Our daughter is in Kindergarten.  When it came to deciding whether we were going to send her or wait a year, I literally agonized over the decision.  You see, she has a late birthday (our cut off to start Kindergarten here is December 1st).  But in the end, we decided to send her.  Boy did that end up being the wrong decision and knowing what I know now, I would have never sent her.

You see, my husband was laid off last August…right before school started.  While it was fun for her to have daddy home with her half the day, it also completely through her for a loop.  The Bella that we know, the outgoing girl who loves to chat your ear off, began to become withdrawn, never spoke in school and appeared to be very anxious in school.  I started to communicate with her teacher and together we came to the decision that we think it would be best for Bella to repeat Kindergarten next year.

We are hoping (and I am pretty sure we are right) that giving her that extra year will help her grow and become more confident in the classroom.  Not only that, our life as a family is going back to normal (normal as in, before my husband was laid off).  I’m at home again and he is working.  She even said to me the other day “mama…everything is all better now.  You are home with me and daddy is working”.  I almost cried.

Since her teacher and I spoke with her about doing the Kindergarten again (she is going to be a classroom expert…she’s very excited about this job) she has come out of her shell more, is more outgoing in class and she is answering questions!  It’s almost like she knew all along that she was not ready and now that the pressure of moving on to first grade is gone, she is able to relax.  Combine that with the fact that everything is relatively normal in our house again, we have one happy little girl again!

I have my moments when I wonder if I made the right choice holding her back, but I worked in her class the other day and while she is maturer than others in some regards, you can really tell she is the youngest in the class in other regards.  So in the end, I would much rather hold her back now than get to third grade and realize I made a mistake and it be much harder on her to hold her back.  Not to mention, those areas that I can tell she is the youngest may not be an issue now, but come 6th grade and they will be a much bigger deal.

What about you?  Did you hold your child back?  How did that work out for you?

My husband and kids surprised me big time this year for Mother’s Day.  They got me The New Ipad!  I was beside myself happy when I opened that gift.  Do you know how long I have wanted one of those????  I have not put it down once since I got it!  Well…accept for when we went shopping this afternoon to try and find a case for it.  Boy was that a trip.  I found a really cool one with camels (I like camels, remember?) all over it, but it was $85.  There was nothing special about it (well…accept for the camels!) to warrant me spending $85 on it.  If it were up to Dan, I would have this military grade case that you could probably run a tank over without destroying your ipad, but I find that to be a tad overkill.

When I got home I tried searching my favorite websites, but nothing jumped out at me.  Until I checked Overstock.com.  Are you familiar with that site?  EVERYTHING…and I mean EVERYTHING is significantly cheaper.  Same great quality…just a lesser price!  Being the kind of person I am, I immediately looked for an Overstock Promo Code.  While shipping is extremely cheap with this site, if I could find a code that would give me free shipping…I’ll take the free shipping!  Promo codes are nice though.  Simply enter the code in where it tells you to.

If you have an ipad, which kind of case do you have?  I have it in my  head what I want, but I can’t find it (and I know it is out there).  I want something girly; something with a little bling; but most importantly, I want something that is going to protect my ipad.  I’ve found a few promising cases, but something tells me there is something better out there for me.

Leave me a comment with a link to the ipad case that you use…and remember, if you have a coupon code…let me know that too!  Gotta save money where I can!

How many of you use the Swiffer WetJet  as part of your cleaning regime in your home?  I do!  But one of things I hate doing is having to purchase the refills once I’ve used it all up.  They aren’t cheap.   I already use microfiber clothes that I can wash and use over and over again.  And while I’ve tried other mops similar to the Swiffer that allows you to use a refillable bottle, none work as good as the Swiffer.

A friend of mine told me that she heard that you could “hack into” your Swiffer WetJet refill bottle by dipping the lid into boiling hot water.  I have been waiting and waiting to use up my refill so I could give this a try.  What did I have to lose?  Either it works and I can refill the bottle with my own cleaner or it doesn’t and I have to throw it away.

So let’s see if it worked:

First you want to set a pot of water on the stove and let it boil.  Once it’s boiling, place the Swiffer WetJet refill with the cap down, into the boiling water for 15 seconds.

After 15 seconds, remove and dry the lid.  You can try to turn it at this point, but you’re going to need to stick the lid in the boiling water 2-3 more times for 15 seconds each.

Now that you have the lid off, you can refill with your favorite cleaner!  I chose to use Fabuloso (which smells like lavender) and a little bit of water.

I was so excited when this worked!  No more wasting money on Swiffer WetJet refills!  I can now refill my own Swiffer refill container for a major savings!  Fabuloso costs anywhere around $3.00 at Walmart (though I just saw a HUGE container at Sam’s Club for about $5 or $6).  So what are you waiting for?  Use up your current refill and then give this a try!

Leave me a comment and tell me what you would fill your refill with!

