Living Social Deal

photo courtesy of Disney

I just opened my inbox and saw this deal for today by Living Social. A great deal to clean your whole house for $79 and they claim to use eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products!
Here is what their site states:

Snow White had furry forest friends. The Banks children had Mary Poppins. Cinderella had a gang of industrious mice. But who will do your housework without cleaning out your pockets? Don't wait for a troop of imaginary animals -- let the professional staff at CottageCare work its magic and leave your home sparkling clean. With today's deal, $79 gets you a full house cleaning for up to three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, living room, dining room, family room, and kitchen (regularly $160). CottageCare's fastidious staff will use eco-friendly, non-toxic products to sanitize your bathroom, dust your furniture, scrub your kitchen, vacuum your carpets, and hand-wash the hard-surface floors in your foyer, kitchen, and bathrooms. Sit down, relax, and leave the cleaning to the pros -- the only thing you'll need your broom for is to sweep up today's deal

 

Check it out HERE

 

Hurry and get yours because this deal is only good for today. Don't forget to check the fine print before you buy! There is a list of zip codes where this deal is valid. 

Banana Pancakes

Last week I had a lovely birthday dinner planned for my mom. My husband was going to grill, I was making her favorite pie and they were going to be coming over in about 2 hours. Then I get a text from my husband "Coming  home, I feel sick". So, of course I call the poor guy and begin to question his sickness. "So, on a scale of 1-10 how sick are you?", "What kind of sick are you? Like barfy sick?" You get the point. Needless to say, he WAS sick and I canceled dinner which left me kind of scrambling with 3 hungry kids. Since I don't grill (not my thing) that was out. I knew it needed to be GF for my little boy. I quickly decided on pancakes. Breakfast for dinner is always easy and this was a way for me to test another recipe with the Gluten Free All Purpose Flour we posted about a while back. Betty Crocker did it again with a Banana Pancake Recipe using all purpose flour.

Cue Music!

"But baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you
This song its meant to keep you
from doin' what you're supposed to
Like wakin' up to early
Maybe we could sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like its the weekend now
And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that its just rainin'

There ain't no need to go outside."

Ok, ok I'll stop. But don't pretend like you weren't singing that the minute you read Banana Pancakes. If you weren't you should definitely check out Jack Johnson.  Anyway, these pancakes were Incredibly Delicious!

Here is the recipe.

Banana Pancakes

2 large eggs
2 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mix
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (4 medium)
1/4 cup granulated or packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

• Beat eggs in medium bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth. For thinner pancakes, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons buttermilk. **Note** I didn't have buttermilk on hand so I used half and half. For that I would recommend you use less half and half, like 1 1/2 cups. I also added about 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Heat griddle to 375* **Note** Again, I didn't want to pull out my griddle so I just heat my pan on med-high heat. Grease griddle with butter if necessary. 
• For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter from cup or pitcher onto hot griddle. Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around edges. Turn and cook other sides until golden brown.

 These were pretty easy, just like any other pancake recipe. Although, they did seem to cook a lot faster and were not super thick. I am not sure if that was because I used half and half or because of the GF flour mixture. Either way they were great and my kids gobbled them up! They also made a ton! Here is a tip: Whenever I make pancakes or waffles I make extra. Once they have cooled I throw them in a ziploc bag and freeze them. That way in the mornings all I have to do is either pop them in the toaster or microwave and have a yummy breakfast for the kids. Enjoy!

How to Make a Coupon Binder

So, you want to enter the crazy world of couponing? Save tons of money? Then read on. If thats not you then just go ahead and skip this post because you might think we are slightly crazy with our binder.

My precious coupon binder! ;)

I have been a pretty serious couponer for years but occasionally forgot them or had a hard time keeping them together while shopping. It just wasn't the best system. Then I heard about making a coupon binder and how I could save even more money.  I knew it was for me! :)
Here I am going to instruct you on how to make a coupon binder of your own. It won't cost you more than a few bucks and will save you time and money in the long run.

• Start clipping! Even if you don't have your binder all together yet you still need coupons to start saving. Clip, clip, clip and gather your coupons. Check out our coupon sites for printable coupons as well!
• Get a binder approximately 2 in width, (if you have kids you probably already have one), dividers, a zippered pencil pouch and baseball card sheets. You can find baseball card sheets at Target near the checkout or you can order them on Ebay.
• Now it is time to organize your binder. This can get a bit hairy....I used my dining table and laid them all out to organize them by item ie.; yogurt, cereal, crackers, bread, juice, ect.
• Once you have done all that it is time to create your categories for your binder. Here is how we have divided ours.

