Josiah is 4!

And just like that it happened!  My itty, bitty {to me} preemie turned 4-years-old.  I have asked him to stop, but as he says, “When you come out of your mom’s tummy you have to keep growing.  That’s just how it is.”

 

We spent his birthday at home since it was a Friday and I needed to get ready for the party the next day.  The day before we had lunch at Chan’s (where he always asks to eat), he played in the Play Place at Fred Meyer (where he always asks to go) and then he got a chocolate ice cream cone from Baskin Robbins.  On his birthday his dad did take him for his free Dutch Bros. drink. They went to the Eastside so he could go in and order himself, and the sweet barista even let him put a stamp on a punch card.  He got a large mixed berry smoothie so he could share with his brother at home (and his dad because they are HUGE).

Then on Saturday we had a little Art Party for him.

 

 

The kids got to paint canvases, color on the tablecloth, build with colorful legos and take home goody bags with art supplies.  The boys and I decorated the bags with bingo daubers from Dollar Tree they had gotten in their Easter basket.  Then Josiah told me who each one was for and he helped put the colorful things inside.  I had stocked up during back-to-school shopping and also when I needed to put in an order for the preschool so everything was super affordable. 

He had so much fun and enjoyed all his presents. 

He got everything he wanted for his fourth birthday.  When I asked him he said he wanted:
     1)  Presents
     2)  His dad, Jeremy and his cousins to be there
     3)  Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting
Check…check…and check…plus some!

 
Here are the answers to his questions for this year:

Nicknames:

        Siah

How old are you?

        {Holds up 4 fingers}

What is your favorite color?

        I like every color

What is your favorite animal?

        I like bears and lions and hawks and eagles and turkey vultures.   That’s what I like.  Just those.

What is your favorite book?

        My favorite book is a superhero book, Mom.

What is your favorite movie?

        I like Pooh Bear.  I like Nemo, and I like the Minion movie.  {Note: He has never actually watched the Minion movie, but saw/heard a few pieces of it while Danny was trying to hook up the equipment to the TV.}

What is your favorite song?

         Aiken Drum and Mickey Mouse song and Donald Duck {which is actually the theme song to Duck Tales}

What is your favorite food?

        Beef jerky

What is your favorite drink?

        Lemon

What is your favorite breakfast food?

        Eggs and bacon

What is your favorite snack?

        Turnips {Another note: The child has never even had the opportunity to eat turnips period, let alone have them for a snack.  Where does he come up with this stuff?}

What is your favorite thing to wear?

        Superhero pajamas

What is your favorite game?

        Candyland

What is your favorite toy?

        I don’t know.  {Looks around the room} Oh, I know!  My castle!

Which friends do you like to play with?

        Desi and Malia {Two years running!}

What is your favorite thing to do?

        Play outside

What is your favorite thing to do outside?

        Fire truck

What is your favorite holiday?

        The one when we get to celebrate birthdays.

What do you like to sleep with at night?

        Blankets and Teddy {which is actually the name of his stuffed husky}

Where is your favorite place to go?

        Costco and Dad’s farm

What is your favorite restaurant?

        Chan’s

Where do you want to go on vacation?

        Arizona {He actually did go there this past summer.  It’s the only vacation he’s ever been on.}

What do you want to be when you grow up?

        A dad

What did you do on your birthday?

        Play with balloons and my castle. 

I got the questions from this site: http://www.lansdownelife.com/2012/06/kids-birthday-interview-questionnaire.html.  I copied and pasted so I could change the font and color.  I also reworded some of the questions so they would make more sense for our life.  This is our second year in a row answering them, which makes me feel like SUPERMOM!  :D

 

November 2016 Deals

Here are the Central Oregon Deals for November.  You'll see a large list for Veterans and active military with tomorrow being Veteran's Day.  I know that Veterans Day is set aside to honor those who have served, Memorial Day is for those who lost their lives serving, and Armed Forces Day is to honor those currently serving, but I don't think any of them can be honored enough!  I am so very grateful to not only so many of my own family who serve and have served but all of those men and women and their families who have spent years of their lives sacrificing for my freedom.  Thank you for making America truly free through your brave service.

