I am back

I tried the world of Word press but it was not for me.  I thought I wanted to be a blogger of deals and steals but I want to come back to my little corner of the world and blog about me and Scott and Drew and homeschooling ( yes the H word) and Phil and Betsy and life and love and all things me. This is where i belong.  I have to figure out how to put some of the other blogs posts on this site so i don't lose them.

Where do I start?  We have been fighting the wonderful world of bullies and drew getting beat up and dealing with the school for not telling us.  Drew is asking for home school again.  He is tired of it and wants to feel safe.  We meet with the school again on Monday for an emergency IEP and I think the will be seeing things my way for the end of the this year.  I can file lawsuits with the best of them.

We are also finding that Drew may have APD (auditory processing disorder).  So off to the audiologist we go Monday afternoon.  Tomorrow Drew and I are off to San Francisco to meet with the Tourettes doc at UCSF.  Scott and I went last week and now Drew gets to go three times then a plan of action will be put into place.  They are also putting us in touch with an Asperger specialist at UCSF to help as well.

Wedding plans are on course as far as I can tell.  They tell me when they need something.  but otherwise i stay out of it.  Safer that way.

Scott is getting ready to run a half marathon.  His goal is to finish in the top 10 my goal would be to have fun and finish.  I have started going back to the gym.  well until the doc benched me because I tore a muscle so now I am waiting for the all clear to go back.

great giveaways on my other site

There are two awesome giveaways on Rantings of a Mom

The first is a giveaway from MixBook for 30 Christmas cards.

The second will have 2 winners.  It is sponsered by Eli Treasure.  One person will win a Rockit.  This is such a cool item  Wish I could win it. 

The second prize is a Wildtree Garlic duo.  It has a bottle of garlic grapeseed oil and a bottle of Natural grapeseed oil.  I was very surprised the health benefits of Grapeseed oil.  Even over olive oil  I use Garlic grapeseed oil as my main oil of choice.  Benefits of grapeseed oil. Click the link to see the benefits.  It made me a believer.  I also like the fact it does not have the olive taste that permeates everything I cook. Grapeseed oil works better as an infuser oil because of it is not strong as olive oil.

Go check out the give aways.  I know there will be another give away starting October 25.  Subscribe to Rantings of a Mom   so you don't miss all the goodies.

Come join me

It is up and running. I finally have my own site. It is still a work in progress but I bought the domain and have my own site. It gives me a lot more freedom and more opportunites for give aways. in fact Mixbook has a give away running on my page now. the new site is www.rantingsofamom.com.  You can sign up for daily emails of all of my daily posts so you won't miss any give aways or Drewisms. the week before Halloween I will be particpating in a cash give away with several other bloggers so you won't want to miss that.

Meet ALICE.COM

Save yourself a trip to the store, buy your home essentials from Alice.com. Get toilet paper, toothpaste, paper towels, coffee and more all with free shipping, automatic coupons and 20% off your first order. You order from Alice just like you would a retailer, but behind the scenes Alice works as a marketplace where you can often buy direct from the manufacturers that make your goods.

Special Groupon

This is a Groupon Special you won't see on any Groupon site. Studying for ant of these?
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CFA Level 1 ($149)
PCAT McGraw-Hill ($99)
PMP ($99)
NPTE McGraw-Hill ($199)
CAPM ($99)
NSEE McGraw-Hill ($99)
MBE Bar Exam ($249)
Here is your chance to get them half price.

Click HERE

amazing amazon cookware deal

groupon

15.00 for 30.00 in magazines

Check out this offer from Saveology.

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moving

no not the house.  I finally own my domain name and will be moving from Blogspot over the next couple weeks. It is very exciting.  It will allow me to do more things.  I have several give aways coming up for Mixbook, and a couple other surprises.  I have been approved as an affiliate for Amazon as well as Groupon (still finalizing that one).  Feel free to click thru my links to get to Amazon.

Things might be a little choppy over the next week as Scott and I get them moved but it will be worth it once it is all done.  Thanks for your patience.

halloween tote bags.

