tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80683202009-07-09T17:05:11.715-04:00All you ever wanted to know about saving money and feeding the family on a shoestring budget.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.comBlogger1614125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-54245329673862394222009-07-09T07:00:00.000-04:002009-07-09T07:00:05.065-04:00

I made piggy pancakes for the kids and they were a huge hit! I wasn't sure if they would be able to figure out what they were so I let them guess. They decided these were cow pancakes instead so who knows what animal your own kids might pick?I made a batch of this pancake batter. It is my absolute favorite because it doesn't require any fancy ingredients and can be made out of everything in your

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com5http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/sweet-little-piggy-pancakes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-68354092793828985972009-07-08T07:00:00.002-04:002009-07-08T07:01:23.342-04:00

These pizza idea boxes are genius (@ the giver's log)I am going to have to try this creative use for mason jars for our next get together (@ A Soft Place to Land)I want to make this thrifty canopy bed for my daughter when she gets a little older (@ HomeSpun Threads)I am planning to try this sight word game with my son this summer (@ Craft Nectar)This is a great tutorial on teaching kids to finger

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com7http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/amys-notebook-070809.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-54575076511791820152009-07-08T07:00:00.001-04:002009-07-08T07:00:50.700-04:00

I am bringing back this little post today as I am heading out of town. Between packing and throwing our birthday bash, I am tapped out for the week!Money-free weekends are one of my favorite ways to get our budget back on track and I hope it will inspire you to take a weekend off from spending. Take a peek at our No Spend Challenge or visit Rachel, at Small Notebook, and join her in her family's

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com4http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/notebook-experiments-can-we-survive.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-46486642345862473832009-07-07T07:00:00.003-04:002009-07-07T21:27:07.521-04:00

I don't know why it has never occurred to me before, but we decided to have a patriotic themed birthday party for my son's birthday this year. His birthday is just a few days after the Fourth of July and so we decided to host a backyard barbecue for our family and friends.We kept the decorations simple and I tried to buy a lot of things that we could reuse for future parties. These paper lanterns

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com86http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/patriotic-birthday-party-patio-party.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-88524376158881456962009-07-06T07:00:00.000-04:002009-07-06T07:00:45.105-04:00

We celebrated another birthday in our family this week and my summer child always seems to get all of the fun cakes for the warmer season. We made this same cake two years ago and I decided to dust the recipe off again for another fun celebration.This cake is just as good as those DQ ice cream cakes for a fraction of the price. The ice cream sandwiches help eliminate the need for cake leveling

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com8http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/oreo-fudge-ice-cream-cake.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-36492329922429551052009-07-03T07:00:00.000-04:002009-07-03T07:00:15.594-04:00

Freebie Friday comes to you each week courtesy of Freebies 4 Mom. Be sure to visit Heather's site because she has gathered up a great list of sweepstakes to enter and highlighted some of the best printable coupons that are happening right now!While you are here, don't forget to browse our top ten articles of the month and check out the Apron Full of Giveaways for more great contests to enter!I

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com4http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/freebie-friday-july-3-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-36428503525566641792009-07-02T08:45:00.003-04:002009-07-02T08:59:42.859-04:00

Photo Credit: aonekoThere are many ways to begin tackling the grocery budget and one of the most popular ways is the art of stockpiling items when doing your grocery trips. This method, also known as the “pantry principle” by loyal Tightwad Gazette readers, is a method of shopping that is meant to give you the best bang for your buck.Let’s begin by discussing the methods that are commonly used

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com11http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/play-it-again-momma-art-of-stockpiling.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-9280842832462699762009-07-01T07:05:00.002-04:002009-07-01T15:40:53.402-04:00

Experiment: Will my family love oven fried drumsticks?Experiment Taken From: Notebook Entry 06.03.09Materials Needed: Please see Simply Recipes for the full instructions on this task. I followed the recipe except for using Italian breadcrumbs instead of regular and I omitted the chives. Results: I was looking forward to having a picnic night with the family since we had that on our summer list of

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com4http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/notebook-experiments-will-my-family.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-7417607893504023162009-07-01T07:00:00.001-04:002009-07-01T07:01:26.033-04:00

One last request for a quick vote for me today! I feel as though I am borderline harassing people, but have a strange desire to win. Will you bear with my silly whining? The BlogLuxe Blog Awards end on July 6th and I would so appreciate your vote of confidence for, "The Cleanest Blog" and/or "The Blog You Learned the Most From." It would truly mean the world to me and I have greatly appreciated

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com7http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/amys-notebook-070109.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-54128076132470213872009-07-01T06:55:00.000-04:002009-07-01T06:55:01.883-04:00

I just want to say a special thank you to each of you for visiting my website and sharing it with your friends, family, and your own readers. We had another great month and it is all thanks to you. I hope to continue offering support through our site, lots of giveaways for our readers, and a place where you feel valued and cared for. If there is anything you would like to see on here, please

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com0http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/07/momadvice-monthly-recap-june-09.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-24155364187499230512009-06-30T07:00:00.005-04:002009-06-30T10:54:46.743-04:00

I love nothing more than lounging around in our backyard all summer long. I will do anything to stay outside with my kids and hibernate in our big backyard. Indiana winters are so long and our summers here are far too short. I really try to make the most of every moment of sunshine.Wouldn't we all love to just lounge around in the backyard all day with our feet kicked up? While I can't say it

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com11http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/fun-ways-to-make-outdoor-living-family.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-39401309636235288172009-06-30T06:55:00.000-04:002009-06-30T07:21:07.249-04:00

BeBe & Alice, $44.95Another week is flying by and another great giveaway list is set to roll out for the week.Thank you all so much for participating last week in our Crystal Light Water Way Challenge. We have contacted our winners from the four $50 giveaways and have wrapped this giveaway up. Congrats to all of the lucky winners!This week we are giving away three copies of the new Bedtime with

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com3http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/apron-full-of-giveaways-063009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-39901144186351555202009-06-29T07:00:00.001-04:002009-06-29T07:01:15.874-04:00

I love any dish that I can whip up in the summertime that doesn't require me to turn on the oven. I happened upon this great little side dish and we have been eating it about once a week since I added it to our dinner hour.This side dish has big flavor so if you are not a fan of garlic, you can substitute it with garlic powder. If you are not a fan of lemon, you can cut the lemon juice back to

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com4http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/microwave-lemony-broccoli.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-61044304092088883072009-06-26T07:00:00.000-04:002009-06-26T07:00:38.410-04:00

Happy Freebie Friday! We are happy to be sharing a load of freebies with our readers courtesy of Freebies 4 Mom! In case you missed it, Heather has an excellent article on how to save on vitamins and supplements for your family this week. You should also enter to win her Rookie Mom's Book giveaway. I know that is one book I would love to add to my own collection!Have a wonderful weekend, everyone

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com4http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/freebie-friday-june-26-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-67255309172649230012009-06-25T07:00:00.000-04:002009-06-25T07:00:45.632-04:00

Have you ever looked at your to-do list and just felt completely and utterly overwhelmed before you even start? My day was often looking like that and rarely did I actually ever complete all of the things off of the list. I would end my day defeated before the next day had ever begun. While the high of checking things off the list was there, the items left unchecked left me feeling less euphoric

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com20http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/play-it-again-momma-simplifying-your-to.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-18134274301191449342009-06-24T07:05:00.001-04:002009-06-24T09:59:27.690-04:00

Experiment: Can I craft a cool dad gift?Experiment Taken From: Notebook Entry 06.24.09Materials Needed: Please see The Idea Room for the full instructions on this task. I completed the sweet little soda bottle project and found all of the supplies at Target.Results: I am planning to take my hubby out to see a movie and for dinner for Father's Day, but I really wanted to have something to give to

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com8http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/notebook-experiments-can-craft-cool-dad.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-39936094852368220162009-06-24T07:00:00.000-04:002009-06-24T07:00:27.700-04:00

These firework cake toppers would be amazing for our Fourth of July bash (@ Wisdom of the Moon)This Honey Teryaki Chicken looks like it would be a hit (@ Mad About Martha)My kids would (literally) flip for these tin can stilts (@ zakka life)These sunprint pictures inspired me to try this with my children (@ the light garden)I love this bicycle bag to give as a gift (@ Giver's Log)I was so

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com8http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/amys-notebook-062409.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-65808113084033897802009-06-23T07:05:00.000-04:002009-06-23T07:53:14.075-04:00

Snappy Shop, $46I apologize that we did not have the giveaway link list last week. I was having some difficulties with our web host and was not able to add submissions to our site. We are back in business today though and I am happy to host another giveaway list for our readers and to send traffic to your blogs!Today is the FINAL day that you can enter for $50 (four contests in all) for our

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com2http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/apron-full-of-giveaways-062309.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-64557529161961588192009-06-23T07:00:00.000-04:002009-06-23T07:00:42.353-04:00

Making Our Summer Listhad a pizza and a movie nightmade milkshakeswent to soccer camp for a weekran through the sprinklers (and lounged by them too)went to the (stinky) zooplanted our gardenhad a campfire night with marshmallowsAlso accomplished: went to the movies * ice cream sundae night * attended VBS * went to the library * sleepover at Grandma & Grandpa's * made homemade slushiesI realize

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com5http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/images-from-our-summer-list.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-12191854421813152482009-06-22T07:00:00.001-04:002009-06-22T07:01:02.526-04:00

We really put our blender to work in the summer and I wanted to share with you one of my kid's favorite treats for our homemade pizza night.This is another fantastic recipe that I found on Hillbilly Housewife called, "Magic Milkshakes." To me, this recipe tastes just like a Wendy's Frosty with a fantastic balance of chocolate, creaminess, and the spoonable or sippable goodness that makes them one

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com26http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/homemade-wendys-frosty.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-28830585560605797032009-06-19T07:00:00.001-04:002009-06-21T11:10:49.651-04:00

I hope everyone is having a great week! Please enjoy all of these fantastic freebies courtesy of Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, to kick off a wonderful weekend. Don't forget to check her site for the latest round of coupons.We are on our third week of the Water Way Challenge and I encourage you get your entry in for our $50 prize! We only have one more week to go in the challenge and each entry

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com1http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/freebie-friday-june-19-2009.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-57437845326604641652009-06-18T07:00:00.002-04:002009-06-21T11:05:38.725-04:00

I wanted to bring back this entry because it really is the best showcase of all of our grocery saving advice on the site and on our blogs. If I could add only one tip, I would urge you to pull your fruit basket up so your child does not sink her teeth into each piece of fruit to stake her claim on it.With grocery prices rising and package sizes shrinking, it can be difficult to stay within your

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com11http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/play-it-again-momma-35-ways-to-reduce.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-59720746105032627082009-06-17T11:22:00.003-04:002009-06-17T11:25:26.857-04:00Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com12http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/wordless-wednesday-mommys-hat.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-1694897842566724212009-06-17T07:05:00.000-04:002009-06-17T07:05:00.677-04:00

I apologize for all of our technical difficulties! As we are frantically trying to repair all that has been occurring, I share with you one of our favorite crafts. Now that my son is turning seven, I have a feeling that he would take great joy in creating some toys for future baths in our house. This is a quick and easy craft that brought many hours of enjoyment for my children.Experiment: Can I

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com3http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/notebook-experiments-can-i-craft-some.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8068320.post-41092549337252901252009-06-17T07:00:00.001-04:002009-06-17T07:00:02.601-04:00

This salted butter caramel ice cream looks so delicious (@ David Lebovitz)This fabric table topper would be a fun addition to a playroom (@ ohdeedoh)I love these terry cloth cases for the beach (@ Martha Stewart)This painted brick home is stunning (@ chatting at the sky)This summer wreath is absolutely adorable (@ paint, decorate, design on the cheap- hat tip to A Soft Place to Land)One of these

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10635304837180578317noreply@blogger.com4http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2009/06/amys-notebook-061709.html