I'm trying to get my life a bit more organized this year. Laura at "I'm an Organizing Junkie" is hosting 52 weeks of Organizing. That might be doable! I typically get overwhelmed, but seeing it in manageable chunks seems less intimidating! I'm already a week behind, but I have a few really small projects, so I hope to tackle two one week and catch up!

I have some fabric bins from IKEA that I love. Great for stashing stuff that sometimes just has no other place to go! I keep my bike helmets and other related gear in one. It is nice to have it all accessible near the door, all in one place and out of sight!

Another bin contains cables and miscellaneous electronic stuff. It is always a mess and the small stuff gets lost in the bottom. So I organized it today! Some stuff will be sold at a garage sale or on eBay. The rest of it went in smaller boxes. I added a white sticker and some packing tape so I could label them with a dry erase marker. (I hate permanent labels! I might change my mind about what goes in the box!) Aaaahhhh....it is much better now!

Before:

After:

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Tonight's supper will be Speedy Layered Chicken Enchilada Pie. Recipe recommended to me by my friend, Leslie.

I'm cooking the chicken using this roasting method  from The Big Red Pot.
Making the beans in the crock pot using CrockPot365.
Dixie Cornbread from Southern Plate. Love her recipes! And her Southern Charm! Being a Northerner living in the South, I have learned much from her! This recipe is part of her hilarious "Six Meals to Marriage Proposal". (I'm working on that one!) :-)

I do hope the cornbread turns out. If not, it won't be Christy's fault! I realized I had cornmeal MIX, not regular cornmeal. I realized it before I started mixing, so I left out the flour, salt and baking soda 'cause they were already in the mix!

Hopefully it all goes well!

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First, print a $10 off a $20 purchase coupon

The following items are free after Worklife Rewards! 
3M pop-up tape dispenser $2.99
3pack writing pads $4.99
100 pack holiday stationary $6.49
Rotating 7 compartment desk organizer $6.99
12 pack self-sealing bubble mailers $7.99
Sharpie retractable pens $9.99
File tote $9.99 (I use mine for regular storage!)
Compact Stapler $10.99
Fiskars non-stick Scissors $11.99
Post-its Super Sticky Pop-up Notes $12.99
Office Depot storage boxes $14.99
3M Permanent Adhesive Clear Address Labels $24.99 - Submit for the 3M $10 rebate and make $10! (Plus the $10 off $20 coupon makes it a total of a $20 money maker!)



They also are offering 100% back on shipping USPS or UPS in store! Mail your Christmas gifts early for free!

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This holiday season, Google Chrome has teamed up with AirTran Airways, Delta, and Virgin America to offer free Gogo Inflight Wi-Fi on every domestic flight from November 20, 2010 through January 2, 2011. These participating airlines have outfitted their entire domestic fleet with Gogo Inflight Wi-Fi, and we expect more connected passengers this holiday season than ever before!

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Free reusable bag with the purchase of any 2 Kellogg’s cereals. (Plus $1.75 shipping.) Download the form here.

See a photo of the bags here.

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Reynolds Wrap® Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum Free with mail-in rebate

Register here. The rebate form will only be available on 4/22. Reynolds will send you an email reminder and link to the rebate form when it becomes available.


This deal was apparently for last year. I didn't notice that. Oops! Reynolds has since taken the page down.

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I have now added a cashback database to my business website! You can search the cashback amounts for Ebates, Cashbaq, Mr. Rebates and ShopAtHome.com all in one place!

The database idea came about because I was constantly checking multiple sites to figure out which one had the best return on my money. After lots of trial and error, updating of the web page, testing and updating all the data, it is ready for public use!

Buying a new iPad? Get a rebate
 Apple Store          1.50%     ShopAtHome.com
 Apple Store          1.00%     Ebates
 Apple Store          1%     Cashbaq
 Apple Store Canada   1.50%     ShopAtHome.com
 Apple Store          1%     Mr. Rebates

Rebates between 2-4% at various office supply stores. (Discount Office Items, Staples, Office Depot)
Rebates between 1-2% at Dell Small Business

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I LOVE Grape Nuts! Growing up, my dad ate them almost every day for breakfast. I thought they were gross. I don't remember when, but eventually I developed a love for them. These are my favorite ways to eat them. (In no particular order)

1. Plain
2. Drizzled with honey
3. Mixed with granola. Homemade or Breadshop's Crunchy Oat Bran are my favorites. Post thought they were doing me a favor by creating Trail Mix Crunch. I tried it. Yuck. It seemed to get soggy too quickly. And the taste wasn't the greatest either.
4. Mixed with a 4-6 oz container of fruit yogurt. Raspberry, Blackberry Pomegranate are my favorites. (add milk, then the yogurt on top)
5. Hot (with a little butter. This was in the original recipe I got off the box years ago)
6. With honey and coconut.
7. With raisins
8. With honey coconut pancake topping
9. Grape Nuts ice cream. Had this at a friend's house. Not sure what recipe they used, but I found one here.
10. With fresh strawberries
11. With fresh raspberries

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I stumbled upon this today while trying to figure out the latitude/longitude for a new address that was not in my map software. (Going to the new IKEA in Charlotte, NC! Woo hoo!)

