Anyhow, I thought I’d share a couple of helpful how-to videos from YouTube by Makeup Geek.  They’re easy and don’t come across like a MAC commercial like so many do.

I know many of you, like me, probably don’t have the cash or local stores to buy MAC and Urban Decay products (although they are online) – so, I found a couple of my favorite drugstore (or Walmart) products to share with you.

My favorite eyeliner:  L’Oreal Infallible (in the dark brown…black is too harsh for me).  It usually runs between about $6-8.  Then, after I apply it, I use a little bit of powder to brush lightly over it to set it.

My favorite “out on the town” eyeshadow:  Wet N’ Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio.  As a kid, Wet N’ Wild had a reputation for being the trashiest and crappiest of makeup brands, but I have to say… I REALLY like these trio sets.  They’re bold and fun and pretty.  Also, if you’re not familiar with eye makeup, each color is labeled as to where you put it (with a diagram on the back of the packaging) AND your colors are already put together for you!

I have the one above, but this one is my FAVORITE set of colors:

Now, for the videos…

Your mission this week, if you choose to accept it is to:  Organize YOUR wardrobe.

This week, I’m playing along with Simple Mom and her Organizational Challenge – actually, we’ll be doing this for 5 weeks, but hey.  Details shmetails, right?

You can click the link above, but the basic bit is to organize your own wardrobe – you know, with hangers and stuff.  Organized into piles on the floor totally doesn’t count.  (Drats, guess that means I have to fold laundry!  But, does that mean I only have to fold mine this week?)

Anyhow, we have until Friday to go through our own clothing and get rid of what we don’t want.  If we choose to throw away or give away any clothing, it needs to be out by Friday, too.

Personally, I think I’m going to make this a slightly bigger challenge for myself.  I invite you to join me in any capacity you want…

MY PLAN (This Week):

-Break out my improvised FlyLady Zone List for the Master Bedroom – I’ll be dusting and vacuuming and all of that jazz in the bedroom.  (I’m not sure if this is me being proactive or procrastinating…)

-Designing something for my small jewelry collection – a pile on the dresser just isn’t doing it.

-Re-organize my large bookshelf (well, the stuff on it).

-Organize and clean out under the bed (GASP!)

Why blog?

I get this question more than one would think.  I can’t tell YOU why YOU should blog, but I can tell you why some others (me, included) do:

It’s like therapy.  Only cheaper.
It’s great for business if you’re a website because it keeps your content fresh…which google likes.
It’s a great record-keeper – Whether you want to remember the funny things your kids did (and turn it into a book later) or you just want to chronicle your life.  Whatever.
It can make you money (which I’ll explain later).

Who would even read my blog?

That my friend, you have to answer.  It’s up to you.  You can make your blog private (which I have several of those, too), you can make it semi-private (where you invite certain people) OR you can make it completely public.  It’s up to you.

As far as who would want to read your blog…well, a lot of people.  Let me tell ya.  I never really thought anyone would want to read the random ramblings of a SAHM but they do!  I have over 6500 unique visitors per month.  And, it’s growing.  It never stays the same.  The number is ALWAYS going up.  I don’t even KNOW 6500 people!!

So, just write.  No matter what you write about, there’s gonna be SOMEONE that’s interested.  (Unless you’re writing about killing kittens or something weird like that.  No, actually, I take that back.  You’ll still probably have readers…just not me.)

I don’t know much about websites and I’m not that great of a writer, how do I do this?

I slaughter grammar and I put commas and periods wherever I want to because in high-school, my AP English teacher told me that once I was a published writer, I could make up my own rules.  So I do.  And, am.  As long as you know how to use spell-check, you’re good.

And, you don’t have to know a lot about websites.  You can do a simple blog and do great OR you can do something huge and complex and hire people to do what you can’t.  It’s pretty easy like that.

What should I write about?

Your life.  Products.  Saving money.  Raising kids.  Homeschooling.  Crafts.  Techie stuff.  Making money.  Re-purposing things.  Funny things people say.  Music.  Celebrities.  People that inspire you.  Art.  Cars.  Weird fashions.  Whatever. You. Want.

Where do I start?

First, you start by signing up for your own blog.  I recommend using a WordPress or Blogger platform.

IF you are wanting to advertise on your blog, I recommend you use WordPress.com or use the wordpress platform and buy your own domain name and hosting (which is what I do).

IF you want something that’s really point and click and very few brain cells involved (and less freedom), go for Blogger.com.

Keep in mind that Google owns Blogger, so you may show up EASIER in search engines, but they have rules that won’t allow you to advertise much at all.  And if they catch you, they can ban you and all sorts of stuff.

**Before you actually sign up for a blog, I suggest you decide what you will be writing and then come up with a name.  Come up with something fun, catchy, and easy to remember…unless of course, you aren’t wanting to be found or just like to be difficult.  Then, do whatever you want.

How do I make my blog pretty?

Both of the websites I linked to give you the option of a variety of themes/layouts.  Of course, you can find even more by googling them or finding someone who will design you something nicer (which comes with a fee).

My advice is to check out your favorite blog designs and look at the bottom of those blogs to see who designed it.

Questions?

Favorite blog designers?

Favorite place to blog?

Do you have a blog?

Part 2 – Getting Your Blog “Out There”

1.  Until July this year, WDW is offering military personnel and their families a GREAT DEAL on tickets.  It’s about $99 for a 4 Day base ticket, which you can upgrade for approximately $25-30.  To save even more money on taxes, you can buy said tickets at Shades of Green in Orlando, or possibly at your nearest base.  (Call to figure out which option is cheaper.)

2.  Disney now allows soft coolers into the park with foods that don’t need to be reheated.  Take advantage of this!  We brought small rolls of bologna, crackers, chicken salad, cheese, sun chips, dried fruits, Kashi cheese crackers, etc to avoid some of the high prices of the park snacks.  Also, instead of the blue freezer packs, we filled a few ziploc bags with ice each morning, which we’d pour into our drinks as it melted.

3.  BYOB.  Bring your own bottle.  Water bottle, that is.  You will have the opportunity to fill up your water all over the park from the water fountains.  I will warn you, though, Orlando’s water is GROSS.  So, if you aren’t used to it, you may want to bring some lemon juice, fruit juice, or Crystal Light to help camoflauge the taste.  And…the water that comes from the fountains are room temperature, so if that’s an aversion you have, prepare yourself by bringing some ice.

4.  Bring your own stroller if you have little ones.  If we would have rented a double stroller for our girls, it would have cost us an extra $31/day.  Instead, we brought our own into the park (which wasn’t really any more trouble since we had to tote the kids in anyhow) AND we had ample space to store our cooler/bags so nobody had to pack anything.

5.  Walt Disney World offers some great hotels at “budget” prices – unfortunately, they didn’t fit into OUR budget (approx $80-$100/night).  Instead, we traveled with my husband’s parents and stayed at Ft. Wilderness.  They allowed us to fit an RV and 2 large tents onto one lot.  The price per night for these sites are between $59-$74 and could potentially be split up between several families.  It’s an extra $2/person once you start adding people, but that’s a pretty small price to pay.  Ft. Wilderness has great air-conditioned “comfort stations” (shower/bathrooms) where the water never got cold in the shower (unless you wanted it to).  If you take this route, I recommend that you bring some good bug spray and possibly bug zappers for the mosquitoes and yellow flies.  And, if you stay in a tent…a fan is nice (although we managed without one and had a baby and toddler and two adults that seemed to manage just fine).

6.  Save your gas, use Disney’s transportation.  Sure, it’s a little slower, but RELAX – you’re going to be moving like a mad person as soon as you get into the parks.

7.  If you have a little princess of your own, scout out yardsales for princess dresses.  Or, run to the dollar store or Michael’s and buy some tulle and make her a tutu.  The staff at Disney pull out all the stops, especially when you come all dressed up.  And, hey!  It’s Disney, why not dress up like a princess?  Anyways, a dress in one of their stores is $60.  Take your own nail polish, some face glitter, glitter hair spray, and a little tiara and you can surprise your little one with a little makeover before you even get there.  –All for under $20.  The same treatment INSIDE the parks would set you back $200.