This year, treat your little trickster to a Halloween Tote Bag from Vistaprint. For $2 you can choose from over 50 Halloween designs ranging from cute to creepy (or hundreds of other designs) to customize your Halloween Tote Bag. For just $2 you can customize a Halloween bag that is not only environmentally friendly and easy to store from year to year, but also adorable! While you’re shopping, check out the other Halloween products that are on sale! Happy Halloween! Click Here

Mixbook Chrismas cards

My friend Fran always gives me a hard time. I love Christmas. It is my fave holiday of them all. I think I got that from my mom. I am always on the hunt for presents. My closet overflows with stuff waiting to find the prefect wrapping paper. The only part I really don't like is Cristmas cards. What a pain.

This year is extra special. We get to announce that Phil is engaged and we are adding a wonderful young lady to our family. I couldn't wait to find the perfect Christmas card. Mixbook made it so easy to put together a card I can't wait to send. I took pictures from our Disney trip from last Christmas up loaded them and VIOLA! I did spend some time moving pictures around and getting them just the way I liked them. Mixbook made that easy.

I am not revealing mine at this point.  Don't want to ruin the surprise.

Mixbook also has some great deals you will want to get in on.  check these links:

Mixbook Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mixbook
Follow on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/mixbook
Mixbook Holiday cards http://www.mixbook.com/cards/holiday-photo-cards

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.

back from an amazing weekend

It is not often you have a weekend that will be etched in your memory forever. I can say this past weekend is one for the record books.

We went on our annual camping trip with 3 sets of friends. Up to Bodega Bay for family, friends and fellowship.

I had forgotten about the sand - apparently Bodega Dunes has that name for a reason. We brought back a couple of the dunes without even trying.

We all went to bed Friday night only to be awoken to what we thought was the Sharks and the Jets of the critter world getting ready to break out switch blades around the tents. Scott went out and the next think I know my husband is trying to reason with a bunch of raccoons. He is actually talking to them. "Hey guys, knock it off", "get of the trash can" "hey hey heeeeeyyyy" were amoung the comments we were treated to. Apparently there were about 12 raccoon pilfering thru the garbage cans - and they were not coon proof like at other campgrounds. It was quite the comedy hour.

I heard Scott get up about 6 and go out of the tent. Then I hear oh no - I figured the coons had torn thru the trash. Then I hear "this could get bad" Come to find out our raccoon friends sent their protector Mr. Skunk to warn scott not to interfere with the eating habits of the coons.

The day went well. We know where NOT to get coffee in Bodega. We did our annual pilgramage to the best Clam Chowder in the northern hemisphere.

Then we were off to the beach where the kids found a dead jelly fish which provided hours of amusement.  Pictures to follow when AE sends them to me.  Not to sure I want to see the one of Drew pretending to lick the jelly fish.

Back to camp for a nap(hang on our critters will make another appearance) We sent the men back in to Bodega for Pizza.  Did I mention the pizza place was in the hardware store?  Yes you read that right - the only pizza place in Bodega is in the back of the hardware store.  It is actually the EVERYTHING store

But the pizza is amazing.  Who knew?

Spent the evening around the campfire.  Drew wanted family time so we went to bed early and missed the appearance of Mr. Skunk.  Apparently before my husband went to bed they sealed the trash can by putting a 2 by 4 thru the lids and then hung a kids bike from each end of the 2x4.  You can imagine how our coon friends reacted.  They went and told their skunk buddy "to get the bald guys family"  Unfortunately for our friends there were 2 bald guys and the skunk got confused and got our friends instead of us.  I am very grateful the confused skunk got the wrong family.  and for the record we now know that Dawn liquid, baking soda, and peroxide work better than tomato juice at removing skunk smell from families as well as their dogs.

the weekend was one for the record books.  ANd we can't wait to do it again next year - without the critters but we will be packing the antidote just in case.

gone fishing

not really.  But I will be away from the computer until Sunday night.

Remember when

I have always said my blog was a combination of things. Deals, memories, day to day events, you name it  - it might show up here.  I took this from a friend on Facebook.  Welcome to a time of innocence, the time when WE grew up.


Close your eyes...And go back...
Before the Internet or the MAC
Before semi automatics and crack
... ... Before SEGA or Super Nintendo...

Way back...

