2008-Nov-21
Frugal Wrapping Ideas
Posted in Frugality-Simplicity
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
Simply Frugal
Frugal Wrapping Ideas
Recently, I was speaking about handmade Christmas gifts that really make the grade so to speak. I know there are times when we get and give those gifts and think, Ok that was nice, but they just don’t have that extra pizzazz, ya know? However, one of the things I brought up was that it isn’t just the gift. If you are including handmade gifts this year, that may not themselves be personal, such as pot holders, gifts in a jar, flavored oils & vinegars, and other gifts you may make multiples of, you can make each of those gifts intimately personal for each recipient with little time and money!
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Frugal Wrapping Ideas
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/118424/
2008-Nov-21
This is SOOOO Funny!
Posted in Family
This week I have had a lot of unusal posts…but this one HAS to be shared! Here is what happened when I ventured out late this evening with Eric.
Ok this is so funny…but it probably isn’t as funny as if we had caught it on camera.
Eric stays up with me tonight because I knew I was going to make a late night Wal Mart run for some things for Fresh Gear for the tournament. We get our shopping done and I decide to treat him to a late night Wendy’s run for some drinks. We get there, and sound like a bunch of drunks because I am muttering “What if they have a limited nighttime menu?” and Eric is going “What do you care…we are only getting drinks. Like they are going to say, hey sorry lady we only serve regular coke after midnight…and you have to have it with ice.”
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This is SOOOO Funny!
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/118375/
2008-Nov-20
Me Thinks I Been Hacked
Posted in Thoughts Comments or Concerns
My sincerest apologies to all of you who have emailed about the November issue of Her Simple Walk E-Zine and this week’s Journey to Simlicity E-zine. I had been working on them in segments as I am able. However, when I went in this evening to finish them up and send them to all of you, I found that they are missing. I am not certain what is going on yet, but I submitted a help “ticket” and am hoping to discover the source of this. However, if there is no method of recovering the information, I will have to start them both from scratch.
I am packing and preparing for our family to work a tournament and we leave Friday. Right now, I should be in bed, but I have been trying to resolve this tonight if possible. However, I now must wait to hear back from the help department. This means I will be unable to get to these until next week some time. My sincerest apologies for the inconvenience to all of you! Know that I will do all that I can to get these re-written and in your Iinboxes ASAP.
In addition, the Simple Journey Bookstore is in disrepair again. I am working as best I can to repair the links and formatting to making your shopping with us a pleasant and user friendly experience. Thanks for your patience and understanding through our trials!
These are my thoughts.
Me Thinks I Been Hacked
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/118231/
2008-Nov-19
A Path to a Simpler Life
Posted in Frugality-Simplicity
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
I Can’t Live Simply Until…
Why is Life Not Getting Simpler?
A few people have asked how to know if they are on the path to acquiring a more simple life. Since this is generally subjective and case specific, I often have to reply by asking some questions. Have you ever tried to change certain aspects of your lifestyle to accomplish something and then asked yourself if you have accomplished your goal? Hmmmm…
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A Path to a Simpler Life
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/118074/
2008-Nov-18
Organize Your Make-up
Posted in Organization
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
Keep It Together Girl!
Organize Your Make-up
Organizing your make-up can be easy, but it can also be complex, depending on what you have available in your bathroom for storage. Many have a shallow and narrow drawer in which they have to store their make-up. Some may just throw it in the drawer. Others may have several drawers in the bathroom vanity to separate make-up from hair brushes, hair accessories, etc. Still other bathrooms don’t have any drawers, but are equipped with a closet only. You can see how this can affect how to organize your make-up in an efficient way. But it isn’t just the organization we need to deal with. We also need to consider the forethought of how to keep up with the organization and the periodic cleaning of the space. PHEW! What seemed so simple became complex very quickly. Here’s an idea that is adaptable, quick, easy, and best of all…it’s FREE!
