Tryazon: Positive Coloring T-Shirts by Doodle Tees

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.

Let your kids’ creativity shine with this new Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, sponsored by DoodleTees!  Doodle Tees is an Interactive Apparel company for kids. They have t-shirts and onsies which come in five different positive designs to encourage self-expression and creativity. Get creative, colorful, and spread joy!

Tryazon has 50 hosting spots open for this opportunity!  Those chosen will receive a party pack with 10 Doodle Tees shirts to showcase, color, and share with friends and family!  Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/doodle-tees-spread-the-joy-party/ 

Sweet Deals and Samples from Kabrita!

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

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I love sharing all about Kabrita. Earlier this week they sent me a package with some of their porridge and a cookbook that had tons of recipes to use their products in new and different ways. I love that they are always innovating!

If you have a kiddo that has a sensitive tummy, check out this post where you can score a free sample kit of their products. Their puffs are really tasty, even if you aren’t a kid.

I’m making porridge muffins this morning, the recipe looks a bit like the Malt O Meal Muffins I’ve made in the past. The Kabrita website has really great recipes to use their products too!

Tryazon: Unlock You and Your Kids Curl Potential

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.

Now you and your kids can have happy, healthy curls with Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, from Curl Keeper. Kinder Curls is all your child needs to detangle, define and soften curly hair. Curl Keeper products are designed for every curly head, in all weather and conditions. Curl Keeper products moisturizes, defines and cleanses hair to keep your gorgeous curls for 3-5 days straight without having to re-wash hair!

Tryazon has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack valued at $125+ with a variety of Curl Keeper products to share with friends and family!

Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/kinder-curls-mommy-and-me-party/

 

Have Your Hot Girl Summer on a Budget

I’m sure by now everyone has heard the phrase “Hot Girl Summer”, but do you know what it means? The phrase can be traced back to a Megan Thee Stallion song a few years ago.

On Twitter, she explained: “Being a Hot Girl is about being unapologetically YOU, having fun, being confident, living YOUR truth, being the life of the party, etc.”

A couple of my friends have embraced it, and I think that it’s a pretty amazing outlook to have, especially since last summer was, well, Sad Trombone Noise? I know the kids are looking forward to having fun, more adventures, and getting out of the house. Here are a couple ways I’m bringing Hot Girl Summer (and sharing it with the fam).

New Bathing Suits. Kids grow, but what about me? Well after having the same swimsuits for 3 years, it’s time. Especially since we swim daily.  I bought a few new suits from Amazon. Since I’m fair-skinned I picked up one with long sleeves, the kids tease me about working at SeaWorld. This is just one of the many suits I’ve got. It’s perfect for prime sun time.

 

New Pool Bag and New Pool Toys. Every Summer it seems, we need new pool toys and a new pool bag. The Chlorine wrecks our bag (which is mesh- this helps the pool toys dry quickly), and daily use of toys leaves them.. wrecked. Dollar Tree has a great selection of sturdy pool toys, including inflatables for kids (We have a cool cookie ring that has a “bite” taken out of it). For me, I picked up a sweet inflatable float pool chair. 

Plans to meet up with friends. Now that most people have access to the vaccine, getting together with friends is a lot more feasible. We are still limiting ourselves and staying away from large gatherings where we don’t know everyone, but dinner and drinks with friends sound amazing. I’m hosting dinners a couple times a month over the summer for a few reasons: 1. To keep all of our costs down (Dinner out with drinks costs $$$ these days), and honestly, I don’t feel super safe going out for dinner all that often, especially now that there are no mask regulations in our state. And I’m having a weekend getaway with some girlfriends in a few weeks. I am really looking forward to a weekend away in a vacation rental doing a whole lot of nothing!

Take Advantage of the season: What does that mean? Summer has all sorts of fun advantages: Long days, Amazing fruit and veggies are in season, nice weather. Spend time outside (poolside, at the beach, exploring nature), enjoy a big bowl of fruit salad, make a huge salad! Community events are starting to come back (with limited event sizes), and there are lots of free events throughout the summer. EventBrite is a great place to find community events.

Make Time for You: I know… So many blogs and social media tell you to get self-care time and spend time doing things that you love, but as a parent, it can be hard without staying up late or waking up before dawn. Finding a sitter can be tough too. It’s ok to lean on family and friends. The past year has been exponentially tough on parents, and you need time to yourself. Swap child care with friends, or if you want to have a night out, split the cost of a sitter. Your kids can hang out together, while you and your friends get some time away.

