10/24/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

 

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This week is going to be a lot of time in the car. The big kid’s school has 6th-grade camp this week, but because of the nighttime medication he takes, it’s better if he comes home each night.  SDo I will be driving him to and from camp (about a 50-mile round trip) each morning and afternoon.

That means no therapy appointments this week, which is great because I’m getting a little run ragged.

I went to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon and meal prepped yesterday for this week. We had a lot of veggies and fruit left over from the week before, so I made a big fruit salad and 2 trays of roasted veggies.

We’ll be eating a lot of vegetarian/low meat meals this week. With the ever increasing cost of groceries, we’re leaning on pantry staples and what’s in the freezer. Luckily I’ve got so good stuff stashed away.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

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 try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

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 are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid will have lunch at camp every day this week and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday:  Roasted veggie frittata, homemade bread

  • Tuesday: Moosie’s Pot Roast, Roasted Veggies, rice (didn’t make this last week)

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese

  • Thursday:  Taco Soup, quesadillas

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:    Grilled cheese sandwiches, soup, fruit
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

Tea Collection: $25 PJs Are Here!

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

It’s BAAACK! Just in time for holiday photo shoots and gift-giving, the Tea Collection family Pajama sale is back for three days only! Separates, Footie PJ’s, and nightgowns, all in matching patterns for the whole family.

This sale is only three days,  Monday, October 24, 2022 through Wednesday, October 26, 2022, so you need to get shopping NOW!

No Coupon Code is required!

Fine Print: Select PJ styles at $25, prices as marked on site. Offer valid from 10/24/2022 through 10/26/2022 at 11:59 PM PT. Discount taken will be pre-tax. Cannot be combined with other promotions. No adjustments on previous purchases. Not redeemable for cash. Cannot be used towards the purchase of gift cards. Limited to stock on hand. Please note: costs have increased due to growing challenges in our supply chain. We have added a 0.95 cent fee to all orders. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to service@teacollection.com.

Low Cost Laptops and Desktops from C2K (San Diego County)

Does your school age kiddo need a laptop or desktop for school work?

Do you live in San Diego County?

If you answered yes to both of these, check out this awesome program from North County Regional Education Center in San Marcos.

Sign up here by October 31, 2022 to take advantage of this event, which takes place on November 5, 2022.

There are two laptops and one desktop to choose from, and the prices start at $100, which is a really great deal.

If you have any questions, please call 858-200-9788 or email programs@c2sdk.org.

October is National Pizza Month!

October is National Pizza Month, so I thought I’d share with y’all some of our favorite pizza stuff: recipes, pizza swag, and even ways to save money on ordering pizza.

Goodness knows we have pizza about once a week (Friday take-out night is usually pizza), so I have all kinds of tips and tricks.

If you are new to making your own pizza at home, here is a list of my must-haves, including ingredients and kitchen tools!

Need a break from cooking and want to order takeout, here are a few suggestions for saving money and/or earning cash back on your next pizza night:

  • Mogl partners with local restaurants to give you cashback. In our area, there are a lot of pizza restaurants.
  • Dosh is similar to Mogl, in that you can earn cashback from specific restaurants and other stores. In our area, they partner with Round Table pizza!
  • Dominos has its Piece of the Pie rewards club. for every $10 spent, you earn 10 points, once you reach 60 points, you’ll earn a free pizza. More details can be found here.
  • If Pizza Hut is more your style, they have Hut Rewards. Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend. They have several different rewards, depending on point values. From breadsticks (75 points)  to a Large pizza (300 points), there is something for everyone.
  • Little Caesar’s has an app with various deals, and they also have a merch shop with all sorts of cool stuff, like this pizza slice blanket.

If you are looking to snuggle with your loved one while eating pizza, this pizza blanket is perfect. My kids found this while looking for a new blanket for the car.

Talk Back: What is your favorite pizza topping?

 

10/21/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals

Halloween is in 10 days! Woo hoo! I’m making costumes for the kids this weekend, and I’ll have photos up on Instagram as I get them finished. I’m stoked to have a weekend of creativity ahead of me.

Don’t forget all of the 2022 Birthday Freebies! Make sure to check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

Freebies:

Free Everything Legendary Plant-Based Burgers After Rebate
Free Bliss CBD Sparkling Water
Free Childrens Hospitals Week Bandages
Free Energy Health Supplements
Free Car Care Check at GoodYear
Free Kids Halloween Beanie at Big Lots
Free Sample of Enfagrow Toddler Formula
Free Sample of Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia
Free BISSELL Vacuum
Free Build-A-Bubble Party Pack
Free Dude Wipes at Sam’s
Free Children’s Toothbrush Kit
Free Witch Hazel Skincare Sample
Free Hot Dog at Dog Haus
Free Softsoap Body Wash
Free Glossier Cloud Paint Sample
Free WD-40 Specialist Gel Lube Sample
Free BabyCozy Diapers Sample
Free Playtex Clean Comfort Tampons
Free Sample of Dickinson Deep Cleansing Astringent
Free Shiseido Hydro Master Gel
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Free Kids Book Every Month
Free $5 Off $5 at Ace Hardware = Free Item
Free Sample of L’Oreal Revitalift Triple Power Moisturizer
JCPenney Portraits – Free 8×10 for Military Families
35 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free House Defender VR Game for Oculus Quest

Deals:

Old Navy Halloween Bodysuits 3-Pack ONLY $9.97 (Reg $30)
Today Only: $25 Women’s Cozy Sweaters at Old Navy
VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam ONLY $33.74 (Reg $70)
Genuine Dickies Men’s Hooded Shirt Jacket ONLY $29.99 (Reg $70)
Pyrex 22-Piece Food Storage Set ONLY $25.49 (Reg $60)
Ulta Beauty: Save 50% Off Drybar, Gimme Beauty & More
Crystal Pendant Necklace & Stud Earrings Set ONLY $8.95
3-Piece Matte Liquid Lipstick Set ONLY $6.99 (Reg $14)
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
LCD 10-Inch Writing Tablet ONLY $16.99 (Reg $30)
Mainstays Student Desk ONLY $39 (Reg $69)
Cuddl Duds Flannel Sheet Set ONLY $25.49 (Reg $60)
Door Closer 2-Pack ONLY $9.92 (Reg $38)

TODAY ONLY: 99¢ Sundaes at Sonic!

Satisfy your sweet tooth with 99¢ Sundaes.

This tasty deal is available today only, so be sure to stop by your local SONIC® and enjoy. This deal automatically applies in the app.

Already at the drive-in? Mention this deal to redeem!*

*Each Sundae is 99¢ plus tax. Valid only on October 20, 2022 at participating SONIC® Drive-In locations while supplies last. Add-ins cost extra. Limit 5. Valid when you order online or in the SONIC App as a registered user or mention deal while ordering. Not valid with Combos, delivery or any other offers.

Tryazon: Build-A-Bubble Party from South Beach Bubbles

We’ve been participating in Tryazon events for three+ years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, and food.  You can learn more about Tryazon here.

Bring the fun of bubble making to a whole new level with this Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, from South Beach Bubbles. Introducing Build-A-Bubble, the bubble fun you can build! The patented connectors and rods can build endless geometric shapes and the bubble result is amazing!  Helps encourage creative and strategic thinking, at home or in educational settings. With Build-A-Bubble the bubble-building possibilities are endless!

Tryazon has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack with a selection of Build-A-Bubble kits and other extras to share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/build-a-bubble-party/

10/17/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

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Sometimes I have to remember to give myself some grace. Last week was full of stuff, and we didn’t end up sticking to the meal plan, however, I did some batch cooking Friday. I made a huge batch of red sauce/gravy, and a huge meatloaf.

Most of the sauce went into the freezer for future meals. We had some of it for dinner on Sunday.

The meatloaf was had for dinner Saturday, with leftovers being used for meatloaf sandwiches for lunch this week. I individually portioned and froze servings of leftovers for weekday lunches.

I grocery shopped Saturday morning and meal prepped on both Saturday and Sunday mornings. We’ve got a lot of fresh fruits and veggies this week.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

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 try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

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 are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home daily, and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday: The Best Salad Ever, garlic bread, butter noodles (Bitty Bird’s request)

  • Tuesday: Moosie’s Pot Roast, Roasted Veggies

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese

  • Thursday: Breakfast for dinner (I’m hoping for omelets and sourdough toast)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:   Soup and sammiches, and fruit
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

Cleaning your Closets: 5 Items That Have To Go!

I’m bringing this up because it’s time to pull out some of my fall/winter clothes and donate some of my older clothes, or clothes that I don’t wear as often.

Here are my Five categories for giving clothes the boot:

Stains: You know that one shirt in your closet that you love, but it has a stain that won’t come out. It’s time for it to go.  Clothing can be donated to be recycled. To find your closest clothing recycling location, click here.

It doesn’t fit: Too small, big, long, or short- it has to go. Time to throw those in the donation pile.  This goes for shoes too!

Needs repair and you lack the time or skills to mend/fix. The pants hanging in your closet are so cute but they are 1/4 inch too short and you can’t sew? One Caveat- Undergarments that are holely or stretched out go directly to the trash. No one is darning mass-produced socks. I mend and repair my clothes as needed weekly. If you are looking to learn about mending clothes, check out my post here. 

Out Of Style: Low-rise jeans? Powder Blue Tuxedo? Your Prom Dress from 1997? Time to throw those in the donation pile.

Cheap Crap:  This encapsulates several categories- Knock off’s (They are mass-produced in horrible conditions), poorly produced “fast fashion” that offers no quality and doesn’t add anything of substance to your wardrobe, and anything you bought and wore once, and it was damaged or you swore you’d never wear again. In my opinion, cheap shoes are the worst and are usually tossed into this pile.

Once you have your donate pile, if you are looking to donate straight away, check for your local non-profits needs. I also like donating my unwanted good clothes to local clothing swaps. For more info about clothing swaps, click here. 

Tryazon: Build Outside the Box with Squaregles Building Party!

We’ve been participating in Tryazon events for three+ years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, and food.  You can learn more about Tryazon here.

Play beyond the build with a new Tryazon Featured Party opportunity from Squaregles! Squaregles have strong magnets that allow kids to build interactive structures so they can play with what they built. They have more ways to play with characters, comics for adventures, paperboard for doodling, tracks, cars for action, and more! Artists and storytellers can draw their own features on panels that pop in and out of magnetic frames so kids can build, play, re-design and repeat. Let kids get lost in play with Squaregles!

Tryazon has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack with a variety of Squaregles sets to sample and share with friends and family, valued at $360+ in total!

Learn more and apply here.