As always, if you know of something I didn't post, leave it in the comments and I'll add to the list and post after it's verified.  :D

One Day Only:

Veteran's Day (11/11): Make sure you have your ID!  And if you are a veteran without an ID, contact the VA so that you can get one.  They are not just for disabled veterans.  You can use them to get 10% off your shopping trips at Lowe's and 10% off certain items the third Thursday of each month at Fred Meyer.  It's an easy process that is worth looking into.  And in Central Oregon, the VA Clinic Care is great.

• IHOP: Veterans and Active Duty Military get a Free Red, White and Blue Short Stack. 
• Applebee's: Veterans eat free.
• Sun Spot (Terrebonne): Veteran's eat free.  I've only been there once but it was yummy.
• Coffee Republic (Bend): Free drink for Veterans with ID.
• Red Robin: Free Red's Tavern Double Burger and bottomless fries for Veterans and Military.
• Fred Meyer: 10% off shopping trip.  I think it only covers Kroger brand and stuff from the natural foods section as far as groceries go but check into it.
• Dutch Bros.: Free drink for Veterans and active military with ID.

11/25: Santa arrives by helicopter between 10-10:15am at the Les Schwab Amphitheater.  He will say hi and then head to SantaLand (in the north end of the Old Mill across from Chico's) where he will be until 12/23 to take pictures with the kids for free.  Bring your camera.


11/26-27: Free carriage rides in the Old Mill from 1-4pm by Ben & Jerry's and Francesca's courtesy of Cowboy Carriage.

Month Long Deals:

Dairy Queen: Happy Hour, Weekdays 2:00-5:00 p.m. Small Iced Coffee ($1), Ultimate Frappe or Premium Fruit Smoothies ($2).

Mazatlan (Redmond): Kids eat free on Tuesdays (after 3) with the purchase of an adult entrée.  The person I spoke with didn't know how long this will last, and it seems to me that last year I went and tried this after the sign was down and they were no longer doing it, so make sure you check the sign on the highway.

IHOP (ends 12/18): Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée every night from 4pm-10pm.

Papa Murphy's: $10 Tuesdays for any large pizza.  Stuffed is the best deal as you get the most pizza for that $10.

Applebee's: Tuesday is kids night from 4pm-close.  Happy Hour: Drink and appetizer specials 3pm-6pm and 9pm-close everyday and all day on Wednesdays!  Many of these appetizers are enough for a complete meal.  Also, right now they have B1G1F entrees starting at $12.49.  That would mean each meal is $6.25.  See if you can use it on a Tuesday and get something for the kids too!  :D


Carino's Italian: Kids eat free on Thursdays with purchase of an adult entrée. 

All the Time:

Dutch Bros.: Buy a $20 gift card, get a free drink.  The best use of this free drink is to get the biggest size available.  Their blended drinks (Frosts, Freezes and Smoothies) come in a gigantic 32 oz. size.  I get one and share with the whole family (unless it's coffee of course and then I recommend sharing with another adult in your life. ;) )!  And don't forget a free drink on your birthday!  No sign-ups required. :)

Coffee Republic (corner of Greenwood & 8th by The Dough Nut Eastside): They have started a deal where you get a free drink with the purchase of a $20 gift card.
$2 Tuesdays for a 16 oz. drink or $3 for a smoothie.  They have a punch card too!  I have been twice and flavors are still extra and eggnog is considered an alternative milk and is charged extra too.  That was disappointing. 

