Just Heather :: 2009

Jun 29, 2009 | Filed Under: Love It, My Biz, Sponsored Post

My friendly neighborhood UPS man just dropped by and left a nice surprise. The business cards I ordered 2 weeks ago have arrived already! Perfect timing since my new venture launches (hopefully) this week. I do wish I had proofed them a bit better, but they look exactly as expected. They are beautiful, but I forgot to include inexpensively” target=”_blank”>Twitter. It wasn’t a standard line in the template so it completely slipped my mind.

I ordered my business cards from UPrinting because I am now a part of their Blog Sponsorship program. Plus, the prices were right. I paid about $25 for 1000 business cards, which I thought was an excellent deal. They use eco-friendy papers and non-toxic ink so I was especially excited about my purchase. It’s nice to find a company that cares about the same thing I do. They make an effort to support sustainability in printing, support social justice programs and sponsor blogs like mine.

I am new to their blog sponsorship program, but I’ve been pleased with it so far. They offer contests regularly when you can blog about a specific theme to be entered into cash drawings. They are also giving all of their current bloggers a set of 500 business cards. That offer came through right after I ordered mine, but I can obviously always use more. I think I’ll choose a set for my fabulously talented, completely unpaid director of communications (aka MFJ) since she is attending BlogHer with me in July.

Why UPrinting.com isn’t your average printing company:

Blog Sponsorships:
If you are looking to find a sponsor for your blog, UPrinting.com is definitely interested. We offer giveaways, advertising and more for qualified bloggers.

Non-Profit Sponsorships:
The U-Community Program sponsors hundreds of non-profits and education to improve our local communities.

Social Justice Projects:
The UPrinting Kiva account promotes small business growth in developing countries.

Green Printing:
UPrinting supports a sustainable future by recycling, using non-toxic inks, and offering eco-friendly recycled paper stocks for business cards and postcard printing.

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Smart Mama’s Green Guide: Review & Giveaway

Jun 23, 2009 | Filed Under: Book Worm, Love It, Sponsored Post

To most of my friends, I’m the crunchy, hippie, uber-green girl. To the real organic, super greenies, I’m a newbie. I understand and appreciate the reasons behind the green movement. I desire to provide a safer, healthier environment for my children and their future but I don’t have the knowledge or resources to succeed in all areas of our lives.

I do, however, have friends who try. My friends can be divided into two categories: the crunchy, granola buddies who still have much to teach me and everyone else. This month, I had the opportunity to review a book that will help them both!

When I first heard about the Smart Mama’s Green Guide, I was most interested the line that indicated the book “delivers the information busy parents want and the tools to make informed, individual choices without the demand to go all-out green.” A book designed to help parents who want to do better without a switch to completely organic? Pick me, pick me!

Jennifer Taggart understands that it is difficult for most people to eliminate all sources of toxic chemicals in their homes. It is often too expensive or time consuming to control everything, but she provides several simple, practical ideas to get you started. She breaks down each hazard, giving detailed explanations on how and why each poses a threat. For those of us who can’t quite grasp the acronyms or decipher the various chemicals, she gives real world examples. However, for those of you who thrive on the details that I can’t quite comprehend, she includes those as well.

Hachette Book Group has also offered additional books for me to giveaway to my readers! The books will be shipped directly from the publisher. To be entered into the giveaway, leave me a comment here, sharing simple ways you choose a greener life. You can also earn additional entries by blogging or tweeting about this giveaway (leave a separate comment with the link to each additional entry).

The contest runs from June 23rd to June 30th at 11:59pm. Two winners will be notified by email on July 1st (as selected by Random.org) and must reply with their mailing address within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. Open only to residents of the U.S. & Canada and books cannot be shipped to PO boxes.

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Lessons in Frugality

Jun 23, 2009 | Filed Under: Living Inexpensively, Quotable Kids

Those of you who know me and my frugal ways may be surprised by the quote of the day: “Why don’t you like cheap things, Mommy?” ~Brenia

The truth is, she’s absolutely right. I’m frugal as all get out, but I hate cheap things. It’s one of the many reasons I don’t shop at Walmart. The girls have really taken to spouting my favorite line—When you buy cheap crap from Walmart, you get cheap crap from Walmart. Now, whenever something breaks Brenia asks if I bought it there.

The answer is almost always no, since I avoid the place at all costs. This week, we had to discuss the difference between inexpensive and cheap. I gave it to her on a 1st grade math level. Which is cheaper, a $5 shirt or a $2 shirt? Obviously, the $2 shirt. However, what happens if the $2 shirt has to be replaced 3 times in the same amount of time that the $5 shirt will last? You’ve then spent $6 on the cheap shirt, but only $5 on the higher quality item.

