More than Just a Batch of Cookies

C-Dub has a few favorites in life. Batman, Star Wars, Pizza, Root Beer and Root Beer Cookies. Cookies don't make the list simply by themselves. Only in the form of Root Beer Cookies. And today I decided C-Dub and I would have some mother-son time and bake his favorite cookies.

But this is about more than just the cookies. This is about spending time with a 4 year old boy, doing something with just him, for just him. 

It's about paying attention to him
and encouraging him,
praising him,
challenging him
and really and truly being with him.

Because when I take the time to do something he loves and to really and truly be with him while we do it, there's nothing quite like it in the world. Really absorbing the scope of his independence that I knew was there, but hadn't recently observed fully.

The conversations about teamwork as I scooped the dough and he squeezed the handles to drop the dough onto the cookie sheet.

The intensity with which he works.

The attention to detail he values.

The smirks and smiles and giggles and eyebrow raises that make this kid so... him. 

It's about observing him and seeing him in that way that I miss even though I spend every day with him.

It's about pushing aside the cell phone and the computer, the dirty dishes and the laundry and reconnecting with this kid on a deeper level.

It's about seeing how he's growing and changing and becoming a big kid and not just a preschooler who has temper tantrums and crying fits and fights with his sister and only wants to eat pizza.

It's about recognizing his creativity and oneness. How unique he is and what a blessing he is to my life.

It's about the perspective he adds to my days.

These are the days and times I hope he remembers. The memories he'll carry with him in his young life and into adulthood. The things he'll recall with fondness. These are the memories that I hope overtake and block out the times I yelled at him to get his shoes on because I didn't want to be late. To block out the nights I said "no, I'm not reading to you tonight because you stayed up too late playing". To block out all the times I'm not his favorite person in the whole entire world.

So our activity today was more than just a batch of cookies... a whole lot more.

20 Reasons I Find Nebraska Nice!

We've all read the typical "This is Nebraska" lines. Runzas, Husker Football, blahblahblahblah... It's all true. Don't get me wrong. From Carhenge to Temperature Tuesdays, every true Nebraskan knows it and loves it. Tonight I have a list of reasons I love living in the great state of Nebraska... The Good Life. Or at least it used to be, until it just became "nice". Whateves.

Here are my 20 reasons I find Nebraska to be so... nice.

1. Random 58* days in January. God's way of keeping us sane.

2. Summer Green. Some states don't have that color.

3. Air quality. Think on that.

4. Trees. Grass. Lakes. Rivers. Plains. Hills.

5. A country summer night sky.

6. Raising River Rats and Lake Lovers.

7. Cottonwood trees and Summer Snow. (Despite allergies)

8. Storm clouds and thunderheads.

9. Meeting newbies and watching them learn.

10. 44oz Jack & Coke for $9. (That's a hubs top vote)

11. Wineries popping up all over the state. Nebraska... Wine Country. (Who knew?)

12. 3 degrees of separation.

13. Seasons.

14. Feedlots. Smells like $$$.

15. ____________ (Insert town name) Days.

16. Knee high by the fourth of July. (Accuracy? Try head-high.)

17. Demo Derbies. Figure 8 Races. Tractor Pulls.

18.  Street dances.

19. Farm life.

20. Wide Open Spaces.

Raves on Faves Part 2: Financial

Don't get the wrong idea about my ability to be financially savvy. I'm not. But these few tools are my current attempts at being responsible and effective in saving money and earning rebates!  

Rebate Apps 

ibotta is a great app for quickly and easily earning rebates on products you buy all the time. Categories include: Grocery, electronics, beer,wine and spirits, arts and crafts, health and beauty, apparel, sports and fitness, babies and kids, automotive, restaurant, special occasions, photos and prints, pet, home and office, movie theaters, travel. Once you've selected your category it breaks it down to store options and the rest is just pure magic! Scan the barcode on your purchase to confirm the proper product has been purchased, scan your receipt and bam! You're done. When you hit at least $10 in rebates earned you can cash out in a variety of ways from a PayPal payment to a Starbucks gift card. Awesomeness!!! 

My favorite part of ibotta is the team-building portion. You can join my team and when you redeem just ONE rebate in the first 10 days I earn $5. Yup. FIVE SMACKAROOS! And then you can add to your team and earn the $5 for each new team member you add! 
Here's the code to join my team: ymcdimj
You can sign up for this app by going online to www.ibotta.com or by downloading the app directly to your smartphone! 

Snap by Groupon is the same concept as ibotta, with only grocery items, a more limited item list and a less complex redemption system. Snap only requires you to scan your receipt, skipping the product barcode scanning step. I'm slightly less infatuated with Snap as it is harder to earn as much in rebates as with ibotta. So far, in just a couple of months I've earned over $20 from ibotta, but have yet to reach the $20 minimum to receive a payout check from Snap. (Yes, a check.)
Join my Snap team here: Kristin's Snap by Groupon Team!

The great thing about both of these rebate apps is the fact that the items on their list often include milk, bread, eggs and oj - none of which are brand-specific so you can still buy your favorite brand and earn cash back for the purchase!

Walmart Savings Catcher This one is slick as snot and easy-peasy too. Download the Walmart App or go to their website. Scan your receipt code on the app or enter the barcode digits and receipt date (within 7 days) online. Hit submit and Walmart's Savings Catcher will scan for competitors prices, giving you the difference back! Redeem your balance at anytime by sending it to an eGift Card or by setting up a Bluebird Account.


Discount/Coupon Apps

Cartwheel by Target Once I figured out how to use this one, I was hooked. At Halloween I got $30 in candy and pop for $8 using the Cartwheel discounts, print coupons, my Red Card and common sense. At Thanksgiving I saved $65 on a $200 grocery trip using the same methods! 

For those as confused by the Cartwheel app as I was at the start, here are my tips:
1. Make your shopping list first
2. Take the time (yes, saving money takes time) and sit down with your phone and cruise through the categories from which you'll be shopping. 
3. Select your coupons and add them to your cartwheel. 

If you aren't doing a big trip, or don't have time to do the steps list above, try it this way:
1. Do your shopping.
2. Find the longest checkout line
3. Scan the items from your cart using the "search" feature while you wait in line! 

Or...
Scan your items as you put them in your cart. (This is tough for me because I don't love holding my phone in my hand constantly while  I shop.) 

Please note there is a limit to the number of discounts you can add to your cartwheel at one time. I believe it starts at 12 but I've heard more spaces open up the more regularly you use your Cartwheel! (I'm currently up to 15 spaces)


I know a lot of people have been enjoying the Shopkick app. I couldn't ever bring myself to dedicate the time to learning how to use it, draining my battery using the bluetooth (why it requires bluetooth to be activated I don't know) or running around a store finding things that aren't on my list. Seems like a lot of extra activity and I'm not really sure what I can actually use the "kicks" for anyway. I'm sure its great or so many people wouldn't be using it... it just isn't for me. 

Favado is on my phone, but I have yet to spend the time to learn how to use it effectively. In all the basic glory it is a coupon app that shows you deals at the stores you select as your favorites and links you to coupons. It seems like a great idea, I'm just not well-educated yet. Check it out and let me know if you like it! 

Now, go forth and start saving money and earning rebates!!!

Raves on Faves Part 1: Organization

Everyone has their list of favorite things. Oprah made it cool. So here's me jumping on the cool wagon and sharing my first list of favorite things. Since I have oh-so-many favorite things, I'm divvying the goods into categories. Here in part one I'm letting loose on my favorite organization products!
Enjoy!  

Inkwell Press Planners! 

This is my new favorite thing for 2015. Last year I tried Erin Condren and while it was a nice planner, I really love the choices available through Inkwell Press in regards to page layouts. 

Covers/Personalization:

They don't have a huge selection of covers to choose from (only five) but the few they have are adorable and can be personalized in a beautiful gold foil. Personalization options are more abundant with 12 font choices. The cover is sturdy, durable and thick, making it easy to write in your planner on the go when there's no table or hard surface to write on! 

Page Layouts:

The page layout options offer two choices. The first is the Classic, or vertical, layout. With the week laid out in columns and the hours on the left side of each column. The bottom of each day offers spaces for meal planning, fitness and chores. 

The second option for layout is the Flex style. This is a horizontal style without the hours laid out for you. Each day again features the meal planning, fitness and chore sections and both styles provide a space for weekly notes. 

Important Dates:

I love the pages that allow you to record all the birthdays/anniversaries/recurring events in your life for quick reference on one page. I still tend to enter the most important birthdays into the monthly sections as well. To each his own. 

Pockets:

I love a good pocket or two and this planner has them! Two styles of pockets keep things separated and neatly contained. Nothing spilling out the back, top or sides! Two of the pockets are the typical folder style pocket with the contents going in from the top. Nice for ease of retrieval. The second pocket is attached inside the back cover and has one of those cute string and disk style closures. This is nice for items you don't need to reference regularly, but want to keep contained in your planner. 

Notes:

With a section for notes, I can always jot down quick pieces of information during meetings or while out with the girls, then transfer them to the appropriate notebook when I get home. (I'm involved in a few different organizations, so each one gets its very own notebook to help me keep them all separated!) 

With this being their first run of planners, I can only imagine the growth and improvements we'll see in the future! Enjoy 20% off your order when you use this link! 

Pocket  Calendars! 

Hit up Amazon.com and search for wall calendars with pockets. I love being able to put party invitations, event information and bills in the pockets for the current and upcoming months. It makes finding those items so easy without adding unnecessary bulk to my Inkwell Press Planner! 

Thirty-One! 

Anything from Thirty-One is a hit in my book. I have bags and hanging organizers, purses and wallets, oh-snap bins and large utility totes. If you can't find at least 5 things you can't live without from Thirty-One, well then, my bet is you are ultra-organized. And even at that, I still bet you can find something you need!