A mama with ideas...

I am done.  Not in the sense of being 'done in', although that too at times!  I mean, I'm done writing my little project and it's finally been published!!!  Yay!!  It's taken nearly a year of actual writing but the idea has been simmering away for almost 3 years so it's a very satisfying moment to see it come to fruition.  Admittedly, the writing has taken waaaay longer than it really should have... I mean, it's no War & Peace.  But I've written it whilst juggling the task of bringing (who am I kidding, dragging) up my 3 little monkeys, trying to keep up this blog and all the other things demanding my time and attention.  I've actually loved the writing process and could see myself doing more of it in the future... long into the future!

In addition to this announcement, I ought to apologise for my absence from this blog since November.  I have had a bit of a set back with my Graves' disease.  I was in remission, but unfortunately it has proven short lived (boooo!).  My endocrinologist has had me back on the drugs (and not in a good way) for the last couple of months and my thyroid function has dropped dramatically.  Cue very tired and unmotivated me.  It was a good nagging from long-suffering Him Indoors that finally gave me the kick up the butt I needed this week to get my book finished and published, and I realised I have been moping about doing nowt for too long!  So I am making a concerted effort to get back into doing everything!  Mind over matter and all that!

So here it is...




Available in Kindle format on Amazon.com. Click here for the link!

For other e-reader formats, it is available on Smashwords. Click here for the link!




Thanks very much!!!

Mama Max
xxx

Being a busy SAHM of three kids, including the terrible twosome, I hate going to the shops.  Actually, hate isn't strong enough... loathe is probably closer!  I really miss being able to do my grocery shopping online, which is becoming almost the norm for busy parents in the UK.  I mean, who wants to spend several hours a week dragging screaming toddlers around the grocery store, when 20 minutes clicking online can have it delivered to your door (for free in a lot of cases!).  Sigh.  That sort of service is unfortunately not available here in Houston.

However, I do use Amazon a lot.  And not just for books!  I buy all my diapers (nappies), wet wipes and even some of my groceries (yes indeed!) from Amazon.  The cost savings are even better when you sign up for their Subscribe & Save Scheme.

For example:


The above link is for the diapers we buy - Pampers Baby Dry (size 4).

• They are selling on Amazon.com today (12th Oct) for $47.19 including the delivery (that works out at 24.6 cents a diaper).  
• That's cheaper than ToysRUs where it would cost you $52.49 to have the same thing delivered (which works out at 27.3 cents a diaper).

However, if you sign up with the Amazon subscription service, you get an ADDITIONAL 30% off every time you order them.  You basically specify how frequently you want them delivered... monthly, every 2 months, every 3 months or every 6 months.

So, the box of diapers actually cost $33.03 each time, which works out at only 17 cents a diaper.

YOU SAVE 10 CENTS EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE YOUR KID'S BUTT!

You can also cancel or skip a shipment whenever you want. Or even cancel your subscription after the first delivery!  And you don't have to lug them home from the store!

UPDATE:  For those of you viewing this from the UK ... looks like Amazon.co.uk also has a similar scheme!


Wait, there's more... if you also sign up for the Amazon Mom thing and spend $25 a month on baby supplies (easy to do if you buy your diapers & wipes), you also qualify for Amazon Prime benefits on all your other purchases.  This means that you get free 2-day priority shipping on any Prime item (which is pretty much everything sold by Amazon).  Genius!

Then, the icing on the cake... you also get sent emails with links to some of their 'secret' discount pages.  They're not really secret, you just can't navigate to them from the main menus!  Here are some recent ones I've been sent...

• 70% off selected Maternity wear
• 70% off selected Baby items
• 70% off selected Dressing Up Costumes - perfect with Halloween coming up!

I heart Amazon.com.  You save me stress and money!




P.S.  Last of all... some Subscribe & Save grocery links for my fellow British Expats:

• Heinz Baked Beans - Pack of 12 cans - These store cupboard staple work out at $1.60 a can, compared to $2.20 in the Grocery stores!
• PG Tips Pyramid Tea Bags - 240-Count Boxes (Pack of 2) - These work out at $4.90 for 80, almost half the price charged by the grocery stores here in Houston!
• Ella's Kitchen Organic Baby Food - 4+months, 3.5-oz Pouches (Pack of 7) - These popular UK baby food pouches work out at $1.35 each with the Subscribe & Save option!

So.  I'm a Mama.  And I have ideas.  Hmmm.  No surprises so far.


The problem is that I have so many of them that my head is full of stuff & fluff constantly.  This blog is an attempt to record the best of them and share the love (so to speak!).