It's My Birthday!

Yep, today is the day!  I am taking it easy except for the fact I had to take the annual trip to the license bureau!  I thought it would be fun to share all of the FREEBIES I have received in my inbox just because it is my birthday!  I was shocked at the number of them  I received them just for signing up with companies and their rewards programs!  Here we go...

• 50 Swag Bucks!  If you haven't joined yet you are missing out, you can earn gift cards by just searching the internet!
• BOGO Blizzard from Dairy Queen!
• Free movie rental from Red Box!
• 200 Bonus Points from Speedway's Speedy Rewards!
• Free Desssert from Applebees!
• $5 Coupon from Red Lobster!
• Free Birthday Burger from Ruby Tuesday!

We'll be eating well for awhile!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of November 28, 2011

Wow - that was a whirlwind weekend.  We were busy constantly with places to go, people to see, and things to do!  Luckily I have two more days off of work, so I can rest and relax.  I did manage to get in a few naps this weekend.  I love an afternoon nap on the couch!  I actually look forward to the days I know I will be able to sneak one in!  An hour is all I need to recharge my batteries! 

It's my birthday on Tuesday and I will be the big 34!  Yikes, where does the time go, I haven't a clue.  My baby is also turning 3 next weekend!  I have held off long enough, his "big boy" bed is being delivered on Friday.  This should be an adventure, not sure if he will stay put, he is our wild child! 

Hope you have a great week!

Monday - Creamy Turkey Rice Soup
Tuesday - Out for Dinner & Ice Cream for my Birthday
Wednesday - Dijon Baked Chicken Thighs (new recipe, I'll post later in the week)
Thursday - Sloppy Jo's and Baked Potatoes
Friday - Pizza Night!
Saturday -Date Night
Sunday - My Son's 3rd Birthday!

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

What to do With the Leftovers?

The feast is over, and if you're like me you have a refrigerator full of leftovers!  This is by far not a bad thing, but a chance to make some wonderful meals for your family!  On our menu today is:

Lunch - Turkey Sandwiches
Dinner - Creamy Turkey Rice Soup (an absolute favorite in our house)

Here are some other great recipes I have found to use up your leftovers:

Pierogi Casserole

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Turkey Lasagna Soup

Turkey Tetrazzini

Southern Ham and Cheese Pie

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am wishing everyone a healthly, happy, fun Thanksgiving day!  I hope you are able to enjoy the day with friends, family and good food!  I am thankful for the fact that my Mom's is hosting this year because our dishwasher decided to break on Tuesday!  All kidding aside, this year I am especially thankful for:

1.  Good health for my family!

2.  My amazing Father who had lost over 80 pounds!

3.  My loving, supportive, always there for me husband!

4.  My wonderful boys who are my entire world, I could not even imagine life without them!

5.  All the ways God continues to provide for my family in ways that often "sneak" up upon us!

6.  The memory making vacation we got to take to Disney World today, I still cry at the Disney commercials!

7.  Living a life I have always dreamed about, I wouldn't change a thing!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of November 21, 2011

Yeah - it is Thanksgiving week, my favorite holiday!  We will be celebrating Turkey Day at my parents since it is also my Dad's birthday!  I also get to enjoy a few days off of work and my son gets 3 days off of school to enjoy the holiday!

Hope you have a great weekend an a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Monday - Taco Night
Tuesday - Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup
Wednesday - Chicken Breast Divine
Thursday - Thanksgiving Dinner, i will make the appetizer, Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Celebrate my Birthday with my Family!
Sunday - Creamy Turkey Rice Soup with Biscuits

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

Thanksgiving – My Favorite Holiday

When asked what your favorite holiday is, I am sure most would answer the obvious, Christmas. However, I tend to answer differently; I would say Thanksgiving in an instant. To me Thanksgiving is a holiday that is much more focused on family and brining everyone to celebrate with food, fun, and conversation. Yes the preparation the day before and the day of is hectic for the host and hostess, but once everyone is seated at the table, the atmosphere is relaxed, fun, and an overall great time of the year. No one expects gifts; they just expect good food and spending quality time together.

