Time for Mom

As a working mom, I value the time I have with my kids in the evenings and on the weekends. When they were younger, I struggled to allow myself to go out in an evening - to the grocery, with friends, etc. - without them. After all, my time with them was more limited because I worked full-time.

I would take my kids everywhere (which is good for them becoming well mannered and flexible) with me. I took them to dinner, to the grocery, to meetings, to the mall, pretty much anywhere that I went. Over time, I began to recognize that while I was away from them when I was at work, it was not me time. Other than my lunch hour, I didn't have time to do things for myself, catch up with friends, or hang out with my husband.

I knew that I needed me time to be a good mom, I needed better balance. I started to carve out me time in the morning - mostly dedicating this time to exercise - before I got ready for work. I also started to leave the kids home with my husband occasionally, so that I could run out to the store and shop, hang out with friends and attend work functions. This gave me a chance to feel a little independent again. We started using a babysitter occasionally (frequently my parents, but also a couple of high school girls over the years) so that my husband and I could have some couple time - both alone and with other couples.

We still take our kids to dinner, out with friends and to the occasional meeting, but I feel better balanced by having created some me time. I also no longer feel guilty about occasionally leaving my kids behind so I can be a grown-up. I know that this me time makes me a better mom when I am with them. Plus, I remember being a child - I loved spending time with my grandparents and I reveled in the idea of a babysitter coming to the house (somehow the rules were never quite as strict with grandparents or babysitters) - I think they like their alone time too.

This post shared at Works for Me Wednesday.

Exergen Temporal Scanner Thermometer Winner

The winner of the Exergen Temporal Scanner Thermometer giveaway is arzamom.

They have until Friday at 6 am to respond with their contact information or a new winner will be selected.

Thank you everyone for entering.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

59
Timestamp: 2010-03-31 09:45:33 UTC

Roasted Shrimp with Tomatoes

As part of my weekly menu planning, I have been trying new recipes each week to work through the hundreds of clippings I have from every type of publication - magazines, papers, grocery ads, coupons, and more.

A couple of weeks ago, we tried a dish that was an instant favorite and ever so simple. It was Roasted Shrimp with Tomatoes. I had it for leftovers the second day and served it on toasted french baguette, which was very good - I think I might have to make it as Bruschetta.

2 cans petite diced tomatoes (14.5oz)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 # medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp dried oregano
4 oz crumbled Feta

Preheat oven to 450F.

Drain the tomatoes, reserving 1/2c of the juice. Combine tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic in a glass baking dish (8" square). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake until tomatoes are bubbling, about 15 minutes.

Stir shrimp and oregano into tomatoes. Sprinkle Feta cheese on top. Return to oven and bake until shrimp are cooked through, about 10 minutes (could be less if you are using precooked, could be more if you are using frozen).

I was a little concerned that my husband wouldn't like it because he doesn't normally care for Feta cheese, but he enjoyed the dish. You could either serve it on bread or with rice or with pasta. It really is a simple, versatile, flavor packed dish. As an added benefit, it's reasonably healthy too!

Have you tried anything new? A product, a service, a recipe? Leave a comment and share.

This recipe shared at Life As Mom Ulitmate Recipe Swap - vegetables.

Mamavation Monday

It's the start of a new week and I am ready to refocus my efforts in weight loss. I have spent about the last month stuck on a plateau. This, followed by a weekend of travel that found me making reasonable food choices, but perhaps not the best portion choices, has me ready to really get started again on my journey.

Today, I entered Phase 2 of P90X. I am excited to move on to the next sets of exercises. Some of my favorite workouts are part of this phase.

The weather forecast is looking much better and I think that I will finally be able to resume walking regularly at lunch time (of course, it is a short work week). This added exercise should help me on my path to weight loss and hopefully allow me to break through the plateau. Perhaps if I win a pair of Earth Footwear, I can make this walking even more effective.

From an eating perspective, after a weekend of being lazy about tracking, it is time to return to tracking and measuring what I eat.

Summer is only 2 months away and I really would like to reach my goal. I have lost 27# since September and have 13# to go to my goal (at least my current goal).

With this post, I am entering to win a pair of Earth Footwear courtesy of Mamavation and Earth Footwear.

Menu Plan Monday

It was a busy weekend and I didn't make a trip to the grocery store. I will need to go at least once mid-week to get milk and some other items.

At our house, the focus is on dinners. I tend to only list the main course and any standard side we have with it. We do still have vegetables and/or fruit with each of our dinners, I just don't always call them out.

Sunday
Cereal
Pasta
Fried Chicken Tenders

Monday
dinner out at local Mexican

Tuesday
Pizza (pizza and a movie night)

Wednesday
Spaghetti and Meatballs

Thursday
Chicken a la King

Friday
Fish and Fries

Saturday
Cereal
Sandwiches
Pizza

Weekdays breakfast is at daycare for my daughter, the rest of us eat cold cereal, frozen waffles, oatmeal, toast or whatever strikes our fancy. Lunch we pack, usually leftovers for me.

Check out other menu plans for the week at Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

CVS Deals - 3/25

This week the coupon machine has been spitting out some great coupons. On each visit, I got a coupon for $1 on any CVS Haircare item. On one visit, I got a $4 off of 2 Carefree and $4 off 2 Stayfree. Coupled with the monthly deal, this will let you get both for free. I didn't buy these though, because I didn't have my other coupons with me. I did use the CVS haircare coupon though since I use conditioner in place of shaving cream.




3 - CVS brand Conditioner (tried all three scents)
1 - Cadbury Egg (filler - not pictured, because I ate it!)

-$1 CVS haircare CRT
-$1 CVS haircare CRT
-$1 CVS haircare CRT

Total $.50 OOP.

This post shared at Super Savings Saturday.

Fat Burnin' Friday

FRUSTRATION! That is what I am feeling. On one hand, I probably should be happy that I am sustaining, but mostly, I'm just frustrated to be at a plateau. I haven't made any progress in weeks, but it probably isn't completely without cause. I have still been exercising each morning, but that isn't enough. I have been eating out, having catered lunches, hanging out with friends, celebrating birthdays and more over the past few weeks. As a result, I have eaten foods that are less than the best for me. I have had my fair share of desserts - cookies, brownies, cakes, fruit and more. I have had beverages - soda, wine and chocolate milk. I have had steaks - yummy filets - and baked potatoes with sour cream. I certainly have not been eating and tracking like I should if I am serious about weight loss. I must get back on track. There are only 8 or 9 weeks until summer and I would like to lose this remaining 13+ pounds that I need to to reach my goal. I have a wedding to go to the first weekend of June and I really want to be at my goal.

I am glad though that through this unusual eating, I have maintained. That tells me that long term, I should be able to maintain what I have managed to lose. I just need to stay active.

I actually recorded a weight loss this week at Weight Watchers, but probably that was just due to where I was in the cycle of events - last week, I had just gone out and this week, it had been a few days.

I need to refocus myself. I have weight to lose and I am serious about it. I'd like to start walking at lunch again to give myself an added boost in exercise.

How is journe going?

Samples and Freebies

Requested:
9 Day sample Perlabella Anti-aging Pearls
Special K Trial Pack
True Lemon
Olay Total Effects body wash

Received:
All Bran samples and coupons
South Beach Bar - S'mores and coupon
Huggies Diapers
12 double rolls Cottonelle (won it by posting "How Do You Roll" and linking up)

CVS Deals - 3/22

I headed to CVS early this week to pick up the Easter candy deal. As usual, I probably went overboard. I certainly wound up with more candy than we need and I am down to only $3 ECBs now. Oh well! I generally keep a candy dish at work, so now I have plenty of stock for it.

