App-solutely Awesome

So, as you know, I love finding cool apps on my iPhone! I have found a pretty amazing app called CheckPoints. It has quickly become my new favorite! Basically, this is how it works. You "check in" at stores and businesses that you already go to. By checking in you earn points. You can also earn points when you go to many stores by scanning the bar code on certain products. For example, if you scan any Clorox product at Target, you earn 50 points.

Earning points sounds fun, but what can you do with those points? Well, you can cash your points in for gift cards, electronics, and more. It's like getting something free, just for shopping! Watch this video for more information.

Another great way to earn points is to refer friends. For each friend that you refer, you earn 150 points. That's pretty easy!

Go ahead and download CheckPoints. You'll become addicted very quickly. You can earn 300 points just for getting started. Don't forget to help me out by putting my code, amandalt30, in the bonus code spot.

Enjoy!

Straight from Second Grade

When you spend the majority of your day with seven year olds, you not only learn a lot, but hear some very interesting things. Everyone tells me that I should write the things that my students say, so I've tried to remember a few. Sometimes we all need a little laugh.

- "So Ms. Turner, what is your last name?"

- When I asked my kids to guess my weight, one responded "60 pounds! I know that because that's how much I weigh and you're about my size!"

- When asked who the mayor of Bowling Green was, two of my students eagerly raised their hand to answer. First answer, Barack Obama. Second answer, Martin Luther King.

- My sister and I work at the same school. She came in to tell the kids that she was pregnant, and I asked the kids if they could guess how far along she was. One kid yelled out "About 15 feet!"

- "You don't look 27 years old--you look about my size."

- "I like your phone. Is it a Blueberry?"

- I gave this scenario to my students one day; "The whole family got up early this morning. We've been excited for weeks. We've packed our suitcases. We are going to drive a long time and go to a place where we can visit two very famous mice. Where are we going?" One of my students shouted out "The Lousiville Zoo?"

- "When I get to be Ms. Turner's age, I hope my hair is like hers."

- "If I had one wish that could come true, I would wish that my teacher was pretty."

These are just a few of the great things that the kids have said. I have a lot more, maybe I'll have a second installment of "Straight from Second Grade."

Good Times at the Grocery Store

If you've ever been to my house, you know you should probably pack a snack bag if you want anything to eat or drink. I really never have food in my house. In the past, I'd truly do well to go to the grocery store every six months. It's not that I don't like food (that's obvious from my figure), or that I don't like grocery stores. Really I don't know what the problem was, but regardless, it's been solved.

Have you ever been to Aldi? I hadn't been, but I knew a few people who always went. I always heard them talk about how much money they saved. I thought that sounded nice, but I wasn't really interested. Well, one day I decided it was about time to try the place out.

The first time was a little overwhelming to me. I mean, no one told me that I had to have a quarter to get a cart. I never ever carry cash or change. So, I just stood there, looking like an idiot. I was wondering if the carts took debit cards, but they don't. Luckily, someone noticed that I was very confused, and they gave me a cart. Well, I made it into the store, and then I was confused again. Nothing was on shelves--just boxes. I got a few things, but not a lot. I didn't really know what I was doing. The problems continued when I got to the checkout. Unfortunately, I didn't know you had to bring your own bags. I also didn't realize that they had bags for sell, or I totally would have bought some. Don't worry, I did take everything out and just throw it in my car. That definitely took me about 42 trips back and forth from the car to unload.

I'm obviously not too easily discouraged, or I never would have gone back. But, one day when I had extra time, a quarter, and some bags, I decided to go back and do some real shopping. I loaded up my cart until it was completely full. I was a little worried, because I knew I had probably spent way too much. I got to the checkout (which is ridiculously fast), and found that my total was only $67! WHAT!?! I had gotten an entire month worth of groceries, for only $67? That's pretty much crazy!

