Weekly Reset- Preparing for the week ahead (family edition)

This is by no means a comprehensive list of everything I do each weekend to reset, but it does hit all the major points.

On Saturdays, I do the weekend prep for the week ahead. This includes the following:

Laundry. I try to do a few loads of laundry during the week so that it doesn’t pile up, but Saturday is my day to fold clean clothes, hang things up, and make sure everything gets put away. And mate socks. I usually listen to a podcast or watch something on my phone while I do this. I keep my eyes open for deals on laundry detergent. One of my favorite deals is the Buy one, get two free Arm and Hammer detergent deals that happen every 6-8 weeks or so at Walgreens. The deal starts again tomorrow, May 4, 2025.

Put outfits together. I started doing this about a year ago, and it saves me time every morning. I can just go into my closet, pull off an outfit off the hanger, and I will have a top and a bottom already to put on. My youngest picks out their clothing before bed every night, and my big kid does not care what he wears to school. So most of his clothes are mix and match athletic shorts or exercise pants, and a funny graphic shirt or a sweatshirt if it’s cold.

Clean out the fridge. I was up this morning before 7:30, and I reorganized the fridge and pulled out the food that was starting to look a little beyond its days. I prep the fruits and vegetables that may expire or go bad first. For me, that means roasting vegetables, making a fruit salad, or making applesauce if we have some apples that are starting to bruise or go soft. Applesauce is super easy to make and does not take that long at all. If you have a lot of apples, you can make it in the crockpot. My crockpot applesauce recipe can be found here.

Restock the lunch/snack bins. I keep two plastic bins in my pantry full of lunch components for the kids lunches.  I tend to buy snacks in bulk when they are on sale, and then stash the extras downstairs in the garage in a plastic tote so they don’t all get consumed quickly.  For us that includes: Granola bars, goldfish crackers, bags of popcorn, gogosqueez pouches, lunch-size bags of preferred chips, freeze-dried fruit, dried mangoes, crackers, beef jerky, and individual bags of cookies. 

Restock the drinks and the protein shakes. I have a premier protein premade protein shake every morning for breakfast with 20 ounces of cold brew. Every weekend, I go down to the garage, grab enough for the week, and stash them in the fridge.  I will also put drinks in the fridge if we have premade drinks (that does not happen very often), and more juice boxes/Arizona iced teas in the fridge for the kids’ lunches for the following week. I will usually also make a pitcher of lemonade.

I make a batch of cold brew. Previously, I used my French press, but that was taking a while, and it takes up a lot of room. So I started making bundles with oversized coffee filters and cotton twine, but that just made too much waste. So this weekend, I’m gonna make some cold brew filter bags that are reusable. I’ll be using muslin and cotton twine, and I am hoping to make several of them. You can also buy cold brew bags online.

Clean out the kids’ backpacks. Usually, they will do it themselves, but every once in a while, I peek in there and find piles of crumpled papers and broken pencils and other stuff. This also includes pulling out their lunchboxes and making sure that their school iPads are charging. Once a quarter or as needed, I will throw their backpacks and lunch bags into the washer. Nothing is worse than a stinky backpack/lunchbox.

I clean the bathrooms each weekend. This includes taking out the garbage, sweeping, cleaning the toilets, and spraying down the showers. 

Vacuuming and sweeping. My cousin gave me a Roomba recently, and Roomba is currently doing its thing in the living room. And it does a really good job, much better than the Shark iRobot we previously had. Also, this Roomba has the cat on high alert. She sits and supervises to make sure that none of her toys get sucked up. 

Changing the sheets. I changed the sheets every weekend. I usually do one bed on Friday, one bed on Saturday, and one bed on Sunday. And put the bedding in the washing machine as soon as I strip it off the bed, that way I don’t have that much more laundry to do. These are my favorite sheets from JCP. They are on sale frequently, and cotton sheets are great for warm or cool weather!

I’m sure you are asking: What do the kids do? The big kid takes the trash and recycling down. The smaller kid helps gather dirty cups/dishes and gets them ready to load into the dishwasher. They both help with laundry. They pick up their belongings, and they keep their rooms tidy.

5/3/25 Weekly Freebies and Deals

This weekend is starting off right! Getting housework done, blog posts written, and of course- drinking a big iced coffee!