Transaction #1
2 - Pez Dispensers (on clearance)
1 - Colgate Advance Toothpaste

-$1 Colgate mfg coupon

Paid with $3 ECBs and $1 OOP. Earned $3.99 ECBs.

Transaction #2
1 - Dove Dark Eggs
1 - M&M Eggs
2 - Hershey Kisses
1 - Reese's Eggs

-$2 Dove CRT
-$2 $2/3 Hershey Mfg coupon

Paid with $5.99 ECBs and $.89 OOP. Earned $3 ECBs.

Transaction #3
1 - Easter M&Ms
2 - Hershey Kisses
1 - Reese's Eggs
1 - Sweettart Easter

-$2 $2/3 Hershey Mfg coupon

Paid with $7.99 ECBs and $0.39 OOP. Earned $3 ECBs.

This post shared at Super Savings Saturday.

Giant Eagle Deals - 3/21

I feel like I got some really great deals this weekend at Giant Eagle. There is a lot as you can see in the picture (which is missing the milk).

For $44 (savings of $60, of just about 60%) I got:

1 gallon milk
1# Ground Beef
3# Chicken Breasts
2# Strawberries
2 1/2# Bell Peppers
7 boxes of cereal
4# pasta
6 tubes of dinner rolls
2 9ct Bagel Bites
2 jars Pasta Sauce
3 yogurt multipacks (4ct/6ct)
2 bags of French Fries/Tater Tots
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 pkg Hamburger Buns
1 pkg Goldfish
2 Soft Soaps
1 4pk Toilet Paper
1 pkg Snuggle Dryer Sheets

Plus, I received $9 OYNO catalinas at checkout, making the net cost for everything above $35.

This post shared at Super Savings Saturday.

Toy Story Deals

Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are being released today as Blu-ray/DVD combo packs. Each combo pack includes a coupon good for one admission (up to $8.50) to Toy Story 3 when it comes out this summer.

We have the DVDs for both movies, but since we also have a Blu-Ray player, we are planning to upgrade to these two new Blu-Ray/DVD combo packs. Earlier this week, we had printed out the two $5 coupons that are available:
$5/1 Toy Story Special Edition DVD/Blu-ray printable
$5/1 Toy Story 2 Special Edition DVD/Blu-ray printable

Today, though, I learned that through Disney Movie Rewards, you can get a $10 coupon for both movies if you have an old DVD or VHS tape of Toy Story or Toy Story 2. (Thanks Tracey!) If you have the DVD or VHS, head over to Disney Movie Rewards, enter the UPC codes from your old movies and then print the $10 off coupons. If you have both movies, you will be able to print a $10 coupon for each!

Here are the two deals that look the most promising:

Target:

Save $10 instantly WYB Both Toy Story 1 and 2 Special Edition Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Packs at $22.99 each.

Toy Story $22.99
Toy Story 2 $22.99
-$10 Instant Savings wyb Toy Story and Toy Story 2
-$10/1 Toy Story coupon
-$10/1 Toy Story 2 coupon
Pay $15.98.

Toys 'R Us:

Toy Story and Toy Story 2 Blu-ray/DVD combo will be priced at $21.99 each or $16.99 each when you buy both.

Toy Story & Toy Story 2 @ $16.99 wyb both
-$10/1 Toy Story coupon
-$10/1 Toy Story 2 coupon
Pay $13.98.

If you consider the value of the movie vouchers included in each DVD, when you buy both you get up to $17 in free movie vouchers, making them both money makers.

The real question is, will Target price match and allow you to get the $10 instant savings. Or, since the TRU ad specifies $16.99 each wyb both, will they price match that price and then I wouldn't have to worry about the instant savings offer. I am considering calling ahead to find out, as I'd rather not drive to Toys 'R Us if I can get the deal locally at Target.

Nacho Mac 'n' Cheese

As I mentioned in my Menu Plan Monday post, I am planning to try more new recipes, so that I can work my way through the recipes that I clip from the paper, magazines, ads, etc. Yesterday, we tried a recipe for Nacho Mac 'n' Cheese. I do think it could be improved with a few tweaks, but it was a good dish as is and the recipe is a keeper.

Nacho Mac 'n' Cheese
3 c uncooked pasta (macaroni, fusilli, or other fun shape)
1 # ground beef
2 c chopped red bell pepper
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
1 pkg taco seasoning
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/4c milk
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips, crushed for a garnish

Cook pasta.

In a skillet, brown the beef and the red peppers. Drain. Stir in the butter, flour, taco seasoning, and pepper. Gradually stir in the milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Add drained pasta and stir to coat. Serve, garnished with crushed tortilla chips.

I am a fan of easy one pan meals. This one got a decent boost to the flavor from the red peppers, but I wanted something a little more. I am thinking that the addition of some diced tomatoes before adding the cheese, might be the touch that could take it from good to great. The spice flavor from the packet of seasoning was good, but again, I would have prefered a little more intensity - I'm not sure whether I double up the packet of taco seasoning (or similar spice blend from cabinet) or if I add a packet of ranch, like I use in taco soup - I will have to play with that one. Otherwise, the crunch of the chips was a nice touch. Both of the kids ate the pasta on their plate and my husband said it was good and compared it to Cheeseburger Pasta (which I also tweaked by adding diced tomatoes). I will try it again in the future with some of these tweaks and see if it delivers better.

Menu Plan Monday

I had a really great trip to the grocery store this week. I forgot to use my $1 Catalina from my last visit, bummer!, but I did earn an additional $9 for my next visit. More to come on my shopping trip.

We were lucky to have my brother as a guest Sunday night at dinner, he was in town for business and stopped by. I chose to make a family favorite from our childhood for his visit. (Plus my son lists it as one of his favorites in his All About Me journal.) The kids always love to have company for dinner and are always disappointed when they leave.

Monday night was are experimenting with a new recipe. I have this wonderful talent of clipping recipes from magazines, newspapers, coupon fliers, grocery ads and more, but I seem to never get around to trying most, so I am on a mission to pull out a new recipe each week and determine if it is a keeper or not. That way, I can record them in my cookbook and clean up all of these pieces of paper that have accumulated.

At our house, the focus is on dinners. I tend to only list the main course and any standard side we have with it. We do still have vegetables and/or fruit with each of our dinners, I just don't always call them out.

Sunday
Cereal
out
Chicken Gravy over Biscuits

Monday
Nacho Mac 'n' Cheese

Tuesday
Leftovers

Wednesday
Pizza

Thursday
Chicken Patty Sandwiches

Friday
TBD

Saturday
Cereal
Sandwiches
Dinner with friends - not sure what they are planning

Weekdays breakfast is at daycare for my daughter, the rest of us eat cold cereal, frozen waffles, oatmeal, toast or whatever strikes our fancy. Lunch we pack, usually leftovers for me.

Check out other menu plans for the week at Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Free Cone Day

Don't forget: Mark your calendar for tomorrow, March 23rd, from noon to 8pm, when you can stop by participating Ben & Jerry Scoop Shops to celebrate the 32nd Annual Free Cone Day.

You can find details here. As always, I recommend calling ahead to see if your location is participating.