Take Care of Yourself: And I don’t mean the stereotypical self-care of putting on a mud mask and drinking water with lemon slices. That’s fun, but I mean the simple acts that we often overlook as caregivers.

  • Sunscreen for your face and any exposed areas when you’ll be outside for more than 10 minutes during peak sun hours (usually 10am-4pm). Don’t forget the tops of your ears. Being super fair-skinned I also wear a sun hat too. Not super sexy, but I don’t want skin cancer.
  • Take something to drink with you. I know most of you pack snacks for your kids when you leave home, but take a few extra minutes to make yourself something that you like (bonus if it’s a snack that your kids do not like- No sharing!), and fill your water bottle. This is the water bottle I use. If you like fruit-infused water, bottles like this are great.  You can also opt for an infuser to go into your favorite bottle or insulated cup.
  • Find Something to Keep You Occupied.  Besides your kids. Pick up a book, grab a craft kit (I like embroidery- it’s easy and portable), Craftsy has some cool online classes to get you started.

I’d love to hear about how you are bringing Hot Girl Summer. Leave a comment below!

 

 

 

6/27/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis week have some fun afternoon plans: Swimming, hanging out with friends, a trip to get fro yo, and our weekly library trip. We’re working our way across the county libraries.

The kids have been digging the free school lunches- It’s a great way to encourage them to try new foods. That’s great because the price of groceries has gone up exponentially over the past few weeks, so I’m leaning more on stores that have good deals like Grocery Outlet, and using my cashback apps like Fetch Rewards. I’ve been cashing out Fetch rewards for Target Gift Cards. I’ve been combining the Target Gift Cards with grocery sales and deals in the Target app, and picking up via curbside pick up. It’s a great option if you’ve got kids and you’ve got a busy summer.

And I’ve been getting a lot of really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

The CSA Box comes tomorrow AM, but they send out a preview email over the weekend. It is very helpful for menu planning.

Veggies and fruit are delivered each Monday by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. I spend about an hour on Monday afternoon cleaning and prepping veggies for the rest of the week.

I’m doing some meal prep today: A batch of cookies, roasting zucchini, defrosting and marinating chicken, and defrosting ground beef so tomorrow I can make a big batch of red sauce.

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. If you are looking for a 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.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Lunch: We pick up free school lunches during the summer for the kids, I also 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.

Dinner: 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: Pulled BBQ chicken, rice, salad.
  • Monday: Spaghetti with red sauce (I am making some without meat for my vegetarian kiddo).
  • Tuesday:  Breakfast for Dinner (pancakes, bacon, and fruit-probably melon)
  • Wednesday:  Nugget night: Nuggets, crackers, cheese, fruit
  • Thursday: Italian Herb and Lemon chicken, rice, salad, roasted corn
  • Friday:  Takeout Night
  • Saturday: Leftovers, fruit, salad

Please stay safe you guys!

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

6/25/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals

bright boxes

Good morning!

This week has been busy, but we are settling into our summer schedule. There are a lot of cute PDF summer schedules that you can print online, and I’ve seen a lot of people post them on Social Media. I’ll be making a slightly more realistic one this weekend for our family. If it turns out ok, I may post it.

As summer is upon us, here are a few freebies to keep your kiddos occupied and fed this summer:

If you are looking for birthday freebies, fret not! I put together a list new for 2021- Check it out here.

Most of these freebies and deals are online. While the State of California is open, I’m not recommending that we all pile into the car and hit the mall. Please remember that most states have not yet reached herd immunity rates. Be safe, be careful.

Freebies:

Free Sample of CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free Spin Scooter Rides & Helmets for Healthcare Providers
Free Sample of MiN New York CODA Fragrance
Free $5 Twitch Gift Card
Free Wildflower Seeds from AirWick
Free Dose & Co. Collagen Supplements
Free Bromley’s Smooth Operator 7-Blade Razor
Free Bag of Country Archer Beef Jerky Sticks
Free Sample of Downy Unstoppables at Sam’s
Free Chomps Original Beef Stick
Free Subscription to Esquire Magazine
Free Subscription to Parents Magazine
Free Killer Creamery Ice Cream Sandwiches
Free Coffee Grounds for Your Garden at Starbucks
Free Skin Microbe Test Kits
Free Spin Master Extreme Sports Megathon Party Kit
Free Sample of Ralph Lauren Ralph’s Club Fragrance
Free Eczema HQ Magazine
Free Kids Organizational Storage Item
Free Hallmark Card Every Month
Free Sample of Coach for Men Cologne
Free Skin Discoloration Products + 100 eGift Card
Free Karma Rub Elemental Pain Relief Lotion Sample
Free Sample of Ralph Lauren Ralph’s Club Fragrance
Free Sample of IT Cosmetics Hello Results Retinol Cream
Free Subscription to Shape Magazine
Free Biggby Coffee
500 Free Tickets at Chuck E Cheese
Free Bottle of Frunutta Melatonin
Free Samples of Herbal Zap Health Drink Mixes

