family

Local Event: Boys & Girls Clubs of East County: Community Health Fair

Abby H.

The Grossmont Healthcare District is sponsoring a FREE Community Health Fair on May 2nd. We’ve gone to these events in the past and last time I won a free set of pots and pans.

These events have great information, resources, and freebies for the whole family.

Come to the Health Fair to learn about community health & wellness, and resources, and enjoy a meal! Don’t miss this FREE family event:

  • Taco cart dinner
  • Haircuts for children
  • Eye screenings
  • Self-care kit for children
  • BGC STEM Activities
  • Info from local health & wellness professionals…and more!


When: Thursday, May 2 | 5-7 PM
Where: Brady Family Clubhouse (7600 Junior High Drive, La Mesa, CA 91941)
Contact: Brandie Warren 619.440.1600 ext. 303 or brandie@bgcec.org

On Medi-Cal? Free Produce boxes from Project Food Box!

Abby H.

I found this on Reddit of all places, but after doing some research, it’s totes legit.

While not something that my San Diego friends can take advantage of, for those who are eligible, this is an amazing opportunity.

Project Food Box ships boxes of produce and healthy food straight to your door- At no charge.  This program is not for everyone, and their range is limited, but, this is such an incredible program. I had to share it.

Eligibility- You are a Medi-Cal Member residing in one of the following counties:

• Fresno
•Kings
•Madera
•San Bernadino
•Riverside
• Imperial
• Los Angeles
• Orange

Qualifying health conditions include but are not limited to diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, congestive heart failure, stroke, chronic lung disorders, HIV, cancer, gestational diabetes, or other high-risk perinatal conditions, and chronic or disabling mental/behavioral health disorders. Individuals being discharged from the hospital or a skilled nursing facility or at high risk of hospitalization or nursing facility placement. Individuals with extensive care coordination needs.

You will need the Medi-cal CIN for the person signing up, as well as Checking yes to the  “have a chronic condition” to be eligible for the program.

They even have recipes on their website to help you use the foods in your box!

To sign up or learn more, visit their website.

Great Deal on General Mills Cereals at CVS!

Abby H.

This deal was in effect last week too, and I took advantage of it. Now through 4/27, you can score selected sizes and varieties of General Mills cereal at CVS for just $1.99 each!

And the deal gets better-

There is a $1.00/2 coupon you can load to your CVS card!

There is also a $1.00/2 rebate available on Ibotta and Shopminium (you cannot combine them).

Here is how I did the deal, and I used the self-checkout.

Transaction 1:

Buy two General Mills Cereals, $1.99/each $3.98
Use $1/2 coupon on card
Pay out of pocket (or roll CVS extra care bucks): $2.98
Redeem the Ibotta Rebate for $1/2
Final Out of pocket: $1.98/2 or .99/each

Transaction 2:
Buy two General Mills Cereals, $1.99/each $3.98
Pay out of pocket (or roll CVS extra care bucks): $3.98
Redeem Shopminium Rebate for $1/2
Final Out of pocket: $2.98/2 or $1.49/each

That’s 4 boxes of cereal for $1.24/each. For reference, the same-sized box of Reeces Puffs cereal I bought at CVS is $4.39 at Target.

Don’t forget to add your receipts to Mypoints/Swagbucks, Fetch (They frequently have bonus offers for General Mills Products), Receipt Hog, Receipt Pal, and Receipt jar for extra points/cash back.

If you are new to some of these apps, check out my Save with Smartphones page here. Some of these apps have bonus points when you sign up with my referral code (and I earn some points too!).

Recipe: Banana chocolate chip muffins

Abby H.

I made these muffins after I discovered some overly ripe bananas chilling on the counter last weekend.

These are made with Kodiak Flapjack mix instead of AP flour. This gives the recipe a little more protein and a little more filling.

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
  • 6 tablespoons oil/fat of your choice (melted butter, coconut oil, avocado oil)
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk of choice 
  • 1.5 cups Kodiak Flapjack Mix
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips of choice
Nutritional Information Courtesy of Fitness Pal

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Line muffin tin cups with cupcake liners.
  3. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except flapjack mix and chips with an electric mixer.
  4. Once the wet ingredients are fully combined, blend in flapjack mix.
  5. Stir in chocolate chips.
  6. Evenly distribute batter into lined tin wells.
  7. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick/knife comes out clean after inserted into muffins.
  8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

This recipe is not vegan. Kodiak Flapjak mix contains milk ingredients.

Reset Day Rituals: Set yourself up for success

Abby H.

I’ve posted on Instagram before about my weekend reset ritual, which, I usually do on Sundays. I wanted to share my complete rituals/routines (your choice), in hopes it may inspire you. Having all of these rituals in place really keeps the Sunday Scaries away.

Starting the week ahead of the game fills me with a feeling of success.

These may be things you already do. I feel that having these reminders all in one place is super helpful. I have these reminders set in my phone as well.


Having outfits set up in my closet is key for me. I didn’t do it last week, and I was off my game every morning- I was spending so much time deciding what to wear.

I’m tweaking my sleep hygiene routine, but, as soon as I find one that works, I’ll post about it. The older I get, the more I value my sleep.

