Three Kids, Two Furries, and Yarn

SwagBucks-Part Three

2012-03-16T22:25:00.001-05:00

Ok, so now that you have joined and found out how to earn SwagBucks we are going to talk about how to find SwagCodes.
These codes are randomly put out each day. There is usually one per day ranging from 4-9sb, sometimes more. Sometimes, on SwagBucks' birthday they will have numerous codes all day long. We're talking over 100sb in one day!
These Codes are only good for a certain amount of time before they expire.

So, how can you find SwagCodes?

1. Follow the Swagbucks Blog-
Swagbucks posts a few blogs per day. Sometimes they have a SwagCode somewhere in the post. FYI: A lot of the time it is at the end of the post.

2. Follow Swagbucks on Twitter-
Following @SwagBucks on Twitter will let you know about codes that are available only on Twitter. They randomly award Twitter followers with 100sb for tweeting with the hashtag #Swagbucks.

3. Follow Swagbucks on Facebook-
The Swagbucks Facebook Page is a great way to find out about a SwagCode being available. If you go to their page and people are posting "Thanks for the code!" then it's time to find out where it is. This is where the Swidget comes in.

4. Add the Swidget to your blog-
The swidget can be found on people's blogs. I have it on my blog at the very bottom. This is where you will look to see if there is a SwagCode out. Click "code" then "check for code" and if there is one, it will tell you where to find it (or it could have the code right there on the Swidget). Sometimes they are hidden on a product page in the SB store. Other times they are in a blog post or posted on Twitter or Facebook.

Once you have found a code, here is where you will copy & paste the SwagCode:

-The "Gimme" box is located in the top right of the homepage.
-Be sure there is no space at the beginning or end when you copy & paste the code, it won't work if there's a space.
-SwagCodes are case sensitive as well.

SwagBucks has recently updated the homepage. It now has a checklist for the things you can do daily for guaranteed SwagBucks. It is located on the right side of the page. You can click on the item from here to complete the items quicker and see at a glance if you have completed them.

When you have accumulated enough SBs (450 for $5 Amazon GC), click on "Redeem" then "Swag Store".

Then, click "Gifts & Rewards Cards". This will show all the available gift cards. As an example, for an Amazon $5 GC, click on "Gift cards-$5 and less". You should see the $5 Amazon card shown, along with others. (Be sure to click on the right one, because they also have a Canadian GC). Click on the card and click "Snag This".

Congrats! You just ordered your first gift card! Now, be sure to VERIFY the order by clicking on the link in the email that they will send you. FYI: They don't send an actual card to your home...in 1-2weeks (depending on when they order them) you will receive an email saying that your gift card is ready.

Now, go to Swagbucks and in the very top right corner, click on your photo/swagname and a drop down box will appear.
Click on "My Gift Cards". You will then see your gift card is now available (see above photo).
You will need to copy the gift card code and paste it on Amazon under "My Account" then "Apply a Gift Card to Your Account". Paste the Gift card code in the space provided. Here are a few cropped screenshots that might help.

Yay! You just applied your first GC to Amazon! Happy shopping! And keep on earning those SwagBucks!

One more piece of info on gift cards:
-There is a DAILY limit of ordering only 2 of the SAME kind of gift card. (ex: only two $5 Amazon GCs/day.)
-And a MONTHLY limit of 5 of the SAME kind of gift card. (ex: only 5 $5 Amazon GCs/month.)
-If you happen to have more than enough for 5 $5 GCs in one month, that's okay..let the rest accumulate along with earning more SBs..if you do this and only redeem 5 $5 GCs a month, you will eventually have enough to order a $25 Amazon GC as well as the $5 GCs! (hope that made sense!)

I think that pretty much covers everything! If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment!

~April

2012-03-16T11:58:00.001-05:00

Here are a few things I have pinned lately!

Source: etsy.com via April on Pinterest

I would love to do our master bath like this!

Source: property24.com via April on Pinterest

Source: 1finecookie.com via April on Pinterest

Source: foodgawker.com via April on Pinterest

Source: piccsy.com via April on Pinterest

Source: beyondbeyond.co.uk via April on Pinterest

We have one of these and love it. Great for picnics!

Source: ruelala.com via Karina on Pinterest

Source: google.com via April on Pinterest

Source: brookstone.com via April on Pinterest

There is a link to my Pinterest page on the upper left of this page!

~April

Swag Bucks-Part 2

2012-03-15T23:24:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I told you how to sign up for SwagBucks and explained how to get the guaranteed daily SBs.

Today I'm going to show you other ways of earning SBs so that you can start earning more and redeem them for Amazon Giftcards (or whatever else you'd like).

1. SwagBucks TV (SBTV)- At the top of the screen click "Earn" then "SBTV". This will bring you to the SBTV page.
-There are many different types of videos to choose from: Entertainment, Fashion, Pets & Nature, Food, Tech News, Health, News, and Home & Garden.
-Once you've chosen the type, click it & then you will have a page of videos to choose from. Find one you'd like to see & click it.
-Now, you will see the SBTV meter at the top. This is very helpful. Each video you watch will bump the meter up by 10%. When you reach 100% (10 videos) you will receive 3sb!
-You can participate in SBTV 25 times per day for a total of 75sb. However, at the moment, they are allowing you to do this 50times per day for 150sb! I'm not sure how long this will last.
-The trick with SBTV is to click on the next video as soon as the SBTV meter goes up. You do not have to watch the whole video!!!

2. Refer Friends- Click "Tools" then "Invite & Earn".
-You can invite friends from Facebook.
-You will also see your referral URL at the top of the page. Give this to your friends and family.
-From each referral you can earn up to 1000sb from searches that they win. Referral SBs are only for searches.
-If you have a blog, there are banners that they provide you as well.
-Swagbucks recently changed their policy of one account per household. You can now have your spouse or other family member sign up as well!

3. Tasks- "Earn" then "Tasks". These are tasks you can do to earn SBs. However, I don't do these very often. They take a while. So, wouldn't recommend unless you have 30-45 minutes of free time.

4. Take Trusted Surveys- "Earn" then "Trusted Surveys".
-Some people do well and qualify for most surveys. Others seem to never qualify.
-Surveys can range from 25-250+SB per survey if qualified for & completed. They can take 10-30 minutes.
-I'm about 50/50 on surveys. I usually only do surveys when I have ~30 minutes to spare or at night when I'm bored before bed.

5. Trade In- "Earn" then "Trade In". You can trade in Consoles & Games and Books for SBs. Just look up your item, print out a pre-paid shipping label and receipt, stick it in the mail and your Swagbucks will be awarded after your trade-in is processed. I haven't done this, so I can't really say much about it...

6. Special Offers- Click "Earn" then "Special Offers". A lot of these are free. Others are trial periods where you will have to cancel at the end of the trial period. I usually just do the free offers because I would forget to cancel after the trial period. I have completed the Netflix offer though.
Some of the offers include:
-2sb for watching a video
-1000sb for trying Netflix for one month
-7-10sb for adding a game on Facebook
-50-100sb for taking & completing a survey
-5-10sb for signing up for a mailing list
-And many others!

7. SwagBucks games- "Earn" then "Games". They have lots of games and you can even play in tournaments. I don't play the games often...

8. Coupons- "Earn" then "Coupons". If you regularly use coupons then this will be great for you. You earn 10sb for every coupon you use. Just simply print the coupons you want to use and head to the store. The only thing is that it can take 6-12 weeks for them to show up in your SB account. Just be patient!

9. Groupon- If you are going to be purchasing Groupons anyway, do it through Swagbucks and you can earn 150+SB for your purchase...which makes it an even better deal!
Be sure to check back tomorrow! I will go over ways to find SwagCodes, where to enter them, and how to order your first $5 Amazon giftcard or other item!

~April

SwagBucks-How to Get Started

2012-03-15T15:53:00.001-05:00

How many people use Google as their search engine? Lots of people, right? Now, how many of those people actually get compensated just for searching? none.
That's where SwagBucks comes in. What if I told you that you could get Amazon, Starbucks, CVS (and more) gift cards (or other items) just for searching the web like you normally would...only with SwagBucks?!

I didn't know what to think at first...was it legit? Well, it's been probably 2+ years since I signed up and have gotten many $5 Amazon gift cards as well as other items.
So, how does it work?
First, you would need to sign up here. It only takes a minute & doesn't require a credit card or anything like that. New referrals instantly receive 30 SwagBucks. Sometimes they will give a larger amount at certain times of the year.

Now, on the main page you will see a search bar. Go ahead and enter something to search for. You may or may not earn SB on your first search. Most typically earn SBs 2-3 times a day for searches. (When you search don't always type the same things over and over.) Also, with each search, if you don't win on the first page of results, go ahead and click the next page. I usually go through up to 10 pages of results to see if anything pops up. You can also click on photos/videos/etc.
Normally, each winning search will be for 7-12sb. However, you can also hit the jackpot and win 50sb! I have gotten 50 once. Last week I got 26sb for one search.
Here is a photo of the 10sb I won earlier this morning. This is what it will look like when you win SB! Yes, Pirates of the Caribbean happened to be on tv at the time so that's why I searched for Johnny Depp. Lol

Next, you will want to install the SwagBucks Toolbar. This can be found on the top of the page under "Tools" then "Toolbars".

This tool is great for spontaneous searching without having to go to the main page first. Plus, you earn 1sb every day for using/having the toolbar. It also shows your current SB total and other quick links.
Now, for the Daily Poll...click on "Earn" at the top, then "Daily Poll". You will want to go here daily for 1sb. All you do is click on your answer & "vote".

The last way for guaranteed Swagbucks each day is the "NOSO" or "No Obligation Special Offers". Click "Earn" and then "NOSO". You do NOT have to fill these out. Just click "Skip" or "See next offer". You will come to a screen that tells you to enter the words provided (like a captcha). Enter them & submit to receive your 2sb!
At this point you should have your first SBs! There are many other ways to earn SBs on the site..so, click around and check everything out.

Now, be sure to check back tomorrow for a list of ways to earn even more SB & get those gift cards even faster!

Question: Have you signed up? Let me know! If you are already a member, what has your experience been with SwagBucks?

~April

My First Poll

2012-03-15T11:57:00.002-05:00

True Blood Cookbook

2012-03-14T13:31:00.001-05:00

How awesome is that! A True Blood cookbook will be available in the fall of this year.
I found this info here on TrueBlood.net

Full press release:

CHRONICLE BOOKS TO PUBLISH OFFICIAL COMPANION COOKBOOK TO SMASH-HIT HBO® SERIES TRUE BLOOD®
Take a Bite Out of the Bayou in Fall 2012
SAN FRANCISCO – March 13, 2012 – Chronicle Books and HBO are pleased to announce the forthcoming publication of The True Blood Cookbook, by series creator Alan Ball (with Karen Sommer Shallett and Marcelle Bienvenu), expected in Fall 2012. The True Blood Cookbook will be filled with photos from the show’s four seasons, side stories, and authentic southern recipes for the local fare of the insatiable world of Bon Temps.
“Millions of fans agree there’s nothing more exciting on television than True Blood, and much of that fun comes from the witty and delicious symbolism food and drink brings to so many scenes,” said Christine Carswell, Chronicle Books’ Publisher. “The True Blood Cookbook will relish the flavors of the True Blood universe with plenty of authentic dish—both on the plate, and behind-the-scenes.”
“This book will be substantial, with recipes that capture the unique ambiance, dark humor, and complexity of characters that make up the magical and offbeat world of True Blood,” states Ball. “In other words, it will be a worthy of ‘Trubies’ everywhere.”
Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, the True Blood takes place in Louisiana in the not-too-distant future, when vampires have come out of the coffin, thanks to the invention of mass-produced synthetic blood that means they no longer need humans as a nutritional source. The show follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who can hear people’s thoughts, and her soul mate, 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy®- winning HBO series Six Feet Under®) created and executive produces the show, which is based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.

I can't wait to get a copy!
If anyone would like to purchase the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, you can click through to Amazon.com...

Amazon.com Widgets

~April

Puss in Boots Movie

2012-03-08T16:43:00.001-06:00

We bought & watched the Puss in Boots movie the other day for Eli's birthday. It was cute. Then, I found this photo. Holy Cuteness! :-)

I will say that while this is a children's movie..there are some adult references. Such as Puss being a "lady's man". In the beginning sequence, Puss is leaving the home of a female cat after putting on his boots, belt, and hat. While some kids may not pick up on anything, there are adult things thrown in here and there. Just an FYI for parents.

(Note that if you purchase the movie through Amazon, I will receive a small portion of the sale.)

~April

WIP Wednesday

2012-03-07T16:30:00.000-06:00

I'm working on A Noble Cowl for the True Blood KAL over on Ravelry.
The yarn is Yarn Bee Diva Sequin in the 'Scottish Heather' colorway. I purchased it from my local Hobby Lobby. Now, I'm trying to think of a name for the project that has to do with True Blood. It reminds me of a peacock, all those colors....but how to tie it back to TB, I don't know. Maybe something Lafayette would wear! Lol

The bat shawl is on hold for now. Had to borrow the needles & one of the cables from it to work on the cowl. Hoping to get it finished soon too.
~April

Poor, Sick Baby Girl...

2012-03-05T18:44:00.001-06:00

WARNING: post about poop ahead...I will try to keep it minimal.

Peyton had a fever of 103 last night. Got Tylenol in her and it brought the fever down a little. She had a fever all day..as low as 99 & as high as 102. Also this morning she started having diarrhea. I changed a LOT of diapers. I was getting her to eat popsicles and drink pedialyte all day. Then, I noticed other signs and decided to call the pediatrician and have her looked at. We ended up being there for 2 hours. Having two tests run. One we should hear back from tonight or early in the morning. The other takes 72 hours or so...on Thursday I call and see how it went.

At this point all we can do is push fluids into her & give tylenol/ibuprofen. She can drink anything but juice.
Any vomiting and we have to go to the hospital.

Peyton is now napping after having drank half an adult sized cup of Sprite. Drink, baby, drink! :-)

I pray that my baby teacup gets to feeling better very soon. It's no fun seeing your kids sick.

~April

Storms...PIC HEAVY

2012-03-05T18:36:00.001-06:00

View from our house: look in the middle of the pic.

Photos from others around town:

I have LOTS more, but these are already a lot.
~April

Why!!!-Update...

2012-02-28T13:27:00.001-06:00

I thought I'd take a look at the blog and found that my photos are not showing up! Anyone know what's wrong?
It was fine around 1:00am last night....
UPDATE: it is the BlogPress app. When you add a photo to a post, it either saves it to BlogPress Album (default) or to Picasa/Flickr. Mine was on the default BlogPress album. And, well, apparently...it doesn't have ANY of my photos anymore.

I was getting the message above. Then I changed my settings to my Flickr account and the photos are posting fine now!
I am manually adding photos back where I can. Some I have since deleted from my iPad...joy. However, any photos that were posted from my laptop are still visible. Hope to have everything back up very soon!
I really like this app ($2.99) but, not if it is going to lose my photos & force me to re-post them! I have also written the developer about this.
So, heads up! Don't save your photos to the BlogPress Album (default). Go to settings and add either Picasa or Flickr!
~April

Friday: Cuteness!

2012-02-24T13:10:00.001-06:00

While folding clothes, Peyton decides that this is what she wants to wear:

Her brothers' Lightning McQueen hat, some of their shorts, and her Christmas Spongebob shirt. Cuteness!
Ignore the mess, we are in the process of a huge Spring cleaning around here...and it's taking forever!
~April

WIP Wednesday

2012-02-22T10:08:00.001-06:00

Click the photo above to head over and see everyone else's submissions!
We na na na na na na na Bat Shawl.
-The pattern can be found on Ravelry and on the blog here.

-Size 8 circs. Had to go to the store to get another cable and combine it with the circ I had since the longest cable Hobby Lobby had was 29".
-I had gotten the yarn at the Dollar Tree. It is Caron Dazzleaire. I got 2 black, 2 pink and one of each of the other colors. When I decided to make the shawl I knew the 2 black wouldn't be enough...and the Dollar Tree is now out of this yarn. So...it's going to be a black/pink bat shawl. It's my first shawl anyway. Though next time I make it it will be all black or black/orange.
-Over on the Ravelry True Blood group we are doing a KAL and a CAL. I'm not sure if this pattern will be chosen to make so, I just had to go ahead and start it myself.