I tried all of the food, and it was great! Since then, I have definitely become a believer in Aldi. The food is great, the price is amazing, and I can get in and out so quickly. I've tried to encourage everyone to go to Aldi and give it a try.

Here are some tips to try:

1) Keep a quarter someplace in your car. Make that your Aldi quarter--put it right back when you leave.

2) Keep some bags in your trunk so that you always have them handy. (You can also buy them for five cents if you forget.)

3) Try the produce...it's the best ever.

4) Look closely at everything,....things are packed tightly in there, and just because you didn't see it doesn't mean they don't have it.

Have fun shopping...let me know what you think, and how much money you saved!

What Next?

Well, now that school has started back, I have less time to blog, so I probably won't be able to every day. I am running out  of ideas! Imagine that....someone who talks as much as I do is running out of things to say! Crazy!  Please leave me comments of what you'd like me to write about. I need some ideas! Thanks in advance!

Weekly Reality Recap

The Bachelorette
This week was highly annoying to me. Most of the guys gathered to answer questions about this season. The majority of the show was spent talking about "the wrestler" and what he did. He didn't even show up to the show, therefore I don't believe he should have had most of two hours devoted to talking about him. Frank also didn't show up. Don't worry, Kasey was there wth his strange voice. Honestly, I lost interest in the show. I am so looking forward to the finale. So excited!


 
Teen Mom
This week was drama on Teen Mom.
 
Farrah moved into an apartment to get away from her parents. She didn't tell her parents where she was moving to, but I don't think that will last long. She depends on them for too much.
 
Maci attempted to find a place to move into with some of her friends. Her friends quickly realized that living with a baby wasn't that appealing to them. So, it looks like Maci will be staying at home.
 
Gary met a girl that he was interested in--don't worry, he did meet her at Wal-Mart. He took a one day break from Amber and decided that he didn't want to be without her,.
 
Tyler found out that Catelynn had communicated with her ex and lied about it. There was a lot of crying, but it looks like they're going to try to work this out. One thing I am concerned about is Catelynn's eyebrows. They are suddenly gone.

Big Brother

This week on Big Brother Kathy and Andrew were put up for eviction. Andrew was told he was just a pawn, and that the plan was to backdoor Brendon or Rachel. Brendon won the POV competition and ruined Matt (and the Brigades) plan. He left Kathy & Andrew on the block. In his plea for votes, Andrew outed Hayden & Kristen's "showmance" and started drama between the two of them and the rest of the house. All of the votes were for Andrew, and he was sent home. The HOH competition was held and Rachel won, meaning that she and Brendon will probably be safe another week. It looks like there's some real drama ahead for the show.

App-solutely Awesome

Today's app will please both parents and teachers! BrainPOP is an educational website used by many teachers to entertain students while learning. You must have a paid subscription to the website. The iPhone app is great though, because it features a new FREE video each day.

First, watch the short video.

Then, allow your child to take the quiz (you may have to help out with this if they're very young).

This app is a great way to keep your child busy when needed, and teach them something at the same time. Have fun!

Four Star Fun

Hate paying high prices for hotel rooms? Me too, so I just don't. If you haven't used Priceline to book your hotels, you're really missing out. Priceline.com offers you the opportunity to "Name Your Own Price." Decide where you're going, pick a general area where you want to stay, and bid on your hotel room. You'll be shocked by just how low you can go. I love to take overnight trips and have never paid over $38 for a hotel room...even in three and four star hotels!

Here are the things you'll need to know.

1) The more areas (in your chosen town) you choose, the more likely your bid is to be accepted.

2) Start bidding low--like $28. Several notes will pop up telling you that your bid is ridiculously low, but go ahead and try it anyway.

3) Try 2 1/2-3 1/2 star hotels....the ones I've stayed in have been great.

4) If your bid is not accepted, increase it by just a couple of dollars.

5) You must put your credit card number in BEFORE you bid--once you bid, it will tell you where you will be staying...you don't get to choose.

6) Once your reservation has been made, changes cannot be made. Double check your information before hitting submit.

Go ahead and book your room...let me know how it works for you!

Let's Get Real

Let's get real, summer is over. Today is the first day back to school for teachers--exactly one week before our classrooms will be filled with students. It amazes me just how quickly this summer has gone. It seems like we just got out of school two weeks ago.

Every summer I hear annoying comments from people who are not teachers, and I would just like to take time to clear them up. I usually just smile and nod, however this is what I'd really like to say.

"It must be nice to have all summer off."
Yes, it would be nice to have all summer off, but I wouldn't know anything about that. As a teacher, my summer is full of organizing/moving my classroom, getting things ready for the students to come back, making copies, doing lesson plans, attending professional development, and/or taking Master's classes. At any given moment, you can pull into our school's parking lot and see several cars belonging to teachers who are working to prepare for the next school year. Yes, there is time off, but it's not all summer by any means.

"You get off at 2:30 and have the whole rest of the day to yourself."
Okay, so this is partially true. I do get off at 2:30, but I'm also at work by 6:45. Many afternoons are spent in meetings, planning, or preparation for the next day. Most teachers do not leave at 2:30. When I do leave school, I have to do all of the things that normal people do--go to the bank, grocery store, errands, doctor's appointments, etc. There is also time spent grading papers, making phone calls, and preparing for the next day's lesson. Don't forget that I have to go to bed pretty early to be awake in time for school the next day.

"You get paid for a whole year and only work nine months."
Well, you're just plain wrong about that one. I get paid for 9 months--it is just spread out over the year. Teachers do not get paid for the summer. And, as previously mentioned, we definitely work more than nine months.

"I wish I got a Fall Break."
You probably do; it's called vacation time, and you can use it when you like.

Those are just a few of the numerous comments that annoy me, and probably most teachers. I would also like to take this time to clear up any other misconceptions about the teaching profession.

1) Lunch breaks are extremely short. (You usually have 10-15 minutes to eat.)
2) We don't get bonuses.
3) We spend A LOT of our own money and are not reimbursed.
4) In KY we are required to earn a Master's degree. This is very expensive.
5) We do not "play" all day as some people think.
6) Any extra time spent at school is unpaid.

As this school year begins, take time to thank a teacher for what they do. Ask what you can do to help--bring supplies, volunteer, etc. Teachers do the job that they have because they love children and want to make a difference in their lives. Let's get real--if they didn't, they wouldn't be there.

IKEA

Everyone knows that I love IKEA! I've made it my mission to tell everyone how great it is! I went again last week with the girls I work with. They all loved it too!

If you don't know about IKEA, it is your one stop shop for home decor. You can find wonderfully priced furniture, textiles, decorations, accessories, and more. You will be shocked at just how much you can buy with just a little money!

IKEA stores are spread out all over the country, but the closest one to us in Bowling Green is in West Chester, OH....about 4 hours away. So, plan a road trip with your friends and make it a fun getaway. Be prepared to spend several hours in the store, because there's so  much to see!

Most of the store is set up in fully furnished (by IKEA) rooms. You cans see how furniture looks when it is set up, and get lots of ideas for your own home. The rest of the store is set up like a warehouse, where you can pull your own items from bins on the floor.

If you're like me and think that you need to eat all of the time, you're in luck! IKEA has their own restaurant located inside the store, along with a cafe with some wonderful cinnamon rolls. I've heard that the meatballs are amazing, but I haven't tried them.

I'm always wanting to go to IKEA, so if you want to go, let me know. I'm there! It's so much fun!

Weekly Reality Recap

The Bachelorette
This week on the Bachelorette Ali and the three remaining men went to Tahiti. Ali went on dates with Roberto and Chris, and both dates went well. On the day she was supposed to go with Frank, he announced that he would be leaving the show to pursue a relationship with his ex-girlfriend. While I think it was lame for Frank to stay on the show that long and never say anything to Ali about the feelings he was having, I am glad he said something now instead of later. I am so excited to see who she chooses in the end. I still really want Chris to win!

Teen Mom
For some reason, I love this show. The four moms featured started out on MTV's 16 and Pregnant, and now have their own show about life as a teen mom.

In this season premiere Macy decided to start collecting child support from her ex-fiancee Ryan. I do realize that Ryan is a teenager, and he is unemployed, but he only ended up having to pay like $230 a month. That's crazy to me.

Tyler and Catelynn gave their baby Carly up for adoption. Catelynn has a pretty rough home life and has been living with Tyler and his mom for a while now. In this episode, Tyler suggested Catelynn move back home for a while. He said that they were too young to be living together. I know that the situation is bad at home for Catelynn, and I hate that she's going back to that. I feel really sorry for her, because she seems to be a lot more mature than the rest of her family.

Amber thought she might be pregnant again so she went to the doctor, only to find out that she's not. Amber is straight up drama, and her super orange tan is killing me!

Farrah got into a fight with her mom, Debra. Farrah's lip was busted, and when the cops arrived Debra was holding knives. She is crazy! Farrah moved in to the "guest house" across the street because she's not allowed to have her baby, Sophia, around Debra.

Jersey Couture

Diane, Kimberly, and Chrissy traveled to Chicago in the season finale to visit their friend Mac. They were able to get ideas for expanding their business. While they were gone, Sal and Anthony worked in the Diane & Co. back room to make it more organized, like the one in Chicago. Unfortunately, Diane wasn't too pleased with it.

Kimberly talks about expanding the store, and Chrissy complains about working in the store--as usual. Chrissy threatens to quit working at the store because she says it's not her dream. I do think it kind of stinks that she is expected to work in the store. I guess we'll see what happens next season.

App-solutely Awesome

This week's app is for anyone who loves Pictionary type games. Charadium is an app that allows you to play against your friends. You can invite one or more of your friends (with an iPhone) into a game room where one person draws while the other guesses. (You can also play with random people.) It's a great game!

Charadium comes in a free version, or an ad free version for $2.99.

Remember When...

Just for fun:

Remember when stirrup pants were cool?

What about when you used to stay home on Friday nights to watch TGIF?

Remember when you bedazzled your clothes because you thought it'd make you look cool?

How about when you use to carry your papers in a Trapper Keeper?

Don't you remember that you never left home without your favorite slap bracelet?

Remember getting your first Nintendo for Christmas?

Pulling up the elevator on your Barbie Dream House?

Remember trying to dance like Paula Abdul?

Remember when you listened to your favorite mix tape on your Walkman?

                                 

Just thought it be fun to reminisce for a while. It's crazy to see how far we've come.

TTYL

I'm pretty much always on my phone. I love to talk, and I think texting is just great. I got my phone bill yesterday and realized that I probably talk and text way too much. During this past cycle, I used 2,618 minutes and 2,135 texts. That's a lot of talking. (Thank goodness for AT&T's rollover, or I would have some serious overage charges.)

I was watching the news the other night and saw that texting while driving has been banned in Kentucky. As of right now, warnings will be issued, but starting next year, a person will be fined for texting while driving.



This news story made me a little squirmy. I do know that I shouldn't be talking on the phone the entire time I'm in the car, nor should I be texting, but I do it anyway. I take pride in the fact that if someone texts me, I get back to them immediately. The more I think about that though, who cares? I have started to realize that none of my friends (sorry guys) are worth the risk of hurting/killing myself or anyone else. I really don't want my obituary to say that I was killed while texting.

As you've probably heard, Oprah has started the No Phone Zone campaign to encourage Americans to stop using their phone while driving. She has included lots of videos and stories about people who have been affected by someone who was distracted by the phone while driving. These stories are the kind that give me goosebumps.



