Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

This sign was hanging in my kitchen yesterday from my daughter as a reminder that it was Taco Tuesday! We love tacos in our house. It's one meal everyone will eat and it's super fast and easy, so it has made its way into a weekly rotation and earned itself a dedicated day!

I've been making my own taco seasoning mix for quite a while. I started one day when I went to grab a packet of store bought seasoning and realized we were all out. I found a recipe online and have tweaked it to our liking over time. We try to limit salt intake when we can and I love that I can do this with my homemade taco seasoning - there's no salt at all! I feel better about serving this to my family,  and honestly, it tastes better. I've tried to use packaged mix once since using this recipe and I didn't enjoy it! Taco mix isn't expensive but I'm all about saving even a dime and I'm doing that by making this at home.

So this homemade taco seasoning mix fits the categories of healthier, yummier, and cheaper. Actually, it fits the category of funner too because little kids love to help with cooking and this recipe provides lots of opportunity for measuring, mixing, and sniffing. Win, win, win, win!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl
• Sprinkle over 1 to 1 1/2 pounds cooked ground beef (already drained of fat)
• Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup water
• Simmer 5 to 10 minutes until beef is coated and heated through
• Serve on your tacos!

You can make your own tortillas too! Here's our recipe!

Enjoy!

We Love July... We've Gone Red, White & Blue Already!

We received free product to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received. 

All opinions expressed are our own.

I cannot believe it's almost July! This is my first summer off from work in a long time and I am living it up. We are doing our best to venture out of our own backyard at least a couple times a week for some new adventures such as the playground, or our favorite children's garden. We are loving lazy days too, though, and are enjoying the sunshine right outside our own door.

We've had a great month, but the countdown to July has already begun! One week from today we enter our favorite month of the year! July is always an exciting time for us - multiple family birthdays and parties, tons of day trips, a road trip, cookouts at least every weekend, and of course (because we would never miss a reason to celebrate...) the 4th of July!

We are in 4th of July mode already around here! A quick online Oriental Trading order (I avoid shopping in stores if I can help it!) had us all ready to go.

We have a super fun Large Patriotic Bean Bag Toss Game, some Patriotic Traffic Cones to be sure we're playing fair, and a Patriotic Ball & Bat Set to replace the two whiffle ball sets that my husband and daughter destroyed last summer by hitting balls too hard.

For the littlest family member, we have an adorable Inflatable Patriotic Pool full of Patriotic Mini Rubber Duckies.

Because you really can't celebrate right without candy, we've got some of that too... some Patriotic Candy Corn Fun Packs and some Red, White & Blue Tootsie Pops!

And to get us ready for actual 4th of July Festivities like fireworks, we got some Mini Star Premium Glow Wands, in red, white, and blue. They will be perfect for the big night!

Oriental Trading is having a great sale on patriotic goodies right now - up to 50% off! Order in the next two days and you're guaranteed to get it by July 4th! Woohoo!

Veggie Fries ~ Now at Stop & Shop and Other Local Retailers!

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Veggie Fries. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. All opinions and reviews are my own.

A working mom and dad combined with a picky-eating preschooler means dinner times around here can get a little mundane. We tend to eat the same meals weekly without much change. My daughter has her favorites and she usually sticks to those - regardless of what else I've chosen to prepare. Meals for her typically include chicken tenders, french fries, pizza, fresh fruit, cereal, grilled cheese, or peanut butter. I try to provide those favorite foods in the healthiest ways possible - I prefer to use high quality brands, fresh ingredients, and go homemade when possible. Sadly, you don't see veggies on that list, do you? That's because my picky eater is not a huge fan of veggies. She likes corn-on-the-cob and corn-from-the-can and that's about it... unless you count the french fries made from potatoes?

Despite the pickiness of eating habits in our home, I prefer to add some variety whenever I can. That's one of the reasons why I was so excited to be asked to try a new "french fries" option - and the fact that this new option provided those vegetables that we've been so desperately lacking was the icing on the cake!

Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure ~ Discounts and Giveaway!

We were provided with complimentary show tickets to help promote this event. All opinions expressed are our own.

We are so excited to announce that Disney On Ice is coming back our way this spring!

Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt will be playing at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA from April 2-5!