Cowl. The pattern I'm making up as I go. Since it isn't very far along I'm going to frog it and do a cowl/scarf in the broomstick lace pattern. It's fast and really pretty. And I think this yarn would be perfect. The yarn is Yarn Bee Diva Sequin. It was regular priced at about $7.50 but, I used a 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby to get it cheaper.
~April

Tuesday: To-Do

2012-02-21T10:35:00.001-06:00

On my list of things to do was to come up with things I need to do daily, regardless of what day of the week it is. So, as you can see M-F has specific rooms of the house to focus on. The second list has the things that need to be completed daily. There's not much to it but, those are the main points I want to accomplish.

So, my To Do for today was to make those lists. Now to try to stick to them!

~April

Linkup: Menu Plan Monday

2012-02-20T08:52:00.000-06:00

This is my first Menu Plan Monday link-up! Hopefully it will help with the dreaded "What's for supper?" question! Click the photo to go to
OrgJunkie.com and see other menu plans.

Monday: Pizza
Tuesday: Potato Soup
-2 cans cream of chicken soup (can use I can cream of mushroom or celery)
-2 cans or 1 box broth
-8-10 med sized potatoes
-bacon pieces and shredded cheese
Directions: Wash, peel and slice potatoes thinly. Cook until tender. Drain well. Place potatoes back into pot and add cream of chicken, broth and a handful of cheese. Stir well. Let simmer for about 10 mins to come together. Ladle into bowl and sprinkle with cheese and bacon pieces.
Wednesday: Crockpot Lasagna
-Lasagna noodles
-ricotta, cottage and cream cheeses
-shredded cheese (cheddar/mozzarella)
-spaghetti sauce
-browned meat (we use venison regularly)
-an egg to hold cheese mixture together
Directions: Mix cheeses and egg together. Coat the bottom of the pot with sauce. Then layer noodles, cheese mixture, and meat. Repeat a few times and top with shredded cheeses. Cook on low 8 hours.
I haven't made this in a while so...looking forward to it. Mmmm
Thursday: Venison Tacos
-simple enough. Sometimes I make homemade tortillas...Depending on the amount of time I have/want to dedicate to supper.
Friday: Leftovers

It's FO Friday!

2012-02-17T09:47:00.001-06:00

I have decided to join in on the FO Fridays linky. Here are a few items I have recently finished

A sweater for Peyton. I think I'm going to leave it with short sleeves. I'm already thinking of making one a little bigger. The pattern can be found on Ravelry here and on the designers website is here.

This is just a hat I made while practicing color changes. It's really not that bright.

Hubby got a Kindle for Christmas and it needed a cozy. I used the skull chart from this pattern on Ravelry and from here. I just kind of made it up as I went, other than the chart. The yarn is a bit fuzzy so I couldn't get a clear picture of the skull.

~April

New Look!

2012-02-16T16:50:00.001-06:00

I spent part of the day changing things up around here! The previous layout and colors were getting old. So...Feel free to let me know what you think.

~April

Goat Milk Stuff Soap $25 GC giveaway over on JANB!

2012-02-15T16:42:00.001-06:00

Over on JANB, they are having a giveaway for a Goat Milk Stuff Soap $25 GC! Head on over here and take a look! These soaps are so pretty and come in lots of scents...including chocolate!
Click here to go to the GMS website.
~April

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2012-02-14T16:02:00.001-06:00

I made a red velvet cake today. I didn't have red food coloring or sprinkles so, I had to work with orange, green, & purple glitter gels and sprinkles. Still, I think it's cute.
~April

Ravelry Faves

2012-02-09T15:22:00.001-06:00

I know I haven't posted a pattern in a while (sorry) but, here are some of the patterns I recently added to my faves on Ravelry.
Eric's Cocktail Cozy~~Will be making this soon!
Cables for Kindles~~Hubby has a kindle, he needs a cover. Kids Seamless Sweater~~I made one of these for our little girl. Turned out cute! Kitty Love 2~~I love kitties! Four Cables Pillow~~Can never have enough pillows!

