** This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
This week’s weekly deal from Cents of Style is very relaxing. SUMMER Lounge Sets are an EXTRA 20% off the sale price! These sets come in a variety of styles and sizes from XS-3XL.
To take advantage of this sale, use coupon code SUMMERBREAK takes an extra 20% OFF making these Start under $16!! Don’t forget FREE Shipping over $35! The code is active until 6/8/21 at midnight.
This is a great deal! I’ve written about Bitmo before, and while I don’t use it as much as other cashback/money-saving apps, I still feel like it’s a good app. Any way you can save money (legally) is a good idea in my book.
Now through the Bitmo App, any time you shop at Costco or Sam’s Club and pay with the linked debit or credit card, you’ll earn points that you can redeem for gift cards.
I earned a $5 Bath and Body Works Gift Card last month, just by doing my usual shopping. I used the gift card in conjunction with a deal available in the BBW app, and I saved $30 and earned a free product!
I am all about double-dipping to save money and score deals!
Speaking of deals, Right now they are offering bonus points when you refer new friends. 20,000 bonus points (that’s a $20 gift card) for everyone that joins, connects a card, and does a transaction within 14 days of sign up. It’s quick and easy!
Today is Memorial Day in the US, and a lot of people are spending the day hanging out with friends and family, visiting the graves of their family who served in the military.
We are spending the day at home, hanging out with the kids, swimming in the pool.
I went to the grocery store Friday while the kids were at school, knowing that the kids would be home all weekend and on Monday. 99 Cents Only and Grocery Outlet had tons of great deals, and I was able to stock up for the week (and beyond) and stay on budget.
The CSA emails us in advance to give us a heads up as to what may be in our boxes each week, and that really gives me an upper hand when it comes to meal planning for the 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.
Over the weekend, I did some meal prep: I prepared the last of our CSA veggies (broccoli) to roast and serve with the orange ginger chicken I cooked Sunday night. I also made some sauces to use throughout the week (orange ginger sauce, stir fry sauce, tzatziki sauce), and I made a batch of hummus. And of course, I made cookies for the week (we’ll see how long they last).
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: Kids take lunch to school. I eat leftovers. Everyone rejoices.
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.
Please stay safe you guys!
Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?
Hey Gang! I hope everyone had a great week. I’m moving a little slow this morning. We did Legoland yesterday to cover the opening of The Lego Movie World, and I clocked in about 16k steps wearing a heavy backpack full of snacks. Then we came home and the kids wanted to swim. It’s been 18 months since we hit Legoland, and I’m feeling it today.
I’ll be posting summer reading programs, free summer lunch programs, and more fun free stuff to keep the kiddos entertained in the next week or so, as info becomes available.
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. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced, get vaccinated when it’s your turn!
Freebies:
Free Dart Ball Blaster Toy
Free Suave Pink Walmart Chatterbox Kit
Free Sample of La Roche P Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer UV
Free Perricone MD Growth Factor Firming & Lifting Eye Serum
Free Sample of Coach for Men Cologne
Free Clinique Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation Sample
Free Depend Sample Kits for Men & Women
Free V8+ Energy Sparkling Drink
Free Sesame Street Fire Safety Color & Learn Activity Book
Free Shaving Cream + $75 eGift Card
Free Babybel Plus+ Probiotic Dairy Snacks Package
Free New Bright & Adventure Force RC Toys
Free Sample of Estee Lauder Beautiful Magnolia Perfume
Free Sample of L’Oreal Revitalift Glycolic Acid Serum
Free Subscription to Car and Driver Magazine
Free Back to the Roots Organic Potting Mix
Free Sample of Giorgio Armani GIO Cologne
Free Sample of MiN New York Stardust Fragrance
Free Hope Postcard
Free Organicville Pantry Staples
Free SOS Breakup Box – Porkless Rinds, Stickers & More
Deals:
Michael Kors Leather Billfold Wallet ONLY $32 (Reg $118)
Rainbow Print Shorts 2-Pack ONLY $7.99 (Reg $20)
Steve Madden Jackets ONLY $8.99 with Extra 10% Off
Up to 50% Off Toys + Extra 10% Off at Checkout
FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer ONLY $45.99 (Reg $76)
Hanes Women & Men Apparel ONLY $5.99 Today Only
Walgreens Custom Photo Poster $1.99 with Coupon (Reg. $11)
Dash AirCrisp 6-Quart Air Fryer ONLY $49.99 (Reg $104)
Savage x Fenty Women’s Underwear & Lingerie 65% Off
LeapFrog Blue’s Clues & You Blue Learning Watch $5.34 (Reg. $11)
Vera Bradley 70% Off Sale
WikkiStix Traveler Playset ONLY $13.00 (Reg. $20)
Limited Edition NBA Box and FREE NBA Team Jersey with BarkBox
FREE Dog Yacht Float with Your First BarkBox
Burberry Touch Men’s Cologne ONLY $31.99 (reg $75) Father’s Day
Harry Potter Dobby 1000 Piece Puzzle ONLY $8.46 (Reg. $15)
Now that things are starting to open back up in California, and it looks like pools may be reopening on June 15th, I’ve been looking into swim lessons for Bitty Bird.
