Turning Moose into Men...

You get what you get...

2011-09-07T22:55:00.000-07:00

I saw this sign the other day on my new favorite website, Pinterest. Have you been there? It is FABULOUS! Tons of great ideas all in one place!

Anyhow, back to the sign. My kids know this quote! They hear it a lot! But this sign doesn't look like a kids sign to me. SO that got me thinking.

A lot of us have LIFE happening to us and everyday we can make a choice how we are going to react to it. I can whine, cry, and complain but it's not going to change what's going on right now. And your mess doesn't look like my mess, but it's still a mess that I have to work through. So if I ever want my little ones to follow this I think it's time I start following it.

A little about me

2011-08-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

I'm a worrier, I worry about everything, it's who I am.

So six years ago I got married. We knew we wanted little ones right away and 3 months later I was pregnant! We also decided to move from Wyoming in hopes of more. Isn't that what it is always about, more?

Ryan got a job with Union Pacific Railroad. Everyone told us how lucky we were, and what a great job it would be, and how the money would be so nice. Yes, there would be long hours, but we could sacrifice a little to get our feet on the ground and get us off to a solid start. This wonderful job would also allow me to stay home and be a Mom! It was a dream come true! ha! Oh how little we knew!

I also think the ideas we had were not of a typical younger, newly married, expecting a child, just starting out kind of dreams. We were older, life had happened to us, we had found our way and somehow we expected more for our new adventure.

Well, life has a way of humbling you. My hubby has been furloughed more times than I can count, he busted his knee at work twice and now his shoulder. We have gone through 3 surgeries, months of physical therapy, and time off work, PLUS we added two more babies to our family. And the list of should haves, could haves is long.

But we have been blessed also. The new town, one car, no friends made it easy with just one car because really we had no where to go anyways! Dad was able to be home and see so many of those precious baby milestones such as the first step or word. There was no place, and no one, to run away to when things got bumpy, so what didn't kill us made us stronger as a couple.

I sometimes think of our first five years here in Oregon like we were in a cocoon. Our little family all wrapped up tight and together.

Recently though it feels as if the shell is breaking, and not in a bad way. Our wings are opening up and stretching. I feel as if there is some light at the end of the tunnel. We have met some friends here. Friends who will NEVER replace the friends back home, but friends all the same.

I still get to be a stay at home Mama, but now I sell Scentsy. And while I'm not breaking any records in the sales department it does give this Mama a brief time out to talk about something other than babies which is nice, and it pays a bill or two, so I feel like I do my little part to help out our family. It also gave me something to focus on. It's replaced some of the worry and given me a partial solution.

It's also nice to have some new dreams. It seems we were focused on survival for so long, which is a little extreme, but true. Now I feel like I can look up, and look out. I can grow my business, my team, myself, and continue to grow my family (and I don't mean literally!!! at least not yet!) lol!

SO while the struggles aren't over because life isn't over. I am letting go a little more, enjoying a little more, I just have a feeling like it might be our time to fly. And that feels good!

Hope you had a wonderful Easter! and some deals, recipes and more!

2011-04-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

Did you have a good Easter? We sure did!

My plan was for the Easter Bunny to leave a note on the door saying he hopped on by while we were at church and left some clues to find the hidden Easter baskets BUT... Miss Allie Grace found the hidden Easter baskets about 10 minutes before we were to walk out the door! So, we took a mini break from our Sunday morning mad scramble routine to check out the baskets before I whisked them away so we could maybe make it to church before Sunday School was over! WoW! total run on sentence, sorry. Anyhow, I love days we get to spend together with family and friends, good food, and chocolate :) I hope your day was just as wonderful!

Now onto the deals:

I have a TON of pictures I need to get developed so I have been watching out for the photo deals. Here are two I saw this morning from Couponing to Disney.

Target has a printable coupon for $2 off the purchase of 20 prints. Prints are 10 cents each so 20 pics for FREE!

The next one is 365 prints from Snapfish for $15.00 SHIPPED! Use the code SPRING365 at check out to get this deal. If you are new to Snapfish you also get 50 FREE prints. That is just $.04 a picture! You only have until Tuesday night to do this deal though so hurry!

I found an email from Disney in my box this morning for their beach towels. They are on sale for $12 this week with FREE personalization. I'm thinking my babies might need these :)

You can get a FREE DVD today only from Blockbuster with the code MONDAYDVD.

Frugal Living NW shared a deal about 2 tickets for Big Surf at Clackamas Aquatic Park for just $5.

She also shared a post about a FREE 8x10 photo canvas from the Canvas People. You just have to pay shipping. This would be great for Mother's day!

And the last thing is a recipe I saw over at Our Best Bites for a Tortellini Spinach Bake. This looks good and with a couple changes my little ones just might eat it :)

Okay friends I have some pictures to download so have a great Monday!

HELLO...out there

2011-04-07T22:21:00.000-07:00

is anyone still listening?

I want a reason to blog, a purpose. I share most everything on my personal facebook page, sometimes my Moose to Men facebook page, sometimes my Scents of the Northwest facebook page. I share, and share, and share...do I really need to share here too? Or maybe my facebook friends wish I would share here so they didn't get bombarded with so much from me on a daily basis :)

I think I tried to do too much, be too much. I also think I wanted to keep everything separate. So my Scentsy friends didn't have to hear about my children, or my mom friends didn't have to hear about my business. But you know what, this is me. This is who I am right now. If I offend you or drive you crazy with too many pictures of my children, recipes of food I dream about eating, or the yummy smells coming from my warmers I'm sorry. I'll still love you if you don't come back or if you hide me from your facebook :)

Usually what brings me here to blogland is I want to share. I mean really, why else are we here? So this is what I read today, Mommy On Fire. I've had it on my screen all day. It's just a short post. I think I realized though how important it could be. Plus I wanted to read it, I mean really read it, with out interruptions from the little ones. So, unsure of what to do, I just left it up all day. I wanted to make sure I would remember it. I starred it as a favorite, but have you seen my favorites list! I thought about posting it on facebook, but I posted a lot over there tonight. So here I am.

I want to do this. I want my children to have this. Can you just see what a gift this could be? I don't know a lot about the Bible. I hope my children grow up to know more. This gift will teach them about God, but also about ME. They will see my heart, my struggles, my praises. And when the day comes I can't be right there for them, to help them through something, my heart will whisper over the words of God and I hope they know how much I loved them and cared for them.

There are so many things we give and can give our children, but how many of those things are going to mean something to them next week, next month, next year, in thirty years?

***Okay so I can't sleep. I don't know who is going to read this or if anyone is going to read this, but the idea behind the post is WONDERFUL!!! So, you don't want to do the Bible, pick your favorite book and write in the margins why it touches your soul. Watch your favorite movie and write a letter to your son or daughter and give it to them on an appropriate birthday or when they move out. Maybe there's a cookbook that you use over and over, start adding post- its to why you make a certain dish, what you change, who's favorite is it? This would work for a brother or a sister or a child. We lose so much in the hustle and bustle. Life is flying by us right now and we're not going to remember the details so write them down!

Taste of Home Cookbooks $5.00

2010-11-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday! This one is for my sister in law Lindy, we'll see if she reads my blog :)

Taste of Home is clearing out stock and offering up their cookbooks for $5.00 a piece! Cookbooks are one of my favorite things. I dream of having a little nook in my kitchen someday full of all of my cookbooks. Right now they are in a huge box in the garage.

They are also giving FREE shipping and 20% off when your order total is over $20 (AFTER the discount). So, go pick out 5 cookbooks, apply the code, and spend $20. The code is LST26.

Thanks Hip 2 Save!

20% off at Hamilton Beach on their Brew Stations

2010-11-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

The code save20 will save you 20% off on BrewStations over at Hamilton Beach. The coffee makers range in price from $30- $80.

2010-11-08T09:16:00.000-08:00

Okay friends here are a few deals I found this morning:

Amazon has this Melissa and Doug Jungle Safari floor puzzle on sale for just $3.88. I love their puzzles because they are so much thicker than regular puzzles and seem to stand up better to the little ones. Shipping is $1.99.

Thanks Hip2Save!

Groupon in Kansas City, Missouri is $50 worth of Kansas City steaks for just $25. I have heard people rave about their food. I had it once in college but that was too long ago to recall. If you are new to Groupon, they are a daily deal site. You sign up and can get the deals in your area. BUT, the great thing is that you can get the deals in any area! So go through and search around a little and you might be surprised what you can find. It looks like this deal has free shipping too!

Thanks Who Said Nothing in Life is Free?!

Totsy is another daily deal site. This one has stuff for the little ones. They always have a lot to choose from. Right now I am deciding on this book package. It is the Good Night, Mr. Night book and comes with a doll that has glow in the dark stars on him. The set is $9.60. They have some cute socks with pull handles for only $2.99, and some Kettler toys. I would love one of the sit on tractors or diggers for the boys!

What a busy Monday!

2010-11-08T08:40:00.000-08:00

There is so much to share I thought I would put it all here instead of a bunch of mini Facebook posts.

First off Good morning and Happy Monday!

Okay, the important stuff first. If you are looking for something to do as an individual, family, group, or church for the holidays and beyond please look into The Mercy House. I have been following Kristen over at We are THAT Family for quite some time now. I love her crazy posts about life and kids and all the crazy things that happen to them. I love that she's a Christian doing some amazing things for people in this country and in Africa. I just love her and if she lived here in Oregon I would have to stalk her and make her my new friend :) (okay just kidding on that last part, a little)

Anyhow she has a list of things that they are collecting for The Mercy House and the women they will be helping over in Africa. They are simple things and if you are a coupon-er like me you probably get them free anyways. So I will ask you, if it's in your heart to take on a project this year, please consider The Mercy House. Thank you so much for listening!

Bigfoot Moods

2010-10-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

Bigfoot Moods: "Enter The Bigfoot Moods Sweepstakes for your chance to win a Bigfoot the Monster toy."

Local, female, and looking for something to do???

2010-10-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Portland Women's Show is going on this weekend, October8-10. Hours are Saturday 10-6pm and Sunday 10-5pm. Admission is $9.00 and children under 10 are FREE.

It looks like Sunday at 1pm you can meet Ricky Paull Goldin, Dr. Jake Martin from All My Children on the main stage.

Saturday there is a fashion show at 3pm, I'll let you go look at the site for the details on that one ;)

They will also have exhibitors and shopping, workshops and seminars, an authors corner, plus stage events. You can head on over to the website for more information.

Beg, borrow, print, and Save!

2010-10-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

Go through your stash and find you coupons for Huggies diapers now. If you don't have any go over to coupons.com and print the one that's available for $3.00 off the big box. You will need this coupon starting October 17th. Not for the ad starting tomorrow, for the one after that.