8.  Check out the Walmart down the road from the park for some good Disney deals.  They sell a few similar/same things for a fraction of the price (think $2 vs. $15).

9.  If your kiddos are old enough, they may beg for toys.  Luckily, mine were asleep it seemed by the time we got to the stores, but if you don’t think you’ll be so lucky you can purchase toys before you go.  Try ebay, Walmart, yardsales, or make stuff.  Heck, I found some ADORABLE mickey mouse themed dresses on ETSY.com for only $20, they were cuter than anything WDW offered and at a fraction of the price.

10. Lastly, I suggest bringing some meals to help cut costs.  We brought easy to prepare foods – from wraps and sandwiches to flatbread with pizza fixings.  Hotdogs and hamburgers to simple pastas.  At WDW, it’s EASY to lay down $30 for ONE adult buffet (OUCH!)

Check out allears.com before you go for some great tips.  Or, peruse your local bookstore and read some other great tips.  There are so many cool things you can do if you just ASK – from free pins at the front gate to pin trading with staff.

Have any great Disney tips?  Share them in the comments!

My personality is one that likes to do many things and likes to be helpful – but the downside is that sometimes I fill my schedule with meaningless but busy things and sometimes I just clutter my life without really doing the things that mean the most to me.

About a month ago, I reached out to a friend of mine – I look up to her in many ways, one of them being her search for SIMPLICITY.  She’s promised to let me “shadow” her when she gets back from a trip to see how she manages a few things in her home.  In the meanwhile, though, she sent me this great recording from Preschoolers and Peace (thank you, Sara!).  Basically, Kendra Fletcher goes through her biggest organizational tips and what works for her (she’s a mom to 7, including a baby and a 3 year old!).

Then, I had my DUH moment.

I’ve been feeling SO busy, but if I look at my planner, it’s not too full.  I mean, 2 days a week I have physical therapy which lasts about a couple of hours (including waiting) and then, I clean one day a week and that’s pretty much it.  So, why does it FEEL like I have no time and why do I feel so STRESSED?

It’s because I have no schedule since we’ve moved.

It’s because our house is a disaster area…since the move.

It’s because I have no clue where most of our belongings are since they’re in one big pile (or so it feels) in the storage building…

It’s because homeschooling hit the backburner, and I feel like I’m wasting my daughter’s time…

It’s because our kitchen/dining room just shrunk and cooking is really intimidating me in this new kitchen since most things are stored out of my reach due to storage limitations and then add in a lack of counter space….

I’m feeling claustrophobic, and no wonder why!  It’s not that I’m too BUSY…it’s that I’m not organized.  –All I want to do is read or paint, but not do the things I NEED to do.

So, this morning, I dug out my Homeschool planner and made a plan for this week (I only do a week at a time so I can move forward or focus more on a certain area as we need).  We took a 2 month break with the bankruptcy and the move and such and I feel like such a bad mommy for not having structured learning time.  It’s not that she hasn’t learned anything, it just FEELS like I haven’t taught her on purpose.  Ah, guilt.  Isn’t it lovely?

Next, I’m going to spend today making up Cleaning Zones.  We adapted these from FLY LADY but toned them down a bit because I really don’t care if you can eat off my floors or not, as long as they are clean (for being floors).  Actually, I might think you a bit odd if you licked my floors anyhow.

Then, I plan to make a very lenient daily schedule for me.

And then… a meal plan.

This week, I’m supposed to switch it up a bit and ASK for a tip (or tips).  Easy enough!

So, here we go:

Can you name some things that you do (or thought about doing!) to make your dollar stretch a little further – maybe you do them to be more eco-friendly, maybe you do them for the health of your family, or maybe you do them because having more money at the end of the day rather than just giving it away to someone else pleases you.  Whatever your reason…

Anything goes – from meals to cleaning to entertainment to clothing and whatever else you can think of!

What works for you (but could maybe work for me!)?