I've gotten $100 FREE, don't you want to get that too??!!

I don't like my blog to be an advertisement for anything, but I will pass on stuff that has REALLY helped me and my family!!! I figured other families would want to know how I earned $100 in gift cards, without paying anything out of pocket, or even giving my credit card information "for verification". :)

Earlier this year I reluctantly signed up for Swagbucks after my cousin told me about it. Even though I was reluctant, I have earned over $100 in Amazon gift cards that I saved up for my kids Christmas shopping!!! It has been awesome getting the Amazon boxes in the mail these past few weeks. FOR FREE!

Does Google pay you to use their search engine?? Nope! It's that easy of a concept. Use the Swagbucks search engine instead of Google, and earn Swagbucks!

There are additional ways to earn, but that is the easiest. I signed up FOR FREE on the Swagbucks website. I added their tool bar, and stared earning points. Then when I wanted to see what prizes I wanted, I searched their gifts. There are actual physical items you can purchase, gift cards to different places (Amazon, Macy's, Southwest airlines, etc). I chose Amazon because you can purchase almost anything there.

Please use my Swagbucks link to show that I referred you, and I get referral points :)

Other ways to earn (once you are signed up, these are on the "Earn" section on the top toolbar):

~ Daily polls to earn points

~ View their no obligation offers

~ Do some of their offers (I earned 500 Swagbucks for trying Netflix free for a month!)

~ Promote it on your website/Facebook/Twitter

What are you waiting for??? SIGN UP TODAY!

Christmas Traditions

Our boys are small, but we are starting some Christmas traditions. I realized this year I need to be more purposeful in them. I have lots of things I like to do, but they have always been "when we get to doing them". Christmas pjs are purchased, but I don't have a certain time I give them out. Our Christmas gingerbread village is bought, but we have not set aside the actual time to make them. As I follow other friend's blogs (Lori & Keri so far), I feel bad that I don't have these things nailed down. We have done our tree (accompanied by Mariah on the iPod), gone shopping individually at Dollar Tree for Daddy and brothers, wrapped Daddy's presents... I think that is it so far. I just want to have a more "set" time and order to what we do. The boys would enjoy it too, knowing what and when to expect the next fun thing!

This year I decided I need to be more purposeful. I think this has to do a lot with the boys age. They ask a lot more questions, they soak it all in. Above all else I want them to understand the birth of Jesus is the reason for this season.

Don't get me wrong, I totally LOVE Christmas and all that comes with the season. I love the lights, trees, purchasing gifts, music, the movies, etc. I just need to help guide my children for the actual purpose of Christmas through the midst of all the other activities.

One way I help them to focus on others is to shop for their brothers and find something their brothers will like. They don't get anything for themselves. They enjoy, and don't like it all at the same time :) "I don't want my brothers to have candy if I don't get candy - it's not fair."

Another thing we started this year is a Jesse tree. I had never heard of it before until we talked about it at MOPs. It's an advent project of devotions and ornaments that you do with your kids every day in December until Christmas. At MOPs last month we created the ornaments. Actually, we each brought twenty of the same ornament that we created. Then we exchanged with everyone else for the ones they made.

While you are "supposed" to add an ornament every day, we have changed that up since we have three and it's hard for them not to be upset that it's not "their" day. So I put all the ornaments up and we do an "I spy" to find the ornament we are talking about that day.

So far it seems to be going well! I will admit that we started a couple days late, so we have been doubling up. The boys have enjoyed it and so have I!

We use the devotional for our Jesse Tree Advent. You also can print off ornaments to work on them yourselves!

What do you do that helps your family be purposeful for Jesus this season?

our black 4 ft Jesse Tree full of ornaments

(yes, black. I enjoy things that are "different")

The boys wooden manger that they can play with all the time

Our 2010 Christmas Card

Merry Christmas from the Slater Family!

Our Christmas cards are now all mailed out, it's such a fun project to send out to family and friends. Both of my parents are one of seven children, so I try really hard to send out cards to each of my aunts, uncles and cousins every year. Especially since I don't live near ANY of them!

Thanks to my earlier post for the free cards

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