My Walk Through Life 12/31/2015

Wow. Is this year really over? So many changes in one year that it has gone by so fast.
    I started the year being unemployed and miserable. I was still adjusting to my new home in Colorado and really missing my friends in Virginia. I met a small group of fellow ghost hunters on a group on facebook. They became my only friends and we met up as often as their lives allowed. I had all the free time in the world, but they have families and/or jobs. With them this year, we had some good ghost hunting adventures. The photo below was the only odd one I have ever taken. We can't determine what the circled figure is. We were not comfortable at this cemetery, which previously has been a very comforting place. A very strange night.

I finally got hired on at Home Depot for a short time. I had to leave that job to stay home once again to help take care of my mother. I was finding it hard to be home alone all week, then have my mother move in for a few days. It would have been easier if she talks, but a stroke has left her unable to walk or talk. So, not having anyone to talk to was difficult and loneliness was deep in my soul. During the summer I finally bucked it up and joined a meetup.com group. It is a social group and we have a great time. I have met some great ladies that I can go shopping with, go out to eat with, go to the movies with. We also get together with the meetup for happy hour, the ballet, live music, and game nights. These people have added light to my dark life.
  We have a sweet little history museum here and I have started volunteering in their library. I love history and this is helping me learn about the area I live in.
  People from my past have showed up this year also. I went to Vernal, Utah to meet up with a lady I went to high school with and her family. It was fun spending the day with them. Friends from Australia came in for three weeks to be camp hosts at a nearby campground. I have known Anna since 1977 when we were in Hawaii together, working with a theater group.
   The Holidays were nice also. I got to spend time with extended family on Christmas Eve and Christmas. I did miss the kids I left in Virginia but I did talk to them. We will have our time together next weekend when my youngest child and I go back home for a week.
   It has been a good year. I am feeling positive that the new year will be even better.

Freebies

I get pet food samples frequently. Here is one I have already received so can't order again.
Friskies cat food


Sweepstakes

I receive a Recipe4Living  Daily newsletter with recipes but most importantly to me, a link to a daily giveaway. I haven't won yet, but I keep on trying :) Today is a GetFit Precision Body Fat Scale
GetFit Scale

Helpful Hint/Saving Money

One of my friends posted on facebook, asking for a good natural deodorant. My husbands aunt told me what she uses and I have followed suit. No harmful chemicals, and not expensive. Baking Soda. I found a cute powder puff set on Amazon and keep baking soda in it. It works great.

This is a not an info packed blog today but I have to bake bread and cook soup for game night. Have errands to run, etc. It should be a fun filled evening, shared with friends. Stay safe and many blessing for the new year.

My Walk Through Life 12/30/2015

Obviously, I am not very good at this blogging. I had a nice new page set up with fun information and dang if it disappeared on me. Now I have to remember what I had written.

First of all was my horrible food photo and the recipe link to the baked apples I made yesterday. The recipe was found on Pinterest, which is where most of my recipes come from anymore. Takes up less room than cookbooks.

Crockpot Baked Apples


Do You ShopKick?
   Shopkick is a great phone app that allows you to gain points to redeem for FREE items and gift cards. I just turned my points into a $50 Restaurants.com gift card. I do wish I researched this one first. My town isn't big enough for a lot of options, but Free is Free and I get to enjoy a meal at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. I think I will get a Target card next time.
   It is easy to get points. Just turn your app on before you walk into Walmart, Target, Lowes, Kroger, and many more stores. You don't have to purchase a thing. You get "kicks" just for walking in. There are ways to get even more kicks. Check the deals before you go shopping. Some stores will offer extra kicks for purchasing certain items or a certain dollar amount. If you link it to a credit card, you will get more points for shopping at certain stores. Also there is an option to scan items with your phone. Each store has a list of items and if you scan the bar code, more points. Some you can do while standing in the check out line.
  Another option is to get your friends to join. You get points for their activity.
Join ShopKick


What I Learned On Facebook:
   Are you on a gluten free diet? Watch those eggs at IHOP. They add a touch of pancake batter to their omelets and scrambled eggs.

   I love FREE. When a new Chick-fil-A opens its doors, the first 100 customers get free food weekly for a year.

FREEBIES FROM MY INBOX: (I ordered them before I posted them)

Get a free air freshener for your car.
Air Freshener

I collect all the free tea and coffee samples I can find. Here is one to share with you
Free Tea Sample

Sweepstakes:

Win a Trip to France
This trip is offered through Williams Sonoma. Kudos to them for offering a 15% military discount on all purchases.

Recipe Lion is a daily newsletter that I receive. They have some good recipes but they also have great giveaways. Right now they have sweepstakes for cookware, a grill cleaner, and a holiday gift basket full of edible goodies
Foodie Reviews and Giveaways

My Walk Through Life 12/29/2015

I received my first check from Ebates. Not a big check, only $4.44, but it is some of my Christmas money back. I realize the more I buy online through Ebates the bigger my check, but with limited income, I don't do a lot of shopping. However, when I do, I like to recoup some of my money. Ebates is a great source to shop through to find online discounts and get money back. To check it out, press the link below:

Ebates

The Thing I Learned Playing Facebook Games:

There are so many traditions on New Years to help ring in good luck. In the southern states of the US, eating black eyed peas is supposed to bring good luck. In Venezuela, if you wear red underwear, you will find love in the New Year. If you wear yellow underwear, you will have deep contentment in the New Year.

In My Inbox:

Are you looking to start a diet plan for the New Year? Here is a freebie from Atkins. It is a start up kit and I believe comes with some free Atkins bars.
Free Atkins Diet Kit

Free Zzip Cold Sore Treatment
Zzip Free

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews are offering a free calendar on the splendors of Israel
Free Calendar

What I Found on Pinterest:

So, I am in the mood for some baked apple slices. I used to buy either Stouffers or Bob Evans at Walmart but can't seem to find them anymore, so guess I have to make my own. Looking on Pinterest (my go to place for about everything) I saw an article on how to make money on old toilet paper rolls. As one who doesn't work outside of the home due to some factors in my life, I am always looking for ways to build up various accounts I have accumulating online. I always have toilet paper rolls and have been thinking about rolling some up in peanut butter and bird seed, but, hey, if I can make money on them, I am all in.
  So it seems like people are selling them on ebay in boxes of 50 count for 7 to 15 dollars a box. The article I was reading was from Britain, but yes they are selling them in the US also. I am intrigued. I may have a new money making venture in my future.

I Love My Template!

Looking at the templates offered to use for my blog, I had to smile looking at this particular one. I love the dandelion "blow flowers". The blow flower is the universal sign for military dependents, or BRATS. The slogan is "we are blown around the world and grow where planted".
   Not only a BRAT, I am a Veteran and the widow of a Veteran. But being a BRAT is a special emblem that one can never wear off. We grew up without stability. It made us what we are, good or bad. Personally, I don't like change, but I have learned to roll with it. I long for being settled, but I do get restless, and different episodes in my life so far have still not allowed me to settle down.
   BRATS tend to be flexible and open to new ideas. We have traveled so much, met so many different people, adjusted to so many new cultures that we have learned to be open minded and tolerant.
   I grew up being jealous of civilian friends and relatives. It would have been fun to have a best friend to grow up with. But looking back, I have so many friends and many best friends that I am still growing up with, even if we don't live close to each other. I lived in countries people only read about, such as Ethiopia. I have had adventures that have filled my life with so many memories. I still think it would have been nice to live in one place, grow up with the same people, but I wouldn't change my life.

A Widows Walk

I have been wanting to start a blog for years. Just don't have a clue what to blog about. I decided this morning, I will just blog about my day by day walk through life.Throughout my day, I enter sweepstakes, order freebies, read interesting posts on various websites, study about different haunted locations, share adventures with friends, share memories with friends, take photos, etc. I will share findings, stories, photos, and whatever else I find interesting. With any luck, someone else might find it interesting also. I will also add reviews on products and places. Well, let me get started with my day and see if I can find something fun to add here today.