Even my 6-year-0ld could see which one was really the better deal.

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Is Nothing Really Free?

Jun 16, 2009 | Filed Under: Checking Out

I am a self-proclaimed chocoholic. I have a piece (okay, two) with my bubble bath every night. A couple weeks ago, I ran out! With my deals and stock-piling, that almost never happens. Luck was with me, though, as the CVS Sweet Reward deal started a week later. Of course, me being me, I never found the time to shop there. I got lucky again when I discovered it was one of their extended ExtraCare Bucks deals.

Yesterday, I managed to organize myself and make a quick CVS run while Brenia was at her first on-stage dance rehearsal. I was also pleased to see that I still had several ECB from my last CVS run to make my out of pocket costs even less. I had it all planned out – 2 bags of M&Ms, 2 bags of Reese’s Bliss and 3 candy bags. The total should have been $15 before coupons with a $5 ECB printing for next time.

The Reese’s peanut butter cup singles listed in the ad were specially marked in the store and rang up 2/$1 instead of 3/$2. This would have been a great bonus, except that it caused the Sweet Rewards deal to not work properly. The manager fixed it for me and I got my coupons. Here is what I ended up with (among a few additional purchase):

2 bags peanut M&Ms
1 bag Reese’s Biss
1 bag Hershey’s Biss
4 Hershey’s candy bars

I used $3 in manufacturer’s coupons plus my prior rewards so that my candy was basically free. First thing this morning, I discovered the girls had eaten half a bag of M&Ms and almost an entire bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups before I woken up. These would be the girls whose bodies cannot properly handle processed sugar. I’m definitely paying for my candy now!

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Hubby’s Free iPhone

Jun 11, 2009 | Filed Under: Being Green, Living Inexpensively, Love Him, Part-Time Geek

Hubby got an iPhone last fall and I, of course, have wanted one ever since. I don’t usually require much in a cell phone. I need it to call, text and survive the occasional fall. That means the iPhone was out for me, until I heard about the hard-shelled cases people use to take their iPhone mountain biking. Perhaps, with a hard-shelled case, an iPhone could survive even me.

Of course, we don’t have an extra $200 to get another one. Enter the new iPhone 3GS with the resulting price drop in the plain, old model that’s good enough for me. We have one contract up for renewal now and another in October, but still lack the funds to pay even the reduced price. Then I saw a Tweet from Planet Green about recycling your old phone if you plan to get a the new iPhone. My savings-oriented, scheming brain kicked into over drive.

I headed to my favorite gadget recycling site and checked the value on the current iPhone. $249—more than enough to buy the new one when it is released later this month. By the time I convinced hubby that being without his precious iPhone for 2 weeks would be worthwhile if it means he gets the updated model for nothing, the value had dropped to $229. That is still more than enough to pay for the updated model with our contract-renewal discount.

We thought he’d be using my seriously jank phone until June 19th, but it looks like the buy offer is good through 7/9 so he’ll be keeping the iPhone until his free Father’s Day present arrives. It means the purchase goes on a credit card, but it will be paid off as soon as our inexpensively” target=”top”>Gazelle check arrives. If you have an AT&T plan up for renewal and a current iPhone, I’d try it out before the values drop even more.

As for my phone, I’ll still have to wait. I’m such a good wife.

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Misplacing My Marbles

Jun 10, 2009 | Filed Under: Making Connections

I have not actually lost my marbles; they’re just elsewhere today. In the middle of full time with my girls for the next 10 weeks, I’m sharing the low down on my Kid Emergency Kit with Mom’s Marbles. This is no first aid kit, though that is also needed for our summer of fun. My kit also includes gems like batteries for the camera so you never miss a moment of cuteness.

I’m also sharing more about our summer plans and success at Nina’s Playground for Parents. Read all about our summer at Mom’s Marbles and Playground for Parents where I’m guest posting today. I suppose it’s possible you’ve already been there and that’s why you’re here. In that case, you can learn more about me over there on the left, just under the cute, skinny animated Heather my hubby made for me. If you’re just visiting today, drop me a comment. I’ll be thrilled to meet you.

#23. Let my kids eat cotton candy at the fair.

Jun 08, 2009 | Filed Under: 40x40, Family Fun

When I was a kid, we went to the carnival every year around the 4th of July. There were rides, games, cotton candy and lemonade shake-ups (which I hate but everyone else seems to love). As I got older, I realized that what carnivals really had were rickety rides, scams, dyed sugar and overpriced lemonade. As I like keeping my children safe, avoid dyes & processed sugars and generally refuse to waste money on overpriced anything, my girls have never been the fair. They have, however, been to Indiana Beach many times. That’s kind of like a carnival, right?

When I set about writing my 40×40 list, it was all about things I want to do but never really have the time, money or opportunity. The someday project isn’t about obligations. It’s about finally making dreams come true. Because my children’s dreams are also important, I have included two items on my list that I don’t personally care to do. Ever. However, I desperately want my children to have these memories. So, during the last week of school, when I saw a sign in our local shopping center advertising a carnival, I immediately added it to the summer fun list and started getting excited about crossing off another 40×40 item. I think I was more excited about the idea than the girls.

Of course, the overpriced part of the equation was still a problem for me. Funds are tight these days and throwing money away at the fair, even for a good reason, doesn’t sit well with me. That’s when I remembered that the neighborhood yard sale was happening the same weekend. I decided to put together a small yard sale in hopes of raising enough to pay for an evening at the fair. The girls had listed “have a yard sale” on their summer fun list so we got to cross off two items this weekend. Three, since the girls had their annual lemonade stand in conjunction with the yard sale.

We made enough off our junk to cover dinner at Steak ‘n Shake, a few rides at the carnival, the requisite cotton candy and one game in which Lorelai accidentally won a fish. Quite ironic, since we had just gotten rid of our old fish bowls in the yard sale. Luckily, I found another fish bowl that had a previous life as a crystal ball for Stacia’s 9th Arabian Nights birthday party. The fish has apparently been named Five, though I have no idea why. That is, however, the cost of the bucket of ping pong balls she used to win him.

The girls chose the Octopus, Gravitron (aka Megatron, according to Brenia) and the Ferris Wheel to ride. I also talked Lorelai into riding the Super Slide with me, though on the way up I distinctly remembered why I stopped riding fair rides. We all survived and the girls declared it their “best day ever” so it was definitely worth the rickety climb to the top of the slide. Brenia has made the Best Day Ever declaration every day this summer. Even though we’re just now starting the second week of summer, I am declaring the summer fun list a complete success.

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Hiring a Maid

Jun 05, 2009 | Filed Under: Household CEO, Lovable Critters, Love It

I have said for a year now that if we ever get another cat, I want a Litter Maid! My least favorite part of owning a cat is dealing with the crap box. I wanted to make it as easy as possible the next time around. On the way home from picking up the kittens last week, I stopped to purchase this one. It rates poorly on Amazon, but I didn’t know that at the time. I got a bit nervous when I saw all the reviews, but I would not be deterred.

I set it up right away. It didn’t work. It just kept making this weird clicking sound. Rather than assuming Amazon customers may have been on to something, I decided to read the instructions. This is when I learned that the cleaning rake was strapped to the box for packaging. Oops. A quick clip with my scissors and we were in business! I couldn’t wait for one of the cats to do his so I could see it in action. (Yes, I realize how odd that is.)

We have now been using this for over a week and I have changed the receptacle once. It is such an amazing change over scooping and dealing with disgusting litter. The Littermaid really does keep the litter scooped throughout the day. It has a sleep setting at night so you don’t have to hear the motor (which, unfortunately, is exceptionally loud) and runs in the morning at the time you have set to wake. If the cats are overly, ahem, productive at night, I’ve noticed the rake does have a bit of difficulty on that first run.

We have 2 kittens and it seems to fill the waste receptacle after about 5 days. I’m sure once they grow, it fill even more quickly. I’m searching for a greener solution. However, it is so freaking handy to just push in the lid, lift the waste arm and throw the box of crap into the garbage. I never see it, I never touch it and I don’t even have to smell it. I just hate the idea of throwing away a plastic box every 3 or 4 days. I don’t even throw away butter containers!

All in all, I’m pretty pleased (especially considering the reviews I read). I’ll never go back to a traditional litter box again. I’ll be even happier once I get the chance to purchase a cover for it. The cats seem to scatter the litter just by jumping into it. Also, the handy paw scraping carpet doesn’t really have an impact if they just jump over the back upon exit. The cover will limit they’re entry & exit to the front where the carpet can actually help scrape the litter dust from their feet (I hope). At the very least, it should stop them from tossing litter over the side of the box.

The next part of my litter box solution is finding a better home for it. It is currently in our bedroom which pleases me not one bit, but we’re currently co-sleeping. More accurately, they’re sharing our bed while I get next to no sleep because curious kittens think it’s fun to play with Mommy’s hair. However, I’m not comfortable letting the tiny kitten roam on his own just yet (he has a thing for electrical wires and I’m hoping to prevent a Christmas Vacation-esque moment).

Thus, the cats, and their box o’ crap, remain in our bedroom for the foreseeable future.

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