It's My Birthday!!!

Hey everyone,

I took a little bit of time off, but I had to come back and let you know it's my birthday tomorrow!! Woohoo!! I'm 39 for the sixth time!!! I just keep getting younger looking everyday! LOL! 

Anyway, even though it's MY birthday, the gifts are for YOU!!  Starting tomorrow, I will be doing a week's worth of giveaways!  I have some SWEET things to give away, I've been saving them up just for YOU!  So tell your friends, tell your neighbors and don't forget to stop by yourself!!

Note: Digital elements are from Scraps by Jenn Sugarplum Princess (Sunshine Studios)

Love & Blessings!
Margaret

Book Review - I'm Down: a memoir

I'm Down: a memoir by Mishna Wolff

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Summary of Book:



Mishna Wolff grew up in a poor black neighborhood with her single father, a white man who truly believed he was black. “He strutted around with a short perm, a Cosby-esqe sweater, gold chains and a Kangol—telling jokes like Redd Fox, and giving advice like Jesse Jackson. You couldn’t tell my father he was white. Believe me, I tried,” writes Wolff. And so from early childhood on, her father began his crusade to make his white daughter Down.


Unfortunately, Mishna didn’t quite fit in with the neighborhood kids: she couldn’t dance, she couldn’t sing, she couldn’t double dutch and she was the worst player on her all-black basketball team. She was shy, uncool and painfully white. And yet when she was suddenly sent to a rich white school, she found she was too “black” to fit in with her white classmates.


I’m Down is a hip, hysterical and at the same time beautiful memoir that will have you howling with laughter, recommending it to friends and questioning what it means to be black and white in America.


My Review:

It's hard to find the right words to describe this book. It seems to me that when the author was telling her "story," she picked out the worst things in her father to show how "black" he was. His womanizing and lack of work ethic were not funny. His attitude towards his daughters and how he let his women treat his daughters was not funny. Many of the things that black families are trying to overcome are hysterical to this author... they weren't to me. Now I do understand not fitting in with your community and being moved to different schools to be challenged and people's attitudes toward you when this happens.  So I did appreciate those portions of the book.  And some parts of the book were funny, like her stint with the basketball teams and some of her other antics trying to fit in. But overall, the book did not meet my expectations. Lucky it was a quick read!


Disclaimer: This was a book from my personal collection.


Love and Blessings!

Margaret



View all my reviews

Ten Tips for Saving Money During Back to School Season

Hello everyone! 

I'm so happy to be participating in another TwitterMoms blog event.  This one is sponsored by Staples and you can read more about it here.

Now on to the tips.  To be honest with you, I began my school supply shopping in October of LAST year.  So this year I had minimal shopping to do.  With all of the great coupons, I'm already stocking up for next year! 

Tip #1 Watch for all the after Back to School (BTS) sales in October and November to save even more money and to get a BIG jump start on next year.

My kids love to have new clothes to start the year.  My daughter the fashionista that she is and my son, the "cool guy," know that if it ain't on sale, Mommy ain't buying it!  So they are starting checking the mail for coupons and sale items!

Tip #2 Sign up for loyalty club's if your favorite store's have them.  My son likes athletic apparel so I signed up for Bob's and Dick's loyalty cards. When my daughter was wearing Children's Place clothing I joined the Perks club to save money and get extra coupons.

I've gotten so I hate going to the store to find bargains.  It's so much easier to do a search online!  So in order to make it worth my while, I shop through the shopping portals.  This way I'm getting good deals AND getting cash back in most cases.  My favorite portal is Ebates.  The cash back gets deposited right into my paypal account!

Tip #3 Shopping through portals can save you time and money.  I mostly shop through Ebates, but there are other portals like Big Crumbs, Shop at Home, Upromise (money goes towards college savings), and so many others.  Do a search and you'll find many!

Another way I save money is by doing surveys.  How can surveys save me money?  Why because I earn gift certificates in exchange for answering a few questions (well, some of them are long!).  But the gift certificates add up!  I recently cashed in enough points for a $50 Target gift certificate, several $5 Amazon certificates and a HUGE Walmart certificate! So it's worth the time to me!

Tip #4 Participate in surveys and save those gift certificates!!

I love CVS and Target for finding deals!  They have great sales!  But did you also know that Target has special deals where you can earn gift certificates?  I found this out on CouponMom.com!  I started looking at the circulars weekly and taking advantage on deals for stuff that I needed.  The same at CVS, while they don't give gift certificates, they do give Extra Care Bucks if you have their card!  Those babies add up! I've paid for whole orders using ECB's!  Make sure you know the store rules! 