Deals:

Steve Madden Men’s Crossbody Bag ONLY $23.04 (Reg $36)
Sonoma Goods For Life Patriotic Tees ONLY $3.99 (Reg $10)
Thermo-Electric Water Dispenser ONLY $57.02 (Reg $100)
Hanging Cosmetic Bag ONLY $5.99 Each Shipped (Reg $20)
Disney Princess Vanity Toy ONLY $29.88 (Reg $50)
Kate Spade Darcy Small Slim Crossbody ONLY $89 (Reg $249)
Insignia 10-Qt Digital Air Fryer Oven ONLY $59.99 (Reg $150)
Remington Men’s Body Hair Trimmer ONLY $26.30 (Reg $50)
Fast & Furious 8-Movie Collection Box Set ONLY $28.99 (Reg. $60)
Fisher-Price Train Ball Pit ONLY $19 (Reg $40)

Special Needs Resource Foundation Presents Free, In-person Read 3×3 Literacy Event!

Join the Special Needs Resource Foundation of San Diego and San Diego Family for our FREE in-person event on Saturday, July 24 from 9-11am at the San Diego Central Library – 330 Park Blvd, San Diego, 92101.

Three authors, Doreen Cronin, Alex Montoya, and Reginald Brown, will entertain children of all abilities with a book reading and a unique, themed craft. Parents can gather resources from local businesses. One free book per child, while supplies last.

To Register or learn more about this event, click here.

And if you are looking for something fun to do later that day, check out the Free San Diego Youth Carnival at the Jacobs Center. 

Tryazon: Host a Hues & Cues Game Night!

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.

The creators of Telestrations and Blank Slate introduce Hues & Cues in this new Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, sponsored by The OP! What hue do you think of when someone says “apple”? Hues & Cues is a colorful game of communication where players are challenged to make connections to colors with one and two-word cues. Players try to guess the specific hue from 480 colors on the game board. The closer the guesses, the more points you earn! It’s great for families and parties!

Tryazon has 300 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack with two copies of Hues & Cues, one to enjoy and one to give out as a door prize! Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/hues-and-cues-game-night/ 

6/21/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis week marks the first week of summer school for the big kid and a reading summer program for the little one. I’m excited for them to get out of the house and be with other kids.

We hit up the county library last week and picked up our summer reading stuff and checked out a huge stack of books.

Last weeks’ trip to the grocery store combined with the free summer lunches meals that I didn’t have to go to the grocery store over the weekend for this week. That’s great because the price of groceries has gone up exponentially over the past few weeks, so I’m leaning more on stores that have good deals like Grocery Outlet, and using my cashback apps like Fetch Rewards.

We usually get a CSA box on Mondays, but I opted to skip this week because we have so much leftover from last week.

Veggies and fruit are delivered each Monday by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. I spend about an hour on Monday afternoon cleaning and prepping veggies for the rest of the week.

I did a little meal prep over the weekend, mostly cutting up melons, making salads, and cooking a batch of beans and rice for lunch this week.

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. If you are looking for a 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.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Lunch: We pick up free school lunches during the summer for the kids, I also 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.

Dinner: 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: Burgers and fries
  • Monday: Spinach Salad, Chicken Tikka Masala, rice
  • Tuesday:   Pulled BBQ chicken, roasted veg, noodles
  • Wednesday:  Meal o’ snacks: Fruits, crackers, cheese, granola bars
  • Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner (pancakes, bacon, and fruit)
  • Friday:  Takeout Night
  • Saturday: Leftovers, fruit, salad

Please stay safe you guys!

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

Free Donuts for Father’s Day!

You know what Dad’s like?

Donuts. And saving money (or maybe that’s just me dad).

This deal is pretty sweet- Two free donuts for all dads on 6/20/2021 at either Mary’s Donuts location (Santee or Lakeside).

You have to bring your kiddos with you.

Sign up for this deal here.