We took a family trip to Oklahoma City this past weekend. Silas was so excited about the trip and had looked forward to it for quite awhile.

On the drive down, he kept exclaiming, “This is the BEST day of my life!”

Every time he said it, it made me smile. Not just because it makes me so happy to be able to bring so much thrill to my 4-year-old, but also because I love his enthusiasm for life.

I want to live each day with that kind of attitude. I want to wake up each morning thinking, “This is the BEST day of my life!” And then I want to go through the day living like that.

Because truly, today is the only day we can live right now, so we might as well choose to make it the best day of our lives. And then we can wake up tomorrow and think the same thing!

• My 4 year old often surprises me too with his level of ... by Becki @Running with Team Hogan
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• When my daughter is having trouble embracing the day (as she ... by Stephanie
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• Love this! by Crystal Paine
• Plus 7 more...

Already offering advice on great products or ways to save money? Now you can earn money for doing so!

Last week’s goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

1. Read 4 chapters of Missionary Adventures of Bob & Arty aloud to the girls. Read 4 chapters of A Big Year for Lily to Kaitlynn. Read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Clean out 2 drawers in our bedroom/bathroom.

4. Take a family overnight trip to Oklahoma City.

Personal Goals

5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-28.

6. Complete four days of the P90X Program.

7. Read Sarah’s Key, Samson, On Every Side.

8. Finish embroidery quilt square project. Make this Knit Headband.

Blog/Business Goals

9. Put together details for a download for March’s 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Challenge.

10. Write three content pieces for my blog.

This Week’s Goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

1. Read 2 chapters of Missionary Adventures of Bob & Arty aloud to the girls. Read 3 chapters of A Big Year for Lily to Kaitlynn. Read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Clean out 2 drawers in our bedroom/bathroom.

Personal Goals

4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-28.

5. Exercise four times.

6. Read Sarah’s Key, On Every Side, and Restless.

7. Finish embroidery quilt square project.

Blog/Business Goals

8. Write content for two new pages on my site.

9. Write one guest post for another site.

10. Write three content pieces for my blog.

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives! You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.

• Restless is great! by Carla
• That headband is adorable! Great job on your goals last week! ... by Ginger
• I love how you focus on memorizing Scripture. I struggle with ... by Lydia @ Not Afraid of the Snow
• Thank you for continuing to encourage and spur us on! by Michelle
• Thank you so much for your kind encouragement! I am so grateful ... by Crystal Paine
• Plus 5 more...

Guest post from Alina of Vegan Runner Eats

Looking good can boost our confidence even when everything is going downhill, so while our shopping trips and meals out may become less frequent when we’re struggling financially, we’ll often still be pinching pennies to continue buying our favorite shampoo.

Add to this a possible concern with going ‘green’, and the picture can get even more complicated — have you seen the price tags on some of those ‘all-natural’, ‘organic’ beauty products?

About a year ago, I went on a quest to find ways to simplify my beauty routine while making it ‘greener’ and more affordable. I had just switched to a plant-based (vegan) diet at the time, after reading about its benefits to our health and the environment, so looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly seemed logical.

After some searching, I discovered a few hair and skin care tricks that proved to work great, saved me money along the way, and helped me clear my bathroom of countless bottles of beauty products that had turned out to be useless.

Today I’d like to share three of those tricks – they won’t cost you anything, and you probably have everything you’ll need at home right now!

3 ‘Green’ Beauty Tricks That Save Money

1. Using coconut oil instead of face creams or lotions.

Coconut oil has moisturizing, antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties that can prevent the formation of new pimples. Most anti-acne lotions on the market are oil-free, so our skin kicks its oil production into overdrive when we use them, cue in even more acne. My skin has been acne-prone since high school, so I was surprised to see that coconut oil made things better.

Why it saves you money:

You only need a tiny dab of coconut oil to cover your face once or twice a day. A tablespoon of even the finest organic coconut oil will last you more than a month while costing you much less than a bottle of any face cream. Apply a dab of coconut oil onto wet skin in the morning and/or at night.

2. Using leftover coffee grounds as a weekly body scrub.

After you’ve brewed your morning pot of coffee, save 2 tablespoons of used coffee grounds and mix them with one tablespoon of body wash. Apply the mixture on your skin from the neck down in the shower, massage for 3-5 minutes, rinse, and be amazed how unbelievably soft your skin has become! Use 1-2 times a week.

Why it saves you money:

Because it’s free! You’ve used those coffee grounds anyway to make coffee, and the body wash is already in your shower.

3. Using baking soda and apple cider vinegar instead of shampoo and conditioner.

Here’s the most surprising discovery I’ve made: my hair looks clean, shiny, and has better texture after I rinse it with a mixture of 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and then follow with a mix of 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in it. This method works better than most shampoos because it cleanses the hair more gently while not stripping all of its natural moisture, so my hair is never as frizzy anymore.

Why it saves you money:

A tablespoon of baking soda and apple cider vinegar will cost you pennies, plus since your hair is going to have better texture, you won’t need to spend money on additional hair styling products.

Seeing Results

A few months into my new beauty routine, I noticed a big difference in my appearance: the acne on my face cleared up; my skin was always soft and glowing; and even my hairdresser complimented me on how well my hair looked. I’m sure my plant-based diet contributed to these changes too… but you get the picture.

I was also glad to get rid of numerous bottles of beauty products that I tried in the past and had to stop using because they were making matters even worse for me.

And the best part?

My ‘going green’ attempts ended up SAVING me lots of money, plus I won’t be likely to splurge on new miracle beauty products in the future since these tricks are already working great!

What are your favorite homemade beauty products?

Alina Zavatsky is passionate about whole food, plant-based (vegan) diet, exercise, running marathons, and designing one-of-a-kind handmade sock monkeys. She blogs about the benefits of plant foods and fitness at Vegan Runner Eats.

• I used coconut oil as a moisturizer for a week, but it just ... by Stephanie
• Coconut oil = Awesome! Note about the baking soda cleanser: ... by JHong
• My face broke out horribly after using coconut oil. It was an ... by Eliz
• I use coconut oil for my moisturizer and an apple cider rinse ... by Michelle
• I've actually been wanting to do the baking soda & vinegar ... by Jen
• Plus 19 more...

We’re excited to have Plant Therapy as one of our sponsors. We had the opportunity to interview them and get to know their company a little more recently:

Tell us about the history of Plant Therapy.

Plant Therapy was started about 5 years ago. Chris and Amanda Jones had recently been given the opportunity to buy a all natural body care company. Part of this company was a small line of essential oils. They decided that they wanted to do more research in the essential oil industry.

Quickly, they found that most essential oils were overpriced and not the quality that is needed for aromatherapy. That is when they decided to break the essential oils away from the all natural body care line and start Plant Therapy. They wanted to provide 100% pure, undiluted essential oils of the highest quality at a more affordable price.

What products does Plant Therapy offer?

Plant Therapy offers 100% pure, undiluted essential oils of the highest quality. They also offer synergies, carrier oils, and all essential oil accessories.

How does Plant Therapy help us save money?

Plant Therapy was founded with two goals in mind: to provide the highest quality essential oils at a price that everyone can afford and to provide the highest quality customer service. We know the benefits that can come from using essential oils. That is why we try to keep our essential oils and accessories at an affordable price so that more people can benefit from their uses.

Is Plant Therapy involved in any charity work?

Plant Therapy has donated up to 20% since the beginning to charities both locally and world wide. You can check out some of the charities going on right now here.

What would you most like your customers to know?

Plant Therapy cares about our customers. We sim to educate them on essential oils so that they can make the best educated decision for themselves and their family members.

We strive to have the best customer service possible. We also offer 100% customer satisfaction. If for any reason a customer is unsatisfied, we will simply refund their money or exchange the product.

