Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Grocery Deals Spotted!

Spotted $0.99 cents for red peppers at IGA in Hewitt today!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Free Sunday at the Mayborn (Dec 4)


You and your kids can attend the Mayborn Children's Museum FOR FREE this Sunday, Dec 4!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Are Your Winter Clothes Put Away?

Rubbermaid HomeFree series closet system

I am a messy person. My closet doesn't look anything like the one above. I was messy before kids, and kids have only made it worse. In my struggle to overcome the mess I've discovered a wonderful articles at Like Mother, Like Daughter that actually make me feel HOPEFUL and not judged or depressed (just scroll down towards the bottom and check out the sidebar...she lists them nicely there).  I keep a list of her Reasonably Clean Home series right here.

One of these articles is titled "Laundry Problems Start With Clothes". The basic gist of it was that most of us have more clothes in our closets than we need (or at least than we need in any particular season)...and that this hampers (pun intended) our attempts to get the laundry under control.

Now, I wanted to address a particularly Texan issue regarding the storage of winter clothes.

On Leilas Laundry Worksheet she asked:

"Why are shorts cluttering the world up if it’s winter?"

MY ANSWER:   Well, because I live in Texas, that's why. It actually may have a low of 20 degrees one day and a high of 85 degrees the next in the dead middle of winter here.

Here in Waco you can't really put away summer clothes, except the swimsuits and maybe tank tops (and not even the swinsuits if you plan to swim at Baylor's Pool this winter). So my solution in winter is to put at least half of the summer clothes away (because at very least they won't be wearing it as much as in summer). This usually entails boxing up all the t-shirts with very summery designs (surfboards and palm trees and such), tank tops, and all but 2-3 pairs of shorts.

I still have the problem of needing much more shelf space in winter than in summer (since you can't put away all the summer stuff and the winter stuff is so much bulkier), but at least it's slightly more manageable with some of the summer stuff put away.

Now I'd like to ask you some questions:

  1. Have you put your winter clothes away yet?
  2. Have any great suggestions on transitioning closets from summer to winter, clothing storage tips, etc?  (If you know of any good way to deal with the extra clothes in winter, I'd be especially grateful to hear it!) 



Picture by Rubbermaid.

    Saturday, November 12, 2011

    Waco Gardening Tips - November


    November is a busy gardening month in Texas.  Unfortunately, Walmart doesn't know that.  Their gardening section was gutted to make way for the Christmas section.   I wasn't exactly surprised, but I had hoped to find some discounted seeds (if there were any tucked away on some sale isle, the sales clerk didn't know about it).

    But HEB there was a whole display full of seeds right in full sight by the front door!  Another place you can always find LOTS of seeds is the Homestead General Store at Homestead Heritage.  They have a TON of seed varieties including various heirloom seeds.  It's really worth a trip out there.

    This month I found a great new resource (new to me anyways).  The Central Texas Community Gardening Manual is published by The World Hunger Relief Farm right here in Waco (copies are available for download for a $5 donation, or in print for $15).    Now, on to this months's gardening tips!

    Winter Flower Gardens
    November is the transition month from warm season annuals, to cool season annuals.    Cool season annuals grow well from November to May, when it starts to get too hot for them. (Warm season annuals grow from April through Early November.)   This is the last month to start most cool season annuals from seed (you can start some as early as August), but you can plant transplants through February.  Here are some cool season annuals which grow well in Texas:

    Alyssum*
    Baby's Breath (annual)
    Calendula*
    Candytuft (annual)
    Dahlberg Daisy
    Delphinium**
    Dianthus
    Dusty Miller
    English Daisy
    Forget Me Not
    Larkspur*
    Nasturtium*
    Nicotiana
    Ornamental Cabbage and Kale
    Pansy**
    Petunia**
    Poppies*
    Snapdragon
    Statice
    Stock
    Sweet Pea*
    Viola

    *Best Direct Seeded
    **Better to Buy Transplants

    Bulbs and Corms
    You should also plant most of your spring bulbs this month.  Amaryllis bulbs should NOT be planted into the garden now as flowers can be damaged by colder weather.  Hybrid tulips and hyacinths will need to go into paper bags, nylon stocking, or net bags and put in the lower drawers of your refrigerator since Texas winters are not cold enough long enough to give them the proper chill they need to flower in the spring.