Embark on the ultimate sightseeing vacation with all your favorite Disney characters in Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt. Join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald, Goofy and Daisy on a journey to the magical worlds of Disney's The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, and Lilo & Stitch. You and your family will explore the African Pride Lands with Simba, Timon and Pumbaa; voyage deep under the sea to Ariel's mystical underwater kingdom; tour London with Peter Pan and Wendy before flying to Never Land to join Tinker Bell; and travel to Hawaii to visit Lilo and Stitch. Upbeat music, lovable characters and exciting destinations make Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure a vacation your family will never forget!

We are so excited to attend the show and I can smell that yummy Feld Entertainment Popcorn already!

You can get your tickets at Ticketmaster.com or at the Box Office, starting at just $15!

Exclusive savings for our readers: 
$6 off all price levels on select show times!

Offer valid on $60, $45, $35, and $25 tickets to the following performances:

April 2, 7:00 PM - $15 opening night tickets available!

April 3, 1:00 PM 

April 3, 7:00 PM

April 4, 11:00 AM

April 4, 7:00 PM

April 5, 2:00 PM - $10 kids tickets available!

Just follow these 3 easy steps to purchase: 

1. Go to Ticketmaster.com and choose your performance
2. Enter code MBLOG in the offer code box
3. Select your seats and check out!

No double discounts. Cannot be used for prior purchases or group sales orders. Service charges, handling and facility fees may apply. Please note that prices reflected on Ticketmaster.com INCLUDE service charges and facility fees. Select "Price Details" on the purchase page to confirm discount price.

Or *WIN* a 4-pack of tickets to opening night right here!

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No purchase necessary. Entrants must be age 18 or older at time of entry with valid photo ID. Winner will use photo ID to pick up tickets at the Box Office of the DCU Center in Worcester, MA on the night of the show. Contest runs from Thursday, March 12 through Monday, March 23 and ends at 11:59 PM on that day. Winner will be notified via email and must respond within 24 hours to claim prize or a new winner will be chosen. 

Good luck!

Soothie Suckers Herbal Ice Pops ~ Review and Giveaway!

We received free product to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

There are things about this time of year ~ fall and winter ~ that I love. I love the changing leaves, the fresh snowfall, and the excitement of the holiday season. But not far from those wonderful things are some of the not so wonderful things... you know what I'm talking about... the runny noses, stuffy noses, coughs, fevers, and fatigue!

With a child in preschool we've had our share of germs already this year and although we're all feeling pretty healthy right now, it will only be a matter of time before some more come knocking at the door.

We were recently introduced to Soothie Suckers... and at the perfect time!  How exciting to try out a new herbal supplement that just might give us that little extra support to make it through these rough months!

Add some extra clean to your bathroom routine with Cottonelle!

This post is sponsored by Cottonelle through Linqia.  All opinions expressed are my own.

We spent last week visiting family out of state.  It was a fantastic trip, but regardless of how fantastic a trip is, it always feels good to get home!  I'm always sad leaving but then about halfway through the first leg of flights back I start getting antsy for my own bed, my own kitchen, and my own bathroom!  This time I was super smart and cleaned my house spotless before I left for vacation and when I walked in the door, that excitement of returning home was even more intense than usual.  It wasn't just home.  It was a clean home!

Speaking of clean... I was pretty excited to be invited to participate in a campaign for Cottonelle through Linqia this week.  It's all about clean bums.  Yup.  Clean bums.  I just wrote that on my blog. If you follow the hashtag #LetsTalkBums on social media, you'll be able to jump right in to the hype of a wet+dry combination that brings clean to a whole new level!  When you use Cottonelle Clean Care Toilet Paper along with Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths, you'll pamper yourself in a way you won't regret!

My sweet daughter came down with tonsillitis on our trip last week requiring a trip to Urgent Care and a prescription for antibiotics.  We followed up with the pediatrician yesterday and ended up with a second prescription to fill.  All the way from the pediatrician's office to CVS to pick up her prescription, she repeatedly told me, "I'm not feeling too good today, Mommy."  Poor thing!  We stopped into CVS for the prescription and picked up some toilet paper and flushable cleansing cloths ("special wipes").  We handed over our CVS card and coupon, paid for our things, and headed home.

