fun

Q-insights Car/Truck/SUV Survey Pays $200 (Irvine, CA)

Abby H.

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Q-insights is another company that I do research groups, focus groups, and online surveys to earn extra money.

They have a lot of stuff in South Orange County, and less often San Diego County. Recently, they have had a lot of surveys about newer high-end cars.

 They have an upcoming survey being held in Irvine/Orange County between December 10th-14th. The survey will be 2 hours long and will pay you $200 for your time.

They are looking for owners of the following vehicles 2016 or newer:

(Please note you will be required to provide proof of vehicle ownership)

  • Acura MDX
  • Alfa Romeo Stelvio
  • Audi e-tron
  • Audi Q5
  • Audi Q7
  • Audi Q8
  • Bentley Bentayga
  • BMW i3
  • BMW X3
  • BMW X4
  • BMW X5
  • BMW X6
  • BMW X7
  • Buick Enclave
  • Cadillac Escalade
  • Cadillac XT5
  • Cadillac XT6
  • Chevrolet Blazer
  • Chevrolet Bolt
  • Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  • Chevrolet Suburban
  • Chevrolet Tahoe
  • Chevrolet Traverse
  • Dodge Durango
  • Dodge Journey
  • Fiat 500e
  • Ford Edge
  • Ford Expedition
  • Ford Expedition EL
  • Ford Explorer
  • Ford F-150
  • Ford Flex
  • GMC Acadia
  • GMC Sierra 1500
  • GMC Yukon
  • GMC Yukon XL
  • Honda Clarity Electric
  • Honda Passport
  • Honda Pilot
  • Honda Pilot Sport
  • Hyundai Ioniq Electric
  • Hyundai Kona Electric
  • Hyundai Palisade
  • Hyundai Santa Fe
  • Hyundai Santa Fe XL
  • Infiniti QX50
  • Infiniti QX60
  • Infiniti QX70
  • Infiniti QX80
  • Jaguar F-PACE
  • Jaguar I-PACE
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee
  • Jeep Wrangler
  • Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
  • Kia Niro EV
  • Kia Sorento
  • Kia Soul EV
  • Kia Telluride
  • Lamborghini Urus
  • Land Rover Discovery
  • Land Rover Range Rover
  • Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  • Land Rover Range Rover Velar
  • Lexus GX
  • Lexus LX
  • Lexus RX-Series
  • Lincoln Aviator
  • Lincoln MKT
  • Lincoln MKX
  • Lincoln Nautilus
  • Lincoln Navigator
  • Maserati Levante
  • Mazda CX-9
  • Mercedes-Benz EQC
  • Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  • Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV
  • Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe
  • Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV
  • Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe
  • Mercedes-Benz GLS
  • Nissan Armada
  • Nissan Leaf
  • Nissan Leaf Plus
  • Nissan Murano
  • Nissan Pathfinder
  • Nissan Titan
  • Porsche Cayenne
  • Porsche Cayenne Coupe
  • Porsche Macan
  • RAM 1500
  • Rolls-Royce Cullinan
  • Smart fortwo electric
  • Subaru Ascent
  • Subaru Outback
  • Tesla Model 3
  • Tesla Model S
  • Tesla Model X
  • Tesla Model X
  • Toyota 4-Runner
  • Toyota Highlander
  • Toyota Land Cruiser
  • Toyota Sequoia
  • Toyota Tundra
  • Volkswagen Atlas
  • Volkswagen e-Golf
  • Volvo XC60
  • Volvo XC90

If you have one of these cars, trucks, or SUVs listed above that is 2016 or newer, please fill out the following link: https://forms.gle/k66o83mZZTxrVai4A

I don’t receive any kind of referral bonus, this offer is just too great to pass up! If you’d like to join their email list to be notified of upcoming studies, click here.

Cross Country Cafe: Black Friday Deal on Keurig® Coffee Gift Bundle Available Now!

Abby H.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Cross Country Cafe has an awesome deal for Black Friday! They’ve started their sale early, so you can get it now.

Keurig® Coffee Gift Bundle

The bundle includes:

  • 1 K1500 Keurig® coffee maker
  • 4 boxes of K-Cup® coffee (96 pods total) including Holiday Blend, Cinnamon Sugar Cookie, and Peppermint Bark Mocha
  • 1 wire K-Cup® storage rack (holds four boxes)

Sale ends Friday 12/6/19 at midnight EDT. 

If that’s not your cup of tea (or coffee), Cross Country Cafe has all sorts of other deals on tea, coffee, K-cups, Nespresso pods, non-dairy creamers, and more! They have a great gift guide here.

One of my favorite gift ideas is the monthly subscription to the K-cup of your choice!