Also, when our customers have any questions about our products or their uses, their email are answered within 24 hours 95% of the time. We work with one of the most well known essential oil experts in the industry. We are doing everything possible to provide the most information to our customers so they can get the most out of the essential oils they are using.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Plant Therapy offers free shipping in the United States. We also offer our first time customers a coupon code to get $5 off their first purchase of $10 or more. We know if you try Plant Therapy’s essential oils that you will know the quality we provide and that you will be a customer for life.

Interested in becoming a monthly sponsor or advertising with us? Find more details here.

• They should offer the coupon code to you when you place your ... by MSM Team
• So timely for me! I have been thinking about buying Plant ... by Anna

NOTE: The price of these ebooks is currently $0.00, but that could change at any time. Be sure to verify before checking out that it is still free.

Unless otherwise noted, these ebooks are specifically for Kindles, but you can go here to download a free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.

Download a free copy of Good and Perfect Gift, A: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny. [ePub format]

Download a free copy of Popular: Boys, Booze, and Jesus. [ePub format]

Download a free copy of How To Make Money Blogging: How I Replaced My Day Job With My Blog.

Download a free copy of Significant Living. [ePub format]

Download a free copy of Potato Recipes: The Complete Guide to Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and More.

Download a free copy of Slow Cooker Cookbook: 40 Delicious, and Easy-to-Make Slow Cooker Recipes.

Download a free copy of Fruit Salads :The Ultimate Recipe Guide.

Download a free copy of Home Improvement.

Thanks, eReaderGirl!

• That's good to know! Thanks for sharing. by MSM Team
• The ePub books appear to also be free on Amazon (for Kindles). by Sandi

Who Needs a Cape? shows us how to utilize our freezer and a slow cooker to prepare 7 Meals in 1 Hour. They even have a handy list of tips to help you make the most of your crockpot freezer cooking experience.

For more Crockpost Freezer Cooking ideas, check out the following links:

• Crockpot Freezer Cooking: 12 meals + a printable shopping list
• Crockpot Freezer Cooking: 40 Meals in 4 Hours
• Crockpot Freezer Cooking from Loving My Nest
• Crockpot Freezer Cooking: 20 Meals in 2 Hours
• One Afternoon of Chopping = 14 Crockpot Freezer Meals
• Printable Crockpot Freezer Meals Weekly Menu

• I keep opening these “huge number of meals in small number of ... by Melanie
• If you don't mind me adding some recipes I have 10 crock pot ... by Janell Poulette

All active, inactive, and retired military personnel can enjoy free All-You-Can-Eat Hotcakes at Bob Evans! This offer is valid today, February 17, 2014 only.

Just show proof of military service to take advantage of this freebie offer.

Thanks, Freebie Finding Mom!

Order a one-year subscription to Running Times Magazine for only $5.99 when you use coupon code MONEYSAVING at checkout. You can order up to 4 years at this price.

About Running Times Magazine: Running Times is the magazine for serious runners. You’ll benefit and learn from useful training tips, important nutrition news and facts and sports medicine. You’ll run to mark your calendar with the national race schedule of running events. Whether you are a recreational runner and run as a leisure activity or you run because you know it’s important for your health, you’ll enjoy this very important publication.

This offer expires tonight 02/17/14 11:59 PM EST.

Are you looking for other magazine titles? You can use coupon code MONEYSAVING to save 20% off of most titles at DiscountMags!

(Note: The link in this post is my referral link. Read my disclosure policy here.)

• This is showing as not available. by Anita McCoy

Macy’s has a great President’s Day Sale coupon that will give you $10 off your purchase of $25 or more!

This coupon is valid February 17, 2014 until 1pm.

This coupon is good on all sale and clearance apparel, and select home items.

Thanks, Stuff 4 Ya’ll!

• This would be great to use alongside the denim sale, ending ... by Kala

Click the image above to print a coupon good for $2 off any Aleve 80-count or larger (excludes Aleve D) products.