Cottonelle Clean Care Toilet Paper is our toilet paper of choice.  It's strong and it doesn't take a lot to get the job done.  We had never tried the Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths before now.  Given that my daughter was feeling crummy and experiencing some bathroom related side effects from antibiotics that we will not discuss in detail here, she was excited for a little extra pampering with some "special wipes" when we got home.  We typically use a different brand of flushable wipes for kids, but now that we've tried these, we've decided that the Cottonnelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths are our new favorite!  They smell great and are perfectly moist; wet enough to have the desired effect but not so wet that they don't dry quickly, letting little ones (and grown-ups!) get back to what they are doing outside the bathroom quickly.  The dispenser they come in is classy and totally will not embarrass you while it sits in your bathroom.

Have you tried the Cottonelle wet+dry combo?  If not, you should!  Here's a coupon to save you $1.50 when you pick them up at CVS!

By the way, these goodies are not just for kids!  This morning, during my bathroom alone time (since my little one was at preschool... bathroom alone time is typically rare...), I tried them for myself and fell in love.  Well, as much as you can fall in love with a flushable cleansing cloth!  So you can take my 3 1/2 year old's word for it, or mine, but regardless of which holds more credence to you, print your coupon now, and head to CVS today!  

Add a little extra clean to your bathroom routine!

This post is sponsored by Cottonelle through Linqia.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Matics from Kabuki Helps

I was provided with free product for this review and giveaway.  

All opinions expressed are my own.

My 3 1/2 year old loves numbers.  You know how when you put kids to bed and they get up and ask for another drink of water or an extra back scratch?  Well, she does that too.  But just as often she gets up and says things like, "Mommy.  I didn't know that four plus four is eight…"  She just has a busy mind and recently it's been full of math facts!

We were super excited to be asked by the team at Kabuki Helps to try out a fantastic math game called Matics.  Matics is a math card game that grows with your child!  The rules of the game change based on the age and skill level of the child.  You could use the cards for number recognition, counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and more!

My 3 1/2 year old and I play the game as follows… We each have a pile of cards face down.  On the count of 3, we each turn over a card.  Her job is to identify the two numbers and then figure out which is the higher number and then the person with the highest number keeps the cards.  It's so much fun, but it's a brain workout for her and we usually make it through one and a half games before she starts saying she's tired… which is a good sign, in my opinion!  We've also tried playing by turning over two cards at a time, adding them together, and using that total to determine who has the highest number.  This is obviously a little trickier and brainpower-consuming for her (I think we made it through two turns!) but it would be perfect for a slighter older child.  I love the fact that this game will never sit dusty on a shelf somewhere because no matter what my child's math skill level is at the time, we can adapt it.

The Matics card set comes in a gel case.  The cards are very high quality.  They are colorful and simple with basic designs that help with counting if needed.

Kabuki Helps is a company that sells quality educational books and games that have been independently created, designed, published, and financed by teachers and parents… the experts on fun learning!  All items are produced in the USA.  Matics is just one of the many little treasures that you will find browsing their website.  When you buy a product from their website, you select a charity or school and 10% of the proceeds from the sale go directly to the organization you have chosen.  You can also choose to purchase something and have the product itself go to a charity like Toys for Tots.  Isn't that great?

Kabuki Helps is also offering my readers 10% off of anything purchased through their website!  Just use the code Today at checkout so they'll know you're coming from here!  The coupon code expires June 1, 2014.

They have also been so kind to offer a set of Matics cards to one of my readers so we're going to give one away!  Just follow along on the rafflecopter widget below.  A winner will be randomly generated from all the entries after the giveaway closes at midnight EST next Monday, April 28.  Come back daily for more entries!
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I highly encourage you to check out all of the products that Kabuki Helps has to offer.  I'm looking forward to trying more of their products with my family!

I was provided with free product for this review and giveaway.  

All opinions expressed are my own.

Ranch Oyster Crackers

My husband introduced me to this simple, inexpensive, but fantastic little snack.  He remembers long nights snacking on these while playing cards with his grandmother.  I introduced them to my grandmother many years ago and she became a lover of them as well!  Last night, I introduced them to our daughter... the love runs in the family!  I think you'll love them too!

Ingredients:

• One bag oyster crackers (we used a 9 oz last night and they were SUPER strong... 12 oz would be better)
• One packet dry ranch dressing mix (we use Hidden Valley)
• 1/4 cup oil (whatever you have on hand... I've used vegetable in the past but more recently olive oil and both are fine)

Directions:

• Toss the oyster crackers with the oil and dressing mix (a ziplock bag works great).  
• Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy... but don't expect to eat only a handful!  These won't last you long!

