The Nest Effect

2013-2014 Monthly Chevron Calendars, a Giveaway, and a Sale - Ends 6.22.13

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Last night I uploaded the latest to my Etsy store: 2013-2014 monthly chevron calendars! June 2013 through December 2014 are included in this set, as well as two versions -- one with a Monday start for the week, and the other with a Sunday start. This item is an instant download, like most of my documents in my store. {Did you know that Etsy now lets sellers do that?!}

Prizes: 2013-2014 chevron monthly calendars {PDF file}

Number of Winners: three

To Enter: You must use the Rafflecopter widget below. It's really easy to use and makes giveaways a lot easier for me to manage. The widget will tell you what your commenting topic is! (mandatory)

Giveaway Ends: Sunday, June 23 @ 12:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). Three winners will be chosen using the Rafflecopter widget. The winners will be announced on the widget and will be emailed to claim their prize. The winners have 48 hours to respond to my email to claim their prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Rules & Disclosure:

You must be a follower (through Twitter, FB, GFC, or RSS/email) of The Nest Effect to win.
The winners will be chosen by rafflecopter.com.
This giveaway is open to readers everywhere.
Please make sure your email is either linked in your profile or on your blog OR that you include it in your comment. If I can't find your email address, I can't contact you as the winner.
You must comment as your first, mandatory entry. All entries will be verified when the winner is chosen.
This giveaway is not sponsored by a company. These are my files that I sell on Etsy.

To celebrate summer, I'm offering 40% off of everything in my Etsy store through Saturday, June 22. Use coupon code SUMMER40 at checkout to receive the 40% off discount.

I will not apply the discount code after checkout. Please do not purchase, then send me a message saying you couldn't figure out how to use the code. It's honestly a hassle to do partial refunds on Etsy for discounts.

To use the coupon: on the cart page there's a TEXT link that says "Apply shop coupon code" {see image below for example}. Add the coupon code in the box that appears. Make sure there isn't a space after the coupon code in the text box. If you have any questions, please contact me before purchasing!

Time Management for Families eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Running a household, caring for children and still finding time to pursue your passions is not an easy order, but this week's bundle is designed to give you the tools to make the most of the 24 hours you're given each day. Discover tips for creating schedules and routines, the importance of rest, strategies to help you be on time and more!

Get this bundle for almost 60% off this week only.

Tell Your Time by Amy Lynn Andrews Tell Your Time: How To Manage Your Schedule So You Can Live Free outlines Amy's straightforward, step-by-step approach to controlling your schedule and ensuring the important things don't fall through the cracks. It's short and to the point with no fluff or filler. This little ebook will help you accomplish not only what's on your to-do list today, but what's on your to-do list for life.

Honoring the Rhythm of Rest by Daniele Evans In a culture where many of us are simply moving too fast and pausing less often for a break, for time off or for intentional rest, Daniele offers a better way. Honoring the Rhythm of Rest will encourage and equip you to understand the meaning of true rest; to ask of yourself ,"Am I living intense, or intentional?"; to counteract the myth of doing it all; to consider 3 intentional ways to practice rest; and to journey back from burnout!

28 Days to Timeliness by Davonne Parks Two years ago, Davonne began working on becoming more timely, and she decided then that if she could ever figure out how to be on time, she’d write a book about it. Throughout her journey, she discovered what makes some people late, tips and tricks other people use to be on time and how to enjoy freedom and spontaneity within boundaries as she made significant progress in her own life. In 28 Days to Timeliness, she shares 28 short, easy-to-read segments that take just a few minutes to go over each day with a practical course of action to move help you be on time.

Creating a Schedule That Works by Marlene Griffith In Creating a Schedule That Works, Marlene offers you the tools to help you create and implement a schedule that works for you and your life. Her simple, straight-forward approach shows you how to break your day into bite-sized pieces by scheduling four blocks of time in your day to help you meet the demands of your day-to-day life.

The Homemaker’s Guide to Creating the Perfect Schedule by Amy Roberts With plenty of charts, printables, examples and links, The Homemaker's Guide to Creating the Perfect Schedule includes step-by-step instructions for creating the perfect homemaking schedule as well as a bonus section on creating the perfect homeschooling schedule. Amy shows you how to work with your unique family dynamics, how to make a schedule stick, how to delegate chores and more!

The Time Management for Families bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 6/24. Get yours today!

Summertime Bucket List - June 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I've been out of school for summer break since last Wednesday. I've been busy working at school - cleaning and organizing for next year - as well as working on my teacher planner and updating some files in my Teachers Pay Teachers and Teachers Notebook stores.

Next month, I'll be traveling to Pennsylvania to spend time with family all month. I cannot wait. A long awaited vacation. =]

I feel like I have a ton to do this summer, and at the top of my list is getting in shape and eating healthy. The Color Run in SLC is coming up in August and I'm determined that I will be in shape for this event. {If you live in SLC and want to join in, use the code COLOREFFECT for $5 off your reigstration! If you don't live in SLC, but are interested in participating in a local Color Run, you can use the code COLOR5OFF to receive $5 off your registration fee in your city!}

I've amped up my water intake to over 9 cups a day {I drink 3 bottles from my Camelbak water bottle, which is 750 mL.} I've increased the protein in my diet as well, and cut carbs and sugar as much as possible. I've found a new love for veggies - especially red bell peppers - and feta cheese, and tried egg whites for the first time, also falling in love. I've read in several different places that drinking water consistently helps with weight loss because your body confuses dehydration with hunger. I'm sure to drink a lot of water before each meal, which helps me not over eat. I haven't found myself to be hungry at all because of this either. I'm exercising 6 days a week, alternating between cardio and core training.

I'm working on updating 2013-2014 calendars for my Etsy store, and updating sets that I currently sell. I'm planning for blogging, hoping to find a way to better manage my time so I can blog more often.

I'm searching for more things to sell online this month to simplify my life and make some extra money to pay off student loan debt.

I have a professional development course the last week of June for 3 full days. I'm excited to learn more about language arts.

This is a lot to accomplish in the next 2.5 weeks, but I'm totally motivated and ready to go.

What is on your bucket list for this month?

eMeals: Father's Day Caramel-Brownie Chunk Milkshake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Are you an eMeals member? If so, be sure to log-in to your account and download the free Father's Day meal plan, featuring 6 delicious recipes. Any new members can also get this additional meal plan upon registration. Use coupon code DADS for 15% off a membership.

Caramel-Brownie Chunk Milkshake Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup milk
4 cups vanilla ice cream
3 store bought or homemade brownies, chopped
Caramel or hot fudge topping (optional)

Instructions

Place milk in a blender.
Add ice cream; blend until smooth.
Add half of brownies to blender; pulse until brownies are blended.
Spoon into glasses; drizzle with desired topping.
Top milkshakes with remaining brownies.

Microsoft Chip In Program for College Students #WindowsChampions

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Back in 2005 when I was setting off to college, the number one thing I wanted was a computer. At the time, laptops will big and heavy and not really something that appealed to me since I wouldn't want to lug it around campus with me. Only 8 years later, laptops and tablets are everywhere, making life easier for people of all walks of life. I absolutely love technology and all that I currently own. I think Microsoft's new program for college students is amazing and I wish I had this opportunity when I was in school. Read on...

Microsoft has launched a new seasonal student buying program called “Chip In” to help students get a new Windows 8 PC for back to school. A pilot program this year, Chip In lets students with a valid .edu email address crowd-source funds to help them purchase a qualified PC of their choosing from MicrosoftStore.com. Microsoft will “chip in” 10% of the purchase price and for the first 10,000 students to fully fund their PC, Microsoft will also “chip in” Office 365 University at no additional charge! Plus, students wont have to pay shipping, handling, or tax!

The Lenovo IdeaPad 13, Acer S7 Ultrabook and HP ENVY x2 are all fashionable options for students at any level – check out the full list of PCs at www.windowschipin.com! The program began June 4, and runs through September 1, 2013.

Disclosure: I am a Windows Champions blogger and I received loan of a laptop and may receive other equipment from Microsoft to assist me in evaluating Microsoft products and services for my blogging activity.

Paelo & Primal eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:26:00 +0000

This week's bundle is the perfect companion for a paleo or primal lifestyle! Whether you're just dipping your toes in or looking for more recipes to add to your rotation, this collection of ebooks is both inspiring and practical, with more than 200 recipes plus inspirational stories from people who have transformed their health through a paleo diet and tips for eating out without cheating.

Paleo ebooks can be expensive, but this week only you'll get all 5 at a savings of more than 85% off, less than the cost of any one of the ebooks by itself!

The Paleo Miracle by Joe Salama and Christina Lianos In The Paleo Miracle, Joe shares a compilation of stories from people who have undergone a miraculous transformation in their health thanks to the paleo diet. The people featured in this ebook have eliminated or dramatically improved their symptoms of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, ADHD, Crohn’s, and many others -- and in most cases have become completely medication-free -- by eating real food. And in the process, they've learned that when your body is healthy inside, it will automatically look healthier on the outside to -- losing body fat in the process!

The Paleo Snack Recipe Book by Suzanne Crawt For those times when you need a snack, Suz's Paleo Snack Recipe Book has more than 75 paleo-compliant snack recipes to help you stick to a paleo diet when hunger strikes! Each recipe includes a full-color photo and step-by-step instructions, with plenty of ideas that don't require any cooking!

Eating Out and Traveling on the Paleo Diet by Aglaée Jacobs In Eating Out and Traveling on the Paleo Diet, Aglaée shares tips and tools to help you avoid non-paleo ingredients away from home, so you can feel at your best at all times. You'll find dozens of meal ideas, snack lists and recipes you can prepare on the road, as well as information about cross-contamination, the use of fasting as a tool while traveling, a paleo-friendly dessert guide and tips for explaining your food preferences in social settings, as well as various printables to help you simplify your travel diet.

Toadally Primal Smoothies by Primal Toad In Toadally Primal Smoothies, Todd Dosenberry (aka the Primal Toad) shares more than 150 paleo and primal smoothie recipes, complete with substitution ideas and nutrition information! Discover tasty flavors like coconut egg nog and vanilla almond cappuccino and more.

Paleo Ice Cream by Ben Hirshberg With 31 delicious, healthy and nutrient dense ice cream flavors, Paleo Ice Cream is your guilt-free ice cream handbook. Armed with a love of ice cream, Ben tested and created each flavor combination by replacing the problematic ingredients and chemicals found in conventional ice cream with healthier paleo-friendly options so that you can enjoy your dessert without feeling like you're cheating!

The Paleo & Primal bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 6/17. Get yours today!

Homesteading eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Whether your goal is to save money, be self-sufficient, live a more sustainable lifestyle or all three, this week's homesteading bundle includes everything from real food storage and emergency preparation to repurposing old clothes and rediscovering the lost skills of past generations. Get all 5 ebooks at a savings of more than 85% off this week only! With your purchase, you'll get all five of the following ebooks:

Pioneering Today by Melissa K. Norris
Your Custom Homestead by Jill Winger
Real Food Storage: How-To and Recipes by KerryAnn Foster
Reuse, Refresh, Repurpose by The Frugal Girl
Getting Prepared by Robin Egerton and Angela England

Get yours today!

My 2013-2014 Chevron Teacher Planner

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 15:03:00 +0000

I created a teacher planner for next year and have blogged about it over at The Learning Effect {my teacher blog}. I think I can easily convert the files to create a 2014 weekly {personal} planner. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Free Printable: 2014 Monthly Chevron Calendars

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Since my 2013 monthly chevron calendars have been such a hit, I decided to create the 2014 version early, as requested by many. To download the free 2014 version, click the image below. Have a great Tuesday!

Check out my other free printables!

Technology: Windows 8 Apps for Dads & Grads #WindowsChampions

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 27 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

justWINK: justWink lets you personalize and send awesome greeting cards from your Windows 8 device to your friends, family, and beyond, via email or Facebook. Cards that shuffle between, funny, bold, cute, trendy, sassy, heartfelt, sweet, and beautiful. Cards that open and flip and make people smile just like real cards. (Free)

Skype: Skype is the always-on app that makes staying in touch with all your contacts easier than ever. If you can’t be with your Dad on Father’s Day, Skype is the next best thing. No matter if you're on a PC, Windows Phone, Mac, tablet, iPhone or Android device, Skype keeps you connected and always available. (Free)

Kindle: Do you or your dad or grad love to read? Show them the Kindle app for Windows 8. They’ll have access to over 1 million books in the Kindle Store, including best sellers and new releases. Amazon’s Whispersync technology automatically syncs their furthest page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across all of their devices that have the Kindle app installed and across any Kindle device. That means they can start reading on one device and pick up where you left off on another device. (Free)

Summer eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 27 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, and this week's bundle is packed full of inspiration for delicious food, fun activities and more to help you make this the best summer yet! You'll find tips for planning a summer of fun without losing your sanity, daily activities for kids of all ages, recipes to help you make the most of the food that's in-season, tips and recipes for eating well on-the-go and dozens of delicious homemade ice cream recipes that you can make with or without an ice cream maker! Hurry, though, because this bundle is available at almost 85% off this week only! With your purchase, you'll get all five of the following ebooks:

The Summer Survival Guide by Jessica Fisher
2013 Summer Survival Calendar by Susan Heid
Just Making Ice Cream by Marillyn Beard
Simply Summer by Kate Tietje
Simply Scheduled: On the Go by Tammie Nelson

Get yours today!

Technology: RSS Feed Reader for Subscribing to Blogs

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

You may have heard that Google Reader is "going away" on July 1, 2013. I love Google, but I'm not sure why they are getting rid of their best services over the last year. Since I subscribe to all of the blogs I follow via Google Reader, I had to find an alternative.

I tried two candidates: Feedly and Blog Lovin'. Feedly won. I prefer the overall layout of Feedly over Blog Lovin'. Both will import your Google Reader feeds automatically. You won't loose anything once Google Reader shuts down for good -- everything will be saved in your new account, whichever way you go. Feedly is more customizable as well.

I created different categories for my blogs that I follow to keep them organized. That way, if I only want to view my education blogs, I can easily do so. I also like that I can customize the feed to show a photo preview of the post.

Have you decided on a new feed reader? Which did you choose?

Kitchen Stewardship eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

This week at BundleoftheWeek.com, add five Kitchen Stewardship ebooks to your library at a fraction of their regular price! Whether you're already a fan of the talented Katie Kimball or just hearing about these ebooks for the first time, this collection of real food ebooks includes not just recipes but plenty of information to empower you on your real food journey -- and it's available at almost 80% off retail this week only. Plus, purchasers will receive a special coupon code to purchase Katie's latest ebook, Better Than a Box, at just 50%! From soaking grains and using beans to stretch your budget to dozens of snack recipes for busy families on the go and tasty desserts that won't leave you feeling deprived, Katie's ebooks offer recipes and kitchen tips for every meal of the day. P.S. Even if you've already got one or two of these ebooks in your collection, this collection offers a great value for the remaining books. And you're welcome to pass on your duplicates to a friend or family member to encourage them in their real food journey as well! With your purchase, you'll get all five of the following ebooks:

Healthy Snacks to Go (2nd Edition) by Katie Kimball
The Everything Beans Book by Katie Kimball
Smart Sweets by Katie Kimball
Is Your Flour Wet? by Katie Kimball
The Family Camping Handbook by Katie Kimball

Get yours today!

Beauty and Fashion eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Beauty is more than skin deep, and this week's bundle is designed to help you feel beautiful from the inside out! Discover the secrets to jump starting your energy, inspiration to get your weight under control, and beauty and fashion tips to help you prioritize yourself even as you juggle your busy life -- all for 75% off, this week only!

With your purchase, you'll get all five of the following ebooks:

Embracing Beauty by Trina Holden
The No Brainer Wardrobe by Hayley Morgan
Energy Explosion by Arabah Joy
Frumps to Pumps by Sarah Mae
100 Pound Loser by Jessica Heights

Get yours today!

eMeals: Mother's Day Brunch Pizza Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Are you an eMeals member? If so, be sure to log-in to your account and download the free Mother's Day meal plan, featuring 4 delicious brunch recipes. Any new members can also get this additional meal plan upon registration. An eMeals membership is a great option for the mom who has it all, but has a busy schedule and enjoys cooking. Mother's Day gift certificates are available on their website.

Mom's Brunch Pizza

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups frozen diced hash browns (from 32-oz package)
14 oz prebaked original Italian pizza crust (12 inch)
3/4 cup favorite pimiento cheese
1 cup finely chopped cooked ham
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
2 large eggs, well beaten

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook hash browns in hot oil 5 minutes. Set aside.
Place pizza crust on a large baking sheet.
Spread pimiento cheese in a thin layer on crust.
Top with ham, hash browns, green onions and cheese. Slowly pour eggs in center of pizza (eggs will spread during baking).
Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown and center is set.

This Girl Is On Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I want y'all to know I'm feeling so much better. Thanks, again, for all of your support. I've received such lovely emails and comments from readers. I'm so glad that I was able to inspire some of you to seek help.

Chris and I are working hard to simplify our lives. We've been cutting costs, selling excess "stuff", and attempting to get back to simple living. We always wanted to continue to live frugally once we both graduated so we could pay off our student loans sooner than 30 years. Going from a $400/biweekly paycheck to a full-time salary is obviously a huge difference, but we've made it so it's not. We now see what we've done and have decided to do something about it. It's been tough over the last few weeks in this transition, but we're making it work.

My last day of school is June 5. We just finished up our state CRT tests over the last two weeks and now I'm DIBELS {reading fluency} testing the 4th grade. I'm so ready to be done with the testing. I'm sure my students are, too!

I'm working on a teacher planner for next year. My school's secretary suggested I create one for us to use, and so far I'm in love with what I have created. I'm pretty sure I can easily adapt it to be a personal planner for 2014. *fingers crossed*

I have some new organizational systems I've put in place at home that I'm looking forward to sharing soon. As soon as I can start leaving school at a decent time again...

Have an amazing Tuesday!

Blogging eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Launch a new blog or take your blog to the next level with this week's ebook collection. From balancing your blog and family and setting boundaries for your online presence to monetizing your blog, writing an ebook of your own and using Pinterest to grow your brand, this bundle is packed full of resources for bloggers. And it's available for 70% off this week only!

With your purchase, you'll get all five of the following ebooks:

Blogger Behave by Laura Booz
Pinteresting by Tabitha Philen
Blog at Home Mom by Christin Slade
25 Simple Steps to Make Money Blogging by Tara Ziegmont
30 Days to Make and Sell a Fabulous Ebook by Angela England

Get yours today!

Tech & Internet eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Learn how to use the technology in your life to your advantage with this week's collection of ebooks. You'll discover the secrets to beautiful iPhone photos, how to get organized usingfree apps and programs, the beauty of online friendships and more. But don't wait because this bundle is on sale for 70% off this week only!

Once Upon the Internet by Marla Taviano Once Upon the Internet is the funny and touching memoir of the Tavianos' one-year quest to visit 52 zoos in 52 weeks -- and the online friends who helped make it possible. Through the course of their journey, they stayed with 31 different families, 17 of whom they'd never met in person (and countless others met them at zoos along the way), and today some of their dearest friends are ones they first met on the internet.

iPhone Photography by Alli Worthington Alli's iPhone Photography: The Visual Guide is your go-to guide for the best iPhone photo editing apps. With plenty of full-color images, you'll find step-by-step tutorials to capture and create stunning images yourself as well as ideas for using iPhone photos to stay organized, save money and just be happier.

Pin-terpretation by Holley Gerth & Stephanie Bryant Your Pinterest account and the images you pin say more about you than you might think, and the ladies at Squee! wrote Pin-terpretation to help you step back and really see yourself. Their goal is to help you see your Pinterest boards with fresh eyes -- to provide questions as well as insights into you, your personal brand & your blog. It's kind of like a Cosmo quiz for your Pinterest boards.

Paperless Home Organization by Mystie Winckler Organize your life with a digital home management "binder" that you can take with you, doesn't use up extra space, works on every platform and doesn't cost anything. In Paperless Home Organization, Mystie shows you how to get organized using only free, web-based applications that sync with free apps on both Apple and Android devices.

Evernote for Moms by Lauren Rothlisberger Lauren's specialty is providing tech tips for "non-geeks", and Evernote for Moms is the quick and easy guide to help you use Evernote to organize your ideas and information. It includes a quickstart guide, simple template files and step-by-step instractions for installing, launching and adding items to Evernote through your smartphone or computer.

The Tech & Internet bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 5/6. Get yours today!

The Color Run in SLC, UT on 08.24.2013

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I am SO excited to promote The Color Run in Salt Lake City this year! The run will take place on Saturday, August 24, 2013 at 9:00 AM in downtown Salt Lake City.

The Color Run™, also known as the Happiest 5k on the Planet, is a unique paint race that celebrates healthiness, happiness, individuality, and giving back to the community. Less about your 10-minute-mile and more about having the time of your life, The Color Run is a five-kilometer, un-timed race in which thousands of participants are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer. The fun continues at the finish line with a gigantic “Color Festival,” using more colored powder to create happiness and lasting memories, not to mention millions of vivid color combinations. Trust us, this is the best post-5k party on the planet! With only two rules, the idea is easy to follow: Wear white at the starting line and finish plastered in color!

I have never participated in a 5k, but I am totally psyched to do so this year. My best friend, Erin, and I are going to run together.

Interested in signing up for the run in SLC? Use promo code COLOREFFECT to receive $5 off your individual or group registration. {This code will only work for the SLC run.} Registration is limited, so be sure to register soon! Please share this promo code with those that you think may be interested in signing up.

Gardening eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Whether you're a new or experienced gardener, this week's collection includes a variety of gardening tips for everyone! Learn how to garden without a big budget or a lot of space, discover tips for organic gardening and preserving your harvest, and get organized with custom printables. But don't wait because this bundle is on sale for 75% off this week only!

Frugal Gardening 101 by Phoebe Hendricks In Frugal Gardening 101: A Comprehensive Guide to Vegetable Gardening Without Breaking the Bank, Phoebe shares her passion for gardening and proves that vegetable gardening doesn't have to be expensive. It's a comprehensive guide that shows you how to garden organically for very little with tips for buying, starting and saving seeds, organic pest and weed control and more.

Apartment Gardening by Jami Balmet If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to have a garden with limited space, Jami's ebook will show you how! Apartment Gardening: A Practical Guide to Growing Vegetables in Small Spaces is a beginner’s guide to everything you need to know about container gardening, including more than 100 pages of how-to advice to help you start your container garden today.

Simple Food {For Spring} by Shannon Stonger Simple Food {For Spring} is more than just a cookbook. In addition to 28 grain-free recipes (complete with full-color photos!) highlighting spring produce, Shannon also encourages readers toward a more sustainable and homegrown living through her introductions to cleansing, foraging, dehydrating greens and more.

Heavenly Homemaker’s Guide to Gardening and Preserving by Laura Coppinger In Heavenly Homemaker's Guide to Gardening and Preserving, Laura shares her tips for a successful, organic garden, including how, what and when to plant. Beyond gardening, you'll also find her strategies for making the most of your farmer's market plus canning tutorials and recipes to help you preserve your harvest.

The Gardening Notebook by Angi Schneider In addition to a how-to guide for gardening beginners, Angi has created the perfect spot for recording all of your notes and research for your garden. With more than 50 pages of printables, The Gardening Notebook is the perfect way to organize everything you need or want to remember for your garden!

The Gardening bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 4/29. Get yours today!

Microsoft Store at City Creek Center #MicrosoftUT #WindowsChampions

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I was invited to the blogger preview for the new Microsoft Store at City Creek Center in Salt Lake City last Wednesday. The store is beautiful. Being a faithful "PC", I was super excited to hear that they were opening a Microsoft Store here. I had never been to one before. The store is located across from the food court on level one, on the East end of the mall.

The store features hands-on displays of Microsoft computers, tablets, phones, XBOX 360s, and more. Free hands-on workshops are available on a daily basis as well, to teach you more about Microsoft products such as Office 2013, Windows 8, Internet Family Safety, and XBOX Entertainment. {You can view the schedule for the City Creek Center store here.}

Below are pictures I took at the preview event.

Microsoft is all about giving back to the local community that their stores are located in. Check out the pictures below for local opportunity available at Microsoft Stores.

photo credit: Microsoft

If you live in Salt Lake City, be sure to check out all of the awesome deals and free workshops at the Microsoft Store at City Creek Center!

Disclosure: I am a Windows Champions blogger and I received loan of a laptop and may receive other equipment from Microsoft to assist me in evaluating Microsoft products and services for my blogging activity.

Simple Living eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Is simple living just a pipe dream in today's fast-paced, always-on, more-is-better culture? With this week's collection, you'll discover the secrets to living simply from five authors who are living intentionally and inspiring others to do the same! But don't wait because this bundle is on sale for 90% off this week only.

25 Intentional Days by AndHeDrew Laid out in an easy-to-follow format, 25 Intentional Days will take you step by step through setting effective long-term and short-term goals, finding time you didn't know you had, tracking your progress and creating the life you've dreamed of.

Simple Ways to Be More with Less by Courtney Carver In Simple Ways to Be More with Less, Courtney shows you how to simplify your life and live each day more purposefully. This book will challenge you, brighten your day, and if you let it, change your world.

Inside-Out Simplicity by Joshua Becker Living simply starts on the inside, and in Inside-Out Simplicity, Joshua shares why healthy relationships are essential to a simplified life. You'll discover how to live intentionally by embracing contentment, gratitude, and humility and making generosity, kindness, service, and forgiveness a hallmark of all of your relationships.

ClutterFree by Leo Babauta & Courtney Carver With the tools in ClutterFree, you'll learn how to eliminate the clutter and create more time and space in your home and life. Leo and Courtney walk you through understanding why we have clutter, learning how to get rid of it and enjoying a clutter-free life.

Flying by the Seat of My Soul by Tess Marshall Through personal stories, profound lessons, uplifting quotes and stories of others, Tess inspires you to live more passionately and pursue your heart’s desire with more conviction. Flying By The Seat Of My Soul will empower you to move toward inner change, let go of the past, follow your dreams and fly!

The Simple Living bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 4/22. Get yours today!

My Story

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Last week I had spring break for school. I took the time to just totally relax and do things I used to enjoy doing. It really helped for me to just let go of everything and go with the flow. During this time, I did a lot of thinking.

The week before my school had a professional development day. We all had to have suicide prevention training for relicensure. During this training, depression was brought up - a lot. Not many people at my school know about my struggle with anxiety and depression. I felt like the conversation was very one sided and depression is associated with such a negative stigma. One teacher talked about a family member who struggled with depression and how we should teach our students that we should treat others with depression normally and let them know it's not something that is contagious. I love that she suggested that and it made me feel like coming forward on my blog about my struggle was definitely a positive choice.

Depression for me has been a loss of interest in things I enjoy and loss of energy. It affects my mood towards others. I get easily frustrated. I'm just generally miserable. Anxiety has taken over my social life completely. I have phone anxiety the worst, but I've also lost interest in doing anything publicly. I am easily overwhelmed and feel like I have to do everything myself so it can be done quickly and correctly. These two disorders together have crippled my ability to do many things.

Dealing with depression and anxiety is not something I'm ashamed of. It's something that I did not choose, but I'm working through. For a long time I was afraid to tell anyone how I was feeling. I was ashamed, thinking I wasn't normal and that no one would understand.

It was something that came on gradually. I didn't even know I was depressed until someone close to me told me I was different. I was miserable and blaming others for my feelings. I knew that wasn't me. I pinpointed unusual behaviors and kept track of what I was experiencing. I asked those close to me to let me know when I was out of character so that I could see if there was a trigger or not. I wrote about my past - things that shaped my life, both good and bad. I wrote about what had changed over the last few years and the things I missed the most. I wrote down goals for myself. Then, I knew that even with all of this self-soul searching, I couldn't fix things on my own. I decided to deal with it head on, and that's the process I'm going through now.

So many people deal with depression and/or anxiety - you're not alone. With guidance, it can be eased and/or conquered.

The good news is I'm feeling better. I saw the doctor last month and I'm going for a follow up this week. I feel normal again. I'm focused. I have goals in mind. I'm allowing others to help me without feeling like I have to be controlling. My social anxiety is still there, but I'm working on it. Overall, I am happy.

Seriously - thank you so much for your support. You are all amazing.

Get Organized with Microsoft OneNote #WindowsChampions

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Microsoft OneNote is a program I've been using on my computer for years. I used it in college to take notes in my classes. I use it now to organize information I may need when online or away from home, but want to keep secure. I keep some of my notebooks locked with a password for security.

The possibilities for organizing with OneNote are limitless! As the image above shows, you can easily plan travel within a notebook. For a free, travel notebook template, click here. With the new 2013 edition, sharing with others and syncing with your Skydrive account couldn't be easier. Everything can be done right in the program.

Planning a wedding? There's a template for that. Need a DIY home renovation notebook? There's a template for that, too!

The Send to OneNote Tool makes it easy to clip information from the web and paste it into any of your notebooks. Think - recipes, pictures, maps, directions, an article to save for later reference, and much more!

If you have a Windows 8 touch-screen PC or tablet with OneNote 2013, you can easily hand write notes or draw pictures into notebooks.

Microsoft Office 2013 is now available online for purchase. It is only compatible with Windows 7 & 8. I upgraded before becoming a Windows Champion because I'm one of those people who always has to have the latest Microsoft Office version. Usually I wonder why I do it, because it seems like not much changes. This time, I was so glad I did. I really, truly love the 2013 version. Everything runs easily and my documents look amazing.

Office 365 Home Premium is also now available. Try a one month trial for free. Students can try Office 365 free for 3 months. The OneNote app for Windows 8 or RT is available here.

Do you use Microsoft OneNote for organizing information on your computer?

Disclosure: I am a Windows Champions blogger and I received loan of a laptop and may receive other equipment from Microsoft to assist me in evaluating Microsoft products and services for my blogging activity.

Pregnancy & Baby eBook Bundle: 5 eBooks for $7.40 {Bundle of the Week}

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Pregnancy, childbirth and welcoming a new baby can be overwhelming, but this week's bundle is a collection of resources to help you make informed decisions about each. With a bent toward natural living, this collection includes real food recipes for pregnancy and beyond, plus tips for breastfeeding, natural birth and simple living with a baby. This week only, get all 5 ebooks for just $7.40 (a savings of more than 80%)!

Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods by Kate Tietje In Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods, Kate simplifies pregnancy nutrition with just two rules: 1) Don’t eat junk food and 2) Eat super foods. This ebook includes details about the super foods you should be eating (and a basic list of what you should avoid), what pregnant women’s nutritional needs are, and offers more than 30 super food recipes.

Fearless Birth by Kristen Burgess Fear of giving birth is a very real thing, but through the Fearless Birth workbook and bonus tools, Kristen helps you understand the source of your fears, create positive images of birth, let go of fear and approach labor and birth with confidence and peace of mind.

Unbound Birth by Jennifer Yarbrough Unbound Birth: How to Have a Natural Birth in the Hospital is an inspiring collection of natural hospital birth stories. With determination, information, preparation, and support, Jennifer offers women hope for the beauty of a natural birth within a hospital setting.

The Minimalist Mom's Guide to Baby's First Year by Rachel Jonat Parenting is a demanding job, and the first year with a new baby is exciting, ever so tiring and filled to the brim with baby toys, gadgets and gizmos. In The Minimalist Mom's Guide to the Baby's First Year, Rachel shares her own journey into motherhood and the lessons she learned about avoiding the clutter trap of too much baby stuff, slowing down to enjoy the early months with your new baby, saving money, creating a peaceful home and finding more time in your day for things like sleep!

Breast to Bib by Kate Tietje If you’ve ever wondered how to get a baby started with real food, this is your go-to guide. In Breast to Bib, Kate offers help with breastfeeding and discusses low milk supply and homemade formula options as well as how and when to introduce solids and tips for handling picky toddlers. Plus you'll find 27 healthy, family-friendly recipes to get you started!

The Pregnancy & Baby bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 4/15. Get yours today!