I'm talkin' bout hide and go seek at dusk.
Red light, Green light.
Playing kickball & dodgeball until your porch light came on.
Mother May I?
Red Rover
Hula Hoops
Running through the sprinkler
Happy Meals

Wait...
Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons
Fat Albert, Road Runner, Smurfs, Picture Pages, G-Force & HeMan
Wonder Woman & Super Man Underoos
Playing Dukes of Hazard
Catchin' lightning bugs in a jar
Christmas morning...
Your first day of school
Bedtime Prayers and Goodnight Kisses

Climbing trees
Getting an Ice Cream off the Ice Cream Truck
A million mosquito bites and sticky fingers
Jumpin' down the steps
Jumpin' on the bed
Pillow fights
Runnin' till you were out of breath
Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt
Being tired from playin'
Your first crush...
Rainy days at school meant playing "Heads up 7UP" in the classroom
Remember that?

I'm not finished yet...
Kool-Aid was the drink of the summer
Giving your friends a ride on your handlebars
Wearing your new shoes on the first day of school
Class Field Trips
When nearly everyone's mom was at home when the kids got there.
When a quarter seemed like a fair allowance, and another quarter a
Miracle.

When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to
carry Groceries, and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of
it.
When your parents took you to McDonalds and you were so cool.
When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to
the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home.

Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of
drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc.
Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! And some of
us are still afraid of em!

Didn't that feel good, just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember
that!"

I want to go back to the time when...
Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo"
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!"
"Race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "monopoly"
Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening

It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends.
Being old, referred to anyone over 20.
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties.
Nobody was prettier than Mom
Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better
It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big
people" rides at the amusement park.

Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.
Abilities were discovered because of a "double-dog-dare"
Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for
giggles.

The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.
Water balloons were the ultimate, ultimate weapon.
Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest
protectors.
If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED!!! 

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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Down with Extreme couponing

TLC Extreme Couponing starts tonight.  Let me say I hate this show with a passion and I refuse to watch.  Why?  It shows the worst in couponers.  It shows the 1% that hoard, clear shelves, They give normal couponers a BAD name.  Honestly who needs 100 tubes of toothpaste or 50 bottles of Tide.  This show promotes hoarding.  You can expect to see these people some day on TLC Extreme Hoarders.

When I started couponing my husband set up a few rules.  They were simple and made sense.
1.  Only buy products we use.
2. No more than a 6 month reserve NO matter how good the deal is.
3. Be willing to donate 10% of the surplus to the local food bank or woman's crisis center.

Easy.  Those were common sense.  I have a house big enough I could store years worth of stuff but why would I?  I don't have 18 kids to feed.  Even the Duggars admit they don't shelf clear or buy more than they truly need.

There has been talk by those who run coupon blogs that in the next few days things will be worse because everyone will think they can do what TLC shows.  I get excited if I say 65% and that is the average savings for the average family.  Please don't expect to walk into a store and get 750.00 worth of groceries for 6.12.  Not going to happen.

I never really find much in the local paper that we use.  I tend to have better luck on a few sites scattered around my blog.  I will post links in my next post.  IF you use coupons.net, coupon network be aware that for a few weeks the new "extreme couponer" will be gung ho so get  your coupons printed now because there are usually limited numbers allowed to be printed.

Thanks to shows like the one on TLC - stores have become more strict on what coupons they accept, how many, and doing several purchases at once.  The Extreme couponers have ruined it for those of us that need coupons to make ends meet.

It is always best to know the store rules before going in.  Print them off and carry them in your coupon binder.  Be polite, don't take it all, and give some to those less fortunate and we will all be better couponers - and people

daily chuckle.

this is one of my favorite AMC deals GET it quick

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IF you have been on Saveology lately you  must clear your cookies to see the offer.

making the move

Everyone please be patient over the next couple weeks.  I am taking a big step I am moving my blog to a new host and will have my own domain.  It has been explained to me that is like moving a home so this should be interesting.  you won't have to change anything but this gives me the ability to have more giveaways as well as do more cool things for my readers.

Cathy

free Zantac Sample.

I swear the older I get the more meds I keep around. Here is a chance to get a free sample of Zantac to keep around.