4/15/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgFinally, after almost 4 months our kitchen reconstruction is beginning. Friday the 19th the demo will take place, and a few days later the reconstruction will begin. I look forward to having a full kitchen, a sink, and a dishwasher.

I did a quick trip to the grocery store yesterday and picked up some salads, fruit, and cheese.

I cleaned out the pantry and fridge yesterday to prep. I am packing up the kitchen over the next few days.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I 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.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these and these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote 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 every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: With the kitchen being boxed up and demolished this week, our meals will be cooked in the air fryer, microwave, or cold (salads, sandwiches, etc). We have an electric skillet, so we can have grilled cheese and skillet casseroles.

  • Monday: Chicken strips, green salad, fruit

  • Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner

  • Wednesday: Soup and Grilled Cheese

  • Thursday: Snack trays (turkey, cheese and crackers, fruit, popcorn, cookies)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftovers
  • Sunday:  Fridge clean out night

Spring 2024 Upcoming Clothing Swaps!

Abby H.

Earth Day is coming soon and that means clothing swaps!

Slow Down Party on Hourglass Field:

  • Tuesday, April 16, 2024
  • Hourglass Field House 10440 Black Mountain Road San Diego, CA 92126.
  • 5 to 7 p.m

Come by to wind down after a long day, exchange some wardrobe pieces, learn about the circular economy, and build community with fellow San Diegans. No registration is required, and walk-ins are welcome. Please bring no more than one grocery bag full of donations that are lightly used with no rips, stains, or odors. Donations are welcome, but not necessary to take home a new outfit!

Celebrate Earth Day with the Mission Trails Regional Park!

  • Monday, April 22, 2024
  • Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center 1 Father Junipero Serra Trail San Diego, CA 92119
  • 6 – 9pm

This swap is a little different because it’s a fundraiser for the park as well as a swap, but it still looks like a fun night!

Women, Men’s, and Children’s Clothing- Clothes should be clean, in wearable condition, and free of stains, rips, or tears that are not part of the clothing design. No undergarments or socks, please. All leftover clothing will be donated.

For more information, please visit the website or contact the park directly. mtrp@mtrp.org
(619) 668-3280

Porchlight clothing swap: The Porchlight clothing swap is back! Just in time for summer.

  • June 8, 2024 
  • 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
  • 9:30-11:30am

For more details, check their website, or their social media. 

If you aren’t in the immediate San Diego, CA area, I suggest googling Clothing Swap (your area) 2024 and see what pops up.

For more info on clothing swaps and clothing for those in need, check out my article here. 

Safe Smartphones for Kids from Gabb

Abby H.

Have y’all heard of Gabb Phone?

Recently, we’ve been talking about getting the kids phones. They both have devices (kindles), so they don’t need another way to get online, but they do need phones since we don’t have a landline.

Gabb has smartwatches and smartphones and depending on your kids’ age and their needs, there are three different phone plans to choose from.

Receive FREE* Gabb Phone or 50% Off* Gabb Phone 3 Pro and Gabb Watch 3 and One month FREE when you purchase a Plan. That’s a pretty sweet deal.

I’ll spend the weekend looking over all of the details and plans, and then let the kids know.

 

Talk Back: Do your kids have phones?

April is Financial Literacy Month

Abby H.

Financial literacy is near and dear to my heart. I’ve spent much of my adult life working hard to save money, pay bills on time, and live within my means. It is a lot of effort and work, but, it’s made my life less stressful.

In 2020, I wrote a three-part series about making a practical budget that a family can adhere to and how to get some extra help if you need it. This was written during the pandemic, so there is a lot of information and resources, especially for those feeling the financial panic that many felt during the height of the pandemic.

If you already have a budget or feel that your spending is out of control and you aren’t to the point yet where you feel that you need a budget, I did a series of posts in late 2019 about how to reign in the out-of-control spending.

 A big part of financial literacy is tracking where you stand financially. With identity theft happening to 22% of Americans (per a 2022 Bureau of Justice Statistics study), knowing what’s on your credit is important.  Obtaining your free annual credit report is easy.  Free Annual Credit Report is the site that I use.

Once you receive it, go over and verify all of the open accounts are yours. Contact the credit bureaus immediately if there are any incorrect names, addresses, or accounts.

If you are saving for your future, or your kid’s future, here are two great savings opportunities:

Savings bonds- Savings Bonds: The gift that keeps on giving!

529’s/ Educational Savings Accounts- September Is College Savings Month!

Kids Bowl Free- It’s Back for Summer 2024!

Abby H.

file0001910298986.jpgThis popped into my inbox last night. I’m so glad it’s back.

Looking for something fun, air-conditioned, and cheap to do this summer with the kids?

Kids Bowl Free has been around for years, and it’s a great way to get kids active even when it’s hot outside. I’m so excited it’s back again.

Kids 2-18 can bowl 2 games for free each day the program is running at participating bowling centers all across the US and Canada. All you pay for is shoe rental- or bring your own if you have them!kidsbowlfree_logo-new-2019.jpg

This program is available all over the US and Canada. The complete list can be found here. Sign up is quick and easy. To get started, register here. If you live in San Diego, the only bowling alley participating is Aztec Lanes.

I encourage everyone to take advantage of this deal! It’s one of our favorite summer activities.