Hewes Family Fun

One Month of Disney+ Free with TopCashBack!

January 21, 2020January 21, 2020Abby H.

This is an AWESOME DEAL!!

It’s pretty easy to do this deal, just 6 steps!

How to get this freebie:
1. Visit the offerhere
2. Create your account with an email and password
3. Click on the “Get Offer” button and it’ll take you to Disney+.
4. Add “Disney+ Subscription” to your cart and shop as you would normally then checkout.
5. This is a Free Digital Confirmation offer.
6. Once you checkout, in about 14 days $12.99 will post in your TopCashback account.

Congrats on your freebie!
* New TopCashback members with no previous purchases or cash back through TopCashback only. Ends February 3rd at 23:59 PST!
How do you get it?

Visit Disney+ through TopCashback, purchase a Disney+ Subscription for $12.99 and then shop as normal. Within fourteen days $12.99 cashback will post in your TopCashback account.
Who qualifies for it?
This offer is available to TopCashback members with no previous purchases or cash back through TopCashback only. However as TopCashback doesn’t limit accounts to one per household, if you’re an existing member now’s the perfect time to tell your husband or wife, mom or dad, roommate, neighbor or anyone else about TopCashback and perhaps they’ll share their freebie with you.
When do you get your money back?

Within 14 days the $12.99 will turn payable in your TopCashback account and you can choose your payout method at that time.
Is there anything else important to know?
Transactions must contain at least one Disney+ Subscription from Disney+ priced at $12.99 to ensure $12.99 cashback is credited to TopCashback accounts. If a different item is purchased under $12.99, the cashback amount awarded will be 1% or less (depending on the item(s) purchased) instead of $12.99.
The deal is:
– open until 23:59 PST on Monday, February 3rd
– subject to Disney+’s Stock supplies and availability
– applicable for online sales only, for purchases made directly after clicking through TopCashback.com
Only one:
– TopCashback account is permitted per member

2020 Big Ol’ List of Birthday Freebies!

January 21, 2020January 22, 2020Abby H.2 Comments

This is a brand new list for 2020. I’ve gone through and verified that all of these are still valid!

I’ve been sharing birthday freebies since 2007! As I live in Southern CA, all of these freebies are specifically for those of us in that area. There are tons of other birthday freebie lists, but they may include offers that are not available here or may include stuff that I don’t consider worth it (like a free Rice Krispy treat when you buy an entree that’s $10+… That’s a hard pass from me, or the Aveda “freebie”- pay $10 and receive a product valued at $23+… No thanks).

I recommend signing up for these freebies at least a month before your birthday, so there is enough time for you to be added to their list. I have included only the freebies that I have signed up for and personally received, so there is no bunk.

Non-food Goodies:

Free goodies at Sephora (It changes every year)
JCPenney Rewards: Birthday Reward (It’s usually $5, but it can change)
$3.00 ECB at CVS when you register online for the CVS ExtraCare Beauty Club
Best Buy– $5.00 off Coupon for those in the My Best Buy Program.
DSW Shoe Warehouse – $5 off birthday coupon, plus 500 points for signing up for their loyalty club.
Members of the Cost Plus World Market Explorers program get a surprise birthday gift, among other perks; you will also get a 10% off coupon upon enrollment.
As a member of Swagbucks, you’ll get 50 Swagbucks on your birthday.
Torrid– Members of the DivaStyle Club will receive $10 off their next purchase of $10+
bareMinerals (cosmetics)- The birthday freebie changes each year. Last year it was lip gloss, this year it’s eye shadow!
Old Navy: Sign up for their email list and they’ll send you a $5.00 off coupon to use in store. You can also sign your kids up too! Scroll all the way to the “Sign up and Save” box at the bottom of the page.
Ace Rewards members score a $5.00 coupon for their Birthday (Ace Hardware)
ClearWater Cleaners (dry cleaners)
Aqua Clean Carwash
Free brow wax at the Benefit Brow Bar. It’s back. More info can be found on their FAQ page.
Dave & Buster’s: $10 in free game play for those in the D&B Rewards Club.
This is a BOGO, but I know a few people who have done this and they said it was fun- Free Trip to Catalina Island! Free round-trip travel for two with the purchase of one full fare Adult ticket on your birthday
My Aunt told me about this one! Join Passport to Provence to score a FREE birthday gift from L’Occitane en Provence. Also, you can score $20 off your first purchase at L’Occitane here!
Join the Sally’s Rewards Club and score a $5 coupon on your birthday, as well as tons of other super sweet perks!

