Did you all have a nice Easter? I did. My whole family went out to dinner at Bugaboo Creek. We're quite the noisy crowd when we're all together. My Mom was in her glory. All of her kids were there, all of the grandkids were there, and we didn't even throw food at one another. Definitely a successful day. So...how are you? I'm doing ok. I'm enjoying the sunshine that breaks through the clouds. Of course, it snowed last night and it depressed the ever lovin' life out of me, but this too shall melt!

I talk about my kids, Nick and Gabby. I don't know if I've ever mentioned it here, I doubt it, but Nick is autistic. April is National Autism Awareness month. So, if you don't know much about this disease you should check out the National Autism Foundation for lots of info. Education is the key to success. Want to see the kids? I rarely show pictures of them..I hate to be one of those insanely bragging Moms who drags out every picture of their child. I like to see other people's photos but I'm not interested in every single picture since they were born. My Prince Nicholas and Princess Gabrielle.

So. You didn't come here to hear about my life. You want something from me, right? You want freebies, samples, and tips on how to live a more frugal life. Well, let's start with my favorite of the bunch...freebies! Off to our health and beauty department.

We have a free sample of Maybelline Mineral Power liquid foundation. I was blessed with good skin and I rarely ever wear make up. I'm going to try this out though. The older I get, the more I notice blemishes. Ok, there's nothing funny to say about this but it's a free sample of TENA Serenity Overnight Pads.  Now, here's a free sample I can wrap my head around. It's XCID Antacid. My husband suffers from horrible acid reflux/heartburn. He's always got it. I worry about it too. I'm ordering this as we speak. When the kids were babies I swore by Gold Bond powder. I can say that my kids never once got a diaper rash, even in the heat and humidity we have here in the summer. Here's a free sample of Gold Bond Ultimate. It's not powder, though. It's a cream. I don't have curly hair. I've always been intensely jealous of women who do have curly hair. I spent $275 on a perm once. Yep, came out looking like FiFi the wonder poodle and never went back. Redken is offering free samples of their products for curly hair. JJ Martin Clothing has a freebie of the day. Today it's a free sample of L'Oreal Color Juice Lip Gloss. Just send them your address and request the sample. Lovin' it! I wear glasses. Ok, let me rephrase. I am supposed to wear glasses. I lose pair after pair after pair. I don't bother anymore. Sign up at Windsor Eyes and get a free eyeglass case! I'm kind of weird. I have an incredible sense of smell. Shopping for detergents literally overpowers me because I have to sniff every one that I am considering..mostly to make sure that I find the smell appealing. I'm the same way with soap. Here's a sample of New-Formula Dial Antibacterial Soap. We have a free sample of Dove Ultimate Clear Deodorant. Choose from cool cucumber or grapefruit and lemongrass. Here's a free sample of Coty Beauty Fragrances. You get 12 free fragrance samples! Sometimes they're just those little pieces of paper like a scratch-n-sniff. I use them in the vents in my car..free air fresheners.

I live in Boston..or close enough that I can say "I'm from Boston." I am a huge Red Sox fan! Rock on Red Sox Nation! Opening Day is right around the corner. How about a free pack of Exclusive MLB Baseball Cards? I signed right up for them. I hate to give PETA even free mention in my little blog. I despise their methods. However, if you approve of their methods, you can sign up for a free No Fur PETA pin.

I have a free sample of NutraSweet Swirl. My Mom is a Type 2 diabetic and takes 3 shots of insulin per day. I am vigilant about sugar in her food. So, what do we put sugar in? We put it in COFFEE! Here's a sample of Seattle's Best Coffee. There are 3 flavors to choose from. I picked vanilla bean. After you've eaten and you want to wash your hands, how about using a sample of Klean-To-Go sanitizing wipes?

I am now a huge Trace Adkins fan. God, I just love that man. I'm a huge country music fan to begin with. After Trace's season on Celebrity Apprentice,  I'm even more in love with him. He was trying to raise money for a charity that deals with food allergies. Here is a Food Allergy Survival Guide. It afflicts millions of children every day. I was always pretty apathetic to it. The whole "it doesn't affect me, it's an allergy, big deal." Yep, Trace was a true eye opener and I am now a proud contributor to his charity!

My other favorite show is Top Chef. I blab about it every time I blog. Well, since I plugged Trace Adkins and his Celebrity Apprentice appearance, I will give you a cookbook for Australian Lamb. Now, I don't eat lamb. I may wear their sweaters but that's about it for me. On Top Chef there are always lamb dishes that the judges just adore.

My Dad loved to bird watch. I started putting up bird feeders last year. I love seeing the colorful birds sitting in my windowsills. You can sign up  for a Celebrate Urban Birds kit. It contains posters on how to identify birds and free seeds!

For you music fans, pre-order your free Walton Music Chorale Sampler CD.

I gotta tell you. I love blogging. I am a little disappointed in the other ChaCha blogs lately. Where are our crafts for the Spring? I'm diligently waiting for them. Where are the new recipes for Spring Smoothies? Come on people, motivate! Use the coupons I give you for ideas and materials. In Family Fun magazine this month there is a club house for kids built out of cereal boxes. It is the neatest thing. We should be reading about it in our blogs!

Well, I've made lunch, answered a few queries, checked the mail, patted the dog...I think this is it for now. Until next time...Happy Saving!