Ever since my parents brought a computer in our home when I was little, I was hooked.  Hooked on anything electronic.  Now of course that computer had that eerie green screen and it wasn’t hooked to the internet (Al Gore hadn’t invented it yet!!), but I loved it.  I love typing on it, playing games, etc.  When we got internet, a whole new world opened up.  I remember fighting constantly with my brother over who’s turn it was to use the computer, mainly so I could talk with my friends on AOL Instant Messenger.

Shortly before we got married, my husband and I got our first apartment.  Like me, my husband loved electronics and every accessory imaginable.  So when he used Dell Promo Codes to get me my first laptop, I was ecstatic!  No more sitting in an uncomfortable chair away from the television (hey now, no judging…I already admitted I was hooked on electronics!).  With a laptop I could lay on the couch, go online AND watch television all at the same time!  It took everything in me to sit still the two weeks that it took for Dell to build my laptop, install the programs and ship it to me.

I’ve posted before about how I use coupons EVERYWHERE.  I don’t order anything online without first looking to see if there are any online coupons I could use.  Whether the coupon is for free shipping, a percentage off, or quicker shipping, if it exists…I find it and use it.  I know a lot of people don’t want to be bothered with coupons, but when it comes to saving money, how can you not use a coupon?  Now that I am a stay at home mom again, saving money is my main job…after taking care of the kids, of course!  We cut corners and go without so I can be home with the kids, the least I could do is try my best at making sure I save us the most money as possible.

What are your favorite sites to use to save money?  Leave me a comment, I’d love to check them out!

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored post written.  All opinions are solely mine.

My almost 8 year old son has ADHD.  In Kindergarten and First Grade he was on medication to help keep him focused and calm at school.  3 days before the start of Second Grade we had a horrible experience with his new medication and I pulled him off of it and vowed that I would not have him on medication any longer.  I was a nervous wreck starting the school year.  However, it is now almost the end of the year and Zachary is doing amazingly well!  This is his best year academically (and also the first year he won’t need summer school)!  I make sure to keep him active after school, give him fish oil everyday and I try to avoid as much dyes and artificial ingredients as possible.

I heard about the book,Power Brain Kids: 12 Easy Lessons to Ignite Your Child’s Potential and knew I had to check it out.  Shoot, I’ve tried everything else with him!  This book is broken down into 12 very easy lessons and each chapter focuses a different mental ability (concentration, creativity, memory and emotional control).  One of the things that I really liked about this  book is the color photographs.  I liked that because it helped to keep Zachary’s attention and helped him to know exactly what he was supposed to do…rather than guess or me try to demonstrate.

One activity that I found very helpful (and one I catch him doing from time to time) is:

Bright Eye Exercises

Children can experience eye fatigue when reading, studying and working on computers.  Make this simple exercise part of their routine in order to avoid eye problems.

1. Clap hands together 20 times and then rub them together until palms are warm.
2. Place cupped hand over eyes.  Open eyes and feel the warmth penetrating into them.
3. Rotate eyes in a circle, first to the right and then to the left.  Keep hands over eyes during this step.
4. Now uncover eyes and look up, feeling the stretch in the eye muscles.  Look down, and then to the left and right

When I was working, I found myself doing this at my desk…working on a computer will totally tire your eyes out.  And this sure beats running to the  bathroom to run my hands and writs under cold water!

This book runs for under $15 on Amazon…you can’t beat that!  Order it and give it a try!

Disclosure:  I was provided with a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are solely mine.

This post brought to you by Chili’s Grill & Bar. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you have any plans for Cinco de Mayo?  I do!  And I am VERY excited about them!  It's not very often that my husband, Dan and I, are able to get out and enjoy a night with each other (minus the kids).  I can't even tell you the last movie we saw in the movie theater that was not an animated kids movie.  How sad is that? However, one of the places that we enjoy going to (with or without the kids) is to Chili's.  How can you not like it there?  Their chips and salsa are to die for!  Not only that, but on kids night, the Chili's in my area has a clown that does balloon animals (or swords or basically anything you ask for) and he paints your face.  Well my kids's face.  Not mine!

When I eat there, I ALWAYS get the same thing…soup and salad.  I figure I am eating so many chips, I need to go light on my dinner.  But not this time!  This time around I am trying something new.  After looking at their menu online, I'm having a hard time choosing.  But I did narrow it down to three choices:

• Chicken and Steak Fajita's 
• Margarita Chicken
• Boneless Buffalo Chicken Salad

Given that we are going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, it's only a natural that I would have a maragrita…you can't celebrate Cinco de Mayo and NOT drink a margarita.  Now if you are like me and you love margarita's so much that you want to buy it a beer, you have to try the all new CoronaRita at Chili's.  It gives you the best of both worlds by using Jose Cuervo Especial Tequila and a Corona!  And I definitely think it would go very nicely with each one of the items I would like to try!

Doesn't that look good?!?

Do you eat a Chili's?  What is your favorite menu item?  Leave me a comment letting me know what you like to eat there (so I can try it!!).  If you haven't eaten there, take a look at their menu and tell me what sounds good!  Will you be pairing it with the new CoronaRita at Chili's?

Disclaimer:  You must be 21 years or older to drink alcoholic beverages and as always, please remember to drink responsibly.

A little over a year ago, you may remember when I got the chance to participate in the Pampers Little Miracle Mission!  Basically I was given a $50 American Express gift card where I was told to c0me up with the best way to spend that money on a little miracle in my community.  I decided to spend it on a mom that was expecting her 3rd child who expressed her need to make her own baby food.  Being that that was one of my goals when I had young children, that I did not end up doing, I knew I had to make that dream come true for her.  So I spent the $50 American Express gift card on the Ninja Master Prep Blender and a set of ice cube trays to freeze the pureed food in.

And yes…I did get her a little something to enjoy AFTER the baby was born!!

Today I got a little note from my friend with a picture of her baby thanking me for the baby food:

I am so glad I was able to help her fulfill her dream of making her own baby food!

Be sure to check out Pampers on Facebook and “Like” their page!

Thank you to everyone that entered!  Like always, I wish there could be more than one winner…but especially on this giveaway.  If your kids are anything like mine, they would absolutely love the light up cups to drink their morning milk in.

According to the plug-in, And the Winner is…the winner of the Creative Breakfast Giveaway is…

Jessica T

Congratulations!!!

An email has been sent to Jessica requesting her shipping information.  If I don’t hear from her, a new winner will be determined.  Thank you again for entering.  Be sure to check this giveaway that ends May 1st at 8p est.

A friend of mine just took a job that has her packing her bags and moving far away…to England!  While I have to admit I’m less than thrilled that she is moving that far away…what an amazing opportunity for her!  So being the kind of friend I am, I started looking up everything she needed to know about such a large move…things like what to do, what to see, where to shop.  Let’s face it, when moving to a new place (especially another country) we HAVE to have our priorities straight and knowing where to shop is pretty high up on the list of what we need to know.  Am I right or am I right?

Of course, as I’m googling where to shop, I am also googling coupons that she can use while she’s there.  Remember, I like to save money as much as possible…especially now that I am the CEO of the Household again.  Right away I found that she could use Feel Unique vouchers, which is a great site that not only ships to directly to her, but it also ships worldwide (hint hint…you can by your friend a nice “I’m leaving you” gift from abroad)!  She can use these online vouchers in the same way she would use printable coupons here in the U.S.  And again…the whole point is to save money!

Now there are plenty of sites she wants to see when she first gets to England…Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Windsor…and while all of those places sound absolutely amazing.  My number one thing I would have to do (and probably spend the entire day doing) is try to make a Royal Guard laugh.  Yep.  You read that right.  Out of all the amazing things I could be doing in England my first day there, I would choose to spend it doing my little rendition of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back”.  I’m sure that would crack a smile on one of them.   And if all else fails…I’ll have Dan sing to the guard.  That will definitely crack a smile on their face and not only make their day, but mine as well!

Disclaimer:  This is a sponsored post written by me.

One of the things I really hate is hiccups.  I don’t get them very often, but my daughter and husband do.  When I was pregnant with my daughter, I swear it seemed like she had the hiccups ALL THE TIME!  So I guess it’s only natural she would have them all the time now!  When she gets the hiccups, she is always coming up to me and saying “Mama…scare me”.  So I scare the child who is expecting to be scared and of course, it doesn’t work.  After scaring her I tell her to hold her breath until I tell her to breathe again…but she’s five…that doesn’t work all that well either.

My favorite hiccup remedy (that doesn’t work) is saying “cow nipples” three times.  When I was in high school a friend of mine told me that was the end all be all for curing hiccups.  All it does is make you laugh and then think about cow nipples.

If you’re like my husband and daughter who suffer from hiccups all the time, you might be interested in hearing about a new product out there that is said to truly get rid of hiccups.  This product is Hicural and it is made from a polypropylene compound that stops hiccups before you can say “cow nipples”!

Simply put the clear tube into your mouth, bite down slightly and drink water.  It really is that easy!  Check out what other people are saying about Hicural right her on their testimonial page!

One lucky reader will have the opportunity to win Hicural right here on Diaries of a Domestic Goddess!!

GIVEAWAY

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  You must complete the mandatory entry FIRST before any additional entries will be accepted.  Please put each entry in a new comment.

Mandatory Entry:  What is your go to hiccup relief tip?

Additional Entries:

1. Subscribe to my blog via email
2. “Like” Diaries of a Domestic Goddess on Facebook
3. Put this giveaway as your status (one entry per day)
4. Follow @DGoddess on Twitter
5. Tweet this giveaway (one entry per day)
6. Stumble any non-contest post (unlimited)
7. Comment on any non-contest post (unlimited)

This giveaway will run from today (4/26/12) and run until May 10, 2012 at 8pm EST.  All entries will be checked and verified.  One winner will be chosen at random using the “And the Winner Is” plug-in.  An email will be sent to the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to the email with their shipping information or a new winner will be determined.