Click this image to print a coupon good for $2 off Aleve D products (excludes other Aleve products).

Here are some of the best educational deals and freebies available right now from Katie who writes at Cincinnati Cents:

Melissa & Doug Wooden Tool Kit for $11.47: Amazon has their Melissa & Doug Wooden Take-Along Tool Kit on sale for $11.47. This 24-piece wooden set includes nails, screws, nuts, bolts, and tools to provide hours of constructive play.

Riverside Construction Paper (50 Sheets) for $1.39: Purchase a 50-ct. pack of Riverside Construction Paper for just $1.39. This pack includes 50 sheets in a variety of colors such as black, blue, brown, green, light blue, orange, pink, red, white, and yellow.

Free Kindle e-Books for Kids: There are several free Kindle e-Books for kids available for download including Little Red Riding Hood, Why Cats Chase Rats, 24 Pablo Picasso Paintings for Kids, Tales of the Friendly Forest, Kids First Book of Amphibians & Reptiles, Anne Frank: A Biography for Kids, 24 of Vincent van Gogh’s Paintings for Kids, 24 of Claude Monet’s Paintings for Kids, A Kid’s Book about Horses, & Caterpillars Don’t Check E-Mail.

LEGO City Motorcycle Set for $5: Purchase the LEGO City Motorcycle Set for just $5. This set typically retails for $8.99, and it includes a firefighter mini figure with a fire extinguisher, a fire motorcycle, a recycling container with an opening lid, and 2 flames.

Paper Mate InkJoy Pens (8 ct.) for $2.78: Purchase a pack of Paper Mate InkJoy Pens for just $2.78. This set of 8 colored pens includes one of each of the following ink colors – black, blue, red, purple, green, turquoise, orange, and magenta.

Free Winter Olympics Pack (Part 2): 3 Dinosaurs has a free Winter Olympics Pack Part 2 available for download. This pack includes map skills, addition and subtraction, measuring, word problems, graphing, and more.

Lincoln Log Horseshoe Hill Station for $18.99: Amazon has their Lincoln Log Horseshoe Hill Station Set on sale for $18.99. This set typically retails for $27.99 and contains 83 pieces including real wood logs, a cowboy, a horse, a roof, and a door. The set also comes with a sturdy box with a lid for convenient storage and portability.

Lauri Toys Primer Pak for $11.79: Purchase the Lauri Toys Primer Pak for just $11.79. This pack includes a 26-piece Lauri Crepe Rubber Alphabet Puzzle, 3 Lacing Shapes, 3 Tipped Laces, 25-Piece Lauri Crepe Rubber Locktagon Construction Playset, 4 Fit-A-Space Lauri Crepe Rubber Mini-Puzzles with Shapes for Stringing, a carrying case, and an activity guide.

Free Dinosaurs Printable Pack: 2 Teaching Mommies has a free Dinosaurs Printable Pack available for download. This pack includes graphing, sorting, sequencing, patterns, a memory verse, and more.

Mega Bloks Barbie Pool Party Set for $24.95: Amazon has their Mega Bloks Barbie Pool Party Set on sale for $24.95. This set includes a buildable, multi-level pool that really holds water, Barbie and Ken mini figures, and a variety of accessories such as umbrellas, flowers, trees, and more.

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Cookie Shape Sorter for $14.99: Purchase the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Cookie Shape Sorter for $14.99. This set encourages the development of sorting skills while also teaching colors, numbers, shapes, manners, and more.

Free Holidays & Special Days Calendar Pack: Download a free Holidays & Special Days Calendar Pack from 2 Teaching Mommies. This set includes six pages of holidays and special observances for your yearly calendar.

LEGO Blue Building Plate for $4.99: Amazon has their LEGO Blue Building Plate priced at $4.99. This building plate is 10″x10″ in size, and is ideal for displaying, transporting, and playing with LEGO creations.