The deal will be at Rite Aid and they will have their big box of Huggies on sale for $19.99. Which really is not a sale because that's the price they always are at my store for the box. The big news is you will use your $3.00 off Huggies coupon, buy a few more things so you can get to $25.00, and use the $5 off $25 Rite Aid coupon too. The box of Huggies will trigger a $4+Up Reward.

Frugal Living NW has some more ideas on how to get the most for your money over at her site!

Coupons for Toys!

2010-10-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

Have you seen all of the great coupons for toys lately? Last month there were some in the Sunday paper and now there are some available online.

Last year, if I remember right, we were able to score some pretty cheap toys right after Thanksgiving with these coupons.

So head on over to coupons.com and you can narrow your search down by clicking toys and games in the links on the left. All of the coupons are for Hasbro brand toys and include coupons for Mr. Potato Head, Weebles, Weebles Treehouse, Chuck and Friends, Sit n Spin, Easy Bake and more.Let me know if you find any good deals to use with these coupons.

It looks like if you go through the Hasbro site to get coupons there are even more! It still takes you to coupons.com, but now there are 3 pages of coupons include ones for Spiderman and Ironman. Now those are some coupons I can use!

Thanks Coupon Geek!

Do you havw a Wii?

2010-10-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of my friends have the Wii so this deal is for you.

Office Depot has a bunch of Wii games discounted to $7.99.

There is a code to take an additional 14% off and get FREE shipping, making your games just $6.87 plus whatever tax you have of course.

This is a great deal and is going to knock some more names off my Christmas list. The code to use is 82632163.

Thanks Coupon Geek!

Looking for a dinner deal this weekend? Try Chevy's!

2010-10-09T09:27:00.000-07:00

Chevy's has some new coupons available to make eating out this weekend a little more affordable. There is a 20% off any entree and a Buy 1 combo get 1 combo for $2.99.

We use the 20% off one when it comes available on the big fajita platter and then we share. It is more than enough food for both of us with some to take home. These coupons are good through November 6, 2010.

I'll look around for some more deals on eating out and ad those later!

Thanks Thrifty Northwest Mom!

Amazing price on this Food Saver!

2010-10-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

We have one of these and I love it! It really does help cut down on freezer burn on my food. I use it most when I buy my meat in bulk on sale. Then I come home and package it into sizes we will use. I want to try it with my sauces and broths but I'm not sure how to do that yet.

So Newegg has the FoodSaver V2040 home vacuum packaging system on sale for $74.95 ( I hate to admit I payed a lot more than that for mine). The good news is there is a code to take an additional 35% off and FREE shipping! The code is EMCZYYW53. Bringing your total down to $39.95 shipped!

This would be a super incredible gift for a newlywed, new parents, most anyone, but especially all of us who are working on saving money. The code is good until October 14, 2010. Who knows how long this deal will last though.

Amazon has this same system listed for $74.95 also, just no awesome coupon code for there.

Thanks Coupon Gal!

Happy Fall!

2010-10-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

October Newsletter

Hello Everyone! Have you had a chance to enjoy our Fall yet? The weather here has been a little crazy, but we are having fun! I managed to bury my Fall/Halloween decorations in the back corner of my garage when I re-organized, so who knows if I can convince Ryan to dig them out for me :)

Have you decorated yet? Scentsy has some cute Halloween warmers available this year. I really love Fright Night! The Jack O Lantern warmer is available in both a full size and a plug-in, so you can sneak some harvest festiveness into any room.

October is also Breast Cancer awareness month. Scentsy has the perfect warmer to show your support for this great cause with the Love, Life, Hope warmer. The proceeds from this go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

This month also brings about many fundraisers for many different causes. Have you thought of doing a Scentsy fundraiser? With Scentsy you won’t have to buy a $12 roll of wrapping paper or a $15 box of chocolates. You get the same great stuff out of the catalog at the same prices. Give me a call if you would like some more information on doing a fundraiser for your school, team, group, or favorite cause.

A new month means NEW SPECIALS for you!!! Yea!!

October Specials

· Host a qualifying basket party* and I will give you the Jack O Lantern plug-in.

· Have a $400 party and not only will you earn $60 in FREE product and 3 half price items, but I will give you the October warmer of the month, “Give Thanks”. It is perfect for this time of the year or all year really.

I hope you all have a wonderful Fall and take the time to enjoy the beauty of this season. If I can answer any questions for you send me an email or give me a call. Thanks for all of your support, I do truly appreciate it.

Misty O’Rourke

Independent Scentsy Consultant

mnmzz@msn.com

503-908-0701

https://mistyorourke.scentsy.us/Home

My Safeway trip today!

2010-09-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

If you have time, GO TO SAFEWAY TODAY! or tomorrow, but that ad ends tomorrow.

I went to some store off of Powell I think because that's where I was. I did 2 quick transactions.
My first was 6 Scrubbing Bubbles 2/$5= $15.00
I used 3 $2/2 coupons                         - $6.00
I used my safeway doublers                  -$1.50
and paid....                                               $7.50

BUT!!! The big news is that I got back 1 $5.00 catalina for doing the spend $15 promo and 3 $2.00 catalinas for each of the Scrubbing Bubbles. So...I made $3.50!!! ~~~happy dance~~~

Then I bought 3 packages of Hefty trashbags for $5.99 each = $17.97
used 3 $2.00 off coupons                                                        -$6.00
and my Safeway doublers                                                    -$1.50
plus the $5.00 catalina from above and 2 of the $2.00 ones          -$9.00
and I paid..........                                                                        $1.47

and I got back another $5.00 catalina because the garbage bags are also part of the spend $15 get $5.00 back promo, plus I still have 1 of the $2.00 catalinas left from the first transaction.

The Scrubbing Bubbles coupons and The Hefty garbage bag coupons Ryan found for me at Safeway in this little coupon book when he was working in Hinkle last week. What a sweet guy he is ♥♥♥

Ebay deal of the day63

2010-09-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

Here is the Ebay deal of the day for $5.00. It is a 4 pack of animal safety stoppers to keep little finger from getting pinched, and shipping is FREE!

Thanks Moms by Heart!

This looks like a good one for my Veggie Tales fans!

2010-09-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

Veggie Tales is offering FREE shipping on orders over $25.00. Use code FREESHIP231 at check out to get the discount. It says on the website that this is a special promotion offer for today, so you may want to hurry.

Here is one way to get the most out of your money.

Order Lessons From the Sock Drawer for $5.00
it includes Very Silly Songs Sing a Long for FREE
Order Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Samson's Hairbrush for $5.00
it includes The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown for FREE
Order A Snoodles Tale for $5.00
it includes Dance of the Cucumber Sing a Longs for FREE
Order Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry's Big River Rescue for $5.00
it includes The End of Silliness Sing a Long for FREE

So right there you are at $20 for 4 movies and 4 sing a longs. You just need to add something to get you over $25.00. Here are some ideas:

Sweetpea Beauty puzzle is $5.99
Veggie Tales Friends stickers for $7.99
Give This Christmas Away book for $5.99
365 Bedtime Devotions for Boys or Girls is $6.99

So take your pick to finish off your order, I'm leaning towards the Give Christmas Away book. This could take a huge chunk out of your Christmas list for only $25 and you didn't even have to go to the mall!

Thanks Moms by Heart

RITE AID DIAPER DEAL

2010-09-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

Ok so this week at Rite Aid if you buy $30 worth of select P&G items you get a $10 UP REWARD. Also you get a $5 UP Reward for the bix boxes of pampers. Also you can get $2 UP Rewards when you buy 2 Nivea products. Here's what I did:

Bought:
2 big boxes of pampers $19.99 each
2 small tins of Nivea cream lotion, travel size BOGO 1/2 off, (So .99 & .49)
Used:
my 10% off Rite Aid bonus coupon
2 $3.00 off pampers coupons I got in the mail
$5/25 Rite Aid coupon from Video Values or there was one on Red plum i think

My total after tax was $29.30
I used $17.80 that was on my gift card from last month
I paid $11.41 OOP (out of pocket)
and received $22 UP REWARDS....

That's like $7.30 for two big boxes of diapers and 2 little lotions!! Love it!! Going to do the Johnson & Johnson deal today with all of my UP Rewards... Will post and let you know how that goes!!

A little girl's dream doll house just $49 plus shipping

2010-09-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

I blogged about this doll house last year and I know one little girl who has it in her room thanks to a great Auntie :)

This doll house is a great size. When we were visiting the above mentioned little girl my son crawled through the door to get inside the house. My son is HUGE!

So Little Tikes has this on sale again this year for $54.99. Plus you can use the code save2011 for an extra 10% off.

Thanks Happy Money Saver!

Taste of Home subscription for just $3.99

2010-09-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

Tanga has a yearly subscription to Taste of Home magazine for just $3.99 after you use the coupon code HOLIDAY.

This magazine always has some great recipes to try out. The last one I found that I loved was for chocolate chip cookie dough truffles. YUM!

So when you go to the home page it will be there for $17.99, but don't panic. Just click on it, sign in, and add the code HOLIDAY and it will bring it down to $3.99.

Happy cooking!

Thanks! Who said nothing in life is free?

Haggen's deals for 9/15-9/21

2010-09-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

Honestly, I don't see much worth making the trip there this week. If I do need to go there here are just a few deals I found that I'll be looking at.

Del Monte fruits and veggies in the can are on sale for 12/$10 and there is an in ad coupon for $2.00 off when you spend $10. So that makes them $.67/can. The in ad coupon is a manufacturer coupon so it can not be stacked with another one.

Del Monte fruit cups are 5/$10 and you can use the same coupon as above making those $1.60 each.

And the last thing I saw was their Nature Source USDA Natural Choice Beef is $8.99/lb for T-bones. This beef is minimally processed, no artificial ingredients, no antibiotics or added hormones, 100% vegetarian diet, and USA born and raised. So if you had a special occasion or wanted to treat your special someone these are a good option.

I didn't see any sales on organic fruits or veggies or anything else I was interested in. Hopefully next week will be better.

There is a coupon in their ad for 100 Labels for Education Bonus Points when you buy 5 participating items.

Cold Stone Creamery Smooth Cravings Hot Cocoa coupon and more

2010-09-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

Has anyone seen these?!? Have you tried them? Are they as yummy, delicious as I imagine?

Here is a $1.00 off coupon for them. I can't wait to try them! (if you can't find them try using the zip code 03104) Click the beverage link on the left to find it faster.

Coupons.com also has a $3.00 off Huggies Snug and Dry 60 ct. or higher, Buy one get one FREE on Starburst gummibursts pouches, $1.00 off Pillsbury Sweet Moments, plus many more of course. That's just what looked good to me :)

THANKS! Common Sense with Money

Fred Meyer deals for September 12th-18th

2010-09-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

I went to Freddies last night with the hubby and the little ones.(eeeek!) We had a return, an exchange, a missed coupon adjustment on TEN (of the same) items, and a question about not getting our $.10 off on our gas when using the Rewards card. That alone should have been the end of the trip. But no, we decided to shop and let the boys peruse the toy aisle. (lucky Dad got that job) :)

I found a few deals I thought I would share, and more I found searching my bloggy friends.

