Monday, October 31, 2011

Chili Cheese Dip - a Giveaway

You know how there are just some foods that once you start eating them, you just can't stop? For me, chili cheese dip and nacho chips is one of those dishes. There is just something about that flavor combination that is so appealing to me. Warm it up and it is even harder for me to resist.

Hormel Foods has created a Limited Edition Chili Cheese Dip kit. The kit combines Hormel Chili without beans and Hormel Cheese Sauce. Combine the two (in a crock pot is my preference) and serve with ChiChi's White Corn Tortillas for an easy and tasty snack. Of course, you can always amp it up by adding jalapenos, ground beef or other ingredients to the cheese dip to take it to the next level.

Thanks to Hormel Foods, I have the chance to giveaway to one winner a Pumpkin Trick or Treat Basket full of Hormel Food Goodies. The prize pack contains: a limited edition Hormel Chili Cheese Dip Kit, Hormel pepperoni minis and Hormel chunk breast of chicken.

To enter: Leave a comment sharing your favorite fall-themed dish or meal.

Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

Follow ABusyMomofTwo on Twitter.

Follow Hormel Foods on Twitter.

Tweet about this giveaway. You may complete this entry once per day. (You may use the following or write your own: Enter to win a
@HormelFoods Chili Cheese Dip Prize Pack. @ABusyMomofTwo. Ends 11/1 #giveaway http://bit.ly/sRVXr0)

Follow A Busy Mom of Two. Subscribe to updates in your feed reader or in e-mail. Leave me a comment letting me know that you signed up, or that you already subscribe.

Like A Busy Mom of Two on Facebook.

Giveaway will remain open until November 1st at 6 pm. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I am completing this post as a participant in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program.

Shutterfly Holiday Cards

It is hard to believe that it is already the end of October. I know I may be weird, but I've already started to think about and plan for Christmas. In fact, I purchased (actually my husband placed the order) my first official Christmas gift this past week (okay, it was my second) and we already received it.

We have been finishing off another small section of our basement (already partially finished) as a "kitchen" bar (I guess that is my husband's way of saying it's not a fancy wooden bar, but rather a small area that includes kitchen cabinets and a countertop). Before we had children, we used to have holiday parties and I was thinking that now that we have a larger space for entertaining. I can already see the invitation.
Of course, when I suggested it to my husband, he felt that we go to enough Christmas parties that maybe we just hold a Game Night. I think I can make that work - not as many people and I can still make up my favorite appetizers.

Of course, while I was checking out invitations, I started to look at Christmas cards. Never too early - even if I were able to choose and order today, we likely would still not get them sent out before we receive our first card. We have someone that we receive a Christmas card from every year on the day after Thanksgiving, like clockwork. My husband mocks, but I think it is great - it marks that start of the season.

My husband would like to abandon sending actual Christmas cards in the mail and move to sending electronic cards (attach a picture to the e-mail he says). I feel like that is so impersonal, plus I love to receive mail! Christmas time is probably the busiest time of the year for our mailbox! For now I'm holding my ground and I get to keep sending actual cards - I told him that he could trial his approach for his friends and family, but I wasn't ready to change for my friends and family.

Seriously, I love to receive Photo Christmas Cards from friends and family. We don't have the chance to get together regularly with some of our friends and it always so fun to see how their kids have grown and/or how they are changing over the years. I think that is in large part why I like to send them - if I enjoy receiving them so much, I hope others do to. I even started a scrapbook that is filled with the picture photo cards (I'm not real current), but it seems like a great way to preserve the cards and to be able to go back and see how the families have all changed with time - from pictures of just a couple by the tree, to a baby, to a toddler, to two children and so on.

The biggest debate is whether to include one large picture or to do a couple of smaller ones.



I love that Top 5 Moments card - it sort of puts the newsletter and picture in one. Just a quick recap of what we were up to. I noticed that if I go with the larger card size that I could actually do the top 10 moments. With a trip to Disney and so much more, maybe that is the way to go.

Of course, we have a few friends that we send holiday greetings to. They don't celebrate Christmas, but we still want to send them holiday wishes, but not offend them with a Merry Christmas greeting (I'm guessing that they wouldn't actually be offended, but why not show that you know by not sending a Christmas greeting?) So, typically we get two cards - one wishing Merry Christmas and one saying Happy Holidays - fortunately, Shutterfly has many styles that are available for both wishes making setting up two cards even easier.

Now, to find (or take) those perfect pictures to include on our card.

No compensation was received for this post. I am writing it as part of Shutterfly's 2011 Bloggers promotion and will receive 25 free cards in exchange for my post. All opinions expressed are mine or that of my family.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Fall Foods

I love the fall. It is a wonderful time of year. I have many wonderful memories of fall - bonfires and hayrides, trick or treating, hot apple cider and candy corn, pumpkins, apples, collecting fallen leaves and so much more.

One particular memory that has stuck with me from many years ago was one fall day when my best friend and I headed out to a Church youth group event. We were supposed to be going on a hayride and having a bonfire. We had brought along apple cider and candy corn to share with the group. When we got there, we wound up being the only two that came. So, the event was cancelled. We weren't ready to call it a day, so we decided to go for a walk at a park called Charleston Falls and enjoy the colors of fall. We didn't have cups (someone else was supposed to bring those), so we decided to go through the drive through at Lee's Famous Recipe (a chicken place, not sure if they are still around today) and ordered two small ice waters. When we got to the park, we dumped the water (saving some of the ice) and refilled the cup with cider. We carried our cups of cider and the bag of candy corn as we walked around the trails and enjoyed the fall scenery. It was fun and just one of many memories we share.

Now that I am older, I think that my teeth would hurt if I enjoyed that combo! Each is still a taste of fall that I love, I just enjoy them separately. In addition to apple cider and candy corn, I most associate apples and pumpkins with fall. I love to eat both.

When it comes to apples, I love to just eat them as they are. We also will chop them up and serve them with caramel and/or peanut butter. Another way that I enjoy apples is sliced with sliced sharp white cheddar. Apples are tasty, satisfying and a great snack. I also enjoy making apple desserts - apple pie, apple crisp, and apple dumplings. Last summer, I attended a Iron Chef Dinner party and apples were one of the ingredients that we used. I made an apple chicken quesadilla and a fruit salsa with apples. They were both very delicious dishes and another great way to incorporate apples into a meal.

Apple Chicken Quesadilla
1 Apple, sliced thin
1 small Plum tomato, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 can Hormel Chunk Breast of Chicken
1 cup shredded Sharp White Cheddar
4 tortilla shells

Place tortilla in skillet, sprinkle cheese over the tortilla, layer with some apple slices, diced tomato, diced onion and chicken. Fold in half. Use spatula to press down on quesadilla to seal. Flip and brown on the other side. Serve with salsa and sour cream.


When we get pumpkins, we love to scoop out the seeds and roast them and then use the pumpkin to make pumpkin pudding, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin cake, pumpkin cheese cake, pumpkin pie. This year, we tried for the first time, Harvest Pumpkin pasta sauce - it was delicious paired with simple cheese ravioli. The kids have so much fun cooking with the pumpkin (of course, we get some for carving too!) that they probably don't even realize that it's good for them too! (You can find links to some our favorite pumpkin recipes here.)

In addition to the tastes of the fall harvest, fall also represents to me a return to so many comfort foods and of course, football and associated snacks too! The first time we make chili or a roast, it makes the house seem so cozy. The warmth of the smell of the foods cooking in the kitchen seems to warm the house. Sometimes, you can even combine the two - the flavors of fall harvest with comfort foods. One recipe that I like that does that is Apple Dijon Pork Roast.

Even though it signals that winter is soon approaching, I always welcome the arrival of fall - a return to so many flavors that I associate with fall.

What are some of your favorite tastes of fall?

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I am completing this post as a participant in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Member's Mark 4X Probiotic

It seems like I have been hearing more about probiotics, which are supposed to help support a healthy digestive system recently. Some of what I have heard, prompted me to do a little reading on the topic. From what I have read, I believe that I could benefit from them. Turns out we have these good bacteria in our intestines and when they are out of balance, you can have "side effects" - things such as indigestion and fatigue. Consuming probiotics are supposed to help rebalance the bacteria in your intestines.

Ever since I have had kids, my stomach seems to be more sensitive to the foods I eat. I find myself suffering from indigestion more frequently than I used too. As an example, I have to make sure I moderate tomato based products, so as not to be too uncomfortable. I'm not sure that taking probiotics to rebalance the good bacteria will resolve this, but I'm certainly willing to try.

You can find probiotics as part of foods and as supplements. It seems that there are quite a few products that contain probiotics - kefir and yogurts, as example. I have tried to use these products, but the challenge I have faced is consuming it daily. I'm not always hungry for yogurt, as example.

So, when I was given the opportunity to try Member's Mark 4X Probiotics, I was intrigued. Probiotics in a pill that I could take daily. That could work for me. I do remember to take a vitamin daily, certainly I could consistently take this product.
In order to try the product, I headed out to the local Sam's Club to pick it up.
Upon arrival, after checking out their bar stools, I headed over to the pharmacy area to find the Members Mark 4X Probiotic.
It took me a few minutes to find it, I looked first in the vitamin row, but found it one row over with some other supplements and protein shakes.
For only $28.88, I was able to pick up a Twin Pack, that in total contains a 3-month supply. That seems reasonable to me at less than $10/month.

In a couple of weeks, I will check back in and share my experience with the Member's Mark 4X Probiotic Digestive Care Supplement.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and MamaBzz. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Big G Cereal Heroes - Giveaway!


When I was growing up, one of the cartoons that I watched was Super Friends. I can remember watching it regularly. I always liked Wonder Woman and her invisible jet and of course, the Wonder Twins. "Wonder Twins power activate..."

Now, "Big G cereals and DC Comics have joined forces to create a powerful breakfast for you and some of your favorite little sidekicks. Available now, specially marked Big G cereal boxes will feature collectable DC Super Hero comic books starring members from the Justice League, from Batman to Wonder Woman to Green Lantern!

Each box will be packed with action, adventure, and delicious cereal, not to mention a cut-out DC Super Hero mask your child can use to help the Justice League fight crime at breakfast time!

Collect all four comics – there’s one in each specially-marked Big G cereal box - and you’ll instantly be the hero of your house. Participating Big G cereal include; Cinnamon Toast Crunch (17 oz.), Lucky Charms (16 oz.), Honey Nut Cheerios (17 oz.), Trix (14.8 oz.), Golden Grahams (16 oz.), Reese’s Puffs(18 oz.) and Cocoa Puffs (16.5 oz.)

Let Big G cereals and DC ENTERTAINMENT feed your family’s bodies and minds while also giving them a super start to their day! Visit www.BigGCerealHeroes.com for more information on Big G cereals and DC Comics."

My son, who is a 3rd grader, is at a juncture in life where he is convinced that reading is boring. I love that as soon as we got the package and found the comics, he was excited to read them and wanted to know if he could have them. His teacher has asked them to read daily as a part of their homework. She said that they could read newspapers, magazines or whatever - as long as they were reading. I also like that he is getting to know the Super Heroes who I watched growing up.

Giveaway!
The prize pack will contain:
  • 1 box of a participating Big G cereal





  • 1 set of the collectable DC Super Hero comic books





  • 1 Green Lantern action figure






  • To enter: Leave a comment sharing who your favorite DC hero is.

    Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

    Follow ABusyMomofTwo on Twitter.

    Tweet about this giveaway. You may complete this entry once per day. (You may use the following or write your own: Enter to win a Big G Cereal Heroes Prize Pack. @ABusyMomofTwo. Ends 11/15 #myblogspark #giveaway http://bit.ly/t8ycxB)

    Follow A Busy Mom of Two. Subscribe to updates in your feed reader or in e-mail. Leave me a comment letting me know that you signed up, or that you already subscribe.

    Like A Busy Mom of Two on Facebook.

    Share this giveaway with friends - on your blog, on Facebook or by posting it on a giveaway link-up. Leave me a comment letting me know how you shared or leave a link to the giveaway link-up. You may have one additional entry for each giveaway linky that you submit it on.

    Leave a comment with a link to your blog where you have either my button or have a link to A Busy Mom of Two in your blog roll.

    Giveaway will remain open until November 15 at 6 pm. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

    No compensation was received for this post. A Big G Cereal Heroes prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills and DC Entertainment through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own or that of my family.

    CVS Deals - 10/25

    When I learned about the $1/1 Hershey IP, I printed it off and headed back to CVS to get a good deal on some candy.
    4 - Hershey Snack Size varieties

    -$4 $1x4 Hersey IP

    Total $6, paid with $6 ECBs and earned $3 ECBs.

    Four bags of candy for $3 net cost (and actually $0 OOP) seems like a good deal to me.

    Thursday, October 27, 2011

    Freschetta Pizza Prize Pack Winner!

    Congratulations to Amanda. She was selected as the winner of the Freschetta Prize Pack.

    An e-mail will be sent to the winner.

    Be sure to check out the current giveaways going on now - you can find the full list in the upper right sidebar.


    Random Integer Generator

    Here are your random numbers:

    41

    Timestamp: 2011-10-28 02:02:51 UTC

    Wednesday, October 26, 2011

    Foldflops

    When I was in high school and college and worked an office job, I loved to dress up and wear heels. Then, I got my first job as an engineer and I had to wear steel toe boots everyday for work. My feet got used to wearing flat shoes most of the time. Sure, I had some tall loafers and a couple pairs of heels that I would wear when I went out, but nothing on a regular basis.

    Now, I find myself back in an office job. At first, I stuck with slacks that I could easily wear flats or short loafers with. Then, I decided that I wanted to be able to wear dresses and cute skirts. I felt like for some of the dresses and skirts that I really needed a taller loafer or a heel to make the outfit. Only problem is that at the end of the day, I just want to take my shoes off. My feet just aren't used to wearing that type of shoe and they hurt, plus I couldn't walk as fast as I wanted.

    So, when I learned about a product call Foldflops, I was intrigued. A pair of flip flops that fold up and fit in a bag. What a great way to quickly change out of my dress shoes at the end of the day, to allow me to hurry home or run quick errands.

      Foldflops are a new foldable flip flop that is convenient, waterproof, lightweight and fashionable. Foldflops will take you from the office to the soccer field in no time - simply unfold and go! Foldflops fit perfectly in your purse, tote bag, or glove compartment so they're ready to slip on anytime or anywhere heels just won't do. Available in bright red, black and champagne, foldflops are designed for men and women.

    After trying them, I have a few thoughts. The shoes are a reasonable thickness and fit like you would expect a flip flop to. The portion of the shoe that folds looks like it should hold up well to multiple folds and unfolds (although, only having had them a few weeks, I can't be sure exactly how long they hold up). Because they have a reasonable thickness, they don't fold up as small as I had envisioned - I was hoping it would fit in my purse. They do come with their own bag, so it's not that big of a deal that they don't fit in my purse. Overall, I feel that they offer a nice option of having a pair of shoes to change into handy.

    Want to learn more?
    You can check out the Foldflops website, Like Foldflops on Facebook or Follow Foldflops on Twitter.

    Giveaway!
    One A Busy Mom of Two reader will win a pair of Foldflops!

    To enter: Leave a comment sharing when you would use Foldflops.

    Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

    Like Foldflops on Facebook

    Follow Foldflops on Twitter

    Follow A Busy Mom of Two on Twitter.

    Tweet about this giveaway. You may complete this entry once per day. (You may use the following or write your own: Enter to win a pair of @Foldflops. @ABusyMomofTwo. #giveaway Ends 11/10. http://bit.ly/ttirPc)

    Follow A Busy Mom of Two. Subscribe to updates in your feed reader or in e-mail. Leave me a comment letting me know that you signed up, or that you already subscribe.

    Like A Busy Mom of Two on Facebook.

    Share this giveaway with friends - on your blog, on Facebook or by posting it on a giveaway link-up. Leave me a comment letting me know how you shared or leave a link to the giveaway link-up. You may have one additional entry for each giveaway linky that you submit it on.

    Leave a comment with a link to your blog where you have either my button or have a link to A Busy Mom of Two in your blog roll.

    Giveaway will remain open until November 10th at 6 pm. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

    No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary pair of Foldflops was provided for the review. Foldflops is also supplying the pair of Foldflops for the giveaway. All opinions are my own or that of my family.

    Tuesday, October 25, 2011

    My Little Pony: Twilight Sparkle, Teacher For A Day - Review & Giveaway

    When I was growing up, My Little Pony debuted a little too late for me to enjoy. But, I had cousins and kids that I babysat for that really enjoyed My Little Pony. As with so many things, the toys that were popular in my youth are popular again (still perhaps - I guess I was out of the toy market for a while). My daughter enjoys My Little Pony, so when I was given the chance to check out the new My Little Pony Twilight Sparkle Teacher For A Day app for the iPad, I knew that she would enjoy it.

    We sat down together the other evening to check out the app. When we first turned it on, she was excited by the graphics and asked if it was a movie. We started by reading the book. The app provides clear verbal direction for the kids through out. Pages are turned simply by swiping the finger across the screen. The story was cute and interspersed with different activities for the kids. Activities that helped them unlock words that they could later use to make a story of their own.

    Kids can chose to have the book read to them - the words are highlighted as they are read, allowing the child to easily follow along; read the book themselves, or even record your voice reading it. You can meet all the ponies in the story and explore other activities. Plus in between the story lines, they break for a few games.

      "My Little Pony has been loved for generations by thousands if not millions of children and adults. However, this is the first time it will be available in digital format. It is the perfect combination of yesterday with today’s newest technology and will continue to grow with your child as they build on their reading skills while interacting with brand new stories that they will love. This interactive app is perfect for: Building you child’s reading skills Building your child’s motor skills Story-time with your child" “My Little Pony: Twilight Sparkle, Teacher for a Day” It’s a dream come true for My Little Pony lovers of all ages. Join Twilight Sparkle, Spike the Dragon, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and other Ponyville friends in a magical journey to learn about the history of Equestria, the Kingdom of Princess Celestia. Story-driven activities guide Twilight Sparkle and Spike through the story of Equestria to the finale of the Grand Galloping Gala. Features: Bold graphics, bright colors and the captivating story make “Twilight Sparkle, Teacher for a Day” an enjoyable and engaging way to learn to read, packed full with rich, educational entertainment for beginning readers. Move the adventure forward with narrative-driven activities that include mazes and “spot the difference” that teach word recognition, picture/word association and basic problem solving skills Finish your adventure with the exciting customize-your-own-story activity Touch-driven animations within the story add additional interactivity “Meet the Ponies” feature explores the background of each of the story’s characters

    Want More?

    My Little Pony: Twilight Sparkle, Teacher For a Day is available on Itunes for Ipad and Iphone for only $3.99. Its for ages 4 and up.
    Ruckus Media Group Website
    Facebook
    Twitter

    Giveaway!
    Ruckus Media is also providing a free app to three (3) readers of A Busy Mom of Two.

    To enter: Leave a comment sharing who your favorite pony is.

    Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

    Like Ruckus Media Group on Facebook

    Leave a message for Ruckus Media telling them why you love My Little Pony, tell them that A Busy Mom of Two sent you.

    Follow Ruckus Media Group on Twitter.

    Follow A Busy Mom of Two on Twitter.

    Tweet about this giveaway. You may complete this entry once per day. (You may use the following or write your own: Enter to win a My Little Pony app from @RuckusMedia. @ABusyMomofTwo. Ends 11/7. http://bit.ly/uWIaaU)

    Follow A Busy Mom of Two. Subscribe to updates in your feed reader or in e-mail. Leave me a comment letting me know that you signed up, or that you already subscribe.

    Like A Busy Mom of Two on Facebook.

    Share this giveaway with friends - on your blog, on Facebook or by posting it on a giveaway link-up. Leave me a comment letting me know how you shared or leave a link to the giveaway link-up. You may have one additional entry for each giveaway linky that you submit it on.

    Leave a comment with a link to your blog where you have either my button or have a link to A Busy Mom of Two in your blog roll.

    Giveaway will remain open until November 7th at 6 pm. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

    No compensation was received for this post. A free copy of the My Little Pony Twighlight Sparkle Teacher for a Day app was provided for the review. Ruckus Media is also supplying three apps for the giveaway. All opinions are my own or that of my family.

    Monday, October 24, 2011

    CVS Deals - 10/23

    I stopped at CVS on Sunday, while I was out running other errands. I was disappointed to learn that they were already out of the pumpkin carving tools that were free this week, but was able to pick up a number of things that I had planned to get.
    2 - Theraflu (rain check from last week)
    1 - Right Guard Deodorant
    4 - Starburst singles
    1 - GE Candy Corn
    2 - Covergirl Blushes

    -$3 $3/2 Theraflu IP
    -$1.19 BOGO Starburst IP (not sure why she gave me full value vs sale value?)
    -$1.19 BOGO Starburst IP
    -$8 $8/2 Covergirl mfg coupon
    -$3 $3/$10 Makeup CRT

    Paid with $10 ECB and $1.90 OOP ($.58 plus $1.32 tax). Earned $11.99 in ECBs. I think that the Theraflu must have generated an ECB this week, in addition to the rain check from last week. I am not sure, but have a $3 ECB that I wasn't expecting. Essentially, I wound up getting everything for "free" after the ECBs are factored in. Not too bad for stuff we need (and candy).

    Sunday, October 23, 2011

    Menu Plan Monday

    The weekends are never long enough. It was a good weekend, we went to Boo at the Zoo on Friday night. The kids looked really cute in their costumes. Saturday morning, I went through a bunch of totes in our basement. We are finishing off an additional section of our basement and we needed to clear out some excess from our storage area. Saturday night, we were supposed to have gone out, but our plans changed and we fed the kids mac'n cheese and picked up Chipotle for ourselves. Sunday I took a quick trip to the grocery store. My son and I also worked on his book report, where he dressed a pumpkin as Yoda.

    Sunday
    Cereal
    Chicken Nuggets
    Chicken Parmesan and Breadsticks

    Monday
    BLT

    Tuesday
    Lemon Chicken Artichoke Pasta

    Wednesday
    Turkey Meatloaf and Sweet Potato Fries

    Thursday
    Pizza

    Friday
    Chicken Fried Rice

    Saturday
    Skyline Chili

    Breakfast is cereal or oatmeal each morning, although sometimes at school my daughter will have pancakes or french toast. For my son, lunch is either the menu item at school, a packed lunch with some type of sandwich. Lunch for my husband and I is typically sandwiches, frozen meals or leftovers.

    This post shared at Menu Plan Monday.

    CVS Deals - 10/21

    I stopped at CVS over my lunch hour on Friday, in hopes of picking up the Theraflu deal. The product on shelf, for the type I wanted, unfortunately expired in January 2012. To me, this wasn't enough time for a product I was buying without an immediate need, so I asked for a rain check. I hope to pick it up at another CVS or when they restock.

    1 - 3 Musketeers Fun Size
    1 - Milky Way Caramel Fun Size
    1 - Brach's Candy Corn, Family size
    1 - Benefiber Stick
    1 - Benefiber Chews
    1 - ConAir Comb Set (because my daughter's comb broke)

    -$1.50 $1.50/2 Mars Fun Size Mfg coupon
    -$3 Benefiber Stick Pack IP
    -$3 Benefiber Any IP

    Paid with $12.69 ECBs and $14.32 OOP. Earned $10 ECBs. Not the most "efficient" transaction. I probably could have found the candy corn for less elsewhere, but I was in the mood for candy corn and there it was.