    Trees, Shrubs, Roses
    November is the best time to plant or transpnat trees, shrubs and roses.  The ground is still warm from summer, encouraging growth, and they will have time to set down roots during the cold season, which here is gentler than the summer heat.

    Vines and Groundcovers
    November is also a good time to plant perennial vines and groundcovers.    Above the ground, you won't see any growth during the winter, but their roots will grow, giving them a stronger start in the spring.    The exception is tropical vines like Bougainvillea, which will die off if left un-attended.  You can try mulching them heavily (10 inches deep), which gives the roots a chance to survive...or just treat them like an annual and replant next year.  (Of course, if they're potted you should bring them inside for the winter).

    This month is also a good time to dig, divide and transplant groundcovers.  

    Vegetables and Herbs
    Cabbage, celery, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, spinach, and Swill chard can be planted as transplants this month.  Here in Zone 8 you can also plant you can plant carrots, spinach, and parsley from seed  (though Spinach may be a gamble).  Now, the Central Texas Community Gardening Manual they suggest growing Cilantro from August through September, but I've been doing some reading and a lot of Texas grow it in successive plantings during the winter, which seems to make a lot of sense since it goes to seed at temperatures over 75 degrees (and  I've read of a Pennsylvanian overwintering these, so if they can survive a Pennsylvania winter it certainly seems they should be able to survive Waco's modest cold snaps.  You can read more about growing wintertime cilantro in Texas here.

    You should also harvest any basil you have while you still can, as leaves turn brown when night start approaching 40 degrees.



    I'm no expert (yet).  My info for the above came from the following sources:  
    Month to Month Gardening in Texas
    Central Texas Community Gardening Manual
    Melody's Gardening in Central Texas
    Central Texas Horticulture
    The Vegetable Gardener

    Friday, November 11, 2011

    Grocery Deal - 98 Cent Peppers

    Saw Red Bell Peppers for only $0.98 at the HEB on Hewitt Dr!

    Thursday, November 10, 2011

    Chick-fil-A Giveaway

    I love Chick-fil-A--it's one of my favorite places to take the kids on a "too hot" or "too cold" day.   Right now there's a giveaway for a Chick-fil-A Calendar (filled with coupons) and free peppermint milkshakes (oh, I am so happy that milk-shake is back!) over at Frugally Thrifty.

    Wednesday, November 9, 2011

    Sic Em Science Day at the Mayborn

    This Saturday Baylor Biology department will be offering science demonstrations in the Mayborn Museum Discovery Center from 2 pm - 4 pm. There will be interactive demonstrations on Water Works, Sound, Human Health, Lenses and Mirrors, Small Creatures, Fun with Friction, and Bright Changes.


    Shared of my own volition without compensation.

    Thursday, November 3, 2011

    After Halloween Sales...


    After Halloween is a great time to pick up candy for other events, costume items for presents (great for your child's dress up box), and orange/fall items that can be repurposed for Thanksgiving.  I wasn't needing any more candy (my kids have enough for a nice sugar rush, thanks), and the candy at my local Walmart was already pretty picked through yesterday anyways.  But I did find these Star Wars suckers that I'll be putting in my kids Christmas stockings.  There was also some Halloween pretzels that could work for lunchbox snacks, and some Halloween shirts for next year...all 50% off.

    Did you shop the after Halloween sales?  If so, what did you find?



    Saturday, October 22, 2011

    Halloween Shopping Deals in Waco

    Here's some Halloween deals I spotted around town!

    Glow Bracelets
    Get a tube of 15 glow braces for $1 in Target's Dollar Section!  That even beats Walmart (where $1 only gets you 6 bracelets).  You can attach these together to make necklaces, too.  That's cheap enough to hand out in stead of candy, if you wanted a cool non-sugary alternative!

    Hats
    Target's Dollar section also has some plastic fireman and yellow construction hats  (looked small...for toddler, maybe up to Kindergarten).  For Fedoras, try the Thrift Store on Hewitt Drive (between Ace Hardware and Sonic).  They had about 4 or 5 nice 1920s gangster hats in pinstripes and brown (cloth, not plastic).  They had a LOT of other good stuff too!

    Foam Swords and Sheilds
    Target's Dollar section also had foam swords and sheilds.  The sheilds are pretty cool in my oppinion, though small (wouldn't go well for children over 6 yrs old, probably).  The swords looked like they might not last the night...but if you're only using them for halloween (and not as a toy afterwards) they're a cheap alternative.


    Saturday, October 15, 2011

    Don't Clean Your Oven!

    Lori over at Our Forever House was singing the praises of using an oven liner to catch drips so you don't have to clean your oven.  It's a great idea, and one I'm going to try!   But even cooler is, I know exactly where I'm going to get mine!



    Our kids just brought home the Charleston Wrap fundraiser catalogs from school, and on page 9 of the Kitchen and Home Catalog, they have an dishwasher safe oven liner for $15, which is $5 less than the one Lisa listed from Bed, Bath & Beyond!  Cool huh.  And shipping is free cause the kids deliver it to you!

    If your kid's school isn't doing this fundraiser, and you want to get this, give a shout out to your friends and see if there kids brought a catalog home, and it's likely you'll find someone who would be more than happy to sell you one  ("What, you're ASKING if you can buy something from my kid's fundraiser?  Bless you!").

    Tuesday, October 11, 2011

    Happy River


    So happy to see the rivers full of water again!



    This post has been shared on Throwback Thursday.

    Saturday, October 8, 2011

    Internalizing My To Do List/Daily Schedule



    Sherry, who is doing a series on her blog about Emerging from the Chaos, had a post last week where she invited people to make a goal list and take a picture of it and send it in to share.

    Well, I'm going to share my list...but I'm not writing it down on paper.  Why?  Because I've done this so many times before I know it's pointless.  I either loose it or forget about it (usually both).

    But I DO see the point of goals....and getting into a daily schedule (her list of goals read sort of like a schedule).   The trick for me is internalizing this schedule!

    There are things I want to get done on a daily basis (except Sunday for some of them).    Now, if I tried to remember ALL my goals at once...the perfect, I want to get this done every day schedule, it wouldn't happen.  So, what I've been doing, and it's starting to work, is focus on one goal until it becomes a habit...then adding my next one.

    Here's the goals I've gotten internalized already (or making good progress on)...

    • Do a load of dishes and two loads of laundry before 3:00
    • Accomplish one other thing (honestly, doesn't always happen...but I'm aiming for it) before 3:00
    • Bible Study at 3:00
    • Ask kids about day and look through folder when they come home.
    • After their game-time, do a BLITZ with the kids.
    • Get Dinner started by 6:30
    • Read to the kids before their bedtime.
    • Kids in bed by 9:00
    • Me in bed by 11:00 (barring sleeplessness, which can't be helped)
    That may not sound like much, but believe me this is an improvement.  You notice there's nothing about blogging or other things like that there...that's because I'm drawn to do that like a bee to honey (not that you cold tell from this blog...but I have two others, an online shop, Squidoo pages, websites...you name it).   I don't need to put that on my list because I'm temped to fill every square minute with it.

    Now, there is other stuff I would like to add...

    *Kitchen Counters cleaned daily
    *Kitchen floor swept daily
    *Table cleared before breakfast

    Of course, that's not the final "where I want to be" but I'll just stop there until I get those down (or somewhat near there).

    I want to talk more about a couple of the items on my list.

    BIBLE STUDY
    You will not believe how helpful that has been!  I struggled for so long to find a regular time to spend praying and reading God's word.  In the morning I was groggy, at night I usually left it until too late.  But 3:00 pm is perfect!  It's long enough before the kids come home that I have time to spend on it, and it helps prepare me for their arrival.  That, and it gets me off of the computer so I'm not still in the middle of a project when they come home.  It's a great transition.

    THE BLITZ
    The blitz is something I discovered on a blog (click here to read the post).  It was the first progress-making step I was able to make on THE MESS.  It's a way to get your kids involved in a mad, fast as you can, fifteen minutes of cleaning.  It's amazing.  But the problem was, I hadn't found a good time for it.  When they came home from school they didn't feel like doing it (and I didn't blame them...they were worn out).  But if I waited they would disappear to play with friends and by the time they came back I was mid-dinner-prepping and it just got left by the wayside.  So, now what I do is when they come home is I set a timer and  let them have 30 minutes of screen time (TV/games, whatever) and then immediately after they blitz.   Works like a charm! 

    BEDTIME
    That's on there for a reason.  Messing up my sleep messes up my world...I really struggle to get enough sleep regularly, cause I'm always tempted to stay up later and later.  And I'm a big glob of pudding (or worse, explosive clump of tired dynamite) when I don't get enough rest.  So that's an important one.  One I'm breaking right now (but it's Saturday...I can today).



    More To Do List Posts and Goodies:


    And Blog Parties...

    Throwback Thursday





    Thursday, October 6, 2011

    The Reasonably Clean House

    A Reasonably Clean House is the series posted on Like Mother, Like Daughter that is giving me hope than I can achieve a reasonably clean home. Unlike other cleaning articles I read it didn't leave me discouraged or angry. I could tell this person had BEEN where I was, or somewhere near it at least...and had gotten out.  Her posts are not judgmental or "pie in the sky/Martha Stewart" types...and they give me hope that I can make my way to "reasonable".

    She used to not have them organized from a central place, but she does now, so I'll just link you all to there.  Click on the photos to go to each post...



    Other useful posts not in the series:

    Wednesday, October 5, 2011

    Emerging from the Chaos

    There's a whole bunch of blogs doing "31 Days of SOMETHING" this month, where they write on one topic for 31 things.   I'm linking to some of them on the blogroll this month.

    One of the series that caught my eyes was 31 Days of Emerging from the Chaos by Portrait of an Artist as a Young Mom.  THAT sounded like one I might want to follow.  I know chaos.  My kind of messy makes other people's messy look clean....and that's not where the chaos ends.  I forget dates, loose things, show up late more time than not.   Well, when I read her first few Chaos posts I knew I had found a kindred spirits....these quotes will give you an idea of what I mean:


    "I checked a few of those 'clutter' blogs out today, and was fairly disheartened to find that some of the 'before' photos posted in their 'before and after' segments looked pretty darn good to me. I'd love to get to the point where my afters look as good as their befores. That alone would be a triumph."

    Amen!  Glad I'm not the only one!


    "There's some serious workaholicism (another made up word!) mixed with laziness...When I get on a scent of something interesting on the internet, boy-howdy, I can stick to it like a hound dog and research a topic until I know more about it than should ever be necessary."

    Uh huh...you can't believe how motivated I can be on things that AREN'T HOUSEWORK.


    "Let's not even talk about what happens when I get into a good book.

    Let me guess...

    "...this usually leaves me realizing at midnight (or later, sometimes much later) that I didn't do the dishes yet and I never moved the morning's load of laundry to the dryer, let alone put the next three loads in. I wash up a few essential breakfast dishes, give up, and go to bed." 

    Yeah, been there!  Done that!

    I'm glad the Flylady approach works for a lot of people. I've tried it out, but I have learned about myself that I don't want someone else to tell me what to do--and especially not in lots of email notifications."

    Are you my clone?

    Anyways, you can read more of her blog here.  As it happens I'm trying to get my house clean for my son's birthday party in a few weeks (yes, it may take that long to do it).  While I will NOT be posting for 31 days  ( I can't clean AND do that can I?  Well, maybe I can...but I'm not going to try.) there are some things I'd like to share with you on my "trying to be cleaner and more organized" journey, and I'll share what I can here.

    Thursday, September 8, 2011

    How to Help Fire Victims

    Here are some places collecting donations or doing fundraisers to help victims of the recent wildfires.  The kind of in-kind donations accepted are generally bottled water, non-perishable food, baby wipes, diapers, formula, personal hygiene items, pet food, soap, toothpaste/brushes, bedding (sheets, pillows), clothing, work gloves, trash bags.  Some places below are only accepting monetary donations.


