Quick Mommy Time Out!

Here's a quick time out for moms. Don't forget that this weekend (Friday and Saturday) is the tax-free holiday on select items.

Along with no sales tax, many stores are running specials and with the latest consumer spending report showing consumer confidence being down, I won't be surprised if they sweeten the deal even more than normal.

Diapers ARE included on the tax free deal!!

For more information, click here!

And happy shopping!!

Toy Thursday: Matching!

Judah helped me pack a few weeks ago for our vacation, especially when I got the games out to pack. In particular he found the UNO Attack game which proved to be great fun. So naturally I showed him how the cards flew out when you pressed the button. Laughing and laughing, that finally wore off. Next, I showed him how to sort the cards by color.

This game lasted an hour as I took his plastic color boxes and placed a corresponding matching card on top. Then I asked him if he could sort the cards and match the colors. Meanwhile, I continued my packing of the other games, watching him actually sort out the cards by color.

Judah is coming to the age where matching is an important skill to master in child development. This precursor to mathematics teaches the importance of counting and sorting. Your child improves his/her memory and develops thinking skills. Also, Judah is enhancing his ability to define colors at the same time. And most needed, it entertained him so I could pack.

So if you are in need of a boredom buster during this heat wave, try mastering your matching skills with your child. Your resources are endless in possiblitlites as you can match colors, similar objects, numbers, and letters. You can turn the cards over and guess where the match may be (for older kids) or simply sort them by their similarities and differences. You can also discover which item does not belong.

What are your favorite "matching" games?

Wash Wednesday: STOP CLOGGING THE TOILET!!!

My son has been potty trained since he was two. Ma'am (my mom) trained him in a weekend. She's pretty amazing. But the appropriate level of toilet paper is something he hasn't grasped.

If there is toilet paper on the roll, he's using it. All of it. And somehow, still doesn't get clean.

At least once a week, I hear a flush, water running and the "MOMMY!" that strikes fear in my heart and gets me running. Thankfully, my dad taught me how to shut the water off at the bottom of the bowl to stop the flooding...that is, if I get there in time.

And then there's the floaters. Ew. And how much water has run over. So what's a mom to do? Everyone has a collection of towels that has lost it's fluff over time, that accidentally got bleached etc. I call those my "potty towels". I use them to soak up the potty water and throw them in the washer (on hot of course).

What I'm thinking of doing it using an empty box of kleenex and making that Liam's paper box. After he goes to the bathroom, I refill a specific amount of toilet paper in the box for him to use.

But if any other moms have tips or tricks for toilet paper abusers, please share. Because my potty towels are sure getting a work out.

Tip Tuesday: Purchasing a Garment!

Over vacation last week, my sister-in-law and I had a conversation regarding people buying clothes. Living in a bigger city, she meets all kinds of people, including those who have their brand new clothes tailored. We both mentioned that the only time we have had something altered was for a formal event or an expensive business suit.

This conversation totally reminded me of a project I repeatedly entered at 4-H fair, a purchased garment. For several years on the first day of fair, I stood in the "clothing" line awaiting my turn to have my purchased garment judged. Aside from my actually sewn projects, this display was relatively easy, and the thought process I learned has stayed with me longer than any sewing I ever did.

When I purchase a garment to wear today, I still mentally go through my check list upon inspection. If the item of choice meets all the requirements, only then will I allow myself to consider it a "purple ribbon" purchase.

1. Item. The first step is to consider what item of clothing you need depending on the occasion or event and any related accessories. Focus on this specific mission while shopping by not getting side tracked on something else that will take away time looking and money from the budget.

2. Budget. Set aside a budgeted amount depending on the garment needed. Allow enough for your specific need as a formal dress will cost more than a shirt.

Look at it by how much would you spend to wear that garment each time you wear it. Multiply that amount by how many times you will think you will actually wear it and that is how much you can spend. You will also know that a purchase was good by taking the amount spent divided by the times worn leaving a reasonable expense.

3. Complete the Outfit. Never buy a separate. Always have a something to match completing the outfit. Should you need a shirt to go with a skirt, then consider this in your budget.

4. Mix and Match. Stick to neutral, traditional items (especially for your professional wardrobe), that can be mixed and matched into several different outfits. This will allow you to be universal with your clothes and save you money and closet space.

5. Accessories. Include the price of specific accessorise into the price of the outfit, allowing room in the budget. If you need a specific color of shoes, then this will be included with the price of the outfit.

6. Fit. Never purchase clothes that do not fit. The likelihood of actually altering clothes is slim. Make sure the clothes flatter and enhance your look.

7. Design. Consider the design elements of the garment before purchasing. Do the colors go well with your skin color? What direction do the stripes go?

8. Fabric. Consider the appropriateness of the fabric for your particular need and lifestyle. Linens are an excellent choice in hot weather. Likewise, wool is guaranteed to keep you warm in frigid temperatures. Find fabrics that are easy to care for and will last a number of washings.

9. Quality. The garment itself should be sewn correctly. Therefore, do not purchase a garment that looks cheap and is falling apart. Do the seems match up accordingly? Is the hem sewn properly? Are their holes in the pockets?

10. Instructions. Always look at the washing instructions before purchasing a garment. If you do not have money or time to dry clean, then find a washable garment. Likewise, kids clothes should be easy to clean.

For more frugal tips, visit Learning the Frugal Life.

Make Monday: Make It Flavorful!!!

My boys like drinking water. They also like drinking fruit juice and drink boxes. I don't like the sugar in those drinks...because one thing my kids don't need, sugar. They're hyper enough.

And it's hot. And they're thirsty. And they get bored with plain water. So what's a mom to do? Flavor the water...and not with sugar or a packet of kool-aid.

One of my favorite summer treats is cucumber water. Just take a cucumber fresh from the garden, rinse it off, slice it up and put it in a water pitcher in the fridge. It's crisp, it's cool and it's yummy.

You can also mix it up with strawberries, blueberries...just experiement. I use a Brita pitcher. I put the cucumber slices above the filter (so they don't get too soaked and icky) and let the water filter.

Get creative, get fresh, get yummy!