I realize I really have to put the phone down when driving. I know that this is going to seem like an inconvenience, but it's something that has to be done--not only because it's dangerous, but because it will soon be banned. My plan is to use my headset in the car for phone calls, and to keep my cell phone in my purse. I think that will be a pretty big adjustment, but it's something that has to be done.

Do you talk or text while driving? Are you willing to do this with me? Check out Oprah's website for more information, and please, take the pledge. http://www.oprah.com/packages/no-phone-zone.html

Weekly Reality Recap

It's time again for my weekly reality recap.

Kate Plus Eight
This week, Kate and the kids worked to build a chicken coop. The Amish farmers down the road came to do the work and bring the chickens. Kate said that she decided to have chickens because she spends so much money on eggs each week. Really? Eggs are pretty cheap I think. The kids will be responsible for taking care of the chickens and collecting the eggs. I'm just thinking that there are enough kids running around that place--the last thing she needs is a bunch of chickens. Maybe she could think of other ways to save money...getting rid of her hair extensions perhaps. Just a thought.

The Bachelorette

Ali went on the four hometown dates this week. During the hometown dates I discovered that Ali's laugh is very annoying.

First, she went to Tampa with Roberto. They played a little baseball before going to meet his family. Roberto's family seemed really sweet. His dad was so proud of his son, and it showed. I thought that was super sweet. After questioning both Roberto and Ali, the family turned on some music and all danced. I thought that was kind of cute.

Next, Ali went to Cape Cod to meet Chris L.'s family. The day started with a rainy walk on the beach.  Chris then took Ali home to see his house. That night Ali met Chris's dad, brothers and their wife/fiance. I absolutely loved Chris's family! They seemed so loving and warm. (All except for the fiance--she seemed a little strange.)

Then Ali ventured to Green Bay to see Kirk. First they went to Kirk's dad's home. His dad looked very scary to me, and indeed he was. The first thing he asked was if Ali wanted to see the basement. It wasn't just any basement, it was full of dead animals--his dad is a taxidermist. Ali handled the situation a lot better than I would have. I would have been way freaked out. Then Ali met Kirk's mother and grandmother. They seemed to be a little more normal than Kirk's dad. His grandmother kept talking about cheesy potatoes, which was funny to me.

The last hometown date was in Chicago with Frank. Frank expressed that he was nervous about the date. He always acts like this is just too stressful and too hard for him, which is annoying to me. Frank's family was sweet, and everyone got along.

At the end of the night Ali sent Kirk home. I can't wait for next week! I'm voting for Chris all the way!

Big Brother 12

This week Hayden nominated Brendon & Rachel for eviction. He said he felt like they were in a "showmance" and that it needed to be dissolved. Brendon won the Power of Veto competition and took himself off the block. Hayden then nominated Annie for eviction. Annie was also revealed as the saboteur--much to my surprise. I knew she was a little sketchy, but didn't think she was the one. The houses guests all voted to evict Annie. I was really surprised--I thought some people would be concerned about how close Brendon and Rachel are, and try to get her out. I was wrong. The Head of Household competition was held and Rachel won. It was also revealed this week that two of the house guests have been lifelong friends. Someone brought up a good point on the show--maybe it's Kathy & Britney--they could be mother/daughter. I can't wait to find out who that is! The next few shows should be interesting.

App-solutely Awesome

Do you have an infant? Baby niece or nephew? Just know some babies? Then you'll love this week's app.

Peekaboo Barn is an app for babies or toddlers that introduces them to farm animals and the sounds they make. A barn bounces around while an animal sound is made. Open the barn doors to see the animal and hear its name. Sounds really simple, but babies love it!

Ava thinks this app is the best ever!

The app comes in a free/lite version. That version has three animals--pig, rooster, and cow.

The $1.99 version features about 10 different animals.

The app options include changing the voice from a child's voice (which is super cute...love the way he says woosta for rooster) to an adults voice. You can also teach your child the animal names in English or Spanish. Pretty cool huh?

