Sunday, October 25, 2009

Fun ideas for Christmas Baskets Part 2!!

Challenge: Try to make or buy each item for under $10!!

1. Gourmet coffees with a personal coffee cup
2. Pound of pistachios
3. Make a sock monkey or sock puppets or finger puppets from gloves!
4. Journal with special inscription inside
5. Teacup with box of herbal tea
6. Deck of cards and book of card game rules
7. Homemade cocoa mix in a pretty jar
8. Collage of special photos
9. Gel pens and pretty stationary
10. Bottle of sparkling cider
11. Home baked bread, include recipe
12. Disposable camera or rolls of film (esp. for those not using digital yet)
13. Basket filled with deli cheese and fruit
14. Craft supplies
15. Holiday serving bowl or platter
16. Pencils and markers (washable)and some construction paper
17. Decorative napkins and napkin rings
18. Fancy chocolate bars tied with a ribbon
19. Gardening gloves with a plant or flower seeds
20. Photo album, hand decorated is even better
21. Makeup tote
22. Prepaid photo developing envelopes
23. Homemade cookie mix with instructions for baking
24. Variety of bread mixes
25. Special coffee cup filled with candy
26. Fancy magazines tied together with a pretty ribbon
27. Gourmet popcorn and flavored oil
28. Locally made barbeque or steak sauce with basting brush
29. Pancake or waffle mix and a bottle of real maple syrup
30. Movie theater gift certificates
31. Board games
32. Jar of pure honey with biscuit mix
33. Note cards and book of stamps
34. Picture frames, buy them on sale!
35. Specialty cookbook (a mini one made with pics of you and the kids making the foods are great gifts too)
36. Pretty glass jar filled with candy
37. Collectible sports cards
38. Muffin mixes with muffin pan
39. Christmas ornaments
40. Set of dish towels and dish cloths
41. Nail polish kit
42. Pretty pajamas
43. Basket filled with kitchen gadgets
44. Calendar for the new year with Family pics in it (great one for grandparents)
45. Pepper mill and fresh peppercorns
46. Handwritten copies of your favorite recipes on pretty handmade note cards
47. For the pets, gourmet dog biscuits or cat treats (homemade ones make this idea even more economical)
48. Baking pans and supplies
49. Prepaid long distance phone cards/or cards for Cell phone apps
50. Small clock or radio
51. Pretty box for keepsakes
52. Colorful Post-It notepads
53. Address book
54. Christmas ornaments
55. Puzzles
56. DVD/CD's
57. Sewing supplies
58. First Aid Kit for the Car
59. Favorite quote embroidered on a nice handkerchief
60. Makeup brush set
61. Expensive socks, still under $10
62. Bath Puffs,set of wash cloths, or a new super soft towel

Friday, October 23, 2009

Fun ideas for Christmas Baskets!

1. Homemade jellies and jams.
2. Breads
3. Cookies
4. Pies
5. Candies/pretzels/fudge/oreo balls
6. Candles (homemade or bought)
7. Homemade soaps and bath salts
6. Handmade aprons
7. Handmade dolls, toys, and blankets
8. Monogrammed Pillowcases and Pillowcase Dresses
9. Flashlights, tools, and universal remotes
10. Books for children and adults
11. Crayons (homemade or store bought)
12. Stickers (and other scrapbooking things for the scrap booker! )
13. Gift cards/certificates
14. Magazine subscriptions
15. Netflix/Blockbuster subscriptions
16. Grocery card/Gas card
17. Fun socks,ties,t-shirts,underwear!
18. Bubbles (homemade of course)
19. Play-doh (homemade too)
20. Cards/pictures/paintings made by your and/or your children!!

I hope that these ideas are helpful and useful! Do you have a creative, useful, thrifty idea? Post it here! I'd love to hear from you!

How to Make Thrifty Gift Baskets!!



"Gift baskets are a great gift to pamper the people on a birthday or Christmas gift list. Store bought gift baskets can be expensive, though. It is easy to make gift baskets at home for less, though, and it can be fun!

Getting Started

The average home-made gift basket will cost around ten dollars, making it a really perfect gift to give for the budget conscious.