What deals do you know of?  Post them in the comments so I can keep our list updated!  :)

October 2016 Deals

Here's the beginning of the Central Oregon Deals for October.  I'm including some fun events on here too since there are TONS of harvest stuff going on.  If you know of something I didn't post, leave it in the comments and I'll add to the list and repost after it's verified.  :D

One Day Only:

The Pumpkin Patch @ New Hope Church: Saturday, October 8th, 10am-3pm.  Trick-or-treat houses, bounce houses, pie walk, pony rides, carnival games, and more.  ALL FREE!  All pumpkins are $5 and if you get the Bend Smart Shopper there is a $1 off coupon in there. www.newhopebend.com

Harvest Festival @ Culver Christian Church: Sunday, October 30th, 5:30pm.  Trunk-or-treat and carnival games.  ALL FREE!

Halloween (10/31):

• IHOP: Free Scary Pancakes for kids under 12 from 7am-10pm.
• Baskin Robbins: $1.31 per scoop. (P.S. They do this the 31st of every month so don't worry if you don't want the extra sugar today.)
• Papa Murphy's: $8 Jack-o-lantern large pepperoni pizza.  This is especially good if you don't really like pepperoni because although cute, it's mostly a cheese pizza.  Order ahead because they are busy.
• Old Mill: Trick or Treat at the shops
• Cascade Village: Trick or Treat at the shops
• Downtown Redmond: Trick or Treat at the shops

Month Long Deals:

Mazatlan, Redmond: Kids eat free on Tuesdays (after 3) with the purchase of an adult entrée.  The person I spoke with didn't know how long this will last, and it seems to me that last year I went and tried this after the sign was down and they were no longer doing it, so make sure you check the sign on the highway.

Dairy Queen: Happy Hour, Weekdays 2:00-5:00 p.m. Small Iced Coffee ($1), Ultimate Frappe or Premium Fruit Smoothies ($2).

Macy's Pumpkin Patch: Off Iris Rd. in Culver.  The best price on pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks around.  Medium pumpkins are only $3!  They may even have straw bales for sale.  Have fun walking among the vines and picking just the perfect pumpkin.

Last year's visit to the Macy's Pumpkin Patch. 
Some of you may remember that we announced our pregnancy with Jeremiah
right after this by saying we were "adding another pumpkin to the patch." 
We will not be doing that this year.  ;)

All the Time:

Dutch Bros.: Buy a $20 gift card, get a free drink.  The best use of this free drink is to get the biggest size available.  Their blended drinks (Frosts, Freezes and Smoothies) come in a gigantic 32 oz. size.  I get one and share with the whole family (unless it's coffee of course and then I recommend sharing with another adult in your life. ;) )!

Coffee Republic (corner of Greenwood & 8th by The Dough Nut Eastside): $2 Tuesdays for a 16 oz. drink or $3 for a smoothie.  They have a punch card too!

What deals do you know of?  Post them in the comments so I can keep our list updated!  :)

Why Deals?

Some of you may be wondering "why deals?" 

"Isn't it a lot of work just to save a little money?"

"Is it even worth it?"

I hope I can answer some of those questions.  My goal is not to recreate what someone else is already doing, teaching or writing about.  I'm hoping that those of you who have asked me get some help from this and maybe someone who isn't ready or able to set up an ultimate coupon binder can still save some money.  (I am not putting the binder down.  I had one...before children.  It's a fun system.  If you want to know more check out Krazy Koupon Lady.)

The reason getting a deal is so great is because I equate time with money.  I'm a mostly stay-at-home mom.  My children, bless them, do not pay me for all I do.  (If you have found a way to get them to, please let me know!).  That means that my husband is gone working.  We kind of like him around here and miss him when he's gone.  He is literally spending his time to make money so that we can function in Western society.  If I can save us money, I am saving his time.  He doesn't have to work as long (whether daily or for his lifespan) because our money goes farther.  Money really isn't a big deal.  There is always more.  Time, however, is finite.  You only get so much of it to spend and you can't ever get more or get any back once it's gone.  And, unlike money, you don't actually know how much you have left so you always have to make the most of what you have right now.  Quite the philosophical answer for saving some money right?!

There's another answer for "why deals?"  They are FUN!  I enjoy finding deals and hope you enjoy the fruit of my findings in these posts.


Do you have another question about deals?  Ask!  I'd love to come up with an answer for you.  :)

What Are Deals?

First, what is a deal? 
In my mind (which is not Webster's btw) a deal is something that you would normally buy that you are saving money on.  Emphasis on normally buy.  If you wouldn't normally buy capers but they are on sale so you buy them, it's not a deal.  If they are free on the other hand, they are a deal.  ;)  If you do use capers and they are on sale, YAY!  If you have a coupon, even better!  (And if you can get a rebate on them you just got a triple play...but we'll go in baby steps.) 

So, what qualifies as a deal?
Any savings on something you would normally buy is great, but 50% or more is a super deal in my mind.  It's what I look for when I'm posting deals for you. 

One of the secrets is not to be brand loyal unless there is a reason to be.  Store brands are often made in the same factory as the name brand product and then a different label is put on it. 

Also, remember that bigger is not always better and smaller is not always a steal.  Sometimes a product is on sale and you might have a coupon for it too.  Many times, you can walk away with an almost free small container.  Other times, something might be on sale and it makes more CENTS (see what I did there? ;) ) to buy the bigger container because it is actually cheaper per ounce.  Beware of stores that post one price breakdown as price per ounce and another brand as price per pound.  Make sure you're comparing ounces to ounces or pounds to pounds.  (Use a unit converter app on your phone to make it easy, but there are 16 ounces in a pound for those of you who just remember things.)  Then you can easily see where the best deal is.

What do I sacrifice deals on?
Ok, maybe sacrifice is a strong word as I still am always on the lookout for deals on these too, but there are certain things I don't really like to skimp on.  I will pay a little more for toilet paper at Costco than the box at Cash and Carry because it really is a better quality.  I will spend more on organic produce (especially the dirty dozen) because my family's health is important to me and I know the effects of GMOs and pesticides on their little bodies.  I am slowly doing the same with cleaners and bath products as well.  The great part is that my budget allows these things because rarely do I pay full price on a cup of coffee (which is still a splurge for me) or even a tank of gas.

More on that to come.  If you would like to know more about couponing, check out www.krazykouponlady.com.  They have full tutorials and great ways to do a lot or a little.  I currently only do a little couponing but I have used them lots in the past.  You can still get great deals without them.  Stay tuned.

What is something you are not willing to sacrifice even if you can't get a deal?

September 2016 Deals

Somehow September is halfway over.  I'm not sure how that happened but there are still some deals to get this month in Central Oregon.  If you know of something I didn't post, leave it in the comments and I'll add to the list and repost after it's verified.  :D

One Day Only:


Month Long Deals:

Starbucks: Load $10 or more to your Starbuck's card via app and pay with Visa Checkout to get an email with an additional $10 Starbuck's gift card.  Type that code into your app as well so you get star credit for those purchases towards your free drink/food.  The best use of this is to only load $10 which you will have to choose from the other section on the drop down.  You do have to register a card.  I used my spending money card and got a free $10 worth of coffee.  And since I probably won't pay full price the $20 I now have on my card will last me quite awhile.

Mazatlan, Redmond: Kids eat free on Tuesdays (after 3) with the purchase of an adult entrée.  The person I spoke with didn't know how long this will last, and it seems to me that last year I went and tried this after the sign was down and they were no longer doing it, so make sure you check the sign on the highway.

Dairy Queen: Happy Hour, Weekdays 2:00-5:00 p.m. Small Iced Coffee ($1), Ultimate Frappe or Premium Fruit Smoothies ($2).

All the Time:

Dutch Bros.: Buy a $20 gift card, get a free drink.  The best use of this free drink is to get the biggest size available.  Their blended drinks (Frosts, Freezes and Smoothies) come in a gigantic 32 oz. size.  I get one and share with the whole family (unless it's coffee of course and then I recommend sharing with another adult in your life. ;) )!

Coffee Republic (corner of Greenwood & 8th by The Dough Nut Eastside): $2 Tuesdays for a 16 oz. drink or $3 for a smoothie.  Check and see if they have a punch card too!

What deals do you know of?  Post them in the comments so I can keep our list updated!  :)

REVIVE VoxBox Product Reviews

So, I mentioned on Facebook that I had received a goodie box full of fun stuff to try and was going to be writing reviews about them.  And you may have seen some of those posts on Facebook and Instagram, but in case you didn't, here is a list of everything that I got to try.  Remember that all of these things were sent to me free to try but the opinions are my own because you are my friends and I would not want you to try something that wasn't any good!

I wanted to take a picture of the whole box...you know, unopened and then me opening it and then it all laid out.  But the mail came early that day so it got stuck on the table and my boys opened it.  I thought, "Wow, that must not have had very strong tape on it."  But then Josiah informed me that he had gotten the scissors from the drawer and cut the tape so that they could open it better.  I intervened before Nate opened the cookies and the protein drink powder was dusted all over the entryway!

The Snackwell's Biscuit Thins were the first thing I tried.  Honestly it's because they were cookies and I wasn't sure how long I could keep Nate out of them!  And they have coffee in them which is the LAST thing a 2-year-old needs!  They are so cute with little words on them.  Like my Dutch Bros. lids.  Or a fortune cookie.  Or the little papers on tea bags.  Apparently I need my food and drinks to tell me nice things.

Roses courtesy of Danny for my un-birthday. 
Mug courtesy of a great friend when I needed it.

And they tasted good.  I had the French Vanilla Latte which is exactly what they tasted like...only crunchy.  So they are perfect if you want a cookie, and coffee, and protein all in one crunchy package.

Tell me you don't like your snacks to say nice things to you! ;)

I received three single serve coffee pods to taste test as well.  (Coffee cookies and coffee itself!  These people know me well!  It must be the surveys I filled out telling them all my secrets.)  There was a slight problem though...I don't actually have a K-cup style brewer.  I planned a coffee tasting with a friend who does, but then the boys got sick so we had to cancel.  :(  Instead I just opened one up and poured it into the cutest little tiniest coffee maker you've ever seen.  My dad bought it to make one cup of coffee at a time, which is exactly what it does.  I tried the Kauai Coffee (because I LOVE this coffee when my  brother and sister-in-law bring it from Hawaii) and the Chock full o'Nuts (because I've wanted to try it ever since I started couponing with my mom in late elementary school).  I still love Kauai Coffee but the Chock full o'Nuts was pretty strong for me because in reality I don't actually drink coffee because I like coffee but because I like it as the base for yummy coffee drinks!  Full disclosure on this here blog.

A yummy coffee drink made with a Kauai Coffee Pod.

But the best thing about these coffee pods are that they are compostable!  That's cool whether you have worm beds or compost piles or not.  It turns out that coffee pods are the new water bottle of the Earth.  Remember when bottled water first came out and plastic bottles were everywhere until a deposit started being charged on them so they would be recycled?  This year alone, enough coffee pods will be sold to circle the Earth 13 times!  That's a lot of times.  So, compostable is cool and worms really like coffee grounds FYI.

 

 

This is the bottom of the coffee pod.
Kind of like a mini coffee filter instead of a plastic cup.

One of the other things I received to try were some protein and meal replacement powders from The Vitamin Shoppe.  Now, I am not a fan of protein powders to begin with.  I would rather just use natural sources of protein and I can taste fake sweeteners so they always taste off to me.  I tried the Body Tech Whey Tech Pro 24 in Strawberries & Cream blended into a strawberry banana smoothie.  I didn't like it, but Danny said it tasted fine.  (He does like protein powders and uses them often.)

Then I tried the Next Step Fit N' Full Shake in Cookies n Cream because I like cookies and cream.  I made it mixed with water and blended with a little ice so that it would be more shake like.  I could barely get a quarter of it down.  :P

Cookies n Cream

For the Plnt Plant Protein in Vanilla, I decided just to add a scoop to my Orange Creamsicle Smoothie.  That was much better.  It added a little extra flavor and didn't taste fake.  Plus, there are no GMOs in it so you know I like that.

I realize this Orange Creamsicle Smoothie does not look wonderful, but it really is good. 
And the leftovers make yummy popsicles.

Here's the recipe for the Orange Creamsicle Smoothie:
 

1 can frozen orange juice
1 cup milk
1 cup water
10 ice cubes
1/4 cup oatmeal (optional)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

If using oatmeal and chia, blend them to a powder. Add remaining ingredients and blend until slushy. Omit protein powder if serving to kids, pour theirs and then add the powder to yours. Makes enough for two adults and two small children.

This is the last product I got to try.  Some of you may know that I once had hair down to my knees.  Having it to my feet was my goal.  It goes back to my childhood and watching Elvira on commercials around Halloween.  I now realize she may not have been the best role model for a five-year-old, but all I knew was that she was beautiful and had incredibly long hair.  Actually, that's about all I still know about her.  Is she famous for something other than being a Halloween mascot?

Anyway, my hair is now to the middle of my back (the shortest it's ever been by the way, which goes back to being bald until I was two and pictures in which I look like a boy after my mom hacked it off when I was three for not letting her brush it.  All my hair issues stem from childhood.  I won't even get started on bangs right now!).  So, even though my hair is shorter, it is still a thick, curly, {often} frizzy tangle.  I only wash my hair a couple of times a week or it would never dry.  All of that to say I had to wait for hair washing day before I could try this shampoo and crème rinse, which I adore!

Those are great curls and I had nothing to do with them.  I just washed like normal using the SheaMoisture shampoo and crème rinse and used a little hairspray like I normally do after washing because it makes me feel like I did something to my hair.  And the shampoo smells nice according to Danny (and me too but it's nice when someone else notices).

I love it!  And it's sulfate free and other gunky stuff free so you don't have to worry about that!

Like I said before, I got all of this stuff free to try from Influenster.  I participated in a few online reviews of products I had already tried on my own and filled out a few surveys.  That was it.  Then I got this box of goodies, tried them and wrote the reviews where they asked me to.  Easy and fun!  (Well, except when I wrote this blog the first time and almost all of it self-destructed...but the rest was fun!)  If you'd like to sign up and try it out, follow this link and I get some points for referring you: www.influenster.com/r/2032137

And, if you follow any of the links below so that you can try these products yourself, I get a small percentage back, which is fun for me and costs you nothing extra.  It's a little way for me to make money and not have annoying pop-up ads which drive me bonkers.  :)  So, thanks!




Do you like your snacks to tell you nice things?

Who was a role model for you when you were young?

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

August 2016 Deals

As a follow-up to my last post, I wanted to start a list for Central Oregon friends of deals that have been brought to my attention for this month.  If you know of something I didn't post, leave it in the comments and I'll add to the list and repost after it's verified.  :D

One Day Only:

August 6th: Root Beer Float Day.  Grab free floats at A & W from 2:00 until close! (Located in Redmond & Madras.)

August 11th: Natural Grocer's Anniversary.  Great sales, samples and possibly freebies (depending on when you go).  Free Ice Cream Social Sundaes & Root Beer Floats, 4:00-6:00 p.m. (Located in Bend.)


August 23rd: Short Stack Day at IHop.  7am-7pm short stacks are just $1 which gets donated to No Kid Hungry.  Eat out. Score a Deal. Help feed hungry kids.  Doesn't get any better!


Month Long Deals:

IHop (until September 25th): Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée every night from 4:00-10:00 p.m.

