Friday, July 23, 2010

If it's free it's for me!

If you are like me, you are always looking for great deals and cost cutting methods. Scouring through ads, cutting coupons, finding all the best sales....sound familiar? In today's economy many families are having to cut costs wherever they can to keep finances in order. So if you are a fashionista turned recessionista, here are some great ways to still get great looks for low cost or FREE! Swap meets are becoming increasingly popular among friends and communities as a way of recycling unwanted items for something new. If there are no local swap meets in your area, you can still get a group of friends together and have your own. Let's say you want to have a clothing swap. Invite your friends and have each person bring five articles of clothing or accessories that they no longer want that they are willing to swap out. Add some wine and you now have the makings of a great girl's night where you can score some new looks!

Other ways to start swapping are online swapping sites. There are many swapping sites popping up lately that can save you alot of money. One of my personal favorites is Swaptree. Swaptree is a great site that I have been using for about a year and a half now that lets you swap books, DVDs, video games, and Cd's. I increased my family's DVD collection just by swapping books that I got for free off of craigslist! Swaptree is especially useful if you have children because you can swap out their books and movies for more age appropriate things. This can save you alot of money and time.

If you are looking to swap clothes and accessories, be sure to try out Dig 'N' Swap. Dig'N'Swap is a great online swap site where you can list the items that you have that you no longer want and trade them with users all over the country. Their site is very user friendly and they carry a wide range of brands ranging from Old Navy, BeBe, Hollister, and even high end designers such as Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, and Louis Vuitton. Other sites that are similar to this are Rehash, Zwaggle, and if you are looking for primarily baby items try out Swap Baby Goods.

If you have found other great swapping sites that are not listed feel free to let me know, I'd love to hear your feedback!

Happy Swapping!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Obama: Teaching Sex Education to Kindergartners

First off let me be clear, I didn't write this so I'm not taking any credit for this work. It was written by Anthony M. Davis who is my father and can be found on his website www.homelandsecuritygroup.info I just found out about this new teaching plan of starting sex education in our schools to kids as young as kindergarten and think that is absolutely disturbing! I think that this first of all needs to be up to the parent of when they are going to have this "talk" with their child not up to the schools and definitley not in a kindergarten level. Parenting decisons need to be left up to parents! Please follow the link and read about this disturbing new trend and be sure to share with others. I have small children and I don't want them exposed to this until I feel that they are ready for it and can understand it. We have to protect our children! Again, I don't take any writing credit for anything posted on the homeland security group webpage, I'm just passing it on so you can be informed!



Obama: Teaching Sex Education to Kindergartners

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Topsail, North Carolina




Well it's that time again--summer vacation! The weather is hot and the kids are out of school and if they're anything like my kids, they are bored and looking at you Mom's and Dad's to keep them busy! Like most families summer vacations mean heading to overpopulated, littered, and hectic beaches. Vacations are supposed to be relaxing and a time to unwind, not another stress! My family loves the beach but finds that many beaches in our area are just way too crowded for us since we have small children.

We happened to find the perfect beach spot a few years ago that embraces what vacations are supposed to be about. Topsail Island in North Carolina is the beach to go to if you are looking for a great beach experience without the crowds of people and miles of littered shoreline. Topsail Island is a 26 mile barrier island that has three small towns in it; Surf City, North Topsail Beach, and Topsail Beach. The island has plenty of accommodations for every lifestyle ranging from campgrounds, vacation rentals, motels, even a bed and breakfast. There is plenty of breathing room when you head to the shore.

My family spent almost every day of our vacation in the sand and surf and the nearest families were a good 30-50 feet away on either side so you don't feel like you are in someone else's lap the whole day. If you want to take a break from the beach there are plenty of activities that are fun for the whole family.

On Topsail Beach if you are looking for something educational but still fun for everyone be sure to check out the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. Here you can meet some of their "patients" and learn how they are fighting the extinction of a great species. Also, when you go home you can go to their website and keep track of how your favorite turtle patient is doing as they constantly update their website with news on how they are recovering. Also another neat feature is turtle tracking. Some of their released turtles are outfitted with satellite transmitters and through the website you can see everywhere your turtle has been. It's a great place to visit and you can still be involved from home!

Other great activities for any age are the Battleship North Carolina located in Wilmington, Ecological Marine Adventures, Surf City Ocean Pier, and The Belle Of Topsail just to name a few. So no matter what type of vacation you are looking for whether it be relaxing or action packed Topsail Island is the place to be this summer!

Happy Travels!


http://www.topsailcoc.com/index.aspx

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Welcome

Welcome to my blog! I decided to start writing a blog to share my experiences with others. I'm a wife and a mother to three amazing children. Reading my blog you will get a glimpse into my life and share the ups and downs of married life, raising children, and even follow along with us as we travel! My family is known for having the travel bug! We love to go new places and experience new things. Sometimes it's just a day trip, a weekend getaway, or even a vacation, but wherever we end up you can find out all the best places to see, eat, and shop!

I look forward to sharing our adventures with you!

Happy Reading!