Tip #5 Shop at stores that give "cash back" and/or gift certificates for future trips. In addition to Target and CVS, try Walgreen's, Rite Aid and even your local supermarket!

Along he same lines, Target issues it's own printable coupons that can be USED WITH MANUFACTURER COUPONS!!  This usually doubles the savings you would normally get.  You can check the target.com website and look for coupons.  There are food, clothing and personal care coupons that could really increase your saving!!  Match this up with one of the special deals for the week and you could end up with a "money-maker."  This means you are making money to buy the products!  This week I got two packages of pens for FREE by using this method of shopping combined with a sale!

Tip #6 Use coupons and check to see if the store has their own coupons that you can use to increase savings! Don't forget to check manufacturer's websites and/or email the maker of your favorite product to see if they will send you products or coupons.

Another of my favorite sites is Buy.com.  I've purchased electronics, books and other items from there.  Buy.com is a clearinghouse of sorts and you can save big bucks.  And yes they are available on Ebates (see Tip #3). 

Tip #7 Don't forget to check the clearinghouses like Buy.com and Overstock.com to save money on big ticket electronic items.  Shopping through a portal may net you more savings in the form of cash back!

I'm in a cleaning out mode right now.  I feel like my house is cluttered and I need space to breathe.  I do give some stuff away on Freecycle but I also sell stuff on Craigslist.com.  The money I make on the stuff I sell goes right into a "piggy" bank for unexpected needs throughout the school year! 

Tip #8 Sell what you don't need to make extra cash for the upcoming school year.  Encourage your kids to donate their old toys and tell them you will give them a certain amount towards a school outfit or supplies!

I'm not to proud to shop at thrift stores and/or gift shops.  Especially now since the fashionista is getting more particular about what she wears.  I have saved tons of money shopping this way and who knows, I may be saving clothes from the landfill! 

Tip #9 Shop Thrift stores, consignment shops and second hand stores for great deals on almost new clothes!

My final tip sums up all of the above!

Tip #10 Don't wait until the week before school to shop!!! (I know, I've been there, this way is SO much easier!!).  There are opportunities to save all year round.  Big box office supply stores like Staples offer great deals and rebates all year round!  Check the circulars and buy a little at a time.  Then you can relax while everyone else is running around or standing in LONG lines!

BONUS TIP Check to see if anything you have purchased is eligible for a rebate.  Rebates vary but you can end up getting your whole purchase price back with some! 

Well those are my 10 tips, hope they help!

Disclosure: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

Book review: Pleading Guilty by Scott Turow

Pleading Guilty by Scott Turow


My rating: 2 of 5 stars


About the book:
Mack Malloy is a partner in one of Kindle County's top law firms. An ex-cop who joined the firm on a wave of enthusiasm and optimism, he now feels himself to be on the way down, and possibly out. Bert Kamin, gifted, erratic and combative, is one of the firm's star litigators and he has disappeared.

My Review
I love legal thrillers as a rule. I just find it all very interesting to follow a case through to the end. However, in this case, I didn't enjoy it all that much. The story starts by giving some background on Mack, who is a mixed up guy and kind of bumbles his way through this case.  In other words, he's not really supposed to solve it, but he does.  I was a little disappointed in some of his actions along the way, but I guess that was supposed to make the storyline exciting.  Even so, there are a few surprises but not that "I can't believe that just happened" kind of surprises.  I would have loved to see more twists and more exciting sub-plots.

While the characters were pretty well-developed, the storyline was all over the place. The writer made the characters believable, and they really fit my impressions of big corporate law firms (haha!).  The storylines however, did not seem cohesive.  There was way too much going on!  It was really very annoying.

The ending was a little unexpected (I really thought Mack would respond differently) but I guess that's where it was heading anyway. It took me a LONG time to read this book and that also frustrated me! LOL!

Overall, I just wasn't impressed. Would I read another book by this author... maybe, but it won't be a priority.

Disclaimer: This was a book from my personal collection, I did not receive the book or any form of compensation in exchange for my review.

Love and Blessings!
Margaret



View all my reviews >>

If Anything is Excellent

Have you ever read a Bible verse and said ahhh! I get that but then it turns out later that you didn't get it at all?  All month on my desktop calendar I have read Phillippians 4:8:

...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I thought I understood what it meant, and perhaps I did at the surface level.  But the TRUE meaning did not come to me until I read this blog by Julie @ Come Have A Peace.  Go read it, I'll wait!

You're back... cool!  This blog really touched my spirit because I have always though of myself as a positive person.  However when I think back over the more recent conversations I've had with my husband, my children, my friends, with others about my children and husband... I've realized that I have NOT been positive at all.  I've been harping on their so-called "failures" rather than focusing on what is excellent or praiseworthy.  Talk about a knock in the head!!!

Rather than saying, he works too much, he's never home... I should have been saying, I'm so thankful I have a hard working husband.  Rather than saying "arent' you upset you didn't play in that game" I should have been saying, "I'm so proud of the way you encouraged the players on the court.  That really showed true team spirit!" Think of what is praiseworthy, what is excellent. What a concept! I love the way the Message Bible puts it:

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.

I just love the understanding that God has given me, through Julie's post and of course, through His Word!  Is there anything that you've read lately that has given you a "light bulb" moment? 

Dear Lord,

I thank You Lord for your understanding and patience with me. I have not been true to Your Word, to look at the best, not the worse, to look for things worthy of praise, not the negative, to promote the peace that is so evident in the Word that you have given me.  I humbly come before You, asking for forgiveness and praying that you will give me wisdom on these things going forward.  In the name of your precious Son, Jesus Amen!

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

Book Review: At her Majesty's Request: An African Princess In Victorian England

At Her Majesty's Request An African Princess in Victorian England by Walter Dean Myers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


About the book:

Sarah Forbes Bonetta was an African princess whose parents were murdered by enemy warriors. A British naval officer rescued her and brought her to England, where she became the protege of Queen Victoria herself.

My review:

This book reads almost like a real life fairy tale! A young girl is forced to watch her parents murdered and is then kidnapped for sacrifice by the enemy tribe. By fortune, a British Captain is there on the day of her scheduled demise and rescues her. She's whisked off to England where she becomes a prodigy, almost like a goddaughter to the Queen! The book follows Sarah from the time of her rescue to the time of her death.

I really enjoy biographies that are well written and this was no exception. It's written for Young Adults but even a middle school student will be able read this and understand. the beginning where her parents are murdered is the scariest part. I plan to have my 9 year old read it.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and learning about this "adopted" princess.

This was a book from my personal collection.  I did not receive compensation for this review.  As always, the opinions expressed are entirely my own!

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

View all my reviews >>

Happy 4th of July!!!

Oh darn, I'm late again aren't I???

Oh well, I still have to share with you what a wonderful Independence Day holiday it was for us!

The Friday before the 4th, our Girl Scout Leader emailed and said she was planning to attend the Independence Day celebration in front of our Borough Hall. It was at 8:30 am... yeah, well maybe we might see you there.. Uhm hmmm, sure! Well I had ever intention of "forgetting" and sleeping in. Well unfortunately fortunately my daughter's built in alarm clock went off and at 8 am she decided she wanted to go.  My response was BUT I'M SLEEPING!  But in the end, the educational experience won out.  So after a very quick shower and tossing on the clothes nearest to the bed neatly folded on my shelf, we made our way to the borough hall. 

The ceremony involves the Declaration of Independence being delivered to "Thomas Jefferson" aka Mr. Higgins (bet you didn't know that piece of history!).  Our "horse" was actually a HOG! LOL!  A member of the Blue Knights motorcycle club delivered the document to Mr. Jefferson.

Once Mr. Jefferson had the document in hand, he approached the podium and began reading the Declaration. 

One by one citizens from the community read a line.  My daughter was number 28.  She did a fantastic job, even on the "big" words!:

After the individual readers finished, the community read the final paragraph together:

Then the names of the signers were read by state, and the bell rung each time a new state was mentioned.  At the end of the ceremony, the bell rung thirteen times and a replica of the original flag was raised!

The whole ceremony was so moving and meaninful!  At one time, certain peoples were excluded from that Declaration.  What we experienced that day was the true meaning of the Declaration, everyone, treated equally and experiencing FREEDOM.   I was so glad that I dragged my behind out of bed to attend and I was so proud of my daughter for volunteering to read and doing such a wonderful job too!  And I was proud of my community for the awesome turn out!

To top it off, my daughter made the FRONT page of our local newspaper!!!  Now that was VERY exciting! 

I hope your Independence Day was as wonderful as ours!

Love and Blessings!
Margaret