I love to host Thanksgiving at my house. There is something about the smell of a turkey roasting in the oven all day. Yes the kitchen gets chaotic, but the end result is well worth the effort. Plus, the leftovers stay at home for extra meals worth of Thanksgiving food and fresh turkey sandwiches for lunch for the rest of the weekend. I admit it; I love the turkey sandwiches and will eat them until the turkey is gone!

This year, I will not be hosting Thanksgiving. We will be celebrating at my parent’s house. My Dad’s birthday also falls on Thanksgiving this year, so we are able to celebrate with him on the same day. I am responsible for the appetizers, which I already have some ideas I want to try like these Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels! I will still buy a turkey this year when the prices cannot be beat. We will just roast ours on another day and have our own “mini” Thanksgiving.

We normally eat out Thanksgiving dinner around 2 pm. We spend time going around the table telling something that we are thankful for this year! We then say Grace as a family before digging into our feast. Our feast consists of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing (both inside and outside of the bird), green bean casserole, rolls with turkey shaped butter, and the traditional cranberry sauce (I prefer it right out of the can with the lines on it)! After dinner, the women normally do the dishes and the men watch some football. The kids run off and play. Dessert is served later in the evening and this year it will be birthday cake and ice cream for my Dad! We normally end the evening with some games or a heated competition on the Wii. Whatever is done, we are together as a family and that is all that matters.

I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving and is able to spend it with family and friends and enjoy a day of great food, conversation, and fun!

Need some Thanksgiving meal ideas?  Check out the post on Family Balance Sheet on 30 Thanksgiving Meal Ideas to Feast On!  She was nice enough to link to one of my recipes!

The Money Saving Mom's Budget

When I first started getting into "heavy couponing" a little of 2 years ago, the first blogger I started following was Money Saving Mom!  To this day, I still check her site multiple times a day and it remains my favorite blogger to follow!  She always has the latest deals, freebies, and coupons, that this site is a one stop shop for us couponers out there!

Well now, there is a new book, The Money Saving Mom's Budget!  I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy and will be reviewing it on my site in December!  However you can also own this book by pre-ordering it here!  I cannot wait to share this book with you!  It is guaranteed to energize you to save money everyday and put it away for the future!

The winner is...

jenny_anwar@

for the Renuzit Fresh Accents giveaway!  A e-mail has been sent to claim your prize!

Earn Free Books From SunnyD!

Now through 11/30/11, you can help your child's classroom earn free books through the SunnyD Book Spree.  By collecting just 20 labels, your child's classroom can earn free books!  Hurry, this expires at the end of the month and all labels need to be counted by 12/30/11!  Go here for the details!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of November 14, 2011

I cannot believe it is mid-November already!  We had our first snowfall on the 11th and the boys were so excited.  Too bad it melted before noon!  This past weekend also kicked off our "birthday season" as I like to call it.  My family is "BIG" in winter birthdays.  We seem to be celebrating almost every weekend from now until mid-February! 

Don't forget to enter by Renuzit giveaway, it ends November 15th!  You can win some free coupons from Renuzit air fresheners just in time for the holiday season!

Monday - Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Tuesday - Breaded Pork Chops and Crunchy Potatoes
Wednesday -Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Thursday - Tomato Pasta Soup with Garlic Toast
Friday - Boys Help Themselves
Saturday - Eat Out
Sunday - Turkey Roast and Mashed Potatoes

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

Taking 15 minutes to plan your weekly meals, makes dinnertime a whole lot smoother!

Sunday Funday - The Toledo Zoo

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:
The Toledo Zoo
2 Hippo Way
Toledo, OH  43609

Admission:
$11 for Adults
$8.00 for Children (2 yrs - 11 yrs) and Seniors (60+)
FREE for Zoo Members and Children under 2 years.
*Admission and parking are free for all Toledo Zoo members.

There are group rates available on the website!

Accessibility:
Stroller and wheel chair rentals are available at the zoo.  The zoo is very accessible with access ramps into all buildings.

Hours of Operation:
The zoo is open every day of the year except
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

Labor Day to Memorial Day: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Memorial Day to Labor Day: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

May & September:
Weekends – 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday – 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Visitors have one hour after the gates close
to complete their visit.

Atmosphere:
Outside and indoor animal exhibits.  There are also food places and concession stands.

About:
With over 9,000 animals representing over 800 species, The Toledo Zoo is one of the world’s most complete zoos—it’s also the region’s top family destination! Let The Toledo Zoo take you from the Arctic tundra to the wilds of Africa, from the tropical rainforest to the Sonoran Desert and all points between—all in one great day.

Each year nearly one million people come to The Toledo Zoo to experience the wonders of the natural world, stroll our beautiful grounds and explore our historic WPA-era buildings. As you do, you'll encounter animals ranging from mammoth African elephants and majestic bald eagles to tiny toads and delicate moon jellies.

The Toledo Zoo is also proud to be at the forefront of many conservation efforts, working to preserve endangered and threatened species from butterflies and birds to toads and elephants. Fully accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), The Toledo Zoo is involved with breeding animals through the Species Survival Program that is helping to ensure a future for some truly amazing species.

My Kids’ Favorites:
1.  The Safari Railway that goes around the African Animal Exhibit - Normal price is $2, but it was only $1 on the day we went.
2.  Playing with the animal faces!

My Favorites:
1. The zoo is not too large and overwhelming, we did the entire zoo in about 4 hours!
2. Stroller/wagon accessibility
3. You are truly up close to a lot of animal, a lot better views then at other zoos!

Time Commitment:

We spent about 4 hours at the zoo.  We packed our lunches and ate while we were waiting for the train!

3 Free Cards at CVS - Last Day

If you haven't done this deal yet at CVS, I would highly recommend it!  You earn $3 in ECB's when you buy 3 American Greeting Cards.  Look for the section of the $0.99 cards!  This works, buy 3 of them for $0.99 each and get back $3 for your next trip!

Well worth it!

Bruegger's Free Coffee 11/9

This Wednesday, 11/9,  is Free Coffee Day!

As you know, the holiday season is upon us! So why not treat yourself – and the children of the community - with free coffee on November 9 – and throughout the year. Bruegger's is encouraging  guests to make a donation to the local children's hospital in their area. 

This week begins Bruegger’s second annual fundraising campaign for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The bagel chain, with 300 locations in the US, hopes to raise $100,000 for Children’s Hospitals across America.  

My readers can get Free Coffee on November 9 – at all of Bruegger’s 300 locations – and donate to the local children’s hospital.

Even more, your readers can treat themselves (or a friend) to free coffee ALL YEAR, if they purchase a 2012 Bottomless Mug, for about $159, depending on location. Members of the “Mug  Club”  get refills of coffee, tea or soda all year and, for every Mug purchased, Bruegger’s will donate to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of November 7, 2011

What a beautiful, fall weekend we had!  We even managed to sneak in an impromptu trip to a new zoo that the kids had never been before!  Since they came home exhausted, I put them to bed an hour early thanks to the time change!  Ha - one of those secret Mom tricks!  Be sure to enter my Renuzit giveaway before November 15th!

Hope you have a wonderful week!

Monday - Panera's Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Tuesday - Angie's Baked Cheddar Chicken with Sauce
Wednesday - Eat Out
Thursday - Crockpot Ravioli
Friday - Beef Tips and Noodles
Saturday- Celebrating Mimi's Birthday!
Sunday - Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

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

Turn Your Clocks Back!

Thank goodness!  The kids were up late watching movies at their Mimi and Papa's while Mom and Dad bowled and ate dinner with adults.  At least we gain an hour!

Happy Halloween!

I hope you had a wonderful Halloween and your kids are fully recovered from their sugar high!  I ate too many Laffy Taffy's at work today, thanks to a co-worker bringing them in.  They are my weakness and I cannot resist, especially the banana ones!