Free Food Noms:

Red Robin: FREE burger on your birthday and all the latest Red Robin news.
Rubio’s Free plate/combo
Del Taco Free Shake (You also get something free when you sign up!)
Starbucks – register a free Starbucks Card and get a free birthday handcrafted beverage of your choice (as well as other goodies throughout the year).
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream – Free single scoop.
Sonic Drive-in: Free Medium beverage (OMG- Cherry Limeade FTW!)
Denny’s: Free Grand Slam for your Birthday. They also email out other freebies and coupons.
IHOP: Free Meal (It varies by year) on your birthday.
Arby’s Birthday Club: Offers a “surprise” it changes each year.
Dunkin Donuts Birthday Club will kick down with a free coffee.
Bj’s Brewhouse– Rewards members receive a free Pizookie for their birthday.
Jersey Mike’s: Free Sub for your Birthday! (No matter what you read online, there is no Subway or Submarina birthday Freebies- Those deals are DEAD)
Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt: When you sign up for a Smile-age Account, you’ll score a free Fro Yo for your B-day! (I love Menchie’s!)
Nothing Bundt Cakes: Join their email list and receive a FREE Bundlet on your Birthday. (look for the link at the bottom of their website)
Sbarro Rewards Club: Free piece of pizza for your birthday when you purchase a drink. You’ll also get a coupon for a free slice when you sign up.
Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt: Free Frozen Yogurt on your birthday.
Sprinkles: Get a free cupcake for your birthday when you join the Sprinkles birthday club.
Pita Pit: Free Pita for your birthday when you join the Pita Pit E-Club!
Bruegger’s Bagels gives you three free bagels for your birthday. SCORE! Our family eats tons of bagels, so this is a sweet deal.
I Birthday Club. They have offers in San Diego, Orange, LA, San Bernadino, Riverside, and Santa Clara Counties.
D Z Akins
Mary’s Donuts– East County peeps know what I’m talking about! Free drink and TWO Donuts!
Habit Burger Grill’s CharClub Score a free Charburger on your birthday.
Panera– Sign up for MyPanera and get a free pastry or sweet on your birthday.
El Pollo Loco: Sign up for Loco Rewards to get a FREE birthday meal (2pc Chicken Meal or Classic Chicken Tostada Salad.)!
Food, but not a restaurant offer. Like Yogurt? Join the noosa Yoghurt fan club, Cream of the Crop, and they will mail you a coupon for free yogurt for your birthday!

Some of the offers that I have been told about but no longer exist include free tokens for the b-day kid at Chuck E. Cheese, free cheeseburger at Fuddruckers (now it’s a BOGO), Free cake at Corner Bakery Cafe (It’s a free dessert WYB an entree). Another deal that everyone and their mama go nuts about is Benihana Japanese Restaurant – complimentary meal up to $30 when you purchase an Adult meal at Regular Price (You must sign up for The Chef’s Table club) . This used to be a FREE meal, no strings attached, but it has changed to basically a BOGO. That’s a no go for me, but it may still get you excited.

I have not included Ulta in my list because you have to make a purchase the year previous (and it needs to be a certain amount- I’ve been told different amounts by various Ulta Employees anywhere from $5-$50), so for me, that’s not a freebie. If I have to buy something to receive something, that’s a BOGO deal.

Talk Back: What is your favorite birthday freebie?

Winter Sports Fun with The San Diego Sockers!

January 21, 2020January 20, 2020Abby H.

Did you know that San Diego has a Soccer Team? We Do! The Sockers are our MASL Team! They’ve been here since 2009.

The Big Kid and I got to experience our first Socker’s game yesterday!

Before the game, we got a chance the run around the field and kick the ball. After 20 minutes, the big kid was panting and ready for a water break.

Sockers tickets start at $15, the club pays for parking! They have special rates for groups and a special military discount!

The Sockers pride themselves on being the family-friendly affordable winter sport in San Diego. Fans are welcome on the field after the game to meet the team, get autographs or a high five. The big kid and I had a great time! Soccer is a very fast-moving game, and there are lots of opportunities for audience participation, which he LOVED!!

If you were wondering about the noise level? Not too loud, and just in case, I had his noise-blocking earphones in the car.

I would recommend a Sockers game for any family, especially those with kids on the spectrum. It’s a chance to enjoy time together, make noise, and watch a fun game.

And Pechanga Arena has a great variety of food and snacks. We had caramel apples, and frozen chocolate-dipped cheesecake on a stick.

**The Sockers provided free tickets to the game- However, we were not obligated to blog or post on Social media about the event. We had such an amazing time that I had to share with y’all.

1/20/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

January 20, 2020January 20, 2020Abby H.

Last week’s veggie prep really has us all set for a week full of yummy dinners! I’m hitting the store this afternoon to buy some stuff for kid’s lunches, and a few things that will round out meals for the week. My shopping list includes:

AP Flour (Probably a 10 or 25 lb bag- it will last for a while)
Avocados
Cheddar Cheese (block to be cut into pieces for kiddo snacks)
Milk
Coffee
Juice boxes
White Sugar/Raw Sugar (for baking)

Everything else on the menu for this week is made of stuff that we have on hand. Thanks to Brooke from Crying Out Loud for sharing some of her yummy goodies from her Porch Light box this week too.

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: You may notice a lot of plant-based meals- We are not vegetarian (well, the big kid is, but the rest of us aren’t), but I am trying to get more veggies into our diet. I do a lot of cooking from scratch- I find it easier to get veggies and fruit into recipes that I can have 100% control over.

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.

Lunches are leftovers, salads, or soups for me and Bitty. The big kid takes his lunch to school, but once in a while, I can convince him to buy his lunch.

For dinner, when we’ve got busy days (like Mondays), I’ll try and put something in the crockpot in the morning, or pull something I’ve already prepped out that can be quickly cooked. We’ve got a bunch of stuff in the freezer, as I’ve been portioning out 2-3 adult-sized entree portions from several meals a week and freezing them for later meals.

Monday: Chicken Chili topped with cheese, cornbread, and strawberries
Tuesday: Fritatta and green salad
Wednesday: Veggie Loaded Pasta Sauce and pasta
Thursday: Pancakes, sausage, & eggs
Friday: Grilled Cheese and Soup
Saturday: Home made pizza
Sunday: Leftover fiesta!

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

Today is National Cheese Day!

January 20, 2020January 20, 2020Abby H.

Pictures Untouched 006.jpg When I announced that today is National Cheese Day, my daughter said, “Really? Can we have cheese for dinner??” And who am I to say no? The kids will be having cheese slices with their dinner tonight, while the grown ups can top their Chicken Chili with shredded cheese, if they so desire.

If you are looking for a way to celebrate National Cheese Day, here are a few of our favorite cheesy recipes:

And if you need some Cheese related television, I recommend Wallace & Gromit. The Complete Collection is FREE to watch on Amazon Prime!

Talk Back: How are you celebrating National Cheese Day??

National Park Freebies!

January 18, 2020January 16, 2020Abby H.

National Parks are a wonderful way to get into nature and learn all about our nation’s history (both man-made history and the history of the natural world). There are 61 National Parks in the US.

The National Parks Service wants everyone to explore the outdoors, and they are offering free admission to everyone on the following dates in 2020:

January 20: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
April 18: First day of National Park Week
August 25: National Park Service Birthday
September 26: National Public Lands Day
November 11th: Veterans Day

If you have a fourth grader, the National Parks Service wants you and the kiddos to visit the parks! For more details, click here.

1/17/2020 Friday Freebies & Deals!

January 17, 2020January 16, 2020Abby H.

bright boxes

It’s Friday! WOO! That means I share my latest stash of freebies and deals with you!

And my birthday is in just a few weeks, so next week I’ll be posting a comprehensive list of updated Birthday Freebies!

Freebies:

Deals:

Deal on Berries at 99 Cents Only!

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020Abby H.

99 Cents Only is hooking us up with tasty berries treats this January! For the entire month of January, all blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are only 99¢ at the 99!

99 Cents Only makes eating healthy a breeze! Name brand produce, and so many other healthy foods (I love that they have both dairy and non-dairy milks, cheese, and yogurt), that’s why it’s the first stop on my weekly shopping trip!

Wanna know what else is a great buy at 99 Cents Only? Here is my Top Ten List!

Talk Back: What is your favorite thing to buy at 99 Cents Only?

Crockpot Chili Recipe (GF, Vegan, Vegetarian)

January 16, 2020January 15, 2020Abby H.

I realized the other day when searching for my chili recipe on my blog so I could share it with someone on Facebook, that I have not posted my chili recipe, ever! Which is weird, because I make it at least once a month.

What I love about making chili in the crockpot is that you can use either fresh, frozen, or canned veggies, it really depends on what you have in your house, and what your budget is.

Because I get vegetables and fruit twice a month at our local co-op, frequently I will have fresh vegetables that I have diced or prepared and put into Ziploc bags to store in the freezer. It ensures that we have nutritious vegetables with no additives at our fingertips throughout the month.

Another great thing about this chili recipe is you can make it vegetarian, you can put meat in it, or you can make a vegan! This recipe is naturally gluten-free.

Slow Cooker Chili

One large onion diced
Two bell peppers, diced
3 cups tomatoes. You can either use canned tomatoes, or if you have fresh tomatoes available you can quarter them. No need to peel or seed them.
Two cloves of garlic, diced
1 T. Avocado oil
1 pound of meat (optional) I usually use ground pork, but other good choices include ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, or bite-sized pieces of stew meat. If you want a meat substitute, I like these crumbles from Beyond Meat.
One can black beans, drained and rinsed
One can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3T chili powder
1t cumin
Salt and pepper as needed

Optional, but delicious:

1 cup corn niblets. If you use canned corn, drain and rinse it prior to adding.

If you do not care for black or kidney beans, you can swap in Northern beans, or navy beans.

Directions

Personally, I like to brown the meat on the stove prior to adding it to the slow cooker. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch Oven, heat avocado oil and brown meat until thoroughly cooked/browned.
Add onions and peppers, cook until onions are clear and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic, and cook, stirring often until garlic is fragrant about 5 to 10 minutes.
If your pan has a lot of brown food remnants on the bottom, I recommend taking 2 to 4 tablespoons of liquid (you can use water) and pour it in the pan stirring and scraping all the yummy brown stuff off the bottom. This is where all the flavor lives.
Pour all of the ingredients from the pot into your slow cooker.
Add remaining ingredients, place lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

I love serving chili with cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

This recipe is incredibly versatile.

If you don’t have fresh onions and peppers, you can grab a bag of fajita mix out of the freezer (which is pre-chopped onions and bell peppers).

If you don’t have fresh tomatoes (which let’s face it a lot of us don’t) you can use canned tomatoes. You can use whole canned tomatoes you can use diced, you can use chopped, whatever kind of tomatoes you have in your cupboard.

Use whatever kind of canned beans you have on hand. One time I made chili and I used chickpeas! And it turned out delicious!

If you don’t have cumin and chili powder in your cupboard but you have chili seasoning, use that instead.

I find the chili is a great go-to meal for when you are at the end of the month, and you are low on funds but you have lots of canned goods and frozen veggies.

If you were strapped for time, you don’t have to brown your meat, you can just put it in the crockpot and pour all the other ingredients over top, cook it, and let it cook. Just make sure to break up the meat (if you’re using ground meat) with a spoon prior to serving.

Learning the Signs of Puberty and Adolescence- Free Event (Santee, CA)

January 16, 2020January 15, 2020Abby H.

UGH. It’s coming. Puberty. I am not looking forward to it. Mood swings, oily skin, bad smells…

Thankfully, our friends at the Santee School District and Neighborhood Health have put together an informative evening.

Raising teens and pre-teens is not easy. As parents, we need to know what to expect when our student enters puberty.

Pediatrician, Dr. Nathan McFarland will help you
understand:
• Biological Processes of Puberty
• Common Social and Behavioral Changes
• Resiliency, Independence, Compassion, System of
Ethics

When: Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at 6 p.m.

Where: Carlton Hills School, 9335 Pike Ave in the Multi-Purpose Room.

There will be an informative presentation on puberty by pediatrician, Dr. Nathan McFarland of Neighborhood Health Care.

To RSVP or if you need child supervision for school-aged children, please call 619-258-2345 by Monday, January 27, 2020.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: