Adding to our Vacation fund

Well, I have posted about some survey sites that I am a member of and told you how you can make money and get free stuff. Well, here's what I got this past couple of weeks:

• Coupon for free can of Libby veggies (facebook)
• Coupon for a Weight Watchers Smart Ones
• Gillette razor
• Jeff Gordon Fan Club kit
• $5 Subway gift card
• $3 check from Pine Cone Research
• $20 Visa card from Valued Opinions
• $5.50 check from Opinion Outpost
• $6.45 check form Opinion Outpost
• $14.43 check from Viewpoint
• $2 check from Survey Spot
• (2) $5 Shell gift cards
• $10 BP gift card
• $10 Lowe's gift card
• Coupon for a free Goji Berry Juice

And I am currently doing 3 product testings. Woo-Hoo!

Couponing to Disney -- My Favorite Blog!!!

You probably see the banner on the side titled Couponing to Disney.
Well, I am going to tell you a little about the blog.

It is ran by a wonderful lady who posts tips, coupons, and much more to help us moms and families out to save some cash. Every year, she piles up all of the extra cash, survey cash, etc and they set a goal to go to Disney every year. It may seem far fetch, but I can tell it that it can happen.

My family and I set a goal to get a trampoline and a swimming pool, the kids have been begging to have. Within 6 months, we have them both by just using the survey money and extra money that we saved by using coupons and getting free stuff.

For an example, she posted about a coupon at Redplum that was for $1 off of Axe deordorant. Well, at Wal-Mart you will find the sample sizes (not the sprays) for about $.97. So the coupon basically gives you a free Axe. There have been other coupon just like that. She has a running tab on super-low priced and free items located at Wal-Mart, Targets and more.

Thanks to her, we are setting a new goal starting next month to save up to go on our first family vacation. There will be 5 of us. We are wanting to go to the Aquarium in Gatlinburg or the one in Chatanooga. It will have to be a day trip because we have outside animals that have to be taken care of.

But, stop on by her blog since school is out for the summer and take a look around to see if there is anything that can help you out.

So how do you like it?

I change the design of the blog today, I got tired of the old one. Change is good sometimes. I liked this template because it was more family / children style. :)

PBS Teachers Newsletter June 10, 2010

Reading Rockets 2010 Summer Reading List
It's summertime! What a great time to slow down or cool off with a good book. Browse and print Reading Rockets' 2010 summer booklist http://www.readingrockets.org/books/summer/2010

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Gulf Oil Spill Resources for the Classroom
Local PBS station WSRE has compiled a list of parent, teacher and kid resources regarding the Gulf oil spill at http://wsre.org/OilSpill/teachers-students-kids.asp

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Activity Packs: Offline Activity
Arts Everywhere Grade Range: 3-5, 6-8
Explore the meanings and moods of color through art, music, vocabulary, dance and cultural activities. Examine how the arts are used to portray personal feelings and depict social protest in society, and research the artwork of Norman Rockwell.
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/activitypacks/arts/artseverywhere/


Martha Speaks: Interactive
Make the BandGrade Range: PreK, K-2
Create a musical composition for a band of kids and dogs using the control panel to choose the tempo, vocalists and instruments for the melody and rhythm. Build vocabulary by learning words that describe music.
http://pbskids.org/martha/games/maketheband/index.html

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WPSU: Energy Education for the 21st Century: Walk a Mile for a Burger?
Lesson PlanGrade Range: 6-8
Compare calories burned during a period of walking with the number of calories in certain types of food. Use a pedometer to associate physical activity (physical energy) with calories burned (chemical energy).
http://www.pspb.org/e21/lessonplan_detail.php?lp_id=38

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Nature: Horse and Rider On-Air: Sunday, June 13, 2010, 8 - 9:00 pm
Offline: Grade Range: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Every relationship between horse and rider rests on a few fundamental principles. (CC, Stereo, HD, 1 year)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/horse-and-rider/introduction/834/

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Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil and the Presidency
On-Air: Monday, June 14, 2010, 9 - 11:00 pm
Grade Range: 6-8, 9-12
A biography of America's seventh president, this program explores whether Americans should celebrate Jackson or apologize for him. (CC, Stereo, 1 year)

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Reproduction of PBS Teacher Previews is permitted with proper credit given to PBS Online. Copyright 2010 PBS Online http://www.pbs.org/teacherline

Stones River National Battlefield Events

On Saturday June 19, 2010 at 7 PM, park rangers and volunteers will present Voices from the Past. This non-walking program, based on the stories of soldiers buried in Stones River National Cemetery and their families, is an alternative for people who are physically unable to go on the hour long lantern tours of the cemetery.
Visitors will gather on the back patio of the visitor center and listen to soldiers and civilians who will share their tales of loss and sorrow.
The program will begin at 7 PM on Saturday, June 19, 2010. Reservations are required and must be made by calling (615) 893-9501 starting on Monday, June 14, 2010 at 9 AM. Reservations will not be taken in the visitor center or by e-mail. There is a limit of four tickets per caller and reservations are not transferable to another program date.
If you have always wanted to hear the stories told during the cemetery lantern tours but were physically unable to join them, this is the program for you.
These programs are a part of a series of interpretive programs offered at the battlefield during the year. Stones River National Battlefield is located on the Old Nashville Highway, northwest of Murfreesboro. Additional information is available at the visitor center, at the park web site http://www.nps.gov/stri or by calling (615) 893-9501.

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HALLOWED GROUND: A LANTERN TOUR OF STONES RIVER NATIONAL CEMETERY
Superintendent Stuart Johnson announced that Stones River National Battlefield will offer Hallowed Ground: A Lantern Tour of Stones River National Cemetery during 2010. Each scheduled evening, one hour tours of up to thirty-five people will tour the cemetery by lantern light and listen to the stories of the soldiers who are buried there and their families.
The next program will begin at 7:30 PM on Saturday, June 19, 2010. Reservations are required and must be made by calling (615) 893-9501 starting on Monday, June 14, 2010 at 9 AM. Reservations will not be taken in the visitor center or by e-mail. There is a limit of four tickets per caller and reservations are not transferable to another program date.
These programs are a part of a series of interpretive programs offered at the battlefield during the year. Stones River National Battlefield is located on the Old Nashville Highway, northwest of Murfreesboro. Additional information is available at the visitor center, at the park web site http://www.nps.gov/stri or by calling (615) 893-9501.

Pinecone Research-- Get a $3 check per survey

http://www.pineconeresearch.com/signup/RR595DS1.asp

I have been with Pinecone Research for quite some time now. It is a survey company where they send you surveys in your email to answer. From time to time, they also mail you items to test out. All company names and such are confident (which they will explain when you sign up), but I have personally been sent to test:

• dog food
• lotion
• candy
• beverages
• food
• hygiene items

At Pinecone, you don't have to worry about points or cashing out. Everytime you do a paid survey, they automatically send you a check for $3. If you have a paypal account, you can link up so your $3 gets sent to your paypal instead of a physical check. I normally receive anywhere from 1-4 checks a month from them.

There is only 1 account allowed per household. The surveys are only a few minutes long.

If you have any questions, you can email them at scott@pineconeresearch.com or click on the attached links to learn more about PineCone Research.
http://www.pineconeresearch.com//about.HTM
http://www.pineconeresearch.com//policy.htm

Just a Reminder:

For all of those who have to turn in attendence sheets and Intent to Homeschool forms, please don't forget to turn those in. I turned both of our sheets on Thurs, 6/3. Make sure to call your Board of Education, if that is who you are registered through, to find out their summer hours.