors we already know both of these things have been problems already this year.
5. Check your water heater. This is an awful thing to be without, especially during the winter months (trust me).
6. Avoid pouring fats from your holiday cooking down the drain. This can solidify your pipes and create clogs.
7. Caulk the tub/shower. This is something we need to do at our house but it would be horrible to have water damage because of this because it is super easy to fix.

These are just a few simple tips and tricks you can try to avoid needing plumbing repair during the holidays.

Have a great weekend!

I am participating in a blogger campaign for Bucks2Blog about frozen pipes and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Why Gift Cards are Great!

As a full time student I have exactly one week to prepare for Christmas. This means this week things have been a little crazy at my house. One thing I have found that makes my life a lot simpler is using fit cards for family gifts.

Yes, we still do toys and clothes and such for our kids but everyone else gets a gift card. I first got this idea from my Uncle R. He is an awesome guy and has sent me a gift card for Christmas for as long as I can remember. Uncle R travels a lot for work and, since he is not married, sending a gift card for each of his nieces and nephews has worked well for him. We've gotten everything from Walmart to Pier1 Imports to I-Tunes. Many of these gift cards were Ten or Twenty dollars but as I've gotten older, and married, he's been awesome to send cards of higher amounts to places like ToysRUs that I can then use on anything from diapers to birthday gifts. These gift cards are a present I look forward to every year!

Since I have started using gift cards for our family my life has gotten so much easier. Because our family lives everywhere from Washington D.C. to Seattle, I love sending gift cards because I save in shipping! This means the money I could have spent on shipping can be put on the gift card and be enjoyed by the recipient.

The other reason I love gift cards is because then people can buy what the really want, or need, and they don't have to feel bad about returning things. Just like with Uncle R, if someone needs diapers I'm more than happy to provide.

Gift cards are a great option for mailing, stocking stuffers, and just about any gift giving occasion you could think of. Plus, if you plan things right, you can get bonus gift cards, or discounted ones, so you can save a ton of money. Check it out, you'll probably be surprised at what you can find! Oh, and if you're like me and your holiday cards are still sitting on your desk, it's super simple to throw in a gift card before they go in the mailbox. The best part, you don't even need to go to the post office!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Our House to Yours!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Gift Cards Rock blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

School's Out, The Tree is Up, Now To Find Some Gifts!

Giant Microbes Review & Giveaway

As a mother and future teacher I am always looking for new fun ways to teach kids. When I found these Giant Microbes I had to share with my science friends. They are so adorable and would be so fun to use in the classroom.

We were sent a white blood cell to review and I am highly impressed. This "little" cell is not only adorable but it has given me a great opportunity to teach my kids. Even though the boys are still little it has been interesting to see how much they understand and remember about what I have told them about white blood cells.

One of my good friends at school is a science ed major. When I showed here these Giant Microbes she was thrilled. I can just see them being hung up in her classroom as they learn about cells or diseases and then see her using them to play a game of hot potato where whoever has the microbe has to tell something about it.

I think these are a great idea and would be an awesome addition to any classroom including a home school.

Giant Microbes has generously offered to give one Kerrific reader a Christmas Mini Microbe Box. To enter please use the form below.

UGLee Pens Review & Giveaway

Having just finished a semester of school I have been looking at what I need before I start another one. Thanks to UGLee Pens, writing utensils are not one of them.

I am very picky about my pens and I absolutely love UGLee pens! Not only are they easy to hold but they also write without much pressure. This makes them good for little kids to write with, and really long tests. As you can see, B had no problem writing with the UGLee Pen and that was with a carpeted surface under his paper.

The UGLee Pen truly is amazing and we have loved using them here at the Kerr house!

UGLee Pen has generously offered to give one Kerrific reader their very own set of three UGLee pens. To enter please fill out the form below.