Spring Cleaning: When you don't feel like it

The weather has changed and spring has finally sprung! Hooray!  Along with the rain, pollen and flower blossoms, I can't seem to ignore the spring cleaning task. I know what lies ahead; sorting clothes, donation bins, and mass organizing. (*long sigh* I need a clone)   Oddly I have accomplished (yep Its April and I am close to finishing) one item on that list - Organization!

I usually tackle my large organizing task first but this year I chose to start with the "smaller" task; Our coat closet and the medicine cabinet. Our medicine cabinet was a mess and very cluttered.  Plus, usually when we have look for a particular medicine we find it empty or expired. Don't you hate that? Not to forget the front coat closet.   I know I'm not the only one that uses a coat closet to store everything but coats :). In our coat closet was board games, an inflatable chair, basket balls, a DVD player, Jeans ( they were mine lol) and some other items that I hadn't seen in a couple of years. A deep cleaning was definitely necessary and I needed to do something quick because Spring is the season of light jackets, hats and umbrellas. So like any lazy OCD mommy I made a plan and took a short trip to my nearby Dollar Tree . There I found a white coated rack with five hooks on it, a set of four baskets and some labels.

I started with the coat closet. I am too embarrassed to show you my "before " picture. Trust me, it was bad. But here's my "after picture. As you can see I placed two racks on the door; one at the top for umbrellas and one at the bottom so the kiddies can hang their jackets. This closet cleaning took me only 10 minutes.

Next I tackled the medicine closet (I was on an organizing high lol). Please do not ask me why an ice tray is in my medicine cabinet before pic *smh* 

All in all, cleaning those missed spots made me feel very accomplished.  I hope this inspires you to clean and organized the cluttered areas in your home. The next small projects for me to do are the junk drawer in the kitchen, pots and pans cabinets, and the food pantry. 

Dollar tree finds:

 (2) sets of four baskets 

(2) white coated rack with hooks

_________________________

$4.00 + tax

L.A. Bonds

2014 Tax Day Freebies, Discounts and Special Buys

Finding and sorting all of your receipts to prepare your taxes can get really tiring and stressful. Now that they are done and filed, relax and enjoy a couple of freebies today on Uncle Sam.

- Arby’s

For the fourth year in a row, customers can get a free snack-sized order of curly fries today only by visiting coupon.arbys.com/taxday for a coupon.

- Boston Market

Today only, get two Boston Market Tax Meal Chicken Deals for $10.40, no coupon needed. Guests receive two individual meals, each including a half rotisserie chicken with a choice of two home style sides and freshly baked cornbread.

- Bruegger’s Bagels

A coupon for a $10.40 Big Bagel Bundle (that’s a baker’s dozen of bagels and two tubs of cream cheese) is yours for liking the bakery chain on Facebook. The offer is valid through today.

- California Tortilla

Walk into any California Tortilla, make a purchase and say “Taxes Shmaxes” to score free chips and queso.

- Cheesecake Factory

Tweet your Tax Day woes@cheesecakefactory using the hashtag #CakeMe and you may end up with a complimentary gift card.

- ESquared Hospitality

Get half off alcoholic beverages — including cocktails, beer, wines — at BLT Prime and BLT Steak restaurant and bar locations in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Waikiki, Hawaii; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina and Miami, Florida. New York City’s GO Burger Bar & Grill, Casa Nonna and Juni and Chicago’s The Florentine all boast the same discount.

- Great American Cookie

Sweet deal! Come into any participating store, get a free regular chocolate chip cookie.

- Hard Rock Cafe

Today only, guests will have the opportunity to select their favorite song and perform it onstage at their local Hard Rock Cafe. Guests who perform a complete song in front of the entire restaurant will receive a free dinner entrée from the restaurant’s newly launched menu.

Diners at the New York City location will have a chance to enjoy a one-song performance from Bret Michaels to benefit hunger charityWhyHunger.

- McCormick & Schmick’s

Locations across the country are offering anextended happy hour with a menu including “bar bites” starting at $2.99.

- Orange Leaf Yogurt

Fill up your cup with yogurt and toppings today and pay only $4.15. Claim the “releaf” offer on Facebook and show the cashier your confirmation e-mail.

