It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)
Today I want to share with you a great freebie for my fellow pet owners. You can receive a free Bark Buckle UP First Responder Approved Pet Safety Kit that includes a customized pet identification card and first responder vehicle decal. The identification card includes very important information such as your pet's veterinarian, emergency contacts for who can take care of your pet in an emergency, and notes, such as medication your pet is taking. It also includes your pet's photo. Fill out your information to receive it in the mail.
I urge you to take advantage of this freebie! It's perfect to have on hand in case of emergency. While they recommend that you keep it in your glove compartment of your vehicle, it's also great to have taped on your pet's travel crate if you have to leave your pet at a temporary shelter during an emergency situation such as a hurricane or in the aftermath of a tornado.
The decal is also great if you often travel with your pet in the car. It lets the emergency personnel on the scene know to check your car for your pets if you have been in an accident, or to help them out if your pet is running loose at the scene.
For more random preparedness thoughts from my blog, click here.
30 June 2009
Review And Giveaway: Ouchies
My family recently had the chance to review Ouchies, fun bandages for kids, tweens and teens, and oh alright, some of us adults too! ;)
Ouchies has fun designs in old school tins, including for girls (featuring designs like pink camo and cupcakes), boys (featuring flames, and blue lizard camo, among others), and the fun Make Your Own, which even comes with little markers so kids can doodle on them!
Now you know it doesn't take very long around here for one of us to end up with a scratch or a cut needing a bandage (I should buy them by the case!) so I got to be the guinea pig and had the first go at playing with one of the band aids. Actually, wait - DH got a scratch before me (one of that cats jumped off his face while he was asleep LMAO), but because it was on his face in his goatee, he refused to let me put one on. Party Pooper!
At any rate, here's my fun boo-boo cover in action:
It actually held up pretty well against housework, even when my hands were doing dishes. So while they aren't totally waterproof, they should hold up pretty well with busy kids on the go. Toss a container of these bandages in their camp bag, and I think they'll be the coolest kid at camp! ;)
And right now if you join the P.A.B.B. (People Against Boring Bandages), not only will you be on the list to receive the latest Ouchies news, as well as exclusive discounts, Ouchies will donate one bandage to a local hospital for the kids there.
Win it! Ouchies would like to give one of my lucky readers their own Ouchies! To enter, please visit Ouchies and tell me which design you like best, as well as who would be using Ouchies most.
You can also receive FIVE extra entries if you become a fan of Ouchies on Facebook! (please leave your username)
As always, you can receive an extra entry for being a subscriber to my feed or following my blog. You can also receive another entry for blogging about this giveaway with a link back!
Giveaway ends July 11th at 11:59 PM PST. US only, sorry :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or make sure it's visible in your profile. If it's not, then I'll use random.org to pick a new winner!
Ouchies has fun designs in old school tins, including for girls (featuring designs like pink camo and cupcakes), boys (featuring flames, and blue lizard camo, among others), and the fun Make Your Own, which even comes with little markers so kids can doodle on them!
Now you know it doesn't take very long around here for one of us to end up with a scratch or a cut needing a bandage (I should buy them by the case!) so I got to be the guinea pig and had the first go at playing with one of the band aids. Actually, wait - DH got a scratch before me (one of that cats jumped off his face while he was asleep LMAO), but because it was on his face in his goatee, he refused to let me put one on. Party Pooper!
At any rate, here's my fun boo-boo cover in action:
It actually held up pretty well against housework, even when my hands were doing dishes. So while they aren't totally waterproof, they should hold up pretty well with busy kids on the go. Toss a container of these bandages in their camp bag, and I think they'll be the coolest kid at camp! ;)
And right now if you join the P.A.B.B. (People Against Boring Bandages), not only will you be on the list to receive the latest Ouchies news, as well as exclusive discounts, Ouchies will donate one bandage to a local hospital for the kids there.
Win it! Ouchies would like to give one of my lucky readers their own Ouchies! To enter, please visit Ouchies and tell me which design you like best, as well as who would be using Ouchies most.
You can also receive FIVE extra entries if you become a fan of Ouchies on Facebook! (please leave your username)
As always, you can receive an extra entry for being a subscriber to my feed or following my blog. You can also receive another entry for blogging about this giveaway with a link back!
Giveaway ends July 11th at 11:59 PM PST. US only, sorry :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or make sure it's visible in your profile. If it's not, then I'll use random.org to pick a new winner!
Dear Real Estate Agents:
If you want to actually SELL homes, you need to actually put photos of the home in the ad. And we're not just talking 3 shots from virtually the same angle of the house outside. There is a such thing as digital cameras, you know, and it doesn't cost you anything to make sure you have photos of the inside of the home to reel potential buyers in.
No photo of the kitchen? I'm not wasting my time checking out the house. No photos of the inside at all, and this isn't a new listing? It tells me you are hiding something, or you feel showing the home isn't worth your time - therefore, my looking at the home isn't worth my time.
Love,
Storm, the very frustrated Housewife.
Seriously, my head is pounding looking at these real estate sites. So many don't even have how many square feet the home is! Gah!
I refuse to move into any home that does not have a kitchen I can cook in. *crosses arms and sulks* ;)
No photo of the kitchen? I'm not wasting my time checking out the house. No photos of the inside at all, and this isn't a new listing? It tells me you are hiding something, or you feel showing the home isn't worth your time - therefore, my looking at the home isn't worth my time.
Love,
Storm, the very frustrated Housewife.
Seriously, my head is pounding looking at these real estate sites. So many don't even have how many square feet the home is! Gah!
I refuse to move into any home that does not have a kitchen I can cook in. *crosses arms and sulks* ;)
Free Sample Of Dove Hair Care
Would you like to try a sample of Dove shampoo or conditioner? Fill out your mailing information to try either Dove Heat Defense Therapy or Dove Intense Damage Therapy.
New Printable Wholly Guacamole Coupon
There's a new printable coupon out to save $1.00 off your next purchase of any Wholly Guacamole or Whole Salsa, available in your grocer's deli case! It's in printable form, so no software is necessary to print it. However, I would suggest using color ink to print it, in order to cut down on the chance that your local grocery store would not accept it if they fear printable coupons. It's a legit coupon!
Tide Stain Release Coupon
Fill out your mailing information to receive a coupon to save $1.50 off your next purchase of new Tide Stain Release laundry detergent! No printer necessary, it will arrive in your mailbox in the next four to six weeks.
Random Thoughts Tuesday
We're currently watching Moonlight's one and only season on DVD courtesy of the library. I wonder if CBS is kicking themselves in the head for canceling this series with this whole Twilight inspired vampire craze that seems to be en vogue lately?
I'm still mad at myself for beating myself up, but it suddenly hit me that I was really glad it was only my knees and ankle beat up, and not my hands. I'd have been in real trouble if I couldn't use my hands for a few weeks!
Pudgy Princess hasn't been feeling good lately. :( She's having some skin allergies, and we're on some medication for her little heart. You'd never know it though, she's as perky as can be most of the time.
Transformers Revenge of the Fallen was awesome! Well, if you're an 80's fan or Transformer addict. I can see how people who aren't into either of those would come out of the movie complaining. But, I was kind of horrified at the small kids getting to watch it when we went. I don't think it was really under 10 friendly, between the language, Wheelie doing naughty things to Megan Fox's leg, and oh, the people being stepped on at the beginning of the movie. Am I just overprotective??
It's amazing how many Kleenex you can go through in less than 1 week when one of you has a sinus infection and another has a cold. Yeah I know, we're germ central around here. I start to panic at the first sign of a sniffle for any of us now.
Currently snacking on a Whopper Jr. Heart attack in a burger probably, but they are oh so good sometimes!
Thrift Store Tuesday
Welcome to another week of resale and thrift store shopping!
My question this week:
For me, it's a combination. I love buying vintage on many items because not only can it be better quality, but sometimes the details are just so much more than on items you can find today.
When it comes to kids clothes, they grow so fast that it's nice to be able to pick up some of the wardrobe used, and save the cash for buying other items. And with DH, he destroys his clothes so easily, plus he's picky, so I always grab whatever he finds that he likes and fits. (Of course, it kind of backfires because you end up with the overflowing closets for all of us, LOL)
We didn't get to go thrifting this week, so I have no fun finds to share. Did you find anything good?
My question this week:
Do you think about the environmental friendliness when purchasing used, or is it more about saving money?
For me, it's a combination. I love buying vintage on many items because not only can it be better quality, but sometimes the details are just so much more than on items you can find today.
When it comes to kids clothes, they grow so fast that it's nice to be able to pick up some of the wardrobe used, and save the cash for buying other items. And with DH, he destroys his clothes so easily, plus he's picky, so I always grab whatever he finds that he likes and fits. (Of course, it kind of backfires because you end up with the overflowing closets for all of us, LOL)
We didn't get to go thrifting this week, so I have no fun finds to share. Did you find anything good?
29 June 2009
Marshalls and T.J. Maxx Shopping Feature Round 2!
Remember my post about being able to do some Father's Day shopping at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls last week? Well, I FINALLY had the chance to go visit the Marshalls on Friday and use the gift card they sent me. We hit the one over at the Lakewood Towne Center, which is normally about 45 minutes from us. Except, when Murphy's Law strikes, and you keep missing the turns, it takes about an hour. Whoops!
If you're a local, this Marshalls is really nice. I went in kind of expecting it to be like T.J. Maxx, and have many of the same things. Wrong! It was totally different! This Marshall's also had far more little electronic goodies, and an even better selection of items that would have been perfect for Father's Day! Their men's clothing department was even bigger, too. (But unfortunately, this location doesn't have thechunky monkey bigger men's section either. They carried a few pieces in 2x and 3x, but mostly in shirts and sporty clothes)
Before I go any further, let me start here. With DH home on vacation awhile back, he did a lot of grilling. I really thought he had everything he could possibly want when it came to BBQing, but apparently, I missed something. Let me introduce you to our steak knives:
They are as old as me. Yep! LOL I swiped a couple from my parents house when I moved out last decade. They are made by Fingerhut (is that company even still around?) Anyways, as I found out earlier this week, apparently, they were given to her by a real estate agent when they were looking for a new house just after I was born as kind of a "consolation prize" that the agent wasn't doing too well on picking out houses for them to view. (If you folks think I am cranky when it comes to houses, you should see my mother!) Believe me when I say they work their age - they barely cut our steaks.
So I had the idea of getting some decent steak knives in the back of my head when we went into Marshalls. They delivered! I found this great set made by LaGuiole in France for just $12.99! When I told my mother that I had found this set, she just could not believe I managed to find this brand at Marshalls. (See! They really do have everything!) In keeping with the theme, I also picked up a really nice meat mallet to add to his BBQ collection for $6.99. (It's so heavy, if I could get close to an intruder without him knowing, I'd be able to put him out with one whack! LOL!)
And finally, I picked out a combo gift for us. Yeah, I know I said Father's Day gifts, and you're looking at the picture going what? But let me explain: the drawer for my cooking utensils is always getting stuck, and I drive my DH insane with making him unstick it for me. I think the poor guy has been feeling like the screwdriver is an extension of his hand lately. So the gift is: I can have my most used utensils on the counter, and he gets a break from having to unstick the drawer so much! LOL It was just $6.99.
Psssst - my fellow color addicted cooks, I spotted some awesome PURPLE frying pans for just $9.99 that looked really nice while I was looking for these goodies above! If you are near a Marshalls and interested, you may want to check it out and see if they are at your location too. I also saw lime green and breast cancer awareness pink!
Now to think of an excuse to go shopping at Marshalls again soon... ;)
If you're a local, this Marshalls is really nice. I went in kind of expecting it to be like T.J. Maxx, and have many of the same things. Wrong! It was totally different! This Marshall's also had far more little electronic goodies, and an even better selection of items that would have been perfect for Father's Day! Their men's clothing department was even bigger, too. (But unfortunately, this location doesn't have the
Before I go any further, let me start here. With DH home on vacation awhile back, he did a lot of grilling. I really thought he had everything he could possibly want when it came to BBQing, but apparently, I missed something. Let me introduce you to our steak knives:
They are as old as me. Yep! LOL I swiped a couple from my parents house when I moved out last decade. They are made by Fingerhut (is that company even still around?) Anyways, as I found out earlier this week, apparently, they were given to her by a real estate agent when they were looking for a new house just after I was born as kind of a "consolation prize" that the agent wasn't doing too well on picking out houses for them to view. (If you folks think I am cranky when it comes to houses, you should see my mother!) Believe me when I say they work their age - they barely cut our steaks.
So I had the idea of getting some decent steak knives in the back of my head when we went into Marshalls. They delivered! I found this great set made by LaGuiole in France for just $12.99! When I told my mother that I had found this set, she just could not believe I managed to find this brand at Marshalls. (See! They really do have everything!) In keeping with the theme, I also picked up a really nice meat mallet to add to his BBQ collection for $6.99. (It's so heavy, if I could get close to an intruder without him knowing, I'd be able to put him out with one whack! LOL!)
And finally, I picked out a combo gift for us. Yeah, I know I said Father's Day gifts, and you're looking at the picture going what? But let me explain: the drawer for my cooking utensils is always getting stuck, and I drive my DH insane with making him unstick it for me. I think the poor guy has been feeling like the screwdriver is an extension of his hand lately. So the gift is: I can have my most used utensils on the counter, and he gets a break from having to unstick the drawer so much! LOL It was just $6.99.
Psssst - my fellow color addicted cooks, I spotted some awesome PURPLE frying pans for just $9.99 that looked really nice while I was looking for these goodies above! If you are near a Marshalls and interested, you may want to check it out and see if they are at your location too. I also saw lime green and breast cancer awareness pink!
Now to think of an excuse to go shopping at Marshalls again soon... ;)
Did You Win?
Folks, please make sure you leave your email in your comment, or that it's in your profile. I had to disqualify someone because I had no way to contact them. :( That makes me sad! :(
The winners for the Auruora giveaway are (comments condensed):
redjennschroed said...
Meredith said...
wendy said...
TX_Jen34
Amber said...
The winners of the Pillsbury Bake Off winner are (comments condensed):
Kristin at My Art and the Mom in Me said...
zanesmommy2008 said...
The winner of the Kernel Season's gift pack is:
Mommy 2 Bears said...
I'd like the jalapeno. We have parent movie night every two weeks but we watch movies with the toddlers once a week.
Congratulations everyone! I've sent you and email and need to hear back from you in the next 48 hours!
Gaming Review: Guitar Hero: Modern Hits
When Mom Central asked if I wanted to review the new Guitar Hero: Modern Hits game for the Nintendo DS and be part of the Guitar Hero tour, I was all excited! Because we own two DS's, we were also able to try out the Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades game.
One of the things we found out the hard way when we moved to Washington, is that there can be a lot of boring wait time hanging around waiting for the ferries. Between that, and the multiple plane trips back and forth between Texas, we realized really quickly that we needed toys! We already had Ipods, but I can only wear the headphones for so long. We ended up getting ourselves a couple of Nintendo DS's to waste the time away on. (which considering how much time we seem to spend at Urgent Care and doctor's appointments, they have come in real handy!)
Now my video gaming is a lot more sparse than my always glued to his toys DH (LOL), but I love my pink DS! I always carry it around in my purse. I pull it out when we're waiting, and just relax.
We love the Guitar Hero games in our family - so much so, we have several for the PS and the Wii. Now we've got them for the DS! Portable rock party in the psychotic household! Yeah baby! lol ;)
If you're familiar with the Guitar Hero games, you'll have no problems understanding how to use them for the DS. What's even cooler is that you can share the songs back and forth between two DS's! All you have to do is be in a wireless zone to enable this feature. You can also play in Faceoff mode where you can compete against each other playing the same song at the same time! Or you can play Co-Op mode, where one of you plays lead guitar, and the other plays rhythm or bass guitar. You can also play against characters built into the game if you're by yourself.
So in order to get coveted Star Power, you have to yell into your mic (well, they say you can blow into the mic too if you're supposed to be silent, but that's no fun!) Well, there's nothing like your DH screaming ROCK OUT into the mic at the top of his lungs. What's even funnier, was that I had him fit the game controller onto my pink DS to try it out first. LOL!
DH's verdict: Guitar Hero: Modern Hits is pretty awesome. Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades is just as awesome!
My verdict: Guitar Hero: Modern Hits and Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades are both fun and easy to play games. The ability to share games as well as play together makes it a great value to keep kids (and us adults as you can see, lol) entertained.
The games do warn you to take frequent breaks. Make sure that you or your kids do follow this advice (more so especially adults since our hands are a bit bigger) I did notice my hands aching a little more with the games because of the way you hold it versus other games.
Guitar Hero: Modern Hits and Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades games are rated E 10 and up. Guitar Hero: Modern Hits is $49.99 at Amazon, as well as your favorite store to buy games!
One of the things we found out the hard way when we moved to Washington, is that there can be a lot of boring wait time hanging around waiting for the ferries. Between that, and the multiple plane trips back and forth between Texas, we realized really quickly that we needed toys! We already had Ipods, but I can only wear the headphones for so long. We ended up getting ourselves a couple of Nintendo DS's to waste the time away on. (which considering how much time we seem to spend at Urgent Care and doctor's appointments, they have come in real handy!)
Now my video gaming is a lot more sparse than my always glued to his toys DH (LOL), but I love my pink DS! I always carry it around in my purse. I pull it out when we're waiting, and just relax.
We love the Guitar Hero games in our family - so much so, we have several for the PS and the Wii. Now we've got them for the DS! Portable rock party in the psychotic household! Yeah baby! lol ;)
If you're familiar with the Guitar Hero games, you'll have no problems understanding how to use them for the DS. What's even cooler is that you can share the songs back and forth between two DS's! All you have to do is be in a wireless zone to enable this feature. You can also play in Faceoff mode where you can compete against each other playing the same song at the same time! Or you can play Co-Op mode, where one of you plays lead guitar, and the other plays rhythm or bass guitar. You can also play against characters built into the game if you're by yourself.
So in order to get coveted Star Power, you have to yell into your mic (well, they say you can blow into the mic too if you're supposed to be silent, but that's no fun!) Well, there's nothing like your DH screaming ROCK OUT into the mic at the top of his lungs. What's even funnier, was that I had him fit the game controller onto my pink DS to try it out first. LOL!
DH's verdict: Guitar Hero: Modern Hits is pretty awesome. Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades is just as awesome!
My verdict: Guitar Hero: Modern Hits and Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades are both fun and easy to play games. The ability to share games as well as play together makes it a great value to keep kids (and us adults as you can see, lol) entertained.
The games do warn you to take frequent breaks. Make sure that you or your kids do follow this advice (more so especially adults since our hands are a bit bigger) I did notice my hands aching a little more with the games because of the way you hold it versus other games.
Guitar Hero: Modern Hits and Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades games are rated E 10 and up. Guitar Hero: Modern Hits is $49.99 at Amazon, as well as your favorite store to buy games!
Pizza Hut, Are You Serious?
Last night in an attempt to come up with something for dinner that didn't involve me, I figured I'd order pizza. This says something, because the handful of times I have ordered pizza from Pizza Hut since we moved here to Port Orchard, I have been less than pleased.
So I hopped online (if I let DH order, it will be covered in meat) and ordered a couple of pizzas. (I wanted extra so I wouldn't have to make lunch the following day for him) How I adore ordering online, since it cuts down on the mistakes. (Yes, really, I said no sauce! I'm sorry you think it's weird, but I'm the one paying for it!)
Anyways, I settled down on the couch with my beloved laptop to wait for the pizzas to arrive. At this point I was starving because it was past 8 at night. 15 minutes after ordering, Pizza Hut calls us.
Would you believe they were out of every pizza but the thin crust? What the heck?
I told him never mind, just cancel the order and hung up. Forget that! I didn't even want to hear what toppings they were out of, too - who knows?! I suppose I could have tried Domino's, but I was too frustrated to bother.
So we ate popcorn for dinner. LOL I really wanted pizza too, but there was no way I could stand there to make the crust.
So I hopped online (if I let DH order, it will be covered in meat) and ordered a couple of pizzas. (I wanted extra so I wouldn't have to make lunch the following day for him) How I adore ordering online, since it cuts down on the mistakes. (Yes, really, I said no sauce! I'm sorry you think it's weird, but I'm the one paying for it!)
Anyways, I settled down on the couch with my beloved laptop to wait for the pizzas to arrive. At this point I was starving because it was past 8 at night. 15 minutes after ordering, Pizza Hut calls us.
Would you believe they were out of every pizza but the thin crust? What the heck?
I told him never mind, just cancel the order and hung up. Forget that! I didn't even want to hear what toppings they were out of, too - who knows?! I suppose I could have tried Domino's, but I was too frustrated to bother.
So we ate popcorn for dinner. LOL I really wanted pizza too, but there was no way I could stand there to make the crust.
Menu Planning Monday
I am just going to take it easy this week. ;)
Monday: DH will pick up something for dinner
Tuesday: slow cooker BBQ chicken, veggies
Wednesday: Easy Pasta Bake
Thursday: recipe of the week
Friday: DH is grilling out
Saturday: chicken sandwiches, fries, salad
Sunday: slow cooker meat & veggies
Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!
28 June 2009
Review: Ecover Fabric Softener
On top of being able to review the Ecover Stain Remover, I was also able to review the Ecover Fabric Softener.
It is low sudsing and safe for HE washers. I tried the Sunny Day scent, which smelled clean and light as I poured it. While there was no scent left really on my towels when I took them out, they were static free, and soft. (This is probably my ancient dryer - you may have more scent left when you use it) If you like natural products, you'll probably like this fabric softener. If you're new to trying natural laundry products, you may want to try Ecover's products to take the plunge.
Ecover Fabric Softener, like all Ecover products, is biodegradable because it is a plant based formula, making it safe for our rivers and marine life, as well as perfect to use on baby clothes (that are not flame resistant!) and those with sensitive skin. The bottle is 100% recyclable. Plus, Ecover's products also gets two thumbs up from me because they do no animal testing!
Ecover has a printable coupon to save $1.00 off any Ecover laundry product. You can purchase Ecover products at Whole Foods Market, as well as many small independent natural foods markets and stores.
It is low sudsing and safe for HE washers. I tried the Sunny Day scent, which smelled clean and light as I poured it. While there was no scent left really on my towels when I took them out, they were static free, and soft. (This is probably my ancient dryer - you may have more scent left when you use it) If you like natural products, you'll probably like this fabric softener. If you're new to trying natural laundry products, you may want to try Ecover's products to take the plunge.
Ecover Fabric Softener, like all Ecover products, is biodegradable because it is a plant based formula, making it safe for our rivers and marine life, as well as perfect to use on baby clothes (that are not flame resistant!) and those with sensitive skin. The bottle is 100% recyclable. Plus, Ecover's products also gets two thumbs up from me because they do no animal testing!
Ecover has a printable coupon to save $1.00 off any Ecover laundry product. You can purchase Ecover products at Whole Foods Market, as well as many small independent natural foods markets and stores.
Review: Ecover Stain Remover
Remember the other day when I confessed to sniffing a laundry product? Well, this is the one - Ecover Stain Remover.
It smells DIVINE for a laundry product. It's like aromatherapy for laundry, LOL! Of course, as we all know, just because a product smells good doesn't mean it does what it says it does, and I'll be honest, I was a little skeptical. I've not had the best of luck with natural laundry products and this washer and dryer at all. So, instead of playing around, I went straight for the jugular.
DH, the King of Stains (LOL), managed to get BBQ sauce on one of his Dragonfly shirts awhile back. I figured it was a goner, and was less than happy because I paid $40 for the darn thing (he looked HOT when he tried it on, what can I say ladies?), and on the first time he wears it, stains it. That shirt has sat in my laundry basket for a couple of months because I admit it, I wanted to ignore it. I knew the outcome wasn't going to be good. Here's some of the staining:
The Ecover Stain Remover has a little built in brush that automatically lets the stain remover out as you gently rub it in. I scrubbed, let it sit a few minutes before adding it to my laundry (I used Tide that day, and the Ecover HE Fabric Softener Sunny Day) and when it came out of the washer, the stain was gone!
I was impressed, because I really didn't have any high hopes with this stain. Next, I hit up a Gymboree pink shirt I picked up used to put away into our play clothing pile. When we got home, I noticed some darker set in stains lurking in the front - it looked like chocolate milkshake had been spilled on it, and someone had tried to get it out, but not done a very good job. (Been there, done that myself) I figured I'd give it a shot. Here is the before picture while I was letting the stain remover sit:
It got rid of most of it! It was a definite improvement!
Ecover is a small company based out of Belgium. I was all tickled about that, because I was able to visit the country when I was 9, and I loved it! (For those who have no idea where Belgium is, it's a tiny country in Europe that's sandwiched between France and Germany.) You can use it on whites and colors as I did, and it is biodegradable because it is a plant based formula, making it safe for our rivers and marine life, as well as perfect to use on baby clothes and those with sensitive skin. It also gets two thumbs up from me because they do no animal testing!
According to the bottle, it also takes out grass and blood stains, but I didn't have any clothing stained like that. (for obvious safety reasons, whenever DH gets blood on his clothes at work he has to immediately change and they are washed there)
The only thing that bothered me was when I was scrubbing the stains out, sometimes I ended up with a little more stain gel than I needed, since it comes out automatically. I just needed to keep scrubbing without more remover for a few minutes - it would be nice if there was a way to stop the gel from coming out while you scrubbed.
Ecover has a printable coupon to save $1.00 off any Ecover laundry product. You can purchase Ecover products at Whole Foods Market, as well as many small independent natural foods markets and stores.
It smells DIVINE for a laundry product. It's like aromatherapy for laundry, LOL! Of course, as we all know, just because a product smells good doesn't mean it does what it says it does, and I'll be honest, I was a little skeptical. I've not had the best of luck with natural laundry products and this washer and dryer at all. So, instead of playing around, I went straight for the jugular.
DH, the King of Stains (LOL), managed to get BBQ sauce on one of his Dragonfly shirts awhile back. I figured it was a goner, and was less than happy because I paid $40 for the darn thing (he looked HOT when he tried it on, what can I say ladies?), and on the first time he wears it, stains it. That shirt has sat in my laundry basket for a couple of months because I admit it, I wanted to ignore it. I knew the outcome wasn't going to be good. Here's some of the staining:
The Ecover Stain Remover has a little built in brush that automatically lets the stain remover out as you gently rub it in. I scrubbed, let it sit a few minutes before adding it to my laundry (I used Tide that day, and the Ecover HE Fabric Softener Sunny Day) and when it came out of the washer, the stain was gone!
I was impressed, because I really didn't have any high hopes with this stain. Next, I hit up a Gymboree pink shirt I picked up used to put away into our play clothing pile. When we got home, I noticed some darker set in stains lurking in the front - it looked like chocolate milkshake had been spilled on it, and someone had tried to get it out, but not done a very good job. (Been there, done that myself) I figured I'd give it a shot. Here is the before picture while I was letting the stain remover sit:
It got rid of most of it! It was a definite improvement!
Ecover is a small company based out of Belgium. I was all tickled about that, because I was able to visit the country when I was 9, and I loved it! (For those who have no idea where Belgium is, it's a tiny country in Europe that's sandwiched between France and Germany.) You can use it on whites and colors as I did, and it is biodegradable because it is a plant based formula, making it safe for our rivers and marine life, as well as perfect to use on baby clothes and those with sensitive skin. It also gets two thumbs up from me because they do no animal testing!
According to the bottle, it also takes out grass and blood stains, but I didn't have any clothing stained like that. (for obvious safety reasons, whenever DH gets blood on his clothes at work he has to immediately change and they are washed there)
The only thing that bothered me was when I was scrubbing the stains out, sometimes I ended up with a little more stain gel than I needed, since it comes out automatically. I just needed to keep scrubbing without more remover for a few minutes - it would be nice if there was a way to stop the gel from coming out while you scrubbed.
Ecover has a printable coupon to save $1.00 off any Ecover laundry product. You can purchase Ecover products at Whole Foods Market, as well as many small independent natural foods markets and stores.
Only Me
In true me form, I totally lost my footing yesterday, and the end result is a very angry body. My knees are now an icky scabbed mess, and I'll be spending the next few weeks hobbling around on my most hated friend, the crutches. I'm feeling a little drug and pain hazed at the moment, I know my blog has been looking a little empty over the last few days - sorry about that! :( After I figure out what planet I am on, and finish ordering DH around to get the house ready for me, I'll get some fun posts up - including some great giveaways, and a recipe!
Special thanks to all the wonderful people who saw me fall and didn't even ask if I was alright. /sarcasm
Special thanks to all the wonderful people who saw me fall and didn't even ask if I was alright. /sarcasm
27 June 2009
Fred Meyer Deals 6/28 - 7/4 2009
Enjoy the great deal on the fresh Washington red cherries this week!
See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:
Beef Rib Eye Steak
$4.78 lb (family pack)
Jumbo E-Z Peel White Shrimp
$4.78 lb
Washington Red Cherries
$0.98 lb (first 8 lbs)
Rotisserie Chicken
$5.99 lb (deli)
8 piece Fried Chicken
$5.99 (deli)
Foot Long Sub Sandwich
$5.00 (deli)
Fresh Cut Fruit
Save 20%
Ambrosia or Red, White & Blue Potato Salad
$3.99 lb (deli)
Peaches
$1.79 lb
Nectarines
$1.79 lb
Yellow & White Corn
10 for $4
Johnsonville Grilling Sausages
$3.49
Pepsi 12pks or 6pks
3 for $10
Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade or Iced Tea
5 for $5
Heinz Ketchup
3 for $5
French's Mustard
3 for $5
Vlasic Pickles
2 for $4
Everyday Living Napkins
$1.00 (120 ct)
FM Cutlery
$1.00 (48 pk)
Seedless Watermelon
$4.88 each
Blueberries 2lb
$5.98
Walla Walla Sweet Onions
$0.79
Organic Red or Green Grapes
$1.99 lb
Large Hothouse Tomatoes
$1.48 lb
Hothouse Bell Peppers
4 for $5
English Cucumbers
4 for $5
Clif, Luna, or Mojo Bars
10 for $10
Clif Quench Sports Drink
10 for $10
Gardenburger Products
2 for $4
Frito Lay Natural Chips or Snacks
$2.99
Alden's Organic Ice Cream
$3.99
Tofurky Sausage or Deli Slices
BOGOF
Emergen-C
$8.99 30 ct
Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Facial Moisturizer
$14.99 after in store MC
Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray Sun Care
$4.99 after in store MC
Dial Bar Soap, Body Wash, or Refill
2 for $7 (printable coupon for body washhere)
Fusion Gamer, Fusion, or Spa Breeze Razors
$7.99
Nicorette
$39.99
Aleve Tablets or Smooth Gels
$6.99 ($1.00 off printable available on coupons.com)
One-A-Day Vitamins
$6.99 ($1.00 off printable available here)
Clairol Nice N Easy Hair Color
$5.99
Pantene Hair Care
3 for $10
Crest Speciality Toothpaste
2 for $5
Sensodyne Toothpaste
$2.99 after in store MC
Beef Back Ribs
$0.99 lb
Pork Spare Ribs
$1.99 lb
Country Style Pork Ribs
$2.49 lb (family pack)
Beef Short Ribs
$2.99 lb
Baby Back Pork Ribs
$3.99 lb
Tony Roma's St. Louis Style Ribs
$9.98 each
Private Selection Baby Back Ribs
$9.99 each
Wild Jumbo Snow Crab
$3.99 lb
Fresh Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Fillet
$7.99 lb
Fresh Wild Alaskan Halibut Fillet
$9.99 lb
Pork Loin Top Loin Chops
$2.99 lb (family pack)
Fresh Extra Lean Ground Beef
$3.39 Flavor Seal 3lb pack 7% fat
Beef Top Round London Broil
$2.99 lb
Fresh Fryer Leg Quarters
$0.89 lb (jumbo packs)
Fresh Fryer Drumsticks
$0.99 lb (jumbo packs)
Fresh Fryer Thighs
$0.99 lb (jumbo packs)
Lloyd's BBQ Meals or Chi-Chis Taco Seasoned Meats
$3.99
Fruit Pies 8"
2 for $6
Bucket of Chicken Wings
$8.99 (20 ct)
Bucket of Meatballs
$8.99 (20 ct)
Cheerios
2 for $5 (printable $1.00 off 2 available here)
Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk
$1.99
FM Orange Juice Gallon
$1.99
Krusteaz Pancake or Waffle Mix
2 for $5
Minute Maid Orange Juice
2 for $5
Tully's Coffee
BOGOF
Black Pearls Olives
4 for $5 (6 oz)
Charmin Basic Bath Tissue 12 Big Rolls
$4.99
Bounty Basic Paper Towels 8 Rolls
$4.99
Pedigree Dry Dog Food 15-20 lbs
$9.99
Lay's Chips
$1.88
Nabisco Snack Crackers
3 for $5
Tillamook Cheese Slices
2 for $5
Chachies Salsa
2 for $5
FMV Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns
$0.39 each (limit 2)
Tums
$3.49 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
Big K Pop 12 pks
6 for $10 w/ in ad coupon (limit 6)
Tillamook Ice Cream
2 for $6 w/ in ad couoon (limit 4)
Best Foods Mayonnaise
$1.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2) ($1.00 off 2 printable here)
FM Large Eggs 18 ct
2 for $3 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
Bush's Best Baked or Grillin' Beans
4 for $5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 8)
Bar S Hot Dogs
$0.88 w/ in ad coupon (limit 6)
Ground Beef Patties
$5.99 3lb w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
M&M/Mars Candy Bars
3 for $1 w/ in ad coupon (limit 6)
All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price!
Don't forget to use your reward coupons - you should have already received them! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!
Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.
For more sites listing other stores sales ads and coupon match ups, please visit BeCentsAble - home of the original Grocery Gathering!
26 June 2009
Maybe I Need More Sleep...
I just looked at DH and the Pudgy Princess at his feet, and said:
Pudgy, Daddy needs to go out for a potty walk.
Whoops!
Pudgy, Daddy needs to go out for a potty walk.
Whoops!
25 June 2009
Shopping Feature: Quality Chopsticks
In my Giant Fortune Cookie review the other day, you heard me mention that my DH has a pair of porcelain dragon chopsticks that he uses when we go out to eat. He loves them, but I am terrified that by us taking them out with us, they are going to get broken. I'd rather he just keeps them to use at home and we get a less breakable pair for him to take when we go out to eat. I love the man, but he is a total klutz, and when you toss in an unhappy kidlet into the equation, it doesn't sounds like a very good eventual outcome.
We've noticed that not everywhere around here offers chopsticks when we go out to eat, and he really likes to use them. I suppose I could buy a package of disposable ones from Cash & Carry's restaurant supply store, but I'd rather not hurt the environment any more than I already do.
I was perusing Twitter earlier and found Quality Chopsticks. Why couldn't I have found this a few weeks ago so I could have gotten a pair for his birthday! Argh! They have some really nice chopsticks, including this Spiraled Dynasty pair:
and this pair called Frosted Branches:
Help me decide! Which ones would you guys pick for my DH?
While some of their chopsticks are priced higher, they do start at $7.99. If you'd like to order your own pair, Quality Chopsticks is offering 10% off your order if you use the promo code coaph06 . They also offer free shipping on orders over $50!
We've noticed that not everywhere around here offers chopsticks when we go out to eat, and he really likes to use them. I suppose I could buy a package of disposable ones from Cash & Carry's restaurant supply store, but I'd rather not hurt the environment any more than I already do.
I was perusing Twitter earlier and found Quality Chopsticks. Why couldn't I have found this a few weeks ago so I could have gotten a pair for his birthday! Argh! They have some really nice chopsticks, including this Spiraled Dynasty pair:
and this pair called Frosted Branches:
Help me decide! Which ones would you guys pick for my DH?
While some of their chopsticks are priced higher, they do start at $7.99. If you'd like to order your own pair, Quality Chopsticks is offering 10% off your order if you use the promo code coaph06 . They also offer free shipping on orders over $50!
Review: Yes To Cucumbers Cleansing Cucumber Shower Gel
I recently had the chance to try out Yes To Cucumbers Cleansing Cucumber Shower Gel.
It's labeled as 99.6% natural ingredients, free of parabens, petroleum, and SLS. It combines organic cucumbers, green tea, aloe vera, and dead sea minerals. Sounds good, doesn't it? I've always loved the Yes To.. lines because they are against animal testing. I've used some of their products in the past, but this was my first date with anything from the Cucumbers line.
When I sniffed it the first time, it smelled like something my mother would use, LOL. Actually, my mommy is the one who introduced me to the Yes To... lines, so I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. It smells very light and cooling, that's the best way I can describe it, and you definitely can smell the cucumber in it.
It lathered up well, though I found myself using a little more than some of the other brands I have tried. Whether that's because I really needed to, or because I enjoyed using it a little too much, weeelll. ;) It also didn't leave a film or anything on my skin after I rinsed it off. While sometimes I enjoy the heavy shower gels from other brands in the winter, Yes To Cucumbers Cleansing Cucumber Shower Gel is perfect for Summer's sticky weather.
It also didn't irritate my skin, so that's another plus.
You can purchase Yes To Cucumbers Shower Gel and other Yes To.. products at many drug and grocery stores, including my favorite place to spend too much money, Target (or the Bullseye Boutique as my DH and I refer to it, lol) At around $8.99 for a 16.9 oz bottle, I don't find it too expensive for a natural shower gel, either. Many other brands are half this size even if they are cheaper - this bottle is big enough you will go a long way with it.
It's labeled as 99.6% natural ingredients, free of parabens, petroleum, and SLS. It combines organic cucumbers, green tea, aloe vera, and dead sea minerals. Sounds good, doesn't it? I've always loved the Yes To.. lines because they are against animal testing. I've used some of their products in the past, but this was my first date with anything from the Cucumbers line.
When I sniffed it the first time, it smelled like something my mother would use, LOL. Actually, my mommy is the one who introduced me to the Yes To... lines, so I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. It smells very light and cooling, that's the best way I can describe it, and you definitely can smell the cucumber in it.
It lathered up well, though I found myself using a little more than some of the other brands I have tried. Whether that's because I really needed to, or because I enjoyed using it a little too much, weeelll. ;) It also didn't leave a film or anything on my skin after I rinsed it off. While sometimes I enjoy the heavy shower gels from other brands in the winter, Yes To Cucumbers Cleansing Cucumber Shower Gel is perfect for Summer's sticky weather.
It also didn't irritate my skin, so that's another plus.
You can purchase Yes To Cucumbers Shower Gel and other Yes To.. products at many drug and grocery stores, including my favorite place to spend too much money, Target (or the Bullseye Boutique as my DH and I refer to it, lol) At around $8.99 for a 16.9 oz bottle, I don't find it too expensive for a natural shower gel, either. Many other brands are half this size even if they are cheaper - this bottle is big enough you will go a long way with it.
Awwww, Man!
First, Ed McMahon dies earlier this week. As a little girl, I would watch Star Search and dream I was on there, and of course, I would win!
Then the gorgeous symbol of the 70's dies, Farrah Fawcett, earlier this morning. What girl back then didn't want to have their hair styled perfectly like Farrah's? (Sadly, here again with my Wednesday braids. No perfect feathering for my hair!)
And now they are saying Michael Jackson has passed away too a few minutes ago. While I am the first to say I cringe about the 90's - whether he did commit the acts or not, we all look at him differently. But waaaaay back when I was 5, I remember jammin' to Thriller. That was the BOMB when it came out, LOL. So the man took weirdness to a whole new level after that point ;) but you can't knock the fact that Thriller was one of the biggest records of the 80's!
Then the gorgeous symbol of the 70's dies, Farrah Fawcett, earlier this morning. What girl back then didn't want to have their hair styled perfectly like Farrah's? (Sadly, here again with my Wednesday braids. No perfect feathering for my hair!)
And now they are saying Michael Jackson has passed away too a few minutes ago. While I am the first to say I cringe about the 90's - whether he did commit the acts or not, we all look at him differently. But waaaaay back when I was 5, I remember jammin' to Thriller. That was the BOMB when it came out, LOL. So the man took weirdness to a whole new level after that point ;) but you can't knock the fact that Thriller was one of the biggest records of the 80's!
AAARRRRGGGHHH!
I just cannot get caught up on anything around here! I am still in recovery mode from DH's vacation. He was supposed to help me with a few things around the house - one of the things we were going to do was finish the painting inside.
Well, the night before DH's vacation we heard from my MIL that she wanted to give us the money for a down payment for a new house. I had a whole post written about this that I was going to share with you, then just decided to sit back and wait to see what was going on. I love my in-laws, but they subscribe to a different kind of insanity than my family does. lol Things are done at a snail's pace - take their laundry room for instance. My MIL did the laundry at a Laundromat for over 2 years while my FIL worked on the laundry room floor. All that needed to be done was the FLOOR. 2 years??
See? That's where my DH gets it from. He really is the spitting image of his daddy, LOL.
So to give the shortened version of it:
They wanted us to move.
Back to Texas.
At the end of July.
This year.
Can you see me cringe? No, not the whole Texas part. The whole pack up a house, find a house, and do all this in what was basically six weeks.
I knew there was no way this could be done, but my DH is a stubborn bull. My MIL did have a house already in mind, but it was a bank repo, and they wanted cash upfront for the whole thing. We probably could do it if thispiece of falling apart house would sell quickly, but there are lots of empty houses for sale around here, I can tell you already, it's not going to sell that fast.
So to get back to what DH was originally supposed to do on his vacation: paint, organize, etc, etc. What got done? Well, besides him making an even bigger mess, I now have boxes, EVERYWHERE. I hate clutter. I hate it, hate it, HATE IT. I see clutter and my blood pressure goes through the roof. So now I have the clutter from him being home that I am still working on three days after he's gone back to work (LOL, typical man), but I also have boxes stacked up in corners that are making me want to scream!
It was hard enough to move up here without practically anything. I hate to see how hard it could be to move back with an extra person, extra pets, and oh, WAY more stuff! Now I am stuck staring at these boxes, knowing the chance of us moving before next summer is practically zero, no matter what my DH and in-laws think.
And the kitchen is still painted green. GAH! *pounds head against wall*
Well, the night before DH's vacation we heard from my MIL that she wanted to give us the money for a down payment for a new house. I had a whole post written about this that I was going to share with you, then just decided to sit back and wait to see what was going on. I love my in-laws, but they subscribe to a different kind of insanity than my family does. lol Things are done at a snail's pace - take their laundry room for instance. My MIL did the laundry at a Laundromat for over 2 years while my FIL worked on the laundry room floor. All that needed to be done was the FLOOR. 2 years??
See? That's where my DH gets it from. He really is the spitting image of his daddy, LOL.
So to give the shortened version of it:
They wanted us to move.
Back to Texas.
At the end of July.
This year.
Can you see me cringe? No, not the whole Texas part. The whole pack up a house, find a house, and do all this in what was basically six weeks.
I knew there was no way this could be done, but my DH is a stubborn bull. My MIL did have a house already in mind, but it was a bank repo, and they wanted cash upfront for the whole thing. We probably could do it if this
So to get back to what DH was originally supposed to do on his vacation: paint, organize, etc, etc. What got done? Well, besides him making an even bigger mess, I now have boxes, EVERYWHERE. I hate clutter. I hate it, hate it, HATE IT. I see clutter and my blood pressure goes through the roof. So now I have the clutter from him being home that I am still working on three days after he's gone back to work (LOL, typical man), but I also have boxes stacked up in corners that are making me want to scream!
It was hard enough to move up here without practically anything. I hate to see how hard it could be to move back with an extra person, extra pets, and oh, WAY more stuff! Now I am stuck staring at these boxes, knowing the chance of us moving before next summer is practically zero, no matter what my DH and in-laws think.
And the kitchen is still painted green. GAH! *pounds head against wall*
Thrifty Thursday - The Veggie Edition
This week for my Thrifty Thursday post, I'm talking about veggies!
Many people started their first garden this year due to the economy. Now as you start taking advantage of your harvest as your vegetables are riping, what do you do with all the extra?
One of the most popular ideas is to can your extras. You can water bath can some fruits and vegetables, but I'll be honest - you're better off pressure canning them. First, they will last longer - second, you don't have to worry about them being contaminated. There are lots of different price points for pressure canners. WalMart has the cheapest I have seen so far, a Presto for under $70.
Need glass jars? Tis the season for coming across them at garage and estate sales. Try your local thrift store as well. Our Goodwill sells them for 20 cents each. I still have to buy new rings and lids, but I can purchase those at WalMart and the hardware store (or try ebay!) for a good price. It still ends up cheaper than buying a case of new jars sometimes, and I'm helping the environment. Just be sure to inspect all jars for cracks and chips, and throw those out - do NOT try to reuse them! Also make sure to thoroughly disinfect jars whether they are new or used before canning them. I run all mine through the dishwasher on hot, usually twice, just to be safe.
Depending on your freezer space, you may want to prepare some of those veggies and freeze them! I like to chop my peppers so they are ready to add to our meals. I just freeze them in meal portions in a freezer ziploc baggie, then all I have to do is defrost one the day I want to use peppers in a meal. It saves me meal prep time.
Now if you have a huge amount, or if you are like me and your garden hasn't given you anything, hit up Craigslist and your local Freecycle. You can give them away, offer to trade (maybe you have a ton of zucchini, but no green beans), or even ask for extra veggies from people. Another great idea, if your neighborhood hosts a community garage sale, set up a produce stand! With the extra traffic coming through, you can often make back what you spent on seeds to begin with!
Find a lot of veggies marked down at your local grocery store? Well, items like salad obviously need to be eaten right away. Don't buy more than you can eat in a 24 hour period of any leafy greens, or you will end up throwing the extra away. However, peppers, etc, can be frozen after they have been prepared, just like you would if you pulled them out of your garden. The trick is to prepare them for freezing as soon as you come home. Don't wait, or you'll have to throw them out!
Many people started their first garden this year due to the economy. Now as you start taking advantage of your harvest as your vegetables are riping, what do you do with all the extra?
One of the most popular ideas is to can your extras. You can water bath can some fruits and vegetables, but I'll be honest - you're better off pressure canning them. First, they will last longer - second, you don't have to worry about them being contaminated. There are lots of different price points for pressure canners. WalMart has the cheapest I have seen so far, a Presto for under $70.
Need glass jars? Tis the season for coming across them at garage and estate sales. Try your local thrift store as well. Our Goodwill sells them for 20 cents each. I still have to buy new rings and lids, but I can purchase those at WalMart and the hardware store (or try ebay!) for a good price. It still ends up cheaper than buying a case of new jars sometimes, and I'm helping the environment. Just be sure to inspect all jars for cracks and chips, and throw those out - do NOT try to reuse them! Also make sure to thoroughly disinfect jars whether they are new or used before canning them. I run all mine through the dishwasher on hot, usually twice, just to be safe.
Depending on your freezer space, you may want to prepare some of those veggies and freeze them! I like to chop my peppers so they are ready to add to our meals. I just freeze them in meal portions in a freezer ziploc baggie, then all I have to do is defrost one the day I want to use peppers in a meal. It saves me meal prep time.
Now if you have a huge amount, or if you are like me and your garden hasn't given you anything, hit up Craigslist and your local Freecycle. You can give them away, offer to trade (maybe you have a ton of zucchini, but no green beans), or even ask for extra veggies from people. Another great idea, if your neighborhood hosts a community garage sale, set up a produce stand! With the extra traffic coming through, you can often make back what you spent on seeds to begin with!
Find a lot of veggies marked down at your local grocery store? Well, items like salad obviously need to be eaten right away. Don't buy more than you can eat in a 24 hour period of any leafy greens, or you will end up throwing the extra away. However, peppers, etc, can be frozen after they have been prepared, just like you would if you pulled them out of your garden. The trick is to prepare them for freezing as soon as you come home. Don't wait, or you'll have to throw them out!
24 June 2009
Book Review: Success As A Foster Parent: Everything You Need To Know About Foster Care
Having struggled with fertility problems, fostering kids was something my husband and I had talked about. Even though we now have a miracle, it's still something we discuss from time to time. Once we move to a bigger place, we'd love to open our home to a kid or two and keep them safe while waiting to go back to their biological parents or maybe even adoptive parents.
Now just because we've talked about it, doesn't mean we know a darn thing about it, other than we have to pass a few home visits and things like that. So when I was contacted and asked if I would be interested in reviewing Success As A Foster Parent: Everything You Need To Know About Foster Care by the National Foster Parent Association with Rachel Greene Baldino, MSW, LCSW, I decided it was a gentle nudge in the direction of becoming a foster parent and jumped right on board!
My first thought upon flipping through the book when it arrived was that everything looked to be laid out so that it was easy to read, and most importantly, easy to follow along.
I was right. The book contains everything from talking about the important visits (such verifying how many cars you have, and if car seats are up to date and installed properly) to fostering children with special needs and what is covered - it even talks about the compensation available to help with fostering. It also continues down the path of what to do if you're thinking about adopting the child you're fostering.
If you're coming into the idea of being a foster parent with no idea of what you're in for, Success As A Foster Parent might be a good place to start. I found it helpful, and easy to read through. If you're already on the fostering path or have come in contact with it, you might find some of the book overkill (although, it could still be a good reference book to keep on the bookshelf, regardless) With over 520,000 children currently in the foster system here in the U.S., this book could help you take the steps towards making the difference for some of them.
Printable Hungry Man XXL Sandwich Coupons
Want to try one of the new Hungry Man XXL sandwiches? You print a coupon to save $0.75 off your next purchase of any variety!
(this is a Smart Source coupon - I know some of us have problems printing them in certain browsers)
National Bomb Pop Day
Apparently tomorrow, June 25th, is National Bomb Pop Day (No, I'm not making this up!). In honor of this day, Blue Bunny is giving out a printable coupon to save $1.00 off your next purchase of Blue Bunny Bomb Pop 12 packs. Enjoy! ;)
23 June 2009
Review: Today's Farm Fruit Snacks
Today's Farm recently sent my family some of their freeze dried fruit snacks to try!
Fruit is such a healthy snack, but sometimes, carrying around fresh fruit isn't exactly the easiest.
Today's Farm Fruit Snacks are a freeze dried snack. Each bag is a single serving about the size of a small bag of chips, but more than a serving's worth of fruit inside the bag! They are of course fat free and preservative free, and 100% fruit!
What I like about Today's Farm fruit snacks is that you can carry a bag or two around in your purse for last minute snacks. The bag is incredibly light, and because the fruit has been freeze dried, they don't crush like chips or pretzels. You can even keep a box of it in the car for last minute snacks (well, unless you are in an area 100 degrees plus. That might not be a good thing) But it's just perfect for summer time activities to take along when you pack your own lunches or just want to avoid paying for overpriced processed junk food because the kids (or you LOL) are suddenly hungry.
We were able to try the Apple Cinnamon, Pineapple, Peach, and Strawberry flavors. Look how cute our package was when it arrived!
You bet I was all over that pineapple myself! It was hard and crunchy, and yep, tasted just like pineapple - not sugary sweet like the regular ol' dried pineapple you can find at the grocery store. No stickiness on my hands, either! We snacked out of the bag, but you can also add it to yogurts and cereal (a sneaky way to add fruit into kids diet?)
The only downside to the budget minded may be the cost: it is comparable to healthier snacks price wise, but you aren't going to be landing coupons for it in the Sunday paper, or find it at your dollar store - however, they do have a sale on their website right now, so it is a good time to try it out! Honestly, I feel it is worth the cost, especially as a preparedness item. You can order it through their website, at select small stores in Texas, or use your Amazon gift certificates and buy it through Amazon!
I want you to know that I highly recommend Today's Farm freeze dried fruit snacks as part of every family's 72 hour emergency kit. As some of you long time emergency preppers know, canned goods are not only a heavy and bulky addition to kits, they can also explode and ruin other items in it! Today's Farm eliminates this worry while making sure your family gets their fruit servings in, no matter what the scenario is. The bags that these fruit snacks come in are good for long term storage - around 18 months!
Fruit is such a healthy snack, but sometimes, carrying around fresh fruit isn't exactly the easiest.
Today's Farm Fruit Snacks are a freeze dried snack. Each bag is a single serving about the size of a small bag of chips, but more than a serving's worth of fruit inside the bag! They are of course fat free and preservative free, and 100% fruit!
What I like about Today's Farm fruit snacks is that you can carry a bag or two around in your purse for last minute snacks. The bag is incredibly light, and because the fruit has been freeze dried, they don't crush like chips or pretzels. You can even keep a box of it in the car for last minute snacks (well, unless you are in an area 100 degrees plus. That might not be a good thing) But it's just perfect for summer time activities to take along when you pack your own lunches or just want to avoid paying for overpriced processed junk food because the kids (or you LOL) are suddenly hungry.
We were able to try the Apple Cinnamon, Pineapple, Peach, and Strawberry flavors. Look how cute our package was when it arrived!
You bet I was all over that pineapple myself! It was hard and crunchy, and yep, tasted just like pineapple - not sugary sweet like the regular ol' dried pineapple you can find at the grocery store. No stickiness on my hands, either! We snacked out of the bag, but you can also add it to yogurts and cereal (a sneaky way to add fruit into kids diet?)
The only downside to the budget minded may be the cost: it is comparable to healthier snacks price wise, but you aren't going to be landing coupons for it in the Sunday paper, or find it at your dollar store - however, they do have a sale on their website right now, so it is a good time to try it out! Honestly, I feel it is worth the cost, especially as a preparedness item. You can order it through their website, at select small stores in Texas, or use your Amazon gift certificates and buy it through Amazon!
I want you to know that I highly recommend Today's Farm freeze dried fruit snacks as part of every family's 72 hour emergency kit. As some of you long time emergency preppers know, canned goods are not only a heavy and bulky addition to kits, they can also explode and ruin other items in it! Today's Farm eliminates this worry while making sure your family gets their fruit servings in, no matter what the scenario is. The bags that these fruit snacks come in are good for long term storage - around 18 months!
Random Thoughts Tuesday
I am so tired I could sleep all day. So if I leave a comment on your blog and it doesn't quite make sense, or there's typos galore, I'm sorry!
Yes, my DH is counting down the hours until Transformers Revenge of the Fallen is coming out. OK, OK, I'm excited too... just not nearly as excited as he is.
Speaking of Transformers, DH was having himself a nice bonding session with a little boy around 8ish in the Transformers aisle the other day. For a split second I actually felt guilty about the pink and girly overload around here. Will lightning ever strike twice? I'm not holding my breath, honestly, but I hope for his sake if it does, this time it's a mini-him.
Fred Meyer and their so-called sales using in store MCs are starting to annoy me. It's not a sale then, it's a regular price with a MC that oh so nicely happens to be in the store for people who don't bother to clip coupons. The thing is, those people don't bother to even pick up the coupon that hanging in front of the item to get the so-called sale price. I've noticed the majority of what I have been buying at FM lately has been last day markdowns - Albertsons seems to get most of my business. Their meat is better, and cheaper. Sorry Freddy's!
For the first time in I don't know how many years, we ran out of cat food last night. I always keep a reserve bag hidden, but we opened that reserve bag (it's smaller) and just blew right through that in a couple of days. I feel even worse because we didn't have time this morning to go to Petco, so we ended up at FM's and they are now eating Kit N Caboodle or whatever it's called. They love it, but it means the Muffin Man will be sick later on. Yuck!
My garden is totally dead. Oh, but I have this insane plant covered with thorns that is taking over half of my deck - it's doing great. I must be the Addams family gardener - normal plants die, the weird ones live. Go figure! Maybe I'll get lucky and it will eat the neighbor's cat who keeps knocking stuff over on the deck.... Feed Me Seymore!
My eyes keep closing, so I'll end this now. No, that snoring you heard a few minutes ago wasn't me, it was the cat. Really! ;)
Thrift Store Tuesday
Welcome to another week of resale and thrift store shopping!
We're really bad at yard sales. Getting up early enough to land good stuff and being organized even to get out of the house and have it still be early is a bit of a problem for us, lol. We haven't hit up a single one yet this year. There has been a couple of church rummage sales that I wanted to go to, but I forgot about them until it was too late and DH had to be at work :(
Here's my find of the week. Actually, it's a bit of a cheat - they were actually in a vintage antique store. The handles are wood, and they were $5 together. I really am not fond of plastic so it was nice to find them! DH also scored a ton of DVDs at Goodwill - he can't say he is bored for a very long time.
So what did you find this week?
My question this week: Do you actively seek out yard and tag sales?
We're really bad at yard sales. Getting up early enough to land good stuff and being organized even to get out of the house and have it still be early is a bit of a problem for us, lol. We haven't hit up a single one yet this year. There has been a couple of church rummage sales that I wanted to go to, but I forgot about them until it was too late and DH had to be at work :(
Here's my find of the week. Actually, it's a bit of a cheat - they were actually in a vintage antique store. The handles are wood, and they were $5 together. I really am not fond of plastic so it was nice to find them! DH also scored a ton of DVDs at Goodwill - he can't say he is bored for a very long time.
So what did you find this week?
Random Cool Stuff Alert!
Instead of overwhelming us all with a million and one posts, I'm going to include some of the cool things that have landed in my email box over the last few days!
Glidden is giving away a free quart of paint in ANY color on June 25th! Visit their site on the 25th for more details and to print the coupon. This would be a good size to touch up trim, or decorate something with! Maybe you want to repaint a small piece of furniture?
Vlasic Pickles is in search of “The Cutest Crunch,” and is holding a photo contest through October 31st, 2009. Log onto www.vlasic.com and submit one original photo that you think captures the cutest pickle crunch. The grand prize is an all expenses paid trip to New York City, $1,000 and a one-year supply of Vlasic Pickles! Visit Vlasic's website for more information, and good luck if you decide to enter! (Now I'm totally craving a pickle!)
Nine Naturals, who I told you about here, is having a giveaway where they are giving away $200 in natural beauty products, including several other brands, to a lucky winner! Visit Nine Naturals website for more details.
Equifunk is a 2-day all-inclusive music festival taking place September 4, 5, and 6 2009 at Camp Equifunk in the Pocono Mountains, just two and a half hours from New York City. The music festival includes all accommodations, all meals, beverages (including beer and soda), and all performances. Children under 12 are free and babysitting services are available. Various sports and outdoor activities are available during the day or relax at the resort style pool, and there will be concerts each evening featuring The Radiators and New Mastersounds. This looks like fun! Visit the website for more information and to make your reservations! Admission is $250 per adult.
If you have a Twitter account, follow @SpraynWash for a chance to win your own sample of Spray N Wash! Don't forget if you haven't already entered their contest on their website, there's still time to do so!
Glidden is giving away a free quart of paint in ANY color on June 25th! Visit their site on the 25th for more details and to print the coupon. This would be a good size to touch up trim, or decorate something with! Maybe you want to repaint a small piece of furniture?
Vlasic Pickles is in search of “The Cutest Crunch,” and is holding a photo contest through October 31st, 2009. Log onto www.vlasic.com and submit one original photo that you think captures the cutest pickle crunch. The grand prize is an all expenses paid trip to New York City, $1,000 and a one-year supply of Vlasic Pickles! Visit Vlasic's website for more information, and good luck if you decide to enter! (Now I'm totally craving a pickle!)
Nine Naturals, who I told you about here, is having a giveaway where they are giving away $200 in natural beauty products, including several other brands, to a lucky winner! Visit Nine Naturals website for more details.
Equifunk is a 2-day all-inclusive music festival taking place September 4, 5, and 6 2009 at Camp Equifunk in the Pocono Mountains, just two and a half hours from New York City. The music festival includes all accommodations, all meals, beverages (including beer and soda), and all performances. Children under 12 are free and babysitting services are available. Various sports and outdoor activities are available during the day or relax at the resort style pool, and there will be concerts each evening featuring The Radiators and New Mastersounds. This looks like fun! Visit the website for more information and to make your reservations! Admission is $250 per adult.
If you have a Twitter account, follow @SpraynWash for a chance to win your own sample of Spray N Wash! Don't forget if you haven't already entered their contest on their website, there's still time to do so!
22 June 2009
Review & Giveaway: Giant Fortune Cookies
Talk about winning the FUN lottery - my family recently got the chance to review Giant Fortune Cookies!
With my husband's birthday last week, the timing could not have been any better. If you're a returning reader, you probably know that my husband isobsessed in love with Chinese food. The guy goes armed with his own porcelain chopsticks that have dragons on them, LOL. The opening and reading of our fortune cookies is a ritual with us. I add many of them to our scrapbooks! (yes, I am a dork like that) So I really was excited for him to receive the surprise of this giant fortune cookie in the mail!
He had no idea what was coming when it arrived! It was packaged safely, with fun green packing paper, and even an ice pack to help keep the chocolate from melting. Yes, that's right, I said CHOCOLATE! Check it out!
The fortune cookie, which is HUGE!, is covered in chocolate then brightly colored sprinkles! Doesn't it look yummy? He was so surprised!
There are soooo many ways to choose for decorating your giant fortune cookie. They even have a Gourmet Hazelnut milk chocolate dipped one! (Are you drooling yet?)
You can even personalize your fortune cookie with your own saying inside the cookie - up to 350 characters! Write a short poem, say congratulations for a new baby, or even (Wouldn't this be a fun way to propose to someone?) announce something special - you can do whatever you want! (sans bad language I'm sure)
The folks behind Giant Fortune Cookies also make Custom Fancy Fortune Cookies - the size we all know and love, in different colors and flavors - and yes, you can personalize these too! (Just not with as many characters, of course)
Win it! The wonderful folks over at Giant Fortune Cookies are letting me give one lucky winner a Giant Fortune Cookie, just like mine! To enter, visit their website and tell me which one you'd pick out, and for what occasion!
As always, if you sign up for my feed or follow my blog you receive another entry!
You can also receive another entry for blogging about this giveaway with a link back!
Giveaway ends July 4th at 11:59 PM PST. US only, sorry :(
With my husband's birthday last week, the timing could not have been any better. If you're a returning reader, you probably know that my husband is
He had no idea what was coming when it arrived! It was packaged safely, with fun green packing paper, and even an ice pack to help keep the chocolate from melting. Yes, that's right, I said CHOCOLATE! Check it out!
The fortune cookie, which is HUGE!, is covered in chocolate then brightly colored sprinkles! Doesn't it look yummy? He was so surprised!
There are soooo many ways to choose for decorating your giant fortune cookie. They even have a Gourmet Hazelnut milk chocolate dipped one! (Are you drooling yet?)
You can even personalize your fortune cookie with your own saying inside the cookie - up to 350 characters! Write a short poem, say congratulations for a new baby, or even (Wouldn't this be a fun way to propose to someone?) announce something special - you can do whatever you want! (sans bad language I'm sure)
The folks behind Giant Fortune Cookies also make Custom Fancy Fortune Cookies - the size we all know and love, in different colors and flavors - and yes, you can personalize these too! (Just not with as many characters, of course)
Win it! The wonderful folks over at Giant Fortune Cookies are letting me give one lucky winner a Giant Fortune Cookie, just like mine! To enter, visit their website and tell me which one you'd pick out, and for what occasion!
As always, if you sign up for my feed or follow my blog you receive another entry!
You can also receive another entry for blogging about this giveaway with a link back!
Giveaway ends July 4th at 11:59 PM PST. US only, sorry :(
The Infamous Cake & How To Make It
Well,as you can guess, I hate wasting money. I was lucky enough to be able to get most of DH's party supplies on sale or on clearance. Between sales and a small gift card to Target from doing a survey, I was able to do his party decorations for under $10. The only thing I missed was the cake topper. I suppose I could have gone groveling to Albertsons' cake dpartment and asked to buy the Transformers topper, but I would have ended up paying more than the cake for just the topper. No way. So I improvised - I had picked up for part of the back up plan some Guitar Hero guitars from the Dollar Tree. He ended up with a rock n roll cake with Transformers party stuff. They're guys, they don't care. LOL
DH had originally asked for a Dairy Queen cake. I wasn't about to pay that price for his cake no matter how tired I've been, especially when it's super easy to make it yourself! All you need is:
ice cream
crushed cookies
topping or decorations
Seriously, it's that easy!
Pull out the ice cream you are using. You can use any combination of flavors. I used vanilla as the top (well, bottom when you are making it) layer, and Drumstick as the next layer. You need to let the ice cream melt a bit so that it's soft and pliable - sitting on the counter about 15 minutes or so.
Crush the cookies in a well closed ziploc bag or empty cereal bag (they hold up better, actually). You can use a rolling pin, or just pull out a soup can and pound it. (Great for any PMS or anger you might be holding in... LOL)
Next, you'll want to line the bottom of a glass dish with a piece of aluminum foil. This helps insulate the dish to refreeze the ice cream. Follow up with a generous piece of plastic wrap. You'll see I used a colored wrap so I can easily see it to lift it out of the dish later. You want the wrap to hang over the side, and make sure that all of the dish is covered. You don't want the ice cream to freeze against the dish itself, only against the plastic. Make sure that it is as flat as possible.
Next, start spooning in the first layer of ice cream. Which you use depends on your taste and how you are planning to decorate your cake. I used Vanilla because it would show the decorations clearer. Spread the ice cream as flat and as carefully as you can. I used an entire box of vanilla in our cake, and spread it with a rice server. A spatula would work well too. If your ice cream isn't spreading very well, you may need to wait a few more minutes before trying again.
Spread the next layer of ice cream carefully. Again, make sure the layer is even.
Follow with a layer of crushed cookies. Press the cookies into the top layer of ice cream as much as you can so that it sticks. Cover with a loose layer of foil.
Freeze for at least an hour. Here is where I tell you to make sure your dish fits into the freezer before making the cake. ;)
You'll want to place a cookie sheet or the plate that you will be displaying your cake on over the glass dish. Flip it over carefully before placing it on the counter. Next, slowly pull the plastic so the cake is free from the dish. If it's sticking, wet a dish towel with hot water and place it over the glass dish for no more than 20 seconds. The ice cream should come right out. Carefully pull the plastic wrap off the ice cream, and get to decorating! I used Smucker's Magic Shell hard chocolate topping on this one.
Total cost to make his huge cake, not including decorations and candles, was under $7!
DH had originally asked for a Dairy Queen cake. I wasn't about to pay that price for his cake no matter how tired I've been, especially when it's super easy to make it yourself! All you need is:
ice cream
crushed cookies
topping or decorations
Seriously, it's that easy!
Pull out the ice cream you are using. You can use any combination of flavors. I used vanilla as the top (well, bottom when you are making it) layer, and Drumstick as the next layer. You need to let the ice cream melt a bit so that it's soft and pliable - sitting on the counter about 15 minutes or so.
Crush the cookies in a well closed ziploc bag or empty cereal bag (they hold up better, actually). You can use a rolling pin, or just pull out a soup can and pound it. (Great for any PMS or anger you might be holding in... LOL)
Next, you'll want to line the bottom of a glass dish with a piece of aluminum foil. This helps insulate the dish to refreeze the ice cream. Follow up with a generous piece of plastic wrap. You'll see I used a colored wrap so I can easily see it to lift it out of the dish later. You want the wrap to hang over the side, and make sure that all of the dish is covered. You don't want the ice cream to freeze against the dish itself, only against the plastic. Make sure that it is as flat as possible.
Next, start spooning in the first layer of ice cream. Which you use depends on your taste and how you are planning to decorate your cake. I used Vanilla because it would show the decorations clearer. Spread the ice cream as flat and as carefully as you can. I used an entire box of vanilla in our cake, and spread it with a rice server. A spatula would work well too. If your ice cream isn't spreading very well, you may need to wait a few more minutes before trying again.
Spread the next layer of ice cream carefully. Again, make sure the layer is even.
Follow with a layer of crushed cookies. Press the cookies into the top layer of ice cream as much as you can so that it sticks. Cover with a loose layer of foil.
Freeze for at least an hour. Here is where I tell you to make sure your dish fits into the freezer before making the cake. ;)
You'll want to place a cookie sheet or the plate that you will be displaying your cake on over the glass dish. Flip it over carefully before placing it on the counter. Next, slowly pull the plastic so the cake is free from the dish. If it's sticking, wet a dish towel with hot water and place it over the glass dish for no more than 20 seconds. The ice cream should come right out. Carefully pull the plastic wrap off the ice cream, and get to decorating! I used Smucker's Magic Shell hard chocolate topping on this one.
Total cost to make his huge cake, not including decorations and candles, was under $7!
Free Sample of Emeril's Original Essence
This is a great way to try it out and see if the blend works for your cooking ideas before spending the money on the full size version! Simply fill out your mailing address to receive two sample packets of Emeril's Original Essence Seasoning. You should receive it in your mailbox in 4 to 6 weeks.
When you get this, let me know what you think! I think I might try ours out on steak fries when it comes.
Printable Wet Coupons
You can print a coupon to save $1.00 off your next purchase of any Wet brand personal lubricant including the flavored kind! If you're running low on ink or you're not in a hurry, the nice folks over at Wet will even mail you the coupons! Simply choose the state you live in on the first screen, then you'll be able to access the coupon(s) available to you.
Printable Cold-EEZE Coupon
Here's a printable coupon to save $1 off your next purchase of Cold-EEZE. You do have to fill out your mailing information in order to print it.
This is the time of year when many stores are clearing out their cold and other assorted medications to make way for new packaging and shipments - pair it up with a sale or clearance price and you could be stocked up for next cold and flu season for cheap, and not have to worry about leaving the house sick to pick up meds!
You Know...
I know it's summer, and kids will be kids... but do I really have to listen to your kids running up and down my street screaming I HATE YOU over and over again during our nap time? At least keep them in your yard, instead of on a street where there are no sidewalks and your kids can be roadkill.
I don't think they are any older than five. Plus, hello? There's a sex offender around here. Do you REALLY want to let them run out of your sight? I sure wouldn't!
I don't think they are any older than five. Plus, hello? There's a sex offender around here. Do you REALLY want to let them run out of your sight? I sure wouldn't!
Menu Planning Monday
Monday: turkey cutlets, mashed potatoes & gravy, salad
Tuesday: crockpot roasted chicken, side dish du jour from a box (LOL)
Wednesday: Cornbread stuffed cups, salad
Thursday: recipe of the week
Friday: Deep Dish Pizza
Saturday: DH is grilling out
Sunday: roast & potatoes with veggies if it's not too hot
Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!
21 June 2009
Lotsa Giveaway Winners!
I have lots of winners to announce, so here goes:
The $30 Skin Free gift certificate is:
Mistress said...
I am a subscriber!!!
The 10 winners of the Flame Disks are (I'm abreviating the comments for this one):
Lilith Silvermane said...
Jennifer said...
kasandria said...
Amy B. said...
Terra H. said...
Meet the Browns said...
Angela said...
talisa said...
Pam said...
souldolphindream said...
The winner of the 4 pack of Brez is:
Lenox Knits said...
I tweeted here:
http://twitter.com/LenoxKnits/statuses/2091477742
And stumbled here:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/url/confessions-of-a-psychotic-housewife.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-giveaway-brez-by-airway.html
I think that about covers it!
And the winner of the LTDchix t-shirt is:
Nicole said...
Cleaning Mom most fits me because sometimes I think that that is all I ever do!!
Congratulations everyone! I need to hear back from you in the next 48 hours - I'm sending you an email!
Fred Meyer Deals 6/21 - 6/27 2009
See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:
Foster Farms Fresh Fryer Breasts
$0.99 lb (jumbo pack, bone in)
Red, Green, or Black Grapes
$0.98 lb
Rotisserie Chicken
$5.99 (deli)
Deluxe Ice Cream Pints
$1.00
Chef Boyardee Pasta
$1.00 ($0.35 off 3 MC)
Jell-O Pudding or Gelatin Mix
$1.00
FM Frozen Vegetables
$1.00 (16 oz)
FM Facial Tissue
$1.00
Glaceau Vitamin or Smart Water
$1.00
Power Bars
$1.00
Hershey King Size Candy Bars
$1.00
Kroger Bandages
$1.00 (10-60 ct assorted styles)
Kroger Ibuprofen
$1.00 (50 ct tablets or caplets)
Twizzlers or Whoppers
3 for $5
Hot Tamales, Mike & Ike or Zours
4 for $5
FM Canned Tomatoes
10 for $10
FM Fruit
2 for $3 (peaches, fruit cocktail or pears)
FM Large Eggs
$0.99 dozen
FM Taters or Fries
3 for $5
FM Cottage Cheese
4 for $5 (16 oz)
FM Dry Dog Food
$12.99 (40 lbs)
Cantaloupe
$0.37 lb
Leaf Lettuce
5 for $5
Radishes or Green Onions
3 for $1
Large Avocados
2 for $3
Mini Peeled Carrots
$1.79 (2 lb)
Cucumbers or Green Peppers
$0.68
Jumbo Artichokes
2 for $4
Tom's of Maine Personal Care
2 for $6
White Wave Silk
$2.79 (64 oz) ($1.25 off 2 MC)
Mrs. Meyers
Save 30%
Pirate's Booty or Smart Puffs
2 for $4 ($1.00 off 2 MC)
Westsoy Non-Dairy Beverages
3 for $5
Schiff Move Free
Save 50%
Enzymatic Therapy
Save 30%
Prilosec
$24.99 42 ct (plus receive $10 FM GC w/purchase!)
Kroger Baby Wipes
$1.79 80-140 ct
Zyrtec
$15.99 30 ct ($4.00 off MC, $3.00 off printable PDF MC here)
Aquafresh Toothpaste or Toothbrushes
$1.99
Kroger Mouthwash
$1.99 1 ltr
Bic Soleil Shimmer Razors or Cartridges
$2.99 after in store MC
Banana Boat Sun Care
$4.99 after in store MC
Garnier Fructis
$2.79 (some $1.00 off MC's on tear pads out there)
Aveeno Shampoo or Conditioner
$4.99
Axe Antiperspirant, Deodorant, Body Wash, Detamer Tool
2 for $7 ($1.50 off Detamer MC)
Old Spice Body Wash
3 for $10 ($0.50 off MC)
Johnson's Body Wash
3 for $10
Ivory Body Wash
3 for $10
Organic Strawberries
2 for $5 1 lb
Organic Peaches or Nectarines
$1.99 lb
Organic Mangos
5 for $5
Organic Braeburn Apples
$1.29 lb
Organic Broccoli or Cauliflower
$1.48 lb
Organic Grape Tomatoes
2 for $5 1 dry pint
Organic Litehouse Dressing
2 for $5
FM Yogurt
10 for $4
Country Oven Bread
3 for $4
Kraft Singles
3 for $4 (12 oz)
Coke Products 24 pk
$6.99
Lay's Chips
$1.88
Cool Classics Ice Cream Bars or Ice Pops
$1.88
Kellogg's Pop Tarts
2 for $5 ($1.00 off 2 MC)
Dole Juice Blends
2 for $5
Purex Liquid Laundry Detergent or Fabric Softener
2 for $5 ($0.35 off MC, $0.50 off printable MC here)
Scott Bath Tissue
$6.99 12 rolls ($1.00 off MC)
Bounty Paper Towels
$6.99 6-8 rolls (0.25 off MC)
Arrowhead Water
$3.47 24 pk
Farmhouse Rice or Pasta
4 for $5
Fresh Wild Alaskan Whole Sockeye Salmon
$5.99 lb
Ahi Tuna
$7.99 lb
Barramundi Fillet
$7.99 lb
Brazilian Grouper
$7.99 lb
Colossal E-Z Peel White Prawns
$7.99 lb
Beef Loin Petite Sirloin Steak
$2.99 lb (family pack)
Beef Cross Rib Roast
$2.99 lb
FM Grilling Sausage
2 for $6
Beef Loin T-Bone Steaks
$6.99 lb (family pack)
Pork Loin Top Sirloin Chops
$1.99 lb (family packs)
Fresh Lean Ground Beef
$2.46 lb (flavor seal 3 lb pack)
Fresh Extra Lean Ground Beef
$3.18 lb (flavor seal 3 lb pack)
V05 Shampoo or Conditioner
$0.79 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
FM 1/2 Gallon Milk or Orange Juice
10 for $10 w/ in ad coupon (limit 10)
Bandon Medium Cheddar Cheese 2lb
$4.49 w/ in ad coupon (limit 2)
Breyers Ice Cream
2 for $5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
GM Cereals
5 for $10 w/ in ad coupon (limit 5) (assorted coupons out there!)
Gatorade
10 for $8 w/ in ad coupon (limit 10)
FM Deli meat 16 oz
2 for $5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
Hormel Fully Cooked Dinner Entrees
$3.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
Hershey's packaged candy
2 for $5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price!
Don't forget to use your reward coupons - you should have already received them! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!
Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.
For more sites listing other stores sales ads and coupon match ups, please visit BeCentsAble - home of the original Grocery Gathering!
