OK, so I've added ads to my blog...because I want to make money telling other people how to save money (can you say, "obsessed"? It's a lot of work, though, so I'm not sure it's worth it--stay tuned). But the thing is, I'm not supposed to click on my own ads. It makes sense. If I could click on my own ads, and get money for it, I would just sit here and do that all day. Or better yet, I'd set my kids up to do it for me. The ads are selected by Google to be placed on my blog, based on my blog content--the idea is that if people are reading a blog about coupons, they might be interested in...coupons. And guess what? The author of this blog about coupons is interested in...coupons, and I want to click on my ads...I would ask one of you to do it for me, but I'm not allowed to do that either ;-)
Really Google, I promise I won't click on them for the money--I just want the coupons, and quite frankly, I could be the only one willing to click on the ads on my blog--I'm not sure anyone else is reading. Don't you think your advertisers would rather reach one consumer (me) than no consumers? *sigh*
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Salting the driveway
Turns out that dial-up is dial-up, even if the phone is a cell phone. Here's one of the 13 or so videos that I've been carrying around on my jump drive for a while, hoping for an opportunity to post.
Bubby and Hubby broadcasting ice melt this winter, in an unusual way...
Please note: if you read my blog via email or facebook, you will need to visit my blog at http://bluefield5.blogspot.com to view this video.
Mortified
Bubby pulled the fire alarm at swim lessons today. That's right. My two year old is responsible for about 200 swim lesson students, parents, instructors, and life guards having to evacuate, as well as however many school-aged care kids, summer school students, and teachers were in the building. I was mortified. How could he have done this? Why wasn't I keeping a better eye on him? Well, because it literally only took 2 seconds and the deed was done. I guess the bright side is the hour was almost up anyway...
Now I'm trying to decide if this is worse than the time I walked upstairs at our house in WV to find a Morgan County Sheriff's deputy standing at my door with his gun pointed at me and my child, because Logo, at the age of 2, had called 911, without my knowledge...
One of the other parents tried to comfort me by telling me that we'll laugh at this someday (maybe some of you are laughing already). I know that's true, but I'm still mortified.
Now I'm trying to decide if this is worse than the time I walked upstairs at our house in WV to find a Morgan County Sheriff's deputy standing at my door with his gun pointed at me and my child, because Logo, at the age of 2, had called 911, without my knowledge...
One of the other parents tried to comfort me by telling me that we'll laugh at this someday (maybe some of you are laughing already). I know that's true, but I'm still mortified.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Those Parents
It seems that I am one of those parents. You know, the ones who stand on the sidelines of their kids' games and just can't stop yelling. I've seen the looks other parents give me. I'm fairly sure the boys on Code-man's soccer team don't even hear me, but still I can't help yelling at the forwards to get in front of the goal, give him someone to pass to, control it, and dribble it all the way in, the defenders to not let anyone behind them, take the throw, and protect their goalie, the goalie to pick it up, and everyone to spread out, talk to each other, and stay in their zones. I'm happy to say that I have managed to refrain from yelling at the refs thus far, but I have, on occasion, said things loudly like, "hand ball," or "purple throw," (just friendly little reminders) and I'm fairly certain that two games ago, the ref would not have called a goal when the other team's goalie caught the ball on the wrong side of the goal line if it hadn't been for Hubby and me standing and applauding loudly for the goal. I really, honestly, can't help it. After every game, I think to myself, Scarlet, you really need to bring it down a notch, but game after game, there I am, yelling--always encouraging, constructive things, but still yelling, almost the entire game. I think this must be why my Dad coached his kids' soccer teams--to give him an excuse to be the one yelling on the sidelines.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Deodorant
Well, folks, I'm not sure what to say. We currently have enough deodorant to last both my husband and me through the end of 2011 (well, me anyway--not sure about that husband of mine), and yet, tomorrow I'm planning on bringing some more home. It's not that we're particularly stinky people...although my feet have been known to be somewhat funky from time to time (I blame it on the fuzzy pink slippers)...it's just that it's hard to resist, if they're going to pay me to take the stuff home from the store. Just today, a store paid me $1.51 to bring home a deodorant and a body mist. Tomorrow, they'll pay me $0.51 to bring home some more. I guess they really, really want me to have it. Maybe I do stink, and I just have never realized it.
