Freschetta Proud to Support Pink Kit Giveaway! - EXPIRED!

October is National Breast Cancer awareness month and Freschetta is doing their part to support research by presenting the FRESCHETTA PROUD TO SUPPORT PINK Program!  From September 25 - October 31, when you buy specially marked packages of FRESCHETTA pizzas you will be helping reach a goal of a $50,000 donation to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  Each marked package are printed with codes that can be entered at Proud to Support.  For each code entry, FRESCHETTA will donate $1 to the center to support breast cancer research!

Since I am a member of the FRESCHETTA FRESH CONNECTION Community, my readers get access to a great giveaway!  One Spend Less 2 Save More reader will win a FRESCHETTA PROUD TO SUPPORT PINK Kit which includes:

• A coupon to try a FRESCHETTA pizza, 12 oz or larger
• Two pairs of FRESCHETTA PROUD TO SUPPORT PINK earphones (one pair for you and one pair to share with an in-real-life pal or family member as a reminder of proactive health)

To Enter:
Entry #1 (Mandatory Entry) - Like my Facebook Page and leave a comment that you did in this post.
Entry #2 (After completing #1) - Like the FRESCHETTA Facebook page and leave a comment that you did on this post.


Contest ends at midnight on 10/15/11, Good Luck!



Disclosure:  The makers of FRESCHETTA Pizza contacted me and provided products for my review,
but the opinions/thoughts/ideas that I provide are strictly my own.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of September 26, 2011

Beautiful weather, leaves are turning, fall is in full swing in our house!  We had a wonderful LONG weekend!  I vote for 4-day work and school weeks every week!  I think it is tougher to go back to work and school after a long weekend, but we will push through and make it!  Hope everyone has a fun week enjoying the fall colors!

Monday - Grilled Chicken and Baked Cinnamon Apples
Tuesday - Ham and Potato Soup
Wednesday - Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Thursday - Pepperoni Pizza Wheels
Friday - Eat Out
Saturday - Family Party
Sunday - Crock Pot Roasted Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

This post is linked at MPM on I'm an Organizing Junkie, check it out for hundreds of menu plan ideas each week!

Sunday Funday – Pick “n” Save Orchard

Welcome to another week of Sunday Funday! My family is out to find adventures every week at local places in our area. I will be featuring a trip we took each Sunday. We live in the Cleveland, Ohio area so most of the locations will be in this area, unless we get adventurous and travel further! If you ever visited the place that is highlighted, let me know you experience in the comments!

Location:
Pick “n” Save Orchard
1222 Ledge Rd.
Medina, Ohio 44256

(330) 239-1480

Admission:
Pick your apples at $0.95/#
Pick your pears at $1.29/#
Pick you Raspberries at $3.00/pint or $5.00/quart
Pick your Pumpkins - $0.45/#

Accessibility:
Parking is in the grass and it is a short walk to the main building. Wagons are available to go out to the apple trees. Golf carts are on site when requested. They will offer assistance for those requiring help with their apples or walking.

Hours of Operation:
7 days a week

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m

Atmosphere:
Outdoor orchard with a building to weigh and pay for what you picked.

About:

There are over 850 semi dwarf trees and all have been trimmed to a 7-foot height, which make the harvesting much easier. The orchard is all trimmed grass, which gives it a park- like setting. Children can visit the pumpkin patch and pick their own Jack-o-Lantern.

Customers pick all apples, but upon request they can have apples ready and bagged for sale. All fruit is weighed and sold by the pound. Raspberries and Blueberries are sold in quart and pint containers, also customer picked.

My Kids’ Favorites:
1. Running up and down the rows of apple trees and seeing the horses in the distance.
2. Carrying their own buckets and picking their own apples.

My Favorites:
We had a wonderful time. We ended up picking 27# of apples, way more than we could use, but the kids had a blast and so did my husband and I. We also got a lot of nice fall pictures of the kids. I was able to make homemade applesauce, apple pie, and cinnamon apples with our apples!