I can’t be the only parent looking for information on swim lessons and getting kids’ water ready.
My usual go-to is the swim lessons held at our local high school, facilitated in part by Heartland Swim. They are NOT offering swim lessons this summer, however, the Grossmont Union High School District pools will be open for swimming. You can find the schedule and prices here.
The City of San Diego has private, semi-private, and group swim lessons at several of its pools. The prices are pretty decent. The prices and more info can be found here.
If you live in El Cajon, you’ve got some really excellent swim lesson options. Visit the Rec Center brochure online (swim is on page 19) here and take a look at all of the classes. Anyone can take classes, but El Cajon residents (of the incorporated city) can get killer discounts.
La Mesa has limited swim lessons. They also currently require a parent to be in the water with each student.
The Kroc Center offers swim lessons. Information can be found here.
The YMCA offers swim lessons at many of its facilities. Currently, they are offering private/semi-private lessons only. You do not need to be a YMCA member to take lessons there, however, the rate is cheaper if you are. The list of San Diego, CA area YMCAs that offer swim lessons can be found here.
I also did some digging for parents of kids on the Autism Spectrum. Aqua Pros offers classes specially designed for kids on the spectrum! More information and class prices can be found on their website.
These are just a few of the options available. There are of course private swim instructors and private companies that offer private or small group lessons. The ones listed above are for more of the price-conscious in mind.
Talk Back: If you or your kids have had great swim lessons, leave a comment and let us know where! The more options, the better!
I usually make a batch of cookies per week. It’s generally cheaper to make cookies than it is to buy a couple boxes, and this way, I can control what goes into them (less sugar, Substitute Kodiak Flapjack mix in for AP flour, etc.).
I thought I’d share some of our favorite cookie recipes today. There are two no bake cookie recipes as well, just in case you need something sweet, but it’s too hot to turn on the oven!
I am all about using the right tool for the right job, as a result, I have a collection of awesome kitchen tools to help me cook. You can see my list of must-haves in my Amazon Storefront here.
The fridge was fixed on Tuesday and I filed claims for the lost groceries through the warranty, however, the check hasn’t yet arrived yet.
I have yet to shop for groceries this week, but at least I know what’s in our CSA box that arrives tomorrow.
The CSA emails us in advance to give us a heads up as to what may be in our boxes each week, and that really gives me an upper hand when it comes to meal planning for the 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’ll be hitting up the grocery store this afternoon. Today I’m making a big batch of bolognese sauce today- I’ll be using it a few times this week, and freezing the rest for future use. Tomorrow once the CSA box arrives I’ll prep the veggies and fruit for the rest of the 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: Kids take lunch to school. I eat leftovers. Everyone rejoices.
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.
Please stay safe you guys!
Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?
This week has FLOWN by. Fridge is fixed (if you read posts earlier this week, the freezer stopped working and we lost alllll of the food in the freezer. Yeah again).