20 June 2009
Review And Giveaway: Shelf Reliance Thrive
If you're a returning reader, you probably know I am a big believer in emergency preparedness and food storage. I've learned my lesson on more than one occasion when we've been stuck without electricity or the weather has kept us stuck in the house for days on end. Plus, after going through a tornado years ago, and living in hurricane territory for years, I feel you can never be too prepared.
My family recently had the chance to try out Shelf Reliance and their Thrive products! They sent us this incredible Raspberry Cake Bars Gift Basket to make yummy Raspberry Bars! For anyone just learning about food storage, this gift basket is a great way to try out different Thrive products and see how it fits for your family. Each Raspberry Gift Basket includes:
1 Pouch of THRIVE White Sugar
1 Pouch of THRIVE Butter Powder
1 Pouch of THRIVE Whole Eggs
1 Pouch of THRIVE White Flour
1 Pouch of THRIVE Freeze Dried Raspberries
1 Raspberry Bars Recipe Card
1 Sturdy Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Mixing Spoon
Anyone who had lost their power for a week knows the food choices can get pretty boring. Having freeze dried products like Butter Powder and Whole Eggs where you just have to add water to reconstitute them and can bake comfort foods is a wonderful thing indeed. Making the Raspberry Cake Bars were easy peasy! I just added the right amount of water for the dry goods and whisked well.
Now I suppose if you wanted to make scrambled eggs, the eggs might not be the greatest for it without some extra oomph. But for baking, Thrive's eggs came out perfect!
What's also great about this gift basket is that all the pouches are resealable - if you have a little bit leftover for the recipe, you can store them in the pouch until you use them again!
The gift basket has everything to make the bars except cinnamon if you use it, salt and buttermilk. (Tip: to cheat and make buttermilk as I just found out, add 1-3/4 tablespoons of cream of tartar (which is shelf stable, not the sauce you use for fish!) to a cup of milk (you can use powdered and reconstitute it. Depending on the recipe, you can also use sour cream instead of the buttermilk!) I was really impressed, as this was my first taste of the Thrive line. Hands down, my family will be adding more of their products to our pantry. I really like knowing that I don't have to worry about running to the store if I am out of eggs - I can just pull a package off the shelf!
Shelf Reliance isn't just about shelf stable foods, either. They are also home of the Cansolidator to store your canned goods in! One of these will organize your food cabinets with all your cans, enabling you to cut down on waste since you'll be able to organize soups and other canned goods, and even put them into the Cansolidator by expiration date!
I'm actually trying to convince my DH that we need The Reserve to keep my canned stockpiles in. Shelf Reliance currently has free shipping on all orders over $199, so it would be perfect timing for us to order!
Win it! The wonderful folks over at Shelf Reliance are going to give one of my lucky readers their very own Raspberry Gift Basket so they can try out the Thrive line of products themself! To enter, head over to Shelf Reliance and tell me which product you'd like to try (besides the giveaway item or the Reserve), and tell me something your family does to be prepared.
For an extra two entries, you can sign up for Shelf Reliance's newsletter, come back and let us know (it will be checked) They don't send out a ton of emails, just like two a month (I'm a subscriber too!)
As always, you can receive an entry for subscribing to my feed or following my blog. You can also receive another entry for blogging about this giveaway with a link back.
Contest ends July 4th at 11:59 PM PST. US only, sorry.
My family recently had the chance to try out Shelf Reliance and their Thrive products! They sent us this incredible Raspberry Cake Bars Gift Basket to make yummy Raspberry Bars! For anyone just learning about food storage, this gift basket is a great way to try out different Thrive products and see how it fits for your family. Each Raspberry Gift Basket includes:
1 Pouch of THRIVE White Sugar
1 Pouch of THRIVE Butter Powder
1 Pouch of THRIVE Whole Eggs
1 Pouch of THRIVE White Flour
1 Pouch of THRIVE Freeze Dried Raspberries
1 Raspberry Bars Recipe Card
1 Sturdy Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Mixing Spoon
Anyone who had lost their power for a week knows the food choices can get pretty boring. Having freeze dried products like Butter Powder and Whole Eggs where you just have to add water to reconstitute them and can bake comfort foods is a wonderful thing indeed. Making the Raspberry Cake Bars were easy peasy! I just added the right amount of water for the dry goods and whisked well.
Now I suppose if you wanted to make scrambled eggs, the eggs might not be the greatest for it without some extra oomph. But for baking, Thrive's eggs came out perfect!
What's also great about this gift basket is that all the pouches are resealable - if you have a little bit leftover for the recipe, you can store them in the pouch until you use them again!
The gift basket has everything to make the bars except cinnamon if you use it, salt and buttermilk. (Tip: to cheat and make buttermilk as I just found out, add 1-3/4 tablespoons of cream of tartar (which is shelf stable, not the sauce you use for fish!) to a cup of milk (you can use powdered and reconstitute it. Depending on the recipe, you can also use sour cream instead of the buttermilk!) I was really impressed, as this was my first taste of the Thrive line. Hands down, my family will be adding more of their products to our pantry. I really like knowing that I don't have to worry about running to the store if I am out of eggs - I can just pull a package off the shelf!
Shelf Reliance isn't just about shelf stable foods, either. They are also home of the Cansolidator to store your canned goods in! One of these will organize your food cabinets with all your cans, enabling you to cut down on waste since you'll be able to organize soups and other canned goods, and even put them into the Cansolidator by expiration date!
I'm actually trying to convince my DH that we need The Reserve to keep my canned stockpiles in. Shelf Reliance currently has free shipping on all orders over $199, so it would be perfect timing for us to order!
Win it! The wonderful folks over at Shelf Reliance are going to give one of my lucky readers their very own Raspberry Gift Basket so they can try out the Thrive line of products themself! To enter, head over to Shelf Reliance and tell me which product you'd like to try (besides the giveaway item or the Reserve), and tell me something your family does to be prepared.
For an extra two entries, you can sign up for Shelf Reliance's newsletter, come back and let us know (it will be checked) They don't send out a ton of emails, just like two a month (I'm a subscriber too!)
As always, you can receive an entry for subscribing to my feed or following my blog. You can also receive another entry for blogging about this giveaway with a link back.
Contest ends July 4th at 11:59 PM PST. US only, sorry.
19 June 2009
T.J. Maxx And Marshall's: Father's Day Shopping Fun!
T.J. Maxx and their sister store Marshalls is helping me out! They sent me a $25 gift certificate to each store to find the perfect Father's Day gift for DH. I adore T.J. Maxx, so I was in heaven! Any excuse to shop there? oh Yeah baby!
We're kind of like the alternative family - if I bought my DH something golf related for Father's Day, he'd laugh. So our slightly different tastes in things make Father's Day shopping just a teeny weeny little bit harder.
Last year was our first Summer out here where we had a yard, so I bought him everything BBQ related for his birthday/Father's Day (poor guy, they are so close it ends up being combined lol) One of my ideas was maybe a flame retardant BBQ mitt, because he didn't have that yet. He's been using our fireplace mitts, LOL. Same purpose I suppose, just I'd rather he's not near food with gloves that touches wood that's been who knows where! My other idea was a belt. Boring, you say? Not with a Transformers belt buckle to go with it, or something along those lines! ;)
So off I went armed with my ideas. As soon as you walked into our local T.J. Maxx (Marshalls is on the other side of the bridge, so that has to wait until we go across to pick up his glasses later this weekend), they had lots of tables and displays set up with gift ideas. They even had small MP3 players! It actually gave me a couple of thoughts of what I could get him if I didn't find my original ideas.
I did end up striking out on the belt - that's what happens when your DH is pudgy like the Doughboy. ;) And while they had tons of cool BBQ goodies to choose from, including even some awesome BBQ cookbooks, no glove. So I headed back to the display tables in front and picked him out a way cool pair of Skull Candy headphones with skulls on them. (He has ear buds, but I know they bug his ears) I thought they were a pretty good price at $12.99 - they even have interchangeable covers for the ears.
Then I cheated. I admit it. LOL I really did not want to go pick him out more clothes - trust me when I say he does not need anymore t-shirts!!! and I refuse to buy him undies and socks for Father's Day. (Luckily for DH, since he wears scrubs he can never get the oh-so-maligned gift of a tie LOL) I let him pick out these goodies:
(I had to let him choose, I don't know what he has anymore!) Yep, more Transformers! LOL These were a really great price too - just $3.99 for the Transformers and $5.99 for the Joker figure.
If we had more wall space, they had some absolutely beautiful frames, all under $15 - I'm still sitting here thinking what I could move around to get more space to hang them!
So, if you're looking for last minute Father's Day gifts with great prices, T.J. Maxx and Marshall's are definitely great places to look and stretch your money. And psst - Saturday and Sunday, with every purchase at T.J. Maxx they are giving out a free re-usable shopping tote! It's a nice bright red, so you can't loose it in the car easily. ;)
(stay tuned for Marshalls goodies!)
We're kind of like the alternative family - if I bought my DH something golf related for Father's Day, he'd laugh. So our slightly different tastes in things make Father's Day shopping just a teeny weeny little bit harder.
Last year was our first Summer out here where we had a yard, so I bought him everything BBQ related for his birthday/Father's Day (poor guy, they are so close it ends up being combined lol) One of my ideas was maybe a flame retardant BBQ mitt, because he didn't have that yet. He's been using our fireplace mitts, LOL. Same purpose I suppose, just I'd rather he's not near food with gloves that touches wood that's been who knows where! My other idea was a belt. Boring, you say? Not with a Transformers belt buckle to go with it, or something along those lines! ;)
So off I went armed with my ideas. As soon as you walked into our local T.J. Maxx (Marshalls is on the other side of the bridge, so that has to wait until we go across to pick up his glasses later this weekend), they had lots of tables and displays set up with gift ideas. They even had small MP3 players! It actually gave me a couple of thoughts of what I could get him if I didn't find my original ideas.
I did end up striking out on the belt - that's what happens when your DH is pudgy like the Doughboy. ;) And while they had tons of cool BBQ goodies to choose from, including even some awesome BBQ cookbooks, no glove. So I headed back to the display tables in front and picked him out a way cool pair of Skull Candy headphones with skulls on them. (He has ear buds, but I know they bug his ears) I thought they were a pretty good price at $12.99 - they even have interchangeable covers for the ears.
Then I cheated. I admit it. LOL I really did not want to go pick him out more clothes - trust me when I say he does not need anymore t-shirts!!! and I refuse to buy him undies and socks for Father's Day. (Luckily for DH, since he wears scrubs he can never get the oh-so-maligned gift of a tie LOL) I let him pick out these goodies:
(I had to let him choose, I don't know what he has anymore!) Yep, more Transformers! LOL These were a really great price too - just $3.99 for the Transformers and $5.99 for the Joker figure.
If we had more wall space, they had some absolutely beautiful frames, all under $15 - I'm still sitting here thinking what I could move around to get more space to hang them!
So, if you're looking for last minute Father's Day gifts with great prices, T.J. Maxx and Marshall's are definitely great places to look and stretch your money. And psst - Saturday and Sunday, with every purchase at T.J. Maxx they are giving out a free re-usable shopping tote! It's a nice bright red, so you can't loose it in the car easily. ;)
(stay tuned for Marshalls goodies!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