I bought these cool printable dividers at Walmart for about $2.

 

•  After you have your dividers labeled you can start putting in your coupons. We find it best to follow the order you have labeled on your dividers. So, cheese on one page, followed by yogurt all on the next page ect...

This page on the right is all yogurt

• Now you will want to add a section in the back. The  zipper zip-loc bags work great for this. You need to punch holes in them and use permanent marker to label them Restaurant and Retail.

• Almost done! :) Now that you have all your coupons in place flip back to the front and put your zippered pencil pouch in. Fill it with the things you will need while couponing; calculater, pens, scissors (never know when you'll need to clip a coupon) and small notepad.

•  Lastly, get a copy and read some of your favorite stores coupon policies. You can get a few of my favorite stores such as Walmart's HERE.  Target's HERE. Whole Foods is one store that does not have a specific coupon policy in writing. So you will need to check with your store manager before shopping. Any other store you can simply go to their customer service to request a copy. Keep those policies with you while shopping!
• Tada, you're done! Little bit of work to save you a ton of money!

I will be honest, when you make the coupon book it is going to take some time to put it together. But, once you have the book together it will be a breeze organizing your coupons every week. I usually take an hour on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to clip new coupons and and get rid of expired coupons. The key is to keep your binder in your car! Take it with you everywhere! I like to throw mine on the bottom rack of the cart and pull it out when I see a deal. Trust me, once you start seeing savings you will love it! Good luck and Happy Couponing!

Freebie

In Touch Magazine by Dr. Charles Stanley is an Awesome monthly devotional sent out by In Touch Ministries. I have gotten it in the past and benefited from it greatly. Its not one of those magazines where you just sit down and casually flip through. It makes you think, helps you grow spiritually and touches your heart.
Here is a preview for the month of March:

In Touch Magazine

March 2011

Staying courageous when we feel alone can be tough. In this month's magazine, Dr. Charles Stanley teaches how God has a plan for the seasons of isolation we encounter in life. Also, Max Lucado explains how we can make a big impact by doing our own small part, and hospice nurse Trudy Harris shares what the living can learn from those about to cross to the other side.

You can sign up for a FREE 2 year subscription and also Dr.Charles Stanley's book "All Things Are New" which is also FREE.  In Touch Ministries does take donations that allow them to give away these items. If you choose to do so they have all the information on their site.
Go  HERE to get your devotional.

Is your kiddo contagious?

Image from Worldarticles.com

There have been numerous times in the past 3 years that I have asked other mommies "Is your kid contagious?" HA! I am a bit paranoid when it comes to germs, I am sure most moms are when it comes to their children. Which is why I thought this article from American Baby was SUPER helpful! This article breaks down most symptoms of childhood sicknesses to help you determine if your child is ok to leave the house.
Check it out by clicking HERE

Looking for a "green" in home cleaning service?

I got an awesome brochure in the mail today about a company called The Cleaning Authority. They specialize in home cleaning with Eco-Friendly products. They literally clean every nook and cranny of your house for you! That thought alone makes me wanna take a nap.

Some info from their site on their Eco-Friendly cleaning products:

"Safeguard You and Your Loved Ones To protect the earth and your family, we use Green Seal Certified® chemicals, and HEPA vacuums and microfiber dusting cloths—preferred by the US Dept. of Health and Human Services that reduce impact on the environment and your health. What is Green Seal? Green Seal, a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C., is the premier independent eco label in the U.S. that has developed comprehensive standards for environmentally preferable household cleaners. Green Seal has been identifying products and services that protect people and the environment from toxic chemicals, noxious fumes and wasted resources since 1989. Green Seal is part of the solution that helps:

• Reduce pollution
• Conserve resources
• Minimize global warming"

Here is their website The Cleaning Authority

Sunday

" I pray You, O God, that I may be beautiful within."

~Socrates~  

Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God.

1 Peter 3:4

Gluten-Free Concession Stands Popping Up In A Number Of U.S. Baseball Stadiums

Image via Wikipedia

 I just joined a group called GlutenFreeFaces.com. I am really pleased that the first article I read was really interesting. According to this article, there is now a Gluten Free concession stand @ Busch Stadium!!
Here is a little bit of information from their article. Enjoy!

"On Major League Baseball’s opening day this year, you might notice a few new additions to your home team’s stadium.  Several stadiums have reacted to the increased demand of the gluten-free marketplace and are now offering gluten-free food options for their customers.
ARAMARK, a food and beverage company that manages concession stands at a number of professional sports stadiums, will be offering gluten-free beer and food at a number of MLB ball parks this year. The majority of the stadiums mentioned above offer a number of selections that are naturally gluten-free, such as vegetables and steamed white rice.  However, others have more dedicated gluten-free options, such as gluten-free pizza and hot dog buns.  In addition, many of them also carry Redbridge gluten-free beer at a few of their concession stands."

To view this article click HERE

Coupons, coupons, and more coupons!!

Good news!
This weekend there are going to be 3 inserts in the Sunday paper!
1 Red Plum insert and 2 Smart Source inserts!
Make sure to get the paper this weekend it will be loaded with good coupons!!

Sitter City

photo courtesy sittercity.com

Its rare that my husband and I have to hire a sitter since their grandmother usually watches them but occasionally we do and we are always clueless as to what to pay. So, you can imagine my excitement ;) while flipping through Kiwi Magazine when I came across a small article for a website called Sittercity.
The article advertised that Sittercity had a tool that would help you determine what to pay sitters. So, I checked it out and it is AWESOME! It is not only a site for childcare but also has pet sitting, housekeeping, tutoring and  elderly care should you need it. They have a database of people (put in zip code) for you to choose from for your needs with their qualifications, photos and whether or not they have a background check.  You can choose to interview and then hire whomever you decide. There are tips and tools for parents such as an interview checklist, a screening process and more! So much that you need to check it out!

Here is what their website says:

Simple — and simply unique

With Sittercity you get more than access to over a million caregivers nationwide. We give you all the tools to easily find that one person who's the best fit for you and your family. Our sophisticated, one-of-a-kind matching technology lets you search for that perfect sitter using over 100 matching criteria or you can simply post a job and let qualified professionals come to you.

Safety is a top priority — and always top of mind

No one is more qualified than you to know who will be the best fit for your family. To help guide you through the hiring process, our unique Four-Step Screening Process which includes background checks, references and parent reviews ensures you'll have the information you need at your fingertips to find that perfect match.

Profiles of excellence

Our robust caregiver profiles often come with:

• Bio with list of Special Skills
• Caregiver Photos
• Parent Reviews
• Employer References
• Background Check Results

 It is not a "Free" website but it is Free to browse potential sitters and to use their sitter rate tool. If you decide its for you then become a member. Go to Sittercity to see for yourself!

On a side note, don't forget to become a follower if you like us and to sign up for our emails! :)

All Natural Hyland's Allergy Relief

Hyland's Homeopathic Allergy Relief 4Kids (125 Tablets&$41; It is allergy season and in our house this means itchy eyes and runny noses.  I cannot take very much for allergies because I am nursing and I know it is hard to find medicines without side effects to give the kids. So maybe this will help. Hyland's has an all natural allergy relief formula.This claims to be non-drowsy, if that is the case than this sounds amazing.  Here is a little bit about their Allergy Relief formula from their website. "Relieves common allergy symptoms including watery eyes, runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, itchy eyes/nose/roof of mouth, pressure in the nose and cheeks, ear fullness / popping, dark circles under the eyes and hives. Non drowsy, all natural, gentle, safe & effective Contains no Pseudoephedrine Indications for Use: Relief of runny eyes and nose symptoms of allergy from pollen, ragweed, grasses, mold and animal dander."   I love Hyland's, we use their teething tablets. This retails for $5.99. I am excited to try this and I think I am going to go pick some up. I want to make sure I have it on hand before my eye balls swell shut from all the pollen in the air. LOL. Go Here to check their website

                                         

  

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

This past weekend I decided to pull out my trusty, old Betty Crocker Cookbook for a good cookie recipe. I knew it needed to be GF and just assumed that I would have to alter it a lot to get it to taste good. That was NOT the case! I found a recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies that called for an all purpose flour. If you remember we posted about that not long ago and you can get that recipe Here.  This was a perfect chance for me to swap out a wheat flour for the Gluten Free all purpose flour blend. I will say, the cookies turned out DELICIOUS (you can ask Amey if her son ever got any of the cookies I made him) :) and they did not require Xanthum gum!
So here it is, and thank you Betty Crocker! ;)

Peanut Butter Cookies

Gluten Free Flour Blend Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened               
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups GF all purpose flour blend
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 375*
2. Beat 1/2c. granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls (**Note**I found that smaller size was better because they seemed to spread quite a bit once in the oven). Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten into crisscross pattern with fork dipped in granulated sugar.
4. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

I think these GF cookies taste pretty close the the flour kind! Enjoy!

A really GREEN way to use Clothespins

This picture cracks me up. Just had to add it. Anywho, I was reading online about some ways to help encourage children to be more aware of the amounts of resources they use. I know that as parents we try to make little changes around our house to become more energy and resource efficient. Being Green is something that I want to teach my children but I had no idea where to start. So, I started doing some "googling" (researching) and I came across this really great idea to use wooden or plastic clothespins on the drinking glasses around your house. This is from a blog called Tidy Brown Wren written back in 2009. This is a really cute blog with lots of helpful organizational ideas.

 

 Let each child decorate a clothespin and have them clip it to their cup and leave it on all day. We go through so many cups at my house it is ridiculous. I just thought this was a cute little idea to help children become aware and pro-active and to help do their part. Probably not a good idea for coffee cups... But for plastic or glass cups its GENIUS!

What I bought at Whole Foods

We just got back from Whole Foods and saved a lot of money.
Here is a breakdown of the items we bought and the coupons used for them.

2 Barbaras GF Puffins Cereals @ $3.69 ea
Used :
2 $1 off Coupons from her website
2 $1 off from Whole Foods in store magazine
FINAL PRICE= $3.38 for 2 boxes

2 Arrowhead Mills Organic Cereals @ $3.48 ea ($6.96)
1 Arrowhead Mills White Rice Flour @ $3.99
1 West Soy Vanilla Milk @ $1.99
Used:
1 $3.00 off of  3 Arrowhead Mills Products Coupon (which was a peelie on my Rice Flour)
1 Free West Soy Vanilla Milk with 2 Arrowhead Mills Cereals Coupon from WF in store magazine
FINAL PRICE= $7.96 for ALL OF IT!!

2 So Delicious Coconut Milk $2.69 ea
Used:
2 $1 off coupons from the Whole Foods in store magazine
2 $1 off coupons from Coupons.com
FINAL PRICE $ 0.69 EACH!

1 365* Everyday Value Feta Cheese Crumbles
On sale from $3.99 to $1.99

Organic Braeburn Apples
On Sale for $1.49lb.


Udi's Gluten Free Bread
Use:
2 $1 off from Udi's website
2 $1 off from Whole Foods
Final Price= $2.69 a loaf

We also found that their organic baby food is on sale right now as well. It is called Sprout organics.
They were $0.75 Each! That's cheaper than most non-organic baby foods. So, we stocked up on those as well.

Post Fruity Pebbles are GLUTEN FREE!!!

	Guess what you crazy GLUTEN FREE NERD MOMS????!!! Fruity Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles breakfast bars are now Gluten Free...Hot dang! Oh yeah! Go buy some for a special little treat. They are loaded with sugar, so it will just be a special treat for my little ones. Enjoy!

Jason's Deli

Courtesy of Jason's Deli

Nathalie and I have been talking about going to Jason's Deli for a couple weeks now and I thought I would tell you about them before I forget. It is the only restaurant that I know of that have nitrate free meat and a GLUTEN FREE MENU!! Whoop Whoop!! I have links to the GF and Regular menu below. The closest location for us is in Chesterfield in the Valley. Check it out.  Jason's Deli was named the "Best restaurant Chain in America" by Parents Magazine for 2011.
Here is the article from Parents magazine:

Jason's Deli 225 locations in 28 states, mostly in the Mid-Atlantic, South, and Southeast
You'll be thrilled with the ingredients. This inexpensive, family-friendly spot serves up organic produce, nitrate-free lunch meat, and whole-grain bread on both its kids' and adult menus. Last year, it became the only restaurant chain in the country to ban high-fructose corn syrup and artificial colors in all its food. "With the food dyes out of our mac 'n' cheese, for instance, it's no longer bright orange, but our taste tests show kids prefer the new version," says Pat Herring, director of research and development.
All children's meals at Jason's come with a side of organic carrots, apple slices, or a fruit cup in addition to organic milk or apple juice. "We took soda off the kids' menu to encourage children to opt for healthier drinks," says Herring. Next on tap: reducing sodium across the menu board. The organic PB&J on whole wheat is currently the lowest-sodium kids' option, with 445 milligrams (mg) per serving. The best pick for moms is the 50-plus-item salad bar loaded with organic field greens and four kinds of low-fat dressing, including delish raspberry vinaigrette.
jasonsdeli.com

 Go Here To check out Jason's Deli Menu.
Go Here To check out the GLUTEN FREE MENU!!!

