tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80683202009-11-11T14:10:55.029-05:00All you ever wanted to know about saving money and feeding the family on a shoestring budget.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.comBlogger1734125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-61645035617986560102009-11-11T07:30:00.001-05:002009-11-11T07:40:31.771-05:00

I love this beautiful leaf crown (@ elsie marley)This crocheted acorn necklace is so gorgeous (@ A Foothill Home Companion)This idea for using brooches and badges as gift toppers is so smart (@ Bugs and Fishes by Lupin)These button wreaths are just darling & a great way to use up random buttons (@ Craftapalooza)These easy lacy knitted hand warmers would look cute with my winter coat (@ dhbuscher)

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com6http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/amys-notebook-111109.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-3969160150744618172009-11-10T07:00:00.000-05:002009-11-10T07:00:05.556-05:00

Today's fabulous guest post comes from Katie at goodLife {eats} who offered to share her thrifty cooking knowledge with my readers today! Thank you, Katie!Like most families, our family has finally decided that the time has come for us to start cutting back. That mean fewer unnecessary purchases, buying more of just what we need and not everything we want. I was so inspired when I read about

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com4http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/guest-post-cutting-back-in-kitchen.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-34872164405527933102009-11-10T06:55:00.000-05:002009-11-10T07:24:48.677-05:00

Photo Credit: Lulabelle Jane , $35Thanks so much for swinging by for our Apron Full of Giveaways! Each week we share a link list of great contests to enter and share about our own latest giveaways. We are continuing our giveaway extravaganza with two great new giveaways that you do not want to miss!It is going to be a great couple of months ahead with fantastic giveaways for our readers. We are

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com5http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/apron-full-of-giveaways-111009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-74773374242488444632009-11-09T07:00:00.001-05:002009-11-09T07:00:00.230-05:00

I am trying to give as many precious homemade gifts that I can this year. Anything that I am unable to whip up myself, I plan to supplement with shopping on Etsy to fulfill my crafting skill downfalls.First, I just want to say that I don't think you necessarily have to be crafty to offer up beautiful handmade gifts for your friends and family...you just need to be a little resourceful.

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com30http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/gifts-you-can-make-delicious-hot-drink.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-36617745183916841632009-11-06T08:59:00.003-05:002009-11-06T09:08:47.264-05:00

Happy Freebie Friday, everyone! A huge thank you to Freebies 4 Mom for supplying this comprehensive list of freebies for the week. Heather has a great list this week of tons of sweepstakes you can enter so be sure to check that out!This week on MomAdvice, you can learn how to make a fast and easy spinach dip, check out some amazingly great reads for the month, enter to win a fantastic $150 game

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com3http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/freebie-friday-november-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-22390758681829658792009-11-04T07:00:00.001-05:002009-11-04T07:00:06.516-05:00

I love these tips on how to keep your sippy cups clean (@ plumpudding)My children would love these glittery water bottle crafts (@ bookhourcraftprojects)My daughter would love this Tinkerbell themed birthday party (@ zakka life)I want to try this recipe for an old-fashioned caramel cake (@ Scribbit)I love making these yummy homemade egg noodles (@ giver's log)I like these ideas for cooking in a

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com5http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/amys-notebook-110409.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-7069345018028660082009-11-04T06:55:00.000-05:002009-11-04T06:55:00.812-05:00

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."- Elizabeth Lawrence

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com3http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/hello-autumn.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-37890750564020095632009-11-03T07:00:00.001-05:002009-11-03T07:00:03.560-05:00

I can't say that my challenge to eat breakfast each morning has been going very good, but I have definitely made reading time a priority this month. I hope that you also are squeezing in some great time to read especially with the holiday festivities quickly approaching. Your me time is more important than ever!At the beginning of each month, I will share with you some of the great reads that I

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com22http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/in-book-basket-october-09-reading.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-12000013319124764852009-11-03T06:55:00.000-05:002009-11-03T07:11:09.748-05:00

Photo Credit: The Nancy Mom Collection , $40Thanks so much for swinging by for our Apron Full of Giveaways! Did you notice how brilliantly designed today's apron is? Why has no one thought to sew in a dishtowel so you can keep your apron looking pretty. Genius, I tell you! I love featuring smart Etsy sellers here!It is going to be a great couple of months ahead with fantastic giveaways for our

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com6http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/apron-full-of-giveaways-110309.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-63394334519276383522009-11-02T07:00:00.002-05:002009-11-02T09:05:39.156-05:00

I am an appetizer kind of girl. When we go out to eat, I would be satisfied with three or four different kinds of appetizers so I could dip and gorge myself to my heart's delight. My top favorites? Fried mushrooms, spinach dip, chips & salsa, cheesy dip with french fries, and mozzarella sticks.This recipe combines two of my favorites into one combination- my salsa dip and my spinach dip. The

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com10http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/spunky-spinach-dip.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-76478626949468469252009-11-02T06:55:00.001-05:002009-11-02T06:55:00.445-05:00

I just want to say a special thank you to each of you for visiting my website and sharing it with your friends, family, and your own readers. We had another great month and it is all thanks to you. I hope to continue offering support through our site, lots of giveaways for our readers, and a place where you feel valued and cared for. If there is anything you would like to see on here, please

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com0http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/11/momadvice-monthly-recap-october-09.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-70620138554254793632009-10-31T11:02:00.004-04:002009-10-31T11:15:48.763-04:00

Happy Halloween from our family to yours! May it be fun, safe, and not too spooky!

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com14http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/happy-halloween.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-37552362879455141712009-10-30T08:46:00.003-04:002009-10-30T09:00:44.382-04:00

Happy Freebie Friday from Freebies 4 Mom and MomAdvice! We are so happy you stopped by and hope you will swing by Heather's site for fantastic freebies and deals all weekWe have big plans this month to offer oodles of great giveaways and we are kicking it off with an HP Photosmart Printer With TouchScreen and a Castle Knights board game that you won't want to miss.Of course, if you don't win the

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com2http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/freebie-friday-october-30-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-67607832908869530462009-10-28T07:00:00.000-04:002009-10-28T07:00:06.444-04:00

I love this tip to skip rinsing those pumpkin seeds (@ Parent Hacks)These fluffy frosted soap cupcakes are adorable (@ Soap Queen)I am loving this lacy cabinet transformation (@ Daily Danny)I love this sweet little Halloween garland (@ forty-two roads)I am loving these ideas from a Halloween photo shoot and these batkin rings (@ Eddie Ross)This handmade play tent would be adorable in my

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com3http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/amys-notebook-102809.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-62857354031080260512009-10-27T08:00:00.004-04:002009-10-27T16:35:23.382-04:00

Photo Credit: David ReeceIt is no secret that our family endured almost a year of unemployment and a mountain of credit card debt that came along with it. I often look back on that time in our lives and wonder how we ever did it. How did we make that situation work? How did our marriage survive it? How did we manage to keep our home and our car?There are so many families right now that are truly

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com36http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/how-you-can-help-unemployed-today.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-22643349993897290422009-10-27T07:50:00.000-04:002009-10-27T08:01:45.964-04:00

Photo Credit: Harker, $28Welcome to the Apron Full of Giveaways! This is my little link list where you can share your giveaways that you are running on your blogs or find great contests to enter!It is going to be a great couple of months ahead with fantastic giveaways for our readers. We are trying to give back to you as much as we can with these giveaways because we are so thankful for your

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com6http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/apron-full-of-giveaways-102709.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-33628795018265584022009-10-26T08:44:00.005-04:002009-10-26T09:11:02.316-04:00

Ah, the sweet smell of Fall is in the air and I am loving the vivid colors in the trees. Nothing says fall to me though like pumpkins and cranberries. When I happened upon this recipe for cornbread that incorporated my two favorite flavors of the season, I could not delay making it.This recipe is so unbelievably fantastic! Perfectly moist and even better the second day, it is a cornbread that you