Walgreens Scenarios - week of 3/21

I didn't make it to Walgreens last week. I had some good intentions, but timing just didn't work out. There are some deals that you will see here that might have been part of my scenarios last week, but since I didn't make it, I still have the coupons.

Transaction #1
5 - Nyquil/Dayquil
2 - Puffs Tissues

-$1.50 Nyquil/Dayquil Mfg coupon
-$1.50 Nyquil/Dayquil Mfg coupon
-$1.50 Nyquil/Dayquil Mfg coupon
-$1.50 Nyquil/Dayquil Mfg coupon
-$1.50 Nyquil/Dayquil Mfg coupon
-FREE Puffs Tissue wyb 2 Nyquil/Dayquil mfg coupon
-FREE Puffs Tissue wyb 2 Nyquil/Dayquil mfg coupon

Total $16.94. Earn $10 RR.

Transaction #2
3 - Kotex Pads
1 - Gillette Clinical Strength
1 - Gillette Bodywash
1 - Walgreens Reusable Shopping Bag (w/ in ad coupon)

-$1 Kotex Mfg coupon
-$1 Kotex Mfg coupon
-$1 Kotex Mfg coupon
-$3 Gillette Deodorant Mfg coupon
-FREE Bodywash wyb Gillette Deodorant

Total $11.30, pay with $10 RR and $1.30 OOP. Earn $5 and $2 RR.

Transaction #3
1 - Colgate Max Fresh Toothpaste
2 - Oral B Advantage Toothbrushes
1 - Crest 3D White Toothpaste
2 - Hunts Tomato Sauce (w/ in ad coupon)

-$1 Colgate Toothpaste Mfg coupon
-$3 BOGO Oral B Advantage Mfg coupon
-$.75 Oral B Toothbrush Mfg coupon
-$1 Crest Toothpaste Mfg coupon

Total $7.66, pay with $7 in RR and $0.66 OOP. Earn $2 and $3 RR.

Transaction #4
2 - Pledge Spray/Wipes
1 - pr Household Gloves (w/ in ad coupon)

-$1.50 $1.50/2 Pledge Mfg coupon

Total $5.84, pay with $5 RR and $.84 OOP. Earn $1 RR.

Transaction #5
2 - Oscar Mayer Bacon
1 - Bag Easter Grass (w/ in ad coupon)

-$1.50 Oscar Mayer IP
-$1.50 Oscar Mayer IP

Total $3.33, pay with $1 RR and $2.33 OOP. Earn $1 RR. (reportedly, this is generating 2 $1 RR - one from Oscar Mayer and one from Kraft)

Total OOP for the transactions are $22.07, with $1 or $2 in RR remaining.

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

Walgreens $5 Challenge
Transaction #1
2 - Oral B Advantage Toothbrushes
1 - Crest 3D White Toothpaste

-$3 BOGO Oral B Advantage Mfg coupon
-$.75 Oral B Toothbrush Mfg coupon
-$1 Crest Toothpaste Mfg coupon

Total $5 OOP. Earn $3 RR.

Transaction #2
1 - Colgate Max Fresh Toothpaste
1 - Walgreens Reusable Shopping Bag (w/ in ad coupon)

-$1 Colgate Toothpaste Mfg coupon

Total $3.32. Pay with $3 RR and $0.32 OOP. Earn $2 RR.

Total OOP $5.32 with $2 RR left to roll.

For more $5 Walgreens scenarios, check out the Walgreens $5 Challenge.

CVS Scenarios - week of 3/21

The deals seem to be a little slower this week at CVS, but yesterday, when I went to CVS I finally got some additional coupons from the coupon printer and some work for this week's deals, so I am psyched about having extra coupons to use.

Transaction #1
2 - Olay Body Wash

-$2 Olay Body Wash Mfg coupon (was included with a sample)
-$1 Olay Body Wash Mfg coupon

Total $9. Earn $5 ECBs.

Transaction #2
2 - Covergirl Simply Ageless

-$4 $4/$20 Facial Product CRT
-$10 Covergirl BOGO coupon
-$1 Covergirl Mfg coupon

Total $5, pay with $5 ECBs from Transaction #1 and earn $3 ECBs.

Transaction #3
1 - Colgate Toothpaste

-$1 Colgate Mfg coupon

Total $2.99, pay with $3 ECBs from Transaction #2 adjusted down and earn $3.99 ECBs.

Transaction #4
3 - Hershey's Bagged Candy ($1.97 through Tuesday)
2 - M&Ms
1 - Easter Single

Total $8.35, pay with $3.99 ECB from Transaction #3 and $4.36 OOP. Earn $3 ECBs.

For the trip, the total OOP is $13.36, with $3 ECBs to roll.

For more deals and scenarios check out Money Saving Mom, Deal Seeking Mom and the "Cent"sible Sawyer.

CVS $5 Challenge
Transaction #1
2 - Covergirl Simply Ageless

-$4 $4/$20 Facial Product CRT
-$10 Covergirl BOGO coupon
-$1 Covergirl Mfg coupon

Total $5 OOP and earn $3 ECBs.

Transaction #3
1 - Colgate Toothpaste

-$1 Colgate Mfg coupon

Total $2.99, pay with $3 ECBs from Transaction #1 adjusted down and earn $3.99 ECBs.

Total for the trip of $5 OOP with $3.99 ECBs to roll.

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

Target Deals

I had a number of those $1/1 Johnson's Baby product coupons that have been available on Coupons.com lately that were about to expire, so I headed out to Target to pick up some deals.

1 - Johnson's Shampoo
2 - Johnson's Buddies
1 - Johnson's Safety Swabs

-$1 Johnson's IP
-$1 Johnson's IP
-$1 Johnson's IP
-$1 Johnson's IP
-$.05 bag credit

Total $2.26 ($2.67 with tax), which seems pretty good for these bath supplies.

For more deals, check out Super Savings Saturday and Shopping Superstars.

Samples and Freebies

Requested:
Lever 2000 sample
Kotex sample pack - choose one of four packs
free Travel size of Pssssst! Instant Spray Shampoo from Freeman Beauty and Redbook
Dove Daily Treatment Conditioner
Puffs Plus to Go must sign up with Vocalpoint

Received:
Crest 3D White Strips sample and coupons
Helluva Good - from Facebook
Post It Durable Tabs sample and coupon
Olay total effects bodywash sample
Burt's Bees Natural Toothpaste sample

Healthy Choice Entrees - Winner

Congratulations to Pattie F! She is the winner of the Healthy Choice Entrees giveaway.

Thanks everyone for entering and be sure to check out the other giveaways currently going on - you can find the links on the right sidebar.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

51
Timestamp: 2010-03-18 09:35:36 UTC

Eggs!

This week's Ultimate Recipe Swap is all about eggs. Eggs are a very versatile food - and a good source of protein.

Two recipes that immediately came to mind that have egg as a primary ingredient, turns out that I had already shared before:

Broccoli Cheese Quiche
Snowdrop Cookies

I frequently use eggs as a main course, when we do breakfast for dinner. Sometimes we get fancy and will do omellettes with everyone choosing their own filling. Other times, we simply will cook eggs, perhaps with pancakes on the side. When we do, the kids prefer their eggs scrambled, but I like mine over easy (actually closer to over medium - I don't want the whites to be runny but the yolk to still be dippy). One fun way to serve your egg and bread together is with Hole in Ones (perhaps there is an official name, but the friend that introduced me to them called them Hole in Ones).

Hole in Ones

4 slices bread
4 eggs
butter or margarine

Remove a small circle of bread from the middle of each slice of bread. Butter both sides of the bread. Place in a griddle/skillet over medium heat. Break egg and pour into the center of the bread. Let cook for a few minutes until the whites begin to set. Flip over, allowing to cook until egg is desired doneness.

I need more than one slice of bread for dipping, so I serve with toast on the side.

For more egg recipes, check out the Ultimate Recipe Swap Egg Dishes.

This recipe shared at the Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

Out with Kids

I was listening to a conversation on the radio today about taking kids out with you. There were discussions as to what restaurants were okay to take kids to and which might not be. There were a lot of people who felt that kids didn't belong out at nice restaurants.

My question is, if you don't take them out, how do they learn to behave when you go out?

When we were younger and newlyweds, my husband and I had friends that had a young child and then later two (now they have 4). We would go out to dinner and activities all of the time, with their little one in tow. Because they had always brought her along, she was well behaved and though still a little one, seemed to be comfortable in different environments. This experience showed me that there was no reason not to take kids out with you. In fact, if you take them with you from the time they are young, they will learn how to behave when out and how to be flexible.

When my own kids were born, we continued living our lives. We simply took the kids with us. We would tend to go to dinner earlier in the evening than we might have before and when they were younger, we kept to "noisier" places where some fussing wouldn't be a bother, if even noticed. We also had a tendency to invite friends back to our place for the balance of the evening so that we could put the kids to bed at a reasonable hour, if not quite at their normal bedtime.

As the kids have gotten older, we have been able to expand their horizons with different restaurants and different varieties of food. We still don't eat out often, it's easier and healthier to eat at home, but at least I know that my kids can handle themselves when we are out.

We have been very fortunate, in that many of our friends either have kids that also join us or are not bothered by including our kids when we go out.

We also make sure to mix it up and occasionally, get a babysitter so that we can go out to either a quiet evening together or out with friends without kids. This is important to our relationship that we do have some couple time.

In addition, I am doing my best to introduce my kids to theater and fine arts. This weekend, I took my 3 year old to see a ballet. The story was based on the Fancy Nancy picture books. She enjoyed the show, although was a bit confused at first - "why aren't they talking mommy?". It was nice because it was shorter and clearly geared to younger children. I love going to see musicals, plays, orchestra, band and dance performances and hope that by introducing the kids young that they too will have an appreciation for the arts.

This post shared at Works For Me Wednesday.

Fiber One Yogurt (and giftcard giveaway!)

When I am trying to watch what I eat in an effort to lose or maintain weight, one of my indulgences is yogurt. Now, you might be thinking, yogurt isn't unhealthy and I didn't say it was, I simply said it is my indulgence. I like to have a sweet, creamy treat to satisfy my needs for something sweet.

Recently, I was invited to try Fiber One Yogurt from Yoplait. I hadn't tried it before, mostly because it was sweetened with artificial sweeteners, which I try to limit and which typically I can taste in products. I selected the Key Lime Pie flavor to try.

The first thing that I noticed was that it was only 50 calories per serving, with no fat and 5 grams of fiber. As a member of Weight Watchers, I was pleased to learn that this is a 1 Point item (actually, when I entered the calories and fiber, it came back as 0 Point - but when I looked up other flavors, they were assigned 1 Point in the database).

When I enjoyed the yogurt cup at lunch, I was pleasantly surprised that I couldn't taste the artificial sweeteners. The Key Lime Pie flavor did come through. It was a good size serving, providing enough yogurt to satisfy my want for a "dessert".

Best-selling author and food expert Lisa Lillien, AKA Hungry Girl, has given her “seal of approval” to the new Fiber One yogurt, the only leading nonfat yogurt with 50 calories and 5 grams of fiber (20 percent of the Recommended Daily Value). It is also a good source of calcium and vitamins A and D, making this a guilt-free and all-around great choice for dieters and those watching their weights. Each cup includes the creamy, delicious taste you expect from Yoplait, and you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying it. Fiber One is available in a variety of flavors including, Strawberry, Peach, Vanilla and Key Lime Pie. You can see what Hungry Girl thinks about the new yogurt here.

Giveaway
So, that you can try the new Fiber One Yogurt, thanks to Safeway and MyBlogSpark, I am able to offer a giveaway for one $50 Giftcard to one reader of A Busy Mom of Two. You can visit your local Safeway family of stores to take advantage of the great savings on Fiber One yogurt and more!

To enter, leave a comment sharing what your favorite flavor of yogurt is.

For Additional Entries (Leave a Separate Comment for each extra entry):
1. Subscribe to A Busy Mom of Two by e-mail or RSS feed (on my sidebar near the top). Leave me a comment letting me know that you subscribe. If you are already a subscriber, let me know that too - this isn't just for new subscribers.
2. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet. This entry may be completed once each day.
3. Blog about this giveaway. Leave a comment with a link to your post.
4. Promote this giveaway on Facebook.
5. Leave a comment on another post. Then leave a comment here, letting me know.

Giveaway will remain open until April 7th at 6 pm. 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 and all opinions expressed are strictly my own. I did receive a coupon for a free 4-pack of Fiber One Yogurt and a $50 giftcard to the Safeway (Dominick’s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, Genuardi’s) courtesy of Safeway and Fiber One through MyBlogSpark. In addition, Safeway provided a $50 giftcard for a giveaway.

Oscar Mayer Bacon $1.50 coupon

I tried to get this $1.50 coupon for Oscar Mayer Bacon this weekend, but when I went, they were out of coupons. It appears that they have reset, but I wouldn't expect for them to last long.

To get the coupon, you have to submit what you love best about morning.

According to the load page, soon their will be other offers including Deli Creations Sandwiches, Deli Fresh Meats and Hot Dogs.

I will caution that some music starts as soon as the page loads, so you might want to check your volume before clicking through.

(now I have another song in my head, "My bologna has a first name it's O-S-C-A-R...")

Menu Plan Monday

I headed to the grocery store on Saturday this week. For the first time, in a long time, I went by myself. I picked up a lot that we needed for the week, as well as some stock up items that were on deal. I wound up saving 52% and got a catalina for $1 off next order and for a free RedBox rental as part of the Frozen Food Month deals.

At our house, the focus is on dinners. I tend to only list the main course and any standard side we have with it. We do still have vegetables and/or fruit with each of our dinners, I just don't always call them out.

Sunday
Cereal
out
Pork Chops and Mashed Potatoes

Monday
Honey Lime Chicken

Tuesday
Pizza

Wednesday
Penne Cardinale

Thursday
Leftovers

Friday
Fish, Fries and Slaw

Saturday
Cereal
Sandwiches
Dinner out

Weekdays breakfast is at daycare for my daughter, the rest of us eat cold cereal, frozen waffles, oatmeal, toast or whatever strikes our fancy. Lunch we pack, usually leftovers for me.

Check out other menu plans for the week at Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Walgreens Scenarios - week of 3/14

There are quite a few deals at Walgreens this week. I had planned to go this afternoon, but my daughter fell asleep while we were out and I hadn't printed all of the coupons, so I decided to wait and try to go later this week.

Transaction #1
1 - Colgate Toothpaste

-$1 Colgate Mfg coupon or IP

Total $2.99, earn $3.99 RR.

Transaction #2
1 - Sudafed
1 - Tylenol Cold
1 - Arizona Iced Tea (in ad coupon)

-$2 Tylenol IP
-$2 Sudafed IP

Total $6.57, pay with $3.99 RR and $2.58 OOP. Earn $5 RR.

Transaction #3
1 - Colgate Toothpaste
2 - Bandaid
1 - Neosporin
1 - Arizona Iced Tea

-$1 Colgate Mfg coupon or IP
-$3 $3 on Bandaid and Neosporin mfg coupon
-$1 Bandaid mfg coupon

Total $9.58, pay with $5 RR and $4.58 OOP. Earn $3.99 and $3 RR.

Transaction #4
4 - Nyquil/Dayquil
1 - Puffs
3 - Kleenex (with in ad coupon)

-$1.50 Any Vicks mfg coupon
-$1.50 Any Vicks mfg coupon
-$1.50 Any Vicks mfg coupon
-$1.50 Any Vicks mfg coupon
-free Puffs with Nyquil purchase
-$.50 Kleenex Mfg coupon

Total $16.17, pay with $6.99 in RR and $9.18 OOP. Earn $10 RR.

Transaction #5
4 - Pepsi 12pk

Total $13, pay with $10 RR and $3 OOP. Earn $3 RR.

Transaction #6
4 - Softscrub Total
1 - Reese's Dark (w/ in ad coupon)
1 - Arizona Tea

-$2.99 SoftScrub BOGO IP
-$2.99 SoftScrub BOGO IP
-$1.50 Softscrub Mfg coupon
-$1.50 Softscrub Mfg coupon
-$.55 Reese's Dark Mfg coupon

Total $3.56, pay with $3 RR and $.56 OOP.

For the day, the total OOP is $22.89 for about $80 in merchandise, a savings of 72%.

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

There are also some other deals that might be worth checking out and these IPs could come in handy if you choose to do the Special K deal or the Coppertone deal.
-$1 Special K shake IP
-$1 Coppertone IP

Walgreens $5 Challenge

Transaction #1
1 - Colgate Toothpaste

-$1 Colgate Mfg coupon or IP

Total $2.99, earn $3.99 RR.

Transaction #2
2 - Bandaid
1 - Neosporin
1 - Scotch Mailer (w/ in ad coupon)

-$3 $3 on Bandaid and Neosporin mfg coupon
-$1 Bandaid mfg coupon

Total $6.34, pay with $3.99 RR and $2.35 OOP. Earn $3 RR.

Transaction #3
4 - Softscrub Total
1 - Reese's Dark (w/ in ad coupon)
1 - Scotch Mailer (w/ in ad coupon)

-$2.99 SoftScrub BOGO IP
-$2.99 SoftScrub BOGO IP
-$1.50 Softscrub Mfg coupon
-$1.50 Softscrub Mfg coupon
-$.55 Reese's Dark Mfg coupon

Total $3.31, pay with $3 RR and $.31 OOP.

Total OOP for the three transactions of $5.65. I really struggle with the need to add a filler to do many of the deals in order to use the RR, but even with the fillers I still got close to $5.

For more $5 Scenarios, check out the Walgreens $5 Challenge on Keeping the Kingdom First.

CVS Scenarios - week of 3/14

There are a number of good deals this week at CVS. One that I'm hoping to take advantage of is the Kashi cereal deal. I just hope that they have enough on shelf. I was considering the Kellogg's deal but there just weren't very many varieties on shelf when I went and I didn't really want to mess with a raincheck.

Transaction #1
2 - Glade Sense and Spray starter
2 - Covergirl Outlast/ShineBlast
1 - Herbal Essence Shampoo
1 - Herbal Essence Styler

-$3 Glade Sense and Spray Starter Peelie or IP
-$3 Glade Sense and Spray Starter Peelie or IP
-$1 Covergirl Mfg coupon
-$8 BOGO Facial product Mfg coupon
-$1 Herbal Essence Mfg couopon
-$2.99 BOGO Styler free wyb shampoo/conditioner/styler Mfg coupon

Total $14.99, earn $4, $6 and $1 ECBs.

Transaction #2
3 - Kashi Heart to Heart
3 - Dove's Men + Care Body Wash

-$1.50 Kashi Heart to Heart IP or from Vocal Point Mailer
-$1.50 Kashi Heart to Heart IP or from Vocal Point Mailer
-$2.50 Kashi B2G1 Cereal coupon (Mfg coupon on Target.com)
-$1.50 Dove Men + Care Body mfg coupon
-$1.50 Dove Men + Care Body IP (can't find it, printed a while back)
-$1.50 Dove Men + Care Body IP (can't find it, printed a while back)

Total $12.50. Pay with $11 in ECB from transaction #1 and $1.50 OOP. Earn $5 ECBs.

Total OOP for the day $16.49 with $5 ECBs left to roll.

For more deals and scenarios, check out Money Saving Mom, Deal Seeking Mom and the "Cent"sible Sawyer.

CVS $5 Challenge
Transaction #1
2 - Stayfree pads

-$1 Stayfree Mfg coupon
-$3.89 Stayfree BOGO Mfg coupon

Total $2.89 OOP, earn $4 ECBs.

Transaction #2
1 - Herbal Essence Shampoo
1 - Herbal Essence Styler
3 - Kashi Heart to Heart

-$1 Herbal Essence Mfg couopon
-$2.99 BOGO Styler free wyb shampoo/conditioner/styler Mfg coupon
-$1.50 Kashi Heart to Heart IP or from Vocal Point Mailer
-$1.50 Kashi Heart to Heart IP or from Vocal Point Mailer
-$2.50 Kashi B2G1 Cereal coupon (Mfg coupon on Target.com)

Total $3.99. Pay with $4 ECBs from Transaction #1, adjusted down to $3.99. Earn $1 ECB.

Total OOP of $2.89 with $1 ECB left to roll.

For more $5 CVS Scenarios, check out the CVS $5 Challenge at Keeping the Kingdom First.

Fat Burnin' Friday

Well, from a weight loss perspective, it pretty much was a flat week for me.

I tried to do week 2 of P90X this week, but some unexpected physical reaction paused my workout. A few doctor's visits and tests and I was back ready to exercise and resumed my workouts on Thursday morning. With the turn in weather, I was able to walk at lunch two days this week - that definitely helped, since I had missed some of my other workouts. I am ready for warm weather and weekday lunchtime walks.

Then this morning, I took a Mommy break from my normal workout routine. My little girl woke up just as I was getting ready to workout. I heard her calling out for Mommy, so I headed back upstairs to see her. When I picked her up, she said she wanted to read me a book. Who could say no to a 3 year old that wants to read a book at 5:30 am? We took a seat in her rocking chair. She read me some of Blue's Clues and then had to grab one more book, returning instead with a stack of books. Next was Lady and the Tramp, the Golden Book edition, where on the last page you see one of the pups pulling at the clothes of the baby - she opened to that page first and told me "doggies shouldn't take off baby's clothes". She read a few more stories to me and then sent me off to locate Dolly, who had evidently wandered off. While downstairs, I put away my workout stuff and grabbed Dolly to go back upstairs. When I got there, she had set up Circle Time on her bedroom floor with some other babies and was explaining that she was pretending that her friends from school were there and that she was the teacher. I love the imagination of children. So, needless to say, no exercise today, but a wonderfully enjoyable morning.

At the Weight Watcher's weigh in back on Monday, predictably, my weight was up. Not only had I been ravenous last week with the first week back on P90X, but I had also weighed in last week in the morning and I normally weigh in after dinner - so there was a two meal difference between the two weeks. In addition, having been to a birthday party and out to breakfast over the weekend, I might not have had the best weekend, using most of my weekly Points over the weekend - sure to be a challenge with a Monday night weigh-in.

I still have 13.4# to go. Here's hoping for a better (& healthier) week next week.

CVS Deals - 3/12

I headed out to CVS today to pick up a few of the deals. I think I will head back out tomorrow to get some Easter candy and complete the candy ECB offer.

1 - Venus Embrace Razor
1 - Olay Body Wash
2 - Oral B toothbrushes
2 - Sweettart Jelly Beans

-$2 Venus Razor Mfg coupon
-$9.89 Free Olay Body Wash wyb Venus Razor mfg coupon
-$.75 Oral B mfg coupon
-$4 Oral B BOGO coupon
-$1 Sweettart Jelly Bean IP

Paid with $11 in ECBs and $4.18 OOP ($1.65 was tax). Earned $4 and $8 ECBs. A net cost of $3.18.

I need to spend $5 more on candy to get back $3 ECBs, or $15 to get $6. I noticed some IPs out there (just need to find them!) for Nestle Eggs ($1/2) and for Hershey Easter Candy ($2/3). Both were priced at $3 each when you buy 2 or more, so I could grab 5 bags and pay $12 after coupons. The only thing is that it might make more sense for me to get basket candy too, so I might get less of the bag stuff.

Samples and Freebies

Requested:
Huggies Snug and Dry Sample (through Costco, no need to be a member)
Lever 2000
$20 Savings Booklet from Kraft & P&G

Received:
Cream of Wheat Sample and coupon
Kellogg's Clever Kids fruit snack coupon (VocalPoint)
Hot Habanero Blend from Beyond the Shaker
Pampers Cruisers sample (3 diapers)

Exergen Temporal Scanner Thermometer

When my kids are sick, it is as tough on me as it is on them. There is nothing sadder than a child that doesn't feel well. The worst was when they were too young to express what was bothering them. It made me feel somewhat helpless, not knowing what was wrong made it hard for me to help them feel better. When they don't feel good, I just want to sit there and hold them and keep them as comfortable as I can.

One thing that I had always had trouble with when they were sick was taking their temperature. When we were pregnant with my son and did a baby registry, we had registered for an ear thermometer expecting it to make life easier than using a traditional thermometer. We used it, but I never was sure how accurate it was. It seemed that if I held the thermometer at a different angle, I would get a different result - which made me question, what angle was correct. It really only seemed to be accurate when they had an ear infection, but it didn't help much when it was the flu or other ailment that was accompanied with a fever.

I tried using a regular thermometer and taking their temperature under their arm, but usually, that would mean me holding them tight and them trying to squirm away. Since I rarely was able to hold the thermometer under their arm long enough, I was never sure that I was getting a good read. I would try to get them to hold it under their tongue, but again, they never wanted to hold it there long enough to get the temperature.

I needed something that was easy to use and could quickly get a temperature reading before they squirmed away. On a visit to the pediatrician, I noticed that they had started using a temporal scanner thermometer. I asked the nurse about it and she told me that there were similar versions available for purchase. I put it on my list of something to look for next time I was out.

When I finally tried the Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer, I was very pleased with it. For one, my kids found it to be somehow "cool". Suddenly, they wanted for me to take their temperature, fever or not. I liked how simple and easy it was to use. Simply remove the clear probe cover, place the probe against your child's forehead, push down the button and while holding it down, gently sweep it along their forehead and then release the button. Simple. I could get a temperature in a matter of moments and didn't have to struggle with a child that doesn't feel well. As an added bonus, I can get a quick peace of mind before going to bed, because I can easily take their temperature, even when they are sleeping without disrupting their much needed sleep.

From a quality perspective, I feel confident that the Exergen Temporal Scanner is accurate. First, the thermometer is tested 6 times during the manufacturing process, and it comes with a 1-year warranty. But, additionally, tests show it is accurate to within +0.2 degrees F- a much more accurate reading than taking the temperature any other way.

You can learn more about the Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer on their website and become a fan on Facebook.


The Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer retails for $30-$50 and is available at many retailers and on-line. You can get a $5 rebate when you purchase an Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer.

I have liked my experience with the Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer so far and have recommended it to many of my friends who are moms. I also have a few baby showers coming up and am definitely considering getting one for the moms-to-be.

Giveaway
Thanks to Mama Buzz and Exergen, I am able to offer a giveaway for one Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer.

To enter, leave a comment sharing what you do to make yourself or your child feel better when you/they are sick.

For Additional Entries (Leave a Separate Comment for each extra entry):
1. Subscribe to A Busy Mom of Two by e-mail or RSS feed (on my sidebar near the top). Leave me a comment letting me know that you subscribe. If you are already a subscriber, let me know that too - this isn't just for new subscribers.
2. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet. This entry may be completed once each day.
3. Blog about this giveaway. Leave a comment with a link to your post.
4. Promote this giveaway on Facebook.

Giveaway will remain open until March 29th at 6 pm. 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.


The opinions in this post are my own. I received no compensation for this post, but did receive a complimentary Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer for the purposes of reviewing and sharing through Mama Buzz. In addition, one Exergen TemporalScanner Thermometer is being provided for the giveaway.

Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3 Winners

Congratulations to Bookworm and to Emily, the two winners of the Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega 3 giveaway.

My first draw resulted in the same person having both results. To be fair and have two winners, I redrew for one of them.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

14 5
Timestamp: 2010-03-10 23:17:51 UTC

Here are your random numbers:

32
Timestamp: 2010-03-10 23:23:22 UTC

A Glimpse of Spring

Finally, the weather has broken here. It has been warm and the sun has been shining. Of course, warm is a relative term, but compared to the weeks of cold and snow that we have been having, even the mid-40s feel like spring. I know that it is still early March and will not allow myself to be lulled into believing that winter is over yet, but certainly there is something very energizing about the weather and the promise of spring that is in the air.

It is nice to allow the kids to go outside and play for a while in the evening and not worry about hats, gloves and boots. (of course, yesterday we had swimming after work, so that didn't happen.) It is amazing though to see the number of kids that are outside without coats and even a few in shorts! In the fall, when it hits the 40s, everyone is bundled up. My what a difference timing can make on the perception of temperature.

It is nice to finally see roads and yards. There are still piles of snow that are not melting, but they are getting there. Don't get me wrong, I love snow - when it's fresh and new, pretty and white. By the time it has been salted and plowed, it usually winds up with a lot of black sludge in it which is just so unappealing.

It is nice not to worry that I will ruin another pair of pants or shoes because they are attacked by the ever present salt and slush of the recent weeks. I have one pair of pants that have a really great white line about 1/2" up from the bottom (anyone have cleaning secret - treating with a standard laundry spray and washing didn't do it?).

I am a little worried to see sprouts of spring flowers. I know that winter isn't over and that some of the tender ones might not make it to bloom as a result. But, on the flip side, seeing the little sprouts is like another promise that spring is coming soon.

I for one am ready for spring when it finally arrives to stay, but in the meantime, this glimpse of spring works for me!

This post shared at Works for Me Wednesday.

Frozen Meals - Healthy Choice Review and Giveaway

When I was younger and single, I used to eat a lot of frozen meals, especially for lunch. They were cheap and easy and I could quickly "pack" my lunch as I was running out the door by simply pulling one from my freezer. Plus, with so many options, I felt that it provided me with some variety for lunch. But, I was generally disappointed in the meals. The descriptions and the pictures did not deliver in the meal. Sure, there were some that were delicious, but they also seemed to be those that were full calorie meals - not the reduced calorie meals that I was seeking in an ongoing effort to lose or at least maintain weight. Sure, I found a few shining stars that packed a flavorful punch, but with a regular rotation of just a few varieties I was quickly bored with my selection and the meals were left in my freezer - as I sought out tastier options.

Frozen meals have come along way from then. Look at the number of varieties for one and a lot are starting to pack more fresh flavor in each bite. I was excited to try some of the new Healthy Choice selections when I was contacted a few weeks ago about "defying diet food". As someone that is trying to lose weight, I think it is important to not only choose healthy options for meals, but to maintain variety in my diet. Sometimes, with a busy schedule, it can be difficult to be creative at meal time, especially lunch - when I don't have the luxury of being in my own kitchen. It is good to know that now I have some new choices to include as part of my lunchtime routine.

I was sent two new varieties to try - the Balsamic Garlic Chicken Healthy Choice Cafe Steamer and the Roasted Red Pepper Marinara Healthy Choice All Natural Entree.

So, last week one day when I was packing my lunch and was pressed for time, I decided to try one. The first one I had was the Balsamic Garlic Chicken from the Healthy Choice Cafe Steamer line. The dish included chicken, whole grain pasta, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and vegetables in a balsamic garlic sauce. If your like me and hadn't tried this line before, the Cafe Steamers line feature a DuoTray Steamcooker - a bowl on the bottom contains the sauce and a steamer basket above holds the rest of the dish. According to the company, this "separation of ingredients and the steaming process utilized in these meals heightens the flavors, maximizes the crispness and crunch of the colorful vegetables and retains the optimum texture of pasta, rice or potatoes". I have to say that I really felt like the peppers benefited from this steaming, as they still had some crispness to them (not soggy like sometimes vegetables are in a single tray meal) and the pasta also still had a little bite to it. The steaming also worked well for me, because with the dish cooked separate from the sauce it was easier for me to pick out mushrooms (I don't eat them). After cooking (and for me removing the mushrooms), simply pour the pasta, chicken and vegetables into the bowl with the sauce and stir. This could also allow you the option to use less sauce if you desired. I enjoyed this filling meal (and only 5 Points!) and definitely would pick up more. I think I would most like to try the Lemon Garlic Chicken or the Sweet Sesame Chicken.

Later in the week, I tried the Roasted Red Pepper Marinara from the All Natural Entrees line. This dish was 9 grain cavatelli pasta in a roasted red pepper sauce, topped with parmesan, romano and asiago cheeses. The All Natural entrees are made with no preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors. I definitely liked that it was shredded cheese on top and not a grated cheese that was simply mixed in the sauce. The sauce was very flavorful and served atop the whole grain pasta, made it a very healthy dish. Again, this flavorful dish was only 5 Points and made a nice option for lunch. In this line, I think I would like to try the Lobster Cheese Ravioli.

Both meals had a nice, fresh flavor to them. With both of these meals delivering on the flavor, I am looking forward to trying more of the new Healthy Choice varieties and incorporating frozen meals back into my lunchtime menu plan.

You can learn more about the new Healthy Choice varieties on their website. While there, you can also get a coupon for $1/2 Healthy Choice Frozen Entrees.

Giveaway

Have you tried the new lines/entrees from Healthy Choice? Thanks to Healthy Choice, I have the opportunity to offer a giveaway of two coupons for a free Healthy Choice Frozen Meal.

To enter, visit Healthy Choice and then come back and leave a comment sharing which variety you are most interested in trying.

For Additional Entries (Leave a Separate Comment for each extra entry):
1. Subscribe to A Busy Mom of Two by e-mail or RSS feed (on my sidebar near the top). Leave me a comment letting me know that you subscribe. If you are already a subscriber, let me know that too - this isn't just for new subscribers.
2. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your Tweet. This entry may be completed once each day.
3. Blog about this giveaway. Leave a comment with a link to your post.
4. Promote this giveaway on Facebook.

Giveaway will remain open until March 17th at 6 pm. Two winners will be selected using a random number generator. The winners 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. Healthy Choice contacted me directly and provided me with two frozen meals to sample for the purposes of sharing my review. In addition, they provided coupons for a reader giveaway.

Menu Plan Monday

I didn't make a trip to the grocery this week. I likely will need to go mid-week to get milk and some other things.

At our house, the focus is on dinners. I tend to only list the main course and any standard side we have with it. We do still have vegetables and/or fruit with each of our dinners, I just don't always call them out.

Sunday
Waffle House
Pizza
Mug Muffins

Monday
Rattlesnake Pasta

Tuesday
Leftovers

Wednesday
Breakfast for dinner

Thursday
Baked Ziti

Friday
Roasted Shrimp with Tomatoes

Saturday
Cereal
Sandwiches
Leftovers

Weekdays breakfast is at daycare for my daughter, the rest of us eat cold cereal, frozen waffles, oatmeal, toast or whatever strikes our fancy. Lunch we pack, usually leftovers for me.

Check out other menu plans for the week at Menu Plan Monday at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

CVS Scenarios - week of 3/7

There seems to be a good mix between free and near-free deals this week at CVS.

Transaction #1
1 - OralB Cross Action
1 - Nivea Lip Care
2 - Gillette Deodorant

-$.75 Oral B Mfg coupon
-$1 Nivea Lip Mfg coupon
-$3.99 (BOGO) Gillete Deodorant Mfg coupon

Total $9.23. Earn $4, $2.99 and $2 ECBs.

Transaction #2
1 - OralB Cross Action
2 - Pantene Hair Care

-$.75 OralB Mfg coupon
-$3 $3/2 Pantene Mfg coupon

Total $7.22. Pay with $4 and $2.99 ECBs and $0.23 OOP. Earn $4 and $2 ECBs.

Transaction #3
4 - Kellogg's Cereal

-$1 $1/2 Kellogg's Cereal Mfg coupon
-$1 $1/2 Kellogg's Cereal Mfg coupon

Total $8. Pay with $4, $2 and $2 ECBs. Earn $5 ECBs.

Transaction #4
1 - Venus Embrace
1 - Olay Body Wash

-$2 Venus Razor Mfg coupon
-? Free Olay Body Wash wyb Venus Razor

Total $6.29. Pay with $5 ECBs and $1.29 OOP. Earn $4 ECBs.

Total OOP for the transactions is $10.75 with $4 ECBs to roll. From my perspective, that is a lot of product for a net cost of $6.75.

For more deals and scenarios, visit Money Saving Mom, Deal Seeking Mom and the "Cent"sible Sawyer.

CVS $5 Challenge
Transaction #1
1 - Nivea Lip Care

-$1 Nivea Mfg coupon

Total $1.99, earn $2.99 ECBs.

Transaction #2
1 - Oral B CrossAction

-$.75 Oral B Mfg coupon

Total $3.25. Pay with $2.99 ECB and $.26 OOP. Earn $4 ECBs.

Transaction #3
4 - Kellogg's Mini Wheats/Raisin Bran

-$1.50 Kellogg's Mini Wheats IP
-$1.50 Kellogg's Mini Wheats IP

Total $7. Pay with $4 ECBs and $3 OOP. Earn $5 ECBs.

Total for the 3 Transactions is $5.25 with $5 ECBs left to roll.

For more $5 Scenarios, check out the CVS $5 Challenge at Keeping the Kingdom First.

CVS Deals - 3/5

I finally made it to CVS tonight after work. I was a bit disappointed to find that they were out of some items, for which I got rain checks, but I was still able to pick up a few things.

1 - Softsoap NutriSerums
2 - Speedstick
2 - Gold Emblem Gummy Worms

-$1 Softsoap NutriSerums mfg coupon
-$1 $1/2 Gold Emblem Candy CRT

Paid with $10 ECBs and $.80 OOP ($.25 + tax). Earned $4 and $3 ECBs.

I didn't need the candy, but the kids enjoy them as a treat and I didn't want to waste part of my ECB or pay more OOP, so it made sense at only $.77 for two bags after coupon, to just include them.

I hope to stop by another CVS and maybe even Walgreens tomorrow, schedule permitting to see if I can pick up some more deals.

Fat Burnin' Friday

What a week. It seemed to be an extra crazy week for me.

I started P90X again this week. It was amazing to me as I started at the beginning to recognize how far I had come. The second amazing thing to me was that I put even more into each workout and I seriously felt it. There is something that is so rewarding about sore muscles the day after a workout. It's like your body telling you that you pushed the limits and gained from the workout.

I was STARVING this week. I recall the same feeling the last time I started P90X. I'm not sure what it is about the first week, but it just makes me feel like I need to eat. I tried my best to eat reasonably, but the reality was, I ate more than I usually do. If the pattern from last time holds true, by next week I should be back to normal with eating.

I missed my regular Weight Watchers meeting this week because I had an outing for work. I went to an alternate meeting though and showed a 2# weight loss. I was very pleased by this number, but have to remind myself that I weighed in later in the week and at a different time of day. At my regular meeting, I weigh in after I have eaten dinner. Somehow, I feel like it is more consistent for me to weigh in after I have eaten what I will eat for the day (although, sometimes I do still have a small snack in the afternoon). I know that a lot of people feel differently, like they are more likely to lose if they weigh in before dinner - but to me, I'm afraid the weigh in could impact my dinner choices poorly - either as a "reward" for doing well or a way to eat away the disappointment of not doing well.

With the added eating this week, I am happy to say that overall, I did have a loss - a small one, but a loss of 0.4#. I now have 13.2# to go to my goal. I am hopeful that as I continue my journey on P90X and Weight Watchers that the results will improve next week and I will see a larger loss. There are only 12 weeks until summer and I want to reach my goal by Memorial Day - so I need to average about 1# per week. Slow and steady wins the race and I think that it will work for me too.

Samples and Freebies

Requested:

Bounce Dryer Sheet
Free bottle of Vitamin Water

Received:
Free Pieces Coupon (from MIR)
Kashi Warm Cinnamon oat cereal sample
Purex 3-in-1 Sheet sample and coupon

Chicken and Dumplings

This week over at Life As Mom, Jessica has the theme of flour for her Ultimate Recipe Swap. Normally, when I think of flour, I think of sweets and desserts, but the reality is that it is used in so many savory recipes as well.

One of my favorite dishes is Chicken and Dumplings. There is just something so comforting about this dish. It is filling and warm and tasty and so much more.

Chicken and Dumplings
6 c Prepared Stock
Cooked Chicken from 3-4 # chicken, cut up
Dumplings

Stock/Chicken:
To make stock and cook my chicken, I generally fill a stock pot with 3 quarts of water and add 1 small onion sliced, 2 stalks of celery chopped, 1 clove of garlic, quartered, 1 bay leaf, parsley and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add the chicken. Simmer and cook uncovered for 2 hours. Strain the stock and put 6 cups back in the pot with 1 tsp coarsely ground pepper, 1/2 tsp salt and a splash of lemon juice. Remove the chicken from the bone and chop up into bite sized pieces. Heat stock to a simmer over medium heat.

Dumplings:
2 c all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1c + 2 Tbsp milk

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and milk in a medium bowl. Stir well until smooth. Let dough rest 5-10 minutes. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to 1/2" thickness. Cut into 1/2" squares and drop into simmering stock.

Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until thick. Drop the cut up chicken into the pot. Continue to simmer an additional 5-10 minutes.

If you are looking to save some time, you can always use purchased stock to make the dish. If you are using purchased stock, you can use cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast as well.

I have a lot of favorite recipes that use flour, you can also check out these previously shared recipes:

Apple Crisp
Pumpkin Butterscotch Treats
Pumpkin Sheet Cake
Pumpkin Streusel Muffins (okay, not my recipe, but I made them and really enjoyed them, so I figured I would share the link)
Fruit Cobbler
Leftover Pot Pie (if you make your own crust)

For more dishes using flour, check out the Recipes that Use Flour Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Deals

Ben & Jerry's is proud of the accomplishment of Hannah Teter in winning a Silver Medal and they are celebrating tomorrow (March 3rd). Simply stop by your local participating Scoop Shop and say, "Way to go Hannah!" and you'll get a scoop of Hannah Teter's Maple Blondie for $1, while supplies last! In case you forgot, it's Maple Ice Cream with a Maple Caramel Swirl and Blonde Brownie Chunks. As always, I recommend checking with your location to find out if they are participating.

Want more ice cream?

Mark your calendar for March 23rd, from noon to 8pm, when you can stop by participating Scoop Shops to celebrate the 32nd Annual Free Cone Day.

Italian Slow Cooker Meatloaf

As a busy mom, I'm always looking for recipes that can help make dinner easier. Right now, we have both kids in swim lessons in the evenings. Of course, their class is not at the same time, but are back to back. This means dinner is after swimming lessons. Since I am a participant in my daughter's Parent-Child swim class, I'm not home to get dinner going. Knowing that dinner is going to be late enough, I need meal options that I can quickly get on the table.

Today, I tried a new recipe. I called it a slow cooker meatball, because there seems to be a negative feeling at my house about meatloaf. The meatball was pretty good. The kids ate a good amount of it (mostly while waiting for the pasta to cook) and my husband broke it up and ate it over the side of pasta. The nice thing was that we were able to have a family dinner that only took as long as the pasta took to cook when we came home.

Italian Slow Cooker Meatloaf
3 slices bread
1# lean ground beef
1 c shredded mozzarella
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Garlic Powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp tomato sauce

Wet bread and squeeze out the water. Combine all ingredients, except tomato sauce, and mix with your hands to combine. Place into slow cooker. Spread the tomato sauce over the meat mixture. Cover and cook on low until meat is cooked through, about 6 hours.

I substituted ground turkey for the ground beef - I prefer beef for meatballs and Italian dishes, but I had some ground turkey from a sale that I wanted to use up. I also used spaghetti sauce in place of the tomato sauce, because I was opening the jar for the side of pasta and spaghetti sauce. It was nice to come home from our activities and have a hot meal. Of course, if you don't want to slow cook it, I am sure you could loaf it up and bake it in the oven like a traditional meat loaf.

Have you tried any new recipes lately? Trying new recipes that make meal preparation easier and add variety to our menu works for me. For more tips and tricks, check out Works For Me Wednesday.