Premama Plus *Review & Giveaway!*

I was provided with free product for this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

Several months ago I had the opportunity to review Premama Essentials Prenatal Vitamin Mix.   MomSelect and Premama have again invited me to review their Premama Plus formula and have asked that I give one of my readers a free 30 day supply as well!

If you are in the market for prenatal vitamins, please read on!

Premama is a problem solver.  Their team has developed a prenatal vitamin mix that you simply stir into your favorite beverage and drink, totally eliminating huge horse pills!  Who wouldn't love an alternative option for easily taking in all the nutrients to make you a healthy mommy... while easing some prenatal discomforts along the way?  Premama Prenatal Vitamin Mixes are packed with all of the vitamins and nutrients suggested for mommies before, during, and after pregnancy to support healthy baby development.  It helps keeps you and baby healthy at the same time that it soothes symptoms like morning sickness and minimizes constipation.

A 30 day supply of Premama comes with 30 little packets of powder that you simply mix with your favorite non-carbonated cold beverage or soft food and enjoy!  Even oatmeal!  All of you pumping and nursing mommies who are trying to boost that milk supply by eating oatmeal can fill up on your vitamins at the same time!  Not only that, but drinking Premama forces you to increase your fluid intake!  This is a HUGE benefit to me because I absolutely know that I never drink enough.  I'm getting at least 12 more ounces in me for sure when I'm drinking the Premama mix.  You can get the powder in either a taste-free or a light citrus flavor alternative.  I am loving the sweet taste of the Premama Plus!  Besides the citrus flavoring, the Premama Plus is additionally fortified with Omega-3s, CoQ10, and Choline, on top of the B6, iron, folic acid, and B12 that is also found in the Essentials variety.

Premama comes in two varieties, Premama Essentials and Premama Plus and both are sold in 30 day supplies.  You can purchase them through the Premama website, amazon, or in a store near you!  It is now even sold in Whole Foods which I know is convenient to many of you!

If you're looking for some savings on the product, there is a great feature on the Premama website where if you refer a friend, you will both earn money toward the purchase price... and there is no limit to how much you can earn, so the more friends you refer, the better!  You can also ask your doctor to request a coupon code for additional savings, or subscribe for monthly automatic delivery.  If you'd like to try Premama first, there is an option to request a sample as well.  All of the details are on the website here.

MomSelect and Premama have provided me with the opportunity to offer a giveaway of a 30 day supply of Premama for one of my readers!  You can enter the giveaway below.  A winner will be announced one week from today on Wednesday, January 29.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to try this product and share it with you through both the review and the givewaway!  Thanks MomSelect and Premama!

If you'd like more ways to connect with Premama, check out their social media links below!

http://facebook.com/Premama
http://twitter.com/drinkpremama
http://pinterest.com/drinkpremama
http://instagram.com/premama

I was provided with free product for this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

This post contains my Premama referral link.

Cash back when you shop online!

Online shopping around the holidays is getting more and more popular.  If I could do all my holiday shopping online from the comfort of my home, I would.  Well, maybe I'd save one thing to get in the store because there is something special about the "holiday spirit" at the mall, but I certainly don't like to make a habit of fighting crowds at this time of year, particularly in the parking lots!  One of my favorite perks to shopping online is FREE CASH BACK!  Even when I'm making a small purchase, I like to do it online and pick up in the store if I can, just for the little bit I might get back.

Ebates is my favorite site for earning cash back on my online purchases.  Read on for all the ins and outs on how it works.

If you haven't signed up yet, this is the time to do it because there are a few great promotions they are running...

• Get a $10 gift card to Target, Macy's, Kohl's, or Walmart for signing up and making a $25 online purchase.
• Double cash back at many retailers.
• Get a $50 bonus when you refer 2 friends!

This is totally legit and there are no strings attached.  All you do is go to the Ebates website, type in your retailer, click the link, do your shopping as you normally would, and make a percentage back.  It's a win, win!

Ebates is a website that connects you with the website of the store you want to shop and if you make your purchase through their link, you will get a percentage back.  These percentages fluctuate.  Sometimes it might be 1% or 2%, sometimes there will be a promotion where you will get double cash back, etc.  They also show you any coupon codes available (such as a percentage off or free shipping). You can make your purchase online by connecting to your store through their website and either have the items shipped to you or pick up in the store.  

