No Joke! Legoland California is Back 4/1/2021!

Abby H.

Oh, man, the kids are going to be pumped when I tell them about Legoland!

LEGOLAND® California Resort is excited to offer Park Preview Days with access to select rides and attractions beginning April 1, 2021, under California’s reopening health and safety guidelines with official reopening on April 15, 2021.  After closing its gates one year ago, the theme park built for kids is offering priority access to Hotel guests, pass holders, and existing ticket holders impacted by COVID-19 Park closure, for the month of April.

Park Preview Days offers access to select rides including Driving School, LEGO® TECHNIC™ Coaster, Fairy Tale Brook, and Coastersaurus.  Kids and families can also enjoy socially distant character meet and greets, live entertainment, a wide variety of food options, and Miniland U.S.A.

The Resort officially reopens on April 15, offering access to SEA LIFE® aquarium and LEGO® CHIMA™ Water Park. Guests will once again be immersed into the creative world of LEGO® and some of the Park’s more than 60 rides, shows, and attractions.

Guests are required to purchase tickets and make hotel bookings online in advance to reserve access for their desired dates to visit.  Guests wanting to book hotel reservations can do so now. The Park reservation system will be made available soon.

“It’s been a long and challenging year for all of us and we are extremely excited to be able to start reopening our Resort not only to our guests so they can build family memories, but for our staff who have been patiently waiting to return to work, “ said LEGOLAND California Resort President Kurt Stocks.

To further prepare for reopening, LEGOLAND is hiring for multiple positions within Attractions, Water Park, Food and Beverage, Retail, and Hotel.  Individuals interested in joining the LEGOLAND team can visit: www.legolandjobs.com

To ensure a safe and healthy experience for its guests, the Resort is implementing safety guidelines which include reduced capacity, cashless payments, social distancing practices, and enhanced cleaning regimes. Face coverings will be required for all guests two years of age and up as well as all staff members and temperatures will be taken upon check-in.  For more information, Park and Water Park guidelines, health and safety guidelines and to purchase tickets, visit: www.legoland.com/california.

Free Chips & Guacamole for National Chip & Dip Day: March 22 & 23 at Rubio’s!!

Abby H.

Ok, so in California, avocados are everywhere. They grow here (especially in San Diego County), and in San Diego our hometown, favorite Rubio’s Coastal Grill is hooking us all up with some tasty guac!

Rubio’s Coastal Grill is giving away free, freshly made chips and guacamole, with any order, in celebration of National Chip and Dip Day. On two days this year, Monday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 23, simply order online at Rubios.com, or through the app, and enter coupon code MKTG1067 at checkout, or scan the QR code on the coupon (https://www.rubios.com/coupons/national-chip-dip-day) in restaurants.

Rubio’s guacamole is made daily in their kitchens using rich Hass avocados, cilantro, garlic, lime juice and natural sea salt. Rubio’s uses responsibly sourced seafood and features bold, unique flavors in dishes including their latest menu items, the Smoky Oaxacan Shrimp Bowl, the Smoky Oaxacan Shrimp Two Taco Plate and the Puerto Nuevo Burrito with wild-caught Langostino Lobster, now available for a limited time only.

Rubio’s outdoor patios are now open. Guests may also order online, or through the app, for contact-free curbside or express pickup, or delivery for just $1.99. For more information about Rubio’s Coastal Grill and to view the menu, visit Rubio’s, Facebook and Instagram.

March 2021: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

Abby H.

 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.

There are a lot of really awesome products available to sample right now. From Broth to snacks, protein powder, meat alternatives- There is something for everyone to try.

And one of the things I love about Social Nature is that they don’t leave our friends with food allergies out. There are sampling offers for Gluten-free, nut-free, meat-free foods frequently.

Canadian Friends- You are in luck, there are sampling opportunities for you too!

So if you love trying new products, check out Social Nature!

3/19/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.
bright boxes

Spring break starts on Monday. I am not ready. I’m hoping to take the kids to the zoo, Safari Park, and maybe the tidepools or the beach (but not go into the water because it’s still FREEEEZING cold). We’re keeping it frugal and socially distanced!

A new year means new birthday freebies. I put together a list for 2021. Check it out here.

Most of these freebies and deals are online. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced!