Connect the GPS to your computer.
Enter the address in Google Maps
Find the pinpoint on the map (indicated by a dot with a letter - A, B, C, etc.)
Click on the dot to bring up a "pop out" balloon window
Click Send
Click GPS
Select your GPS manufacturer
Enter notes if you wish
Click Send


I have a Garmin eTrex Legend Hcx with Garmin City Navigator. I use this all the time - on my bike around town to track speed, distance and navigate! I use it for geocaching and driving directions in the car as well.

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My friend and former co-worker has released his first Christian suspense novel and I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my copy so I can read it! You can read the prologue and first chapter here.

You can also read more about the book and Adam on his website.

Congratulations, Adam on seeing one of your dreams come true!

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I'm giving away one copy of a conservative Christian music CD, Love So Amazing. This is the newest CD release by Kevin Inafuku. I love this CD because the album is a mix of old hymns and new songs, but done in a conservative style!

You can listen to a few samples from the CD below

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Forgive Me
Speak, O Lord

How to enter & win: Leave a comment on this post by 10pm EST January 30, 2009. The winner will be chosen at random. Be sure to leave your blog or email address so I can contact you if you win! Shipping to US (and Territories) & Canada.

Go to BloggyGiveaways.com to enter more giveaways!

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Do I hear a collective groan from everyone out there? Yep, it's time to gather all your financial paperwork and crunch those numbers!

Good news! Several companies offer free filing if you meet certain criteria! In years past, I have used both TurboTax Freedom and H&R Block TaxCut. Now that I own my own business, things are more complicated and I have to pay for software. Now I use TurboTax Home & Business and have been pleased with it.

TurboTax Freedom 
To qualify for free federal tax preparation and filing using TurboTax Freedom Edition 2008, you must meet one of the following criteria *

• Earned an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for tax year 2008 of $30,000 or less; or
• Qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC); or
• Served Active Duty Military with AGI of $56,000 or less.

To qualify for free state tax preparation and filing using TurboTax Freedom Edition 2008, you must meet both of the following criteria:

1. You must qualify for free federal tax preparation (above); and
2. The state(s) must participate in the state FFA. States (AL, AR, AZ, GA, ID, IA, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, MS, NY, ND, NC, OK, OR, RI, SC, VT, WV)

H&R Block TaxCut Free File
Free if you earned $56,000 or less AGI and were 50 years or younger on December 31, 2008. State e-file is $29.95

TaxAct freefile
You qualify for free tax preparation, printing, & efiling if your age is between 19 & 55, and your AGI is $56,000 or less. State e-filing is $13.95

You can find more free tax preparation sites on the IRS website.

Another tip - many times you can print a copy of your state taxes and mail it in. It takes a little longer, but I usually don't get enough back in state taxes to justify spending the money to e-file.

If you need more advanced tax preparation or don't meet the criteria for free preparation, here is a list of major software titles and the lowest prices I could find.

TaxAct
Online 2008 Standard  Free online prep (1040, 1040A & 1040EZ) and federal e-filing. State e-file  is just $13.95.
Online 2008 Deluxe $9.95 federal, optional state is $7.00
TaxAct Ultimate $16.95 free filing for federal and state.

TurboTax
Deluxe  direct from Intuit $29.95 (Federal e-file included, state prep & e-file additional $34.95)
$38.99 from Buy.com (Federal e-file included, state e-file additional $19.95)


Premier direct from Intuit $49.95  (Federal e-file included, state prep & e-file additional $34.95)
$59.99 from Buy.com  (Federal e-file included, state e-file additional $19.95)

Home & Business direct from Intuit $74.95 (Federal e-file included, state prep & e-file additional $34.95)  
$59.99 from newegg.com (Federal e-file included, state e-file additional $19.95)

$10 TurboTax Rebates can be found here. It says "participating retail stores", but the FAQ indicates online stores are participating as well, but I can't find a list. It's worth a try if you have to buy the software anyway!

TaxCut
Premium Federal + e-file $34.95  $32.99 from Buy.com (state e-file cost determined at filing time)
Premium Federal & State + e-file $49.95  $45.99 from Buy.com (state e-file cost determined at filing time)
Home & Business $79.95 $70.99 from Buy.com (state e-file cost determined at filing time)


Don't forget to purchase through ebates to receive 1% back from buy.com and 2% back from newegg! (plus $5 for new members)

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As I was ready to board a flight last week, it was canceled due to a maintenance issue. The gate agent announced we could get in line to rebook if we had a tight connection at the next airport. EVERY SINGLE PERSON in that waiting area rushed the counter! I ended up being the very last person in line. There were probably at least 30 people ahead of me now. This is gonna take awhile! From my cell phone, I called the reservations number of my airline and found I had already been rebooked on another flight that was leaving in about 30 minutes. (The guy ahead of me in line asked for that phone number!)  If I had just waited in line, I would not have been able to catch that next flight!

