Our 2011 in Pictures

January

 February

 March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

What a great year we had!  I cannot wait until 2012, more great things to come!

Happy New Year!



New Purex Triple Action Review & Giveaway!

I love being a Purex Insider!  I get the opportunity to try new products before they are released to store shelves.  This week I was able to try the new and improved Purex Triple Action formula!  I was able to try the Free & Clear formula since I have some little ones with some sensitive skin in our household. 

New Purex Triple Action leverages the best parts of the current formula, combined with new additions, to deliver great cleaning plus improved brightening power.  This new formula will be rolled out across Purex's liquid detergent line so soon you'll find it in your favorite scents including Mountain Breeze, After the Rain, Lavender Fresh, Original Fresh, Linen & Lillies, and Lilac & White Lavender!  Just like all of Purex's current detergents, new Purex Triple Action is specifically formulated to work in both traditional and HE washers. 

Now I have 2 young boys that know how to get dirty!  I need a detergent that is strong on stains, but won't irritate their smooth skin.  I was very pleased with the results from Purex Triple Action!  It left our clothes clean and smelling fresh!  I also had some tough laundry to tackle with the stains of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!  Purex Triple Action had no problems tackling our laundry issues!

Beginning in early 2012, you will be able to get free samples of the new Purex Triple Action here!  I will be sure to give you the "heads up" when the site is up and running!  Everyone loves free detergent samples to keep the grocery budget under control!

To celebrate the launch of new Purex Triple Action, two Spend Less 2 Save More readers will win a coupon for a free bottle of new Purex Triple Action!

To enter (leave a separate comment for each entry):
1.  Tell me why you love Purex in the comments!
2.  Become a Facebook Fan of Spend Less 2 Save More and leave a comment!
3.  Become a follower of Spend Less 2 Save More and leave a comment (link is in the sidebar)!

Contest will end at midnight on 1/11/12!  Good Luck!

Purex provided me a free sample of their Triple Action laundry detergent so I provide a review of the product.  However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own and are not influenced by Purex.

Have You Thought About Re-Financing?

Have you thought about re-financing?  I know you hear everywhere that now is the time to consider re-financing your home loan.  Interest rates are at record lows making it a great time to consider your home loan.  If you think you won't save money, it may be worth your while to call around and get some estimates.  We just refinanced our loan into a smaller term loan and our payment are less than what we had been paying.  Here are some of the other benefits we will be experiencing with our loan re-finance:

• Shaved multiple years off our home loan.
• More of our monthly payment goes directly to payoff the principal.
• Enjoying an APR more than 2% less than our old APR.

You really need to think if you plan to stay in your home.  With the real estate market the way it is, we have no plans of ever moving.  We are in our house for the long haul, unless of course someone else has other plans for us!

You also get to skip a house payment while the loans transfer, so this could be a great way to free up some extra cash to pay down consumer debt!

Our personal goal is to have a mortgage completely paid for before our oldest son goes to college, so it is time to buckle down and get serious!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of December 26, 2011

So I have been off my menu planning for most of December.  Things has been really chaotic and we have a lot of (good) things happening!  But I found out, when you don't plan, you regret it with way too many nights of "let's run out and get something"!  So I am starting the final week of 2011 right and planning my menu.  We had an easy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day since we did not host either.  So we had the pleasure at eating at others' houses and not having to cook or clean up!  So this week I am off of work, so I have no excuses, I must cook!

Monday - Turkey Roast and Mashed Potatoes
Tuesday - Beef Enchilada Pie
Wednesday - Mom's Girls Night Out!
Thursday - Pizza Night!
Friday - Beef Stroganoff
Saturday - Celebrating the New Year with Friends!
Sunday - Crock Pot Roasted Chicken

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

Taking 10 minutes to plan your menu each week will guarantee to save you time, money, and sanity during the week!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas.  May you enjoy this blessed holiday season with good times, good food, and the wonderful people in your lives.  Remember the blessings you have and be thankful for them!

Merry Christmas!

Baked Chicken Thighs with Dijon & Lime

Ingredients:
6 -8 chicken thighs, skin removed
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 lime, squeezed
3/4 tsp pepper
salt
Dried parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse chicken and remove all skin.  Pat dry, place in a large bowl and season with salt.  In another bowl combine mustard, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and pepper.  Mix well and then pour over chicken.  Coat chicken in sauce.  Line a baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Place chicken on the pan in a single layer.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Bake until cooked about 40 minutes.  Enjoy!

Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics

If you have a young-school aged child (recommended for 1st - 6th grades), then I highly suggest checking out the upcoming Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics!  First off, they are FREE!  Child and parent attend on a Saturday morning and receive a kit to build together.  They even get a cute apron and safety goggles.  Coming up in Janaury are:

• Castle on 1/14/12
• Build-a-saurus on 1/28/12

I recommend registering early since they only allow 50 kids per store.  Go here and check it out!

Christmas Cards

I absolutely love receiving Christmas cards this time of year.  I think it is one of my favorite parts of Christmas.  Now I am one of those gals who LOVES to get the mail.  If I am home and hear the mailman, I dart outside to get it!  You never know what surprises will be in your mailbox!

I personally open each Christmas card and become excited to see what is inside.  My absolute favorite are the photo Christmas cards.  It is so enjoyable to see children grow up, especially ones you do not see a lot.  They have a much more 'personal' feel to them and you know the senders took a lot of time to select the just perfect photo.  I know I do!

This year I received my annual Christmas card from a woman I use to work with when we first graduated college.  We have not seen each other in about 6 years, but we still send our annual Christmas cards.  I guess it had been awhile since I e-mailed here, because here she had another baby girl!  I was so excited and immediately we began chatting on e-mail again! 

We also receive cards from a few of our old neighbors.  We moved a little over 4 years ago and it is amazing how much their children have grown!  I'm sure they say the same thing about our family.  This year for my parents for Christmas, we did portraits with them and the grandchildren.  They used this photo as their card this year!

We display our photos on the door in our kitchen that leads to our basement.  It is so much fun looking at every one's card and it brings extra joy to the house.  After Christmas, I keep all the photo cards in a special box.  This is a fun way to spend a Saturday looking over previous years' cards.  The remaining cards I keep for the boys (as I do with all greeting cards).  We use these for crafts and projects through out the year!

Where do you hang your Christmas cards?

The Money $aving Mom's Budget: A Review & Giveaway!

I have always been a huge fan of MoneySavingMom.com!  This was the first site I started to frequent when I began to explore the use of couponing to save money.  I still check the site multiple times a day because Crystal posts all the current deals, freebies, and household tips!

I was elated when I was given the chance to preview Crystal Paine's new book, The Money $aving Mom's Budget.  It was an incredibility quick read for me because I didn't want to put it down.  I needed to keep reading to find out some more of Crystal's tips on how to create a budget and save money!

Crystal begins the book with goal setting.   As she puts it, "If you don't know where you're going, any train will get you there."  She encourages you to set big goals.  Then cut that goal into bite-sized pieces so you can achieve them.  I believe it is important what your goals are in life and that you and your spouse are headed on the same track.

Crystal also talks about how to create a budget.  She encourages you to start with a grocery budget and stick to it!  Don't create a budget that is unachievable, but one you can stick to in the end.  Once you get the grocery budget down, then you will be able to make the leap and create an entire budget for your household and tell your money where to go each month!  I know this has helped my family tremendously.  We use a spreadsheet every month to track what comes in and what goes out and where!

Finally, Crystal shares some of her amazing tips on how to save money!  These are things that she has tried and believes they will work for everyone.  The tips include how to use coupons, play the drug store game, and how to save money on household items.

Overall, this is an extremely well written book and was enjoyable to read.  I highly recommend it if you are searching for ways to save money each month! 

The book is scheduled to release January 10, 2012.    One lucky Spend Less 2 Save More reader will receive a free copy of this book to enjoy! 

To enter:

1.  Leave a comment on this post on why you need this book (mandatory)
2.  Become a Spend Less 2 Save More Facebook Fan!
3.  Follow Spend Less 2 Save More (in the sidebar)

Good luck, the contest will end 12/31/11 at midnight!

I was given a preview copy of the book to read and review.  All views are my own and were not influenced in anyway.

Enjoying a Simple Season

It’s difficult in the world we live in not to become wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Unfortunately, a lot of this “fast-paced” movement is surrounded around not celebrating the true meaning of the Christmas season. A popular quote, yet it was up on the electronic sign at my son’s school as I drove by yesterday, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”. This serves as a reminder to me and hopefully others that drive by on that busy road why we celebrate Christmas. It is truly a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus. I try not to be too religious in my views on this blog, but truly Christmas is a celebration of new life and the birth of Christ!

My husband and I strive to celebrate a “simple season” with our children and provide them with the true meaning of Christmas. Yes, they believe in Santa Claus and he brings them gifts on Christmas day, but they also know we celebrate Christmas day with Christ at our church Christmas morning. We celebrate with family on Christmas Eve and Christmas day and we say Grace before our meals. We are thankful for Mary and Joseph and for bringing us God’s only son.

