Swagcode Until 4:30 EST

Go to the Swagbucks widget at the bottom of this site, click on the "Swag Codes" tab, and when "Check if there is a Swag Code" appears, click it and you'll get a Swag Code.  It will be available until 4:30 Pacific Time.

Also, don't forget to do your web searches on Swagbucks instead of through Google, Yahoo or other search engines, and you'll earn Swagbucks that you can redeem for cash or gift cards--a great FREE way to earn a little treat (Starbucks Gift Card, Amazon Gift Card, Target Gift Card, Barnes and Noble Gift Card...).

In addition to earning Swagbucks from searches, you can click on Special Offers (under Quick Links on the Swagbucks homepage), then click on the blue "No Obligation Offers" box.  You can read the ads if you wish, but if you're like me, you can just keep clicking "skip".  At the end of the 5 or 6 ads, you'll get a Swagcode.  You can do this at least once per week.

Epiphany Traditions

Just a reminder that today is Epiphany.  There are several nice Epiphany ideas HERE for families.

Free Blue Ribbon Gourmet Food Sampler--select states

If you live in the south -- Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia, you are the lucky few to be able to request a FREE Blue Ribbon food sampler that includes:

You'll receive two of our world-famous lemon pepper boneless chicken breasts; two of our grain-fed, super-select boneless pork chops; and two gourmet steak burgers. Everything comes in a premium, reusable, personal-size cooler. The whole package, including the cooler, is yours to keep!

 Nice! Hurry, though, because quantities are limited.

(thanks, Crystal)

Baby Rat Update-- Week 2

Well, after one week, the 6 little baby rats are getting plump and are just starting to get their fur. Five of them are white like Mom, and one little one has a black head.  We told my daughter she can keep ONE (and only one!) baby rat as long as it is a girl.  The problem is, I'm a city girl and know nothing about determining rat gender.  Hmmm.  It's not as obvious as I'd hoped...  She wants to keep the unique little black and white one.  They are definitely getting cuter (for RATS, that is!) now that they aren't just squirmy pink little balls.

If you are wondering what in the world I am talking about, you can catch up on our "newest additions" HERE.

Free Audio Download: "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This is a great little site I never knew about until today: www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com.

They offer freebies for homeschoolers (or anyone, really).  They apparently have free audio downloads each week (only available for that week), and one of them this week is an old radio show of  The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Little House on the Prairie books are my absolute favorite children's books. I read them over and over as a kid, and have a set now for my own kids to enjoy.

This is timely, too, because my daughter is doing a colonial days unit at school.

(thanks, athriftymom)

Free Slim Fast Bar

Get a free Peanut Butter Crunch Slim Fast bar from Sam's Club when you fill out this form.  Membership is not required to receive the sample.

Diet and Fitness Goals--Free Resource

Many of us try to set goals for better health, nutrition and fitness each new year.  I for one, want to lose weight and eat better.  When I 'm stressed I tend to crave junk, which is not good for the budget, my health, or my waistline.  I'm trying to establish better habits.

I've used Sparkpeople on and off for years (OK--more off than on!) and it is a fabulous FREE online resource that helps you track and meet your goals.  Sparkpeople includes:

Nutrition Tracker (my favorite part of the site)--You can enter a starting weight and date, and a goal weight and date, and the site will create a diet plan for you with a daily allowance of calories/fat/carbs and more to get you to that goal.  Also in the nutrition tracker, you can just click to add food from your meals and snacks and the site will tell you the calories, carbs, fat, protein, (and you can monitor other things also) from what you've eaten, as well as how many more calories, grams of fat and such are available for you to eat the remainder of the day/week to stay on goal.  Sometimes, entering the two Oreos I just munched on into my daily nutrition tracker and seeing how it affects my daily nutrition make me refocus for the rest of the day. 

Fitness Tracker -- set fitness goals (cardio, mileagae, # of daily steps...) and Sparkpeople will make fitness plan suggestions tailored to your goals and ability.


Other Goals --set small goals for yourself, like drinking 8 glasses of water each day, doing 15 minutes of exercise while watching TV, eat some fresh produce each day, or read something inspirational each day.  Track these goals until they become habit, and then add new ones.

Good luck in your goals for the year!

Walgreens Weekly Deals 1/3 - 1/9

NOTE: Register Rewards (RRs) print out with your receipt an can be used like cash off your next purchase.

Selected Kellogg's Cereals, Fiber One Bars -- 2 for $5.00
-Get $2.00 Register Rewards
-Use $1.50 off 2 coupon
TOTAL = $1.75 each, plus $2 RR when you buy 2

Bertolli Frozen Meals -- $5.99
-Use $1.00 coupon
TOTAL = $4.99

Hunts Tomato Sauce -- $.39 w/ in-ad coupon

Finish Dishwasher Detergent -- $3.49
-Get $1.00 Register Reward
-Use $2.50 coupon from the 1/3 Smart Source insert
TOTAL = FREE ($1, plus $1 back in RRs)

Vanity Fair Plates/Napkins -- $1.50
-Use $1.00 off coupon from the  12/13 Smart Source insert
TOTAL = $.50

Revlon Matte Collection Cosmetics
-$3.00 off with in-ad coupon
-also use $2.00 coupon from the 12/13 Smart Source insert
TOTAL = varies by item

Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste -- $3.49
-Get $1.00 RR
-Use $1.00 coupon
TOTAL = $2.49, plus $1.00 back in RRs

Vitamins--Buy One, Get One Free
-Use $1.00 Nature Made coupon

Delsym Couph Syrup
-$2.00 off with in-ad coupon
-also use $1.50 coupon from the 11/15 Smart Source insert
TOTAL = Free or nearly free :)

Kuku Klok: Online Alarm Clock

I just found out about KukuKlok.com--SO cute!  It's a free, online programmable alarm clock.

Set the digital clock to what time you want the alarm to sound, and it will sound the alarm of your choice at that time (rooster, classic alarm clock, elecrtonic beep, heavy rock guitar, or military trumpet).  You can even click snooze!

This can have so many potential uses:

-set an audible timer for kids who are playing online games
-travel alarm
-take a lunchtime nap in your office
-timer for Mom ("I'm just going to check my email for a second"--ends up being an hour...)  :)
-timer for games (a lot of our older board games have sand timers that don't work anymore)

Target Weekly Deals 1/3 - 1/9

NOTE: Get $.05 off each time you use a reusable bag

GROCERY

Honey Nut Cheerios -- $2.39
-Use Honey Nut Cheerios coupon
TOTAL = $1.39

Special K Red Berries, Select others -- $2.39
-Use $.50 Target coupon (print 2)
-AND Use $5.00 off 4 cereals (manufacturer coupon)
TOTAL = $.89 each when you buy 4

Smart Ones Entrees  -- $1.89
-Get a $5.00 Gift Card when you buy 10
TOTAL = $1.39 each

Keebler 12 ct. Variety Pack -- $3.79
-Use $.55 coupon
TOTAL = $3.24

Nature Valley Granola Bars or Nut Clusters -- $2.33
-Use $1.00 off Nut Clusters
-Use $.40 off Bars
TOTAL = $1.33 -$1.93

Juicy Juice, 64 oz.-- $2.00
-Use $1.00 Target coupon (print 2)
-AND Use $1.00 off 2
TOTAL = $1.00 for two

Pepsi 12 pk cans -- $3.00
-Use $1.00 off 12 pk Target coupon
TOTAL = $2.00

NatureMade Vitamin D, Fish Oil -- $5.00

Cambell's Select Harvest Soup -- $1.25
-Use $1.00 coupon
-Use $.50 off 2 from 1/3 Smart Source Insert
TOTAL = $.25 - $1.00 each

Activia Yougurt -- $2.00
-Use $1.00 coupon from the  11/1 Smart Source Insert
TOTAL = $1.00