The first item required for making gift baskets it the basket, of course. The conscious shopper can find some really nice baskets at thrift stores for as little as 50 cents a piece. Shoppers should make sure that the basket is well made, clean, and has no loose pieces.

While at the thrift store, the shopper should look for ribbon. Many thrift stores have a craft section with rolls of nice ribbon for around 10 cents.

Next, the shopper should take a trip to the local dollar store. Many dollar stores or just-a-buck stores have tons of items for really interesting and personalized baskets.

Finishing the Basket


Once all of the supplies are ready, it is time to assemble the basket. The gift giver should take all the products out of their wrappers, unless it will make a mess if the wrappers are taken off. The shredded paper should be put into the bottom of the basket so that the basket is half full. The tallest items should be arranged at the back of the basket, with the smaller, more attractive items at the front. A bow should be added to the top and the gift basket is done!"


Be sure to click on the Title to go to the website to see ideas for making baskets for men, women and children!! They are creative and fun! Be Thrifty this year! Have Fun!!

How to Give the BEST Frugal, Thrifty Christmas Gifts - No Scrooge Here | eHow.com


How to Give the BEST Frugal, Thrifty Christmas Gifts - No Scrooge Here | eHow.com

So many of us are looking for ways to be thrifty and frugal this Holiday season! I hope to be posting many ways you can do just that in the coming days and weeks before Christmas gets here. I found some useful hints and ideas as well as links to FREE things on this e-how website!! Be sure to visit it today! I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas as well! Please share! Be wise, Be frugal, HAVE FUN!!

handmade holidays- frog and pollywog from a sweater



handmade holidays- frog and pollywog from a sweater

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SO CUTE AND SUCH AN ADORABLE IDEA FOR CHRISTMAS!! GO TO 5 ORANGE POTATOES (by clicking the title) and see more cute ideas!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Gluten Free Make-up!

"Why is it important for someone with Celiac Disease to avoid gluten laced make-up? Celiac Disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have Celiac Disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in everyday products such as shampoo, medicines, vitamins, and lip balms, lipstick and other make-up. It's said that the average woman ingests up to four pounds of lipstick over a lifetime. Many lipsticks, lip gloss and lip balm available today currently contain wheat based ingredients that could negatively affect the stability and health of someone with Celiac Disease when ingested. All of Afterglow's products are 100% gluten free. We have countless customers with Celiac Disease that do react to the gluten in their body care and makeup products. These customers have found that Afterglow is the only brand they can safely wear without a reaction. If you have Celiac Disease, you may think that the ingredients in your cosmetics won't affect you. They may or may not. The real question is, why wouldn't you switch to a line of cosmetics that is beautiful, all natural, good for your skin, good for your body, and, (just in case!) gluten free?"
From: Afterglow Cosmetics



Have you ever thought about using gluten free make-up? If you are like me, you've never thought about it before. I wanted to do this post for those who are looking, curious, and just because I thought it would be helpful. Please enjoy and if you have more information, please share!! I'd love to know more!

"What is gluten allergy or celiac disease? It is an auto-immune disease of the intestines, caused by and allergy to gluten. Gluten is found in wheat , rye, malt, oats and barley. The symptoms are wide ranging, from indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, extreme fatigue and depression, severe weight loss, abdominal rashes, and if left untreated cancer. In the U.S. 1 in 133 people have gluten allergies.Maintainig a gluten free diet and using gluten free products are essential as continued exposure is detrimental. Common gluten free foods are alternative flours ( rice, soy , potato and tapioca), corn, beans and flour to name a few."
From:Monave

Both of the websites I quoted have Gluten Free makeup! Be sure to check them out today! They are filled with a ton of very useful information and you will be amazed at all you will learn. I know I learned a lot and I am hoping that by posting this, I can be helpful to others.

"Imagine a store where nothing is off limits. A store where someone has already read all the labels and made all the calls. A store where everything is gluten-free and celiac-safe. A store where you can choose anything you like and not have to worry.
Imagine a shop packed with the best gluten-free groceries from around the world. Pasta from Italy. Soup from England. Rice from Bhutan, high in the Himalayas. Chocolate from the Ivory Coast. English muffins from that little bakery in New Jersey. And all gluten-free.
That store exists. In Milwaukee and online. For you."