Time Commitment:
We spent about an hour picking our apples. We will be returning to do pumpkins.

You can also use this site to find an orchard close to your house!

Baked Cinnamon Apples

So after picking 27# of apples and making applesauce, I am continuing on my mission this week of being a Domestic Diva!  I prepared Apple Pie Filling for the Freezer for 2 pies (Thanks, 5 Dollar Dinners)!  I decided to do a twist on that recipe and make some Baked Cinnamon Apples for the freezer to pull out for the holidays.  Here is my recipe.
Ingredients:
8 apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1 Tbsp butter (I used this LOL Cinnamon Sugar spread I got for FREE)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and store in a zipper freezer bag. When ready to cook, pour mixture into a baking pan and cook at 350 for 30 minutes! Hot, delicious Cinnamon Apples!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of September 19, 2011

I hope everyone enjoyed their last Sunday of summer!  We had beautiful weather here and was able to enjoy homemade applesauce and apple pie for dessert.  We went apple picking at a local orchard on Saturday and managed to pick 27 lbs of apples.  I still have a lot left, so their will be more apple dishes for this week!  Enjoy your week!

Monday - Grilled Chicken and homemade slow cooker Applesauce
Tuesday - Meat Manicotti
Wednesday - Beef Tips and Noodles
Thursday - Ham and Potato Soup with Garlic Bread (let the soup season begin!)
Friday - Eat Out
Saturday - Annual Clam Bake
Sunday - Chicken Broccoli Bake

This post is linked at MPM at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Keeble Granola Fudge Bars - Free After Rebate!

What's better than free after rebate items?  I found these rebate forms for a free box of Keebler Granola Fudge Bars today at our local Marc's store.  Purchases must be made before 10/1/11.  Be on the look out at your store for a display with a rebate tear pad.

I have 2 extra rebate forms, so the first 2 people to e-mail me their address to spendless2savemore@gmail.com will be sent one of my forms for their use!

27# of Apples and Applesauce

We went apple picking yesterday and picked 27 lbs of apples.  The kids, my husband and I just kept picking not realizing how much we had picked!  Oh well, I guess we will be eating apples for awhile.  This morning I made some Crock Pot Applesauce and ooh does my house smell delicious!  Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
8 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into cubes
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Put all ingredients in Crock Pot and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.  Stir every few hours which will break down the apples.  Enjoy hot or cool in fridge!

Sunday Funday - Lake Erie Nature & Science Center

Welcome to a new feature on my blog, Sunday Funday! My family is out to find adventures every week at local places in our area. I will be featuring a trip we take every Sunday. We live in the Cleveland, Ohio area so most of the locations will be in this area, unless we get adventurous and travel further! If you ever visited the place that is highlighted, let me know you experience in the comments!

Location:

Lake Erie Nature and Science Center
28728 Wolf Road
Bay Village, OH 44140

Admission:
Free
Donations to the Owl Collection Box are encouraged and greatly appreciated

Accessibility:
Stroller and Wheelchair Friendly

Hours of Operation:
Open Monday through Sunday
10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Closed major holidays:
Easter - April 24, 2011
Memorial Day - May 30, 2011
Independence Day - July 4, 2011
Labor Day - September 5, 2011
Thanksgiving Day - November 24, 2011
Christmas Day - December 25, 2011
New Year's Day - January 1, 2012

Closes at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

Atmosphere:
Indoor and outdoor animal exhibits

About:
Different varieties of turtles, snakes, frogs, fish, and lizards in the indoor exhibit including a children’s play area with a puppet show house. Outdoor exhibits include birds, ducks, a bald eagle, hawks, wild turkeys, a red fox, deer, a skunk, and rabbits. There is also a planetarium with daily shows.

My Kids’ Favorites:

1. The indoor turtle exhibit – there are at least 7 large turtles in an open exhibit.

2. The outside bridge going over a small pond full of fish and turtles outside.

3. The planetarium show and walk through area where you “glow” in the dark.

My Favorites:

1. Admission is FREE!

2. We’ve gone on weekdays and weekends and never have had to deal with any crowds.

3. Parking is convenient to the front door.

4. Very stroller and wheelchair friendly, all on one level inside and outside.

Time Commitment:
We normally spend about 2 hours at the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center. Make a day of it and pack a picnic lunch! There are picnic tables located by the parking lot.

Bruegger's Joins Share Our Strength's Dine Out For No Kid Hungry Week® Sept. 18–24, 2011

Bruegger’s Enterprises Inc. will join in a fight against childhood hunger during Share Our Strength’s annual Dine Out for No Kid Hungry Week®, a week-long national restaurant event in cities across the United States. Scheduled from September 18-24, 2011, the event raises funds for No Kid Hungry™, Share Our Strength’s national campaign to end childhood hunger in America by 2015 and help connect kids to the food they need to live healthy, active lives.

Bruegger’s is asking its guests to join in this important cause. Beginning September 18, guests can purchase coupon books in any of the chain’s 300 plus locations. A $20 value, the book is filled with discounts and free items to be used throughout the year. Most importantly, all proceeds from the $3 book will go directly to Share our Strength and its important mission of ending childhood hunger. More details will be available on Bruegger's Facebook page.

Dine Out for No Kid Hungry hopes to raise $150 million by 2015 in order to ensure that 17 million children in need have the food they need each day. Each year, generous restaurant partners donate a portion of the week’s sales, offer special promotions or collect donations from their customers to help Dine Out for No Kid Hungry achieve its mission!

Check out the press release here, this is a great opportunity to help a wonderful organization while saving money for yourself!

Plum District - Get Any Pair of Shoes or Handbag from JustFabulous for as low as $11.90!

PlumDistrict has a great deal today for JustFabulous.


You can get any pair of shoes or handbag from JustFabulous for $19 – free shipping included!!

If you are new to PlumDistrict you will get a $5 credit to your account making this only $14!

Plus, use coupon code: fall2fab to get an additional 15% off!

JustFabulous is a great site where you complete a quick fashion survey and they will show you a ton of great suggestions for shoes and handbags. Now, for someone like me who loves to buy handbags, this could be dangerous…lol

This would be a great way to stretch your money and buy a great Christmas gift!

Fall Family Fun!

It's that time of year again; time to start the fall festivities! One of my favorite activities as a family is picking apples. We will be heading out this weekend to pick some apples. Pick Your Own is a great resource for finding locations in your area to pick apples, find pumpkins, or take in an autumn hayride. Check it out today to plan your family next's adventure!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of September 12, 2011

I did some recipe surfing this week and found some new recipes to try!  I hope they taste as good as they sound!  Enjoy your week everyone!

Monday - Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas
Tuesday - Sloppy Jo's
Wednesday - Shake and Bake Pork Chops
Thursday - Simple Bean Tostadas
Friday - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Saturday - Eat Out
Sunday- Roasted Chicken and Mashed Potatoes with Gravy (back to classic Sunday dinners!)

This post is linked at MPM at I'm an Organizing Junkie!

10th Annual World's Largest Ice Cream Social at Cold Stone

We attend this event every year!  It never seems to be crowded!  You get free ice cream and they only ask for a donation to Make-A-Wish!  Click here to find a participating store!

Flip Flopping Summer

I have to admit, one of my favorite parts of summer and warm weather is the ability to wear flip flops (or flippies as we call them in our house) everyday.  I live in an area where we have all four seasons, so when the weather hits 65 degrees, I am breaking out my flip flops. 

I detest wearing socks and shoes!  All winter long, I either have to wear socks or nylons to work!  I am just not a big "confined feet" person.  I am one of those people who like to take their shoes off when I am sitting.  So more than likely you will find me shoe-less if you look under my desk or at my feet in the car!  First thing I do when I come home, take those shoes off!

Flip Flops allow my feet the freedom they need!  They are so easy to slip on and off in an instant!  Plus they allow me to show off my perfectly pedicured toes.  I love a good pedicure and how my feet look and feel after I am done.  So today I am a bit sad, because I fear flip flop season is coming to a close.  I will have to soon put my favorite shoes away again until spring rolls around!  Even though I still have the dark tan lines on my feel from my flip flop straps.

My husband does not understand my obsession with flip flops.  He is strictly a socks and tennis shoes kind of man.  Even when we go on vacation, the only time he will wear flip flops is when we go to the beach or the pool.  All other times he is fully dressed with socks and shoes!  It annoys me as I am sure it annoys him as I am ALWAYS in my flip flops!

I've started a flip flop revolution in my house.  Both of my boys, ages 5 and 2, are also flip flop fanatics!  I think this also annoys my husband, because these are the only shoes my 5 year old will wear all summer.  If he happens to fall off of his scooter, it is often my fault because it would have never happened if he was wearing socks and shoes according to my hubby!  Whenever we leave the house, you are guaranteed to hear "put your flippies on"!

My five year old is quite hard on his flippies.  He has officially worn through 2 pairs this year!  I am not sure how, I have never worn through a pair, but he has developed holes in 2 pairs.  I am blaming it on the fact that he rides his scooter around the block at full speed in his flippies.  And yes, it is always the flip flop on his foot used for making his scooter go "super fast".

My favorite time of the summer is the Old Navy $1 Flip Flop sale!  I am there every year and I get my limit of 5 every year.  Next year I will have to bring my hubby so we can both get 5 pairs since we are wearing through them so fast!

So long summer and so long flip flops, I will miss you and I will see you soon!

Bob Evan's Farm Festival Contest

Just submit a photo of your favorite farm memory and you could win an all-expense-paid family trip to the Bob Evans Farm in Rio Grande, Ohio for the 41st Annual Farm Festival!

Winner receives:
• $250 gas card
• Two-night stay in nearby hotel
• Weekend passes to Farm Festival
• Weekend meal vouchers
• Exclusive invitation to our Friends of the Farm party on Oct. 14
• $100 Bob Evans gift card
• VIP access to Farm Festival - Ringing the opening bell, lunch with chefs, behind the scenes tour

Go here to enter!

$10 Gift Card Offer From Sam's Club

From now until October 2, 2011, get a $10 Sam's Club gift card when you buy any 2 qualifying baby items. The picture shows Pampers, Similac, and Dreft, check out the details here.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of September 5, 2011

Wow - we definitely had a strange weather weekend!  We had this mini heat wave and hit mid 90's and a heat index of 107 on Friday and Saturday!  Today was a briskly cool day.  I had the windows open for awhile, but then ended up shutting them when the house got too cool!

I hope everyone got to enjoy a nice, long weekend and are ready to start the shorten school and work week!  We got together with family and friends and got to grill out several times. I also tackled a few projects on my "To Do" list including cleaning out the fridge!  How I love a clean fridge!

Enjoy your week!

Monday - Spaghetti at my parent's house
Tuesday - Grilled Chicken Legs and Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
Wednesday - Crock Pot Roast and Mashed Potatoes
Thursday - Grilled Cheese and Macaroni Salad
Friday - Eat Out
Saturday- Party at Friend's House
Sunday - Beef Stroganoff

This post is linked at MPM at I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Extend Your Budget with Groupon

When living on a tight monthly budget there are often times I just want to splurge!  I remember the days when we lived "budgetless" and I would go shopping just because and go out to eat just because we could.  Now I think back at all the money we wasted!  Having a monthly planned budget is stressful, but in the end it is so worth it!

One way we splurge now is buy purchasing Groupons!  We get to go out to dinner still and get it for half price!  I get to go shopping and get my items for half price!  I still get a manicure/pedicure and guess what?  They are half price!

If you have yet to check out Groupon, now is the time.  Check out some of the deals now!