Ebates works with tons of stores including Sears, Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Amazon, Sephora, JC Penny, Kohl's, Home Depot, Overstock.com, Groupon, Walmart, you name it, so you are sure to find your favorites.  Membership is totally free.  You simply get paid cash back for shopping (by check or paypal).  

There is nothing to lose with this program.  Anytime I am making a purchase I try to remember to check Ebates first to see if the store has an account with them and go through them to earn a little extra back.  We're not talking millions of dollars here (unless you are spending millions of dollars I suppose) but every little bit makes a difference.

Click here to sign up for Ebates today!

Make your own broth/stock! (DON'T THROW AWAY YOUR TURKEY CARCASS!)

I just recently purchased a little package of chicken bouillon cubes to make my own broth.  Although it was only 99 cents at Market Basket, it was still a little bit painful because it had been almost a year since I had to buy it!

Last Christmas, after dinner, and after I placed all the leftovers in the fridge, I looked at the carcass of our 26 pound turkey and thought, "There has to be something I can do with this other than throwing it in the trash!"  I went to google, and several hours later, I had almost a one year supply of turkey broth!

Here is all you need to do...

Put your turkey carcass in a large pot, covered with water.  Add any carrots, celery, onions, etc that you have on hand and whatever seasonings you like.  Bring everything to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for about three hours.  Skim yuckiness off the top periodically.  Basically, when when the bones are bare, it's done.  Remove the bones from the pan and cool the stock in the fridge overnight.  Skim off the top layer of fat that you'll find in the morning and you'll see your stock underneath - the more gelatin-like the better!  I take my cooled stock/broth and filled ice cube trays, and once frozen, I place the cubes in zip lock freezer bags in the freezer.  Last year, they lasted about 6 months in the freezer before they started getting all freezer burn-ish.  I just melt a few as needed for any recipe that calls for broth throughout the year.

PS ~ This stock is perfect for making your own cream soup for recipes!  You can check out that recipe here.

What to do with all those green onions!

I like to think of green onions as a "gift that just keeps giving."  One bunch of green onions from the grocery store can give you bunch after bunch if you know what to do with them!  Simply use the onions as you typically would but save the white bulb and root part in a jar with some water and they will regrow!  Again, cut off what you need as you need it, keep giving them fresh water, and repeat!  It's a great way to save money, always have fresh onions, and add some cute decor to your countertops!

Regardless of the fact that I can make one bunch of green onions last for a pretty long time, my husband decided to plant a plethora, yes a PLETHORA, of green onions in our garden this year.  The result?  This project showed up on my to-do list this week!

A few hours of cleaning, separating, and clipping away with scissors gave us this:

We will keep these in the freezer and take out whatever we need for recipes for as long as they last us!  I froze green onions for the first time when I had several regrowing on our windowsill prior to us moving last summer.  I had no easy way to transport the jar so I chopped them up, filled an empty plastic water bottle, threw it in the freezer, and simply shook out whatever I needed whenever I needed it.  It was fantastic.  Sadly I did not have enough water bottles for this year's harvest but I think the zip lock bags will do!

Incredibly Easy Homemade Tortillas

I have had making homemade tortillas on my to-do list for a long, long time.  Someone once told me it was easy but I apparently wasn't convinced enough to try.  We use tortillas a lot around here for sandwiches, quesadillas, and tacos so I'm not sure why it too me so long to brave the task!

Last night my husband was unexpectedly home early for dinner so I wanted to come up with something to make other than leftovers.  I had some ground turkey, shredded cheese, lettuce, homemade salsa, taco seasoning, nacho chips, and ONE tortilla.  Tacos?  My motivation to have tacos was high but my motivation to go to the store was low!  Desperate times call for desperate measures so I took to Pinterest to find a tortilla recipe and chose this one.  It's funny.  Even when the recipe told me it would be easy, I still didn't believe it.  But, I told my 3 year old to get ready to work, grabbed the ingredients (everything I had on hand, and you probably do too), and got started.

Friends, this may have been the EASIEST thing I have ever made!  It was so easy that I kept doing that  whole "apology in advance" and "no promises" thing to my husband.  In the back of my mind I was coming up with back-up plans.  This had to be too good to be true... But it wasn't!  Please hear me when I say that I will never, ever pay a PENNY for tortillas again.  These were easy, delicious, fresh, and cost me nothing.

I love finding new treasures right in my cabinets that I never knew I had.  And I love finding things that I can make myself and add to my "never buy in the store again" list!

Perhaps the best part of this project is that sometimes tasks seem even more daunting when I think about doing them with a 3 year old.  I love having her help me in the kitchen because I know that I'm encouraging really good things in her when I do.  But, I have to be honest and say that some things just are going to be more complicated with little curious, excited, and sometimes reckless hands involved!  This recipe was absolutely perfect for 3 year old hands and it actually was a help to have her!

Anyway, here's how to do it!

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 5 tablespoons shortening
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup very warm tap water

Directions:

• Mix flour and salt in medium bowl (you could get away with a medium bowl but I recommend large if you're mixing with a 3 year old!)
• Add shortening to the bowl and mix together with your hands to work out all the clumps (you'll be done when there are no more large clumps of shortening)
• Pour in very warm tap water
• Use a fork to stir until a dough forms
• Put the dough on the counter and knead until you have a soft dough (the original recipe said 10-15 minutes, we probably did a little less, but this is SO fun for your little one, it's like squishy playdough)
• Roll the dough into a log and separate into 12 equal pieces
• Roll the pieces into little balls 
• Put the little pieces in a zip lock bag in the fridge for 20 minutes - 2 hours
• After removing from fridge, flatten a ball in your hand and then roll out on a floured surface into a thin round tortilla (flip and turn as you roll to make an even circle, doesn't have to be perfect)
• Place tortilla in a heated frying pan (medium heat, you will know it's hot enough because it should sizzle a little when it hits the pan)
• Leave the tortilla in the pan for 30 seconds and then flip (it will bubble a little the first time, but try to push it down flat with a spatula after you turn it over so it cooks through)
• I had to play around with the heat a little bit to keep from burning, but you'll get into a rhythm after the first or second one 
• Remove from pan and place in aluminum foil to keep warm

Enjoy!

You can find the original recipe here with extra tips and pictures!

How we did all our back to school shopping for about $6!

I finally completed our back-to-school / fall weather shopping this morning... from the comfort of my own home!  I will be honest that as much as I sometimes find grocery shopping "fun", I am not a huge fan of clothing shopping, particularly when it involves chasing a 3 year old around a store!  I love shopping online for clothing because it's just much easier.

I've been planning my online fall clothing shopping for quite some time.  I will be honest that it would be difficult for you to replicate my "deal" without the pre-planning.  However, with that being said, it's never too early to start planning for next fall... or for the holidays... or the next birthday, etc.

Old Navy really is having a great sale on little kid clothes right now so even without the gift cards I used, you can score a really fantastic deal.  I put all of those details below, so keep reading!

Here are some things I did...

Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a website that offers lots of ways to earn "swagbucks".  That makes sense right?!  Basically you can earn points or "swagbucks" by doing different things such as searching the internet, printing and redeeming coupons, entering bonus codes they post on facebook, signing up for offers, referring friends, watching advertisements, playing games, etc.  There are tons of ways to earn but I will be honest and say the only way I earn is through internet searches, printing and redeeming coupons, and entering bonus codes.  Just by searching for something through their search engine you have the chance to earn any number of swagbucks... it's totally random.  You can read more about the details on their website or ask me if you have a question but eventually, when you have enough swagbucks, you can redeem them for things.  Over the course of the last several months I redeemed swagbucks for two $10 Old Navy gift cards in preparation for my fall shopping.  You can sign up for swagbucks here.

Mypoints
Mypoints is a website similar to swagbucks.  It works along the same general premise although I don't believe they do internet searches.  I think you can complete surveys, invite friends, etc.  I earn all of my points on this site through BzzAgent.  You can read more about BzzAgent here, but in short, they are a company that sends me free stuff to try and all they ask is that I talk to other people about the product.  There are no strings attached except that they ask me to report back on my conversations (super easy) or post pictures of enjoying the product, etc.  Let me know if you'd like me to send you an invite or you can sign up through their website here.  For each task I complete they award me with points on Mypoints.  I redeemed those points for a $25 Old Navy gift card.  You can sign up for Mypoints here.

So far, that's $45 in completely free money.  FREE MONEY!  

I ordered 3 pairs of pants, 3 shirts, 1 sweatshirt, and 1 pair of pajamas from Old Navy online.  I took advantage of their 30% off sale, a 20% off coupon code they emailed me today (thank goodness I waited until the last day because yesterday it was only 15%!!), free shipping for spending $50 before the coupons, $45 in gift cards I earned totally free, and paid $6.52 out of pocket.  I will get 2% back through Ebates which isn't a lot but every little bit counts.  You should not ever shop online without using Ebates because again, free money, is free money... take advantage of it!  You can read about Ebates here.

Even if you don't have any swagbucks or mypoints saved up, Old Navy is really having a great sale on little kiddo clothing right now - 30% off everything and then 20% off everything with coupon code ONEXTRA20.  Today is the last day of the sale and coupon so shop now!  And remember, 2% back through Ebates!

Please don't ever believe that paying full price is the only way... there are so many ways to save!

FYI - I love my countertop compost pail!

Do you compost your leftover table scraps?  My husband got us into composting a couple of years ago.    We purchased a large outdoor compost bin where we could dump all of our vegetable and fruit scraps, leaves, grass clippings, egg shells, coffee grounds, egg cartons, chicken poop, etc.  When the composting process was complete, we had free potting soil which grew us some gigantic sunflowers (among other things, but the sunflowers really were huge)!  In a nutshell, when you put all of your scraps in the compost bin, it decomposes, mixes all together, and comes out as a nutrient filled fertilizer.  It reduces waste in a sanitary way and gives back to the environment as the cycle of healthy soil creation goes on and on and on!  You can do a google search and read a million articles on the ins and outs of composting and its benefits.  I didn't take a whole lot of time researching it, I just followed along and collected in a bowl on the counter everything that my husband told me was compostable and he would dump it in the bin.  

I quickly realized a problem however... we started to get fruit flies all over the kitchen if we didn't dump it right away!  I tried storing in a plastic bag instead but the problem persisted.  I tried a concoction of apple cider vinegar and dish soap as a fruit fly trap and I thought this solved my problem.  (It really is a good home remedy... watch for a blog post on that!)

But then... we were given a gift of a countertop compost pail.  I never knew such a thing existed!  But I have now realized that EVERYone should know this exists!  I use it and love it every day and it occurred to me that I should share my love so others don't miss out!  This little gem sits right on the counter and when I peel a cucumber (fresh from our compost fortified garden!) I dump the peel right in there.  Again, google will give you lists of what can and cannot be composted.  But basically, all of our waste that is compostable goes into that bin where it starts its decomposition while it waits for my husband to bring it outside to the big bin... without smelling up my kitchen or attracting fruit flies!  This has been such a great addition to our kitchen.  I would recommend it to anyone!

I'm not sure where the pail we have was purchased, but it can be found on amazon (link below).  I was surprised to see some poor reviews on there!  We haven't had any issues with rust or bad odors (unless you leave the cover off... but I would expect this given that it's storing decomposing materials).  But I saw lots of other compost bins on there as well if you don't want to take your chances on this one.

If you're looking to add some "green" to your living, save on next years gardening supplies, or avoid fruit flies, don't delay!  This is a great product!

        

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Homemade Salsa - SO EASY!!

So here's the thing.  I love making things from scratch.  Or maybe it's safer to say I love serving and eating things I've made from scratch.  But the reality is that it's usually easier to buy things (like salsa) at the store!  The problem with that however is that I am sometimes too cheap to buy it!  I went to five stores today - YES five stores - all which sell salsa.  Target.  Market Basket.  Stop & Shop.  Shaws.  CVS.  In that order.  But I did not buy salsa because it wasn't on sale and I didn't have a coupon.  My poor family!  Thankfully my husband gave me encouraging words before he left for work this morning, telling me that he believed I could make salsa from a can of diced tomatoes.  And... I did it!  And... it was SO EASY!  EASIER (and cheaper) THAN GOING TO THE STORE!  In fact, this salsa was totally free because I had absolutely everything I needed right in my kitchen.  If you have some of this stuff in your garden, that's even better!  Here it is, my friends.  Make your family some salsa tonight!

I got my inspiration from the recipe I found here, and tweaked it to fit what I had since I was not about to go to the store or spend any money on this!

FYI: I will never spend money on salsa at the store again!

Ingredients

• 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 10 ounce can of diced tomatoes & green chilies
• small onion, chopped
• clove garlic, pressed
• jalapeno slices (I don't know how many I used... I found them in the fridge and put maybe 8-ish slices in?)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cilantro (if you don't think you have any, see if you have any of those McCormick Recipe Inspirations Garlic Lime Chicken Fajita thingies in your stockpile - it was in there!)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (I would have used lime but didn't realize I had it until after the fact)

Directions

• Put all of the ingredients in a blender (or food processor) and pulse until combined (about 30 seconds or less depending on how you like it)

Let me know how it turns out for you!

Thanks, Mountain Mama Cooks for sharing your recipe!

FREE Admission to The Discovery Museums this Friday night!

On the first friday of every month the Discovery Museums in Acton offer FREE admission from 4:30 - 8:30 PM!  This Friday, June 7, is the first Friday of this month so if you are looking for something to do, you may want to check it out!

I've posted about this before.  Our family LOVES the Discovery Museums.  There is a Children's Museum and a Science Museum.  They are much smaller than the big city museums, much more hands on, and don't require traveling in and out of the city!  We love these museums so much that we actually purchased a year long membership that gets us into those museums for free any time and gives us free admission or discounts at many other children's museums around the state, country, and world!

I HIGHLY recommend a visit to the museums, or at the very least to their website or facebook page where you can check out all that they have to offer.  And if you want to visit it for FREE, this Friday would be the time to do it!

From their website:

Join us with free admission and explore the museums at night on the first Friday of every month! We will gratefully accept donations for the Acton Food Pantry. Sponsored in part by Emerson Hospital with additional support from Alexander, Aronson, Finning and Company, P.C. and the Local Cultural Councils of Acton-Boxborough, Billerica, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Harvard, Hudson, Leominster, Lexington, Littleton, Maynard, Waltham, Wayland, and Westford.

Frozen Yogurt Dots

My refrigerator is bursting with free yogurt so I'm always looking for and finding creative ways to use up my yogurt surplus!

Here's one idea:

Just cover a baking sheet with yogurt dots and throw them in the freezer.  Once frozen, enjoy!  It doesn't get any easier than that!

These will make the perfect treat for this hot day!

If your fridge isn't full of yogurt, you must not shop at Shaws.  Koru Creamery Style Yoghurt is regularly priced $1.50 there but it's on sale for $1.00 right now and there's a $1/1 coupon in SS 5/5 that makes it free.  There was also a printable .75/1 that doubled but it doesn't look like it's still available.  I will update if I see it pop back up!

Shaving Cream Bathtub Paints

We made these super duper, super fun, super easy, and super clean paints today in an attempt to beat the rainy day blues and it worked!  In fact, my 2 1/2 year old spent an hour and a half in the tub painting the tub, the walls, her toys, her body, and then cleaning everything up with washcloths and sponges.  It was the perfect rainy day activity!

You probably won't believe this, but I did not have any shaving cream in the house, only shaving gel which according to every google search I did would not work.  But, desperate times call for desperate measures and I was determined to make it work.  A good stir turned my shaving gel into nice foamy shaving cream in no time.

Here's what you'll need:

• Shaving Cream
• Food Coloring
• Tongue depressors, fingers, or whatever you want to use for painting

Here's what you'll do:

• Stir shaving cream together with a couple of drops of food coloring
• Paint, paint, paint
• Clean up with a wet cloth or sponge
• If you use shaving gel instead of cream just give it a good stir first to get it foamy.  Mine even had a blue tint and it still mixed up nicely with the food coloring.

So easy, so fun, and no stains on my tub or child!

I found my inspiration for this project here.

Free fruit for kids at Shaw's

We are big fans of the Shaw's Healthy Eaters program!  I think if my 2 1/2 year old could type, she would probably write up this blog post herself.  Every time we visit Shaw's she is able to pick a banana or apple for herself and pay for it (get it for free) with this coupon.  Not only does this reinforce her love of fresh fruit but also gives her something to look forward to on every shopping trip.  And yes, I am proud, when she asks if she can pay for her own food with a coupon!  If you haven't picked up one of these cards from your store, you should!

Also thanks to Shaws in Burlington, MA for always having stickers at checkout!  My daughter has started asking at the register (loud enough for us all to hear), "Mommy, do you think they have any stickers here?"  She says she is "too nervous" to ask directly, but we appreciate the sweet generosity just the same!