    CVS Scenarios - week of 10/23

    I am so disappointed that CVS doesn't seem to have the small bags of Brach's Candy Corn, it is my favorite. Normally, this week's free after ECB would have been Brach's instead of Gold Emblem. I'm not sure whether I am going to get the Gold Emblem Candy Corn or not. There are a few deals that I might check out.

    Transaction #1
    1 - Gold Emblem Candy Corn
    1 - Pumpkin Masters Carving Tool

    Total $3.48 OOP, earn $2.49 and $.99 ECB.

    Transaction #2
    4 - Starburst Singles
    2 - Covergirl Blush

    -$.50 BOGO Starburst CVS IP
    -$.50 BOGO Starburst CVS IP
    -$8 $8/2 Covergirl mfg coupon

    Total $2.98, pay with $2.49 ECB and $.49 OOP. Earn $1 and $3 ECBs.

    Transaction #3
    1 - Right Guard Deodorant

    Total $2.99, pay with $3 ECB adjusted down. Earn $1 ECB.

    Total OOP for the day is $3.97 OOP, with $2 ECBs to roll, for $18.46 in product at sale prices. A savings of about 81%.

    For more deals and scenarios, check out Money Saving Mom and Deal Seeking Mom. For more $5 Scenarios, check out CVS $5 Challenge.

    Saturday, October 22, 2011

    LeapFrog “Learn, Create & Share” Party

    Recently we had the chance to host a LeapFrog Learn, Create & Share Party through MomSelect and MommyParties.

    When the party pack arrived, I was really excited to check out the products that we received.

    First was the new LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet that was just launched in August. The tablet and available apps are targeted for children ages 4 to 9 years.
      "LeapPad is the personalized learning tablet just for kids with a built-in camera and video recorder! LeapPad offers limitless learning and endless play through a library of 100+ cartridge games and activities with innovative creativity and reading apps! This tablet is the ultimate combination of high-tech features in a kid-friendly form factor! Touch the screen with a finger, tap it with the stylus or turn, twist and shake it for exciting motion-based gameplay! A broad curriculum includes school basics like reading, mathematics and science, plus geography, art, music, language and culture, health and more. Skill levels adjust automatically so kids can learn at their own pace, and progress is remembered from game to game and book to book. LeapPad also hosts a robust suite of creativity apps to nurture kids' innate curiosity!"

    In addition, there was the LeapFrog Tag Reading System and Interactive World Map.
      "Tag is the #1 selling reading system and recommended by 99% of teachers to help kids learn to love reading. Tag brings stories to life with each touch of the interactive Reader to the pages of specially printed storybooks. Words talk, pictures come to life and stories live out loud, engaging children's senses to make reading a rich, fulfilling experience. Children can use Tag as they begin their own personal learn-to-read journeys, then continue to enjoy it as their skills grow, from hearing an entire story read aloud to seeking help with individual words. With a library of 40+ books, maps and more, children can also take the fun beyond reading with fun play patterns that broaden curriculum experiences such as exploring other cultures, building skills in life science or even learning how to write!"

    We had planned to have a party to have everyone over at once to play with products, but some schedule challenges and illness resulted in us sharing the toys slowly over time with several friends at little mini-parties. Not as much fun as getting together for a big party, but still everyone got the chance to play with everything. I think my daughter probably liked the chance to share her toys multiple times, plus it made for less of a struggle in waiting to take turns!

    After we opened the LeapPad Explorer tablet, we spent time together exploring the tablet's features.

    The LeapPad comes with a camera and video recorder. Once a picture is taken, you can use the tools to add effects to the picture. Surprisingly, the LeapPad Explorer Tablet will hold up to 30,000 photos or shoot 120 minutes of video. Using the Story Studio experience, the kids can create their own stories to share with us.

    My kids recently have decided that making videos is fun. It is great that they have a camera now that they can use to make videos. Just this morning, they pretended to be sword fighting and shot a video of themselves. I like the creative play.

    The LeapPad tablet also had Ultra eBooks available in many titles. (I was actually surprised to see the selection on a recent visit to the toy store - considering it was just released in August, I wasn't expecting so many options) The books come with different story levels and modes optimized to support reading development. While reading the books, they can touch the screen to get word-by-word support or definitions.

    There are also game apps available for the tablet. They use the microphone and the built in motion sensors to allow the kids to play a variety of interactive games.

    For the parents, connecting the LeapPad Explorer Tablet to the computer allows you to see how your child is progressing and to send their artwork and pictures to friends and family.

    What everyone thought:

    My daughter was so excited to share the LeapPad tablet with everyone, that she even took it to school (unbeknownst to me) to show her friends and play with after nap. I found out when I picked it up and it was in her cubbie in plain sight. I told her that we shouldn't take it to school without asking first, but she was so excited to play with the LeapPad that she tried to slip it into her back pack the next day. I decided to check the bag when I dropped her off and found it (she wasn't happy when I told her that for not listening, not only would she not get to keep it at school, but she also wouldn't get a chance to play it after school either). The teachers commented about the LeapPad Tablet and based on watching her play with it, thought it was a really nice toy to help the kids learn.

    One mother that I worked with thought it was great and her girls really loved that they could play games, read books and take pictures on the tablet. She recently purchased a portable game system for them, so she didn't feel that now was the right time for her to buy one. but said that she definitely would recommend this to her sister-in-law that was looking for something for her daughter.

    My daughter is still drawn to the LeapPad Tablet. Which is a good thing, as many toys seem to lose their luster quickly. She surprised me the other day when she was sitting at the kitchen table working on her LeapPad Tablet. She paused, looked at me and said "It's helping learn my letters and how to spell words too!" I thought it was pretty neat that she was having fun and learning, and recognized it.

    There was also the LeapFrog Tag Reading System to explore and enjoy. We have had other reading systems - including an older reading system from LeapFrog - and all of them have required a book, a cartridge and reader. I was very intrigued by the Tag Reading System. The technology is very impressive (at least to me). As a parent, I love that there aren't any cartridges required. It makes it more portable and easier to store.

    The books allow the child to select read the page to hear a single story page. They can also use the Say It, Sound It and Spell It buttons to explore each word on the page. Many of the books also include Games that can be played.

    The Interactive World Map for the Tag Reading System is a two-sided interactive map. One side shows the countries and the other has animals and people to allow the child to learn more about the countries. There are games available to encourage the children to explore the map and learn about the countries.

    My daughter, who is starting to learn to read at preschool, is really enjoying the Tag Reading System. There are a variety of books available, including familiar characters and stories, as well as Learn to Read Sets. We have been exploring the Learn To Read set focused on short vowels. I like that it gives her the freedom to read books when she wants to and at times where I am busy.

    Everyone that has played with both toys has really enjoyed the experience and excited by the options presented.

    You can see these toys in action on the LeapFrog YouTube channel. You can find LeapFrog on Facebook.

    No compensation was received for this post. I received free LeapFrog products and information from LeapFrog in order to host a Learn, Create and Share Party from LeapFrog through MomSelect. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

    Friday, October 21, 2011

    Samples and Freebies

    Requested:
    Aveeno Living Color Shampoo and Conditioner Sample


    Received:
    Kleenex Cool Touch sample and coupon (Target)
    Biore Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser Sample
    Target Beauty Bag - full of samples and coupons

    Thursday, October 20, 2011

    Pumpkins!

    I am a big fan of pumpkins. It is a favorite fall flavor of mine. I find myself picking up Pumpkin Donuts, Pumpkin Creamer and other pumpkin flavored products this time of the year. In addition to buying pumpkin flavored products, I love to cook with pumpkin. Here is a glimpse at some of my favorite pumpkin recipes.

    My newest recipe is for Pumpkin Sherbert.

    Some old time favorites:
    Pumpkin Pudding
    Pumpkin Butterscotch Treats
    Pumpkin Sheet Cake - I got this recipe from my Grandma. I liked it a lot I guess, I have two copies of the recipe in my cookbook.
    Pumpkin Surprise Pie

    Of course, you can't forget Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Seeds - both sweet and savory preparations and Pumpkin Pie.

    For more Pumpkin Favorites, check out the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom.

    Wednesday, October 19, 2011

    Hormel Foods Recipes - Sweepstakes!

    Hormel Foods Recipes is running a Trick-or-Treat Sweepstakes on Facebook. Facebook users will have until 12:00 p.m. CT on Monday, October 24, 2011 to like the page, fill out a simple entry form, and be eligible to win one of five coupon prize packs worth $20 for Hormel® products!

    No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are mine or that of my family. I am currently a member of the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger Program. Each post written for this role, serves as an entry into a grand prize giveaway. Hormel provides materials and resources to assist me with my posts.

    How To Catch a Gnat

    For some reason, this summer/fall we have had a large number of gnats. We always seem to get a few in the summer when we have our windows open. Generally, they hang out by my bananas and my tomatoes. But, lately they seem to be everywhere and it has been days since it was warm enough to open the windows and enjoy the fresh air.

    It has been really frustrating. We have done our best to eliminate anything that they like. We finished up the bananas we bought last week and skipped them all together this week. I left the tomatoes I picked up for tacos in the produce bag from the store.

    Yet, they still lingered. We needed a better solution.

    We found it.

    A Gnat Trap.

    Yep, we built a gnat trap. I thought it sounded a little strange when my husband started to look it up, but sure enough you can build a trap to catch them.

    Start with an empty 2L with the cap removed.

    Cut the top off the bottle (above the label), you will use the top to complete the trap.

    Fill the bottle with about 1/4 cup of apple cider (or red wine) vinegar and a few tablespoons of sugar. Swirl to combine.

    Place the top, inverted, inside the bottle. If the top doesn't fit snug to the bottom of the bottle, you can tape it at the top.

    The gnats will be attracted to the sweet solution inside. They fly in through the small opening and then can't find their way back out. A drop of dish soap in the solution will break the surface tension and cause them to sink if they touch the surface.

    It has worked really well for us. I think we have captured 9 or 10 in just one day.

    This post shared at Works for Me Wednesday.

    Tuesday, October 18, 2011

    Freschetta Proud To Support Pink - a giveaway

    October is National Breast Cancer awareness month and Freschetta is doing what they can to help support research by presenting Freschetta Proud to Support Pink Program!

    Through October 31st, 2011, when you purchase specially marked packages of Freschetta pizza and Artisan pizza crusts you will be helping Freschetta reach their goal of a $50,000 donation to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The specially marked pizza boxes are printed with codes that you can enter at www.ProudToSupportPink.com - for each code entered, the makers of Freschetta will donate $1 to this center to support breast cancer research. You can also enter your code on the Freschetta Facebook Page!

    Freschetta is also giving away 50 pink iPod shuffle players each week in October as part of a giveaway on the site to encourage participation and sharing of this program! They will also be donating 50 pink iPod shuffles to four cancer centers around America for breast cancer patients to enjoy!

    As part of the Freschetta Fresh Connection Team, I received a proud to Support Pink Package. It included a coupon for a free Freschetta Pizza and 2 pairs of Freschetta Proud to Support Pink earphones.

    I love that Freschetta is available in so many flavors and varieties. They have the Rising Crust Pizza, Brick Oven Pizza, California Style Thin Crust and more! They even come in Singles and you can get purchase their crust to make your own variety at home. Based on my count, there are over 20 varieties available! That is what I call choice. I'm torn on what flavors to try - there is the Simply...Inspired Classic Brushetta, the California Style Thin Crust Spicy Chicken and Feta Cheese, the California Style Thin Crust Sun Dried Tomato and Cheese, and so many more. Of course, my family is more of a just cheese pizza family, so that is the variety that I picked up. (next time, I will have to get one for me!)

    Go HERE to find a local retailer near you! You can grab a $1 coupon on any 14oz or larger pizza on their website.

    Giveaway!

    One lucky reader will win their own Proud to Support Pink Prize Pack! This includes (1) coupon for a FREE Freschetta frozen pizza (12oz or larger) and (2) pairs of Freschetta Proud to Support Pink earphones!

    To enter: Visit Freschetta.com and check out all of the varieties. Leave a comment here sharing the variety that you are most excited to try (or your favorite variety you have tried).

    Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

    Follow ABusyMomofTwo on Twitter.

    Follow Freschetta on Twitter.

    Tweet about this giveaway. You may complete this entry once per day. (You may use the following or write your own: Enter to win a @FreschettaPizza Proud to Support Pink Prize Pack. @ABusyMomofTwo. Ends 10/27. http://bit.ly/r4cxyq)

    Follow A Busy Mom of Two. Subscribe to updates in your feed reader or in e-mail. Leave me a comment letting me know that you signed up, or that you already subscribe.

    Like A Busy Mom of Two on Facebook.

    Like Freschetta on Facebook.

    Share this giveaway with friends - on your blog, on Facebook or by posting it on a giveaway link-up. Leave me a comment letting me know how you shared or leave a link to the giveaway link-up. You may have one additional entry for each giveaway linky that you submit it on.

    Leave a comment with a link to your blog where you have either my button or have a link to A Busy Mom of Two in your blog roll.

    Giveaway will remain open until October 27th at 6 pm. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

    No compensation was received for this post. As a member of the Freschetta Fresh Connection, I received a Proud to Support Pink pack and information about the program, for the purpose of sharing. Freschetta is also providing the prize pack for the giveaway. All opinions are my own or that of my family.

    Mamavation Monday

    I feel like I am stuck. Sure I am down from where I was last week, but I just don't feel like I am getting anywhere fast. I know that in part, I am making choices that are slowing my progress. I am okay with that (sort of). One of my goals, is to be active enough and eat well enough that on occasion, when I want to splurge, I can and not worry about it. I think I have proven that out...except, I really want to get to my goal and stalling occasionally is very frustrating, even when I know the cause.

    I have really come to enjoy my daily run. It is such a mind clearing activity. Last week, I had to move a few workouts indoors because of the weather and it really makes me wonder what I will do when it is winter. I always worked out inside until this summer, but now I am enjoying the outside. It is getting rather cold though. It tends to be only about 50 when I am out running - BRRRR!

    I am actually very proud of myself, last week, for the first time since I started running at the end of summer, I ran a full mile straight. My three mile (or so) daily run is interspersed with regular short intervals of walking. So, I have frequently run more than a mile, it is just running it straight through without walking that was an accomplishment for me.

    My goal for this week is to remain active. I was off to a bad start on Monday morning, I hit snooze for over an hour and didn't even realize it. I think my body needed sleep. Here's hoping the rest of the week works out better!

    I'd also like to eat well. Stress seems to be creeping in and I am a stress eater. I have been trying to stick with foods like carrots - a good crunchy carrot seems to help, but chocolate finds its way into my day a little more frequently than it should. I'm good with the small piece of chocolate each day is okay, but yesterday I had three or four - those fun size bars can add up!

    #s to go: 22.8#

    This post shared at Mamavation Monday.

    Monday, October 17, 2011

    Werther's Caramels

    When I was a kid, we always did a fundraiser and sold candy bars. My favorite ones were the chocolate bars with caramels. There was just something so yummy about the soft, gooey caramel centers. As I got older, I found myself doing baking using caramels. There was a cookie bar that one of my aunts introduced me to - it used cake mix, chocolate and melted caramel. I like to make caramel puffcorn. Really, I am a big fan of caramel.

    Years ago, I tried Werther's Original Caramels. I liked them, but when I am looking for a sweet treat, I rarely turn to hard candies.

    Then, a few weeks ago, through a BzzCampaign, I had the chance to try out some other varieties of Werther's Caramels.

    I think my favorite variety is the Creamy Caramel Filled Hard Candies. The outside delivers that same buttery, caramel goodness that was familiar from their hard candies, but after a few moments, you notice that the hard candy shell gives way and you are left with a sweet, chewy caramel center. Yum!

    As a fan of chocolate and caramel, I also enjoyed their Caramel Chocolates. The caramel that is nestled inside these chocolates is a soft, sweet, buttery caramel. The whole candy seems to melt in your mouth.

    I also got to try their Chewy Caramels. Visually and initial texture-wise, these reminded me of Royals - do you remember those candies? I don't think I have seen them in a while. The candy starts out rather firm and you have to allow it to soften for a few minutes in your mouth before attempting to chew it. Once softened, it delivers a nice, chewy caramel that has that familiar Werther's caramel flavor.

    One new thing that I learned through the BzzCampaign is that Werther's offers a number of recipes on their site. As expected, they have a section dedicated to caramel apple treats of many varieties. But, there are so many more like Caramel Silk Pie, Crunchy Caramel Snack Mix, Caramel Hot Chocolate and Chewy Caramel Bars. I think I might have to do some baking and check out these recipes!

    No compensation was received for this post. I received product samples, coupons and information through my participation in BzzAgent. All opinions expressed are those or that of my family.

    Sunday, October 16, 2011

    Menu Plan Monday

    Do you ever have one of those weekends when you have a lot you plan to accomplish and whereas you accomplish a lot, you just don't do what you had hoped to do. That's what my weekend was like. I had grand plans as to what I was going to accomplish, most of which went untouched. I was able to make some great headway on other tasks that weren't on my radar. Despite the "change in plans" it really was a good weekend.

    Fall sports are finally complete for us. It is a bit of a relief to not have to plan around this practice or that game.

    Sunday
    Cereal
    Leftovers
    Pasta

    Monday
    Pork Chops

    Tuesday
    Chicken Patty Sandwiches

    Wednesday
    Chicken Tacos

    Thursday
    Pizza

    Friday
    Chipotle

    Saturday
    Macaroni and Cheese/dinner out with friends

    Breakfast is cereal or oatmeal each morning, although sometimes at school my daughter will have pancakes or french toast. For my son, lunch is either the menu item at school, a packed lunch with some type of sandwich. Lunch for my husband and I is typically sandwiches, frozen meals or leftovers.

    This post shared at Menu Plan Monday.

    Saturday, October 15, 2011

    Yoplait Smoothie Reivew and Giveaway

    My kids are both fans of smoothies. When we are out shopping, they frequently will ask if we can get one as a treat. I find that making them at home is a great way to save money.
    Recently, Yoplait has started offering a new flavor of Yoplait Frozen Fruit and Yogurt Smoothie - Chocolate Banana Smoothie. I found this news very exciting. As a fan of smoothies and a chocolate lover, how could I go wrong. To make it even better - "New Yoplait Chocolate Banana Smoothies are more than just delicious, they’re an easy, guilt-free, anytime snack with only 130 calories per serving. Perfect for at-home, or on- the-go, just add milk, blend, and enjoy! Yoplait Chocolate Banana Smoothies have live and active yogurt cultures, and deliver 50% of the recommended daily value of calcium."

    I headed to the store last night to pick up some things that we needed and headed to the freezer section to pick up a Yoplait Chocolate Banana Smoothie. Imagine my disappointment when I didn't see it on shelf. They had all of the other flavors: Triple Berry, Strawberry Banana, Blueberry Pomegranate, and Strawberry Mango Pineapple; but no Chocolate Banana. I walked away disappointed, but after a few steps, something made me head back. Perhaps it was that I was in the mood for a smoothie and figured could always enjoy another one of the flavors, or perhaps it was mother's intuition (can you have that about food?).

    When I got back, I read each of the shelf tags to make sure that the store normally carries the Chocolate Banana flavor. I saw the tag there and decided to look a little deeper. I was so excited to find them, shoved to the back behind one of the other flavors. I'm not sure why I went back, but I was glad that I did.

    After dinner, the kids wanted a snack, so I decided the time was right to give a try. I must say that it looked a little strange when I dumped the chunks of banana and chocolate yogurt into my blender. I added the milk (followed the "extra" milk so that we could use straws) and blended it. I poured a cup for each of us (the two kids and me) - we used extra milk, but each had about 6 oz (the bag makes two 8 oz servings when 1 cup of milk is used).

    I found it to be flavorful. I liked the touch of sweet delivered by the chocolate and the taste of the banana was a perfect compliment to the chocolate. When I asked the kids what they thought, their response was "super, super good - can we make it again?".

    Want to try them yourself? You can download a printable coupon for $1.00 off one package of Yoplait Chocolate Banana Smoothie.

    Giveaway!
    Courtesy of Yoplait through MyBlogSpark, I have the opportunity to give away to one (1) A Busy Mom of Two reader a Yoplait Smoothie Prize Pack containing:

    A VIP coupon for a sample of Yoplait Chocolate Banana Smoothie
    Neck pillow
    Smoothie tumbler
    Lavender eye mask

    To enter: Leave a comment sharing your favorite smoothie flavor.

    Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

    Follow ABusyMomofTwo on Twitter.

    Follow Yoplait on Twitter.

    Tweet about this giveaway. You may complete this entry once per day. (You may use the following or write your own: Enter to win a @yoplaitsmoothie Prize Pack. @ABusyMomofTwo. Ends 11/1 #myblogspark http://bit.ly/qHpkMh)

    Follow A Busy Mom of Two. Subscribe to updates in your feed reader or in e-mail. Leave me a comment letting me know that you signed up, or that you already subscribe.

    Like A Busy Mom of Two on Facebook.

    Like Yoplait on Facebook.

    Share this giveaway with friends - on your blog, on Facebook or by posting it on a giveaway link-up. Leave me a comment letting me know how you shared or leave a link to the giveaway link-up. You may have one additional entry for each giveaway linky that you submit it on.

    Leave a comment with a link to your blog where you have either my button or have a link to A Busy Mom of Two in your blog roll.

    Giveaway will remain open until November 1st at 6 pm. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

    No compensation was received for this post. The Yoplait® VIP Coupon, information, and giveaway have been provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own or that of my family.

    Friday, October 14, 2011

    Disney's Phineas & Ferb: The Best LIVE Show Ever! Giveaway Winner

    Congratulations to jenmalonee! She was selected as the winner of the Disney's Phineas & Ferb: The Best LIVE Show Ever! tickets.

    An e-mail will be sent to the winner.

    Thanks everyone for entering.



    Random Integer Generator

    Here are your random numbers:

    35

    Timestamp: 2011-10-14 22:49:17 UTC

    Samples and Freebies

    Requested:

    Received:
    Swiffer 360 Dusters (VocalPoint sample)
    Dial NutriSkin Sample

    Thursday, October 13, 2011

    CVS Deals - 10/10

    I wanted to head to CVS this week to use up some ECBs and get some chocolate (yes, I still eat chocolate, even though I want to lose weight and be healthier).
    Transaction #1
    3 - American Greetings cards ($.99/ea)
    4 - M&M (3 pretzel, 1 milk chocolate)

    -$1.50/2 M&M printable (walmart.com)
    -$1.50/2 M&M printable (walmart.com)

    -$6.79 ECB
    -$2 ECB

    Total $1.18 OOP. Earn $3 and $3 ECBs. While there, I discovered that I still have another $8 or so ECBs that expire this week. I am already planning to go back to get some Dimetapp (got a CRT) and will need to pick up a few other things. I certainly don't want for them to go to waste.

    Wednesday, October 12, 2011

    Walgreens Deals - 10/12

    I didn't have a chance to post Walgreens deals this week, but since I was driving by today I decided to stop in and take advantage of some deals.
    Transaction #1
    2 - Cottonelle Ultra 12pk

    -$2 2x$1 Walgreen IVC
    -$.50 Cottonelle Mfg coupon
    -$.50 Cottonelle mfg coupon

    Total $7.65 OOP, earn $3 RR.

    Transaction #2
    2 - Jergen's Lotion 10 oz
    1 - Halloween pencil

    -$1 Jergen's mfg coupon
    -$1 Jergen's mfg coupon

    -$3 RR

    Total $4.55 OOP, earn $5 RR.

    Transaction #3
    2 - Cottonelle Ultra 12-pk

    -$2 2x$1 Walgreen IVC
    -$.50 Cottonelle Mfg coupon

    -$5 RR

    Total 3.15 OOP, earn $3 RR.

    Transaction #4
    1 - Alive Multivitamin
    1 - Halloween Pencil

    -$1 Alive mfg coupon

    -$3 RR

    Total $3.92 OOP.

    The total OOP for the trip was $19.27 ($16.85 before tax), for $41.37 in product a savings of 60%. I feel pretty good about the deals.

    The Jergen's deal initially did not print the RR and the manager had to come over and print one. The ad said 10 oz - 21 oz, but the 10 oz didn't produce the coupon. Only the Cottonelle Ultra 12 packs were included on the RR deal, the purple ones.

    Sam's Club Gift Card Winner

    Congratulations to Amy W! Her entry was drawn as the winner of the Sam's Club $25 Gift Card Giveaway winner.

    Be sure to check out the other giveaways, listed on the sidebar.


    Random Integer Generator

    Here are your random numbers:

    40

    Timestamp: 2011-10-12 09:42:33 UTC

    Monday, October 10, 2011

    Mamavation Monday

    I am not quite where I had hoped to be today. I had managed to get down to being within 22 pounds of my goal, but I rather enjoyed my weekend and found myself back up a little bit at 24.2 pounds to go this morning.

    I allowed myself a little bit of splurge in eating and I slept in on Friday morning. I was feeling miserable and decided that sleep was the best solution. Otherwise, I was able to fit in a walk or run every day. On Sunday, it was a walk because the kids joined me. I find it rather impressive that my daughter rode her Big Wheel for over a mile. They split when we passed the house and I was left to finish the three mile course on my own.

    Today though was a great run! I headed up to the track and I ran an entire mile straight (actually just beyond a mile). Neither neighbor showed up at the track, so I finished out the 5th lap and headed back towards home. I passed a neighbor heading up to the track, but by then I was already on a course towards home. I have definitely concluded that my ability to run increasingly longer stretches in my 3-mile or more run is really a matter of mind over matter. I think I convince myself I need a break and take one. It is not usually that I am breathing too heavy or that my legs are sore, I just feel that I have run "far enough" and allow myself to take a break. I'd like to get a full five laps straight by this time next week - not sure the weather will cooperate.

    Eating was good last week, loose on the weekend and back on track today.

    I would love to be at least half way to my goal by Christmas.

    #s to Go: 24.2

    This post shared at Mamavation Monday.

    CVS Scenarios - week of 10/10

    I'm not sure if it is real or perception, but lately I just don't feel like there are many rush out to get deals from CVS. There are a few deals that I am entertaining this week, but nothing that convinces me that I must get there. Although free (or near free) cards sound good to me.

    Transaction #1
    3 - American Greetings Cards @ $.99

    Total $2.97 OOP, earn $3 ECBs. Alternately, if your store doesn't have the $.99 cards or you just don't find ones that you like, you could pick up 3 cards at $1.99, use this $1/3 IP and for a net of only $1.97 could have some cheap cards. This coupon is not good on $.99 cards, so you can't use it above to do a money-maker.

    Transaction #2
    4 - M&M Candies (I'm hoping they have some Pretzel ones - Yum!)

    -$1.50/2 M&M IP
    -$1.50/2 M&M IP

    Total $7, pay with $3 ECBs and $4 OOP, earn $3 ECBs.

    Transaction #3
    5 - Lipton Ice Tea

    -$1 $1/2 Lipton mfg coupon
    -$1 $1/2 Lipton mfg coupon

    Total $3, pay with $3 ECBs. Earn $1 ECB.

    Transaction #4
    1 - Dial Bar Soap 3pk

    Total $1.88, pay with $1 ECB and $.88 OOP. Earn $1 ECB.

    For the trip, the total OOP is $7.88, with $1 ECB to roll, for about $20 in product at sale prices. A savings of about 62%.

    For more deals and scenarios, check out Money Saving Mom and Deal Seeking Mom.

    CVS $5 Challenge
    Skipping the candy is the easiest way that I see to get to a $5 Scenario.

    Transaction #1
    3 - American Greetings Cards @ $.99

    Total $2.97 OOP, earn $3 ECBs.

    Transaction #2
    5 - Lipton Ice Tea

    -$1 $1/2 Lipton mfg coupon
    -$1 $1/2 Lipton mfg coupon

    Total $3, pay with $3 ECBs. Earn $1 ECB.

    Transaction #3
    1 - Dial Bar Soap 3pk

    Total $1.88, pay with $1 ECB and $.88 OOP. Earn $1 ECB.

    Total OOP is $3.88, with $1 ECB to roll, for 9.86 in product at sale prices. A savings of 64%.

    For more $5 Scenarios, check out the CVS $5 Challenge.

    Sunday, October 9, 2011

    Menu Plan Monday

    It was a good weekend, filled with lots of soccer. Saturday morning, we headed out to the soccer field. As is normal for our Saturday mornings, both kids had a game. We spent the afternoon around the house tackling some things (not as much as I had hoped). Then, we headed to Akron to watch the 2010 National Champion Akron Zips Soccer game. It was a good time - I was glad for the kids to get a chance to see the foot skills and ball control the players had.

    Sunday was picture day - which is a major challenge for my son. We enjoyed lunch out and headed home for some Sunday afternoon football and grocery shopping. I'm still planning to eat from the pantry and freezer, so mostly I picked up some produce, dairy and bread.

    Sunday
    cereal
    Pizza at CiCis
    Hamburgers on the Grill

    Monday
    Roasted Shrimp and Tomatoes

    Tuesday
    Pizza

    Wednesday
    Sloppy Joes

    Thursday
    Chicken Gravy over Biscuits

    Friday
    Ravioli

    Saturday
    Chili (perhaps Cincinnati Style Chili?)

    Breakfast is cereal or oatmeal each morning, although sometimes at school my daughter will have pancakes or french toast. For my son, lunch is either the menu item at school, a packed lunch with some type of sandwich. Lunch for my husband and I is typically sandwiches, frozen meals or leftovers.

    This post shared at Menu Plan Monday.

    Saturday, October 8, 2011

    Circus Tickets Winner

    Congratulations to IDigSmartLadies! They were selected as the winner of the Circus Tickets giveaway on A Busy Mom of Two.

    The winner has until Sunday at noon to contact me or a new winner will be selected.

    Live near Cleveland? Be sure to enter the Phineas and Ferb ticket giveaway.


    Random Integer Generator

    Here are your random numbers:

    7

    Timestamp: 2011-10-08 20:51:22 UTC

    Friday, October 7, 2011

    Samples and Freebies

    Requested:
    Cream of Wheat Cinnabon sample

    Received:
    Downy Unstoppables Sample
    John Frieda Frizz Ease Sample
    Febreeze Coupon Booklet

    Wednesday, October 5, 2011

    CVS Deals - 10/5

    It's been several weeks since my last visit to CVS. I stopped in today to use up the $2 ECBs that I had gotten last week through a Facebook offer that expired on Monday.

    1 - Tums
    2 - Straws 100ct (clearance)

    -$1 Tums IP
    -$2 Tums CRT

    -$2 ECB from Facebook offer

    Total $.71 OOP ($.49 + $.22 tax).

    I need to look at my other ECBs, as I suspect that they are all about to expire this week or next. I still have a lot of coupons to go through, so I hope that next week I can actually plan a trip to CVS.

    Monday, October 3, 2011

    Menu Plan Monday

    Once again, due to a busy weekend, I skipped the grocery store this weekend. I did have to stop and pick up some milk, but will be relying on the pantry and the freezer for meals this week. I realized that I will need eggs to make the pork chops and the pancakes, so I will have to make a grocery stop at some point this week or change up the menu(which is why we didn't have them or pancakes as planned last week).

    Sunday
    cereal
    sandwiches
    pizza

    Monday
    Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

    Tuesday
    Pierogies and Sausage

    Wednesday
    Soup and Sandwiches (I'd say Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese but my kids don't seem to like Grilled Cheese - how crazy!)

    Thursday
    Pancakes

    Friday
    Pork Chops

    Saturday
    Hamburgers

    Breakfast is cereal or oatmeal each morning, although sometimes at school my daughter will have pancakes or french toast. For my son, lunch is either the menu item at school, a packed lunch with some type of sandwich. Lunch for my husband and I is typically sandwiches, frozen meals or leftovers.

    This post shared at Menu Plan Monday.

    Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Show Ever! - Discount Code and Giveaway!

    I'm not sure when we started watching Phineas and Ferb, but I do know that it is one of the kids' favorite series.

    Last year, the birthday theme for my son's birthday was Phineas and Ferb. We were evidently early on the trend, because the themed paper good products were not available (from the supplier) until September. We managed to get them through eBay. I made the cake and must say, I think it turned out pretty cool!

    When we were at Walt Disney World the other week, we had the opportunity to meet Phineas and Ferb and get their autographs. While we waited in line to meet them, the kids even were selected to join in on the fun and play the tambourines. They had a blast.

    When the kids heard that Phineas and Ferb were bringing a Live show to Cleveland, they were very excited. You can catch them at the Wolstein Center on October 30th. There are just two shows - 1 pm and 4 pm.
      "Mom! Phineas and Ferb are going on a LIVE tour!!!" School's out for summer and anything is possible as Phineas and Ferb create their biggest invention yet -- Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever! Phineas, Ferb, and the whole tri-state area gang embark on a bold escape jumping out from behind your TV and onto the stage in a live action adventure - right in your hometown! And, before you can wonder, "Hey, where's Perry?" the beloved pet platypus shifts to his secret double life as Agent P to foil another one of Dr. Doofenshmirtz's evil plans. Musical madness abounds in an escapade so awesome that even Candace can't help but join the hilarious hijinks. It's the ultimate end to summer vacation, so seize the day 'cause Phineas and Ferb are gonna do it all!

    You can check out a video about the production on the You Tube Page.

    Discount
    go to this ticketing page to purchase seats, they can save $4 in advance on each ticket with CODE: MOMDL. (Restrictions: MOMDL code valid through October 30, 2011. Not valid on Front Row and VIP seats. Limit 6 tickets per transaction.)

    Giveaway
    The winner will receive a family 4 pack of tickets to Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Show Ever for one of the two shows in Cleveland. You may choose which show you would like to attend.

    To enter: Leave a comment answering the question: Which Phineas and Ferb character is your favorite?

    Additional Entries (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

    Follow ABusyMomofTwo on Twitter.

    Tweet about this giveaway. You may complete this entry each day. Please be sure to include a link to this post. (You may use the following or write your own: Enter to win a Family Four Pack of Tickets to Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Show Ever! #Cleveland http://bit.ly/qP2NX8)

    Follow A Busy Mom of Two. Subscribe to updates in your feed reader or in e-mail. Leave me a comment letting me know that you signed up, or that you already subscribe.

    Like A Busy Mom of Two on Facebook.

    Share this giveaway with friends - on your blog, on Facebook or by posting it on a giveaway link-up. Leave me a comment letting me know how you shared or leave a link to the giveaway link-up. You may have one additional entry for each giveaway linky that you submit it on.

    Leave a comment with a link to your blog where you have either my button or have a link to A Busy Mom of Two in your blog roll.

    Giveaway will remain open until October 14th at 9 pm. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

    No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I have the opportunity to take my family to the show, as well as hold a giveaway for my readers as a FFA blogger for this event.

    Weight Watchers Ice Cream Review

    When I am watching what I eat, the one thing that I struggle with is treats. I work hard (at work and at home) and I deserve a treat sometimes. It can be hard to find treats that I don't feel guilty about, or don't make me feel like I am throwing in the towel. Treats come in many forms - but certainly to me there are some characteristic traits to treats - they can be creamy, they can be chocolaty, they can be caramelly. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the new ice cream treats from Weight Watchers met many of these traits and were low enough in calories (& PointsPlus Values) that I didn't have to feel guilty.

      Sometimes, we all need a treat, and nothing fulfills that craving better than ice cream! Weight Watchers Ice Cream has great options for snacking and treating yourself wisely during the hectic back-to-school season. Grab a Weight Watchers Snack Size Ice Cream Sandwich for the road - it's the perfect size to satisfy your desire for something cool, sweet and creamy. For a great snack, try a creamy Weight Watchers Strawberry Smoothie Bar or a refreshing Weight Watchers Strawberry Fruit Bar. Both are great for the entire family as they are made with real fruit. And for a treat at the end of the day, indulge in a Weight Watchers Dark Chocolate Dulcé de Leché dessert bar. You cannot go wrong!
  • Weight Watchers Snack Size Ice Cream Sandwiches - Two brand new flavors of Weight Watchers Ice Cream, low fat Vanilla Bean and Dutch Chocolate, have just 80 calories each. The variety pack includes four sandwiches of both flavors with a PointsPlus® value of 2 per sandwich.


  • Weight Watchers Dark Chocolate Dulcé de Leché Dessert Bars - A highly indulgent ice cream bar featuring low fat dulcé de leché ice cream with a caramel swirl dipped in dark chocolate. Each bar has a PointsPlus value of 3 per bar and 120 calories.


  • Weight Watchers Strawberry Fruit Bar - A healthier snack option for adults and kids, this bar is made with real fruit and is an excellent source of vitamin C. Plus, this delightfully fruity bar has 15 percent fewer calories and 30 percent less sugar than other national leading brands of fruit bars. Each has 70 calories and a PointsPlus value of 2 per bar.


  • Weight Watchers Strawberry Smoothie Bar - A blend of low-fat strawberry frozen yogurt and real strawberries. This bar is a good source of vitamin C and has the creamy goodness of a smoothie with just 60 calories and a PointsPlus value of 2 per bar.



  • We recently had the opportunity to check out some of the new Weight Watchers Ice Cream treats. I was excited to see a selection of ice cream treats that I could enjoy without too much guilt. I liked that they were all only 2-3 PointsPlus Values - I can usually leave myself with a few PointsPlus Values for a snack at the end of my day and personally, I think that ice cream is a great way to use them (I'm not good at measuring 1/2 cup of ice cream - so these are easier too!).

    The Strawberry Smoothie Bar is full of pieces of real strawberries and the yogurt gives the bar a nice creaminess. The Strawberry Fruit Bar is packed full of strawberry flavor. I enjoyed the snack size Ice Cream Sandwiches - although, I must say I prefer the vanilla to the chocolate (surprised me too - but I think I am a traditionalist and ice cream sandwiches were always vanilla). The Dark Chocolate Dulcé de Leché bars were a real treat - that thin but tasty layer of dark chocolate around that caramelly sweet inside.

    Even the kids and my husband enjoyed the tasty treats. The portion sizes seem good for the items - I think they might be smaller than similar offerings, but if they are, I wouldn't say that they are much smaller. They are the right size to meet the need for a sweet treat, but not too big that I feel like I overdid it.

    I like that these new ice cream treats from Weight Watchers provide me with a way to enjoy a sweet treat with my family, without the guilt. Flavorful and creamy, I can feel like I am indulging without feeling like I'm throwing in the towel.

    No compensation was received for this post. I received product samples, coupons and information for the purposes of trying and sharing our experience through MomSelect. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family.