I find myself frustrated this time of the year with the traffic around my house. Yes, it does not help that I live behind a very popular mall, but is all this rushing to get into the mall to buy gifts really worth it? I was appalled on Thanksgiving evening the line of people already gearing up to get into Best Buy to be the first to get the season’s hottest gifts. And even the fact that Best Buy this year had a giant screen in their parking lot to entertain the wary shoppers while they waited. We spent the day after Thanksgiving by sleeping in until 9, enjoying breakfast as a family, staying in our jammies until noon, trimming the Christmas tree and displaying our Christmas decorations, enjoying leftovers from the day before for dinner, and attending a local lighting ceremony in the evening! The best part of the lighting ceremony was the beginning, when the Mayor turned the microphone over to our local Pastor and he said a prayer and blessing over the entire crowd. I was in amazement! Yes, they got it right, even in the world we live in today with people worrying about offending others, they started a public ceremony with prayer. I was truly proud to have my children and attendance and it was a topic of conversation between my husband and I before bed that night. “What an awesome way to start the holiday season”! By the way, the lighting was amazing; compete with fireworks, Santa riding in on a fire truck, and a horse drawn wagon ride!

We were able to enjoy a wonderful Breakfast with Santa complete with food, games, crafts, and pictures with Santa himself. Luckily both of my boys were excited to sit on his lap this year. We have visited many Christmas light displays and the boys enjoy flipping the switch every night to turn on our lights and watch our huge blow up “Frosty” rise from the ground. However, I am a bit concerned on how some people have like 10 of these giant blow up characters in their yard? I just received a December electric bill and “yikes”! You would think we were running the A/C! We have been listening to Alvin & the Chipmunks Christmas songs for weeks now; it is the only thing the boys will listen to in the car. Yes I know the words and yes I catch myself singing the songs often for no reason!

This morning, my husband and I were able to enjoy with the Grandparents a wonderful Christmas Music Show put on by the kindergartners and 1^st graders at my son’s school. My son did warn me ahead of time that I was “not allowed to do any of the motions from my seat”. I behaved and just watched and listened to the beautiful Christian Christmas songs. It even brought a tear to my eye at the beginning, but I am a very emotional person, so that was expected! The boys are geared up for our ride on The Polar Express this weekend. I have to admit I am excited too! We will also be baking some cookies this weekend in preparation of the big day. We need to make sure we leave Santa plenty of cookies and milk to drink!

I hope that everyone has a very joyous holiday season and I wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas!

Purex is Giving Away 20,000 Subscriptions to Better Homes & Gardens!

Enter to win a 1 year subscription to Better Homes and Gardens magazine. You could be one of 20,000 winners! You could have a whole year free of smart, approachable articles on design and individual style, decorating and gardening, food and entertaining, and personal and family well-being from your friends at Purex. Enter before December 20th for a chance to win.

Go here to enter!

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!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!  My kids are geared up and ready to go trick-or-treating.  We will have a Rex from Toy Story 3 and Thomas the Train roaming our neighborhood in search of sweet goodies!  I personally have my favorites and secretly search my boys' bags for these goodies which include Laffy Taffy, Nerds, anything gummy, and Kit Kats!  Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to enter my Renuzit Fresh Accents Giveaway!

Monday - Pizza and Wings
Tuesday - Meatloaf with Broccoli and Cheese Sauce
Wednesday - Chicken and Tortilla Enchilada Bake
Thursday - Ham and Potato Soup - trying again, we did not get to make this last week!
Friday - Eat Out
Saturday - Date Night
Sunday - Turkey Roast and Mashed Potatoes

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

Renuzit Fresh Accents Review And Giveaway!

There is a new Renuzit air freshener product now available just in time for the holidays!  Renuzit Fresh Accents is an attractive new air freshner that offers:

• Stylish versatile two-sided holiday design
• Two holiday fragrances - Winter Berry and Festive Snow
• 30 days of continuous frangrance odor elimination
• No plugs, batteries, or flames needed

I was able to try out both fragrances of Renuzit Fresh Accents.  I put the Winter Berry in the window of my kitchen to give my kitchen a festive aroma!  The sun was shining through the air freshner which gave the effects of snowflakes due to the backlighting effect of the holder.  The scent was amazing and lasted the 30 days as promised! 

I cannot wait to purchase more of these for the holiday season.  The best part is Renuzit Fresh Accents are about 1/3 less than the competitors at around $2.00!  What an amazing deal is that!

Everyone can try this product for free with the rebate found here!

Plus, 1 lucky Spend Less 2 Save More readers will win 2 coupons for a free Renuzit Fresh Accents compliments of Renuzit!


To enter:
1.  Follow Spend Less 2 Save More (in sidebar) and leave a comment
2.  Like Spend Less 2 Save More on Facebook and come back here and leave a comment
3.  Link to this giveaway on Facebook and leave a comment here that you did so

Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on 11/15/11!

Renuzit brand provided free samples of Fresh Accents air freshener so I could review them. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.

New Ebay Listings

Time to declutter for Christmas!  I just posted some hot items up on ebay!  The sad part is they are all brand new with tags still on them.  Its amazing what you can find in your closets when you start to clean them out and de-clutter!

NWT Size 4T Overalls 

NWT 3T Pajama Sleepers 

2 NWT Pajama Sleepers Size 4T 

New in Package Poinsetta Table Cloth 

Size 24 Months NWT Overalls

Menu Plan Monday - Week of October 24, 2011

So I've been MIA for a week, sorry about that.  Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.  Life just sometimes gets busy and other things need to take a back seat!  On the other hand, I had a wonderful night out with a dear best friend this weekend and we went and saw Footloose.  I had serious doubts about this movie, because I loved the first one so much.  Well, I LOVED this one too.  I honestly cannot say which one I like better.  I would go see this movie again.  Such a great, cheer you up kind of movie, I think I had a smile on my face the whole time in the theater.  I would recommend checking it out!

I will have a giveaway coming up this week compliments of Purex Insiders, so stay tuned!  Here is what is on the menu this week!

Monday -Chili and Cornbread
Tuesday - Ham and Potato Soup
Wednesday - Sharon's Macaroni Casserole
Thursday - Beef Enchilada Pie
Friday - Grilled Cheese and French Fries
Saturday - Eat Out
Sunday - City Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

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

The Winner..

of the Freschetta prize pack is Jessica (reklaw422@).  An e-mail has been sent to you to claim your prize!  Congratulations and thanks to all that entered!

Cheerios 4 for $6 Starting 10/13/11

I am so super exited about this deal, it is unreal!  You can get 4 boxes of Cheerios for $6 at Giant Eagle starting on 10/13/11!  That is an amazing stock up price!  Even better, I am completely out of them and am in desperate need of them!

Make the deal even better by using coupons:
$1/2 from the 9/25 SS

Menu Plan Monday - Week of October 10, 2011

We go from a cold, windy, rainy weekend last week, to a gorgeous sunny, warm weekend this week.  Nothing like unpredictable weather in this part of the country!  But then again it is October, so I will take another day anyday to wear shorts and flip flops!  It's the last week to enter my FRESCHETTA Prize Pack Giveaway to win FREE pizza!  Here's to a great week!

Monday - Hamburgers (taking advantage of the warm weather)!
Tuesday - Taco Tuesday
Wednesday - Frozen Pizza Night from FRESCHETTA (Enter to win your own frozen pizza night here!)
Thursday - Grilled Chicken and Easy Seasoned Potatoes
Friday - Meat Manicotti and garlic bread
Saturday - Eat Out
Sunday - Roast Beef and Mashed Potatoes

This post is linked at Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Sunday Funday - The Jump Yard

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 Jump Yard
13700 York Road
North Royalton, OH 44133

440-237-8100

Admission:

Children under 30” and parents always FREE
Children 30”-35” - $8 weekday / $10 weekend
Children 36” and over - $10 weekday / $12 weekend

Discounts:
Yard Card! – 10 visits *anytime *no expiration - $80 (up to $40 in savings!)

Accessibility:

Free parking is available and it is a short walk to the door.

Once a month, The Jump Yard hosts a Sensory Night which is closed to the public but open to families with special needs.

Hours of Operation:

Monday & Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday thru Friday – 4 pm until 8 pm
Saturday – 10 am until 8 pm
Sunday – 11 am until 6 pm

*Hours are subject to change; check the website for the weekly Open Play schedule!

Atmosphere:

Large inflatables to jump on plus a Toddler play area for the smaller guests. There are tables for the parents as well as private rooms for parties.

About:

Striving to be a community leader of indoor entertainment, healthy lifestyle activities and fun for all age groups, we offer an exciting blend of attractions, including:

• a variety of unique and exciting inflatable play structures
• an infant/toddler area for kids 3 years and under
• a parent lounge, including complimentary WiFi and flat screen TVs
• a concession stand featuring delicious treats and healthy snacks

My Kids’ Favorites:
1. Everything – my kids love to jump and slide on inflatables, this is their type of paradise!

 My Favorites:

1. Parents are free and can go on slides/inflatables with their kids.
2. Large open area where you can view your children on different inflatables at the same time.
3. Great for different age groups, my 5 year old 2 year old can both enjoy themselves.

Time Commitment:

We normally spend about 2 hours at The Jump Yard. Sooner or later the kids have to tire out!