Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Business Spot Light *Zu-Li Designs*

Owning our own family business, we understand the importance of getting your name out and being recognized as a unique or an excellent customer-service based company. So we will be "Spot Lighting" local businesses that we patronize and highly recommend to others. The first absolutely had to be Zu-Li Designs. I have several pieces of my own I love them and the compliments that I receive whenever I wear them. Check it out for yourself...You will find amazing "Jewelry for the Soul" hand created by Billie. You will fall in love with the handmade boxes that the jewelry comes in. Unique book marks (for you book worms) come wrapped in paper. Shipping is free on All items. (Don't forget Christmas is coming soon). Check out the variety of necklaces, earings, bookmarks, key chains and more at Zu-Li Designs or check out her Blog.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Money Management/Saving Money

One topic that I enjoy reading and sharing thoughts about is what everyone is doing during the changing economic times to keep up their households and lifestyles. I admit it....I have become a coupon, rebate and sale watcher. I always shrugged my face at the thought in the past, maybe keeping a great coupon now and then, but normally loosing it or forgetting to take it with us to the store. I have thrown away so many coupons that expired 8 months prior, that it seemed pointless to even attempt saving with coupons. But that has changed. I'm sure you have heard the scenarios of a woman walking into a grocery store and coming out with 2 carts of stuff and paying only $2.00 for it all. Well, I'm not a person to that extent. Between running the business, and household, I don't have the time (or the energy) to be bouncing around to 10 different stores to buy only a few on sale items and using coupons good for that day only, several times a week. But one thing that I have started doing is keeping a much closer eye on the drug store for coupons, rebates and special sales. For instance, this weekend I did make a special trip to buy 2 bottles of Nature Made Cranberry pills. My daughter and I both use them, so it is an item we would need to purchase soon anyway. Walgreens had a sale- buy 1 get 1 free, and on the Nature Made website they had a $2.00 off coupon. So, normally 2 bottles would have cost $16.98, but after their sale and my coupon, I was able to get them for $6.49 (that's a savings of $10.49). I also picked up 4 bars of Rocky Road candy bars---If you haven't tried them-you have to (especially the milk chocolate) Yumm!. I found $3.00 off 2 coupons in the rebate book. They are $1.99 each minus the coupons meant I spent $1.96 for all 4. I wouldn't normally spend $1.99 on a single candy bar, but these are great and with the coupon, very affordable. I will write more about what we are doing to save money...let me know your thoughts or ideas too.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Meet Our Fur Balls


These are our beautiful four-legged babies. Banyon (5 yrs old) and his daughter Nikki (1 1/2 yrs old) are Chinooks. They are wonderful dogs and our family adores them. To find out more check out the the Chinook website.