Learn more by visiting the Peekaboo Barn website. http://www.peekaboobarn.com/

Cash 4 Books

Do you love to read? That's great! I wish that I enjoyed reading, but I just don't. I do know how to read, and I have read before, but I'm just not interested. One thing that I am interested in is making money! (Aren't we all?) So, if you like to make money, and you have a lot of books, you're in luck!

A few years ago I found a website that is pretty amazing. It's called Cash4Books.net and it pays you for your used books! Sound too good to be true? It's not!

Here's how it works! Find your old books. Log onto Cash4Books.net--click here Sell Used Books - Ship Your Books For Free And Get Fast Cash Back! Type in the ISBN numbers to find out how much money you can make. From there you can print a free shipping label. Mail the books and once they receive them they will deposit the money into your PayPal account. How cool is that?!?

Here's a video for more help/info.

Just for fun, I'll show you my own example. I just finished my Masters so I have all of these books lying around. (I bought several of these on Amazon.com--typically priced anywhere from a quarter-$5.)

I logged on to Cash4Books.net and check out what I found! $45.64! That's some great money! Imagine what you readers could make off of your old books!

Gather up your books, and log on. Leave me a comment to let me know how much you made!

One more thing--you can also join the Cash4Books.net Affiliate Program. Tell your friends about Cash4Books.net, and earn $5 for each new customer that you bring to the website.

Sell Books Online at Cash4Books.net

Let's Celebrate

I just got some great news! Today is National French Fry day! That makes me kind of excited because I love nothing more than some french fries--steak, waffle, curly, shoestring--I love them all! So, let's all join together in celebration.

Fry Facts:

- French fries were introduced to the U.S. when Thomas Jefferson served them in the White House during his Presidency of 1801-1809.

- In 2005, it is estimated that 11 million tons of factory-made french fries were produced worldwide.

- Both France and Belgium claim they invented french fries.

- McDonald's uses about 7% of the potatoes grown in the U.S. for their french fries.


Wanna make your own french fries? Okay, here's a recipe.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/perfect-french-fries-recipe/index.html

Don't forget to celebrate by eating some of your favorite kind of fries today. Vote for your favorite fries in my poll.

Let's Get Real

I have to say that I'm pretty opinionated. That's probably not the best thing in the world, but that's me. One of my favorite things to say right before I tell everyone what I think is "Let's get real." So, I thought that my blog would be a great place to discuss things that really weird me out.

I am intrigued by infomercials. I can watch them forever, and many times start to believe that I really need whatever they are selling. I rarely purchase the items, but have been given some from my grandmother. Sometimes I'm watching the infomercials, and I'm thinking, do people really buy this? This product is definitely one of those that leaves me saying "Let's get real!"

Have you heard of the Neckline Slimmer? Well, if not, you're about to! The Neckline Slimmer "is a small neck-exercise device that can help you lose hanging neck skin, double chins and neck folds." It's basically a little device that you place under your neck and move your chin up and down on it. The $19.99 kit (+$7.95 shipping & handling) comes with three different "levels"--beginner, middle, and advanced. Don't worry--if this is all too complicated for you, you also get an instructional DVD!

Check out these results! https://www.buynecklineslimmer.com/CustomerReviews.dtm

In case you need/want to know more, I've included the commercial.

Seriously?!? Let's get real!

Weekly Reality Recap

So, I am basically addicted to reality TV. Even though most prime time shows aren't airing right now, there are several new reality shows. I thought it would be fun to give my thoughts/opinions about some shows, and see what you think.

The Bachelorette

This season is full of drama. This week Ali went on dates with the remaining five men. She went on a one-on-one dates with Roberto, Chris L., and Kirk, and a two-on-one with Ty and Frank.

At this point, I'm loving Roberto and Chris L. I think Roberto is charming and cute, and he and Ali seem like they have fun together. Chris L. seems to be super sweet and thoughtful. Don't worry--my favorite part this week was when he was driving the scooter. I mean, it looked like he was going about 4 mph!