- Pizza Hut

As an ode to the 1099 tax form, pizza fans can order a large pizza and one of three sides for just $10.99, online-only on April 15. Customers must enter the promo code TAXDAY to get the deal.

- Schlotzsky’s

Visit a participating location and get a free small“The Original” sandwich with purchase of chips and a 32-ounce drink.

- Sonic

The drive-in chain is offering an all-day happy hour today with a “Tax Cut” — half price drinks and slushes at participating locations.

- Sonny’s BBQ

Enjoy half-priced platters of the chain’s Sweet & Smokey or Dry-Rubbed Ribs with two sides and bread today only at participating stores.

- White Castle

Visit the White Castle website to receive a “Prep For Tax Day” coupon for a 15% discount good through midnight tonight.

If I missed anything let me know in the comments. Share the Free-wealth! Where are you headed today? 

"Oh The Places You'll Go" Spring Break 2014

For most families across the U.S. , Spring break usually comes like a mighty rushing wind determined to blow the food out of your cupboards and the energy out of your body. Well at least thats how I feel EVERY SCHOOL BREAK with my boys. I love them, but gosh can they eat and run, lol. This year, however, I had a plan. A plan so detailed, so organized that "professional mommy" almost slipped out of my mouth when asked my name. What did I plan? A packed week of fun and tours around Metro Atlanta (North Atlanta) for my kids, my best friends kids and a couple of Mommys that I know. 

To start, I received a Party Pack from my favorite Party company on the internet, Houseparty.com. I agreed to host a Veggie Tales Party on Saturday to promote their newest DVD "Veggies In Space: The Fennel Frontier" . I allowed the kids (my son and his best friend) to invite their friends, decorate with the supplies HouseParty sent and "be in charge" of the activities. Their guest enjoyed the movie premiere while munching on Veggie refreshments and 100% apple juice. In addition, everyone received a Veggie Tales rubber bracelet and a Veggie Tales Character face cut out. The parents also received a $3.00 off coupon to purchase the Dvd at a nearby retailer.  The party went very smoothly and lasted about an hour and forty five minutes. The best thing of all was the EPIC bedtime that night....NO TEARS, NO WHINING, and NO REQUEST FOR WATER....I WON! (mommy dance) 

Check out these pics from the party..

Visit Houseparty.com to host epic parties while promoting some of your favorite brands. (Ha! Sounds like a commercial line) ...its FREE to join and they send your FREE stuff (Happy Birthday & Merry Christmas)

Then on Monday..

We had the privilege to tour the Gwinnett Fire Station No.4. The Firefighters at this station were so welcoming and friendly to our kids which made this tour so special. The tour began with a Fire and Emergency Safety video that the kids were quizzed on immediately following. They passed of course because they are kid geniuses and received a fire station coloring book and a gold foil fire fighter sticker badge. The rest of the tour included a walk through of all  emergency and fire trucks, watching a firefighter get into uniform, and we viewed the firefighters bunkers. The kids thought their bunkers were "super cool" because they spotted board games. All around, the tour was not only fun but very educational.  Fire safety is very important to know and remember. Is your family prepared? 

Check out these pics from the tour..... Special thanks to Capt. Ogletree, Lt. Smith and the entire staff of Fire Station no.4 for making this day trip memorable. 

   

Then on Tuesday...

WE WENT TO WHOLE FOODS! Side note: There are plenty of things to do with your kids that don't require money or lots of money...This tour along with the Fire Station tour was completely free. All I had to do was ask if we can tour and make the appointment. I was so thankful that it was that simple..No more excuses! BACK TO WHOLE FOOD! We (parents included) had a blast at Whole Foods. Our tour guide, Ms. Betsy, was the most kindest and patient women I had ever seen. She took our kids to explore every section in the store plus an incased honey bee hive. The kids favorite part was when they got to touch a frozen fish. It was pretty cool. Then after sanitizing, the pizza baker made us a fresh large cheese pizza. WE DEVOURED IT! It was so good! Then to top it off, as we toured the bakery section, Ms Betsy let our children choose a cookie to eat and gelato to sample....The raspberry lemonade gelato is heavenly. PLUS, the kids received a cute tote at the end of the tour with coloring pages, coupons, blueberry fruit strips, organic apple sauce, and organic oatmeal animal crackers. 

Check out the pics from this tour.... Special thanks to the Marketing Team Leader, Andrea Dyson for making our day trip incredible! 

  

On Wednesday and Thursday...

I planned family time.  So on Wednesday we went to the park and made it a "Bike, Kite and Picnic" day and on Thursday we played games. The kids really enjoyed themselves and the time we spent laughing while enjoying the weather was priceless. I love my kids. ...especially when there smiling. 

Check out the pics from Wednesday and Thursday...Special thanks to my kids awesome God mommy, Candice for sticking it out with us in her turquoise pants.

  

About Friday...

Our Spring Break ended at the glorious California Pizza Kitchen! For only $10 per kid our children were able to go on a "Behind the kitchen" tour. IT WAS AMAZING! Not only did the kids tour the entire store (including the walk in fridge) but they also got to make there own pizza, own drinks and were given the option to choose a dessert. Yea, it was a pretty epic tour!! Special thanks to Brittany and our tour guide for being so patient with our energetic group. 

Check out the pics from our tour.....

I am looking forward to discovering more free tours in our town and enjoy them with my family. What free tours are in your city? I encourage you to explore your town with loved ones and discover the amazing things you can learn with your children outside of the classroom and away from the screen.

"Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,

don't worry.  Don't stew.

Just go right along.

You'll start happening too.

OH!

THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!"

-Dr. Suess 

Time to play in the dirt again!!!

For some time I have become very interested in gardening. Could be because of the time I have now that I'm on a sabbatical from production or because of the growth process that satisfies me to watch. Maybe it's both! I believe that God has a purpose for setting us aside to be worked on, pruned and replanted. No matter the results in our eyes I'm certain that if we stay rooted in Gods word and abide in His love that He will plant us again in an area that He will recieve great glory (satisfaction) . In the meantime, play in the dirt. Enjoy the time away, the people that will pour into your life, look closely at birds (those that God sends away) and blooms (the relationships that grow deeper) . Appreciate him for His work. God is there and the best gardener!! 

Don't call it a comeback...

Can we just pretend like my last post was not in 2011? No? Ok, call it a come back then lol. I have missed you! I am back and so glad to be talking with you again! As you can see I decorated a bit. The look of this page has changed and will be going through more changes but the content will remain the same; Jesus Christ, family, love & marriage, friendships and advice. To add, you can also look forward to event invitations, freebie deals, product reviews, coupon savings, and book discussions. 

To start, let's talk about friendships. As the hit 90's girl group TLC said "What about your friends?" Do you have real friends? I'm not talking about your Social Media followers. I'm talking about the people in your life that you can cry into their arms if you need to, the kind that will hold you accountable, the ones that your family see as adopted family because you are so close. More importantly a friend that will pray with you and for you at anytime. These are the people you can call spontaneously over for a movie night and you won't have to wash the dishes or vacuum before the arrive; that's real friendship right there! 

 For years I have had real friendships with the same group of women; Candice, Jennifer, Araneetae, and Lisa.  I feel blessed every time I think of each of them. If you know me, you know my friends only because I talk about them all the time in the most positive light. Why? because they shine bright in my life. I don't have to talk about them negatively to make myself feel or look more important. Neither does a good friend indirectly or directly try to measure themselves to those close to them to prove that they are on a higher thinking or motivated level. 

Recently, some attention has been paid in the media to a concept called Shine Theory. Essentially, it’s built off of the idea that when I, as a woman, perceive that another woman is more successful, attractive, put together, wealthy, or whatever my measuring stick is that I am likely to resent her, rather than want to befriend her. Shine Theory says that, instead, it’s to my benefit to befriend that very woman because, we shine when the people around us shine. We are who we associate with. In my circle, I want people who are smarter and more successful than I am to connect me to opportunities and challenge me to try new things. I want to be inspired by my friends to be a better human, all around. My girlfriends do that for me and I love them for it.

What about you? Do you have friends that make you shine? Let’s talk in the comments!

True friendship is when you know that differences won't stop you from loving each other. It embraces one another. It loves no matter what, just as the Bible instructs. 

"If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (1 Corinthians 13:3-7 NLT)

L.A. 

The Women God Blessed Me With:

Thank you so much L.A. Bonds! from Engaged and Happy

Greetings readers, I wanted to check in with you to let you know that all is still well and that the productions that I mentioned last year were are in the making will be performed this year. I am so excited and grateful at the same time. Always remember to reach for the sky and be determined to reach all of your goals no matter what the circumstances are. God believes in you and with Him you CAN and WILL do all things because He strengthens you.

I also wanted to share a special letter with you that I recieved from a women that asked for advice a year ago. Neither of us could find the original question that she submitted but you can get a feel for what she needed advice on in this thank you /testimony letter. Remember, We overcomer by the blood of Jesus Christ and the words of our testimony. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

"Dear L.A,

I remember a while ago I asked you what you thought about the situation I had with my boyfriend getting another girl pregnant and you asked me to let you know how it went.

Well, we are still together. The other girl had her babies (ended up being twins! smh) and I finally feel like I can trust him again. He has been nothing but forthcoming about information on anything I ask him about. He always tells me when he has contact with her and I truly feel that he is sorry for what he did.

I just wanted to thank you because even if you didn't know it, you provided me with support. He's been in Afghanistan and its been hard but honestly when he first told me about this girl and I decided to stay with him I felt stupid for a long time. Everytime I thought about it I would think about how stupid I was for forgiving him. Then I would go back and read the message you sent and you said "love does not keep a record of wrongs" it helped me to realize if I say I really love him, I have to forgive. So thank you so so much! Your words have saved my relationship more than a couple of times. We are very happy and marriage is the next step for us, we're even taking a vacation with my family in Sept. to Disney!

Thanks again and I hope all is well in your house!"

Signed,
Engaged and Happy

Smart -n-Single Still

Dear L.A. , this is the deal. This guy is really nice, he is from Panama. He drives a really nice car, a Benz. I asked him what he does for a living, and he says he works for himself. I said doing what, and he was not straight forward. He said he does all kinds of things, contracting or something. Didn't seem like it was a complete truth. I asked him again yesterday on our date, and he did it again, the beating around the bush. I don't want to continue to ask him and dig but I need some help. I really like this guy. What do you think I should do?.

Signed,
Smart n Single Still

Mrs. Single Still I have been contemplating on your situation lately and have came to a solutions for your consideration:

However you start any relationship will be the pattern of the relationship. If you start off lying you will continue to lie, If you start off cheating you will continue to cheat, If you start off romancing you will have to continue to romance. And so on. Why? Because consistency in actions speaks louder than any words. And most importantly consistency is what can make or break a relationship. If you have been up front with this guy about your means of employment and things related, he should feel comfortable enough to share his as well. NOW let me also say this, my first rule in any FIRST dating situation is to not disclose to much information (like exact locations of where you work, your address, etc.) about yourself to avoid nut cases and stalkers but since this not your first date, we cool. One thing I do want to share with you before I retreat back to your situation is the "First date must knows”. The most important one is number one; First dates should be solely about getting to know each other (like what you do, your goals, your religious beliefs, etc.). Which means you will go on a date that is preferably in the day time in an environment that is nice (park, cafe, etc.) but also comfortable enough for you two to have a conversation (not a concert, your house, movies, etc.). That way, you and him can decide if a relationship is worth pursuing when the date is over and it also eliminates some sexual temptation. PLUS it’s just always good to be upfront. No one like to waste their time. No one!

Now going back to what we were talking about, I believe you have to analyze if this is the type of relationship or friendship you need in your life. You know, if we as women took inventory of every relationship we involve ourselves in, I believe we would see a pattern of some sort in which could also be the answer to why we are attracted to certain people and except certain things from them. The Bible says blatantly "Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?". You must be on the same page (at least in honesty)in order to go forward. Therefore you must consider this; you don't want to be unequally yoked with anyone that you desire a relationship with. Do you?

Girl, I am confident that whatever decision you make regarding this man is reflection of your feeling towards yourself and what you expect in a man. I pray that the Lord guides you in his wisdom and truth. And I hope to hear from you soon to learn the outcome. Continue to be blessed so that you may be a blessing to others.

With love,
L.A. Bonds