I arrived at my new gate in time to sit and relax (it was delayed). After awhile I saw someone huffing & puffing and out of breath arrive at the gate. She had been siting near me at my original gate and had finally made it through the rebooking line to find out her new plane was leaving shortly. (Well, it was supposed to, but unbeknownst to her it was slightly delayed.)

Calling the airline reservations number helped relieve the stress of waiting/wondering if I was going to make all my further connections.

The rest of the story - Unfortunately my newly rescheduled flight had a few delays and complications causing me to miss the next connection so I spent 5 hours in the next airport, but that's another story!

Head over to Rocks in My Dryer for more hints and tips!

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To see more pictures of Gumby's travels, click here.

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Several years ago I was fed up with my acne. I was about ready to break down and shell out the money for Proactiv because I had heard good things about it. In researching alternatives, I found Dan Kern's acne.org. A little skeptical about how it would actually work, I decided to buy the initial supplies at Wal-Mart. (Similar items are available in stores. Dan's products are only available online. Long term, the items on acne.org are more cost effective.)

Wow! I saw results within 1-2 weeks. Soon others were commenting that my skin was clearing up and asking where they could get it!

I switched to the products on the acne.org website and they are MUCH better than what you get in the store. The Neutrogena benzoyl peroxide cream turns white when you sweat. Dan's formula is a gel that goes on clear and doesn't turn white. It also absorbs into my skin better than the cream.

Dan has a whole regimen available, but the treatment product is the only one I've used. In my search for inexpensive gentle soap, I realized that baby soap would work! I don't need moisturizer very often, but when I do, I use oil free lotions.

So that is what works for me! For more, visit Rocks in my Dryer.

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As holiday travel season is approaching, I thought I'd share travel tips that work for me!

Water - TSA regulations forbid bringing liquids through security, and drinks in the airport are EXPENSIVE! I bring my own empty water bottle and fill it up at a drinking fountain after I clear security screening. I like my CamelBak because the lid has a loop so I can attach it to my bag with a carabiner. Or you can attach a regular water bottle with one of these. You could also bring some "on the go" flavor packs along for some variety.

Luggage - Mail it! My next upcoming trip has 3 separately ticketed segments with overnights and stopovers at each place. I plan on mailing clothes ahead to a couple of the destinations. This will save me money in the long run and I won't have heavy luggage to collect at each stop. For instance, for my farthest destination, I'd have to pay a total of $90 round trip for my first checked suitcase. I can mail quite a bit for that amount! :-) I'll carry a couple changes of clothes and things in my carry-on.

Pillow - Airline pillows just don't cut it. They are small and wimpy. Most of the time I travel with my full size down pillow. Especially on international flights! So far it's never been counted as an extra carry-on. I guess because it can sit in my lap. I used to have a drawstring backpack that I could stuff it in to hike through the airport without having to carry it. But then I got a smaller bag and a larger pillow. That combination didn't work so well. :-)

Snacks - bring your own candy, granola bars, dried fruit, peanut butter sandwich, etc. Airport food is expensive and snacks on the plane are OUTRAGEOUS!

Bungee cords - stick a couple different sizes in your carry-on bag. They come in handy for all sorts of things. I now strap my pillow to my wheeled carry-on suitcase with them.

Packing cubes - these keep your suitcase neat and organized, especially when it gets checked by TSA! I have 2 sets of these and they hold almost all of my clothes for a 2 week trip! A place for everything & everything in it's place!



Document organizer - This keeps my tickets, passport, frequent flyer cards and other documents organized. There is a pen holder loop and a zippered pocket where I keep my foreign currency. I drop it in the front pocket of my carry-on so it's always accessible.




Pack-it-flat Toiletry Kit - I absolutely love this toiletry kit for traveling. It's slim for packing in my carry-on or suitcase. It holds everything I need. When open, there is a small hanging hook for the bathroom door or towel rack.



For more works-for-me Wednesday tips, visit Rocks in my Dryer

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Kevin Inafuku released a new CD last month - Love So Amazing  It's on sale through the end of November for $12.

Harvest Ministries announces the release of the latest musical recording by Kevin Inafuku, Love So Amazing. For the glory of God, this recording is congregationally-oriented to help people comprehend and worship God for Who He is through hymns that speak with power about our God, Psalms straight from Scripture that challenge our view of God and spiritual songs that push us to a genuine relationship with Christ. Selections on the recording include "A Mighty Fortress is Our God," "O Great God," "My Abba's Child" and many more. You can listen to a few samples from the CD below, then be sure to visit the Online Store to purchase your copy of Love So Amazing.

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Forgive Me
Speak, O Lord

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Did you know you can save $5/month if you have DSL and cellular service from AT&T? Just make a simple phone call and they will set you up with a bundle and combine both of the bills in to one.

Here's the link to the information.

This saves me $5/month or $60/year!

If you have a landline that you only use for DSL access, ask about switching to dry DSL. That can save you about $15 extra per month!

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Mike & Luke are the biggest Star Wars fans I know!



You can view the lyrics here.

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I've hauled some fairly decent loads with my bike. Others that have Xtracycles have hauled much more than I. The loads on this video are quite impressive! :-)

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