At the end of the night, Ty went home. I think that was a good choice...I'm not sure their priorities were aligned. Next week I'd like to see Kirk go home--he's cute and all, but he just doesn't really stick out among the others. I'm not sure what's going on with Frank--but he's starting to seem a little suspicious.

Let's be real. The reason most of America watched The Bachelorette on Monday night was to see the interview between Jake and Vienna. I think that Jake really came across as a jerk--controlling and just plain rude. I'm not a huge fan of Vienna either, but she deserves better than that. The best part of the interview was when Chris said "No one cares about the dog."

I'm excited to see the home visits next week. I just want to know how things are going to go in the basement with all of the dead animals--I'm scared. What if that dad gave her one as a gift?

Jersey Couture ("Prom Mania")


For those of you who don't watch this show on Oxygen, you're missing out. It's about a family who runs a dress shop in New Jersey. Diane, "Mommy" owns the store and can be heard saying things like "She does the booty pop," and "I'm a boobologist." The daughters, Kimberly and Christina are fun and playful.

This week the girls worked with a charity organization to give prom dresses to those who wouldn't be able to afford them. Every little girl dreams about going to the prom someday, and Diane & Co. recognized that. It was pretty touching how they spent time with each girl to find her the perfect dress. The only question I have was, what was up with that gold dress that they donated? It looked like something from the 80s..maybe that's back in style.

You're Cut Off ("Inner Beauty")

This show on VH1 is about girls who are extremely spoiled. They are cut off from their parents and forced to live together, leaving behind all of their luxuries. This week the girls had to do a photo shoot with no jewelry or makeup. It was pretty amazing how as soon as their makeup came off, their tempers came out. It was a true testament to just how insecure the girls are. I feel really sorry for them. Someone in their lives has allowed them to think that the jewelry, designer clothes, and tons of makeup is what makes them who they are. Without those things, they feel lost.

Quote of the show--"Do you think I should mop the refrigerator? It looks pretty dirty."

Big Brother 12 (Premiere)

Season 12 of Big Brother started Thursday night. Not a Big Brother fan? You should be. It's addicting and it's on several times during the week. Twelve contestants live in the Big Brother house and compete in a competition to win $500,000. Not only are the twelve contestants there, but this season there is a saboteur--a person who is out to cause trouble within the house.

The contestants this season seem pretty fun. There's a doctor, chemist, sheriff, professor, and PE teacher to name a few. In this episode the house guests basically just got to meet each other. They competed in the Head of Household competition and Hayden won. At the end of the show the electricity out and the saboteur struck for the first time...locking the food closet so that all the contestants can eat is slop. I feel like the show led you to believe that the saboteur could be Andrew or Brendon, as they wore both out of the room when the lights went out. Next week we will find out who the saboteur actually is. It should be a fun season.

Quote of the show: "Is Andrew the saboteur? That definitely arose a red flag." -Enzo

Let me know what you think about these shows. Vote for your favorite of the four in my poll!

App-solutely Awesome

Have an iPhone? Love to find new and exciting apps? Me too! I thought it would be fun to share a new app each week.

This week's free app is called Groupon. (Don't have an iPhone? Don't worry--you can get in on this too...www.groupon.com)

Groupon offers daily discount coupons to restaurants, shops, and attractions in major cities around the United States. Using the app (or website) is great when you are travelling. For example, if you know that you will be visiting Cincinnati next week, you can start checking the daily deals for discounts. Discounts are usually at least half off--for example pay $10 for $20 worth of pizza at a local pizza place. How cool would it be to get all of your meals half off?!? Just last week a friend went to Cincinnati and got a Groupon deal for the local water park--adult admission--for only $13! What a deal!

Don't live in a major city? Don't worry! Bowling Green, KY is anything but a major U.S. city, but many times the Louisville, KY discounts are for places in or around Bowling Green. (Just a few weeks ago there was a discount for Lost River cave admission--less than half the normal cost.)