Swagbucks

If you haven't heard of Swagbucks and haven't signed up your missing out! Swagbucks is a search engine (similar to google, bing, ect) except that when you search you earn points! You also earn points by printing coupons through their site and using them or by shopping through their links.  Redeem the points you earn for so many things!  My favorite way to redeem points is for a lovely Starbucks gift card but there are places like Amazon, Target, Barnes and Noble, Overstock.com and more!

If you're searching on the internet why not earn gifts and rewards?

Make it your internet homepage so you don't have to remember to go to it and then start earning!

Go HERE to sign up!

B.R.A.T. Diet available @ Toys'R'us!!

 

Hey all! Last weekend Mia came down with a little tad of the flu. She was throwing up and I didn't think she really had much left in her tummy. I was worried.I wanted to try the BRAT Diet fluid replacement drink I blogged about last week so I went to their site and found that Toys'R'us sells it.  I went to Toys'R'us and they actually had them on sale. There are 3-4 flavors that looked really yummy. Chocolate milk, Vanilla, French Toast and one other I cannot remember. They were on sale for 2 for $8. That is a great deal! They normally retail for $6.79 EACH. So, if you have a sickly little one stop there and get some. They looked like they were going fast!

www.NATUREROCKS.org

I came across this website today and I think it ROCKS!!

www.naturerocks.org

All of the information below is from their website. 

Check it out! 

EXPLORING IS GREAT FOR EVERYONE

Everyone agrees it’s good to hang with trees. Families and experts say that play in nature is good for the whole family - whether at home, in the back yard, or the local park. The result? Children and families are happier, healthier and smarter.

Nature turns frowns upside down. Studies indicate that children who play and explore outdoors are less...  

Nature turns frowns upside down. Studies indicate that children who play and explore outdoors are less stressed and may further benefit by learning confidence and social skills.  In nature, kids and families get a chance to move at life’s natural pace, where time disappears, no one is bored, and exploration turns into fun adventure.  Key to nature play is the chance for kids to explore on their own terms and with their own choices, so they can discover themselves what is interesting and fun (this builds confidence too!).   Choosing to climb a tree, hanging onto a rope swing, jumping over a log, skipping stones —all of these are examples of experiences in which children learn more about themselves, their decisions, and what to do in new settings.    

Read More > 

Get out with the bugs to prevent getting a bug. Nothing’s better at keeping away the bugs we don’t want ...  

Get out with the bugs to prevent getting a bug. Nothing’s better at keeping away the bugs we don’t want than staying active.  And nothing keeps kids active more than fun and interesting things to explore and do.   Studies indicate that even as little as 30 minutes of activity a day will keep you healthy. It can be as simple as a bike ride around the neighborhood or a hike in a local park. There are so many options when you’re in nature -- running, jumping, climbing, building and more.    Research suggests that the most important thing for kids to make a habit of an active life is being introduced to their activities by a parent.  And of course it’s good for the parents too!   Try it, you and your kids will like it. 

Read More > 

Better focus without any hokus pokus! Nature has all sorts of patterns and parts. And all the parts somehow fit together...

Better focus without any hokus pokus! Nature has all sorts of patterns and parts.  And all the parts somehow fit together.  When children get to play in the outdoors from the earliest age, they learn - what is what, how things fit together, what they do.  Opportunities for regular play in the outdoors — especially in gardens, woods, and creeks -- are especially beneficial. 

In nature, kids see, hear, smell and touch things all at the same time, getting them to observe, ask questions and figure out things that have a lot of parts to them. The richness in the outdoors is far more stimulating—and gets the mind working more—than only watching television or playing electronic games.  There is a place for that stuff but they are no substitute for what experience in nature brings to kids' development. In fact, children who play and learn on a regular basis in the outdoors take these enhanced skills with them to school—and tend to have higher school achievement and test scores too!

Read More > 

Free is always a great price. Most activities you can do outside don't cost a single penny. The outdoors can offer you your very own economic stimulus package.

Free is always a great price. Most activities you can do outside don't cost a single penny. The outdoors can offer you your very own economic stimulus package. You want to make your dollar go the extra mile. What could be better than having a great time for free?  There are more things you can do in and around your home and nearby that will fill your family’s days with great adventures.  Families are event planning their summer “trips” with backyard campouts or hikes in local parks.  And another great thing is that you can get all your favorite friends and families together too.  It’s not far away, you don’t need a plane ticket or big entrance ticket.   All you have to do is go explore!

Read More > 

Unplug, relax and explore, together. Want to do something for the family that is easy and fun for you too?

Unplug, relax and explore, together. Want to do something for the family that is easy and fun for you too? Activities in nature are something the whole family can enjoy. Whether the whole family, a grandparent and a grandchild, a dad or mother and a son or daughter, or others spend time outdoors, they may be changed in positive ways for ever.

With nature games, family activities, or camping, everyone can participate – letting go of the stresses of the day – relaxing and having some creative time to just be. And that time offers the kids a real chance to really benefit from a parents advice, knowledge and support in a way many other activities don’t offer. This is that special time to share, explore, build memories – and through that build real family togetherness.  Research indicates that children feel respected and cared for when adults they respect spend time with them outdoors.  Kids, in turn, learn how to behave with the family and adults.  They also tend to talk and communicate more, engage in conversation. Beyond family, a sense of connection to community and place is nourished.  Everyone benefits—from individuals, to families, to whole communities. 

Unplug, relax and explore, together. Want to do something for the family that is easy and fun for you too? Activities in nature are something the whole family can enjoy. Whether the whole family, a grandparent and a grandchild, a dad or mother and a son or daughter, or others spend time outdoors, they may be changed in positive ways for ever.

With nature games, family activities, or camping, everyone can participate – letting go of the stresses of the day – relaxing and having some creative time to just be. And that time offers the kids a real chance to really benefit from a parents advice, knowledge and support in a way many other activities don’t offer. This is that special time to share, explore, build memories – and through that build real family togetherness.  Research indicates that children feel respected and cared for when adults they respect spend time with them outdoors.  Kids, in turn, learn how to behave with the family and adults.  They also tend to talk and communicate more, engage in conversation. Beyond family, a sense of connection to community and place is nourished.  Everyone benefits—from individuals, to families, to whole communities.

Sunday

 "Prayer is better than sleep." 

~ Isabel Eberhardt ~

As a mom the word sleep has a lot of "power". It is that one thing that I am always striving to get more of, for my children and myself.  If I let it, it can become the deciding factor as to whether or not I am going to have a "good day" or a "bad day."  A good night's sleep is refreshing and recharging to the body but a conversation with my heavenly Father is refreshing and recharging to the soul. When my soul is at peace I know I am a better mother, a better wife and a better friend.

"You're my place of quiet retreat; I wait for your Word to renew me...therefore I lovingly embrace everything you say."

Psalm 119:114,119

Good Dealios this Week

So, I have been kind of disappointed for the past two weeks. There have not been any really great deals out at Walgreens or Target. There are a FEW this week though, so I thought I would share what I came across in this weeks ads. These are just a few that I thought were worth while.

Walgreens--

***When you purchase featured items at Walgreens they will give you a Register Reward that will print up at the cash register for a certain amount of money. Usually, it is whatever they are advertising that week. This week they are advertising  a $3 Register Reward, also known in the couponing world as RR.

-Shick Quattro Razor $8.99
   Use your $3 off coupon from the Sunday paper.
   Get a RR for $3
FINAL COST =$3

-Kellogg's Cereals 2/$5
   Use the $1.50 off of 2 Coupon HERE
FINAL COST= $3.50 for Two boxes of cereal

-AirWick Freshmatic $7.99
  Use (2) $4 off of 1 (from this weeks paper)
FINAL COST= 2 FREE
(Thanks to Clippin With Carrie for that info)

Feel free to leave comments if you have found any great deals. I am sure once I get out to Target and Walgreens I will be posting more helpful deals.

Are you getting your Sunday Paper for coupon clipping?

Friends, 

A very important thing to have in the coupon world is the SUNDAY PAPER! I got a really great deal on the STL Post. Here is the link: STL TODAY  For me, it is way easier having it delivered because they deliver early Saturday mornings and I can get a head start on the sales that start on Sundays. Plus, I do not have to drag all the kids with me in and out of the store just for a paper. If you do not want to subscribe you can purchase it at the Dollar Store for (you guessed it) 1$. This is really the first step in couponing. If you find a really great coupon maybe for 5$ off a razor, it may be worth it to purchase another paper just for another coupon. This week we are expecting 2 coupon inserts. One is called Red Plum and the other is Smart Source. Both have helpful websites where you can print SOME of their coupons. Their links are below. Red Plum is also delivered weekly in the mail, look for it with your grocery store ads. Hope this helps. 

Also, what kind of couponer would I be if I did not ask you for your unwanted coupons? If you do not want your coupons that are delivered in the mail or the paper, feel free to make a little stack for us and we will gladly put them to good use. 

Adios and Happy Friday!!

Click here for the Red Plum website

Click here for the Smart Source website

Flour Less Chocolate Cake

Photo Courtesy of Parade Magazine

If you're looking for a melt in your mouth, ooey gooey, easy chocolate cake recipe then you have come to the right place. This cake is so good! I found this recipe awhile back in the Parade Magazine and decided this is the dessert I would make for my husband on Valentine's Day. It was super easy, so delicious and GF! I am ashamed to admit but it was so good that we never ended up giving any to our son who eats GF. Why? Well, we ate it all. Don't judge until you try it! :)

Flourless Chocolate Cake

7 oz. semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar, divided
4 eggs, separated

1. Preheat oven to 300*F. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Stir together half the sugar and four yolks; add to melted chocolate concoction.
2. Using and electric mixer, beat the egg whites; slowly add remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold mixture into chocolate. Pour into a greased 9-inch cake pan.
3. Bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Cool 30 minutes before removing from pan. Dust with powdered sugar.

*Note: If you don't have a double boiler you can just do like I did and use a medium size cooking pot and glass bowl that will fit snugly on top of the pot. Fill the pot with a decent amount of water and place glass bowl on top. Set stovetop burner to med-high. The water creates a nice steam to melt the chocolate and butter without burning it.
Also, this is really good the next day after putting in the refrigerator! Bon Appetit!

A definition of Plagiarism

For all our other blogger friends out there, this is a quick reminder that copying and pasting information or IDEAS is WRONG!!  What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the act of taking another person's writing, conversation, song, or even idea and passing it off as your own. This includes information from web pages, books, songs, television shows, email messages, interviews, articles, artworks or any other medium. Whenever you paraphrase, summarize, or take words, phrases, or sentences from another person's work, it is necessary to indicate the source of the information within your paper using an internal citation. It is not enough to just list the source in a bibliography at the end of your paper. Failing to properly quote, cite or acknowledge someone else's words or ideas with an internal citation is plagiarism.

This definition is from this link:http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/plag/whatisplag.php

Gluten Free Over the Counter Drugs

Currently, a lot of us have sick children. My GF son has had a fever for a week now and I have been giving him Walgreens generic Acetaminophen. Unfortunately, I just learned that it is not a GF medication. Can you believe there is Gluten in almost all medications? I researched it a little more and came upon a helpful website. http://glutenfreedrugs.com/ This whole website is devoted to helping you find safe Gluten Free medication for you and your children. I was reading some of the ingredients in some of our OTC medications and I did not know what a lot of the ingredients were so here is a helpful little link to figure out all that mumbo jumbo.

http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/Excipients.htm
Also, I do A LOT of shopping for medicine at WalGreens, so here is another helpful link for GF OTC drugs at WalGreens.

http://glutenfreedrugs.com/Walgreensgflist.pdf

This website also has some GF Tylenol medications and other really helpful info. I learned from a friend (Thanks Steph:)) that no matter what the labels on a medication (or food label) say, you ALWAYS need to call the manufacturer just to be sure there is no wheat in their product. Apparently, the government does not regulate wheat related products just wheat itself. So, if Rye,Barley or Oats (All wheat related ingredients) are in a product it does not have to be listed in the ingredients. Always be sure to call the manufacturer to be 100% sure. I know from now on I will be making lots of annoying phone calls. I hope this helps you as much as it is helping me.

P.S. Gluten Free Nerd Moms Rock!