    Belton:
    • Bell Baptist Association building at UMHB, 1125 College Street.  Accepting in kind donations  9 a.m. to noon, Friday Sept 9 .
    • Schoepf's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, 702 E. Central Ave., Belton;  Accepting in-kind donations 7 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, September 10. 
    • Dead Fish Grill, 2207 Lake Rd, Belton, TX.  Accepting in-kind donations.  People who donate will receive a coupon for a free chips and salsa appetizer.   For more info call call 254-939-5771 or visit http://www.deadfishgrill.com/.
    Copperas Cove:
    • Contact Stacy 803-447-7710
    Fort Hood:
    • Contact Beth 706-766-5780
      Harker Heights:
      • Ladies' Workout Express at 480 E. FM 2410 Ste. 100. Accepting toiletries, clothing (all sizes) can goods, children books and children toys.  254-680-5391
      Killeen:
      • Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine at 2300 S. Clear Creek Suite 101.  Accepting in kind donations. 
      • Grace Christian Center, 1401 E. Elms Road, Killeen;  Accepting in kind donations. Monday and Tuesday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday; 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 15.
      Temple:
      • United Way of Central Texas at 18 S. Main, Temple, TX 76501 254-778-8616.  Accepting cash or check donations.
        VARIOUS AREAS or ONLINE: 
        • The Red Cross of Central Texas is accepting monetary donations and lists some other places to drop off in-kind donations of food and clothing.
        • H-E-B customers can donate $1, $3 or $5 at checkout; company donating $50,000. 
        • Pizza Huts owned and operated by RMC:  On September 15 for all dine-in, carryout and delivery orders on this day, 10 percent of sales will go to benefit the Bastrop Fire Relief Efforts to assist the victims of the impacted communities.


        If you know of any other places in Waco and surrounding areas collecting donations for fire victims, please leave info in a comment below...or better yet, let the sites below (where I got my info) know so that it will reach a broader audience.

        Thursday, September 1, 2011

        Waco Gardening Tips: SEPTEMBER

        Onions in our garden

        This month's planting tips should be taken with a grain of salt because I don't know how this heat wave affects things.  I think planting indoors would be suggested on everything but root plants (carrots, onions, etc.). 
        • This is the month to transplant iris and calla lily.  There's a great video on how to divide and transplant iris here.  (But if they don't absolutely need deviding, possibly wait until next year.)
        • Plant carrots and mustard by the first week of September, and kale before October 1 (assuming the first frost will still be coming at the regular time).
        • Plant broccoli and cauliflower seeds now.  Since we're expecting more heat you might want to start these indoors.
        • Plant bulbing onions, bunching onions,  leeks, and shallots this month (cut off date for these is October 1).   Shallots sets are planted, not seeds.  The rest  should always be direct seeded into the garden, which is unfortunate considering this heat. 
        • Find out what other vegetables and herbs you can plant this month HERE.  But I'd hold off on anything that can still be planted next month, unless you want to seed indoors.   
        • Providing some shade for your plants may help.  Dorris at FlipFlopGardener suggests plant umbrellas (and gives some nifty instructions on how to set them up.   I've used plastic flowers to shade my read seedlings until they were strong enough to grow without shade, and it worked well. 
        I find most of my info about when to plant in the book Month to Month Gardening in Texas and at the Mother Earth News Website.

          Friday, August 26, 2011

          Waco Gardening Tip

          Bush Beans

          Though it's a horrid time to be gardening right now, if you want to have bush beans this fall you'll need to plant them by September 1st.

          I found this and lots of other great gardening info in the book Month to Month Gardening in Texas. You can also find info when to plant vegetables and herbs online HERE

          Monday, August 8, 2011

          Celebrate Summer at the Mayborn

          The Mayborn Museum has an Egyptian Exhibit this summer.  Every Wednesday they Mayborn has been doing a special Egypt related event with fun activities for kids.  The last one will be Wednesday, August 10th!

          Check the Mayborn Website for times and details.

          Saturday, August 6, 2011

          Wildflower Watch


          Keep an eye out for Garardia (Agalinis purpurea) which blooms this month.

          Wednesday, August 3, 2011

          FREE DAY at the Mayborn This Sunday (Aug 7)!

          Skeletal bicyclist


          The Mayborn is one of my favorite places to spend time with my three rambunctios boys during the hot summer months. They have fun exhibits to to keep a child entertained all day (really, you might not even hit all of it in one day)!

          We went so much we got a membership, which pays off really quickly if you have a large family. But if you aren't a member, this Sunday is a great time to visit because admission is FREE!

          Monday, August 1, 2011

          Waco Gardening Tips: AUGUST



          Flowers and Bulbs
          August is the last chance to plant the dormant bulbs of late summer and fall blooming lycoris  and fall crocus (Colchicum), which begin blooming in September.  August is also a good time to buy and plant Salvias.

          Roses and Shrubs
          You should prune your roses this month to get them ready for the fall blooming season. The exception is ramblers, climbers, and some varieties of old garden roses, which bloom on growth made the year before prolifically in spring and early summer. These should only be pruned now if absolutely necessary now (it's better to prune these type of roses earlier in the summer). Now is a really bad time to plant roses and shrubs, as the August heat is almost certain to kill new transplants.

          Trees
          This month is your last chance to plant palm trees, which will need time to get established before the cold. The heat makes this a bad time to plant other types of trees.

          Vegetables and Herbs
          Even though the weather is hot, there are many vegetables you can plant this month. Find out which ones are good to plant where you are here.


          I'm just an amature garderner...not an expert. Most of the information above came from the book Month to Month Gardening in Texas.

          Events at the Mayborn This Wednesday

          WEDNESDAY - AUGUST 3
          The Mayborn Museum has an Egyptian Exhibit this summer.  Every Wednesday they have special activities This Wednesday from 1:30 to 4:30 kids will get to weave on a loom, make Egyptian puppets, participate in basket races, and more!  There will also be films in the Mayborn theater all day starting at 11:00.  See all the planned activities here.

          (NOTE:  In past Wednesday activities, many events finished up around 4:15, even though it said 4:30.)

          Tuesday, July 26, 2011

          Ten on Tuesday - Summer To Do

          10 things to do before school starts...
          1. Get kids into the doctors for immunizations.
          2. Shop for school supplies.
          3. Shop for school clothes.
          4. Shop end of summer sales on bathing suits, pool toys, etc. for next year.
          5. Have the kids clean off their desk to a point where they can actually do homework on it.
          6. Start getting kids to bed earlier to prepare them for early school wake-up times.
          7. Start planning my winter garden.
          8. Keep my summer garden alive through August.
          9. Make up pesto to freeze with all that fresh basil I have growing out there.
          10. Enjoy what's left of summer!


          Photobucket

          Monday, July 25, 2011

          This Wednesday at the Mayborn Children's Museum

          The Mayborn Museum has an Egyptian Exhibit this summer.  Every Wednesday they do a special activity, and this Wednesday the theme is live and play like an Egyptian!  From 1:30 - 4:30 kids can weave a basket (or have a race in one), make a cartouche, learn hieroglypics, and more!  See all the planned events here.

          (NOTE:  In past Wednesday activities, many events finished up around 4:15, even though it says 4:30.)

          MORE FUN TOMORROW:  Egyptian movies are being shown every Thursday.  July 28th, at 6:00 pm you can see "Egypt's Great Queen: Hatshepsut."  See full Thursday line-up here.

          Thursday, July 21, 2011

          Thursday, July 14, 2011

          WARNING

          Came so close to buying this at Walmart for a fruit bowl for my table.  


          Good thing I noticed the label on the bottom first.


          To their credit, it was in the decorative/crafts section, not where food
          containers and dishes are sold.   And thankfully it was labeled.

          Tuesday, July 12, 2011

          This Week at the Mayborn Children's Museum

          WEDNESDAY
          The Mayborn Museum has an Egyptian Exhibit this summer.  Every Wednesday they have special activities This Wednesday from 1:30 to 4:30 kids will get to discover buried artifacts at a sand-filled dig site, meet an archaeologist, decode a secret language, and more!  See all the planned activities here.

          (NOTE:  In past Wednesday activities, many events finished up around 4:15, even though it said 4:30.)

          THURSDAY
          Egyptian movies are being shown every Thursday.  July 7th, at 6:00 pm you can see a film about "Modern Marvels: Mummy Tech" in the Mayborn Theater.  See full Thursday line-up here.

          Saturday, July 9, 2011

          Linky Parties

          A few blog events I sometimes participate in, have particpated in, want to participate in, or just enjoy browsing.

          TUESDAY


          Totally Useful Tuesdays
          New themes posted weekly

          Sarah Celebrates









          Tiny Tip Tuesday

          Masons Mama




          WEDNESSDAY

          ”motherdaughterbookreviews.com”


           THURSDAY 


          Cat Thursday

          Throwback Thursday
          Share posts from this week,
          previous years



          FRIDAY

          Post a simple question



          (Restarting January 2012)

          funfrugalmommy




          SATURDAY




          Thursday, June 30, 2011

          WACO GROCERY DEALS

          Spotted at Walmart at Hewitt Drive:


          Strawberries for $1.69 a carton and peaches for $0.69 per lb (and nice peaches too...not rotted or green)!

          Tuesday, June 28, 2011

          Egyptian Events at the Mayborn - Free Days Coming Up!


          The Mayborn has a special exhibit this summer, Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets, Modern Science.    It's pretty cool, though honestly my kids weren't that interested in any of the actual artefacts (the mummy was amazing and wish they hadn't been tugging me out of that section so I could have seen it better).

          They have some special events planned every Wednesday.  We've been to the "Look Like and Egyptian" event they had in June...my boys didn't care for it (the dressing up activities probably would appeal to girls more), but I'm looking forward to the Live Like and Egyptian event tomorrow, where they can make a sarcophagus, pinch pot, throw a spear and more.

          And, if you want to try out the museum for FREE, there's a free day this weekend, July 3rd from 1 - 5, and another day coming up August 7th!

          WEDNESDAYS - INTERACTIVE EGYPTIAN THEMES
          • June 29, 2011- Live Like an Egyptian
          • July 6, 2011- Learn Like an Egyptian
          • July 13, 2011- UnLock Egypt
          • July 20, 2011- Look Like an Egyptian
          • July 27, 2011- Live Like an Egyptian
          • August 3, 2011- Learn Like an Egyptian
          • August 10, 2011- Celebrate Summer
          THURSDAYS - EGYPTIAN MOVIES
          They are showing a different Egypt themed film every Thursday. See Film Schedule Here.

          FREE SUNDAYS (One Sunday Per Month, 1-5 pm)
          You can visit the Mayborn on the following days FOR FREE!
          • July 3
          • August 7

          Friday, June 24, 2011

          Win Tickets to the Dr. Pepper Museum



          You can win tickets to the Dr. Pepper Museum right here in Waco, TX over at Free Sample Freak.  There's more Texas giveaways at the Texas Summer Giveaway Bash.

          Wednesday, June 22, 2011

          Mayborn Museum: Look Like and Egyptian Today

          The Mayborn Museum has a new summer display:  Lost Egypt:  Ancient Secrets, Modern Science.  Looking forward to taking my kids to that!  Today there's an event from 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm that involves an Ancient Egyptian makeover.

          Event Name:  "Look Like an Egyptian" Activity Wednesdays
          Event Date:  Jun 22, 2011
          (1:30 pm - 4:30 pm)
          Event Location:  Mayborn Musuem Complex
          Event Description:  Special $5.00 Admission Price


          They are also also having an Egypt themed film viewing every Thursday. This Thursday at 6:00 pm they are showing The Mummy (1930s version).

          Monday, June 20, 2011

          Waco Area Vacation Bible Schools - Summer 2011



          Churches all over Waco are hosting Vacation Bible School, fun Christian day-camps which are usually free for kids to attend!   Here's a few I found in Waco and surrounding area:


          June 

          Bosqueville Baptist Church
          Theme:  Hometown Nazareth:  Where Jesus Was a Kid
          Location:  Waco
          Dates: June 26 - June 30
          Time:  6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
          More Info Here (Scroll Down Under Events)

          Bellmead Calvary Baptist Church
          Theme:  Aloha Hawaii
          Location:  Bellmead
          Dates: June 27 - July 1
          Time:  6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
          More Info Here 

          Central United Methodist Church
          Theme:  Hometown Nazareth:  Where Jesus Was a Kid
          Location:  Waco
          Dates: June 27 - July 1
          Time:  6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
          More Info Here



          July

          Peace Lutheran Church
          Theme:  Big Jungle Adventure
          Location:  Hewitt
          They have a Carnival Kick-Off With Inflatables, carnival games, face painting, and prizes the first day, and Dinner before each VBS session.
          Ages: 3 yr.olds—6th grade
          Dates: July 10 - 14
          Times:
          Carnival Kick-Off: 4:00 - 5:30pm, July 10th only
          Dinner: 5:30 - 6:10 pm each night
          VBS:     6:15 - 8:15 pm each night
          More Info Here


          Central Presbyterian Church
          Theme: Route 254
          Dates:  July 25 - July 29
          Time: 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
          Ages: 4 yr old - entering 6th grade.
          Location: Woodway
          More info here

          Western Heights Baptist Church
          Theme: Big Apple Adventure
          Dates:  July 25 - July 29
          Time: 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
          Ages: 4 yr old - completed 6th grade.
          Location: Waco
          More Info Here


          If your church would like their VBS listed here, please leave the details in a comment below, or e-mail me at ecarian at yahoo dot com

          Shopping Steals: Cheap Strawberries at Walmart on Hewitt Dr.

          Strawberries were less than $2 at Walmart on Hewitt Dr. last night, and they had a ton so I'm assuming the sale will still be going on today!

          Wednesday, June 8, 2011

          Art House Waco


          I have been wanting to visit Art House Waco for several years now because the husband of a friend of mine is one of the artists who participates.  It's never been a good time.  Maybe this weekend I'll get out to see it fanally. 

          Arthouse Waco is a group of self-promoting artists collaborate and present their work in a show that only lasts a weekend. I believe it's free to attend. The artworks are all for sale.

          How well would children do visiting this? Well, I've never been, but I imagine it would depends on the child, and that older children might do better. There could be artistic nudity and all that...so use your own discretion.

          Friday, June 3, 2011

          Nazareth Coming to Waco!

          From June 6 - 10 Nazareth will be coming to Daypring Baptist Church!

          Bead Shop and Synagogue School

          This will be a fun time for kids to experience what it was like in the town Jesus grew up in.  They'll get to hear stories about Jesus from Mary, dress in costume, work in a carpentry shop, taste new foods, sing songs, play games, and learn about God!   Dayspring Vacation Bible School is FREE to kids age pre-K through 6th Grade, and parents can register their children anytime, even after VBS is started! 


          Dayspring Nazareth VBS 
          June 6 - 9
          9:30 - 12:00 pm 

          Or Call
          254-776-9988

          Dayspring Baptist Church is located at
          7900 Renewal Way
          Waco, TX 76712

          Thursday, April 14, 2011

          Cameron Park Zoo - New Photo Site

          I love Cameron Park Zoo here in Waco. Its a small zoo, but well taken care of, with lots spots for kids to stop and play in.   We always enjoy visiting.  And we always take lots of pictures when we go.  Here's one we got of a napping lion.



          I just learned that Cameron Park has opened a photo site, Cameron Park Zoo Photos, where you can make photo gifts like posters, cards, and photobooks, and 25% of the profits go to support Cameron Park!  And, now through April 22, Big Photos will donate one dollar for each new user that registers on the site!  Since Cameron Park is a non-profit that sometimes struggles for funding, I'm glad to have another way to help them out.

          The coolest thing about the Cameron Park Photo Site, in my opinion, is that they have galleries with wonderful pictures from Cameron Park that you can use alongside your own pictures.   So, say you took a picture of your child with a giraffe in the background...



          ...but you didn't get any good close-ups of the giraffe to go along with it.  If you are making a photo book through CameronParkZooPhotos.com you can pick out one of their great giraffe photos to use alongside your own photos.  





          All the photos in their galleries are of Cameron Park animals, so you can feel happy knowing the pictures you choose are of the actual animals you saw at the zoo.  And it's easy to move and resize pictures, change the layout, or add text, too!