Organic Gala apples $.98/pound! I am always happy when I can find organic fruits or veggies for under a $1.00 a pound.

Organic green onions $.50 a bunch

Tillamook Ice cream $2.50/half gallon with in ad coupon. <~~~ This is my most favoritist kind of ice cream!

Charmin 12 Double Rolls Ultra Soft on sale $5.49 with weekly ad coupon
Use $3/1 Fred Meyer eCoupon
$2.49*after coupons

My not so great find were organic avocados for $1.79 each! I only bought 2. I made guacamole for dinner and used half of one for Allie's baby food. It is HARD for me to justify that. I walked by them twice and probably stood there for a good 5 minutes staring at them before I went ahead and did it.I didn't have my dirty dozen list with me to see how far down they were on the list, but I just keep telling myself to do what feels best when it comes to feeding my family.

And in the exact same post I am going to tell you I bought two bags of Halloween candy. My only justification is that the candy is for my Scentsy Open House on Friday and a Scentsy Party on Saturday. I never said I was perfect, but I will keep trying to do better :)

Here's some great info about using your Fred Meyer's ecoupons if you need some more help or clarification.

Thanks Frugal Living NW for some of the deals posted above.

6 Hour Doorbuster Sale at Fred Meyers + 25% coupon

2010-08-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

Freddies is having a 6 hour Doorbuster Sale this morning from 7am- 1pm. There is a printable coupon for an extra 25% off apparel, shoes, and accessories for men, woman, and children. This coupon is only good today, August 21, from 7-1pm. It can be stacked with their rewards coupons that they mail out to you for carrying their card. It can also be combined with their in ad coupons and sales but not another bonus coupon. Here is a link to the Doorbuster ad, it looks like a lot of school supplies are 50% off, including Crayola. I need new paint so I'll be there for this one!

They have that tandem bike on sale for $169.00. I think that would be so fun to ride!

Thanks Thrifty and Thriving!

This post deserves sharing.

2010-08-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

I know this post is not for all of you, but...I hope you click through to the link anyways. It is called One Parenting Habit that Changes Everything.

Donate 5 bucks and get a slice of cheesecake from the Cheesecake factory

2010-08-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a do something nice, feel good opportunity :) The Cheesecake Factory will email you a voucher for a FREE slice of cheesecake if you donate $5.00 or more to Feeding America to help feed families in America.

Thanks Penny Pinchin' Mom!

Buy dinner add a movie for $5.00

2010-08-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

Now through September 30th, when you go to McCormick and Schmicks you have the chance to purchase a movie ticket for just $5.00 when you order a meal through their Reel to Reel promotion.

If you are going to be near Bridgeport it might be a good time to grab some lunch or dinner and a movie out with your favorite someone.

You could also head over to Penny Pinchin Mom for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to McCormick and Schmicks.

New local daily deals

2010-08-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

Mobba has a new deal out right now. For $5.00 you can get 3 games of bowling plus shoes at Canby Lanes or Mollala Bowl. The value is listed at $12.75 so that's a 61% savings. Your voucher will be emailed to you and it is valid August 24, 2010- February 24, 2011. It's limit is 1 per person, but you may buy multiples as gifts. You can go here to check it out.

If you are not local check out Mobba and see what the deal is in your area, or buy one as a gift somewhere else as a present.

Today's ezdeal is 4 hours of kid's playtime for $10 at
Omega Gymnastics in Beaverton. There is no limit on this one and it expires February 17, 2011. This will be great for those loooong rainy days.

Gift Certificate can be used for one of the following:

1 Great Escape Parent's Night Out
Half Day of Gymnastic Camp
2 Open Gym/Indoor Play Park Passes for up to 3 kids each time.
4 Hours of Holiday Drop & Shop (Perfect location right by the Washington Square Mall)

You can go here to check out all of the details.

Instant Oatmeal Packets

2010-08-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe today for instant oatmeal packets. I spent a good 20 minutes checking out the healthier version of instant oatmeal at the store to make sure it didn't have any junk in it and wasn't too high in sugar. The recipe seems pretty easy so as long as my boys will still eat instant oatmeal I think I am going to give this one I try. I like the idea of experimenting with the different add ins to customize it too.

Thanks moneysavingmom!

BOGO Starbucks Double Shot + some Starbucks tips

2010-08-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

I know I have some Starbucks lovers out there so I wanted to share these deals with all of you.There is a buy one get one FREE coupon for those Starbucks Double Shot Energy+Coffee drinks. Also, on that link is a promo for some free business cards. You can either print them out or have them mailed to you. These cards don't offer much for customization but hey they are FREE!

ThriftyNWMom also has some tips on how to save at Starbucks over on her site.

I ran out of coffee the other day and picked up a bag of the espresso roast from the store and it is REALLY good. I usually stick with a breakfast blend because coffee can do a number on my belly but this doesn't seem to bother me as long as I don't drink too much. On that bag though it says you can take the empty bag back into any Starbucks and get a FREE cup of coffee.

FREE 8x10 today 8/15 only!

2010-08-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

Walgreens has started up their 7 deals in 7 days again. It will run Sunday, August 15- Saturday August 21st. Everyday will be a new deal and todays deal is a FREE 8x10 picture. There is no code needed. Just click on through to the link and place your order. Choose in store pick up so there is no shipping. The order has to be turned in by 11:59pm central time, but you can pick it up whenever.

Thanks CommonSensewithMoney!

Sock Monkey costume for toddlers

2010-08-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

You can get this adorable Sock Monkey costume from Target.com shipped to your door for only $8.99!

Target has this costume as part of their daily deal for $9.99 plus FREE shipping. It's right under the facial sauna. They are only offering it in a 12-18 month size, but if it doesn't fit you can return it to any Target store. There is also a code out TOEY738U that will get you an extra 10% off.

Thanks Hip2Save!

This is for my Powell readers

2010-08-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

Okay I know most of you don't cash in on the deals I do for whatever reason, but here is one RIGHT IN YOUR TOWN! Go to this post and go down to comment 11 by Kathy Schrader and see what this lady did at PAMIDA. Even in little ole Powell Wyoming you can get good deals couponing.

She spent $7.21 on ALL of this!

Cheap socks at Walgreens

2010-08-10T23:44:00.000-07:00

Okay I went into Walgreens tonight, on my way to Haggens to do the diaper deal, and remembered that there was a sock deal going on. In the ad it says Hanes socks, t-shirts, underwear are buy one get one FREE! Most of the packages have $1.00 off peelie coupons attached to them. So I found 2 packages of boys ankle socks in a size medium for $4.99. I used both coupons and paid $2.99 for two 6 packs of socks! woohoo! We seem to be at the end of our sock life lately. I am throwing out socks every time I do laundry because there are holes in them.

Other deals at Walgreens are: Elmer's glue sticks 2 pack for $.19,
Biotrue Multi Purpose contact solution 4 oz $4.99 get $4 RR, go here to print off a $1.00 off coupon making this FREE after RR.
Dial Nutriskin BodyWash 16 oz $3.99 get $3 RR, here is a $1.00 off coupon making this FREE after RR.

You can go see IheartWags for more deals!

Something for the little ones: Magnifying glass matching

2010-08-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

Okay I had to share this one. I subscribe to Totally Tots through email and this was in my inbox today.

Magnifying glass matching: (above picture from Totally tots website)

This is so cute! I'm going to send the printables to my Mom at the UPS store so she can print them off on card stock for me. You can read more about it over at Totally Tots but the main idea is you print out the mini pics that the kids have to use a magnifying glass to tell what they are, and then match them to the big pics. My kids LOVE magnifying glasses so I think this will be a big hit for them.

Okay I wasn't sure about putting this next part because I am not trying to promote my Moms store but I just wanted to let you know if you ever need to print out stuff you can email it to a UPS store and I am sure a Kinko's and they will print it off and laminate it for you so it will be ready to pick up at your convenience.

HIGH VALUE HUGGIES COUPON!

2010-08-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

I found $3.50 off ANY 2 Huggies Snug and dry dipaers over at smartsource.com!
Should be able to score some cheap diapers with this one!

You could use this for the diaper deal at Haggens but that ends today! I might have to go back!

Thanks Misti with an I :) for sharing!

SWAG CODE!!

2010-08-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

there is a swagcode out for about 20 more minutes!
If you've seen the movie Animal House, there is a part where they read their GPA's. What is bluto's GPA? i found it really easy searching. the code is all caps and spell out the words. EX. if it were 4.5 the code would be FOURPOINTFIVE

HURRY! It's worth 7

Parents magazine $4.00 through Amazon

2010-08-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

Amazon has the Parents magazine for just $4 for a 1 year subscription. It says this offer is good through August 14th. This would be a good present for a new mom.

Thanks SavingMoneyPlan!

Pump it Up play for $3.50

2010-08-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

Todays EZdeal is at Pump it Up in Wilsonville. They are offering a $3.50 entrance to one open play. Their open play sessions for the summer are $5.00 but all other ones are $7.00 so this is a half price deal. You can buy up to 5 tickets and they do not expire until Feb 6th, 2011.

Here's their website for more info on the different sessions they offer.

Are you going to the mall today?

2010-08-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

I will keep updating this as I go so if anyone it leaving early you can at least take advantage of what I have found so far.

Yankee Candle is having a Halloween Preview Party today from 10am to noon. You can get a FREE Boney Bunch candle (candy corn scent) with any purchase! There is also a coupon for $1.oo off tarts and votives. So get a votive and use your $1.oo off coupon, pay $.99, and get you Boney Bunch candle FREE. I called the Clackamas store this morning and they are participating in this event.
Thanks ThriftyNWMom!

Bath & Body Works has a deal over at their Facebook page, where you can get a coupon for a FREE, no purchase necessary, new Dark Kiss 2 oz. Body Lotion. This coupon is only good through tomorrow.
Thanks Clippin'withCarrie!

Ooohh I just found this coupon too, for 20% off and purchase over $25.00.
Thanks ThriftyNWMom!

Need shoes too?

Famous Footwear has a 20% your entire purchase coupon available. It is good through August 14th. Of course, there are some shoes that don't qualify.
Thanks Clippin'withCarrie!

Borders has a coupon out for a FREE Glitter Ball if you are a Rewards member. You can sign up online or in the store and it is FREE. There is no purchase required for this one either and it is only good through tomorrow, August 8th.
Thanks ThriftyNWMom!