I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

FREE RESCUE! Pest Control Party Pack
FREE Bulgari Allegra Fragrance Samples
FREE Sample of Cesar Warm Bowls Dog Food
FREE Ionvac Hand Vacuum Cleaner at Walmart After Cash Back
FREE Sample of Redken Naked Gloss Lightweight Shine Oil
FREE Petmate Chuckit! at Walmart Chatterbuy Kit
FREE Craving Cheesecake Donut at Krispy Kreme
FREE Fragrance Samples from Macy’s
FREE Sample of Lunar Hot Sauce
FREE Chocolate Dipped Fruit Cone at Edible Arrangements
FREE Sample of Sheba Selections Filets Cat Food
FREE Sample of Erborian CC Creme
Unlock Your Wellness Journey with Free Nutrition Samples: Try Before You Buy
FREE Salonpas Lidocaine FLEX Patch Sample
FREE Pet Travel Water Bottle & Food Container
FREE Movie Ticket to Fight or Flight
FREE 4pk of Mother’s Day Greeting Cards & Poise Liners
FREE Sample of Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion
FREE Sample of Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength Curl Restoration Concentrate
FREE Sample of Narrow Gate Coffee
FREE Fiona Grey Beer Drunk Glory Days Koozie

 

Deals:

Kate Spade Leila Medium Crossbody ONLY $59 (Reg $299)
PROfit Handheld Massage Gun ONLY $34.99 (Reg $75)
NEW Smashburger Coupon! 50% Off Shakes Every Friday from 2–5pm
Save Up to 70% Off on Clearance Items at JCPenney – Prices From $1.99
SKIMS Discount Codes & Coupons: Up to 60% Off an Order of Panties, Bras and Shapewear

Meal Prep the easy way with What a Crcok!

Y’all know I love me some meal prep. And I know most of you are super busy, which is why I wanted to share What a Crock.

I learned about What a Crock a couple years ago when I was looking for a way to send some meals to a family member that lives across country after surgery.

I scrolled through meal kit websites, but I needed something easier. When you are recovering after surgery, you don’t want to chop veggies, brown meat, or stir a pot.

Enter What a Crock.

No Subscription needed. You can choose exactly what meals you want to receive with no commitment necessary.

Got a big family, or is it just two of you? You can buy as many servings of each meal as you need!

Don’t have a slow cooker? Many of the meals can be cooked in an Instant Pot, air fryer, on your stovetop, or simply boiled in a bag.

What I like most is the variety: Stews, soups, casseroles, even desserts and baked goods!

And I’ve got two coupons codes to help you save extra money on your What a Crock orders!

4/19/2025 Weekly Freebies and Deals

This week might be a little light on freebies, as it is Easter weekend. A lot of businesses will be closed tomoorw, 4/20/2025.

However, I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

FREEBIES:
FREE 4×6 Photo Magnet at Walgreens
FREE American Spirit Butt Pouches – Order Every Month
FREE Magnetic Parts Bowl or Bottle Opener
FREE DSS Games Family Fun Party Pack
Stuff Your Kindle Day! Score Thousands of Free eBooks on Amazon
FREE Full-Size Maybelline Color Tattoo Longwear Multi-Use Eye Shadow Stix
Get Free Nike Gear: How to Become a Nike Product Tester
FREE Sample of Biotek Hybrid Long Lasting Eyebrow Pigment
FREE Kinship LittleKin Puppy or Kitten Sample Pack – $200 Value
FREE Year of Google AI Gemini Advanced for College Students
The Ultimate Guide to Free Toothpaste Samples
Get Free Beauty Product Samples With Topbox Circle
Get Free Condom Samples Online and In-Person From Your Favorite Brands
Free 2025 National Parks Entrance Days
FREE Charlotte Tilbury Fragrance Sample
FREE Sample of CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel
FREE Coca-Cola Orange Cream or Coca-Cola Orange Cream Zero
FREE Spinning Trinket Box Craft for Kids at Lowe’s
FREE 2025 Seaworld Teacher Fun Card
FREE Glade PlugIns Air Freshener Warmer After Walmart Cash
Get Your Free Teeth Whitening Samples: A Brighter Smile Awaits
FREE Sample of Neutrogena ULTRA SHEER Face Liquid Sunscreen
FREE Carolina Herrera Good Girl The Feminine Fragrance Sample
Easy Ways To Get Free Men’s Cologne Samples
FREE Birdy Buffet Workshop at Home Depot
Get FREE Coffee at Wawa on April 16th
FREE Spring Flower at Lowe’s
The Best Free Skincare Samples to Request Right Now
Free Perfume Samples You Can Get Right Now
FREE Sample of L’Oreal Absolut Repair Molecular Mask
FREE $35 Purchase at Walmart After Cash Back
10 FREE 4×6 Photo Prints at CVS

Deals:

Dirt Devil 7-in-1 Handheld Steamer ONLY $29.98 (Reg $45)
JCPenney Boxed Necklaces and Earrings ONLY $9 (Reg $75) – 88% Off!
Hello Blink Sticker Maker ONLY $12 at Target
Ozark Trail Foldable Chair with Cupholder Only $6.98 at Walmart
$12 Shorts for Adults and $10 Shorts for Kids at Old Navy
Roku Express HD Streaming Device ONLY $19 (Reg $29)
Luggage From Samsonite, Travelpro & More up to 65% Off at Macy’s
Kate Spade Ginnie Crossbody ONLY $79 (Reg $199)

Looking to add Fiber to your Cookies??

One of my goals for the year is to get more fiber into myself and the kids. The average American adult consumes about 15-16 grams of fiber per day, significantly less than the recommended daily intake of 25-38 grams (source).

Besides fruits, veggies, lentils and beans, oats also have fiber.

Making Oat flour can be done at home by pulsing rolled oats in a blender until they are a fine, smooth powder. If you don’t have the time or inclination, Quaker sells oat flour.

Here is the recipe I came up with based on my favorite cookie recipe.

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup salted butter
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1.25 cups brown sugar
  • 1.25 cups white sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 cups oat flour
  • 2.5 cups AP flour
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter.
  3. Add sugars one at a time and mix until fluffy.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated fully.
  5. Mix in baking powder and flours. Once all are blended into the dough, add chocolate chips.
  6. Drop tablespoon-sized dough balls on cookie sheets that have been greased or are lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.  I prefer silicone baking pads.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Let cookies rest 1-2 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack.

This recipe makes approx. 6 dozen cookies. If you are allergic to peanuts, you can substitute sunbutter or your favorite nut butter. Do Not use Nutella- It contains a lot of sugar and other ingredients that will throw off the chemistry of the recipe and you won’t get yummy cookies.

Regal Cinemas: Monday Mystery Movie only $9!

Have you heard of Regal Cinemas Monday Mystery Movie? I hadn’t until this slid into my inbox this morning! This coming Monday, 4/21/2025, you can see a NEW PG movie before its official release date for only $5, or FREE with Regal Unlimited. Plus, get a $9 combo with your ticket purchase!

You can learn more or buy tickets online here.

Our local Regal shows the Monday Mystery Movie at 7pm, so it might be too late for little kids, but it might be a fun family outing for bigger kids.

April 2025: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I usually receive 4-6 offers/freebies per month, sometimes more if I have time to shop. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

In addition to the offers where they mail you a coupon for a free product, Social Nature has started offering 100% cash-back, similar to Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. I love this because I can select exactly what I want, Social Nature tells me which local stores have it, and I can add it to my next shopping list.

And it’s just as easy as Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. Snap a pic and upload it. You can select Venmo, Paypal, or an Amazon Gift Card for your rebate.

Here are just a few of the offers available now:

    • Small Batch Pasta Sauces by Sauz
    • Double Cold Brew Latte by Pop & Bottle
    • Gluten-Free Whipped Feta by Athenos
    • Natural Cleaning Solution by Cleanery
    • Mental Performance Shots by Magic Mind
    • Gluten-Free Twin Bar by Schär
    • Gluten-Free Cookies by Schär
    • Korean Chile Sauce by Mother-In-Law’s
    • Italian Protein Pasta by BRAMI

4/13/2025 All-Inclusive Day of Play: Starry Night Cinema & Resource Fair!

This event is back and will be an amazing time! The  2nd Annual All-Inclusive Day of Play: Starry Cinema & Resource Fair on Sunday, April 13 from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Salvation Army Kroc Center Corner Zone – 6845 University Ave., San Diego, 92115.

  • Activity Stations
  • Movie Screening Area
  • Giveaways & Crafts
  •  Family Resources
  • Networking
  • Shopping,
  • Games & more!

And as the sun sets, an outdoor screening of a family movie (title to be determined) will be shown on a large outdoor screen! Bring your chairs and blankets!

For tickets and to learn more, visit their website. 

Looking for a new fundraiser? Check out Little Caesars Pizza!

Did you know that Little Caesars Pizza does Fundraising? Really.

If your non-profit group is looking for a fun, easy, TASTY way to earn some money, Little Caesars is the way to go.

There are many different ways to earn money for your organization, including Pizza Kits, Cookie Dough, and Bread Kits. We’ve purchased from Little Caesars fundraising events, and the pizza kits are awesome!

Free and Discounted Museum Tickets with Museums for All!

Have you heard of Museums for All? This is an incredible program that offers those receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits). You can gain free or reduced admission to more than 1,400 museums throughout the United States simply by presenting their EBT card and a photo ID.

This includes those who received the SunBucks EBT card over the summer. There are museums in every state that participate.

Some of our favorite museums include:

  1. Living Coast Discovery Center
    (Chula Vista, California)
  2. San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
    (Escondido, California)
  3. San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
    (San Diego, California)
  4. The New Children’s Museum
    (San Diego, California)
  5. Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
    (La Jolla, California)

The best part is that there are no special times or days to visit.