Interested? Learn more by watching this video from Groupon's website.

Add the app, or add the website to your favorites. Leave me a comment to let me know what deals you find! Enjoy!

Free for All

Anyone who knows me knows that I love two things...anything personalized, and anything cheap! Chances are, if you're a close friend/co-worker of mine, you've already heard about VistaPrint and their awesome products. If not, it's time to find out!

VistaPrint is a company that offers personalized products--postcards, business cards, return address labels, magnets and more. As a teacher, I use VistaPrint for most of my classroom communication. I also use their products to market my Uppercase Living business. (http://amandaturner.uppercaseliving.net/) The best part about VistaPrint is that you can get the products for FREE!!! Customize & personalize your products, and only pay shipping!

First, let me tell you how you can get in on the FREE products! Go to http://www.vistaprint.com/ and scroll down to where you see "Exclusive Offers" on the left hand side. Sign up using your e-mail address. BE PREPARED! VistaPrint will send you lots of emails--but that's how you get the free stuff. After you've signed up, just wait for an email offer to come to you and you're good to go.

There are a few things you'll need to remember:

1) You will have to order each item through the e-mail that you received from VP. So, once you've designed something and added it to your cart, you'll need to go back in through the e-mail for your next item.

2) Some emails allow you to get up to 4 things for free, and some allow you to get 10. Read the fine gray print at the bottom of the email before ordering.

3) Don't pay for fast shipping--unless you're in an extreme emergency. VistaPrint is super fast...I always pay for the slowest shipping, and usually have my products within a week.

4) As you're ordering items, and after you've completed your order, VP will offer you numerous other "free" things--free labels, etc. NEVER click yes. Just order what products you've designed on your own. If you click the wrong thing, you may be enrolled in a $14.95 per month VistaPrint club. (Don't worry--if you accidentally join, you can get them to credit it back and cancel your enrollment.)

Now you know the rules, so it's time for some sample products. When creating your items, be creative!!!

Here are a few examples of how I've used VistaPrint. I hope you can use these ideas. (I got these pics from the VP site--it was easier than taking actual pictures. Please know that the quality of the products is GREAT!)

One item you can get for free is 25 brochures. I hand these out at Open House so that parents know about me, my behavior policy, and what supplies they will need. I find that parents pay more attention to these than they would a sheet of white paper. It doesn't get lost in the stack of papers.

You can also get 140 free return address labels. A person only needs so many, so I've come up with different uses for them. I've created parent signature stickers and those come in very handy. Here are some fun stickers I made.

Business cards are also great--and free! You can get 250 for free--create standard business cards or enclosure cards. I make punch cards for my kids at school--get a 100% on a test, get a stamp. They love this! (You could also use this idea if you own a business--a stamp for each $20 spent or something.)

Need 100 postcards? Ok, they're free! I use these for all of my positive notes home at school. You could also use these for note cards. There are tons of designs to choose from and you can purchase envelopes for them as well.

You can also make:

-banners

-notebooks

-t-shirts

-magnets

-checks

-rubber stamps

-invitations
-announcements
-ink pens

-sticky notes

-note cards
-calendars

And LOTS more!

Go ahead and get started--leave me a comment to let me know how you liked the website, and what products you've ordered. I'll be glad to help if you have any questions. ENJOY!

Things I Know

Ok, so I've wanted to try blogging for a long time, but I didn't know what to write about. It seems only logical to write about things I know--hence the original title. So, let's start it out with a few things that I know.

1) I love to write!
2) I love to talk--a lot.
3) I love to find a deal--and then tell everyone about it!
4) I'm basically very random, so there's no telling what I'll blog about.
5) I could quite possibly be the only person who reads this blog, and I'm cool with that!

And now for something I don't know. For the life of me, I can't figure out how to make my blog cute and fun, but I'll work on it.