Gluten-Free Trading Company

LIFE WITH OUT GLUTEN

"Our goal is to provide the best information, to act as a gluten free guide, helping you find information about gluten free diets, and research foods you can eat everyday. Whether you seek this information for yourself or a loved one, we can help you find the recipes and restaurants to make eating out and dining at home an easier process. Common conditions that cause gluten intolerance include wheat allergy, dermititis herpetiformis (dh), irritable bowel syndrome (ibs), celiac sprue (also known as celiac disease, cd, or just as sprue,and often misspelled as ciliac or seliac). Some people help maintain a basic diet for celiac kids, or kids with autism, while others choose to live a gluten-free lifestyle (gfl) for dieting purposes, or just for overall health. No matter what your reasons are, we hope that when you visit a restaurant with friends and family, you will think about how much fun you are having, instead of worrying about the amount of gluten in the food, and when you cook, you will feel confident that the ingredients in the recipe will conform to your health needs."

From:Life Without Gluten

And of course, if you want Organic, you can check out Organic Valley! ORGANIC VALLEY

Happy Gluten Free Shopping!!!

Monday, October 12, 2009

PH is Sponsoring a Cambodian Orphan Home! Join Us!


PH is Sponsoring a Cambodian Orphan Home! Join Us!

Lindsay Edmonds of Passionatehomemaking has a heart and passion for the orphans in Cambodia. Please Click on the Title to go Directly to her Blog and read more about her passion and how you can be involved! Make today the day you make a difference in someones life who is in great need. God asks us to care for the widowed and orphaned. Let's join together and share some of our great bounty from God with others and let us share God's great and abundant love!! Click the Title NOW!!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Simple & Frugal Children’s Bedroom Decor


Simple & Frugal Children’s Bedroom Decor

Chasing Cheerio's Blog
has the instructions to making these fun, frugal and great looking book shelves! Be sure to check it out! And for more on frugal children's room decor~Click on the title!!

Sew a Split Stitch


Sew a Split Stitch

Posted using ShareThis

split stitched felt leaves


split stitched felt leaves

Posted using ShareThis

About Our Family

My photo
Missouri, United States
Clinton and I live in Missouri. Clinton works for CED, Inc. It is an electrical distributing company. He works in Inside Sales right now and is training for Outside Sales. I am an Independent Marketing Consultant for Melaleuca. I work from home and I really love what I do. Cora is 3 years old and she is so excited about starting Preschool in the fall. She loves everything Princess and her favorite color is Pink! Miles is 2 and he loves CARS the movie and is really into Thomas the Train as well. He is a ball of Fire and keeps us on our toes! And in keeping with stereotypes, loves the color Blue. Well, Wyatt Evan Fisher is here now!! He arrived at 5:03pm on June 22, 2008!! We are so very blessed and so very excited! He's 7 pounds and 5 ounces, 20 inches long! Healthy and so very handsome! We are so blessed and so proud of our new baby boy! Precious blessing from God!

Fisher Farm Family Cookout!

Fisher Farm Family Cookout!
Cora was swinging with her cousins.



Fun Fall Pictures!

We had a blast taking the kids pictures! It was a gorgeous fall day and the kids were in great moods! We really loved Miles "cheese" face! We tried to get him to say something else so he'd actually have a smile instead of the "cheese" lips! :)

I have included some of Hannah, Major and Cannon. They are great friends of Cora, Miles and Wyatt. We have had a great time being neighbors and friends! We have been really enjoying doing things together.



Cheese Lips!


Again with the lips! :)



The Ulitmate Mud Puddle Adventure

Miles LOVES Puddles! We have had a lot of rain lately and so the dead end fills up quickly with the run off. This is such a great joy for Miles. He loves water and jumping into puddles and making quite a mess of things! Take in mind that it's October and quite chilly out~this means nothing to Miles~he feels no cold. Now, since daddy took the pictures, please excuse the fuzzy ones! :)






Painting the Pirate Ship!

Cora and Miles love painting! They had a great time painting and I had a wonderful time watching them, taking pictures, laughing, being amazed at how quickly they are growing up, in awe of their creativeness. I am so blessed to be their mom. What a precious gift God has given me. I am so thankful!





Puddin'

I decided that it would be fun to let the kids play with their snack as a sensory activity! So, we had chocolate pudding to "paint" and granola and dried fruit to "decorate the painting" and their bodies as the "canvas"! It was a hit!

