Author: Abby H.

Rawr! Animal Prints on Sale at Cents of Style!

Abby H.

** This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Looking for something to spice up your fall wardrobe or looking for a quick Halloween costume? Cents of Style has a great sale this week- Animal Prints $9.96 Off Lowest Marked Price  with coupon code: ALLSPOTS

Animal PrintThis animal print collection is what dreams are made of- and with so many different items there is so much to choose from- including tops like the Chandler for ONLY $9.99 and Roux for $12.99, also sweatshirts, lounge sets, gloves, beanies, skirts, cardigans and more! There are tons of items to choose from and in sizes S-3X.

Animal Print

So whether you love animal prints or you are starting your holiday shopping early, check out this deal!

Review & Giveaway: Chalkola Chalk Markers!

Abby H.5 Comments

If your kids are anything like mine, quarantine2020 has been one long art project, punctuated by snack breaks.

The cool peeps over at Chalkola sent us a 40 pack of Chalk Markers and these are a game-changer!

The 40 pack is a mix of neon, classic, and metallic color.

Whether you’re a mom looking for holiday decorating with kids, a clean alternative to standard chalk or paint for the kids, a teacher on a quest for the most sought-after education classroom supplies, these markers are a must-have!

Not your average chalk markers! Unlike other chalk markers I’ve tried in the past, Chalkola offers high-quality water-based ink is washable and delivers smudge & dust free – saturated, clean, flowing fine lines that go on smooth and quick dry within minutes.

The best part- Chalkola Chalk markers are Kid safe and odor-free. The Xylene-free, dustless, nontoxic formula is both eco-friendly and safe for use at home, For Adults Coloring & Painting Canvas, Wedding parties, DIY crafts projects, in the classroom & kindergarten, and anywhere else that could use a vibrant touch.

Does all of that sound fun? Well, now it’s your turn to give these Chalkola Chalk Markers are try! I am giving away a 40 count box! Entering is easy- Leave a comment with your kid’s favorite color. I’ll select a winner on October 27th in the evening. The winner will be notified via email. Winner must reside in the US.

Healthy Swap Recipe: PB Chocolate Malts!

Abby H.2 Comments

This is a family favorite, and I’ve been making this shake recipe for almost 10 years.

I’m linking to most of the items on Amazon, so if you don’t want to leave home to try this recipe, you won’t have to. As a reminder: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

This recipe all started back when I was doing medically supervised weight loss and we had to drink 5-9 shakes per day, so adding in low-calorie flavor options was a must. A few of the “approved” options were peanut butter powder, malt powder, and in phase 2, frozen fruit (in the case of this recipe, frozen bananas). Now that I’m no longer on the program, I still have a shake once a day, usually to curb cravings for sweets.

Feel free to use whatever type of protein powder you like. I use the HMR brand. My kids love these shakes. In fact, the big kiddo has one a few times per week for breakfast.

I use a Calphalon Active Sense Blender, but any blender or immersion/stick blender will work.

Mrs. Bear Special –  PB Chocolate Malt

serves 1 grown-up, or two kiddos

Ingredients:

  • 1 Scoop Chocolate protein powder
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter powder
  • 2 tablespoons malt powder
  • 1 frozen banana, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1-2 handfuls of ice
  • 8-12 ounces of water (If you want it creamier or are not calorie conscious, you can use fat-free or plant milk)

Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients into the blender.
  2. Blend on smoothie or ice breaker mode until smooth.
  3. Serve with a milkshake straw.

 

Depending on your protein powder, the completed shake will have 25-30 grams of protein per shake.

 

Lola Tag- Recover Your Lost Items in a Snap!

Abby H.

If you have kids, you know they lose stuff all the time. Labels are great, but in the age of stranger danger and keeping our kids safe, tagging their belongings with something safer than their names seems like a good idea.

Lola Tags are the answer to our needs.

Lola Tags don’t reveal your name or personal phone number (conserving your and your kid’s privacy). They are dishwasher and washing machine safe, and best of all, there is no app or other costs to use them.

And the best part is that they are a really good deal! 1 sheet (of 7) for $5 or 3 sheets for $10.

I’ve put them on our water bottles, backpacks, and jackets. Fingers crossed we don’t lose them, but if we do… Lola Tag has my back.

 

10/18/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’ve started doing weekly meal planning on Sundays. It’s easier to do it while I’m writing up the weekly calendar/schedule and prepping the snack box for the week.

I went to the Vons on Friday and I was able to score 4 Taylor Chopped Salads for $2.96 after Vons Club special and a special coupon ($5/$5+ purchase). This is all we needed to complete our shopping for this coming week.

Thanks to some local deals, offers, and the school lunches the kids bring home, I have been able to keep our grocery budget to $60 per week for the past MONTH! It’s amazing. The extra money is going into our holiday savings account.

If you have kids between 2-18, check with your local school to see if they are offering free lunches and/or breakfasts. You can also check the USDA Website– but it might be a little out of date.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids (they love the Kodiak Cakes Mix).  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM. I’ll be posting the recipe for his current favorite this coming week.

Lunches will be whatever the kids want for the time being. The big kid has lunch at school, so it’s whatever he chooses from the lunch box in the cupboard, plus some fruit and juice or milk. Since the little girl is in the morning cohort at school, she has lunch at home. Buttered noodles, yogurt, apple slices, and a popsicle are her go-to lunch.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers (we’ve got a lot of salsa chicken leftover- maybe I’ll make them into Quesadillas)
  • Monday:  Entrees & Salad
  • Tuesday: Chicken Tika Masala, rice, veggies (It didn’t happen last week)
  • Wednesday:  DIY salad bar, garlic bread
  • Thursday: Soup and Quesadillas (or grilled cheese sandwiches), fruit
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Breakfast for Dinner

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

Tasty Freebies from Social Nature!

Abby H.1 Comment

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I get probably 1-2 products to sample each month. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

Most of the time, Social Nature will mail me a coupon for a free product and I go to my local Target, Sprouts, or other retailer and pick up the item. I’ve gotten products valued at $20+ too (recently sampled and reviewed skincare products, kombucha, frozen entrees, and veggie burgers to name a few).

Right now, Social Nature has TONS of great products available for sampling- from Ice Cream, skincare products, meat alternatives, and more.

Like Wine? BABE Wine Chatterbox Opportunity!

Abby H.1 Comment

If you are looking for something new and fun, check out this opportunity, courtesy of our friends over at Houseparty by Ripplestreet! This new Chatterbox opportunity will keep your adult thirst quenched.

Say goodbye to stale, boring wine, and hello to BABE Wine. It’s the cute, delicious, take-anywhere wine in a can that pairs well with literally everything, and it’s been awarded gold medals twice in 2020 for best sparkling wine in the World. One can of BABE = 2 glasses of wine; 3 cans = 1 bottle. Try all three BABES: BABE Rosé, BABE Grigio and BABE Red.

You must be 21 or older to be a Chatterbox for this event.

This event is only open to residents of AZ, CA, IL, NV and OH.

If you’re selected as a winner, you’ll get a great Chat Pack:

  • 1 $15 Gift Card
  • 1 Card with a QR code to help you find BABE Wine in a store near you

Apply now and if selected as a winner, you’ll receive a Chat Pack delivered right to your doorstep. Invite a friend over, who is at least 21 years old, to try BABE Wine with you. You don’t have to throw a party, but you’ll want to celebrate when it arrives! After you try BABE Wine, chat about your experience, share your opinions and post a review on the site. That’s it!

Get the chatter started! Apply now.

BABE WINE SWEEPSTAKES
No Purchase Necessary. Open to AZ, CA, IL, NV & OH residents 21+. Begins 9/24/20 & ends 10/21/20. See Official Rules at https://www.ripplestreet.com/events/Babewinechat for prizes & details. Msg & data rates may apply. Void where prohibited.

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. © 2020 Anheuser-Busch, LLC, Babe Rosé Carbonated Rosé Wine, Babe Grigio Carbonated Pinot Grigio Wine, Babe Red Carbonated Red Wine, Modesto, CA

10/16/2020 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.
bright boxes

This Friday’s freebies and deals have some awesome goodies! Now that Amazon Prime day is over, there will be other deals (and some might say better deals).  And the Freebies- awesome!

As always, if you find an amazing deal or freebie, please share it in the comments below.

Freebies:

Free Pancakes at IHOP
2 Free Hemp CBD Cigarettes
Free Subscription to Sports Illustrated Kids
Free Sample of Clay Love Face Mask
Free Back to the Roots Terrarium Kids Grow Kit
Free Sample of Face Love Co. Antioxidant Face Oil
PINCHme – Free DIY Compressed Facial Mask
Free Back to the Roots Self-Watering Succulent Kit
Free Sample of Clinere Earwax Cleaners
Romano’s Macaroni Grill – First Responders Eat Free in October
Free Hartz Pet Toy
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free 32 oz Dr Pepper at A&W
Free Pipcorn Cheese Balls at Sprouts

Deals:

Paint by Sticker Book ONLY $6.11 (Reg. $10)
Artificial Christmas Trees ONLY $75.00 (Reg. $250)
Toy Story Glow In The Dark Wall Decals $6.09 (Reg. $16)
Rainbow Unicorn Cuddleez Plush ONLY $6.98 (Reg. $35)
Tools of the Trade 13-Piece Cookware Set ONLY $41.99 (Reg $120)
Tools of the Trade Nonstick Roaster & Rack ONLY $11.99 (Reg $30)
Melissa & Doug Farm Animals Puzzle ONLY $9.12 (Reg. $20)
Lightweight Microfiber Comforter ONLY $19.99 (Reg $110)
Melissa & Doug Beauty Salon Play Set ONLY $23.09 (Reg. $50)
Mason Jar Wall Sconce Décor Set ONLY $15.33 (Reg $28)

Staying Healthy This Fall and Beyond!

Abby H.

Fall and Winter are the prime time for illnesses to go around, especially the flu. While the flu shot isn’t effective against all strains of influenza, it does help to keep those to receive it safely again many strains.

Most insurance companies offer no or low-cost flu shots, but if you are uninsured and facing financial difficulties, even $20 for a flu shot can be out of reach. Thankfully there are organizations and resources to help keep you healthy and safe.

If you are in San Diego County, Champions for Health offers free Flu shots, PCV13 shots for those over 65, and Tdap shots for those between the ages of 10-64. They have opportunities all over San Diego County throughout the fall.

If you or your children are in need of vaccinations (flu and beyond) but are without insurance, the san Diego County Health and Human Services Agency offers no-cost vaccines. More information can be found here.

In addition to vaccines, there are a lot of other ways you can stay healthy this fall and winter. Most of us are already doing them!

  • Wash your hands frequently- use soap and water and scrub for at least 20-30 seconds.
  • Try not to touch your face.
  • Cover your nose and mouth when your sneeze (either with a tissue or cough or sneeze into your elbow).
  • Use hand sanitizer when you cannot wash your hands with soap and water.
  • If you are wearing re-usable/cloth masks, make sure to wash and dry them frequently. Disposable masks should be used once and thrown away. Please remember to clip the elastic ear loops before throwing the mask away- animals can get caught up in the loops.
  • Avoid sick people, and if you aren’t feeling well yourself, do not go out in public.
  • Eat well, include lots of vitamin and mineral rich foods.
  • Stay Hydrated. This is my favorite water bottle.

Today is National Dessert Day!

Abby H.

My kids are ready to celebrate! I’ve found some freebies and low-cost deals for those of you looking for some sweet deals (see what I did there??) and some of our family recipes if you are in the mood to cook.

 

If you are trying to stay on budget, here are a few of our family favorite dessert recipes:

 

If you’ve discovered any other awesome deals or freebies for this National Dessert day, please leave it in the comments below!