Freebies:

Free Clinique Moisture Surge Sample
Free Sample of Ce de Peau Cleanser
Free Softsoap Gently Lavender
Free Freak Flag Organics Bone Broth
Free Timberland Products
Free Origins Checks & Balances Scrub
Possible Free $10 Gift Card
Free Purina Pro Plan LIVECLEAR Cat Food Package
2 Free Toners + $25 Amazon Gift Card
Free $5 Off $5 at Ace Hardware = Free Item
Free Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit at Wendy’s
Free Lane Bryant Gift Card Giveaway
Free Sample of Estee Lauder Futurist Primer
Free Midea Window Air Conditioner or WIFI Cube Dehumidifier
Win an Amazon Gift Card from MySavings Instagram
Free Hallmark Card Every Month
Free Hayneedle Bed
Free Perfect Bar at Walmart
Free Copies of the Eagle Books Series
Possible Free $100 Canned & Frozen Foods Research Study
Free Mommy’s Bliss Baby Multivitamin + iron
Free Frozen Fruit Bars
Free Maxi-Cosi Or Safety 1st Baby Product
Free Infantino Narwhal Pat & Play Water Mat
Free Ink Cartridges
Free Baby’s Busy Day: Being One is So Much Fun! Book
Free Maison Margiela Replica Match a Méditation Travel Spray
Free Flourish Spatula, Pancake Mix, Amazon Gift Card & More
Free Bushmills Whiskey Pour or Cocktail

Deals:

How To Train Your Dragon 3-Movie Collection $14.99 (Reg. $40)
The Land Before Time Collection Box Set $16.99 (Reg. $36)
Free Felt Dog Toy Bin and Free Shipping from Super Chewer
Hape Doll Family Mansion ONLY $119.99 (Reg. $200)
Thomas & Friends Super Cruiser Train Track Set $15 (Reg. $40)
Pet Naturals of Vermont Cat Chews ONLY $2.85 (Reg. $6)
Funko POP 10-In Mandalorian ONLY $29.96 Shipped (Reg $40)
MUK LUKS Women’s Marl Pom Hat ONLY $9.99 (Reg. $22)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit Story Board Book ONLY $3.99 (Reg. $7)
Easter Books Under $5.00 on Amazon

Amelia Sunnies Sunglasses ONLY $12.99 (Reg $25)
Lysol Disinfecting Wipes $3.66 on Amazon
Wireless Sound Bar ONLY $34.79 at Walmart (Reg $183)
Adidas Kid’s Shoes on Clearance at Kohl’s
Bella Pro Series Analog Air Fryer 2qt ONLY $17.99 (Reg $40)
Double Buckle Strap Slides ONLY $20.99 (Reg $50)
COVERGIRL So Lashy! blastPRO Mascara ONLY $3.61

Protect your pet’s health your way with Petco Vital Care

Abby H.

Fiona loves cuddles and being healthy

Your pets need love and care from their family, that’s a no-brainer. Just as you take care of your people family with preventative health care, your pets need it too. Confidently Keep up with their health & wellness needs with an annual plan that gives you easy access to trusted care on routine vet exams, unlimited nail trims, teeth brushing, and more for $19 a month on routine services with Petco Vital Care. 

Petco Vital Care knows you’ll do whatever it takes to get your pet the best care. That’s why they’re doing our part to make caring for them as affordable as possible. The Petco Vital Care includes:

  • Unlimited nail trims
  • Teeth brushing
  • $10 Pals Rewards each month
  • $70 Pals Rewards per year for vet exam at the vet of your choice
  • A Welcome gift of your choice
  • That is $226 in savings on routine wellness services throughout the year.

All for just $19 a month! To learn more or sign up, click here.

 

Fetch Rewards: 4,000 Points Per Referral through 3/23/2021

Abby H.

There are thousands of referral bonus points just waiting to be claimed. If you want some, simply tell all your friends about Fetch. Through 3/23, you’ll get 4,000 points for anyone who signs up using your code.

There’s no limit to the Rewards you can earn, so tell everyone. It’s super easy, and each friend who signs up gets 2,000 points.

Referring friends is easy. Step one: share your referral code with friends. Step two: friends enter your code and snap a receipt. Step three: points are deposited into your account.

Let’s get started! If you are new to Fetch Rewards, you can learn more here. When you sign up, use my referral code ND2TB and share the love (and referral points!).

When you sign up, leave your referral code in the comments!

Save an Extra 30% off at JCPenney through 3/21/2021

Abby H.

I am a life long JCP shopper. I love their sales, deals, and they have great clothes and housewares.

Through 3/21, JCP is offering a 30% coupon that can be used in store or online (you can find it, and other coupons here).

I used the coupon a few days ago to pick up a hoodie for the big kid and a Wonder Woman dress for little miss. Both were on sale and I got the extra 30% off!

For those who love the ease of online shopping: You’ll score free shipping when you spend $75+ or have your items shipped to your closest JCP store for free.

Don’t forget to sign up for JCP Rewards if you already haven’t. It’s a great way to earn $10/$10+ coupons, plus additional rewards like secret sales and birthday coupons (usually a $10/$10+ coupon).

Mid-Month Coupon Round Up March 2021!

Abby H.

I was cruising my favorite coupon sites this morning and I found some great stuff.

The two sites I use the most for printable coupons are:

Here are a few coupons that have me kinda stoked:

Save $0.75 On ONE (1) Juicy Juice® product (excludes 4-pack juice boxes)
Save $0.75 When you buy THREE (3) Avocados From Mexico
Save $1.50 FOUR (4) Lean Cuisine Frozen Items (redeemable at Walmart)
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) LISTERINE® Mouthwash product (from 500 ml to 1L) or any (1) LISTERINE® READY! TABS® product (8 ct. or larger)
Save $2.00 on ANY ONE (1) Garnier® Whole Blends® Sulfate Free Remedy or Miracle Treatment product
Save $2.00 on ANY ONE (1) Garnier® Fructis® Treat Shampoo or Conditioner (11.8oz only), 3-in-1 Hair Mask or Invisible Dry Shampoo product
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) package of Green Giant® New Frozen Product, Any Variety
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) package of Green Giant Veggie Spirals™

Another thing that is super exciting as of late is the Sprouts App. You can sign up here for their email list and they will send you a link to their app. They have all sorts of great in-app deals and coupons (last week it was a $5 off coupon).

And if you are looking for more ways to save, check out my Smart Phone App Page. It’s got all kinds of great apps to help you save and earn cash back on all of your grocery and home essential shopping!

4/2/2021: Special Guest Speaker World Autism Awareness Day

Abby H.

NFAR (The National Federation for Autism Research) is hosting a Zoom lunch and learn on April 2, 2021, which is World Autism Awareness and Acceptance Day.

If you have followed my blog for a while, you know that my oldest (now 10) was diagnosed with ASD at age 5. Learning more about how the mind of someone on the spectrum is a lifelong learning experience. I always look forward to events like this. It is interesting to learn the science and research behind ASD.

The speaker is the leading scientific researcher, Dr. Eric Courchesne.

Friday April 2nd 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm PST
TOPIC: The When, What, and How of ASD Development with Q&A

GUEST SPEAKER: Dr. Eric Courchesne, Professor of Neurosciences in the School of Medicine at the University of California San Diego and Co-Director of the UCSD Autism Center of Excellence.

Dr. Eric Courchesne introduced the new concept of ASD Living Biology, a new approach for discovering prenatal brain developmental origins and explanations of ASD in the individual child. His work shows ASD begins in the 1st and 2nd trimesters and his studies have identified genomic, molecular, cellular, and neural differences that lead to early language and social symptoms in autism and predict clinical outcome. His work is internationally recognized.

Dr. Courchesne’s studies integrate behavioral, brain imaging, developmental, cellular, genetic and genomic findings that lead to a better understanding of the prenatal origins of autism. His team has also identified early diagnostic and outcome biomarkers. From this work his team aims to identify treatments specific to biological subtypes. Dr. Courchesne has published over 200 articles in major journals such as JAMA, TINS, Neuron, Molecular Psychiatry, Nature Neuroscience, and the New England Journal of Medicine.

To sign up for this free online event, click here.

 

I am not affiliated with Dr. Courchesne or NFAR. I am simply sharing this information.

Family Recipe: Fruit Salad

Abby H.1 Comment

The other day I was chatting online with a group of friends and I mentioned making fruit salad. One of my younger friends asked, “Can you send me the recipe for that?”

I’ve never really thought about writing a recipe for fruit salad, since I’ve been making it since I was a kid. It was always a staple at family dinners with my maternal grandparents. My Grandma was known to make a literal punchbowl of fruit salad for parties.

This recipe does not make a punchbowl full.  The nice thing about fruit salad is that you can put any kind of fruit into it, and if you don’t eat it all in one meal, it keeps in the fridge for a few days.

I change it up based on what comes in our CSA box each week, and based on which fruits are in season.

Grammie’s Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 Apples (any kind but red delicious, those are awful)
  • 2 oranges
  • 2 bananas (not overly ripe or they fall to mush)
  • 3 cups berries, your choice (I recommend 2/1 ratio, sliced strawberries and blueberries)
  • 1 ripe pineapple, cored and skinned. You can also use a can of pineapple tidbits in juice (juice drained off and fed to a kid) if fresh pineapple isn’t available.

Optional, but tasty when in season:

  • 1 cup fresh peaches, skin removed
  • 2 kiwis sliced, skin removed
  • 1 mango, peeled and removed from the pit/core

Note: I don’t like melon in my fruit salad. If you do, add 1-2 cups of your favorite melon (Cantaloupe or Honey Dew hold up well in a fruit salad).

Directions:

  1. Clean, Chop/slice all of your fruit (not needed for blueberries). I try to make each kind of fruit bite-sized, but a different shape. That way it makes for a nice presentation.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the fruit. If you omit the oranges, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and toss the fruit to coat. This keeps the apples from browning.
  3. Serve fruit salad cold as a side dish for any meal. If you like it spicy, serve it with Tajin on the side.
  4. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container.

Talk Back: What are your favorite fruits to include in Fruit Salad?