~WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT~

Winner of the Farm Rich coupon giveaway is Gerrie #15 with:

GerrieJuly 21, 2012 9:24 PM

tweeted
https://twitter.com/shaeffermom/status/226849899969409025

ReplyDelete

Summer Fun and ~Giveaway~

     When I think of Spring I think of the beautiful colors and flowers.  The wonderful smells and sights that come with it, however with summer here in NC all I can think about sometimes is the heat and humidity when it comes to the word Summer.  The best part of summers here though, like in most areas are the swimming pools, the family get together, cooking out on the grill, and the smell of fresh cut grass.  OK, so down in the south things may be a little different than those up north, but we enjoy our family and friends.

     I hate the thought of being in my kitchen on a hot summer day and having to cook supper.  It is on those nights that a tomato and mayo sandwich is nice, however everybody in my house does not like tomatoes so we have to have substitutes.  Thanks to Farm Rich we can have anything from mozzarella cheese sticks, to pizza rolls. These are also really great if you are having guests over, or maybe a wedding or baby shower. 

  These are some of the great ideas for parties, the HOT Summer days and when you just want  a little snack that the kids can help you with!  They taste great and you can't go wrong with them.  Even when we have a potluck dinner at church I enjoy fixing the meatballs in the crock-pot with my own BBQ sauce. 

Thanks to Farm Rich I have 2 coupons to giveaway to one of my readers!  Do the mandatory entries and others are optional, Good luck to each of my readers and share share share.  Leave a separate comment for each entry and be sure to leave me an email address where yo can be reached.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be drawn! This drawing ends July 22 at midnight.

Mandatory
1.  Follow my blog via GFC and tell me what is your favorite summer food!
2. Like Farm Rich on Facebook

Optional Entries:
1.  Like Southern Mom of 4 on Facebook, leave me a comment on my wall saying your entering the FR giveaway
2.  Follw me via Twitter
3.  Follow me via Pinterest, tell me which board you enjoy the most
4.  Follow me via email
5. Tweet this giveaway and leave me a link to your post!  This can be done daily for more chances to win.
6.  Tell me how you heard about this giveaway!
7.  Share this post on Facebook and leave your link


Disclosure:  I received a coupon to try out one of Farm Rich's products.  It in no way affected my comments on what I thought of the product or how it is used!

Teach Your Children Early to be Smart About Finances

 I have a special guest writer this week, Debbie on Financials and your children!

Ask any person who has struggled with credit problems what they wish they had done differently about their finances, and chances are that many of them would say they should have learned more about money when they were young.  Unfortunately, many parents do not teach their children anything about smart money management, and these children often grow up with no understanding about how to save money, how a credit card works or even what everyday items cost.  Without such basic knowledge, many young adults find themselves over their heads in debt, even if they have a good job. 

A little bit of financial education early on can make a big difference in a child’s life later on.  Make these steps a regular part of your daily life and your children will soon learn enough about money to make sound financial decisions in the future.

1.         Give your child an allowance.

Whether you tie your child’s allowance to chores or give them a set amount each week no matter what they do, an allowance is a good way to start making children responsible for their money.  Set ground rules about how the money may be spent and then stick to them.  For example, maybe allowance is to be used for “extras” such as trips to the movies with friends or some toy they want but do not need.  Do not supplement the cash you give your child if the allowance runs out and they will learn to think about their purchases ahead of time and realize that wanting something is very different than needing it.

2.         Open a savings account.

Teach your children how to save for special big purchases by opening a savings account for them; many banks have programs for young people.  If your child has a job, suggest that a certain percentage of their earnings, plus birthday and other monetary gifts be deposited in the bank.  Your child will get satisfaction from the effort of saving for a big purchase and also will gain an understanding about how difficult it is to save.  He or she will also see their money grow through the accumulation of interest.

3.         Talk about credit cards.

Avoid credit troubles later by teaching your children about credit cards now.  If possible, stress the importance of paying off your balance each month and explain how high interest rates could end up costing them hundreds or even thousands of extra dollars.  Warn them about attractive-looking offers of credit that switch to much higher rates quickly.  For older children you can even lend them money and then charge them interest until they pay it back so that they learn how quickly interest adds up when they borrow money.

4.         Give money away.

A good lesson about finances is not complete without a discussion of charity.  Encourage your children to donate a portion of any money they earn (and even some of their allowance) to a charitable cause of their choice.  This will help them understand that not everyone can afford the things they can buy and also help them value the money they earn.

Debbie Dragon is a financial writer for MyBankTracker.com, a site that helps consumers compare savings accounts, CD rates, and home equity loans to make informed banking decisions and save money.

Hauntings in PA

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PA Tourism for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

   

     Have you ever just wanted to visit an old jail or insane asylum?  I have to admit I would love too, especially if they are said to be haunted.   You can visit pa-roadtrips and plan your vacation with the up most ease.  Rather you are going with your spouse, children, parents, siblings, or friends you can find the perfect vacation spot for you and plan it to the point it is a matter of packing your bags and leaving. 

     As I was looking through pa-roadtrips I found the one that I would really love to go visit and it is The Ghost Rides: Upstate PA.  I find it facinating to hear the ghost  stories of a local town, enjoy the fall weather, while going on hayrides with the kids, and visiting old haunted jails.  I think I would love to take the my entire family, my hubby and 3 kids on this one, although I would have to be careful not to take the little ones on any ghost trails or haunted houses.  I think they would enjoy the hay rides more so than anything.  However the haunted old jails hold alot of history, that I would enjoy learning about.

     There are so many roadtrips that you can plan from and really enjoy for the whole family.  Please visi tpa-roadtrips, plan your family vacation with ease and let me know where you and your family will be going this year.  They have roadtrips for all seasons of the year, so if you like to travel in the winter, they got you covered.

~Summer Plans~

     Today is our last day of school for the 2011 - 2012 school year, and we are really starting to think about summer vacations.  Since I have 4 children where ever we go, we have to find something that suits our family.  I enjoy the night life but because I have small children, we choose to go places that have something to offer them. Central New Jersey has something for everyone, rather you and the girls are going out on the town for the weekend or you and the family are taking a week long vacation.  When does your children let get out of school for the summer and do you already have your summer vacation planned?

     We are always searching for the Family options, so I am looking for things that all ages can do.  I found that Central New Jersey had several things to offer us.  As you will see I have a few things here for you to do as a family:

1.  There is Laser Park - it is a park with fog that flows across the ground as you and your family or friends navigate the maze, but be careful there are others playing too.  Who will outlast the others?  This is a fun game played by many and enjoyed by all!
2. Six Flags -  Is  a theme park full of Family fun and adventure.  They offer Summer thrill passes and seasonal passes.  You can also go see your favorite hero on Fathers day!  This is a park full of thrills, including the Sky-screamer now open.
3. Crystal Springs aquatic water park -  This park offers a small splashing pool for small children, two large pools for older children and adults, and a lazy river for those who want to enjoy the water, sun and relaxation.

     This is just a few of the things that are offered in the Central New Jersey area and there are so many more fun things to do for the children and the adults alike.   There is Museums to visit, Golf courses, Theme parks, dining, and great hotels.  What ever you or your family is looking for  you can find it here all in one place.

Find them on Facebook, like their page and let them know we sent you!





    

    

Memorial Day Weekend Plans

     Every year Memorial Day weekend our family has their family reunion.  This year we had our 30th reunion and although we had half the people to show up, we still had a blast.  In this post I will share some of my family, friends and things that we do to enjoy our reunion.

     We started having our family reunion on Memorial day for many reasons.  One reason was because we have a big Military background and felt what better way to honor our Soldiers than to have a big celebration and bring family together to do so.  Second of all, because it is a 3 day weekend, it makes it easier for those family members whom do l=not live near us to make here, and then make it back home in time for work.

     Here I have some pics taken at this years Family Reunion.  I did not take many due to the fact that, my Mom and Dad are the ones that get everything set up and cleaned up, and of course I help!

     How did you and your Family celebrate Memorial Day?  Leave a comment, you can also do a IN MEMORY OF rather they are present, past or Future soldiers.  I would love to hear your stories!

Children's Advil Friends Mission

Children's Advil Friends Mission: Take this short survey from Smiley360 and enter 4 a chance 2 win a $200 gift card! Take the survey at http://smiley360.com/645476.cfm

Not a member of Smiley360?  You can click here, and register.  If you enjoy trying out new products and sharing with your friends, this is a great website!




Disclosure:  I received an extra entry on this drawing provided to me by Smiley360.com.