HOUSEHOLD

Sterilite Storage Containers -- $5.00
- 66 qt - 20 gallon

Family Game Night: Sorry, Connect 4, Operation, Trouble, Guess Who -- $10
-Free Dominos medium pizza coupon inside specially marked boxes

Leapfrog Tag Books -- $9.99
-Use $4.00 coupon
TOTAL = $5.99

Kleenex 10 pk -- $8.99
-Use$1.00 Target coupon
TOTAL = $7.99 for 10

Colgate Toothpaste, 7.6 oz -- $3.99
-Use $1.00 coupon
TOTAL = $2.99

Solo Tableware --2 for $5.00
-Use $1.00 from the 12/6 smart source insert
TOTAL = $1.50

Theraflu -- $4.49
-Use $2.00 coupon
TOTAL = $2.49

Finish Dishwasher Tabs -- $3.49
-Use $2.50 off coupon from the 1/3 Smart Source insert
TOTAL = $.99 each!

Free Atkins QuickStart Kit w/ Samples

Sign up here to receive the Atkins Quick Start Kit that includes a Quick Starter Guide, a carb counter, and 3 free Atkins bars.

(thanks, mojosavings)

Free Sample: Barbara's Bakery Organic Cereals

Fill out this short form to request a free sample of Barbara's Bakery organic cereals.  It looks like the sample will be Organic Wild Puffs or Ultima Organic Pomegranate (or maybe both!).

(Thanks, Kaley)

5 Coupon Inserts

If you get the Sunday paper, you probably already noticed that there were FIVE coupon inserts yesterday.  If you are out today, pick up an extra newspaper because the $1 or $2 you spend on the extra paper will definitely be recouped with all the coupon savings!

Review--Saint of the Day

One of my intentions this year is to schedule more time for prayer and devotion.  If I don't plan ahead and set aside time, I go through my busy day doing dishes, laundry, (then more dishes and laundry!), cooking, cleaning, errands, and helping the kids with homework without a prayer pause.  You know--all the usual Mom stuff ends up consuming my day and before I know it it's midnight and I'm tired.  Although I'd LIKE to have a quiet hour to myself for prayer and reflection, I have realized it is just not going to happen in a small house with four kids.  I'm just too exhausted to stay up and read at night.  I read a paragraph or two then doze off.  In theory, I COULD get up extra early and have some quiet time, but I usually end up hitting snooze a couple of times because I am so tired.

I decided the best way to get in my prayer time is in little bits and pieces, not in one large chunk that never seems to happen.  To that end, I have been using Saint of the Day (sixth revised edition), published by St. Anthony Messenger Press, and available at The Catholic Company.

Saint of the Day is just as the title says--a book filled with short summaries of the lives of the saints.
I was surprised that the book does not actually contain 365 saints--there are about 240, but nonetheless it is still a very valuable asset for my daily prayer.  Perhaps a larger book would be unwieldy.  The sixth revised edition has been updated to include Louis Martin and Zelie Guerin (St. Therese's parents), Charles de Foucauld,  Gianna Beretta Molla, Damien of Molokai, Camillus de Lellis and several others.

Each Saint of the Day entry features a short biography of  the life and accomplishments of a particular Saint, and is followed by a comment, then a quote from the Saint, about the Saint, or that encapsulates that Saint's spirituality.  Each day's text is a very manageable 1-2 pages that I can read and reflect on in just a couple of minutes while eating breakfast. It helps to start off my day on a good note.  As I read about a different Saint each day, I'm reminded that these holy men and women, in the midst of their own busy-ness, gave their lives to God, and I am called to nothing less.

I was provided a review copy of this book at no cost to me in order to obtain my honest opinion.

Giveaway Winners--Bible Studies

Congratulations to the three winners of the Come and See:Wisdom and Courageous Generosity Bible studies from Emmaus Road Publishing:

Kristin

Julie R.

Joanne B.

You are the first three winners of 2010!

 

Happy New Year Glitter Pictures