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com13http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/taste-of-fall-pumpkin-cranberry.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-91248516789744904532009-10-23T08:50:00.003-04:002009-10-23T09:12:59.066-04:00

It is my favorite day of the week today and I hope it is yours too. Thanks to Freebies 4 Mom for sharing the best freebies of the week. Please share your thoughts about Freebies 4 Mom on her quick one minute survey while you are browsing around so Heather can continue to help provide the best free stuff on the net.While you are here, be sure to see my favorite bread machine recipe, find out the

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com3http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/freebie-friday-october-23-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-53778419209617311532009-10-21T07:00:00.001-04:002009-10-21T07:00:06.544-04:00

I want to make a list of 35 things to do before I turn 35 (@ whatever)I like this post on smart storage solutions for kid's toys and art (@ Tada! Shop)I love this great pumpkin makeover and the ways they can be switched for the holidays (@ This Blessed Nest)These button and wire brooches would make great little holiday gifts (@ CraftyPod)These cereal box stenciled Halloween bags would be adorable

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com6http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/amys-notebook-102109.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-60697733236673389162009-10-20T15:40:00.003-04:002009-10-20T15:46:08.805-04:00

Photo Credit: Vintage Muse, $24.50Welcome to the Apron Full of Giveaways! This is my little link list where you can share your giveaways that you are running on your blogs or find great contests to enter!I am taking the week off to focus on our family since the death of my grandfather. I have had some wonderful women fill in this week for me to guest blog and I am very thankful for their

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com2http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/apron-full-of-giveaways-102009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-88711028340297096162009-10-20T07:00:00.002-04:002009-10-20T07:00:06.893-04:00

photo credit: texantiff23Guest Post by Ina S., Co-Founder of M641With temps dropping fast and possibly budgets, given the recent round of back-to-school shopping, what’s a frugal fashion-forward mom to do? We picked some key trends straight from the runway that will actually work in your closet and your budget. Here are a few of our fave trends for Fall!Faux – You’ll see faux leather, fur and

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com2http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/fall-09-fashion-pretty-penny-wise-must.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-48727172435297436382009-10-19T07:00:00.003-04:002009-10-19T07:00:00.455-04:00

I am still the biggest fan of my bread machine. I do realize that they aren't for everyone. Some people love to knead dough and use their stand mixer to do the heavy duty mixing or even to do the process by hand. Not me! The bread machine is the way to go at this stage in my life and it is worth every inch of space that it takes up, residing on the top of the refrigerator.We haven't given up

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com8http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/foolproof-bread-machine-recipe.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-5183648358538456552009-10-16T07:00:00.000-04:002009-10-16T07:00:08.881-04:00

A big thanks to Heather at Freebies 4 Mom for sharing her great round-up of freebies this week! Please visit her site weekly for all of the latest and greatest in freebie goodness.While you are here, enjoy my favorite recipe for protein packed smoothies, take on a 30 day challenge to reduce clutter, and check out the giveaways for the week.Health & BeautyZyrtec (Walmart)Carefree Ultra Protection

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com6http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/freebie-friday-october-16-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-25506999371504806792009-10-14T18:18:00.004-04:002009-10-14T18:28:38.717-04:00

Today we are mourning the loss of my wonderful grandfather. He passed away last night very unexpectedly and our hearts are so heavy right now. Those of you on Facebook and Twitter who have left messages- I have received and read every single one! Thank you so much for thinking of us during this time and for your kind words.My grandfather was a great man who loved the Lord with his whole heart. I

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com51http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/with-great-sadness.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-7398120265161309682009-10-14T07:00:00.001-04:002009-10-14T07:00:11.768-04:00

Using a pillow sham as a stroller blanket is the greatest idea ever (@ inspire company)I love these hanging lantern ghosts (@ Skip to My Lou)This Italian salad looks like a yummy addition to our pizza night (@ Good (& Cheap) Eats)I love this fun pumpkin idea for toddlers (@ zakka life)These Halloween treat bags are adorable (@ three pumpkins little)I love this Sweet November inspired crocheted

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com4http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/amys-notebook-101409.html