The Positives of Paying with Plastic

May 17, 2012
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If you have ever read Dave Ramsey, you know that he hates credit cards.  He encourages people to pay with cash (or a debit card) instead of using the plastic. Using a cash-only approach can certainly help someone get out of debt and stay out of debt. But if you are disciplined, there are some [...]

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How a Second Chance Question Can Make Us Better Moms

May 17, 2012
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A few months ago I stumbled upon a phrase that has saved my sanity. A phrase that single handedly reduced the amount of bickering in my home. A phrase that frees me from mommy guilt and shines the hallowed light of wisdom on the hearts and minds of my children. A phrase that shall go [...]

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Doing More with Baking Soda {Summer Fun & Shiny Sinks}

May 17, 2012
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In many ways, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda is the ultimate green, frugal and simple product. You can use it in a variety of ways, from your kitchen to your bathroom, from the nursery to the laundry room. And at under $1 a box – a box that stretches and stretches and stretches – the [...]

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How to Prepare Your Home Business for a Natural Disaster

May 16, 2012
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No one wants to think about being in a hurricane, tornado, or fire, but bad things happen. While you may not know when a natural disaster is going to hit your home office (if ever), it’s important to be prepared to handle whatever comes your way. Get it on film. Videotape everything in your home [...]

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Take Charge of Your Summer with the 2012 Summer Survival Calendar

May 16, 2012
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It seems like there are two versions of summer vacation: The first is the busy summer full of camps and activities and play dates, while the second is a laid back summer with no structure or outside activities. Well, maybe there are three versions. For those of us who have kids home all day long [...]

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7 Ways to Use Evernote to Manage Your Chaos

May 16, 2012
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Evernote is a fantastic tech tool that can help you get a grip on all the loose ends in your life. You simply install it on your computer and smartphone, and it will quickly develop into your digital file cabinet. Below, I have listed 7 examples of ways I use Evernote in my everyday life. [...]

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9 Binder Benders for Kids

May 15, 2012
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A couple months ago I talked about ways to use binders to get organized at home. Today I’m sharing more ideas specifically for kids. Binders not only help them organize but also archive and showcase their stuff, as seen below: 1. Art Binders: With four crafty girls in our home, we can only keep a [...]

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Gardening with Your Kids

May 15, 2012
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I happen to know that Mandi is going to talk about cooking with her kids in a week, and while I have shared my personal feelings and a few strategies for doing just that, I thought I’d take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about what comes before the cooking in our home. [...]

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DIY Teacher Appreciation Gift: Photo Flower Pens

May 15, 2012
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I have intense gift giving anxiety. If I want to thank someone I love or really appreciate, I think about what gift to give to them for weeks and weeks… and then when I can’t figure out something special or thoughtful enough, I resort to procrastinating. This typically leads me to the gift card aisle [...]

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SEO Optimize Your Blog Posts Using Keywords

May 15, 2012
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Learning to SEO optimize your blog posts can make the difference between having a blog that gets tons of traffic, and having a blog no one else – except maybe your friends and family – will ever see. One of the best ways to search engine optimize your blog posts is by using keyword phrases [...]

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Confessions of an Autopilot Parent

May 14, 2012
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Before I had kids of my own, I had a vision of what kind of parent I’d be. Let me tell you, in my dreams I was some kind of awesome! Fifteen years and four kids, I’ve fallen short of those expectations more times than I care to count. But you know what? That’s okay. [...]

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7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess (Plus a Giveaway!)

May 14, 2012
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There are a handful of books I’ve read that I’d consider truly life-changing. Grace for the Good Girl, The Screwtape Letters, Last Child in the Woods and In Defense of Food are among those. And now? I’d add Jen Hatmaker’s 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess to the list as well. The premise of this [...]

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5 Free Things You Can Do to Help Your Finances

May 14, 2012
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When you’re feeling stuck because of debt, or you just can’t seem to get any traction when it comes to increasing your income, it can be very frustrating.   Watch any late night television, and you’ll be bombarded with sales pitches to consolidate your debt or make money quick. Fortunately, there are some very simple things [...]

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Amazon Deals: Kindle Freebies, Diaper Deals + More

May 13, 2012
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My mom and are having a lot of fun sharing the best Amazon.com deals over at our new site, Jungle Deals & Steals. In case you missed them, here are some of this week’s hottest deals that are still available! {Click here for the full list of current deals.} Kindle FREE Kindle Books Roundup {5/13/12} [...]

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Giveaway: 250 Custom Die Cut Business Cards

May 12, 2012
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I have a bit of a business card problem. As an entrepreneur, I regularly start new websites and businesses, and not all of those make it! Whenever I attend a blogging conference or event, I end up ordering new business cards that reflect my current business interests, which means I choose the cheapest option available [...]

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Weekend Reading: May 12, 2012

May 12, 2012
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I will be sharing more thoughts about our time with Susan Wise Bauer in a homeschooling series that I’ll be doing in June, but I had to share the proof that we really did get to meet and spend time with her last weekend! The entire weekend was amazing and refreshing and thought-provoking. Heidi, Stephanie, [...]

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