My Review of Roku LT Streaming Player

2012-02-09T14:21:00.001-06:00

Originally submitted at Roku

Roku lowest priced high-definition streaming player.

We love it!

By ApeClems from Alabama on 2/9/2012

Pros: Easy to set up, Easy to use, High quality picture, Compact, Video selection, Reliability, Built in Wi-Fi, Quality Remote, Great value
Cons: Want more video choices
Best Uses: Bedroom, Living room, Secondary TV, Primary TV
Describe Yourself: Movie buff, Power User, Home entertainment enthusiast, Netflix fan, Technophile

We love the Roku! As I stated in my pros, the remote is of good quality. We had previously bought another brand and the remote either wouldn't work or the battery kept popping out. We now have two Roku's and plan to get more for our home! The Roku also has a larger selection of available content. This is great for my kids since we homeschool. We can look things up on YouTube or in the various movie selections to find content about whatever we are studying!

(legalese)

Let the organization begin!

2012-02-09T14:10:00.000-06:00

Purchase from Amazon!

I purchased this book yesterday. (Clicking the photo will send you to Amazon. If you purchase this book, I receive a small amount of the sale)

There wasn't much to choose from but, I like this book so far. It is broken down into sections of the house (kitchen, closets, living room,etc). The book has 317 tips to help you get organized. It also has 2 pages of all kinds of stickers to mark pages and ideas that you like to help you plan.

-Ever wondered how to fold a fitted sheet? Photo instructions are inside!

-Have to drag every pot & pan out to get to the cookie sheets on the bottom? Stacey has a great idea for vertical storage!

-Need to tackle the piles of random papers/tax papers? There's a whole section for them!

I also purchased a 2012 planner. This one is by Avalanche (Perfect Timing, Inc.) and includes:
-2012-2013 Holidays and calendars at a glance.
-Pages for birthdays, anniversary's, addresses, babysitters, restaurants, services, emergency contacts, and notes.
-A pocket in the front cover.
-Each week is divided by days and has a space for daily activities. The outside edge of the pages are perforated. Why? Because on the right side, you write out your menu for the week. On the left side is a grocery list where you will list everything you need for the weeks meals. You then tear this off and take it with you! There is also a 'To Do' section.

-In the back are two pages of stickers. One page is for school related activities: field trip, first day of school, practice, games, etc. The 2nd page has stickers like: dinner date, vet, doctor visit, vacation, haircut, party, dentist, etc.
I can already tell I am going to like this one a lot more than just those basic planners.
~April

54MDXUNVCKMD

Another hat for a friend's sister

2012-02-07T12:52:00.000-06:00

I was asked to make another hat for a friend's sister. I had made her a black hat with a huge black flower a couple years ago. I was told she wears it all the time and is now wanting a cream one just like it. How could I say no. So, here it is. Hope she likes it! :-)
~April

Thank You!

2012-02-07T11:27:00.001-06:00

I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who has stopped by my blog. This is my 100th post. And, looking through my traffic/audiences, I have to say it is awesome to see that people from all over the world have visited my blog.

Also, here are the top Referring Websites: Most of these are for my Crochet Football Beanie.
Crochet Pattern Central >20,000!
Daily Crocheter about 4,000
Ravelry about 3,200
Knitting Paradise about 1,100
Pinterest about 600
List My Five about 300
FaceBook about 300
All I can say is that I did not think I would have such a reaction to my blog. Especially the football beanie. It all started because I was looking for a football pattern and there was NOTHING out there. Now, there are all kinds of hat patterns similar to mine. It's weird to think that I may have got the ball rolling on these hats! :-)
I would also like to say "Hi!" to my 12 followers! Please, stop by and say hi sometime. I try to answer any comments but, sometimes I miss a few. So, you can always ask again, or email me at aprilnmichael(AT)gmail(Dot)com.
Again, thanks for making me feel like people actually see my blog! I will try to get some new patterns up soon. It's hard with 3 kids, homeschooling, and just life in general to get things written down. But, I hope to atleast get a new one up soon.
~April

Blog Hopping-Organization

2012-02-06T20:37:00.001-06:00

I've been looking into better organizing our home. There are some awesome blogs out there so, I thought I'd share a few I came across today.

Echoes of Laughter

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad