Learn to Budget like a Pro

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As my husband and myself have been learning to manage our money better, we have learned that having a place to keep everything written down is important. My health isn't awesome right now or rather it never really has been but it has come time to make sure that my husband can manage our money too.

I have taught him how to pay our bills and what dates they should be paid on, where to find the information for each bill etc. Having it written in one place is much easier for him to take the reigns when he needs to and a budgeting book like this is a good place to start. 

I love that it includes a calendar, plenty of spots to keep track of things, and even has a spot with helpful hint each month, a monthly goal, and a spot for a monthly gratitude exercise. It has just about everything you need to make sure that you can start to take control of your budget.

It also comes with 8 cash envelopes and even though we don't use cash envelopes they can be a great way to save money or even divvy out allowance to your children. Some people use the envelopes to put money aside for donating or saving up for something like a Holiday, Birthday, etc. 

Check it out below for yourself. 

One Summer Activity I know the girls are going to love.

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With summer coming and our family not being comfortable with everything opening up yet as well as the news we will be having our granddaughter most of the summer, I needed to come up with some activities to keep the girls busy in between when they run out of ideas. This girl’s creator braiding bracelet kit is one of the many awesome items we picked out. My daughter gave it a whirl today so we can make sure we know how to use it when the time comes.

Her results were OK for the first time using it. We didn't finish it off with the cutting or glue due to the fact she wants to practice to get better at it. My daughter is 13 and really needed a lot of help with this at first but once I showed her two rounds she was able to do the rest on her own. Like I said she wants to practice a bit more to get the string tighter and neater for the finnished look. 

She did say that this will be a good item to use during the summer with my 10 year old granddaughter and I am sure a few of her friends. 

The kit does say it makes up to 12 bracelets. With that being said this one took took two strings which leaves just enough to make 10 bracelets if you only use one color per bracelet so keep that in mind and maybe pick up some extra elastics and string. I see these being made with embroidery floss, paracord rope, yarn, and other simular strings which we have on hand and can be picked up easily at your local craft store or on Amazon. 

We love that this came with a bag so everything can be stored inside and grabbed at a moments notice for some bracelet making fun. I personally see this being used for years to come as long as I can continue to provide the elastics and string. Sadly right now there were no refill kits but maybe in the future they will have those available. 

Here is a picture of everything you get in the kit. 

 

Check it out below. 

Reaction To Among Us

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Puzzles to Go

Today I am talking about the super cute toddler puzzles you see above. Aren't just the sweetest? My grandsons are still quite young so these will be going into my oldest grandson's Easter basket this year with a few small treats. In a few years his little brother will be able to play with them too. He loves back packs so I was really excited to see that this set of 4 puzzles comes with a little draw string back pack so they can be toted along for fun on the go. 

My suggestion once opened as long as you are keeping an eye on your child is to put the puzzle pieces to each puzzle in a zip bag so when playtime is open you can hand the board and pieces and they can put the puzzle together and not worry about mixed up pieces. Also as they get quicker at doing the puzzles you can add two puzzles and their pieces to make it a bit harder and keep adding till they have all four empty puzzles, as well as all of the pieces to challenge them even more. 

These are rated for children three years of age, but my son who is my grand sons father was doing 25 piece puzzles by the time he was 18 months old, so depending on my grandson who seems to be following in his footsteps these may be too easy. I always say go with caution. A parent knows their child best, if using with younger children make sure to be watchful and not leave your child alone while playing with small toys. 

Each puzzle board is 5.8 inches by 5.8 inches. Perfect for toddlers and a great gift idea.

Check them out at Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Hamilton Mills Coffee Pumpkin Spice Review

I have never been a big coffee drinker but as I have aged I have learned to love a few and I always like to try those that come my way like this Pumpkin Spice flavored Coffee from Hamilton Mills. I tried this right away with some buttered toast. I just added cream and sugar to the coffee and dipped my toast like I did as a child into my mothers coffee.

I find that I like flavored coffees more then other coffee's but with all of the flavored creams on the market you can easily change up your coffee so that you can have something new often. I think this would be an awesome coffee for cool fall mornings, or served  with or without your favorite pumpkin dessert.

I am sure our guests will enjoy this while visiting as well. I know I would love to have my friend Tina over to try this. Tina loves Pumpkin Spice. Tina if you are reading this I am thinking of you. As for the rest of my friends, family, and readers I hope you will let me know if you try this or what your favorite coffee flavor is in the comments below.

With Pumpkin Spice being so big I have no clue why they haven't made it available all year round, so I guess for those who are in love they must stock up when it comes around to get them to the next year so they never have to stop enjoying their favorite flavor of coffee.

If you would like to try Hamilton Mills Coffee Pumpkin Spice for yourself check out the link below or enter my giveaway here. Giveaway ends 10/31/2019 12:00 am Eastern. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Brooklyn Bean Roastery Pink Pumpkin Coffee Review

Have you ever seen a pink pumpkin? If not you can at least try Pink Pumpkin Vanilla flavored coffee from Brooklyn Bean Roastery. Made from 100% Arabica Coffee Beans. Our family was able to try the Pink Pumpkin Vanilla Flavored Coffee recently and there were mixed reviews from alright to I love this can I take some to school. 

We all enjoyed our coffee differently. Mine with 2 sugars and a cream, my daughter had hers with 2 big spoons of sugar and milk. My husband enjoyed his with 3 equals and cream. I can't wait to share this with our company as they visit for their reactions.

I know a lot of pumpkin coffee lovers out there so it is always nice to hear their reactions to the coffee as well as how they like it served. To this day I remember how my parents took their coffee, but for the life of me can never remember how my husband or anyone else takes there without asking over and over again. 

I like that this coffee is not overly Pumpkin Flavored and is not too sweet. The Vanilla flavor is really nice and adds to the overall flavor without adding to or taking away. Perfect for the crisp fall mornings or for after dinner alone or served with a sweet treat. 

If you would like to try this coffee for your self you can find it at the link below or you can enter my giveaway sponsored by Brooklyn Bean Roastery here. Giveaway closes on 10/31/2019 12:00 am Eastern. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Glasses for just a $1.00

Did you loose or break your glasses? Do you need a second pair but don't want to spend a fortune? Do you want glasses or sunglasses that are fashionable? I think I have the place for you to find your next new pair of glasses for an affordable price. Firmoo eye wear store.

To make an order was simple. I just picked out the frames I would like, added in my prescription (you must get this from your eye Dr. and measured the space between my pupils mine happens to be 57mm. The first pair I picked I was told that because of my pupil spacing they would not work for me to pick a different pair. This was awesome. It kept me from getting glasses that would not fit me or take care of my vision properly.



Once added to cart you can pick from lenses (some will cost more so the price might be higher then 1.00 if you choose some of these options) I went with all of the free items and I was completely surprised to see that I only paid a 1.00 total. So awesome.

Even if you aren't able to order for the $1.00 before the deal ends. Frames and lenses are so affordable that even our family with a strict tight budget can get a pair if a set is lost, broken, or we need a pair of prescription sunglasses. yes you heard that right prescription sunglasses. They have fashionable choice for Men, Women, and Children.

I was so impressed by the children's selection that if my youngest needs a pair of glasses I will sure to pick up an extra pair here for her. Our insurance does glasses but if they break you have to wait 2 years before you can get another pair payed for by the insurance company. I am really impressed with all of the little extras they send you like the hard case to store them in, a bag, eyeglass repair kit, and of course the lens cloth which is not pictured but can be seen at my video review here.









If you are interested or know someone who needs a new pair, replacement pair please mention this deal to them.

Firmoo eyeglasses for $1.00

The deal ends on September 30th, 2019 use code 1usdec to get your first pair for 1.00.

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Remove Makeup with no Chemicals

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I am always trying to replace chemical items with non chemical items when ever I find a good product. My daughter has been asking for one of these micro fiber makeup remover cloths for quite a while. I am glad I was finally able to get her one and one for myself.

What I love about this is that it is reusable over and over again. This is microfiber so I suggest washing in a laundry bag and hanging to dry to keep it in tip to shape. I can't compare them to other brands because this is the first we have had but so far they have worked well for us.

If you are interested you can get this 2 pack set below.



Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Family Wall Art

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We have had this idea forever and it seems like others had the same idea as well. We wanted something for our walls that was personal and customized to just our family. What I wanted was to make our family names into a Scrabble like look on our walls. We couldn't find anything at the time to do this. My husband didn't want anything too heavy for the walls, and wanted to be able to re- position if ever we had to add a name in the future. He did a layout on Graph paper years ago, of course we had added quite a few names (we are now grand parents) since then so we are still a work in progress.

A company asked me if I wanted to review their product and I took one look and knew this is exactly what we need to do our project. I went with rounded corners as you can see above but they do have square corners and they have completely round tiles to choose from.  Each tile is 4 by 4 inches which is the right size we were looking for. They come with a sanding block and you can stain or paint them which ever way you would like too. These tiles are versatile, think coaster, art projects, ect. We are currently looking for the templates for the letters and numbers and we found a few options for hanging them on the wall. I have links to the tiles which will take you to all and to the options we came up for hanging tiles. 

We decided on 3 inch letters and 1/2 inch numbers, found them while putting this blog together for you. We have to order more tiles to  get all of our names done and work it out on our walls. We went from smooth walls to wood paneling. We rent so we have to deal with the walls we have at the moment. We live on a small income so we are still getting the supplies together to complete this but hope to get it up soon. Until then there are some inspirational pictures below to see just about how we would like to do ours. I hope you like this and hope to show you ours as we get it up. I am sure it will be years in the making for all of the extra bits around the letters but I am so excited we can finally make this happen.

Paperless Cards done Right

In our home we are getting ready for school to start after Labor Day here. As exciting as that is, it also reminds me of how close the Holidays are, the Birthdays, and that I want to make time for our whole family to get together from time to time. With more and more people using the internet as their main way to communicate, I have found that getting all of my kids together in one place takes time, and flipping of schedules to accommodate some dates.

Holidays for our family is a given but as a mom I love to see my kids and grand children on a much more regular basis. So finding this awesome site Paperless Post, I was able to make a Family Game night date for the whole year and invite my children in advance. The date and time are set and it goes out to them to their emails. So they can mark they will attend or won't attend with a click of a button.

While at Paperless Post I also put together my youngest daughters Birthday Invitation which will go out closer to her birthday. She wanted a sleep over with just her girl friends this year and from what I can remember this is about the age all of the other girls had theirs too, so I found a really nice set up and just put in our information and had a really nice invitation that she loved.

This site is quick and easy to use, when you sign up you get a few coins in order to make some really nice invitations, and don't worry there are plenty of awesome FREE invitations, birthday cards, etc to choose from, it is your choice. You can also add coins in which to make cards by using your credit card.

I am really excited about this new source to use and I know my Earth loving Vegan Daughter will also love this site. She is all about saving the Earth and learns each day about a new way to do it. For those of you who still like printed cards you can hold in your hands they are available too, just remember there is a 20 minimum order. Check paper cards out at Paper Source.



Now back to Paperless Post where you can find cards like my samples below, or much more. They even have flyers and greeting cards.

So easy to use just sign up for an account, browse what is available, create a card ( I just took their suggestions added in and took out what I wanted and had a card in seconds, literally), then add your guests and when you want the invitations sent out. You can come back to your account click on your event and see who has responded so you will be sure to have the right amount of items for those attending.

Now to make our invitations for the Holidays and checking out the Holiday Greeting Cards as well to make something really nice for our friends and family to cherish in the New Year. Check out Paperless Post and see for yourself how fun going Paperless can really be.

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Pure Parker Essential Oils

Our family loves to use essential oils. Even though we have been using essential oils for a few years now there are still scents out there we haven't tried yet. This set from Pure by Rachelle Parker is great for trying out scents or as a gift idea. The scents included are FRANKINCENSE, PATCHOULI, CLARY SAGE, BERGAMOT, LAVENDER, YLANG YLANG, CAMPHOR, CEDARWOOD, PINE, TEA TREE, LEMONGRASS, ORANGE, EUCALYPTUS, and PEPPERMINT.

My 16 year old wants a oil diffuser of her very own this year for Christmas. The peppermint and lavender are her favorites. They are our most used scents with a few others trailing behind. We use our essential oils in our diffuser, on our wool dryer balls to scent our dry laundry, in our baths, and even dabbed on our bodies. 

This set makes a great gift idea for those who have been wanting to try out essential oils but have been afraid to take the leap. 

Pure Essential Oils from Rachelle Parker are available at my link below.

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Putting on Makeup just got easier

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So excited to finally have a lighted makeup mirror of my very own. I have bought them for gifts before, but never splurged on one for myself before. This one from MirrorMore is just for me. Sleek design with 360 rotation with two sides, one regular mirror and the other with 5x magnification.

The 5x side is great for brows, or getting stray hairs that don't belong on our face. I love that I can see up close so I can be sure to get my eyeliner on well.

I also love that this works with Batteries 4AA (not included) and an AC adapter which is included. You can change the brightness of the light with just a turn of the knob so you can see what your makeup will look like in different lighting. Now I just might try some new eye shadow looks for a nice date night with my husband.

Check out my unboxing below



Find the MirrorMore lighted makeup mirror below.

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.