I've become more serious about couponing in recent months. Well, actually, what I should say is I've become addicted to couponing in recent months...or, I suppose, even more accurately, I've become addicted to couponing blogs in recent months. A couple of years ago, I learned something that changed the way I shop, forever. I learned... Are you ready for this? ...that you can use a store coupon AND a manufacturer's coupon on the same item. So if you have $1 off store coupon and a $1 off manufacturer's coupon for the same item, you can use them together get $2 off that item. This discovery completely revolutionized the way I shopped. I got some deeply discounted things, some free things, and even was paid to take a few things home, but it was all based on items I would normally buy and had coupons for.
But now, thanks to websites like PocketYourDollars and Hip2Save, I'm learning about deals I never would have thought of. I mean, in real life I would never buy a Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-a-Clean Power Sprayer (really! The thing has batteries! How hard is it to spray an aerosol, that they had to add a power-assist?), but if someone is going to pay me $3 to take it off their hands, sure, I'll take it (and I'm sure my husband will enjoy cleaning the bathtubs with it). These bloggers make a living by telling people like me which coupons, including printable internet coupons, to match with which sales to get the most for our money (man, I wonder how I can get a gig like that).
It's been interesting, to say the least. I now find myself pondering questions, like, "do I need this? Do I even want it?" and, "how much is enough?" and, "if it's free, but I won't use it, should I get it anyway? How about if I'm making money on the deal?" There is something so satisfying about getting something for nothing, that it's tempting to accept somethings with no value, just because they're free. Should I send for that free sample of barbeque sauce, even though we don't use BBQ sauce? It's so thrilling to get a good price that it's easy to get carried away, and spend more than you intended in the name of saving money. Goldfish for 99 cents? Let's buy 10!
The other question I find myself asking these days, and the one that I find most worrisome, is "what deal am I missing?" There is always this nagging feeling that I'm going to miss out on a great deal. And now it's even harder for me to pay full price for anything, because I know, sooner or later, it'll be on sale...with a coupon...and a rebate...
Ah, but for now, I'm enjoying my obsession, and my 12, no, make that 13, deodorants, and my 4 body washes, and my 5 shampoos. We'll use them...eventually...
I've become more serious about couponing in recent months. Well, actually, what I should say is I've become addicted to couponing in recent months...or, I suppose, even more accurately, I've become addicted to couponing blogs in recent months. A couple of years ago, I learned something that changed the way I shop, forever. I learned... Are you ready for this? ...that you can use a store coupon AND a manufacturer's coupon on the same item. So if you have $1 off store coupon and a $1 off manufacturer's coupon for the same item, you can use them together get $2 off that item. This discovery completely revolutionized the way I shopped. I got some deeply discounted things, some free things, and even was paid to take a few things home, but it was all based on items I would normally buy and had coupons for.
But now, thanks to websites like PocketYourDollars and Hip2Save, I'm learning about deals I never would have thought of. I mean, in real life I would never buy a Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-a-Clean Power Sprayer (really! The thing has batteries! How hard is it to spray an aerosol, that they had to add a power-assist?), but if someone is going to pay me $3 to take it off their hands, sure, I'll take it (and I'm sure my husband will enjoy cleaning the bathtubs with it). These bloggers make a living by telling people like me which coupons, including printable internet coupons, to match with which sales to get the most for our money (man, I wonder how I can get a gig like that).
It's been interesting, to say the least. I now find myself pondering questions, like, "do I need this? Do I even want it?" and, "how much is enough?" and, "if it's free, but I won't use it, should I get it anyway? How about if I'm making money on the deal?" There is something so satisfying about getting something for nothing, that it's tempting to accept somethings with no value, just because they're free. Should I send for that free sample of barbeque sauce, even though we don't use BBQ sauce? It's so thrilling to get a good price that it's easy to get carried away, and spend more than you intended in the name of saving money. Goldfish for 99 cents? Let's buy 10!
The other question I find myself asking these days, and the one that I find most worrisome, is "what deal am I missing?" There is always this nagging feeling that I'm going to miss out on a great deal. And now it's even harder for me to pay full price for anything, because I know, sooner or later, it'll be on sale...with a coupon...and a rebate...
Ah, but for now, I'm enjoying my obsession, and my 12, no, make that 13, deodorants, and my 4 body washes, and my 5 shampoos. We'll use them...eventually...
Camping pics
What is that crazy kid doing? You like his new hat? (For those of you who can't tell, that's his underwear on his head--I was trying to sort the laundry. You see what obstacles I have to deal with here? Is it any wonder that I'm so on board with the self-folding laundry thing?)
Oh...maybe that's where the craziness comes from! Sawblock just couldn't wait to get out in the kayak.
Went biking on the Old Abe something trail Saturday morning, and crossed this bridge. We were somewhat surprised, when we were done, to discover that we had biked about 13.5 miles, with no complaints whatsoever.
Here's one of the canoe crew fishing on Lake Wissota Sunday morning. Code-man was off in the kayak somewhere...It was drizzly and rainy for most of the weekend, but we still had a nice time. In fact, for most of us, the rain was only a factor in that it made starting the fire a little more difficult. Others of us (the ones possessing two X chromosomes), are not so happy to be wet and in a tent. One or the other is enough for those XXs among us.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Success
OK, true confession time: sometimes, I watch "The Biggest Loser" on NBC. You see, my laundry days are Tuesday and Friday, and I like to watch TV while sorting and folding. And there's nothing good on TV, so I end up flipping until I find something tolerable, which, on Tuesdays, sometimes turns out to be TBL (and since we're in true confession mode, my Friday laundry often doesn't get folded until Monday night, when "House" is on).
So if you've watched "The Biggest Loser", you know Jillian Michaels, aka the toughest trainer on TV. During the past several weeks, advertisements have been airing for her new show, "Losing It With Jillian." I must admit, as a person who feels like she is "losing it" on a regular basis, I have been intrigued by the title, and by the concept: Jillian moves in with a family for one week, and during that time, teaches them to "lose it," whatever "it" may be. It's not just about losing weight, but more about letting go of all of the barriers and obstacles in our lives that hold us back from living life to the fullest. Last night was the premiere, and yes, I watched it, because I had 5 loads of laundry to fold and "Glee" wasn't long enough for me to finish (wow, all kinds of TV confessions today).
What really struck me about last night's show was a comment Jillian made to the daughter, who was the only one in the family who wasn't overweight--she had had gastric bypass surgery, lost a bunch, but still felt like that fat girl she had been. Jillian said to her, "why would you choose failure when success is an option?"
My first thought was that we don't choose failure, it chooses us. No one in their right mind would choose failure when success is an option, right? Failure is what happens when we simply cannot. But then I realized that so many times in my life, I haven't really believed that success is an option for me. So many times I have limited myself, believing that I couldn't do something, or that I wasn't worthy of success or happiness or whatever. So many times I have given up, thinking that just because something was difficult, that meant it was impossible for me. I think Jillian's point is that success is always an option. And it is a choice. And how can we choose anything less for ourselves?
So if you've watched "The Biggest Loser", you know Jillian Michaels, aka the toughest trainer on TV. During the past several weeks, advertisements have been airing for her new show, "Losing It With Jillian." I must admit, as a person who feels like she is "losing it" on a regular basis, I have been intrigued by the title, and by the concept: Jillian moves in with a family for one week, and during that time, teaches them to "lose it," whatever "it" may be. It's not just about losing weight, but more about letting go of all of the barriers and obstacles in our lives that hold us back from living life to the fullest. Last night was the premiere, and yes, I watched it, because I had 5 loads of laundry to fold and "Glee" wasn't long enough for me to finish (wow, all kinds of TV confessions today).
What really struck me about last night's show was a comment Jillian made to the daughter, who was the only one in the family who wasn't overweight--she had had gastric bypass surgery, lost a bunch, but still felt like that fat girl she had been. Jillian said to her, "why would you choose failure when success is an option?"
My first thought was that we don't choose failure, it chooses us. No one in their right mind would choose failure when success is an option, right? Failure is what happens when we simply cannot. But then I realized that so many times in my life, I haven't really believed that success is an option for me. So many times I have limited myself, believing that I couldn't do something, or that I wasn't worthy of success or happiness or whatever. So many times I have given up, thinking that just because something was difficult, that meant it was impossible for me. I think Jillian's point is that success is always an option. And it is a choice. And how can we choose anything less for ourselves?