To all my GFC followers that are on word press. Please come and follow us using our new linky.
As of tomorrow you won't be able to follow us if you don't.

Looking for a game to play with your teens? Well try the Teen Truth or Dare Scavenger Hunt out. It is great.

I recently had the opportunity to review this game and I can tell you that my girls and their friends loved it.


To play first you will need to is purchase, download and print out all of the  printable teen scavenger hunt kit , which can be found  at http://www.print-to-play.com/teen-scavenger-hunt.html.  Then you and your teen need to decide how many contestants and teams you are going to have. Then send out the colored invititations that are included in your kit. The color represents the team they will be on.You will also need to gather a few adult volunteers, so that they can drive your teams around to each destination. Each team will also need to be supplied a camera for each team that also takes video. Most of all the scavenger hunt dares require video or photo proof.  Then have everyone meet at home base, which is your home.  Place each individual location challenge in its own envelope. Number each envelope and mark on the outside of each envelope whose team it belongs to and what location it contains. The numbers will keep them from showing up at the same place at the same time. Each team should have nine envelopes. Each players should also be given a team badge and a water bottle, upon their arrival. Then have them vote for team captain. Give the team captain the team car tag and the nine sealed team destination envelopes.Assign a driver to each team.   You are going to want to set a time limit for each team to arrive back at your home. Suggested time is usually 3-4 hours.


Now tell them rules:

At each location they will open that locations envelope. They must complete at least one truth or dare on the challenge card  before moving on to the next location.
 Each dare completed is worth 10 points and each truth is worth 5 points. If they complete all the truths or dares on the challenge at one location it is worth 20 points.
They should have either video, picture, or an answer to a specific question listed on the back of each challenge card, so that they can prove they did what they were supposed to at each location.
Some challenges require help from a stranger. This same stranger may not be used for another dare.
They must return back to home base before the alloted time is up. For every minute they are late 5 points will be deducted from their score.
Judges will add up the scores at the end of the race and they will deem if the evidence is adequate enough to receive the points, to ensure there is no fighting.


Now send them on their way!

My girls and their friends broke up into 2 groups (blue and green) containing 2 members. This of course made things a little more managable for me, since this past weekend we chose to do this and we had been without water for days. So I was a tad bit frazzled. I will also tell you that I made the ice cream shop the last location so that I myself could get the video required for this challenge.  After both of my teams were done. The green team one with only 5 more points then the blue.
So if you really want a fun game to play or maybe even a great birthday party set up then go over to http://www.print-to-play.com/teen-scavenger-hunt.html. the Teen Scavenger Hunt Kit  for only $12.99. It will come in a downloadable jpg. file. The kit includes 5 sets of Scavenger Hunt Lists, Invititations, Team Badges, Car Tags, and Water Bottle Labels.


I will be posting videos and pictures the rest of this week of our adventures.  Here is the first part of   of the Ice Cream Shop Challenge. Please ignore the lauging that I did in these videos I honestly could not help myself.

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.

As you will see I am still learning this couponing process. One thing I learned this past week is that when other blogs post that they got something for FREE that statement may or may not be true. Now let me explain that, coupon policies and sales tax policies vary from state to state and also store to store. So that maybe where that last statement may be true or false. It also may be that when they are sharing their purchases with you that what was OOP (out of pocket expense) may or may not be with sales tax.
To explain this better to you I will break down my last couple of shopping trips and what I learned. All of my OOP will include my 6% MD State sales tax.


Walgreens:


Trip 1 2-12-12

(6) cans of Got 2 Be hair care products @ 2/5.99 = 17.97 (w/o tax)
(5) 3.00 mfg coupons = 15.00
Total OOP = 4.05 (2.97 + 1.08tx)

Now here with this trip I learned that it is always important to READ your coupons before using them. These Got 2 Be coupons had a limit of 4, which I overlooked, on them. I got lucky though and it took 5 coupons, but refused to take the 6th one. So, sometimes you may have to make more than one trip to the register. I was in a hurry, so I ended up going back later, which you will see below. As you see though i bought 6 cans for 2.97(w/o tax). Not bad!

Trip 2 2-16-12

(2) cans of Got 2 Be hair care products @ 2/5.99 = 5.99
(1) 3.00 mfg coupon = 3.00
Total OOP = 3.35 (2.97 + .38tx)

I had 2 coupons, but here in MD you are not allowed to take any of your savings out of your sales tax. Just because you save money on the product, here at Walgreens, your sales tax is based on your original purchases, so your tax does not change. They would have owed me .03 cents, but again because it would have come out of my sales tax I was not allowed to use that second coupon. So that goes to show that here in MD you will always have an OOP, even if it is your sales tax.

CVS:


Trip 1 2-12-12

(1) 4pk of Olay soap = 7.78 now @ 50% off = 3.89
(1) 1.00 mfg coupon
Total Cost = 2.89 (w/o tax)

(2) Colgate Advance Toothpaste @ 2.75 = 5.50
(2) 1.00 mfg coupons = 2.00
Total Cost = 3.50
Earned $4.00 ECB (extra care bucks) on these products

Total OOP = 6.78 (6.39 + .39tx)

Here at CVS, your sales tax is based on what I spent after my coupons. Also I am not showing my ECB's as a savings because they can not be used until your next purchase.

Trip 2 2-18-12

(2) Kotex 36ct. Tampons @ 2/10 = 10.00
(1) 1.00 mfg coupon
Total Cost = 9.00
Earned 3.00 ECB on this product

(2) Kotex U Pads = 9.58 now 50% off = 4.78
(1) 1.00 mfg coupon
Total Cost = 3.78

(1) 4pk Olay soap = 7.78 now @50% off = 3.89
(1) 1.00 mfg coupon
Total Cost = 2.89

Total Cost after coupons = 15.67
(1) 4.00 ECB coupon

Total OOP = 11.91 (11.67 + .24tx)

Rite Aid:


(4) bags of M&M's @ 2/5.00 = 10.00
(2) 1.50/2 mfg coupons

Total OOP = 7.60 (7.00 + .60tx)

Rite Aid is like Walgreens and bases your tax off of original purchases not discounted.

So now for all trips:

(8) cans of Got 2 Be hair care products
(2) 4pk Olay soap
(2) Colgate Advance Toothpaste
(2) Kotex 36ct. Tampons
(2) Kotex U Pads
(4) bags of M&M's

Total OOP 20 items: 33.69 (31.00 + 2.69tx)

Even though I was disappointed in Walgreens, due to thinking I would have NO OOP, I am very pleased with my savings and my total OOP. Next week I am hoping to be able to show you each receipt and the savings from each along with the total OOP.

I just ordered a free photo birthday card for my dad from cardstore.com.

All you have to do is :

1. Go over to cardstore.com and create an account

2. Pick and personalize your photo card

3. When you get to the checkout page just use this promo code: CCC2029

It's only valid for today. So hurry over and get yours

Okay as a child my mother made potato soup with just milk and butter. Me I wanted to try and find something that was just a little more tasty. So here is my recipe for Potato Soup

5-10 potatoes, cubed
4 spring onions, chopped
a handful of chives
1 cn of cream of celery soup
1 soup cn full of milk
salt and pepper
butter

Boil cubed potatoes, spring onions, and chives. Once potatoes are done add cream of celery soup, milk, salt, pepper, and alot of butter. Continue to heat until bubbles. Then serve. You can add shredded cheese and even bacon bits to give it a little more flavor.

To our friends here at TOAMWD,
As you know we started a sister site called Thoughts Awry.  Well unfortunately, between families, full time jobs, and TOAMWD growing a rapid pace, it has become to difficult for us tomaintain both sites. So we feel it is important to focus ourselves here at TOAMWD.  So you will begin to see posts from Thoughts Awry shifting over to here over the course of the next week.
For those of you that have already read them we are Sorry! This is being done so that the ones that have not read can and catch up. It is also so that we do not lose our place as to where we were in some of these posts.


Thanks

In reference to Telsa's Dear Diary post, I pose this question "Have you ever had a friend just walk away and you not know why?" I personally, can say "Yes". I have realized that some people are only supposed to remain in our lives for a period of time and then they move on in a different direction.  When we don't know or understand why, we do become angry or really hurt, so like Telsa's case it's easier to lash out at those people.  Me I would rather take a different approach.
Even though the silence is often deafening, we must not become angry.  Whatever was shared between you and that person is now a memory that you can hold onto, so that you can look back on them.  For whatever reason they have decided to move on in life without you and being angry will only fester up in you like a huge boil and cause you to become more resentful of the situation.
So let go, wish them luck, and move on . Even though it is painful, it IS the only thing that can be done, and sometimes we are just not meant to understand all the reasons.

So I got the opportunity to review The Birthday Chronicle and now Casie over at http://becauseitriedit.com is allowing us to give one away. You should try it! These make a wonderful gift for anyone at any occasion.
It is a personalized newspaper front page that chronicles the events that took place on the year and day a person was born. It tells you who won the world series, the top music hits, top news headlines, how many days you have been alive and even what Chinese year you were born in. The database runs from 1/1/1900-current.

So enter to get yours. This contest will run from 8:00pm est February 28 til 8:00pm est March 6.

Here are the rules:

Like TOAMWD's facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thoughts-of-a-Mother-Wife-Daughter/211495205602748
Go and Follow http://becauseitriedit.com
Just leave us a comment saying you did this.
That's it and good luck.

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Dear Diary,
  So let me tell you that I am feeling a great deal better. My daughter has now returned home. Is her outlook on life any different then what it was before, NO! But all the same she is home safe and sound.
But yet there are still a great many things that plague me. Let me rant here for a minute. Now in an early entry I express that I am grateful to have made a reconnection with a very old and dear friend. But now let me tell you about the friends I found over the last couple of years. So let me say I have asked myself this question many times, especially of recent, "What is a friend?". I have not always been the best friend I could be to people but in the same instance I try to put all of me into a friendship. Well what the hell are you to do when they only give you half of themselves. This of all things annoys me greatly. Now usually I would just go Oh Well!, but as of late I have learned to express myself just a little bit. Poor Claire, if she hasn't heard me rant lately about what some of my friends have done.
I want to know how some just do not have enough to tell ya, "I don't like you",  "I just don't want to be your friend", or "I hate your damn guts". Why must it be silence? Personally, I as much as I have liked you if you want to move on then be my guest, but damn don't ignore me. Just grow a set and tell me. I am a big girl, it may hurt, but I am a grown up and will get over it. The silence does nothing but just make me angrier, so that when I finally do talk to you, I want to totally act like an ass. Now in saying that I must tell you that, I do try to not act like an ass, but sometimes I honestly can not help myself. Then you have the ones who say "Yeah I can do this for you", or "Yeah I am there for you", but when you need them they are MIA. It's that silence thing again.
So now I have total understanding and for those friends, I say "Hey I got your message loud and clear, I won't bother you No More." I get it I know when I am not wanted or needed as a friend anymore. That's cool. And I am okay with the decision that YOU have now made. But please also remember to NOT try and find me when you might need or want something from me. Because you will only be rendered with silence. For silence is now my best friend.
Diary, I know this sounds so harsh but when am I allowed to not let someone else take advantage of me or lead me to believe that they are my friend when they aren't. I understand that people change but why not just tell me that your life has now gone in a different direction then mine. Again here it is Oh Well! that is sometimes how life seems to work.
You know I am really beginning to like this somewhat sassy side of me. It is so nice to not keep all this stuff in all of the time. It is very freeing when you can share.
Well my bed is calling so I think I have had all the sassiness I can handle. Don't want to get to big for my britches.
Goodnight!

Today thought I would try something a little different with the auctions. So today is coupon Sunday.

Favor 2:
 Restoration of all the enemy has stolen.

*God wants you to know he is extremely interested in the restoration of your life. It is His desire that when you experience the restoration, it will draw you closer to Him in a more intimate way. That's our God because He is good.

Job is an example of how good God is. When God restored him, Job got back more than he had before. (Job 42:12)

So stir up your faith and be aggressive. Declare it with your mouth
Need restoration in your finances,
Please My Lord, I want You to restore my finances and give it to me double.
Restore my health and give it to me double.
Restore my marriage and give it to me double.

When God brings restoration he brings an increase.

* information received from Joe Contaldi Ministries

A couple of years ago my husband and I met Jeremy "Doc" and Denise Clore through the cheerleading league that our youngest girls participate in.
We all became good friends fast.
It didn't take us long to noticed that they wore shirts that had an "Ashley's Angels" logo on them and that they were constantly participating in the Relay for Life events. So one evening while we were all together I finally get enough gumption up to ask.
Doc then explains that the "Ashley's Angels" is his team's name for Relay for Life and that it is in honor of their daughter Ashley Clore, who was diagnosed in March of 2004 at the age of 8 with Medulloblastoma.

*Medulloblastoma is a highly malignant brain tumor that originates in the cerebellum or posterior fossa.
It was once thought to represent a subset of a PNET (primitive neuroecodermal tumor), but it is now known through gene expression profiling that medulloblastomas have a distinct molecular profile and are very distinct from other PNET tumors. Medulloblastoma is also considered  infratentorial  PNET, because it usually forms in the fourth ventricle between the brainstem and the cerebellum. Tumors with similar appearance and characteristics originate in other parts of the brain, but they are not identical to medulloblastoma.
It is currently thought that medulloblastoma arises from cerebellar stem cells that have been prevented from dividing and differentiating into their normal cell types. It is also thought that it originates from immature or embryonal cells at the earliest stage of development, still the exact cell of origin or "medulloblast" has yet to be identified.

Symptoms usually present themselves 1 to 5 months before a proper diagnosis. The patient usually becomes listless, with repeated episodes of vomiting, and a morning headache.  Soon the patient also develops stumbling gait, frequent falls, diplopia, papilledma, and sixth cranial nerve palsy. Positional dizziness, nystagmus, facial sensory loss or motor weakness may also be present.  Late in the disease decerebrate attacks appear.

Medulloblastoma is the most common tumor found in children.  In adults, it is rare, presenting itself in fewer than 2% of malignancies. The incidence of childhood medulloblastoma is higher in males (62%) than in females (38%) and is more prevalent in younger children than in older ones. 40% of patients are diagnosed before the age of 5, 31% between 5-9, 18.3% between 10-14, and 12.7% between ages 15-19.
Patients with medulloblastoma or PNET are 50 times more likely to die than a matched member of the general population.  But with a maximal resection of the tumor, radiation, and chempotherapy permit a 5 year survival rate in more than 80% of cases.


Sadly, Ashley Monique Clore, after a brave two year battle, passed away on June 09, 2006, at the age of 10.

So Doc and Denise do all they can for "Ashley's Angels" to help find a cure for medulloblastoma and all other forms of cancer, so this way other children won't have to endure the battle that comes with cancer. Also that no other person will have to lose a loved one to this terrible disease.
For them it is also a way of keeping Ashley's memory alive not only in their heart, but the hearts of others.






Just a note: I want to Thank both Doc and Denise for allowing me to share their story. I as a parent could never imagine what you have been through. So all of us as parents should be grateful to God each day that we are blessed with our children, because we never know if this could be our story.


* information collected from Wikipedia.com

Today's auctionare now up.

So it is try it again Thursday for some of the items that have not sold.
So here are today's auctions:

God promises favor to all His children that are obedient to Him. For that favor to come to pass it must be spoken with our mouths. So, it is your right to claim your inheritance from God. So each day place each of these favors in your heart and mouth and watch how God's supernatural power comes to pass.

Favor 1
Supernatural increase and promotion 
Gen 39:21-23 But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.

Here Joseph was in prison, but God granted him favor in the prison wardens eyes. The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph's authority. The warden didn't bother with anything because the Lord was with Joseph and had made him successful.


Prayer:
Thank You, Heavenly Father by Christ's blood  today You will offer me supernatural increase and promotion. Physically, mentally, financially, emotionally, and spiritually  You will enlarge my territory and move me to a higher level.  I will experience your favor immeasurable, limitlessly, and surpassingly. In Jesus Christ name I pray ....Amen

I found this awesome thing called SneakPeeq. You can get huge discounts on style, fashion, and food! How it works is you get so many peeq's a day. Then you use your peeq's to uncover deep discounts on amazing products! I got a pair of Tiffany Blue earrings for $7.00 and Belgian Artistic Chocolate Disks for $12.00 !!

It is definitely worth a peeq and if you sign up please use this link! Make sure to ask friends to sign up using your special link. The more friends, the more money you get off the product!

https://www.sneakpeeq.com/r/MzQ2NDYw

Also, if you join using that link and leave me a comment below with the name you will get a chance to win a $5.00 Amazon card! At the end of the week I will throw the names in a hat and draw a lucky winner!

TFFN,
Bobbie

So yesterday I didn't post and auction. I was not well, so today you get two.
Here are today's auctions:

Great News! Oransi has allowed us to offer you in this giveaway 1 free Robby Wash Laundry Ball for you to try out for yourself.

Today's auction item is up and running.

Welcome to our Blog Hop which will happen every Sunday! Everyone is invited to participate ! If you have a blog leave your link below.


Rules:
1. You must be a follower or follow us to participate. We will visit/follow your blog also :)
2. Please visit at least 3 blogs on the list. Follow them, leave a comment, stumble them, plus them, click an ad, anything, just do something for them!

Also we would love for you to promote this blog hop on your blog, facebook, or any social means you want! Feel free to grab the image above if you would like.

You can link your blog below!

Dear God, I thank You that in Your love I find the answers to all my needs and healing for my broken soul.

Promises of a loving God:

Deut 7:9 The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Prov 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
.
Prov 8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

Keys to Answered Prayer taken from Dr. Charles Stanley @ intouch.org

Pray with confidence
 - Confidence in prayer is belief in the trust worthiness of God. Our Heavenly Father can be trusted to give us gifts that are beneficial to us in every way.
 - It is always best to wait on God's perfect timing.
 - There are numerous reasons why God would ask us to wait and it is always best to submit to his will.


Quotes:


Wisdom is gained, knowledge is learned.

These poems have been given to us to share with you. We hope you love them as much as we do.

“The Girl in Dreams”
Her eyes shine bright just like the sky,
Her words can give a temporary high,
Her skin glows with a perfect shade of tan,
She holds reservations for no man,
Her hair is dark and full of luster,
She lets no one close enough to touch her,
She is priceless in every way,
I dream on her by night and by day.

Here is today's auction item:

Delivery Day Preparations

So many things can be done in advance to help prepare for a new baby. While many new moms think that they have plenty of time to prepare for their new arrival, doing what they can as far in advance as possible is usually easier than waiting until a few weeks before delivery when a combination of fatigue and excitement can set in.

Before the baby is born, one of the most important and most crucial things on a new mom’s to –do- list is getting the baby’s car seat. The hospital will not allow parents to take their newborn home without seeing that the infant has an approved car seat. If you’re unsure how to install it or uncomfortable doing it yourself for fear that it will not be done correctly, visit any fire department or police station and ask for someone show how to install the car seat..

Preparing your home for a newborn is another preparation step. Set up a nursery fit with a crib, changing table, dresser and be sure to fill it with plenty of supplies like clothing and diapers. You can get creative decorating the nursery and create a warm and loving that your baby can grow into. Pack your hospital bag as well so you'll be ready to leave in a moment's notice. Pack clothing for you to travel home in as well as clothes to bring baby home in. Include any other comforts you'd like to have at the hospital with you during your stay; perhaps your favorite movie or book and some toiletries so you can feel fresh and comfortable.

On delivery day, mom will need to make some decisions prior to delivering her new bundle of joy. Knowing what pain management medicine you’re comfortable with, what sort of atmosphere you’d like in your delivery room and other optional decisions like if you’d like to enroll with a cord blood banking service. A cord blood banking service will send you a kit that the doctor will use to collect the baby’s umbilical cord blood after birth. The cord blood is then saved to potentially be used as a possible medical resource for the child or possibly a sibling. There are many natural pain management methods include breathing, walking, changing positions, taking a bath or shower and playing relaxing music in the delivery room that can help during labor if you’d like to avoid medicines.

Childbirth is a natural process for a woman but it is not black and white. It may happen that a woman who prepared for a traditional childbirth ended up needing to have a Cesarean section. Labor may begin naturally or a woman may need to be induced. Prepare yourself for all possibilities by researching the common things that could happen during labor. This way you can go into the delivery room with a better understanding of what is going on during childbirth. Just know that the goal of delivering a healthy baby from is always a common goal between you and your medical team at the hospital.


"This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, childbirth and other topics within this niche. If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact her via twitter @moorekm26."

*Please view full screen*

Well I am pleased to say that numerous items are now being bought.  Hopefully you will continue to share these auctions with your friends, followers, and facebook fans. Here is today's auction item: