A Busy Mom of Two

Lilacs in Bloom

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:54:00 +0000

This post shared at Wordless Wednesday.

The Hole In the Middle - free download available this weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:13:00 +0000

I am always on the lookout for new authors and books to read, so when I heard that the new book The Hole In the Middle is available for FREE download this weekend, I decided it was one that I would check out. (Now, if only my schedule will flip and once again allow me time to enjoy this book and a handful of other books I have sitting on my counter waiting to be read, that would be great.)

FREE DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE MAY 17-19 ONLY: THE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE

Don't miss the free download for the book that reviewers are calling “a stunning debut,” “a must read novel for the ‘This is 40’ set,” and “smart, funny and addictive.”

I Don’t Know How She Does It for the This Is 40 generation, The Hole in the Middle introduces Sophie Whelan, a woman who has it all - including a hideous boss, a distracted husband, daycare woes, problem employees and a 40th birthday on the horizon. Precariously close to slipping off of the treadmill that is her daily grind, Sophie is startled by the reappearance of Will Shannon, the great unresolved love of her life. As she remembers the vivid drama of their college romance, Sophie confronts the choices she has made in life and in love and looks for the one answer that has always eluded her: what does she really want?

The Hole in the Middle is getting amazing reviews from readers. A heartbreaking love story, a hilarious romp through today’s corporate workplace, and a fresh take on the hot debate about whether women can have it all, The Hole in the Middle is not to be missed.

Why not head over to Amazon and download a copy for yourself?

The Hole In the Middle - free download

No compensation was received for this post. I was provided with information about the book and the free download this weekend. I plan to take advantage of this same deal that I am sharing.

Happy Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Sun, 12 May 2013 12:25:00 +0000

To all of the moms I hope you have a wonderful, Happy Mother's Day.

Rod Stewart - Time *

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:16:00 +0000

* complimentary review copy provided for this review.

When I was back in high school (it really scares me a little when I consider how long ago it was now), I was very active in the church youth group. Every summer they would hold a large retreat at a nearby university. Each year, there was a theme for the retreat - based on a recent song. One of the years, the theme song was 'Forever Young', by Rod Stewart.

Much like that powerful ballad from the late 80s, the songs that are part of his just released (on May 7th) album Time have powerful lyrics. Many of the songs share the stories of his life and reflection on his life.

Rod Stewart has spent four decades being a rock star, three being a parent, and has a new album's worth of rollicking stories to tell. Time is his first album of new material in almost 20 years (and his hairstyle hasn't changed one bit!). The album was born from a burst of inspiration that came while Rod was reviewing his life for his recent memoir. Rod rediscovered his voice as a songwriter and rekindled his gift for writing the honest, nerve-touching narratives that have been the cornerstone to the first three decades of his career. 'Suddenly ideas for lyrics were piling up in my head,' he says. 'Next thing I knew, I had a song called 'It's Over' about divorce and separation. And now I was getting up in the middle of the night and scrambling for a pen to write things down, which has never happened to me. I finished seven or eight songs very quickly and I still wasn't done, and it became apparent that I would eventually have a whole album of material to record.'

Time Track Listing:
1. She Makes Me Happy
2. Can’t Stop Me Now
3. It’s Over
4. Brighton Beach
5. Beautiful Morning
6. Live The Life
7. Finest Woman
8. Time
9. Picture In A Frame
10. Sexual Religion
11. Make Love To Me Tonight
12. Pure Love

I really enjoyed listening to the album and the songs felt so familiar to me that there were even points where I was questioning if it was a song I had heard before, but only one was not an original song - Picture in a Frame. The liner notes features all of the lyrics and a few pictures - I love this, call me old-fashioned, but that was always one of my favorite features in an album, cassette or CD - the lyrics. I had three favorite songs - Can't Stop Me Now, Beautiful Morning and Time. I think of all the songs, Time was the most familiar sounding to me...it says though that it was copyright 2013 and it isn't the first single that was released...so I can't really explain why it was so familiar.

You can purchase a copy of the CD through Amazon or pick up the MP3 version (you'll miss out on the liner notes though).

Rod Stewart’s links:
Website: www.rodstewart.com
Twitter: @rodstewart
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rodstewart
YouTube: www.youtube.com/rodstewart

No compensation was received for this post. I participated in this campaign for One2One Network, who provided some information for the post. I received a free copy of the album to facilitate my review. By posting, I am entered into a giveaway. All opinions stated are my own or that of my family.

Samples and Freebies

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:06:00 +0000

Requested

Received:
Garnier BB Cream and coupon (Target.com)
Free International Delight coupon

JAWS Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:44:00 +0000

Congratulations to Austin! Their entry was selected as the winner of the JAWS cleaner giveaway.

Thank you to everyone for entering and be sure to watch for new giveaways, coming soon!

Michael Bublé - To Be Loved #ToBeLoved *

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Thu, 09 May 2013 01:31:00 +0000

* complimentary review copy provided for this review.

For the past few months, I have been taking several workout classes at the Y and am fortunate to have a wonderful instructor...in fact, I have the same instructor 5 days a week for three different classes - spinning, boot camp and toning. For spinning she has a set play list, based on the workout of the day, but with boot camp and toning, she just has the music playing in the background and it seems, just plays whatever is in her library. The other day, we were in the midst of rotating between several very challenging stations in a circuit workout and the tempo of the music shifted...we had gone from 80's Hair Metal to Michael Bublé's 'Ave Maria'. One of the women in the class called out, definitely great music, not great workout music though - and the instructor switched to another song. The following day, in spinning, we were talking about the song when it came on during cool down. We all agreed that Michael Bublé has an amazing voice (and is nice to look at too!) and that we all love his music and how his Christmas album is a definite must have.

His amazing voice really shines on his newest album - To Be Loved. I recently had a chance to check out a review copy of his album and I really enjoyed it. There are four original songs and 10 cover songs. I love that when he does covers, that they range from the classics to things that I consider to be more 'current', like the BeeGees 'To Love Somebody'. Several songs feature other artists, including Bryan Adams on the original song 'After All' and even Reese Witherspoon on 'Something Stupid', a Nancy and Frank Sinatra cover.

You likely have heard the first single, an original tune, co-written by Michael Bublé, called 'It's a Beautiful Day'. I really enjoy the song which has a cheerful tune, although, I guess I haven't really listened closely to the lyrics before now, because I just read on his webpage that he considers it an 'anti-love song', a kind of revenge song. After listening closely, it is clear that the song is about a former relationship that she ends, because she just wants to be friends and he has an 'I don't care' attitude and won't spend his time thinking about the break-up. The good thing is that one of his other songs is a love song, a love song for the women in his life - his wife, his mother, his grandmother. "These are good times for the singer, who is about to become a first-time dad. He sounds like a man in love with life. "I wrote Close Your Eyes about my wife and about the power of all the women in my life—my sisters, my mom, my grandma and all women in general. Let’s face it, where would we be without them?"

The performance of the songs on the album is definitely great, he has an awesome voice. Some of the songs are slower, but the album would make a great back drop at a dinner or an evening with friends or just relaxing with my husband.

You can pick up a copy of the album at Amazon or iTunes or at a local retailer.

No compensation was received for this post. I participated in this campaign for One2One Network, who provided some information for the post. I received a free copy of the album to facilitate my review. By posting, I am entered into a giveaway. All opinions stated are my own or that of my family.

Wishing on Willows - Katie Ganshert *

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Sun, 05 May 2013 22:01:00 +0000

* a complimentary copy of the book was provided for the review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

How often do we meet someone and come to a conclusion about who they were before really getting to know them or where they come from? I found the risk of this to be a common theme in the book Wishing on Willows.

Robin has faced a lot of challenges and disappointments in her life. She now is a mother of a young son and the proprietor of a coffee shop, that is located in a sought after section of town for a new condominium project. When the developer, Ian, comes to town, she sees him as a corporate man with little care or concern for the well-being of those in her community, only in the interest of his company.

As the story unfolds, they slowly learn more about each other and come to have a different view of one another. Through this process of discovery, they both start to reconsider their position and priorities and come to enjoy each others company.

Throughout the story, the reader is able to witness their faith and their compassion for helping others, both of which shaped their past and future.

One of the things that I enjoyed about the story is that the reader was learning about the characters along with them. There was less mystery in Robin, as her story was the start of the book, but many of the experiences and events that shaped who they were we learned as they were learning about each other. It really helped to create a bond with the characters and an evolution of experience and perspective of the characters and their intents. As my perspective evolved, I really started to cheer for a desired outcome...some of it resolved as I had hoped, but there were parts that I had other thoughts about. Still, it was a great ending.

I recommend the book Wishing on Willows to those that enjoy a good story. There is the right balance of tension and friction, self-doubt, love and faith.

I look forward to checking out Wildflowers From Winter and future books by Katie Ganshert. Wishing on Willows is the second book in the series, so you might want to check them out in order - although, you certainly can start right in with this book.

Want to see for yourself? You can read the first chapter of the book to preview the book.

You can learn more about Katie Ganshert and listen to her podcast on Wishing on Willows, with the links below.

Author's Website: http://katieganshert.com/

Podcast (about 6 minutes long):
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No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary copy of the book was provided through Blogging for Books for the review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Get the 2013 Ohio Family Fun Summer Survival Guide from HallofFameMoms.com

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Sun, 05 May 2013 00:47:00 +0000

For those of you that are in Ohio, I recommend that you check out the just released HallofFameMoms.com second annual Ohio Family Fun Summer Survival Guide. The guide contains many ideas for summertime fun in Ohio, links to local attraction & event reviews, money saving coupons and much more.

Plus, as part of her kick-off celebration, you can enter to win an overnight stay and waterpark passes for Fort Rapids Indoor Waterpark Resort. (you can read about our experience at Fort Rapids here.)

Head to HallofFameMoms.com to enter to win and learn how to download your free copy of the Ohio Family Fun Guide Today!

Many thanks to Tracy at HallofFameMoms for including A Busy Mom of Two in the guide as a Ohio Family Fun Resource.

In Full Bloom

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:12:00 +0000

The flowers on the Cleveland Pear are so pretty right now.

This post shared at Wordless Wednesday.

Rusty Bucket Mom's Day Promotion #ad

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:34:00 +0000

No compensation was received for this post. Information about the promotion was provided by Rusty Bucket.

Mother's Day is a chance to celebrate Mom! Why not celebrate by getting everyone out of the kitchen and enjoying a meal out as a family?

Each mom that comes into the Rusty Bucket on Mother’s Day, May 12, will receive a free Cheryl’s Cookie! (while supplies last). Come celebrate with the Rusty Bucket for a meal the whole family will enjoy!

No compensation was received for this post. Information about the promotion was provided by Rusty Bucket.

The Ghost of Blackwood Lane by Greg Enslen

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 21:53:00 +0000

A while back, when I was visiting, my mom gave me a book she had bought by a local author. I was busy and just didn't seem to have time to read, but lately, I have been doing a lot of reading (and loving it!) and finally had a chance to read the book.

The book is called The Ghost of Blackwood Lane. The author has written five books, three of which were fiction and writes columns for a couple of local papers.

* cover image used from author's website

I really enjoyed reading the book. The story was told primarily from three perspectives - Chris/Gary, Judy and Vincent. We learn as the story begins that Chris' dad is testifying in a federal case against the head of the local mob in a small community, just east of St. Louis, who also had been his employer. After his mother is killed by a car bomb, at a safe house, it is decided that Chris needs to have his memories about the community and his friends blocked, for his own protection, and is given a new name in the process. One of the memories that is suppressed is that of his girlfriend, whom he has recently proposed to. After his dad is done testifying, the family is moved under the witness protection program to Sacramento.

When Chris' family suddenly disappeared, Judy was lost. With time, she met and married Vincent, a member of the Family that Chris' dad had testified against. Judy finds herself in an abusive relationship and relies on her painting, which she hides from her husband, to help her escape life.

Vincent wants to be the head of the Family, but has had to be content with just being the lead of one fraction of the family. His brother has taken the other portion to legitimate businesses, but Vincent wants them to be a 'proper crime family'. When his brother approaches him about joining forces and really growing the family business, he is all in.

After several years, Gary (formerly Chris) has graduated from college and is working at an architecture firm in Los Angeles. He has new friends, but can't seem to maintain a relationship with women. He starts to have trouble sleeping, being haunted by a recurring dream. The woman in the mirror seems so familiar to him, yet he can't place her. As the dream continues, he reaches out to his father to try to figure out what the dream means and who this woman, whom he believes to be at risk for harm, is.

When his step mom gives him a picture from his past, it sends Gary on a mission to learn more about his past, which he can't remember, and to try to locate this woman who is haunting his dreams, before it is too late.

The story that unwinds is captivating. As I got deeper into the story, I found myself unwilling to put the book down. When the story finally reached the end, I found myself wanting the next book...to find out what happened after.

As I mentioned, there are a couple of other fiction books that he wrote and I think I will check them out. You can find this book online at Amazon or you can order directly from the author.

To learn more about Greg Enslen and his books, check out his website - www.GregEnslen.com.

No compensation was received for this post. My mother bought this book for me. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Samples and Freebies

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:46:00 +0000

Requested:
Shout Color Catcher sample

Received:
Ruffies Pure Flexx Stretch bag and coupon

Tulips are Blooming!

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:11:00 +0000

I love the progression of spring flowers.

This post shared at Wordless Wednesday.

JAWS Cleaner - a review and giveaway *

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:05:00 +0000

* information and product was supplied for this post by the manufacturer.

A while back, you may remember that I shared with you about JAWS cleaners. I wanted to let you know about the current special running at Beuhler's. From now, through April 28th, you can save $2 off on JAWS cleaners at Buehler’s (www.Jawscleans.com). It’s normally $4.99 a bottle at each store (with one refill included) and is $2.99 on the sale. The sale is on the JAWS Glass and Hard Surface Cleaner; JAWS Multi-Purpose Cleaner/Degreaser and Bathroom Cleaner/Deodorizer.

Each bottle’s extra cartridge refill lets you keep reusing the same cleaning bottle – and save on plastic waste. Here’s how it works: Use up one JAWS bottle, then refill it with tap water and insert the cartridge, screw on the lid and you have a second bottle of cleaner. More refill cartridges are available in a separate two-pack.

The JAWS line will clean from kitchen to bathroom.

JAWS - or "Just Add Water System" - comes in the form of a super-concentrated cleaning cartridge and a reusable spray bottle. You fill the spray bottle with water to the line on the bottle, pop in the cartridge, insert the spray wand as you tighten it on, the cleaning solution in the cartridge is dispensed into the water. Give it a little shake you are ready to use the cleaner.

In addition

· JAWS products work are effective in all types of water, including hard water that can be found in many homes in Northeastern and Central Ohio.

· JAWS was created and is manufactured in Ohio – Toledo to be more specific.

· Purchasing JAWS products is not only helping the planet and helping you cut cleaning costs, it’s also contributing to the betterment of the regional economy through both JAWS International and the more localized retailers they partner with."

I have been using the product since I shared about it last year. I find that it works well for me. I like that not only is it environmentally friendly that the refill cartridges are small and make a full bottle of cleaning solution, but since I always feel space constrained when it comes to storage, I am able to keep extra on hand without having to find a place to store full bottles. In fact, I can keep the next cartridge with the bottle, so I'm not searching to locate it when I'm ready for a refill.

Giveaway!
Thanks to the folks at JAWS, one lucky A Busy Mom of Two reader will win a JAWS cleaner gift pack, valued at $15.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway will remain open through May 7th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. JAWS provided information about the product, a sample for me and the gift pack for the giveaway. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Earth Day *

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 01:55:00 +0000

*information for this post was in part supplied by Hormel Foods through their Hormel Extended Family Blogger program.

Tomorrow, April 22nd, is the 44th anniversary of the celebration of Earth Day. This year the Earth Day Network announced that the main focus of Earth Day will be to help put a face to climate change. One of the easiest ways to help prevent climate change is through a commitment to minimizing waste and recycling as much as possible.

At our house, we have made several small changes over the years that have not only helped us be more environmentally friendly, but have also had a favorable impact on our wallets.

We reduced our usage of paper towels, by using wash clothes and old diapers for cleaning and dusting. We are able to use it for a little while and then, I simply rinse them and toss them in the wash. We still use some paper towels for certain clean-up, but generally use less.

We reduced our usage of paper napkins, by purchasing and using cloth napkins everyday. My family was a little hesitant at first, but now has fully embraced them. You can see my post on moving to cloth napkins here.

We reduced our usage on paper plates by purchasing a set of plates that we can use for game night, birthday parties and other social gatherings at our home. When we are done, we simply fill the dishwasher and clean them up. We actually recently extended our purchase to include not just 24 dinner plates, but about 15 snack plates too. For those that want a smaller plate. You can see my post on eliminating paper plates here.

We reduced our usage of plastic utensils by purchasing a set of inexpensive silverware that we can use for game night, birthday parties and other social gatherings at our home. We found a set of silverware at Sam's Club that allowed us to get enough place settings to meet our needs even at our larger gatherings. You can see my post on elmininating plastic utensils here.

From Hormel:
Each year Hormel Foods strives to do their part in the conserving energy and reducing pollution. In 2011 they reduced their solid waste to landfills by 29 percent and completed 33 packaging reduction projects to reduce materials used by 4.2 million pounds! To learn more about these successes and many others please visit http://2011csr.hormelfoods.com/goals/.

There are plenty of simple ways that you and your family can help out this year, including:
* Next time you want to enjoy a picnic, pack-up an eco-friendly basket with dishes from home instead of paper plates and plastic utensils. Enjoy a healthy spread with products that are known for their eco-friendly and sustainable packaging. One example is Hormel® Natural Choice® deli meats. Hormel® Natural Choice® deli meats comes in packaging made of 100 percent recycled material – making them the only national brand that features 100 percent recycled packaging. Just last month, Hormel® Natural Choice® launched their new line of Family Pack deli meats – perfect for feeding a large group and cutting down on your trips to the store.
* Pack lunches in reusable containers instead of plastic zip-lock bags that can only be used once. Take it a step further by saving and using plastic containers from take-out meals.
* Opt to receive bills and notices through email instead of by mail. Most banks and organizations offer a “paper-less” option, which will not only help cut down on wasted paper, but shorten your stack of mail that comes in every day.
* Offer your support through a contribution to the Earth Day Network! Or check out the many opportunities to volunteer in your community. http://www.earthday.org/take-action

What efforts do you and your family make to try and minimize your carbon footprint? What is your favorite “eco-friendly” activity?

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I am completing this post as a participant in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program. Hormel Foods provided some product and some of the information for this post.

Stolen by Daniel Palmer *

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:26:00 +0000

*complimentary review copy received for this post.

You might think that since I didn't grow up with computers as a part of my life (my kids still think this is strange), that I would be more cautious around them, have a certain amount of distrust. That's not to say that I share information willy-nilly over the internet...I do try to think before I post on my blog, on Facebook, on Twitter. But, I am completely at ease ordering from retailers online, doing my banking online, and registering for contests and the like. I always expect a certain amount of security from those sites and never felt that my data was at risk.

But, what if an employee or an owner on one of those sites, who was otherwise a good person, had a need and felt that they could 'borrow' an identity for their own benefit?

In Stolen, the third techno-thriller novel from Daniel Palmer, John Bodine is faced with a challenge. With him being self employed with an online gaming business and his wife Ruby studying to pursuer a new career, they have a basic, cheap health insurance that doesn't provide the best benefits as they learn after Ruby is diagnosed with cancer. As he pursues options to get help in covering the medications and treatments that Ruby needs to fight the illness, he learns that there are insurance plans out there that do cover the medication in full. Plans that could help his wife fight the battle against her illness. As he learns, he begins to hatch a plan. With some techno-savvy skills, he locates a customer of his site that is similar in age and married and confirms that he has the 'right' insurance, and heads down a path of identity theft. John, who was generally a good person, made a bad decision, in a desperate situation. They set up a new residence and become another couple - starting fresh with a new doctor and all.

Everything seems to be going well, until it isn't. Ruby is getting the treatments that she needs, and although they are leaving her feeling weak, they seem to be working. Then, unexpectedly, the couple is contacted by their 'victim'. He tells them that he won't report their fraud, in exchange for playing a game of 'Criminal'. In this game, they are faced with challenges of escalating criminal activity. These challenges are a complete departure from things that they would do, but the problem is, that if they fail to successfully complete the challenges or don't even try to complete them, not only are they risking exposure of their crimes of identity theft and insurance fraud, but they are also risking the life of someone else, someone near them. How far will they go? What crime is too much for them to bear?

From DanielPalmerBooks.com:

The future has never looked brighter for Boston couple John Bodine and Ruby Dawes. John’s online gaming business is growing, Ruby is pursuing her dream career, and they’re talking about starting a family.

Then Ruby receives a life-changing diagnosis, and their cut-rate insurance won’t cover the treatment she desperately needs. Faced with a ticking clock, John makes a risky move: he steals a customer’s identity and files a false claim for Ruby’s medication.

The plan works perfectly–until the customer in question contacts John with a startling proposition. If John and Ruby agree to play a little game he’s devised, he won’t report their fraud. The rules of ‘Criminal’ are simple: commit real crimes. Fail in their assigned tasks, and there will be deadly consequences.

The book is simply fabulous! I received an advanced reader's copy from Daniel Palmer for this review and I am so glad that I didn't have to wait until the book is officially released on April 30th.

Daniel Palmer has the ability to weave together an amazing tale that really makes you stop and think. The characters are well developed and relate-able and concern for their well-being leaves you unwilling to put down the book. I found myself reading every second I could find. I simply needed to find out, who was this 'victim' that John had chosen in his quest to save his life? How could it be that someone was as twisted as this victim in the game that he was forcing them to play and the consequences that occurred when they didn't play along as he wanted.

I love to read thrillers and this thriller did not disappoint. If you are a fan of thrillers, I highly recommend the books of Daniel Palmer. You can pick up Delirious and Helpless in paperback, if you want to check them out while you wait for the release of Stolen. Stolen is available for pre-order through the typical online book retailers, and will make it's way to your local bookstore in a couple of weeks on April 30th.

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary advanced reader's copy was provided for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Giveaway Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:48:00 +0000

I had a couple of giveaways that ended earlier this week. Here are the winners....

Eggland's Best Giveaway - Lisa!

Super Why Tickets - Judy!

E-mails were sent to the winners.

Thanks everyone for entering and look for more giveaways, coming soon!

Samples and Freebies

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:46:00 +0000

I didn't request any free samples or freebies this week, but my mailbox was active!

Received:

Tom's Wicked Cool mild mint toothpaste and coupon
Pedia Lax Probiotic Yums and coupon (Target)
Schiff Mega Red Omega 3 Krill Oil sample

Menu Plan Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 02:17:00 +0000

Our weekend was unexpectedly quiet. With all of the rain that we had at the end of last week, many of our sports were cancelled in advance, vs the game time decision that we normally have. We took advantage and planned an afternoon with friends on Saturday. We headed to the Akron Art Museum for a Family Drop in Activity and then explored the museum. The kids interest in viewing the art was short lived. We tried out a local restaurant that everyone loves. It was good food, but I'm not sure that I would wait in the line that formed outside for very long for it.

This week was supposed to be busy with sports, but already, two nights of expected busy have been cleared from our schedule.

Sunday
cereal
leftovers
Hamburgers on the Grill

Monday
Chicken Tacos

Tuesday
Penne with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce (Pasta Bravo)

Wednesday
Pierogies and Eggs

Thursday
Hot Dogs/Sausages on the Grill

Friday
Chicken Buffalo Cheese Steak

Saturday
TBD

Breakfast is cereal or oatmeal each morning. Lunch for the kids is either the school lunch or usually a couple of times a week they pack. Lunch for my husband and me is typically sandwiches, frozen meals or leftovers.

This post shared at Menu Plan Monday.

CVS Scenarios - week of 4/14

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:05:00 +0000

I knew that I was in for a light week at CVS when I saw my ad had a big 20% off savings pass on the front of it. My challenge with their 20% off deal is that it always seems like the items that I might want to pick up are on some sort of other sale and hence ineligible. I also feel like the application of the CVS CRT and ECBs against the coupon value seems to vary. I did find a couple of things that I will pick up this week on deal and who knows, I might even find some 20% off deals too.

Transaction #1

2 - Kellogg’s Krave, Apple Jacks,or Froot Loops
1 - Colgate Max Fresh

-$1/2 Kellogg's cereal mfg coupon
-$2/1 Colgate Max Fresh CRT from coupon machine
-$1 Colgate mfg coupon

Total $3 OOP and earn $1 ECB. A net cost of $2 for two boxes of cereal and a tube of toothpaste is not too bad.

For more deals and scenarios, check out Money Saving Mom and Deal Seeking Mom. For more $5 Scenarios, check out the CVS $5 Challenge.

Target - Pizza and Ice Cream Deal!

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:13:00 +0000

As I looked at the paper last week, I discovered a deal at Target, that I simply knew that I must take advantage of - free ice cream when you buy pizza. What is there not to like about that combination?

2 - DiGiorno Pizzas
1 - CPK Pizza
1 - Nestle Drumsticks

-$2 DiGiorno Pizza IP (printed a few weeks ago)
-$2 DiGiorno Pizza IP
-$1 DiGiorno Pizza Target coupon
-$1 DiGiorno Pizza Target coupon

-$5.99 FREE Drumsticks wyb 3 participating pizzas

-$.05 Reusable bag credit

-$.45 Target RedCard savings

Total $8.49 for 3 pizzas and ice cream. That is not a bad deal at all!

Winner of the Cirque Ziva tickets

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:02:00 +0000

Congratulations to Jennifer M! Her entry was selected as the winner of the tickets for Cirque Ziva, featuring The Golden Dragon Acrobats at the Akron Civic Theatre.

Thanks to everyone that entered and be sure to check out the other current giveaways in the upper right sidebar.

Spring Has Sprung

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:14:00 +0000

This post shared at Wordless Wednesday.

Menu Plan Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Busy Mom) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:19:00 +0000

This week - it is back to reality week. We had Spring Break last week and while it was just a staycation, it was still nice to have a looser set of plans than normal. The weather for most of the week was blah, but this past weekend was great and we took advantage of it by playing outside.

Now, we have to go back to school and spring sports start up this week and next. That means that soon we will be changing gears to the easy to put on the table menus. Things that can be fully prepped ahead of time and then just 'finished' to put it on the table.

Sunday
Cereal
Sandwiches
Pork Chops

Monday
Homemade Pizza

Tuesday
Chicken Patty Sandwiches

Wednesday
Chicken Buffalo Philly Steaks

Thursday
Turkey Roast

Friday
Spaghetti and Meatballs

Saturday
TBD

Breakfast is cereal or oatmeal each morning. Lunch for the kids is either the school lunch or usually a couple of times a week they pack. Lunch for my husband and me is typically sandwiches, frozen meals or leftovers.

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