Is there a JCPenney where you are going shopping today? If they have a Sephora counter you can pick up a free sample of Benefit's Crescent Row fragrance with this coupon. Coupon says it is available while supplies last or until August 31st.
Thanks Hip2Save!

Here's a 20% off coupon for The Children's Place that is good through September 1st. I used this last night because Lincoln has to have clothes that fit him. The jeans we bought him oh 2-3 weeks ago, he is already complaining that they are too tight! The store is having a great sale. Little kid sleepers were on sale for $8.00. There were a couple racks of $2.99 items and some of the other markdowns had a take an additional 25% off sign by them.

Do you still have school shopping to do?

2010-08-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a coupon for $10 off $50 over at Old Navy. They are also doing the same promotion as most, if you buy a backpack you get a free lunchbox now through August 18th. This is in stores only. Here's a link to my local ad. I think I might go check out their little boy jeans and see if I can find something that fits Lincoln. The only 3 year old in size 6 boy clothes??? (okay I know he is almost 4 but still...he's a moose!)

Penny Pinchin' Mom is holding a giveaway for 10 coupons for $50 off of $100 at Old Navy. I won one of those coupons last year when we had Allie and was able to get so much with it shopping the sales and clearance.

Kids eat FREE at IKEA

2010-08-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

Ikea has a few promotions out right now and one of them is Kids Eat Free now through August 15th. And the best part is there is NO adult purchase required.

IKEA is always an all day adventure for me, and sometimes I can still walk away with nothing because I am so overwhelmed.

Some other activities are:

face painting the last 3 Saturdays of August from 12-4pm

Smaland activity nights every Wednesday from 6-8pm, these are free for potty trained children 37-54" tall.

There is also FREE Wi-FI available in the restaurant and the kitchen area of the store.

$2.00 Dora DVDs over at Target

2010-08-05T18:14:00.000-07:00

I know a Dora lover, do you???

If you go to Target to do any of the other deals you might want to check out the DVDs. They have Dora Save the Day and Pirate Adventure for $5.00.

Target has a $3.00 off coupon over at their website, so you will be able to get this for just $2.00.

I LOVE stocking up on Christmas and birthday presents this way!

Target also has a bunch of other Dora coupons for things like plates, games, hand soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.

Do you need baby food or diapers???

2010-08-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

I just read about a deal over at FrugalLivingNW that I had to come back and share right away.

Over at Haggens there is a promo going on that if you spend $25 on participating baby products, you get $10 off automatically.

So here are 2 ideas you could do:

Beech Nut Baby Food (2nd foods) on sale $.50
Buy 50 jars (you might have to go put in a special order) $25.00
Use (4) $2/12 coupons from 8/1 SS insert (-$8)
Get promo savings (-$10)
$7 after coupons & promo savings = $.14/jar

Buy 2 Huggies Diapers = $15.98
Buy 3 Huggies Wipes = $7.50
Buy 1 Johnson’s Baby Product = $2.99
Use $3.50/2 diapers coupon
Use $2.50/3 wipes coupons
Use $1/1 Johnson’s coupon from 6/6 RP insert
Get promo savings (-$10)

$9.47 after coupons & promo savings

Great deal at OMSI!

2010-08-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

I am super excited about this one. Courtesy of Fred Meyer there is free admission into OMSI August 12-15th! There will also be extended hours, 9am-9pm.

If you have been procrastinating about getting a membership to there, now is the time, because there is going to be huge discounts on them.. All memberships will be discounted by $40! So a family membership would only be $50. Here's the link to see the other memberships and all the details of them. If you do your membership online here is the code for that, FMFREE10.

I have been wanting to go check out OMSI since we moved here so now is the perfect chance for us. It is also time for us to pick our place to get a membership to for the year, so it will be a good time to check it out and see if it is a right fit for our family.

Thanks so much FrugalLivingNW!

FINALLY a good Target trip!

2010-08-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

WooHoo! I did it! I finally had a good Target trip.

I bought the $2.00 Deep Dish DiGiorno's and used the $2.00 coupon making them both free. I bought 2 of the Ice Cream Shoppe Plah Doh sets that were on sale for $8.00 with a bonus 4 pack of Pay-Doh. I used both $5.00 off coupons and paid $3.00 each for all of that. I bought Lincoln 2 packages of the Hanes socks which were on sale for $3.79. The socks had $.50 peelies on them and I used the $1.00 off Target coupon so those were $2.29 each for a 7 pack. I also found a few preschool books for Lincoln in the dollar section and a pack of stickers and a writing practice dry erase board.

All I paid was $14.48 which doesn't quite ad up unless the dollar stuff I picked out was half price, but I can't find my receipt!!!

Oh well, it was a very good trip and definitely helped restore my faith in shopping at Target.

However, I did not find the good 75% off toys yet. Most was marked at 35% still.

Tillamook is coming to your town!

2010-08-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

This one is for my BFF :) since she is one of the only ones who reads this. lol!

Check out what I found thanks to FrugalLivingNW.

There is going to be a Tillamook Loaf Love Tour! And they are hitting all of you except me, there are no scheduled stops in Oregon. Probably because we can get it everywhere. But for the rest of you, the cheese is coming to you!

May 21st they will be at the Staters in San Jac
1537 S San Jacinto Avenue, San Jacinto, CA
and in Hemet
43396 Florida Avenue, Hemet, CA
and 210 E Stetson Avenue, Hemet, CA

Feb.17th - March 13th they will be in San Diego

March 2nd at Ralphs in San Marcos.

They will also be in Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Texas, and Arizona.

So enjoy everyone. I'm hoping we will make it out to the cheese factory on Monday when we take Lincoln to the beach for his birthday.

Cute lunch ideas for your little ones

2010-08-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

I saw these cute sandwiches over at Snackpicks this morning. These would be cute for your little one's lunch. I can't wait to make them for the boys, especially the Lion.

Lion sandwich
Bus sandwich

Target deals

2010-08-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

There are some good deals to be had at Target this week. I always seem to have trouble there so I don't do Target that often. It's not that I have problems with using coupons or finding the items, my target just seems to be priced higher than what everyone else reports, so my deals never come out as good. It seems to be a good week though, so I'll share a few of the deals with you. I am going to go try this out later and I'll come back and let you know how I did.

I'm going to start with two of the coupons I already told you about.

If you printed off the Play-Doh coupon the other day from the Play-Doh Instant Win game you can take advantage of the Play-Doh Ice Cream Shoppe that's on sale for $8. Use your $5.00 off coupon and get it for $3.00 plus they are giving you a bonus 4 pack of Play-Doh free ($1.96 value). I printed off 2 coupons so if they have it in stock I will get two of them and save them for birthdays or Christmas presents.

I'm also going to check out the Hasbro card games that are on sale for $4.00. I printed off two of the $1.00 off Hasbro coupons last night. So those will also make good gifts or stocking stuffers.

If you or one of your little ones are a Chef Boyardee fan you can do this deal:

Chef Boyardee Cans .99
1.00 Target Printable coupon
Final Price = FREE
And here is some other random stuff I found :)

Paper Mate Eagle Pens (10 pack) .50
.50 coupon from Back to School catalog or
.50 Target Printable coupon
Final Price = FREE

(3) Johnson & Johnson First Aid to Go kit .97 each (travel section)
3.00/3 coupon from 8/01 SmartSource insert
Final Price = 3 FREE

Bic Stik Grip7 pens $.99
1.00 Target coupon from Back to School catalog
Final Price = FREE

Crayola Markers (not washable) 1.00
Buy 2 use 1.00 off 2.00 coupon from Back to School Catalog
Final Price = .50 each wyb 2

Crayola Colored Pencils
Buy 2 use 1.00 off 2.00 coupon from Back to School Catalog
Final Price = .50 each wyb 2

You can go check out Thrifty and Thriving for some more Target deals.

I also found these over at Hip2Save.

Digiorno For One (Deep Dish for One included) 2/$4
Use the $2/1 Digiorno Deep Dish Product coupon found here
Final cost FREE pizza
Wonka Candy Bags 9.5 oz 2/$6 (On Sale thru 8/7)
Use the $1/1 Target store coupon found here
Plus, stack with the $1/1 coupon found here
Final cost $1

Mr. Bubble Extra Sensitive 16 oz $1.77 (Village Company product)
Use the $1/1 coupon found here
Final cost $0.77

Juicy Juice 8 ct Boxes $2.29
Buy two 8 packs for a total of $4.58
Use 2 $1/1 Target store coupons found here
Stack with the $1/2 coupon found here
Final cost only $0.79 per 8-pack

Kraft Sandwich Shop Hot & Spicy 12 oz. $1.99 (price cut thru 8/14)
Use the $1/1 coupon from the 6/13 SS
Final cost $0.99

Hanes girls or boys Socks 6+1 pk $3.79
Use the $1/1 Hanes Target coupon found here
Final cost $2.79

Also be sure to check out the Toy clearance section. Most Targets had their big toy markdown so some toys may be up to 75% off. Check the price scanner to see if it marked to it's lowest price, sometimes the employees miss tagging an item.

Kidorable umbrellas $6.00

2010-08-04T00:04:00.000-07:00

Mamabargains has an almost deal of the day site. They offer one deal at a time and when it is gone, it's gone! Their deal right now is for the Kidorable umbrellas for just $6.00. That's 55% off the retail price of $13.50. They have a zebra, dog, and fireman design on sale right now. Shipping is about $5.00 for 1 and $8 for 3 if you want to get some extra as presents.

14 children CD's, 4 children DVD's, and 1 book by Baby Genius for $24.99

2010-08-03T23:52:00.000-07:00

Kids.woot! is having a deal of the day today from Baby Genius. They have a set that includes 14 CD's, 4 DVD's, and 1 book for just $24.99. Shipping is $5.00.

In the box:

(1) Baby Genius PE00108 Rockin’ Tots Favorites – 2 CDs
(1) Baby Genius PE00140 Favorite Bedtime Songs – 2 CDs
(1) Baby Genius PE00114 Favorite Nursery Rhymes – 2 CDs
(1) Baby Genius PE00115 Favorite Sing-A-Longs – 2 CDs
(1) Baby Genius PE00161 Favorite Playtime Songs – 2 CDs
(1) Baby Genius 64469 Favorite Children’s Songs – 1 DVD/1 CD
(1) Baby Genius PE00136 Things That Go Counting – 1 DVD/1 CD
(1) Baby Genius 64489 Mozart & Friends – 1 DVD/1 CD
(1) Baby Genius PE00191 Baby Animal Sing-A-Longs – 1 DVD/1 CD
(1) Baby Genius 6106 1 Little, 2 Little, 3 Little Elephants Book

Free float from A & W

2010-08-03T23:45:00.000-07:00

A & W is offering up a free float for National Root Beer Float Day! Take this coupon in from August 3rd - August 21st and get a free root beer float with purchase. This is good for the regular size float only.

Thanks Hip2Save!

This is for my tea lovin' friends

2010-08-03T23:23:00.000-07:00

Jasmere has a Steep & Chill iced tea system for $19.00. This pitcher is from The Tea Spot and includes a sample of organic tea.

The web site says the Steep and Chill is: an iced-tea pitcher with built-in loose leaf tea infuser, and - here's the brilliant part - a solid ice tube freezer core. The infuser lets you steep with ease, the frozen core keeps drinks cold without diluting them. Comes in 3 colors, and includes a sample of organic tea.

Shipping is $5 per set.

If you have something different in mind for the tea lover you know they are also offering a $25 voucher to The Tea Spot for $11.

thank you hip2save.com!

FATHEADS $27.99 from GraveyardMall.com

2010-08-03T22:57:00.000-07:00

Graveyardmall.com has FATHEADS as their deal of the day for $27.99. Shipping is $5.99. These are regularly priced at $89.99! Now there aren't any Steelers ones available so don't go getting too excited, but there were some cute ones for a kids room or if you are a sports fan they have some for you too. Hip2Save is having a giveaway over on her site if you just want to go try to win one. .

$3 Hasbro card games at Target!

2010-08-03T22:44:00.000-07:00

This week Target has their Hasbro card games on sale for $4.00 and Hasbro Games has a coupon on their site for $1.00 off. So, $3 a game. Sounds like a time to stash away some presents to me :) These seem to run from $5- $8 online.

New $1 off Mr. Bubbles coupon-oops sorry about that guys

2010-08-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

There is a coupon for $1 off 1 Mr. Bubbles or Sesame street bath products. The small color drop tablets with Elmo on them are sold at Walmart for around $.98 so these could be free after coupon. It also seems that this coupon is printing more than the usual 2 times. These could make cute filler items for a gift basket or maybe go in the kids stockings at Christmas. I like to have a good supply of things so birthdays don't sneak up on me :)

$1/1 Village Company products (FF Link)

thanks commonsensewithmoney!

Target has the Play Doh Ice Cream Shoppe on sale for $8

2010-08-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

Okay here is a good way to stock up on birthday and Christmas presents for your kids or all the parties your kids attend. Target has the Play Doh Ice Cream Shoppe on sale for $8. Which isn't a bad price but I wouldn't be writing a post about it if that was it :)

If you go on over and play the Play Doh instant win game, their prize today for NOT winning lol! is a $5 off coupon for the Playdoh Ice Cream Shoppe.

So, on sale for $8, use your $5 off coupon, plus you can get a free pack of Play Doh ($1.97 value) when you buy the Ice Cream Shoppe.

Now there is a deal worth writing about it. Remember you can print that coupon twice just by hitting your back button and if you need a code to use for the game you can try this one KDN185UV9JN34.

Happy Playing!

Thanks CouponingtoDisney!

15% off at Walgreens

2010-08-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

Walgreens has released a new coupon here, for their friends and family. It is a 15% discount on regular items and 20% off of Walgreen items. You need to give your cashier this coupon first, when you start your transaction. It is only good at the photo and cosmetic counter.

This would be a great time to do the diaper deal, just remember that your total needs to be $25 after the discount to get the RR.

Buy 4 Pampers diapers jumbo pack for $8.99 -15% discount= $30.56
Buy 3 Pampers Tubs wipes around $3.49 each-15% discount= $8.91
Total=$39.47
Use three $1.50/1 Pampers diapers 8/1 Procter and Gamble insert – $4.50 = $34.97
Use three Buy Pampers diapers get wipes FREE 8/1 Procter and Gamble insert – $8.91=
Pay $26.06 out of pocket and get back one $5 RR

This comes out to $5.27 for a pack of diapers with a bonus of 3 free tubs of wipes (after considering the RR)

If you need to stock up on chocolate here's a deal to do:

Buy 12 Hershey 8 pk Candy $1 each
Use 15% off coupon
Pay $10.20 out of pocket and get back one $5 register rewards
After RR that's $.43 an 8 pack!

Buy two Buy Playtex Gentle Glide or Sport Tampons 18pk, 2/$8
Use 15% off coupon
Use $1/1 Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons, 18 ct+ or
Use $1/1 Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons, 18 ct+ or from June or Aug. All You Mag
Pay $4.80 out of pocket and get back one $3 RR

Buy Kotex Liners $3.99 64oz
Use 15% off coupon
Use $1/1 Kotex and U by Kotex Product, any – 08-01-10 RP or
Use $1/1 U by Kotex Product, one box
PLUS use $2/1 Walgreens Aug IVC (exp 8/28/2010)
Pay $0.39 after coupons

Veet Hair Removal Cream $6.99
Use 15% off coupon
Use $3/1 VEET Product
PLUS use $3/1 Walgreens Aug IVC (exp 8/28/2010)
FREE after coupon

Buy two Noxzema Razors 2/$5
Use 15% off coupon
Use $2/1 Noxzema razor coupon from 5/23 RP insert
Pay 0.25 for two after coupon

Thanks commonsensewithhmoney for sharing these deals

New App on my phone!

2010-08-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

I found a new App on my phone (actually my hubby downloaded it for me because it had great reviews). Anyhow, it tells me the cheapest gas in my area.

So if you are a local reader right now the cheapest gas is at Fred Meyer in Oregon City for $2.80 a gallon. Plus, if you use your rewards card you can get .03 - .10 cents off.

The 76 on Willamette Dr. in West Linn is showing $2.88.

Hope this helps!

I'm going to work on getting a link on here so you can just enter your zip code and find the lowest price for your area too.

20% off at The Children's Place

2010-08-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Just through today you can get 20% off online at The Children's Place. The catch is you have to spend $75 or more. The code is AUGUST2010A. They have their Halloween costumes in stock already and their summer sale is showing online prices reduced by 40%. I did a baby girl search and sorted by low to high prices and found flip flops for just $.59! Two years ago at the end of summer I did a HUGE stock up and was able to get 51 items for $102. Also, if you ask sometimes your local store will give you a free shipping coupon code.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday, I love Sundays!

2010-08-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

I love Sundays! for many reasons, first being I get to go to church and tonight my almost four (tears) year old gets to sing his VBS songs at church. I have to remember to charge the video camera. I better write a note.

My next reason is coupons and ads come out today! I love coming home and going through the paper and planning out my deals for the week. And let me tell you there is A LOT of planning to be done this week. There are FOUR inserts of coupons in todays paper. yipee!!!

First we have Albertsons "Twice the Value" coupons on a shiny one page insert in the Sunday paper. There are so many things you can get for free this week. I'll remind you of a few of my favorite :

The Kikkoman deal is really good but you will need either two printers or a very nice friend to do this deal.
Buy 3 Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauces at $1.99 each
and (3) Ponzu sauces at $3.49 each
-use (3) $1/1 Teriyaki printables
+ use (3) FREE Ponzu wyb Kikkoman Teriyaki printables
+ (3) Albertsons doubler coupons
= FREE,
get back $1 Catalina ,
then submit your receipt for a FREE Kikkoman GRILLING GIFT! (Apron, Baster or Bag)

So you pay nothing, nada, zip, zero, zilch for all 6 bottles of sauce, and you get back a $1 catalina to use on your very next transaction or when you come back to Albertsons, and you get a little gift for yourself or someone else.

Here's a few more that will you need a printer for:

Prego Pasta Sauce is $.99 each (limit 2)
-use the $1/2 printable coupon + doubler
= 2 for FREE!!

Avocados $1
-use the $1/2 printable coupon (for California avocados) use this zipcode 99301 to find the coupon
= FREE!

Coffeemate Liquid Creamer 16 oz is $2.29
-use the .75/1 printable + doubler
= .79

If you so all of this in 1 transaction you pay $.79 for 2 jars of Prego sauce, 2 California avocados, and 1 Coffeemate creamer. Sounds pretty good to me.

If you have been collecting coupons for a while here are a few that you can do:

Cheetos and Fritos, Rold Gold pretzels or Fritos dip are $1.69 each
- use $1/2 when you buy both Fritos chips and Fritos dip from 7/25 Smartsource + a doubler
=$.69 each when you buy 2!

Danimals Crush Cups $2.49
-use the $1/1 from 7/18 SS (smartsource) + a doubler
= .49

Ritz Crackerfuls $2.99
-use $1/1 from 6/6 SS + doubler
= .99

That's a great deal on some snacks for you or your little ones.

If you need/want more ideas go check out Fistful of Coupons site. She is one of the many blogs I search to get my deals and save my family money.

Next is Walgreens. I love working the register reward deals there. This week there is 1 item you can make money on. Remember though, you can only do each register reward item 1 time per transaction.

So the moneymaker is:

Alive! Energy Multivitamins 50 ct. $10 = $10 RR
Use the $1/1 coupon found here (lower right corner)
Final Cost FREE + a $1 moneymaker!

both of the next 2 will be free after you get your register reward back:

Crayola Crayons 24 pk. $1 = $1 RR
Final Cost FREE!

Complete Multi-Purpose Solution 12 oz. $7.99 = $7.99 RR
Final Cost FREE + a $2 moneymaker!

So you could buy the vitamins and pay $9, then buy the crayons and the contact solution, and 1 more item worth $1.01 and pay with that register reward you just got. That way you have nothing out of pocket and you will get back a $8.00 RR and a $1 RR. So you will have the $9 you spent to begin with to use on anything you actually need from the store. You could do this scenario a couple of times if these are items you actually need. Like the Pampers deal going on too.

Buy $25 or more of select Similac or Pampers products and get back a $5 RR
Deal Scenario:
Buy 3 Pampers Jumbo Pack Diapers $8.99 each
Buy 3 Pampers Wipes 72 ct. (FREE with coupons below)
Use 3 $1.50/1 diaper coupons from the 8/1 PG
Use 3 Buy 1 Pampers Diapers and Get 1 Pampers Wipes Free coupons from the 8/1 PG
Pay $22.47
Get back a $5 RR
Final Cost $17.47 for 3 diapers and 3 wipes

Go check out Hip 2 Save to see even more deals.

It also looks like you can get a free backpack with a $10 purchase from Office Depot through August 7th.

Okay friends that is all I can do for now. I have to go get ready for church! Have a wonderful Sunday!

Albertson's Twice the Value coupons coming SUNDAY!

2010-07-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

Rumor is Albertson's will have their Twice the Value coupons in this Sundays paper. These coupons are not part of the store ad. They are on a single glossy sheet, with highlights of this weeks sale items. You get 3 coupons per sheet, and can only use 3 per transaction. Occasionally the cashier will let you do more than 1 transaction at a time. If not go put your groceries in the car and go back in to do it again. Also these coupons MIGHT be available at the customer service counter. I say might because last time they had doubles the lady said they handed them all out in the grocery bags the Thursday before. Oh and these coupons are only good for 3 days. They expire Tuesday night!

Fistful of Coupons has done a great job rounding up all of the freebies, and really cheap items you can buy. She also has a money making deal when you buy Kikkoman that you really should check out.

Here are just a few of my favorites:

Prego Pasta Sauce .99 each (limit 2)
-use $1/2 printable coupon + doubler
= 2 for FREE!!

Avocados $1
-use $1/2 printable coupon (for California avocados) zipcode 99301
= FREE!

Snyders of Hanover Pretzels $2.00
-use $1/1 from 5/23 SS and 6/27 SS + doubler
= FREE!

I'm buying these pretzels because I want to make these Easy Pretzel Turtles. YUM!

Remember, if you want to share hit the button below :)

Free lunch Sack from Annie's Homegrown

2010-07-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

Annie's Homegrown is offering a free lunch sack when you purchase 2 of their products. There's not even anything to mail in! You just click the link, put your info in, and enter the upc's right there on the form.

Their site says:

" Believe it or not, children's lunches create more than 3.5 billion pounds of garbage each year, which amounts to an astounding 18.760 pounds of trash annually from an average sized elementary school. Using the Annie's-Kids Konserve lunch sack is a simple and smart way to help with the problem."

It also says on the form that "Only product purchased between 7/15/2010 and 10/31/2010 is eligible", which means my jumbo case of mac and cheese from Costco is not going to work. Guess I'll have to go shopping :) The boys love the fruit snacks so that won't be hard to do.

Thanks Frugal Living NW

If any of my posts sound good to you, and you would like to share them, I added the nifty little share buttons at the end of the post.

myEZdeal has 4 tickets to Big Surf! for $15.00

2010-07-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of myEZdeal? It's another one of those local deal of the day sites. If you are not in my area check it out anyway, they may have deals for your area too.

Today's deal is 4 tickets to Big Surf! at Clackamas Aquatic Park for $15.00. This normally costs $39.96 (for 4 adults out of area). There is no limit to how many you can buy and they don't expire until 02/02/11. They have a cute little toddler section if you are bringing little ones along also.

Regular prices are

	Resident	Non-Resident
Big Surf!
Under 3 years*	free with a paying adult; maximum 2 children to 1 adult.
Children 3 to 8 years*	$3.99	$4.99
Youth 9 to 17 years	$4.99	$6.99
Adult 18 to 61 years	$6.99	$9.99
Health and Fitness Senior 62+ years	$4.99	$6.99

It looks like the schedule for the summer (through Sept.5th) is M-W-F 12-4 and 7-9pm, T-TH 12-4pm, and Sat. and Sun. is 12-7pm.

Here's the link to Clackamas Aquatic Park if you need more info or directions.

Disney backpack shipped for $15.00

2010-07-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

If you still need a backpack for your little one, the Disney store has their character backpacks on sale for $15.00. PLUS, you can get free shipping on back to school items using the code SCHOOLSHIP. Lincoln is starting preschool this year (tears) and I can't decide between the Toy Story one or the Lightning McQueen.

2010-07-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

I saw some clearance diapers at Rite Aid today. Might want to grab your $5/$25 and your diaper coupons and check it out if you are going there anyway. My Rite aid had huggies, pampers, luvs, and underjams. Don't forget the Ace In-ad coupon. I have been getting the sports tape for $3.99 but the ice packs in the travel section are supposedly working too making good overage!

2010-07-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

Guest Post by BFF, Misti with an I

What did you do today???

I don't know about you but I have a feeling my husband comes home from work every night thinks, "what did she do all day?" Well let's start posting what we do! (just in case he ever gets the nerve to ask :)

I'll go first,

Today was payday so it was errand day.

Went to Rite Aid
Went to the Bank
Went to Albertsons for a couple of sale items
Went to Ralphs for a few sale items

Really? that's all I did? We were gone almost 3 hours!!! Oh well, now I will do 1 load of laundry and start my ribs for dinner. It's my first time making them!!

2010-07-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

Guest Post by BFF, Misti with an I

If you have someone who is trying to quit smoking (or chewing like my husband), this is a great deal!

Rite Aid has the Nicoderm CQ patches for $39.99

You can then use:

$5/25 Rite Aid coupon

$7 manufacturer coupon on nicodermcq.com

$10 Video Value Coupon

and then submit for $5 SCR rebate in the August rebate book

After Rebate only $12.99 +tax

A review by my BFF

2010-07-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a review my BFF did of Neutrogena UltraSheer® Liquid Daily Sunblock. She was able to use it under her make up, wear it all day without having to reapply, and use it on her little ones. Sounds like the perfect product to me! You can read her review here and there's a link to a coupon at the end.

Free, Cheap, or a Money maker at Walgreens

2010-03-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some deals I found around the blog world if you want to go try your luck at Walgreens. These deals will either end up being free, give you some overage so you can buy some extras or be really really cheap.

Vicks Vaporizers

First there’s a very good deal on Vicks Vaporizers. These are part of the monthly register rewards promotion: Buy $20 in Vicks products and earned a $10 register rewards back. Here’s the deal:

Buy (1) Vicks Plug-in Waterless Vaporizer $5
Buy (3) Vicks Plug-in Refills for a total of $5 each
Buy two boxes of Puffs Facial Tissue
Use four $1.50 off any Vicks Product coupon from 2/21 PG
Use two FREE Puffs when you buy (2) Vicks Products coupon from 2/7 PG
Pay $14 plus tax out of pocket and earn a $10 register rewards back.
That’s like paying $1 each after coupons and register rewards.

Planters Trail Mix

Buy two Planters Trail Mix $1.99 each (reg. price)
Use two $1.50/1 Planters Nuts coupon
Use $1/2 Planters Trail Mix Walgreens store coupon from March Booklet
Free after coupons [Thanks Moms By Heart]

Plus my friend Marcia left a comment sharing that she found Planters nuts containers on clearance at Walgreens for $1.75 each. Pay only 25 cents each if you are lucky to find this clearance sale as well.

Reese’s Dark Cups

Reese’s Cups $0.49 after in ad coupon
Use $0.55/1 Reese’s Dark Cups coupon from 03-14-10 SS
Free after coupons

To avoid beeps at the register hand your manufacturer coupon first and then the in-ad coupon. Make sure to add something else to your order to absorb the 6 cents in overage.

Sudafed OM Nasal Mist

Walgreens has a register rewards promotion on certain Cold and Allergy products: Buy two participating products $4.99 each and get a $5 RR back.
The participating products are:Sudafed: 18 to 24 ct. PE, Nasal Mist, .5 oz. or Liquid, 4 oz.Benadryl: 18 to 24 ct., 10 pack or Liquid, 4 oz.Tylenol: 20 or 24 ct. or Liquid, 4 or 8 oz.

Here’s how to get the Sudafed OM Nasal Mist better than free:
Buy two Sudafed OM Mist 0.5 fl oz $4.99
Use two $4/1 Sudafed OM, any 0.5 fl oz from 03-14-10 RP (this value may be regional, other areas got $2/1)
Pay $1.98 plus tax out of pocket and earn a $5 Register rewards back.

Alli over at Couponing for Four said that when she took advantage of the Sudafed Mist moneymaker deal I shared with you earlier a coupon for a free box of 18-20 ct Tampax Pearl or Compak Pearl tampons up to $5 printed at checkout. This one may be random.

These deals were found over at http://www.commonsensewithmoney.com/. If I find any more I will share them later.

***Edited to add~

Here's one more from Hip2Save

Here’s another awesome Walgreens deal for ya:

Benadryl

Buy 2 or more participating Sudafed, Benadryl, or Tylenol products = $5RR
Buy 2 Benadryl products on sale for $4.99 each
Total = $9.98
Use the $4/2 coupon from here
Pay $5.98Get back a $5RR
Final cost ONLY $0.49 each!

Portland Japanese Gardens has FREE admission this Saturday

2010-02-26T08:08:00.000-08:00

I found this over at the Travel Portland website, if you are looking for something frugal to do this weekend.

Portland Japanese Garden Holds February Free Admission Day - Portland Japanese Garden

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to invite their friends, family, and fellow community members to visit the Garden on this Free Admission Day. Garden Guides will be stationed throughout the Garden to help answer questions and speak about the Garden’s history, culture, and traditions.

EVENT DAY(S):02/27/10

LOCATION:Portland Japanese Garden611 S.W. Kingston Ave.Portland, OR 97201Map It!

HOURS:10am-4pm

PHONE:(503) 223-1321

ADMISSION/TICKETS:Admission is free

15% off and FREE SHIPPING

2010-02-25T13:47:00.001-08:00

The Children's Place has two codes out for you to use when ordering online. SPRING22A will get you 15% off your order and FSFEB2010 will get you free shipping with no minimum. They have their monster sale going on right now with many things as low as $2.99 but a lot of that is already out of stock and doesn't show up out of stock until you try to add it to your cart. Have fun shopping!

Nursing Covers for $16.50

2010-02-23T11:16:00.000-08:00

Need a nursing cover for yourself or a baby shower gift? Mamabargains has a cute one on sale for just $16.50. There are only 2 choices to pick from but they cover a neutral or a girly one. As a mom who tried and tried and tried to nurse these are much better than the cheapo ones for not much more money.

Do you have a toddler in the house?

2010-02-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

Do you have a toddler in the house? If so then here is the deal for you. Beechnut is offering a free Let's Grow Toddler Welcome Kit when you sign up for their newsletter. These kits usually come with some high value coupons or free coupons. Another great way to stretch you r food budget.

Thanks Common Sense with Money!

A Toy Story deal and a trip to the movies!

2010-02-23T10:46:00.000-08:00

Do you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, Toy Story like we do? I just watched Toy Story 2 for the first time a couple weeks ago and it is so cute! and my little ones loved it. I haven't seen Toy Story 1 yet and I can't wait to take the boys to see Toy Story 3.

So we have been looking into buying the movies and WOW they are expensive! $50.00 at Amazon and only $21 off Ebay if you want your movie from China which may or may not play on your player and may or may not be an authentic DVD.

So I found from another blog ( I am so sorry that I can not remember who, I have been searching and will continue to search to give credit to whom credit is due) that Amazon is having a preorder special. If you order BOTH Toy Story 1 and Toy Story 2 you get $10.00 off. PLUS each movie will come with a ticket to see Toy Story 3 in the theaters. Those are an $8.50ish value each right there.

So go to Amazon and you will see the Toy Story Dvd Blu Ray combo but DO NOT CLICK THAT ONE! Go down the page past the check out related media video box to the Best Value. It says buy both for $39.98. That's the one you want.

Right above the check out special media box there is a box that says special offer and that is where the detail are about the free movie tickets.

Free Thriving Family magazine for 6 months

2010-02-13T16:12:00.000-08:00

Ooh I forgot to tell you about this free magazine I found last week after the Superbowl. I was over at the Focus on the Family website checking out the story behind the Superbowl ad and saw that they had an offer for 6 months of their magazine for free. I signed up and meant to blog about it and forgot. It's still available though so head on over to the site and look down at the bottom for the green button in the middle.

Valentine's Day craft

2010-02-13T16:05:00.000-08:00

Here is a super cute, really last minute craft idea with one of my favorite Bible verses. You could adapt this to fit your needs.

Kingdom First Mom has this over at her site and when I saw it I knew I just had to do it! Now if only I had seen it before I went to the store today. Oh well I will just have to be a little more creative.

She uses a small box, some crafty stamps, address labels, and Hershey Nuggets mini candy bars.

She then printed off the verses from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. You could use any old mushy, funny, love poems you like.

Panda Express coupon

2010-02-13T15:47:00.000-08:00

Looking for something yummy to eat this weekend? Panda Expess has this great coupon out there you can print off. You get a free 1 item Firecracker chicken with any 2 or 3 entree purchase.

Moms Need to Know also has coupons for some other restaurants you can go check out here.

Cute, cute pillows and a hint to my bestest :)

2010-01-29T08:53:00.000-08:00

I was visiting a friends blog today and saw a post she had done about these cute pillows and I just had to share them. I really wish I had a sewing machine and knew the first thing about using one. These pillows are over at Make It and Love It and do look easy enough for the non-sewing challenged person. I'm going to save this link for when the time comes to decorate Allie's room. Who knows maybe by then I'll have a sewing machine and teach myself how to use it. If not I'm going to have to hint hint to my bestest and see if she'll learn how to make them :)

Thanks Jeanette for the post! And you can check out what Jeanette makes over at her Etsy store. She is working on a Yellowstone themed name train for Zachary's birthday for me.

A trip around the blog world

2010-01-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

Some fun things from around the web:

Over at Common Sense with Money today she has a few offers to take advantage of:

There is a free book from Pampers if you mail in a UPC from Pampers Easy Ups or a Kandoo product. They are only giving away 2500 books so I would hurry if you want one.

She also tells you how to get a free $5 egift card if you sign up to become a Babies R us Fan on Facebook TODAY only

If you printed off the $ .75 off Huggies wipes coupons a while back she tells you how to get a box of wipes for as little as $ .75 from Walgreens. Plus if you spend $25 on certain Huggies products this week you get a $5 Register Reward back.

If you are thinking about buying any of the bigger ticket Star Wars items she has a link to a mail in rebate to get you 3 free action figures with purchase. I know I saw the helmet on clearance at Toys R Us this past weekend, and there was a coupon for $5 off when you spend $20 before Christmas to make this a really good deal.

Moms Need to Know has a post up that EVERYTHING will be 30% off at Old Navy this weekend, no coupon required! Oh, it's Friday and Saturday only!

"Cent"sible Sawyer has a few good deals on her blog today too!

If you have a Safeway nearby there is a coupon in the ad for $30 with a transferred prescription. There are some great deals at Safeway this week and that $30 could go a long way.

She also tells about a deal from Earth's Best. They are having a contest where everyone is a winner.

She also shares a recipe for homemade teething cookies that I can't wait to try.

Children's Place is having their huge Monster Sale. It's a good time to stock up with prices starting at $1.69 after discount. The coupon code is E79AA for an extra 15% off. Shipping is always a flat rate of $5.00.

Frugal Living NW tells how to get a free kids toothbrush and free Ziploc baggies from Fred Meyers this week.

Fistful of Coupons has a ton of giveaways going on over at her site to celebrate her birthday.

So there are just a few of the sites I check to bring you the deals. I hope you find something you can use. Have a great day!

Montessori skills in a jar

2010-01-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

Here is another idea I found on The Home Teacher blog. She took the Montessori skills checklist and printed it off. She then cut it into strips and put them in a jar. When they have a few free minutes she lets her daughter pick one and they work on a life skill together. This sounds easy enough for me. Most of these things you are probably doing on a regular basis anyways. I just find that having something on paper helps me. Also this way Daddy could also participate when he had some extra time.

Get those winter wiggles out with these ABC movement cards

2010-01-20T08:46:00.001-08:00

I am trying to limit the TV viewing in our house. It has gotten a little out of control since Allie was born. Plus with the rainy days here in Oregon I needed a refresher course on some new ideas to get the wiggles out indoors. I was thinking last night that I wish I had the music dancing CDs from my Learning Garden days.

I found these ABC movement cards this morning and I am super excited as they are exactly what I was looking for. Sometimes you know this stuff but just need someone else to put it onto paper for you. That's why I LOVE the blog world. Thanks The Home Teacher!

Yummy Recipes from around the blog

2010-01-18T20:31:00.001-08:00

I was making my grocery list tonight and looking online for some new ideas for dinners. Here are a few that I found that looked tasty. Enjoy! and if you get a chance to try some let me know how they turned out.

BBQ Ranch Chicken and Cheddar Pizza Roll em’ Ups

1 Roll Pillsbury Pizza dough in can (or use other pizza dough of choice)
1/4 Cup prepared ranch dressing
2 Cups prepared shredded BBQ Chicken
1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 Cups shredded smoked cheddar cheese
Ranch Dressing for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Open can of dough and press into rectangle. Spread or drizzle ranch dressing evenly over dough then top with evenly with chicken, cilantro and cheddar cheese. Starting at long end roll dough into a log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut 1 inch pieces and place onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a side of ranch dressing for dipping.

From Picky Palate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I found this over at The Pioneer Woman Cooks, she has a new cookbook out that I really, really, really want! She has a few blogs she does. One is on photography if you are a newbie looking for some tips. I love her ranch life pictures. Onto the recipe: (secret ingredient 7-up)

Perfect Pound Cake

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 12
Ingredients
3 sticks Butter
3 cups Sugar
5 whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Butter Flavoring
2 teaspoons Lemon Flavoring
3 cups All-purpose Flour
1 cup Sprite, 7-UP, Or Sierra Mist
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cream butter. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each addition. Add butter and lemon extracts and mix well. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add soft drink, then mix together until combined. Scrape sides of bowl, then mix briefly.
Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until the cake is no longer jiggly.
Remove cake from oven and invert pan until cake drops out. Slice and chow down!

Go check out her pictures for the recipe, makes cooking look oh so easy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found this recipe at the same ladies site as above but not??? I don't know go see for yourself but let me tell you the recipes look crazy good and I think the site will be my new favorite.

So I LOVE rice pudding but don't care for the store stuff, or the rice pudding shop (think ice cream shop but NOT), and can never make it quite right. This recipe looks delicious! and so does every recipe after it, creme brule with strawberries in a White balsamic vinegar reduction!!! I MUST try that one! Oh back to the rice pudding sorry so much food so little time or room :)

Arroz Con Leche – Rice Pudding

Arroz con leche, creamy and wholesome! This rice pudding has flavors more typical to Spain, using fresh whole milk, cinnamon, and lemon peel.

Prep Time 15 Minutes

Cook Time 1 Hour10 Minutes

Ingredients
1 cup Brown Rice Like Jasmine Or Basmati, White Rice Is Fine
½ gallons Fresh Whole Milk
½ cups Raw Honey
2 sticks Cinnamon
½ cups Cream
3 whole Eggs
1 whole Rind Of Lemon, Grated
¼ teaspoons Celtic Sea Salt
1 dash(es) Ground Cinnamon Sprinkled On Top

Preparation Instructions

If using white rice, skip steps 1 and 2.

1. The night before, soak the cup of brown rice in 1 quart of water, adding 3-4 tablespoons of an acid medium such as whey, lemon juice, yogurt or kefir. I soaked the rice for 24 hours.
2. The next day, drain the rice and rinse in cold water.
3. In a large pot, add the rice, milk, raw honey, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a simmer and cover for an hour, stirring every 5 – 8 minutes so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. Simmer until the rice is tender.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the cream, eggs, lemon peel, and salt. Add to the pot and stir for an additional 5 minutes or so.
6. Remove the cinnamon sticks and pour the contents of the pan into a dish to cool.
7. Once cooled, down place in the refrigerator overnight. The rice pudding should be super creamy and thick.
8. Top with ground cinnamon.

You can either eat the pudding warm as soon as it’s done or eat it cold the next day.
Buen Provecho!

Restaurant deals

2010-01-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about posting a deal about restaurants and today i think I found the motivation to do it! :) Eating out is pretty low on our list of things to do right now. Not because we don't want to, because WE DO!!! Eating out can get expensive and really break the budget. So now I try to only eat out if we have a gift certificate (that was given to us from Santa~ Thanks Mom!) or a coupon or both!

So my first tip is to pick your favorite restaurant and go to their website and see if you can sign up. A lot of the time they will give you a discount coupon for signing up and a free entree or dessert on your birthday. Also check and see if the restaurant has a facebook page, you might be able to print off a coupon for a free appetizer or more!

Since my birthday (and my husbands) was last week I received a few emails for a free burger at Red Robin, a free dessert at The Ram, and a free appetizer at Chevy's.

To further stretch our budget we will save this to use on a night when kids eat free.

So, if you have a Chevy's near you go to their website and print off this great coupon for a buy one get one free combo and enjoy a night out with your sweetie or a lunch getaway with the girls.

115 items under $1 and 10 are FREE at Walmart

2010-01-18T10:05:00.000-08:00

I came across this blog a while back called Couponing to Disney. She is full of wonderful ideas on how to save money as she blogs about her attempt to coupon away her cost to a family trip to Disneyland or Disney World. Anyhow she has a list for Walmart called 115 items under $1 and 10 are FREE.

Now I don't ever seem to get to Walmart so I never posted this before, but I know many of you do hit up your local Walmart every now and then and this might help. Of course prices vary and I have no idea where she is located so what she might get free you might have to pay a few cents but still, if you are going there anyways it's worth checking out.

Some of her deals are:

Baby Qtips Retail: 97c Coupon: $1 from 1/3 RP (exp 3/15)Total: Free!

Schick Disposable Razors (10 ct)Retail: $1.97Coupon: $2/1 from 12/6 SS (exp 1/17/10) Free!

Yo Baby 3 in 1 yogurt cup Retail: $1Coupon: $1 printable Total: Free!

Hope this is of a help to someone.

New Huggies Diaper Coupons

2010-01-18T09:11:00.000-08:00

There are quite a few new diaper coupons listed at Coupons.com.

Save $2.00 HUGGIES® on Any ONE (1) HUGGIES

Save $1.00 HUGGIES® on Any ONE (1) HUGGIES® Diapers

Save $2.00 HUGGIES® on Any ONE (1) HUGGIES® Overnites Diapers

Save $2.50 HUGGIES® on ANY ONE (1) HUGGIES® Pure & Natural Diapers

Save $0.75 HUGGIES® Good on Any ONE (1) HUGGIES® Baby Wipes (64 ct or larger)

There is also a coupon for Glade candles which can be paired with a double coupon from Albertsons or a Register Reward from Walgreens to get you free candles.

Save $3.00 Glade on any TWO products from the Fragrance Collection by Glade®

Companies that give out free stuff for you to share with your friends

2010-01-14T09:12:00.000-08:00

Good Morning friends, it seems deals and blogging have taken a back seat to life these days. I'm also struggling with the fact that I would like to do more posts about other stuff, you know activities I do with my kids and yummy recipes I try out. A new blog is also just hard. It's hard to know if anything you do is worth the extra time. Does anyone read my deals, has anyone gotten a deal because of something I wrote. I wonder. But, I also know that there are more and more people like me who are looking to stretch their dollar just a little bit further for whatever reason. Which is why I do what I do. I don't post everything which I wonder if I should post more. Hmmm...questions, questions, questions I ponder.

Well let's get on with it. Today's bit is about the different companies out there that if you sign up to be a member they might give you new products to try, coupons for free products, products to share, and coupons to share. It is kind of like being a spokesperson for them. It is really easy and casual. Most of them just ask to tell your friends what you think of what they sent. Some of them ask you to fill out a survey or write up a short paragraph about who you shared with and what the response was.

I have been given room deodorizers, body wash, baby soap, diaper cream, laundry products, cereal and more. They send me an email every now and then and ask if I had the chance to share the product and I can choose to reply then or not, which really helps me remember.

So here are the three different ones that I signed up with:

Vocalpoint

BzzAgent

Pssst

Date night at the Space Needle

2010-01-10T08:46:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun idea for an early Valentine's Day date or just a special treat for you and your sweetie. The restaurant Sky City at the top of the Seattle Space Needle is offering a special "Date Night" package! This date night package is only available on one night - Friday January 22nd. You'll need to call ahead to make reservations and use the code: "Date Night" when you make your reservations!

This deal includes Complimentary Valet which is an $8 savings, Buy 1 entree, Get 1 Free, and a
Champagne toast upon arrival.

I hear the food for this restaurant is incredible! I haven't eaten there yet but my mister and I did take the trip to the top of the space needle and I always thought it would be a wonderfully romantic place to go back to. The view of course in beautiful and constantly changing since it moved 360* while you are up there.

Thanks thrifty northwest mom for this deal

Have you signed up for Huggies Rewards yet?

2010-01-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about Huggies Enjoy the Ride Rewards program? I signed up a while back and honestly the only thing I have ever won from it is a free song download. There are sweepstakes to win a prize, instant win prizes, interactive games, and a rewards catalog. You get your points off of Huggies products and from other great blog sites out there :) I have over 100 points and I was just reading through an email they sent me and that's enough for one of those 3 pack Crayola Tadoodles! There are other rewards from a Metallica Lullaby CD ??? to a pack of diapers or pull ups. So even if you use Huggies diapers or not you can always find codes for points out there. I guess I'll quit throwing the wrapper away to all of those almost free wipes I got from Walgreens a while back so I can get some fun stuff for the little ones.

Leapfrog Didj Custom Educational Gaming System $19.99 at Kids.Woot.com

2010-01-03T23:13:00.000-08:00

Okay this looks like a great deal. My boys aren't ready for these yet so I don't know too much about them but I did just Swagbuck them and Amazon has it for $59.99 and Leapfrog.com has it for $49.99. But at Kids.Woot.com you can get the Leapfrog Didj Custom Educational Gaming System for $19.99 plus $5.00 today only while supplies last. Now that seems like a great deal to me if I was in the market for one.

Some Walgreens deals for you

2010-01-03T22:09:00.000-08:00

Okay I thought I would share some of the Walgreens deals out there with you guys. I know many of you have heard how I have not had to pay for toothpaste, shampoo, hair products, dental floss, cereal, cold medicine and more in over a year, since I started couponing and watching the sales.

So here is an easy deal for you to get you started.

Go to Walgreens and buy 2 small 6 oz packages of Chips Ahoy cookies. They are $.99 each, so you will spend $1.98. Walgreens will give you your receipt and a register reward for $2.00 back to you. This can be used on almost anything except tobacco, lottery, gift cards, and a few more. You can not use it to buy 2 more boxes of cookies AND expect to get $2 more of these register rewards. That is called rolling and most of the time register rewards don't roll. So go use it to get something you need and you will have gotten cookies for FREE!

Now you could then take that register reward and do this deal in a separate transaction if you get the All You magazine. If you don't get this magazine you really should, but wait until someone is offering it for $10 a year. This magazine has wonderful coupons in it that can get you free things all the time.

Buy 2 of The Fragrance Collection By Glade 2 oz candles that are on sale for 2/$5. Use the $3/2 coupon from the December or January issue of All You mag.Pay $2 or use your $2 register reward and get back a $3 register reward. This means both candles are FREE and it was a $1 moneymaker!

There are many more deals at Hip2Save

If you have any questions or want to know more send me an email. If you are local I could even go with the first time and show you how easy it is.

Free ticket to Disneyland

2010-01-03T21:54:00.000-08:00

Here's a deal if you are planning a trip to Disneyland and want to save on some of the cost to go there or to Disney World. Disney is offering a free ticket when you volunteer for a day. You have to sign up and choose a participating organization, and then go do something good for a day! They give you a voucher that can be used at Disneyland or Disney World that's good through December 15, 2010. (<--that's a little weird to write 2010)

Thanks Heather!

Did you buy a Tag or Tag Jr. for someone?

2009-12-29T10:18:00.000-08:00

Did you happen to get a Tag or Tag Jr. for someone this Christmas? Well coupons.com has a printable coupon for $4.00 off a Tag book or $2.00 a Tag Jr. book. Many stores will mark down their Christmas versions this week, so you might be able to score one for pretty cheap.

Click on the "Entertainment" link and it will bring the coupons to the front page.

Thanks common sense with money

Buy 1 Get 1 FREE at the crocs outlet

2009-12-27T08:11:00.000-08:00

I received an email this morning that the crocs outlet has their shoes buy 1 get 1 free today. I checked them out and shoes start at $9.99. So you could get 2 pair for 5 dollars each! That's not a bad price for some comfy sandals to wear this summer. Sizes are pretty limited so you might have to look around a little.

They have some Dora, Minnie Mouse, and Hannah Montana for the little ones.

Oh and shipping is free through the end of December!

You can get an additional 36% off when you stack the codes MYCOUP20 and CROCSHOLIDAY.

Here's a free book for you

2009-12-26T08:43:00.000-08:00

If you didn't venture out to get all of the deals for the day after Christmas, I found where you can get a free book. Crown Publishing group is offering to send you a free book. There are three choices.

Breaking Out of Bedlam, Cora Sledge is horrified when her children, who doubt her ability to take care of herself, plot to remove her from her home. So what if her house is a shambles? Who cares when she last changed her clothes? If an eighty-two-year-old widow wants to live on junk food, pills, and cigarettes, hasn’t she earned the right? When her kids force her into The Palisades, an assisted living facility, Cora takes to her bed, planning to die as soon as possible. But life isn’t finished with her yet, not by a long shot.

Prima Donna, Opera singer Sabine Conrad is the toast of nineteenth-century New York high society. A celebrated soprano with the voice of an angel, she is showered with adulation by her audiences and courted by wealthy patrons. But behind the scenes, her every move is controlled by a Svengali-like manager, Gideon Price. When her attempt to escape him goes tragically awry, she flees, leaving behind a grisly murder.

True Confections, Take chocolate candy, add a family business at war with itself, and stir with an outsider’s perspective. This is the recipe for True Confections, the irresistible new novel by Katharine Weber, a writer whose work has won accolades from Iris Murdoch, Madeleine LâEngle, Wally Lamb, and Kate Atkinson, to name a few.

I chose True Confections. This is a while supplies last offer.

Thanks Common Sense with Money

The most yummiest time of the year!

2009-12-23T17:08:00.000-08:00

Hello friends, I thought I would share a few of the treats I have made or will be making or want to make :) if time allows. I'm sure everyone has their menu all planned out but maybe next time you can use one of these.

First off, I made these delicious cream cheese sugar cookies, and modified it using the first comment "Reviewed on Dec. 4, 2006 by Cherish". I also baked them at 350* for 10 minutes.

Speaking of Bake at 350, she really is one of my favorite baking sites. She makes some of the most beautiful cookies. I was inspired to actually frost and flood my cookies, something I have never tried. It was actually pretty easy and I imagine would be real simple if your cookie collection didn't include Nemo and Dory, a non Christmasy tree, Christmas dinosaurs, moose, horses, hearts, and then all the usual. I used her recipe for Royal icing here.

I made cookies for our bake sale at church, that we have every year, to raise money for the bus ministry. I am not going to share any of those recipes with you because they were just okay, you know the ones that come on the back of the chip bag. I am going to share the one that I found to make those wonderfully delicious, melt in your mouth yumminess Red Velvet Cake balls. I found this recipe over at Bakerella. Now the ones I had were frosted in a royal icing, that was colored pink. So you could customize these for any holiday.

My Dad was done in California for Thanksgiving and Lynn brought Frog eye salad to Malissa's. Well everyone has raved about it since then, so it is being added to our Christmas dinner menu. Here's the recipe she used minus the coconut.

I'm also going to make my Grandma's butterscotch haystacks, and my Mom's shrimp ball for Christmas day, oh and hash brown casserole for an easy Christmas morning breakfast. It has become one of my favorites and it freezes really well. I use breakfast sausage in mine and Hash brown O'Briens that have the onions and peppers in them already to save me a step.

So there's my cooking plans for the next couple of days. I hope you all are enjoying this wonderful time of the year with those you love.

Where the Wild Things Are large floor puzzle $4.99

2009-12-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Where the Wild things Are! No, I did not see the movie or take my kids to see it. I didn't want to ruin the book for me and the last time we checked out the book from the library Lincoln wasn't too thrilled with it(he's scared of monsters).

Anyhow, Amazon has a 2x3 floor puzzle of Where the Wild Things Are for just $5.00. They are also offering a free one month trial to Prime which will give you 2 day shipping and get your puzzle here by Christmas.

I can't wait until one of my kids loves this book as much as I did!

Frosty the Snowpuddle

2009-12-18T21:11:00.001-08:00

Aren't these the cutest little treats you have ever seen? I think they would fun to make with the boys. I found them over at Gourmet Mom on the Go. They look really easy so I think a trip to the store is in order and we will make these this weekend. Here is the link to the recipe on her sight.