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. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced, get vaccinated when it’s your turn!
Freebies:
Join Sam’s Club for $45 and get $45 in Savings!
Free Olga Lorencin Red Carpet Facial in a Box Mini Sample
Free Comic Book Day
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free OLIPOP Sparkling Tonic
Free Fast and Furious Movie Tickets
Free Care Packages for Students
Free Tabasco Sauce Sample at Sam’s
500 Free Tickets at Chuck E Cheese
Free Sanitizing Spray
Free Gone Rogue Chips
2 Free Pints of Nightfood Ice Cream
Free Subscription to Conde Nast Traveler Magazine
Free Genexa Flu Fix
Free Aloe Up SPF 30 Sunscreen Samples
Free Genexa Senna Laxative
Free Ice Cream at Baskin Robbins
Diamond Pet Food Class Action Settlement
FREE Amazon Baby Box Samples Back in Stock
Free Higher Education No Brainer Cleanser & Lip Balm
Free Magnetic Eyelashe Kit, Mascara, Tweezer & Mirror
JCPenney Portraits – Free 8×10 for Military Families
Free Sample of Valentino Born in Roma Men or Women’s Fragrances
Free Genexa Kids’ Cold Crush
Free Subscription to Outside Magazine
Deals:
$1 Summer Movies are back!
WowWee Ploosh Kissimal Interactive Plush ONLY $5.62 (Reg. $13)
FREE Lorax Toy with Your First BarkBox
Coach Apple Graphic Camp T-Shirt ONLY $23.75 (Reg. $95)
MUK LUKS Beach Blanket Platform Sandals ONLY $24.99 (Reg. $55)
Fuel Backpacks ONLY $9.99 (Reg $40)
Levi’s Mid-Length Cuffed Jean Shorts ONLY $25.49 (Reg $45)
Sonoma Goods For Life Men’s Supersoft Tee ONLY $6.99 (Reg $15)
MUK LUKS Groove Artist Platform Sandal ONLY $24.99 (Reg. $60)
LOL Surprise OMG Styling Head ONLY $17.49 (Reg. $31)
Little Tikes Rescue Tales Easter Pup ONLY $7.49 (Reg. $15)
Miracle-Gro Garden Soil On Sale for $2.50 at Home Depot
The Big One Reversible Comforter ONLY $25.49 ($100)
Pampers Splashers Swim Diapers ONLY $5.52 Shipped
This came through my Instagram DM’s yesterday. I went through the website and this is 100% legit. And a lot of you will qualify for this based on all of the financial shenanigans that have been going on with job loss and reduced hours over the past year.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
A household is eligible if a member of the household meets one of the criteria below:
There are three ways for eligible households to apply:
Emergency Broadband Support Center
P.O. Box 7081
London, KY 40742
After receiving an eligibility determination, households can contact their preferred service provider to select an Emergency Broadband Benefit eligible service plan.
I know y’all want the recipe first and more info and tips afterward, so here ya go:
Spanish Tortilla (serves 4)
Ingredients:
Directions:
Other good veggies to include are zucchini (saute in butter with onions), or tomatoes (place thin slices on the very top after all of the ingredients are in the pan). Regarding the potatoes, I used a knife and thinly sliced the potatoes into circles, but you can use a mandoline if you have one.
You need to use a pan that is oven-safe. If you don’t have one, you can cook your tortilla on the stove. Instead of turning off the stove in step 5, turn down the heat to low, add egg mixture. Once the eggs have set around the edges, using a spatula, loosen the edges, and wiggle your spatula under the tortilla, and gently flip it over. Cook until both sides of the tortilla are set and cooked throughout.
Spanish Tortillas are not bread-based, in fact, there is zero bread involved. Spanish Tortillas are more like frittatas or a crustless quiche- the only constant ingredients are eggs and potatoes. The rest of the ingredients are up to you. It’s a great way to use veggies and cheese hanging around your fridge.
They are great for any meal. Add a side of fruit for breakfast, or a bright salad with a tangy vinaigrette for lunch or dinner.
If you are a vegetarian, omit the bacon.