FREE Printable Christmas Coupon BookAnd if you are looking for a cute printable, check out the FREE Christmas coupon printables from Cross Country Cafe!

11/25/19 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

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This week is Thanksgiving here in the US, so the kids are off school all week, and I’ve got tons of fun stuff planned! Zoo, making Turkey Cookies with the kids and my niece, playing at the park, and of course, daily visits to the YMCA. Meals will probably be light because we’re super stoked for all the yummy treats on Thursday.  I’m taking this dish on Thursday!

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.

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.

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 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. Last week I did a lot of veggie prep and I’ve got a bunch of bags of veggies in the freezer for meals this week.

  • Monday: Breakfast for dinner: Smoothies and Dave’s Killer Bagels with Cream cheese.
  • Tuesday: Quesadillas, green salad, fruit
  • Wednesday:  Chicken and Veggie soup
  • Thursday:  THANKSGIVING FEAST WITH FAMILY
  • Friday:  Some sort of Thanksgiving leftover based meal (perhaps a Moist Maker Sandwich- Friends fans know what I mean)
  • Saturday:  Pizza time (also salad will be served)
  • Sunday:   Leftovers, as per usual

I had someone ask me how we always have enough of anything for leftovers. I always cook enough of the main dish for 6-8 servings, that way we have leftovers for lunches later in the week or leftover night. And really when you make stuff like soup, it’s hard to make a batch of soup that only feeds 4 people.

Talk Back: What are you planning to cook this week?

11/22/19 Weekly Freebies!

Abby H.

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It’s Friday, and holy moly, do I have a busy weekend coming up! Tomorrow I’ve got a full-day conference, and on Sunday I’m going to a cooks and cooking meet up!

But first, let’s dive into some freebies!

Free Photo with Santa & Hot Wheels or Barbie Gift at Kohl’s

Free That’s It Fruit Bar Sample Kit

Free Tena Sample Kits

Free Potatoes at Walmart or Target

Free Subscription to Women’s Health Magazine

29 Issues of Sports Illustrated – NO COST, Hurry

Free Wander Beauty Products

Free Frozen Story Time Kids Event at Target

Free Monistat Anti-Chafing Products

Free 2020 Union Pacific Calendar

Free Sample of Garnier Fructis Sleek Shot In-Shower Styler

Free Sample of SheaMoisture Clay-to-Cream Cleanser

11/8/19- Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

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It’s Friday, and holy moly, do I have a busy weekend coming up! The Skyline Swap tomorrow morning, then I am off to a blogger mini-conference to meet with some new brands and bloggers.

But first, let’s dive into some freebies!

November is Military Family Month at the YMCA!

Abby H.

ymcaOne of the things I love about the YMCA is that they support military families with discounts and special programs. Through November 11, The San Diego County YMCA’s are directing 50 percent of new-member join fees toward financial assistance for military families.

Military families get extra membership benefits at the YMCA, including a waived join fee ($60 value), 10% off monthly membership fees, and access to child care referrals and the Exceptional Family Member Program for Navy families who have children with special needs.

If you haven’t checked out your local YMCA location recently, The Y will be free and open to all during regular hours, Monday, November 11. Veteran’s Day is just one of the many free community days the Y has throughout the year.

We love our local Y. With 2 hours of childcare each day, so I can exercise (or really, sometimes I just want to take a shower in peace), or make phone calls/catch up on emails/write in the newly remodeled lobby of our local Y (#nomomshame, I see lots of other moms do it too before or after their workouts), free classes, events, and weekly open gymnastic so the kids can play and get wiggles out- no matter the temperature outside, there is something for every family.

I’ve always got free passes too- so if you can’t make it on Monday, November 11, 2019 to your local Y, let me know and I can slip some passes your way!

Ripple Street: Starbucks and Lindt LINDOR Bring the Joy Together Party

Abby H.

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Party will be December 7th, 2019

Bring together a little holiday magic by hosting the season’s most festive flight tasting event with Starbucks® coffee and Lindt LINDOR truffles, available at Target. With every sip of Starbucks® Holiday Blend Ground Coffee, your guests will beam with holiday cheer over elegantly balanced maple and herbal notes.

Pair that with Lindt LINDOR Milk Chocolate Truffles and their irresistibly smooth, milk chocolate center, and you’ve got the perfect pairing for the holidays. Invite your friends over and show them how to make the season’s celebrations the very best with #StarbucksandLindt at Target this holiday season.

This event is only open to residents of the contiguous US.

If you’re selected and confirmed as a host, your exclusive Party Pack will contain:

  • Starbucks® Holiday Blend Ground Coffee
  • Starbucks® Peppermint Mocha Flavored Ground Coffee
  • Lindt LINDOR Milk Chocolate Truffles
  • Lindt LINDOR Peppermint Cookie Milk Chocolate Truffles
  • And more

© 2019 Starbucks Coffee Company. All rights reserved.

 

To Apply, Click Here.

San Diego Local Halloween and Fall events for Kids!

Abby H.

7be30acaf94af3fc23ce78b5df96f46cHalloween is just TWO WEEKS AWAY!! Are you ready? Thankfully I only have a few last-minute tweaks to make to the big kids’ Knight Costume, and Little Miss’s Elsa dress is store-bought (much to my chagrin).

Trick or treating door to door isn’t really popular in our area, but a lot of churches and civic groups host carnivals or events either on Halloween or on the weekends leading up to it, so there is no shortage of fun for the kids.  If you are in San Diego County, here are just a few fun events that we’ve enjoyed in the past:

10/25/19:

10/26/19:

10/31/19:

a9e9d4b9823ec9482155e106114ca37cDon’t Forget HalGLOween at the San Diego Zoo! And most YMCA locations host a Halloween event that has a small fee, but has lots of fun games, crafts, and candy.

And if you are looking for tons of fun, don’t forget that Brick or Treat is still going on at Legoland California, tickets are on sale here.

Talk Back: If you know of a free, fun Halloween or harvest event for kids in San Diego County, please leave a comment. 

San Diego Bloggers and Influencers-Moms Meet Event Coming Soon!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-10-03 at 10.13.28 PM.png San Diego, CA area local bloggers and Influencers, Mom’s Meet Wow Influencers 2019 is heading to town on November 9, 2019!

WOW Influencers is an event from Moms Meet, connecting better-for-you brands with established parenting bloggers and influencers in an intimate and relaxed networking setting. Over cocktails and light fare, brands and content creators will have the opportunity to get to know each other, forge connections, and kickstart long-lasting relationships. This event is perfect for anyone looking for the right partner to collaborate with on content creation, product reviews, and marketing campaigns.

  • Date: Saturday, November 9, 2019
  • Time: 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  • Venue: House of Blues, San Diego, CA

Interested in attending? Established bloggers and social media influencers who are already working with brands or are ready to start can request an invite here.

Your FREE TICKET includes:

  • Entry into the event and the chance to network directly with representatives from better-for-you brands
  • A chance to connect with other influencers from San Diego and the surrounding areas
  • Complimentary drinks and appetizers
  • Professional headshots
  • A Goody Bag valued over $250

 

Sponsors for this event include:

  • +CBDOIl (Love this brand)
  • MRM
  • Mabel’s Labels
  • Flora
  • Just Date Syrup
  • Parissa

I’m going! I can’t wait- I love Mom’s Meet and their Wow Events. It’s a great chance to network with other bloggers, influencers, and brands. Plus, the Wow Events crew always feeds you and puts together a BOMB goody bag!

Recipe: Not Your Average Taco Salad

Abby H.

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My Taco Salad is a little different than most, there is no big, greasy, deep-fried shell. Instead, I use tortilla chips as a garnish. This was one of the first recipes I concocted after we committed healthy eating about 10 years ago. It’s very filling and has tons of veggies.

There are all kinds of changes and modifications that can be made to accommodate any dietary concerns.

Not Your Average Taco Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground meat of your choice (Beef, chicken, turkey, or pork, or a mixture)
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn, drained and rinsed (or you can use 1.5 cups of frozen corn)
  • 1/4 cup water (or however much the packet tells you to use)
  • 2 cups Tortilla chips (I like these flax seed Tortilla chips)
  • 2 cups (per person) Salad greens of your choice

With the following ingredients, use as much as you’d like, I prep 1/2 cup-1 cup per person:

  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Chopped bell peppers (I usually use one red, one yellow, and one orange pepper for color/variety)
  • Shredded carrots
  • Cucumber slices
  • Avocado slices or guacamole, whichever you prefer
  • Shredded or crumbled cheese
  • Black Olive Slices
  • Jalapeno peppers Slices
  • Sour Cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • Salsa of your choice

Directions:

  1. Brown meat, set aside.
  2. Using any residual fat in the pan, and adding olive oil, cook onions until clear and soft.
  3. Add meat back to pan, mix in taco seasoning and water. Cook as directed on the taco seasoning packet.
  4. Add in both cans of beans and corn, cook until heated throughout.
  5. To plate, on a dinner plate or a big bowl- arrange 2 cups greens, top with 1/4-1/2 cup meat/bean mixture, top with other veggies and 1/2 cup chips and cheese and a dollop of sour cream/sour cream.
  6. If you NEED dressing, mix a little sour cream or plain Greek Yogurt with salsa or hot sauce and top your salad.

For a vegetarian taco salad- use soy/veggie crumbles instead of meat.