Learning Resources Pizza Fraction Fun Game for $13.70: Purchase the Learning Resources Pizza Fraction Fun Game for just $13.70. This game helps kids visually understand fraction concepts and skills using one of their favorite foods. Kids can play seven different games to practice identifying fractions, matching fraction equivalents and performing fraction addition and subtraction by building pizzas. The game includes 13 double-sided pizzas (one side labeled with fractions) and three double-sided spinners providing different levels of learning.

Free Valentine’s Day Math Printables: Download a free set of Valentine’s Day Math printables from 3 Dinosaurs. This pack includes patterns, addition, subtraction, graphing, even and odd numbers, and more.

K’NEX Education Levers & Pulleys Set for $28.24: Purchase the K’NEX Education Intro to Simple Machines: Levers & Pulleys Set for just $28.24. This set introduces students to the concepts associated with levers and pulleys by enabling them to build 8 fully-functioning replicas of real-world machines. The set includes 178 K’NEX pieces, a storage tub with snap-on lid, building instructions, and a comprehensive teacher’s guide CD.

Thomas & Friends Take-N-Play Set for $12.99: Amazon has their Thomas & Friends Take-N-Play Set on sale for $12.99. This set includes a portable fold-out playset as well as a die-cast metal Sir Handel which you can store inside the set.

Free Pete the Cat Pack: 3 Dinosaurs has a free Pete the Cat Pack available for download. This pack includes beginning sounds, pre-writing practice, puzzles, sorting, dot pages, and more.

Very Hungry Caterpillar Lacing Cards for $11.75: Purchase a set of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Lacing Cards for just $11.75. These lacing cards feature illustrations from Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar book, and includes favorite characters such as the caterpillar and the butterfly. The set is ideal for encouraging hand-eye coordination as well as developing sequencing skills, dexterity, and fine motor skills.

Laser Maze Logic Game for $25.13: Amazon has their Laser Maze Logic Game on sale for $25.13. From the makers of Rush Hour, this logic game includes 60 challenges form beginner to expert, and it builds on sequential reasoning and planning skills.

20% Off at Half Price Books: Half Price Books has released a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase. This offer is valid through Monday, February 17th.

Crayola Colored Pencils (64 ct.) for $6.99: Purchase a 64-ct. set of Crayola Colored Pencils for just $6.99. This set features 64 different colors, including 8 Crayola Kids choice colors, and it includes a built-in sharpener.

LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Construction Hauler for $14.39: Amazon has their LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Construction Hauler Set on sale for $14.39. This set includes a 3-in-1 model that can be rebuilt into a cherry picker, an off-road transporter with a dune buggy, or a construction hauler. The set features a metallic front grill finish; an articulated, detachable trailer with lowering ramp; and cones and digger with moveable front loader and backhoe.

Katie is a wife and homeschooling mother of four who writes at Cincinnati Cents about saving money and having fun as a family without breaking the bank. She enjoys sharing new recipes, ideas for frugal family fun, and tips for spending less at the grocery store.

• thank you…great deals…love the free stuff!!! by Kathy H.

Right now, you can get a one-year subscription to House Beautiful Magazine for only $4.99 per year when you use coupon code MONEYSAVING at checkout. You can order up to three years at this price!

About House Beautiful magazine: House Beautiful is written for affluent readers with a sense of style. It introduces possibilities in the context of individuality, diversity and simplicity with an emphasis on comfort rooms that are lived in. Editorial encompasses interior design, remodeling, architecture, travel, entertaining, gardening and more.

This offer expires tonight 02/17/14 at 11:59 PM EST.

Are you looking for other magazine titles? You can use coupon code MONEYSAVING to save 20% off of most titles at DiscountMags!

(Note: The link in this post is my referral link. Read my disclosure policy here.)

Subscribe to the Harrington Harmonies email newsletter to download these free Artist Notebook Pages.

Thanks, Harrington Harmonies!