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Organize Your Make-up
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/118025/
2008-Nov-17
Steaming Fresh Produce
Posted in Kitchen
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
Can I Have Some More, Please?
Steaming Fresh Produce
Over the last few months I have been asked about the new steamer zip style bags for steaming fresh produce in the microwave. Is it safe? Is it efficient? Is it cost effective? I have also been asked about similar questions in regards to the line of frozen produce that steams in the microwave in its own packaging. Here are the conclusions, thus far.
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Steaming Fresh Produce
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/117922/
2008-Nov-16
Testimony to Answered Prayers
Posted in Thoughts Comments or Concerns
Friends, I am so thankful for all the prayers I received over the last several days; both on the Internet & and in emails!!! Your wonderful prayers have been working! Testimony abounds my friends!
After 15 years of dealing with compounding health issues for me, Thomas and I had both been frustrated of not getting answers, issues not only not getting better, but nothing was ever getting cured. On top of all this, things were getting worse! Each time I would go to the DR I was being labeled with some other health issue. How could this be when I kept following “the plan” and receiving meds? A few months ago, it came to a crossroad that I needed to DO something that was going to make a change! We began seeing that at my age not only should I not be experiencing so many seemingly correctable health issues, but ones that were unable to be corrected with meds. With each new cocktail I was given, it would help cover up symptoms and within three months old issues would creep in and NEW issues would pop-up! I often wondered if I was becoming a hypochondriac! Seriously! Ho wouldn’t when her medical chart was beginning to look like a medical textbook? With all this now, we wondered what my future would look like medically.
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Testimony to Answered Prayers
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/117817/
2008-Nov-14
Please Pray for Me
Posted in Thoughts Comments or Concerns
Hi to everyone. This post is going to seem very strange to you. Some of you are aware of the medical issues I have been combating over the last several years. The last few months have been such a strain on me. The last few weeks have been almost unbearableand in some ways I am unable to function. I have not been able to type much, for my arms are almost completely numb, now. Tonight, well really this morning, something awful occured. Satan has continued to try to push me down.
I ask that you please lift me in prayer. Thank you for your friendship, kindness, love, and prayers!
Please Pray for Me
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/117563/
2008-Nov-12
Simple Thanskgiving
Posted in Frugality-Simplicity
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
I Can’t Live Simply Until…
A Simple Thanksgiving Plan
I have been posting lots of ways you can simplify your life overall, and especially help to keep those simple living concepts you have been incorporating over the last few months in place with the onset of the upcoming holidays that may push you into older poor habits filled with chaos. Your holiday festivities do NOT have to be stressful, even if you have a houseful of guests coming! You may be hosting Thanksgiving dinner for a large crowd. Your family may have been invited to have Thanksgiving dinner elsewhere, but have the stress of bringing some side dishes. You may be like our family, and working through the holiday away from home. Your family may be traveling to visit with family. Whatever your situation, it CAN remain a simple and relaxing!
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Simple Thanskgiving
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/117314/
2008-Nov-11
Organize Your Linen Closet
Posted in Organization
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
Keep It Together Girl!
Organize Your Linen Closet
I don’t know what happens at your house, but here at the Valeska Chateau, the linen closet can be a challenge to keep organized. I have always organized the shelves by item type, i.e. table cloths, sheets, towels, etc. There is nothing wrong with organizing your linens if it works for you, but with a family it can wreak havoc, to say the least. Once your children become old enough to train for certain tasks, it is almost as though it is their job to be helpful and disorganize the linen closet at the same time, thus causing mom an internal conflict as to whether or not to praise or chastise. It’s one of those little things that God has put in place for Mother’s as a training tool, I think. There are other ways to manage your linen closet, that will allow for optimal usage and the least amount of mom anxiety.
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Organize Your Linen Closet
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/117152/
2008-Nov-10
Vote for Journey to Simplicity as Best Encourager
Posted in Thoughts Comments or Concerns
I just found out that Journey to Simplicity has been nominated for BEST ENCOURAGER (click here) over at the 2008 Homeschool Blog Awards! How exciting!!! I am not only surprised, but I am SO honored right now to be nominated for such a great category!!!
PLEASE, vote for the Journey to Simplicity by CLICKING HERE NOW.
Check out the rest of the categories and vote for your fave blogs! My favorite part of the HS Blog Awards, is finding NEW blogs every year! Be on the look out for my new faves!!!
REMEMBER to Vote for Journey to Simplicity for Best Encourager!
Be Blessed and HAVE FUN!
Vote for Journey to Simplicity as Best Encourager
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/117010/
2008-Nov-10
Freezing Homemade Apple Pie Filling
Posted in Kitchen
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
Can I Have Some More, Please?
What to do With All those Apples of Autumn
So many of you have been posting about visiting apple orchards recently. Honestly, when I see your photos, I can smell them through my computer. Really, I can! It is something I truly miss living down here. I have seen a LOT of apple recipes in my days. I have seen a LOT of ways to preserve apples in my journeys as well, but I have never seen how to freeze them for pie filling!
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Freezing Homemade Apple Pie Filling
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/116997/
2008-Nov-7
Free Art Curriculum
Posted in Homeschool
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
School Days!
Achieving an Awesome Art Curriculum
Art curriculum is one of the easiest things that you can create for absolutely nothing. For those who have not ever tried their hand at teaching art without a curriculum, this may seem impossible, but I assure you it couldn’t be more simple or frugal. Well, honestly, you can create a Free awesome art curriculum that includes a wide variety of art, crafts, tutorials, history, and lessons in very little time.
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Free Art Curriculum
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/115714/
2008-Nov-6
Frugal Turkey Ideas
Posted in Frugality-Simplicity
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
Simply Frugal
Bring on the Turkey!
With Thanksgiving approaching quickly it is time to assess your turkey needs. There are a few helpful tips that can keep your Thanksgiving meal budget in line and help you trim the food budget after the meal without making your family tired of looking at turkey to the point they hope that you are going to serve mac and cheese only next year for Thanksgiving!
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Frugal Turkey Ideas
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/115713/
2008-Nov-5
Planning for the Upcoming Holidays
Posted in Frugality-Simplicity
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
I Can’t Live Simply Until…
Are You Ready for the Coming Holiday Seasons?
I use a plan every year to help me prepare for the holiday seasons, which start with Thanksgiving and end with New Years. I have used two plans for this over the years depending on what I believe I can realistically accomplish, our schedule, and where I have placed my boundaries. You CAN have a simple holiday season with a bit of planning and clear resolve. Here’s how:
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Planning for the Upcoming Holidays
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/115712/
2008-Nov-4
Extra Freebies!!!
Posted in Thoughts Comments or Concerns
Hi All!
Please remember and Get Out to VOTE Today!
This is a sticky post and will be up all week. Scroll down for regular weekly posts.
I want to take a brief moment from working on the bookstore to let you know about Cindy Rushton's Making Memories Seminar coming up this weekend.
Now, Cindy has authorized me to send you a wonderful article of hers completely FREE and I will include it at the end, but I wanted to sweeten the pot for all of you!
I am SO excited about this weekend and have been inspired with the preview chats! I am looking forward to my session this weekend Tranistioning from a Worldly Christmas to a Christ Focused Christmas! The seminar is exactly what you will want to wrap your heart around to prepare for the upcoming hustle and bustle!
But I want to offer YOU More!
Everyone who purchases a ticket through me (http://tinyurl.com/SJMemories) is going to get EXTRA goodies that you won't get anywhere else!!! Not even with Cindy!!!
Are you Ready???????????
Purchase your ticket to Cindy Rushton's Let's Make a Memory Talk-A-Latte Virtual Seminar through me (http://tinyurl.com/SJMemories) and you will also receive
- A Free copy of my e-book Simply Frugal Electric Skillet Recipes
- A Free copy of my mini e-book Simple Dinners During Christmas Chaos
- And an entry to win a Free ticket to my 8 week class, Digging Out of Debt God's Way!!!!
Here's a great article to get you started!
Let's Make a Memory...Over Books!
by Cindy Rushton
http://tinyurl.com/SJMemories
Hummm…was it the giggles the whole way through adventures with Pooh? My constant sobbing through every page of The Little Preacher? Our total addiction to every single page of Pilgrim’s Progress? The giggles and strategy as the children would run off to “play” every single bit of Daniel Boone’s life—with stiff warnings from Mom that NO ONE really got the hair-cut! Peeking outside to see the hard, hard work as forts were raised and mud pies “baked” for our beloved “soldier.” Oh, the precious, precious memories! Precious memories that are OURS forever!
Want the best homeschool year yet?
Why not make it a priority to curl up as a family over the pages of a great book each day? Get the water going…pull out some nice snacks…settle down for tea (or hot cocoa!!)…and dig into great books!
Game, but have no idea where to begin?? Come home with our family and get a picture of how easy AND awesome building a memory—over a great book—can be!
Decide a Good Time for Read Alouds…
Over the years, I have found that even though I LOVE great literature and believe passionately in the power of a great book to inspire us toward greatness, teach those facts in a palitable manner, and feed our hungry minds with great ideas, there has still been a constant battle with distractions from our beloved typical family reading time. Constant phone calls…friends dropping by…never the same day to day family life because of constant interruptions…the list could go on and on! I found that we needed a more consistent time to read, study, and cuddle. A time that was just ours!
The best time for this was at the end of our busy day. Our family reading tradition began years ago when my husband worked as an Alabama State Trooper. We found ourselves up until very late hours. Those last few hours before he came in seemed perfect. They were not likely to be times for calls, errands, or drop-by guests. They were the easiest to preserve for our special time whether we were on the road traveling or cuddling on our sofa or snuggled in my bed for a nice-long read aloud! Those moments were the perfect ones for our family. Now, since the children are almost grown up, the schedule is more complex than ever, and dad is now retired and running the family business the ONE constant that we all cry out for in the midst of busy or chaotic or even the most hum-drum day is our evening family read aloud and pow-wow time!
So, the first things to decide–what time would work best for your family? Look at your schedule? What time of the day is the most constant…the most uninterrupted…the easiest to settle down? Set that time aside—you have a treasure house of memories coming your way!
Bit-By-Bit!
Perhaps a set time is not the problem. Perhaps the greatest need is dealing with the struggles that make read alouds an utter impossibility. An ideal! Certainly not a reality! You know…settling down the children…containing the messes long enough to finish one small part of a story…getting their interest? The habit that becomes a treasured tradition begins bit-by-bit! Here are a few ideas that may help:
* Get to know YOUR family and their interests. Each and every family is completely unique. What we love to read as a family, your family may not like at all! Our children may be completely different ages as yours. Our family preferences may be completely different than yours. In fact, our choices for read alouds now that our children are at these ages are very different from the choices we made in the early years. The key to a sizzling read aloud program rests with getting to know YOUR family and their interests and then basing your choices upon where you are.
* Use a reading list! Have no idea which books to begin with? TOTALLY confused with all of the options? We have a couple of recommendations. First, we recommend our book The Never-ending Rushton Reading List (soon to be re-released in ebook format after being TOTALLY revamped–working on that now!). It is very reasonable, compact, simple, and easy to begin using today. It includes suggestions that are perfect for teaching every subject with great books AND it has a basic list of recommended read alouds that EVERY (smile!) family should read through! As they get older, another recommendation that we have is our book Inspiring Our Children Toward Greatness Using Great Literature (also, out of print right now–look for it to be re-released in ebook format very soon too! One powerful book!) which has an extended list of recommendations for life-transforming literature and great books that you won’t want to miss. You can also find great recommendations in other books, catalogs, and at your local library.
* Make it FUN! Reading need not resemble the drudgery from our school days. Rather, it can be a great big family party! We have a daily “tea time” with our read alouds. When the children were little, I found very soon that our children were much more attentive if their bellies were full and their hands busy. Being a “tea-time addict,” it was almost the “given” thing to do! This may seem a bit artificial to your family. Find what works. Some families settle down with snacks like our family. Others entertain the children with play-doh to keep their hands busy while mommy reads. Other families give their children sketch books to “draw” what they imagine while mommy reads the book. Just make it a FUN family time! You will be amazed at how much the children will learn while making a memory!
Choose the BEST! Great Literature!
The still, quiet spirit of our home was only the first part of this special family tradition! Great books were musts! My children love to read. We have a library just for them filled with books that they can choose during their free time. They cover a wide-range of studies just by using whole, living books full of ideas and great information. For our read alouds, I did not want a repeat of those books. Instead, I wanted life-changing literature. Because of this heartbeat, I am extremely selective to choose the very BEST books for this special time.
I have a very simple test for discerning if the books are life-changing. I ask myself, “If these were the last moments that I had with my children, would this be the book that I would want to be the LAST ONE?? Would this be the memory that I want for them to carry with them?” “Is this book capable of teaching those life-lessons that they need to carry them through life?” This limits my choices to those books that are absolute MUSTS for my children. Those books that all well-educated children should dine upon. Those books that feed the spirit…challenge the soul…and encourage us to keep on persevering through it all!
I have been amazed at the way the Lord has led us by His Spirit to each book that He has wanted for us to read as a family. From The Hiding Place to Basket of Flowers to The Elsie Series to Hedge of Thorns to Passion and Purity to great poetry to Christmas stories to a multitude of biographies…God has had specific direction for us right when we needed to know His next choice!
Once I know which book we will read next, I usually hunt for a nice, large print edition, if at all possible. These are wonderful for helping us take turns. My son used to be so intimidated by small print in books. The large print editions are easier for him to read comfortably from. They also make great texts for copywork lessons. I saw the advantage to the large print as we read from Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place. There were so many wonderful quotes that I felt were important for the children to copy into their copybooks. While we read aloud, I simply marked them with a highlighter. On those mornings that the children were drawing blanks for copywork ideas, all they had to do was open that book to find a plethora of excellent choices! I found that to be helpful for my writing and speaking as well because I could easily find those great thoughts that had been planted in my mind while we read!
We usually take turns reading. This is the perfect way to help beginning readers ease into reading aloud for others. Their work can be so mundane if they practice with readers or insignificant reading lessons. A great book invites children to read with expression. When I would notice them tiring out, (you probably know that time because that is when they get REAL monotone…AKA boring!!) I would join in and read for a little while. That usually brightened up the pace so that when they would begin again, they would sound expressive and enthusiastic. Now, I absolutely LOVE to listen to them read aloud. It is neat to hear them stress those words that I would stress…or pause as I would pause! What a treasure!
Well, that is only part of the treasure! One thing that I love about this precious time with my children is that I find out just what they think, feel, and believe. We have tremendous discussions almost nightly about great ideas. I remember this being a goal for my children as they matured into adulthood. I never dreamed that I could have this blessing with little children! It is during these quaint moments of reading while sipping our tea, that I get a peek into their heart! I see their heart’s desires…their struggles in their character…the depths that God’s Word has worked in their lives…and their instant choices when faced with adversity (through the pages of the books). I can also help them trouble-shoot making decisions that may prevent them from irreparable errors later in their lives! Yes, those are the gifts that come with serving up great literature to our children.
Just This Easy…
Our daily read aloud time is just this easy. We don’t make it complicated by tests…by book reports…by written narrations on all we read. We are not even legalistic that our time be limited to books. We have been known to cuddle up with art prints JUST like we do our books. When we include art prints, we simply cuddle up to “listen” to the artist as he or she communicates through the canvas. My little ones have been known to sketch or paint the recent art print with their own style while I read a section from a great book. We also LOVE biographies, so we have enjoyed reading sketches about artists or the latest composer that we are getting to know! Each day, we use this time to also read through the Bible together as a family. This only takes minutes, yet the results have been overwhelming in our lives. Just a bit here and a bit there has helped to carry us into our world with a little bit more understanding about the worldviews of our culture! Not to mention, great art and music feed our minds with ideas that keep us growing into the vessels that God can really use in our culture!
Well, why not put on a little Classical Music in the background. Warm some water…EVEN if you prefer to use it for hot chocolate with fluffy marshmallows! :) Dust off those poetry books or that book you keep putting off for another day. Curl up with your little ones…there is NOTHING quite like the memory that can be made over a great book!!
About Cindy Rushton...
Cindy Rushton is the hostess of the Let's Make a Memory, her annual holiday fling for mothers around the world. She is recording Preview Chats for the Let's Make a Memory RIGHT NOW! Join her wonderful guests FREE for the next weeks as they count down to the Let's Make a Memory Virtual Seminar (November 7-8--BUT! NEVER ENDING because it is an ONLINE seminar!). Get your ticket NOW and begin to dig into her FREE gifts now! Check out all of the details here:
See you there!!!
Leslie
Extra Freebies!!!
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/115953/
2008-Nov-4
Rules for Furniture Arrangement
Posted in Organization
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
Keep It Together Girl!
Who’s Using the Room?
Last week I blogged about re-arranging a room to give it a complete face-lift without having to spend a dime. I received an email asking if there was a rule about doing that with the usage of the room in mind. Well, I don’t know if it is a decorator’s rule or not, but the answer is very simple.
Read More...
Rules for Furniture Arrangement
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/115711/
2008-Nov-3
How to Make Delicious Mashed Potatoes
Posted in Kitchen
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
Can I Have Some More, Please?
He Did the Mash!
Ok, the title of this post was me cracking myself up again. When I was a kid we used to play this 45 record of the Monster Mash. Since I didn’t understand that it was just a dance, I thought they were talking about Monster’s mashing potatoes. Well, what did I know? I was just a dumb kid! Anyway, that has stuck with me all these years and whenever I even think of mashed potatoes, I hear the refrain of the song in my head AND I sing it out loud…He Did the Mash! You know you feel sorry for my poor children with the lyric singing mom. But this brings me to a great food item for cool weather. Did you know that mashed potatoes are versatile? Did you know they can accent a meal without adding gravy? Oh, they can be so much more than simply mashed potatoes!
Read More...
How to Make Delicious Mashed Potatoes
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/115710/
2008-Oct-31
Autumn / Fall Lapbook Ideas
Posted in Homeschool
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
School Days!
Autumn Lapbook
One of the things I enjoy most about homeschooling is the limitless possibilities of learning and lessons during every season. You can plan lessons or just improvise on a whim. But the most wonderful idea is when I can incorporate all of those lessons and whims throughout a season into a lapbook. Typically, we lapbook with some type of plan including a variety of printable templates, that reflect what we have learned. However, this is not always the case. When I do activities and lessons throughout a season, I may have no clue what we will cover or how they will be placed into a lapbook. I also may look for other activities and lessons that will enhance our learning. During some research I recently found an excellent resource.
Read More...
Autumn / Fall Lapbook Ideas
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/115093/
2008-Oct-30
Save on Holiday Decorations
Posted in Frugality-Simplicity
Simple Journey Ministries Presents
Simply Frugal
When Christmas Comes Early
As unwelcomed as it may be in the hearts of many, Christmas officially begins in early to mid October. While we don’t want to see this, it does have a simple and frugal benefit.
Read More...
Save on Holiday Decorations
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/boltbabe/115092/
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