Earn Cash and Rewards with National Consumer Panel!

Sign up with National Consumer Panel and voice your opinions to help manufacturers and retailers make decisions on what products to develop or improve.

For each week of the month NCP receives your purchase information, you will earn one entry into the $100 Monthly Sweepstakes where you can win a $100 Vanilla Visa eReward. That’s up to FOUR entries every month! Every month, 20 panel members win!

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In addition, if NCP receives your purchase information every week in a qualifying quarter, you will earn one entry into their Cash Giveaway Sweepstakes where you can win $5,000! Every quarter, one lucky panel member wins!

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

Grossmont Healthcare District Open House!

This was in my email this morning, and in the past, the Grossmont Healthcare District has had some really fun events, including an open house last year where I won a set of pots and pans!

The open house is on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, 10 AM – 1 PM. At 10:30 AM, a brief program in the auditorium will feature highlights of the hospital, library, and district history. Then stay for:

  • Enjoy free food and beverages
  • Live music from Paul Nichols, Intentional Healing Music
  • A community painting project with Linda Bounds, new stARTs therapeutic arts program
  • A walking art tour with Carol Lockwood, La Mesa Historical Society
  • Crafts in the Library
  • A drumming fitness class
  • A scavenger hunt and more

 

The Library address is 9001 WAKARUSA ST. LA MESA, CA 91942. More info and RSVP information can be found 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.

10/14/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals!

This was a week of appointments and business. I apologize for the lack of posts over the past few days, hopefully, this batch of fresh Freebies and deals will make up for it.

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 Subscription to Out Magazine
Free COLUMBUS Craft Meats Charcuterie Board
Free Colive Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Free wood Puzzle, Cinche Bag & Markers at JCPenney
Free Hefty Trash Bags at Select Stores
Free Trick or Treat Wall Décor Craft at Michaels
Free Last Bubbles Bouchon
Free Coffee Every Friday at Cumberland Farms
Free Speck iPhone 14 Phone Case
Free Nature’s Fynd Meatless Breakfast Patties
Free ILY Stickers
4+ Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Injection Serum & Mask + $50 Amazon eGift Card
Free eos Stickers (Email)
Free Light & Lean Recipe Booklet
Free Above MS Recipe Book
Free 19 Crimes Coasters, Hat, Tumblers & More
Free L’Oreal Le Color Gloss Sample
Free Green Garden Freeze Dried Herbs
Free Darkwood PC Game
Free CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream
Free iPhone Phone Cases & Protectors
Free Halo Top Light Ice Cream Chatterbox Kit
Free Sample of L’Oreal Revitalift Triple Power Moisturizer
Free Lancome La Vie Est Belle Fragrance Sample
Free Mountain Dew Baja Blast Freeze at Taco Bell
Free Marco Sweet & Spices Internationally-Inspired Ice Cream
Free Fenty Fat Water Toner
Free Sample of Erborian CC Creme
Free Sample of AERIN Amber Musk Eau de Parfum
25 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free 3-Months of SiriusXM – $54 Value w/ No Credit Card Needed

Deals

Champion Women’s Crop Top T-Shirt ONLY $8.69 (Reg $25)
LOL Surprise OMG Movie Magic Doll ONLY $14.78 (Reg $37)
Vera Bradley Large Travel Duffle Bag ONLY $74.68 (Reg $155)
Revlon Root Booster Styler Brush ONLY $32.49 (Reg $65)
Infrared Motion Sensor Trash Can Set ONLY $61.75 (Reg $110)
OneSpace Craft Station w/ with Blue Glass ONLY $100 (Reg $205)
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Martha Stewart Holiday 2-Pc Cocottes ONLY $14.99 (Reg $50)
Chefman Countertop Blending System ONLY $29.99 (Reg $80)
Kate Spade Perry Small Backpack ONLY $79 (Reg $329)

October 2022: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right 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.

Social Nature has rounded up products that are available to try at a local grocery store or mass merchandiser near you.  Apply to Try the products that interest you to see if you’re a match here.

Here are some of the new sampling opportunities:

      • Veggie Pasta by Veggiecraft Farms
      • No Sugar Bacon by Pederson’s Natural Farms
      • Uncured No Sugar Kielbasa Sausage by Pederson’s Natural Farms
      • Almond Yogurt by AYO Almond Yogurt
      • Squeezable Smoothie by Sweet Nothings
      • Barley Milk by Golden Wing
      • Plant-Based Protein Bar by Lupii
      • Quick and Easy Breakfast by Belgian Boys

And More!

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, and 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!

2022 San Diego Halloween Events!

It’s that time of year: Spooky Season! We’ve got our Halloween decor up, and I’ve started the kid’s costumes. They love wearing their costumes as much as possible, so we’re always looking for fun Halloween events.

Here are just a few that are big hits with my little ghouls:

As more events pop up I will add to this post, and post on Social Media as well.

Talk Back- If you know of any free Halloween events in San Diego, please leave a comment!

 

 

 

10/10/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis coming week is full of extra appointments and errands, so I’m leaning heavily on the meal prep I did yesterday, and stuff that can be cooked quickly.

We’re leaning heavily into the pantry this week as well, and I found a large package of ground beef in the freezer (under a few large bags of frozen veggies), so we’ll be using that to make both meatloaf and a big batch of bolognese sauce (half will go into the freezer for future use).

The big kid and I went to the grocery store yesterday, redeemed a bunch of coupons (thanks to Social Nature), and did our usual weekly shopping.

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:  Soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, fruit

  • Tuesday: Waffles, eggs, bacon, fruit

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese

  • Thursday: Meatloaf, Roast Veg, Rolls

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Spaghetti Bolognese, garlic bread, salad
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

10/7/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals!

We made it through another week or work and school!

Friday means pizza night at our house, and that’s something to be excited about.

Oh, and the Freebies are super fresh this week!

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 Abbott Sequoia Fragrance & Non-Toxic Candle Sample
Free Pretzel with the Wetzel’s Pretzel App
Free Orijen & ACANA Dog Treats
Free Sample of Replenix Hyaluronic Acid Hydration Serum
Free Turkey Craft Kit at Joann
Free Custom Cordless Window Shade
Free Planters Sweet & Spicy Peanuts at Select Stores
Free Coffee Every Friday at Cumberland Farms
25 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Aura Bora Sparkling Water After Rebate
Free Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub Sample
Free Custom Tabby Alert Pet ID Tags
Free Member’s Mark Fruity Snacks at Sam’s
Free Sample of ClarityRx Return to Calm Facial Moisturizer
Free Movie Night Bingo Activity Booklet at Sam’s
Free Massel 7’s Stock Cubes Chicken Style
Free Gardein Plant-Based Chili at Kroger
Free Suavitel Liquid Fabric Conditioner
Free Dos Equis Ranch Water Hard Seltzer Chatterbox Kit
Free HEINZ 57 Collection Dinner House Party Pack
Free Hot or Iced Coffee at Dunkin
Free Sample of Hermes Paris Fragrance
Free Tom Ford Perfume Sample
Free Else Plant Powered Super Cereal Sample
Free Salonpas Lidocaine FLEX Patch Sample
Free BEYOND MEAT Game Day House Party Kit
25 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Fresca Mixed House Party Pack
Free Verb Ghost Shampoo
New Amazon Kids+ is Free for 30 Days
Free RIND Snacks Product at Select Stores
Free SoPost Product Samples
Free Candy at Lowe’s Spooky Trick or Treat Event
Free Hurricane Ian Relief Rides From Modivcare
1-Year Subscription to Apple TV+
Free Slain: Back From Hell PC Game

Deals

Halloween Costumes BOGO 50% Off at Target
Foldable Twin Baby Double Stroller ONLY $133.99 (Reg $260)
Barbie Winter Sport Snowboarder Blonde Doll ONLY $9.97 (Reg $23)
Infant Changing Table with Pad ONLY $67.99 (Reg $120)
Cuisinart AirFryer Toaster Oven ONLY $99.99 (Reg $230)
Target Deal Days is LIVE – Save up to 80% Off Early Black Friday
12-Piece Cookware Set with Ultra Nonstick ONLY $78.59 (Reg $150)
Melissa & Doug Double-Sided Tabletop Easel ONLY $20.99 (Reg $53)
Women’s Satin Pajama Set ONLY $10 (Reg. $27)
Wet n Wild Megawear Mascara ONLY $0.98 (Reg. $2)
Farmhouse Dining Table ONLY $355 (Reg. $710)
Women’s Stars Above Robe ONLY $18 (Reg. $30)
Stars Above Women’s Pajama Short Set ONLY $13.19 (Reg. $22)