My New Favorite Commercial

This is hilarious!!



I can relate!!

Mayfest Tickets 40% Off Tomorrow, April 27th

All Mayfest tickets are 40% off Friday, April 27th.  Just go to Mayfest.org and click on Get Your Tickets and be sure and enter promo code HAPPY40 to receive 40% off. 

Be sure you're by your printer so you can print off your tickets.  One of our readers ordered tickets while on their phone thinking that they would be emailed a link so they could print their tickets later, but they were unable to do so.

At the 40% off price, even all the union members at Lockheed can afford it.  It's beautiful weather outside so go out and enjoy it before it gets too hot.

I just realized something...Mayfest and I are the same age.  1972 , you rock!!

Dear Sam's Club...

No Soliciting at Sam's, please!

Dear Sam's Club: 

I just wanted to say that I think it's wrong that I pay a membership fee every year to be a member of a store that I can hardly stand to go to because I'm constantly bombarded by someone trying to sell me something.  It is so very, very irritating and has seriously made me think twice about whether I want to renew my membership or not. 

Here's an example of an experience I had the other day.

First, you walk in the door and they try to sell you the plus membership.  Walk another two feet and Direct TV salespeople are all over you.  You try to walk off and they follow you.  Then you finally get away from them and you make it a few more feet only to be hounded by somebody trying to sell you some kind of miracle cleaner.  Then you make it to the food section and there's people yelling at you to try this fancy-schmancy flat bread.  NO THANK YOU!!  I'M ONLY HERE TO BUY JUICE!  

On my way from the juice to the peanut butter, I hear somebody literally yelling out to "Try this bread - we'll only be here till Sunday!"  I felt like I was at a carnival or something and someone was barking at me.  I stop by the peanut butter to check out the price of that.  Out of nowhere, this lady comes up behind me trying to sell me some kind of compact makeup deal - she jibber jabbers about it for at least 3 or 4 minutes.  And I say NO THANK YOU!! 

I finally...finally make it to the checkout where they try to sell me the plus membership AGAIN!  I pay my money for my apple juice, turn to walk out the door and I'll be danged if the Statewide Remodeling man wants to sell me new windows or something like that.  Oh my word, leave me alone people! 

I just wanted to walk in here and buy some juice!!!  I don't need a plus membership, Direct TV, some miracle cleaner, fancy flat bread, compact makeup deal, still don't need the plus membership that I said no to about 20 minutes ago, or any dad-gum windows!!!  I JUST WANT TO BUY SOME JUICE!!!

I am not a rude person.  All I really wanted was to walk in Sam's and buy some apple juice.  I didn't want to be bombarded by 50 people trying to sell me stuff.  It almost makes me feel guilty because I politely walked away from all these people selling me their wares.  I shouldn't feel guilty after leaving a store that I pay a fee to be a member of.   

Please, please change your policies.  I'm afraid if you don't, I won't be the only person buying my bulk items elsewhere.  Thank you for your time.

Homemade Fabric Softener - Don't Knock It Until You've Tried It

Homemade Fabric Softener

Since my husband is on strike for Lord only knows how long and I stay at home with our kids, I'm trying to think of every possible way to scrimp and save.  Well, I saw a link on Pinterest the other day about how to make your own fabric softener, and lo and behold I ran out of fabric softener this weekend.  I figured why don't I give that homemade fabric softener a try.

All you need to make it is hot water, vinegar and cheap hair conditioner.   The recipe calls for 6 cups hot water, 3 cups vinegar and 2 cups hair conditioner.  Well, the conditioner that's depicted in the picture (15 oz.) doesn't measure two cups, so I adjusted the recipe.  Here's my recipe for Homemade Fabric Softener:

About 3 cups hot water (more or less) - I just used hot tap water
15 oz. bottle of hair conditioner
About 1 1/2 cups vinegar (more or less)

Mix hot water with hair conditioner then add vinegar.  Pour into old fabric softener bottle or whatever clean jug you have on hand.  Mine just barely fit into my old 51 oz. Downy bottle.

Downy is about, what, $5 a bottle or more?  I paid .99 cents for the conditioner and I paid about $2 for a huge jug (1 gallon) of Kroger brand vinegar that only used up 3 cups so I have 13 cups remaining.  So I figured I spent a little over a dollar for my fabric softener.  Cool thing about this is you don't have to use the same fragrance of conditioner every time - you can switch it up.

Now, I don't consider myself to be a supermom.  I don't, like, sew all my kids clothes out of all natural fibers.  My kids don't eat vegetables or fruit at every meal.  I don't make my own bread or hug trees or anything like that.  But since we're having to tighten our belts a bit during this strike, I figured I'd give this homemade recipe a try and I'm so glad I did.

Barefoot Baby Sandals - Great Gift For Baby Girl

Barefoot Baby Sandals by BlushBashful Studio

Are these not the cutest things ever?  I think they're just adorable.  And at $12.95 a pair, I think they make an awesome gift.  They're called Barefoot Baby Sandals and you can buy them from BlushBashful Studio through Etsy.  They can even make you some to order.  Adorbs!!

Happy Thoughts For Union Members & Lockheed

I'm really hoping all of the union members and Lockheed can agree on a contract that makes everyone happy today. Think happy thoughts, happy thoughts!!

Dog Show

Dog Show

Looking for something to do tomorrow?  Come out to the 1st Annual North Richland Hills Dog Show.  It's sure to be lots of fun.  Can't wait to see all the cute pups!  All proceeds will go to the North Richland Hills Animal Adoption and Rescue Center.  Y'all come on out and check it out.

Button Art - Great Gift For Toddler

Button Art

We bought this for our little Abby last year for Christmas.  I think it's one of the best investments we've ever made.  It comes with 10 different pictures and 46 chunky buttons.  Little ones match the color of the button to the color of the opening and it makes different pictures.  It's very cute.  It helps them with hand/eye coordination and learning their colors.  All of the buttons and the pictures store easily in the container it comes in, which is an important selling point for me.

It's on sale right now at Amazon for $14.85 which is 33% off the retail price.  I think I paid a little less than that at Christmastime, but I still think $14.85 is a good price.

K911 - Emergency Animal Rescue For Sick/Suffering Animals in Fort Worth

My 13-year-old Basset Hound, Millie, has been sick for a while now. I wouldn't say she was suffering until yesterday or the day before. I sent an email to my veterinarian who has treated not only Millie but my other Bassets that have since passed away and also a couple of my cats. I've spent tons of money at this vet. Anyway, I sent an email to the vet asking them how much money they would charge to put Millie down because I thought she was starting to suffer. The response I got just about floored me. It was going to cost around $160 depending on what she weighed.

After speaking with my mother, she suggested I call the Humane Society of North Texas  to see what they would charge, if anything, to put Millie to sleep.  After searching their website I found this:  K911 Emergency Emergency Rescue.  Here's what their website says:  "HSNT is the only local humane agency that attempts to rescue and alleviate the suffering of sick or injured animals on a 24-hour basis. The phone number for K911 is 817-891-5911.  For uninjured strays, please call your local animal control. Due to limited resources, HSNT is unable to provide veterinary services. Humane euthanasia is offered when needed to alleviate suffering."

I called the number and spoke to someone who was very kind.  He told me that I could bring my dog in and they would euthanize her at no charge.  But since they are a nonprofit organization, they ask for a donation - whatever you can afford.  Such a load off my mind.  What an awesome organization that offers help to suffering animals and their owners.

I didn't wind up needing their services.  Our Millie passed away naturally and peacefully at home yesterday evening.  

Thank you, Humane Society of North Texas, for all that you do day in and day out.

Pump Up The Volume On Your iPhone

Pump Up Volume On iPhone

I read about this neat trick on Pinterest.  I really doubted that it would work, but it did.  I was seriously contemplating one of those cute, little plug-in speakers so I'd be able to listen to music I'd downloaded on my iPhone.  I wanted to listen to the music in my vehicle, but my vehicle doesn't have the ability to hook up to your iPhone.

So after reading the deal on Pinterest about placing your iPhone in a bowl to make it louder, I decided to try it with my cup holder in my car.  It makes it, like, double times louder - no, for real, it really does.  Give it a try.

Reminder: Half-Price Mayfest Tickets

Remember that the half-price Mayfest tickets ends today.  Get them while you can.  I got mine!

Ranch Dip

This ranch dip is delicious.  Very easy to throw together.  You could easily halve this recipe if you needed to.  It makes quite a lot, but you probably won't want to cut the recipe in half if you make those yummy Spicy Saltine Crackers I posted yesterday. 

Ranch Dip

2 1-ounce packets dry ranch dressing mix
2 16-ounce containers of sour cream
Real Bacon Bits (I use about 1/2 of a 3-ounce bag)
8 ounces fine shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all the ingredients together and chill in the refrigerator.

Now, wasn't that easy?!

Spicy Saltine Crackers

These crackers are delicious and they go especially well with a dip that I will post tomorrow.  You can adjust the spiciness by adding more or less crushed red pepper. 

They sure don't look very pretty, but they are yummy to your tummy.

Here's the recipe:

Spicy Saltine Crackers

1 lb original saltine crackers (I used a box of Kroger brand cuz I'm cheap like that)
1 1/3 cup canola oil
2 or 3 Tablespoons crushed red pepper
1 envelope ranch dressing mix (1.0 ounce)
2 gallon-sized resealable bags

Mix oil, red pepper and ranch dressing mix in a small bowl or measuring cup or however you want to mix it.  I just pour the oil in a 2-cup measuring cup and then pour in the pepper and the dressing mix packet.  Mix all that up.

Pour two sleeves of crackers in one resealable bag and then the other two sleeves of crackers in the other resealable bag.  Pour half the mixture over the crackers in one bag and then the other half of the mixture over the other crackers.  It will look like a lot of oil and you might think there's no way the crackers will soak up this oil and not be soggy, but you'll be in for a surprise.  Let them sit a while.  If we're having a get-together, I usually like to make these the day before just to make sure everything is soaked up like it should be.

Be prepared to get asked for this recipe!

Spicy Saltine Crackers

Half Price Mayfest Tickets? Yes, Please!!

TAX DAY PROMOTION: All Mayfest tickets purchased at www.mayfest.org

on Monday, April 16 and Tuesday, April 17 are 50% off with the promo code TAXDAY.