Papa Murphy's: $10 Tuesday.  Your choice of pizza.  To get the best deal, grab a stuffed pizza.  Then, if your kids did the library's Summer Reading Program, use the free mini-Murph coupons at the same time.  Get them the pepperoni even if they want cheese and you just got extra pepperoni for your pizza!  If you're lucky enough to get a survey coupon in your pizza, take the five minutes online and score a freebie for next Tuesday!

Dairy Queen: Happy Hour 2:00-5:00 p.m. Small Iced Coffee ($1), Ultimate Frappe or Premium Fruit Smoothies ($2).

Summer Lunch Program: Free lunch for kids up to 18 years.  At various locations.  Follow the link and input your zip code to find one near you or near where you may be traveling.  Some of them even have fun programs to go along with them like a visiting librarian or a park location. http://www.summerfoodoregon.org

Summer Reading Program (until August 13th): For reading 24 minutes a day, 7 days a week (24/7) your kids can earn a free book and a packet of goodies.  In Bend ours included a free mini-Murph coupon from Papa Murphy's, a free ice cream cone from Goody's, and a free personal pizza from Round Table Pizza just to name a few.  Plus they get entered to win cool prizes for each week's worth of reading.  And you don't have to go every week.  Plus there are such fun programs they put on year round.  They will definitely be featured in future Deal Blogs!
http://deschuteslibrary.org

Summer Movie Express @ Regal Theaters: Each week Regal Theaters plays two different movies at 10:00 a.m. for $1/ticket!  Ours are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  The last one plays August 17th though so check and see if there are any worth seeing.  If you're not sure if it will be good or not, check out http://pluggedin.com for great reviews to see if the movie aligns with your family's standards.
http://regmovies.come/movies/summer-movie-express

Kids Bowl Free (until September 15th): Sign your kids up for two free games of bowling (times are specified).  Some sites have shoe rental passes so you don't have to pay each time but can get a better deal for the whole season if you plan on going often.  There is also the option of buying games for adults to play with the kids.  This looks like it's nationwide so just put in your state to see if there is one near you.  Madras Bowl is the only participating bowling alley in Central Oregon.
http://kidsbowlfree.com


All the Time:

Dutch Bros.: Buy a $20 gift card, get a free drink.  The best use of this free drink is to get the biggest size available.  Their blended drinks (Frosts, Freezes and Smoothies) come in a gigantic 32 oz. size.  I get one and share with the whole family (unless it's coffee of course and then I recommend sharing with another adult in your life. ;) )!

Coffee Republic (corner of Greenwood & 8th by The Dough Nut Eastside): $2 Tuesdays for a 16 oz. drink or $3 for a smoothie.  Check and see if they have a punch card too!

What deals do you know of?  Post them in the comments so I can keep our list updated!  :)

Steal of a Deal

If you've known me long (or at least five minutes) you know how much I like a good deal.  Free is even better!  It's a rare occasion that I pay full price for anything--ANYTHING.  I've been this way since junior high when I started babysitting, thus making my own money, thus paying for non-essentials that I needed.  (My parents considered anything beyond school clothes and food non-essentials ;).)  That's serious when a teen's favorite pastime is shopping with her friends at the mall!  I learned to stretch my hard-earned dollars.  In high school my friends benefitted from this as well.  All they had to do was go to the drugstore with me to score their favorite color of hair dye, for free or very close!

Now that I'm a mom, money is sucked out of my account as fast as it can be put in...and my kids are still little!  We're not even talking about sports fees, extra classes, school clothes or anything like that!  That's where this post comes in.  I've had several people ask me in the past few weeks how I make grocery shopping work, or where the deals are.  I will admit that I don't shop around like I used to (getting three kiddos in and out of car seats will so that to a girl!) but I like to think that I still grab a few good deals!

Stay tuned and over the next few weeks (hopefully) I'll share some of my secrets with you.  They aren't really secrets but maybe there will be something there you didn't already know.  :)