Miles wasn't sure at first~he usually revels in messes, but this time Mom was "letting" him and he just didn't know what to think about that! It didn't take him long to get into it though.

Cora had a great time and she dug in right away! When Dad came home from work, she invited him to join the fun as well! He took off his shirt and soon he was the canvas that the kids were painting! Cora wanted to make sure that his entire back was covered!

Wyatt remained an outsider to the event~which I am sure he appreciated! He really enjoys watching his brother and sister play. He smiled and laughed and cooed a lot! It was a really enjoyable time for us all! If you haven't had fun with pudding, I suggest you try!

Cora and her "Pudding Art Creation"

Cora and her "Pudding Art Creation"
We have chocolate pudding, granola, and dried fruit!

Puddin' face!

Puddin' face!

Miles was just getting started!

Miles was just getting started!

Now we are getting the hang of it!

Now we are getting the hang of it!

Cora loved the feel of the "squishy" pudding in her fingers!

Cora loved the feel of the "squishy" pudding in her fingers!

Daddy jumping in the fun!

Daddy jumping in the fun!

HMMMM......

HMMMM......

Almost got it all......

Almost got it all......

The Finished Paintings!

The Finished Paintings!

Now with silly faces!

Now with silly faces!

Cora's First Day of School!

Cora's First Day of School!

It was chilly morning.

At School

At School
In front on her school.

Her Cubby

Mrs. Creason~Cora's Teacher

Mrs. Creason~Cora's Teacher

Oh bath time!

Oh bath time!

May I Help You?

May I Help You?

Here's lookin' at you kid!

Here's lookin' at you kid!

Wondering if we could just go on our walk already!

Please???

Please???

Wyatt always falls asleep in his backpack on our walks!

Playing in the sprinkler!

Playing in the sprinkler!

Hannah, Grant, and Cora~Umbrellas to "save them" from getting wet....didn't work out so well!

Hannah, Grant, and Cora~Umbrellas to "save them" from getting wet....didn't work out so well!
Hannah and Grant are our neighbors. Hannah lives next door and Grant lives caddy corner across the street.

Hannah's brother Major.

Hannah's brother Major.
Major and Miles are good friends~they love to play together!

Fort Umbrella~all the kids are inside.

Fort Umbrella~all the kids are inside.

Miles coming to join the Umbrella Crew.

Miles coming to join the Umbrella Crew.

Cora Loves Playing With Finn!

Cora Loves Playing With Finn!

Clinton Jumping Over Cora!

Clinton Jumping Over Cora!

We take Jason's Dog Disel, for a walk everyday! Cora likes to hold the leash by herself.

We take Jason's Dog Disel, for a walk everyday! Cora likes to hold the leash by herself.

Cora LOVES to ride her bike! Everytime we are outside, she's on her bike!

Cora LOVES to ride her bike! Everytime we are outside, she's on her bike!

Miles Messes

Miles loves to make messes! This montage of cereal was waiting for me one morning and boy was I happy about it..... This isn't the first (or the last ~ I'm sure) time this has happened. If you don't get him food the moment you hear him wake up~BEWARE! Oh the joys of parenthood!

Miles Helping Himself to Breakfast.....

Miles Helping Himself to Breakfast.....

Cora and Aunty A making Cheese Cake!

Cora and Aunty A making Cheese Cake!

BIG SISTER

BIG SISTER

Cora is always asking to hold Wyatt

Cora is always asking to hold Wyatt

How Sweet

How Sweet

Into the face paint from halloween.....

Into the face paint from halloween.....

Miles thought Wyatt needed some too!

Miles thought Wyatt needed some too!

Bath Time

Bath Time

4th of July

4th of July

Four Wheelin' Anyone?

Miles loves Uncle Paul's four wheeler! He just loves to run to the shed, get the helmet on (which used to terrify him) and climb on! If he can talk daddy into it (which isn't a hard thing), he gets to ride all over the farm!


Clinton Painting Cora's Nails

Clinton Painting Cora's Nails

Angela and Jeremy Reynolds

Angela and Jeremy Reynolds
This is my best friend and her husband.

Wyatt's first week!

We had so much fun spending Wyatt's First Week of life with Nani and Pop Pop! We drove down right after we were released from the hospital and Wyatt proved to be a great little traveler! He never made a peep! Cora and Miles were great helpers and loved having their baby brother in between them. Every time we got out of the car, Cora would say,"Mom! Don't forget our baby!" It was really cute. It was a lot of fun for the cousins to get a chance to spend time together too. It was a great week!

Our First Family Pic!

Our First Family Pic!

Playing Time

Playing Time
In Nani and Pop Pop's basement playing!

Balloon Swords!

Balloon Swords!
Safe Play?

Ping Pong anyone?

Ping Pong anyone?
Miles couldn't wait for his turn to play ping pong

Nani and Cora

Nani and Cora
They had matching hats! It was so much fun!

Proud Grandparents!

Proud Grandparents!

All the Kids with Nani and Pop Pop!

All the Kids with Nani and Pop Pop!

Diaper Head!

Diaper Head!
He decided that it would be fun to put his swim diaper on his head! He made the return trip home a funny affair!

Cora wanted to do diaper head too!

Cora wanted to do diaper head too!

The Arrival of Wyatt!

We were so very excited for the arrival of Wyatt! He arrived two weeks early, much to everyone's surprise! On June 22, 2008, at 6:30am, I noticed that it was going to be a very special day! I woke Clinton up and we began the "run around". We had to get everything cleaned and packed and ready for the next week. We arrived at the hospital and everything took off from there! He arrived at 5:03pm and was 7 pounds 5 ounces , 20 inches long. Just perfect! He was our smallest baby, but the size of a regular full term baby! He just seemed so tiny to us! And to think that most people have babies his size! We couldn't be more thrilled with our new little man! He is so precious to us! He is very content and sleeps very well! You can't ask for more than that!

Baby Wyatt is coming!

Baby Wyatt is coming!
I wanted a picture before Wyatt made his grand entrance!

Our Precious Little Man!

Our Precious Little Man!
Just a few minutes after he was born!

Mom and Baby!

Mom and Baby!
I couldn't be more thrilled with him!

Dad and his Son

Dad and his Son
He is so proud of his boy!

Big Sis and Wyatt!

Big Sis and Wyatt!
She sang "Mary had a little lamb" to him! It was so cute!

Wyatt Evan Fisher!

Wyatt Evan Fisher!
Our Precious Baby Boy! Loves to look around!

Nani and Pop Pop!

Nani and Pop Pop!
Happy Family!

Pop Pop and Wyatt!

Pop Pop and Wyatt!
Pop Pop was able to cut the cord! How cool!

Wyatt and Nani!

Wyatt and Nani!
We loved having Nani there for the Birth!

Uncle Jason!

Uncle Jason!
It was great to have Uncle Jason come and visit!

Summer 2008!

We are having a lot of fun this summer right in our own back yard! We got the kids a little pool that they love and a swing that I (Amy) love so that we could enjoy being outside together as a family! God has blessed us with great children, great weather, and so much love for each other. I am always thankful for how well the kids get along. I am looking forward to seeing how Wyatt will fit with our little family.

Cora is growing up so fast and she is "teaching" Miles new things all the time! Miles grows so fast "learning" from his big sister and he loves to copy her. He follows her and repeats what she says and does what she does. It is really sweet to see them playing together and learning from each other.

Umbrella Time

Umbrella Time
Cora loves her little umbrella!

Fun in the Summer Sun!

Fun in the Summer Sun!
They love their little pool!

Pool Time!

Pool Time!
They love Splashing in the Pool!!

Eatting Pluots!

Eatting Pluots!
Snack time in the pool! Can't get any better than that!

We love eachother!

We love eachother!
They are best friends!

Cora and Miles Club House!

Cora and Miles Club House!
They love this little house!

Painting!

Painting!
The kids discovered that if you get chalk wet, it makes "paint"!

Coloring!

Coloring!
Cora loves to color.

My yellow picture!

My yellow picture!
Cora wanted to make sure that I took a picture of her with her picture!

My Favorite Cuties!

My Favorite Cuties!
They are such posers!

My Studly Man!

My Studly Man!
Miles is such a big boy!

Precious Princess!

Precious Princess!
Cora is such a Princess!