Kids Meal Crowd

Menu Plan Monday: Week of January 2, 2012

2012-01-02T21:00:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! We had one more day off from school or work today, but real life will be back in full swing on Tuesday, January 3rd.

No more making fun things like these reindeer pops:

Thanks to my new found ~~addiction~~ love of a little something called Pinterest, I've found a bunch of cool new recipe ideas I am looking forward to testing. You can see my new finds when you take a peek at my "pins" and "boards". Let me know if you are on it so that I can follow you.

Our first week of 2012 will include the following...

MONDAY: Pizza Night Out after errands and gym time
TUESDAY: Beef tenderloin roast, potatoes and veggies
WEDNESDAY: Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings
THURSDAY: Skillet Lasagna, salad, garlic bread
FRIDAY: Leftover buffet
SATURDAY: Dinner Out
SUNDAY: Turkey Dinner with the fixings (use leftover meat for lunch sandwiches/Tuesday dinner)

Check out the many more menu examples and planning resources from Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie. What are your favorite recipes? I'd love to add them to my list of options each week.

Top Six DIY/Home Projects On My 2012 Goal List

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've been really inspired by the 2011 wrap up and 2012 goal posts I've been seeing this week. Recognizing that it's easy to make and then ignore these types of goals, I knew it would be important to share my list so that you all can keep me honest and I can keep you up to date on my progress.

That said, here's the top six home/DIY projects on my list:

Build and implement these useful-looking "laundry basket dressers" in our laundry area, and perhaps the bedrooms. We need a better system than we have now, and as most of the clean clothes seem to stay in baskets vs. the actual dressers...this option seems more functional and efficient for our busy family.
Use up my old supply of scrapbooking materials to create some cool gifts for others. Maybe it will be simple, awesome items like this reusable to-do list frame; maybe I'll actually try to scrapbook again; or I'll donate some killer gift baskets to silent auctions, scout troops and school teachers.
Photo a day. For 366 days. (yes, 2012 is a leap year!) Seriously. Upload to web album at least once per week.
Create a chalkboard wall calendar a la Martha Stewart. It might not be for a full month, but a one week or two week option would be a really great addition for our home. Or build a "mother board unit" that can serve as the command center. My goal here is really to find something that can serve as a visual reminder of the stuff the whole family should be preparing for. This one is totally rad, and includes a menu board, magnetic chore charts and more!
More wall art. This would be to help support goal #3 and maybe even goal #2. I'm really fond of this mosaic with a template, so that's a likely model I'll try. I may even develop a mini version to personalize my office a bit more. Another cool idea: photo covered monogram.
Cook at least one meal in the slow cooker each week. Yum. The key here is that by having this goal, I am more likely to be menu planning and grocery shopping. This is good for our budget, our bodies, and our time together as a family!

Do you have any projects for 2012 that you are looking forward to?

Redbox Discount Codes Available - "12 Days of Deals"

2011-12-22T16:33:00.000-05:00

Redbox is near the end of their "12 Days of Deals" promotion, but there is still time to get discounts on movies or games before Santa drops off your gifts under the tree. I sent a text and received a code for $1 off a rental before 11:59 PM CT on 12/24/11. Code must be used at the machine, not online. I'm planning on finding a Blu-Ray to rent while I am out doing errands tonight.

Going online I was able to check out the inventory for one of the Redbox machines at a local grocery store so that I could reserve a couple of movies for the kids to watch as a motivator for finishing up chores early before we host a holiday get together with family this weekend. I have to run into town for some groceries tonight anyway, so it's an easy way to complete two errands in one trip!

What are your favorite movies to watch during the holidays?

Check Your Sunday Paper for $5 off $50 purchase at #Hannaford #UpperValley

2011-12-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

Quick note: If you still have your newspaper from Sunday, 12/18/11, be sure to check for a $5 off any grocery purchase of $50 or more at Hannaford. It was part of a nearly full page ad - look for the "Christmas Dinner for 8 for less than $20!" on the top of ad, the coupon is below the fold. Valid 12/14/11 - 12/24/11, and total after all discounts applied must be $50 or more.

My local newspaper, the Valley News, can be found on Mondays and Tuesdays at the Lebanon Co-Op Store in Centerra Park. Not sure if they also carry it in the Hanover and White River Junction stores as well. You will find the coupon on page B3. The $2 for the newspaper will be more than doubled if you use that coupon!

Thanks to The Thieving Bear blog, you can also see some of the best deals to consider at Hannaford this week. I'll sure be checking it out to make my list. Hannaford also has a coupon page that you might want to check out for printable coupon matches. Frugal fa-la-la.

Happy holidays!

Share Your Favorite Deal Blogs - Win $10 LL Bean Gift Card and Goodie Box (Ends 12/10/11)

2011-11-27T13:12:00.001-05:00

There are so many great blogs out there, and I just can't keep track of them all. I'd love to know who your personal favorites are so that I can keep my reading list up to date. This isn't part of a sponsored campaign or anything, I really just would appreciate your input! I'll be sharing your responses in a future blog post series.

To sweeten the pot, one lucky reader will receive a $10 LL Bean gift card (Exp. 2/14/12) and a priority mail shipping box full of surprises! I'll also be sending a little something special to all of the bloggers mentioned to thank them for their work.

Below you will find the form to fill out to enter the contest. The blogs need not be fully dedicated to the category you list them for, it can just be a topic that you feel they consistently do a good job covering with sales, coupons/match ups, and hot deals. You don't need to fill in all the stores/categories below. I just ask that you add at least one blog suggestion in order to be entered into the contest.

You must include your name and email address (twitter handle is optional), and then there are spaces to list the URL and blog name of your favorite in the following categories:

CVS
Walgreens
Rite Aid
Shaws
Price Chopper
Hannaford
BJ's Wholesale
Walmart
Co-Op, Healthy, or Organic Deals
Amazon - including subscribe and save, Amazon Mom, etc
Overall Deals and Savings
"Other" - your choice

CONTEST ENDS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10th, so that the package can be mailed to the winner on Monday, December 12th. Please share with your friends and followers so that we have a good sample size. Happy holidays, and I look forward to your responses!
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Sorry, Now Sold Out..Hot Deal - $149 Front Loading Washing Machine at Home Depot

2011-11-26T08:01:00.001-05:00

UPDATED at 8:20 AM: Deal is now dead online. Not sure if stores will match. Good luck!

In the market for a new washing machine? Here's a great deal to consider - but you'll need to act fast!

GE 3.5 cu. ft. DOE King-Size Capacity Front Load Washer in White
REG $399.00 /EA-Each
NOW $149.00 /EA-Each
Free Shipping
Online Special Valid: 11/24/2011 - 11/28/2011
Rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars

The GE 3.5 cu. ft. King-Size Capacity Front Load Washer in White features a HydroMotion reversing wash system that gently lifts and drops clothing in the wash solution to provide thorough cleaning with less wear on fabric. The washer's PerfecTemp temperature management system regulates wash water temperatures for proper fabric care. Its load-sensing adaptive filling system fills the washer with just the right amount of water for the load, helping you reduce waste. The 3.5 cu. ft. king-size steel basket handles a king-size comforter or 24 full-size bath towels with ease.

3.5 cu. ft. capacity can easily accommodate a king-size comforter or 24 full-size bath towels
Rotary electronic controls have LED indicators to let you know which cycle is in progress
HydroMotion reversing wash system gently lifts and drops clothing in the wash solution to help provide thorough cleaning with less wear on fabrics
10 wash cycles offer a setting for almost any load, from heavy cottons to casual synthetics
Speed Wash cycle provides a quick wash for lightly soiled items that are needed in a hurry
1,000 RPM spin speed removes more water during the spin cycle to help minimize drying time
Energy Star qualified to meet or exceed federal guidelines for energy efficiency for year-round energy and money savings

Thanks to the great community at GottaDeal for this great find! Since I first found them in 2005, I've been able to take advantage of many, many great offers. Very helpful members, and I would suggest that you check them out.

What to do this weekend: Free Kids Basketball Clinic with Dartmouth Women's Basketball Team #UpperValley

2011-11-04T09:50:00.002-04:00

Happy November! With the outside weather getting colder, our family is always looking forward to ways to stay active inside. Basketball is one of our most favorite activities, and this weekend there is a chance for your family to get bit by the basketball bug as well.

The Skills Clinics that Dartmouth College Athletic teams host throughout the year are great fun, a frugal family activity, allows the kids to be active, and they also get to meet Division 1 student-athletes. This Sunday, the Women's Basketball team will work with the kids for an hour. The clinic itself is for boys AND girls.

When we have attended these in the past, at the start of the skills clinic the kids are split up into a number of different age groupings (grades K-8), and then work with members of the team at different "stations" around the gym. The groups stay at the station for a certain amount of time and then rotate to the next station. They play games, practice ball handling, shooting, passing, defense - the fundamental skills - in a fun way. the Dartmouth athletes bring such enthusiasm and truly seem to enjoy working with the kids. The coach usually gives a little pep talk, encourages the kids and families at the clinic to come to support the Dartmouth teams, and might even hand out schedules. Our kids have consistently enjoyed these sessions, and we plan to attend this one as well.

A few tips and bits of advice:

As the session is only one hour long, many of the parents will stay in the gym to just watch, chat with other parents, take some photos, or read a book.
Don't forget sneakers (they don't need to be basketball sneakers, but just something that will allow the kids to run around - so no boots) and a drink. There are water fountains, but we always like to bring our own water bottle to avoid any lines.
Have your child put their shorts on under wind pants or sweats so they don't have to go into the restroom to change. With a short session like this, it's helpful to limit the prep on site. Save that time to allow for lacing up those basketball sneakers if you have them.
If your child has asthma, don't forget the inhaler!
The kids usually don't need a mouth guard for this clinic, but I'm a big fan of keeping all of the gear together in a sports bag or duffel. Use this as an opportunity to get those sports bags organized and get your little athlete ready for the routines of the season.

Hope to see you at Leede Arena on Sunday. Check out the Dartmouth Sports web site to keep up with other opportunities to support the teams.

Remembering #911 - Working in Student Affairs at CCV

2011-09-12T01:40:00.000-04:00

10 years ago, I was working as a young academic professional at the Community College of Vermont. I had been working in the "student affairs" world for about two or three years by that point, and on this particular morning I was at the Waterbury, VT headquarters of CCV at some sort of college committee meeting.

The meeting had just begun when someone joined us and asked if we had heard about a plane crashing into one of the World Trade Center towers. No one really had a lot of information at that point, so we went about our business. Then the second plane hit and the tension rose dramatically. My personal reaction included being very worried about one of my best friends from college who lived and worked in NYC. The phone circuits were busy all day, but I finally heard from Rabi the following day saying that she was safe.

What struck me the most about that moment in time on September 11, 2001 was the tremendous compassion, comprehensive thought process during a very difficult time, and the value of leadership during crisis. I was a junior member of this group, and a bit pre-occupied worried about the status of my friend. But it was amazing to be in the room with the college leadership as they responded to the events of the day.

I came home that night after picking up my little girl from child care and gave her a huge hug. I wondered what this one-and-a-half year old would come to learn of this day...this tragic moment in American history. She's 11 now, and we talked a bit about it this weekend. She asked about what I was doing, and if anyone we knew was impacted. She talked about a story from one of her teachers, who had a more personal connection to events of that day. She hasn't asked the tough questions, and the boys (ages 8 and 6) haven't really learned about the news and lingering impact of 9/11.

I'm hopeful that those tough questions won't come to us all that soon. How can you explain such senseless acts? How can you adequately represent the immense loss that so many people continue to struggle with? Are "healing" and "safe" words that will ever describe the world around us?

A mural created by students in South Carolina.

The 9/11 Memorial web site includes teaching and learning guides that I haven't used, but would like to suggest for your consideration.

Menu Plan Monday: Week of September 5th - New School Year, New Routines

2011-09-05T18:56:00.000-04:00

It's time for me to start using a weekly menu plan again! School has started for the year, soccer and boy scouts take up most of the remaining weeknights, and my evening work activities don't start again in full force until the fall term begins again later this month. As we begin our routines anew, menu planning is one that we all benefit from.

Dinners for the week will include:

pasta with meat sauce, green salad, garlic bread
slow cooker meal: whole roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits
quick meal: corn dogs, fresh cucumbers and carrots, sweet potato fries
slow cooker meal: pulled pork sandwiches, corn on the cob
grilled pizza, green salad
leftover buffet
night out - dine out or take out

What about you...What are your plans? Favorite meals for busy weeknights? Check out all of the great ideas linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie. Have a great week!

Dealing with Disasters - Kids, Families, Co-Workers #VTresponse

2011-09-02T10:55:00.000-04:00

Dartmouth College has a great collection of resources posted that I wanted to share. A sampling of topics included are:

Coping with the Aftermath of Floods
Encouraging Family Communication after a Disaster
Helping Your Children
Managing Traumatic Stress
Supporting a Coworker after a Disaster

Lots of news from the College is collected in this post from Dartmouth Now. On campus, The Tucker Foundation is spearheading efforts for donations and work crews. Alumni Relations has also set up collection boxes for donated items in the lobby of Blunt Alumni Center, according to a recent email I received.

I'm still working on match ups of sales/coupons for items that are in high need for disaster relief. Can you help with these efforts? You'll notice that some of the stores I mentioned in that post are stricken. That's because those stores were flooded as well, and are not open for business. See a comprehensive list of stores along 12A that are open or closed in this post. There are several Facebook pages and groups that have been really helpful, a relatively new one that I wanted to mention was NH for VT. Check it out!

Lastly, the #VTresponse web site is a great hub of information, and I highly recommend you check it out. Keep up the great work!

#UpperValley Update: Route 12A Stores in West Lebanon, NH Impacted by #NHirene

2011-09-01T06:19:00.000-04:00

The Upper Valley's major shopping district is on Route 12A in West Lebanon, NH. With the proximity to the Connecticut River, this area was hit hard by flooding when the remnants of Irene came passing through.

(Photo Credit: Valley News — Jennifer Hauck)

Read more about the impact to the community in this Valley News article. Not only will this affect the way that residents in our area purchase clothing and other household goods, it will mean less options for the Dartmouth students (who have transportation off campus) to outfit their dorm rooms and apartments for the new academic year. The economic impact of the flooding is significant: let's hope that the estimates of people out of a job will be less than the 500-600 figure that has been thrown out there.

After asking around, I've compiled a list of stores/businesses on Route 12A that are currently closed. Please let me know if there is a change to report in these status listings. I'm hoping that this will happen as more stores clean up and reopen, but it is likely to be several weeks or months before this happens completely. I will keep this list up to date based on my own research, and your input and feedback.

LISTS UPDATED 11/29/11 - please continue to send your info for future updates. Appreciate your help. Also, Valley News article from 11/3/11.
OPEN:

All Colonial Plaza is open (near Walgreens - includes antique store, College Formals, etc)
All North Country Plaza is open (Panera Bread, FedEx Office, Verizon Wireless, etc)
All Shaws/Benning Street Plaza is open (99 Restaurant, liquor store, Board & Basket, etc)
All Powerhouse Mall is open (EMS, LL Bean, Lui Lui, Amidon Jewelers, etc)
All Glen Road Plaza is open (Subway, Country Cobbler, Illuminations, etc)
AmComm Wireless
Applebees
Aspen Dental
Best Buy
BJ's Wholesale
Books A Million (in the former Borders location)
Burger King
Chili's
Costumania/College Formals
CVS
D’Angelos
Denny's
Dollar Tree
Don's Woodworking (strip mall near Staples)
Encore Books (under new management)
Famous Footwear
Friendlys
Fore-U Golf, Ice Cream
GameStop
Golf and Ski Warehouse
Hannaford
Home Depot
Jiffy Lube
Jo-Ann's Fabric (new expanded store!)
Kleen Laundromat (Kmart Plaza)
Kmart Mobile Pharmacy
Kohls
Koto Japenese Steakhouse
Lebanon Pet Store/West Leb Pet and Aquarium
Lindt Chocolate
McDonalds
Mouse Menagerie (temp location - near Panera Bread)
Newbury Comics
Olympia Sports
Panera Bread
Payless Shoes
Pier One
Pizza Hut
Price Chopper
Radio Shack
Rite Aid
Sears (alternative location - Airpark Rd)
Shaws (Upper Valley Plaza and Benning St)
Sleepy's
Staples
SuperCuts
Super Shoes (across from Taco Bell/KFC)
The Paper Store
TJ Maxx
Walgreens
Walmart
Weathervane
Wendy's
Ziggy's Pizza (NEW business! in the strip mall near Staples)

CLOSED FOR NOW:

JC Penney Plaza (Upper Valley Plaza)

JC Penney (2012 re-open, if any, rumored)
JC Penney Salon
iParty (December 2011 re-open rumored)
Maurice's (December 2011 re-open rumored)
Others that I have left out?

K-Mart Plaza

K-Mart (2012 re-open rumored)
Pro-Optical
Others that I have left out?

Special thanks to Lebanon City Councilor Karen Liot Hill for her quick response to my queries, the City of Lebanon, the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Upper Valley facebook group.

See how you can use your savvy shopping skills to assist in the #VTresponse efforts!

I need your help for #VTresponse! 5 easy ways to use your savvy shopping to help VT recover from Irene

2011-08-31T08:39:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, my children started the school year. They had clothes to wear, food to eat, beds to sleep in, and new school supplies in their backpacks. They can play with toys, read their books, and get their soccer gear ready to start the season on Saturday.

For many families in my home state of Vermont, the regular routines of families just like mine has been interrupted. Because they can't live in their homes due to flooding. Because the school year has been delayed because the roads and bridges in town have sustained incredible levels of damage. Because their kids' clothes and toys are floating in swollen rivers and streams. Because the food in their homes is ruined and their personal belongings lost.

I've been very moved by the strength of these communities and feel compelled to act. That's where I need your help.

So many of my friends out there are savvy shoppers. I have certainly been known to love a good bargain! In seeing some of the requests for Vermonters in need, it dawned on me that we can all do "more good" if we can save some money in the process.

Here are 5 easy things that you can do with your frugal tips and tricks to help communities in need:

Point me to your favorite blogs that list deals at these local stores: Walgreens, CVS, BJ's Wholesale, Price Chopper, Shaws, Staples, ~~Kohl's~~, ~~JC Penney~~, Walmart, ~~Kmart~~, Co-Op Food Stores, Rite Aid and Hannaford. Those are the places in my immediate community, but there might be others here in the Northern New England area that may be added. Amazon is also an option if items are eligible for free shipping.
Help me to find coupons to match up with those deals. Printable is great, inserts and other coupon sources welcome.
Do you have any extra coupons? Would you be willing to donate extra coupons to allow us to purchase more items locally? You can contact me directly for a mailing address. My 11-year-old daughter has volunteered to help me with the clipping, organizing and shopping for items to purchase for donation as part of the response efforts. I will take a photo of any envelopes received with coupons to post to the Kids Meal Crowd Facebook Page and you'll get a personalized thank you note in return.
Do you have ~~Kohl's Cash~~ or Staples Rewards that you aren't going to use? These types of savings certificates or even gift cards for any of the stores mentioned in #1 would be much appreciated for our efforts.
If you have saved a few dollars this week - please consider turning that into a cash donation to the response efforts. That is one of the most important ways that we can help families. Organizations can use these cash donations to meet the greatest community needs at that exact point in time. Text FOODNOW to 52000 to donate $10 to Vermont Foodbank. The Foodbank will turn each donation into $60 for families in need. The American Red Cross and United Way can both accept donations online for VT Disaster Relief.

Lots of things are happening as part of the #VTresponse efforts. I highly recommend you check out this blog post from Seven Days for a good round up of links. Many of the Facebook pages or community organizations can be found online, like #VTresponse. I'd also suggest this fabulous resource page from Common Good Vermont.

I've removed the lists of requested items for donations and collection drop offs and instead encourage you to visit the Donations page or main landing page for #VTresponse. They have been coordinating efforts and have volunteers doing a great job making sure things are up to date. Please remember that this will be a long-term need in our communities.

Thanks in advance for your help! If you are a community organizer, someone who is in need, or have other ideas for collaboration - PLEASE leave a comment or contact me on Twitter or by email. Let's not just sit around and wait for others to provide assistance. Every little bit will help someone else in need. I'm grateful for your consideration.

Please forward this to others and help spread the word about this effort. If you are a blogger, a brand or business, or a PR agency working with a business - please consider assisting Vermonters in need!

{don't forget to check out the comments to this post}

First Day of School #Fail - and a Web Site Updating Case Study

2011-08-30T12:25:00.000-04:00

I'm so proud that my kids got up and ready to catch the bus this morning for the first day of school. We assumed that the bus would be making its stop at the same time as last year, just after 7 AM. We got to the end of the road at 6:58 AM. Excellent.

We took our requisite photo while waiting for the bus.

We checked the time on my cell phone. Many, MANY times. Then we started to think that the routes had changed this year and we just didn't notice having just come back from vacation! I did a quick google search for local bus routes and got a link for the local newspaper "web extra". I click on the appropriate bus number and notice that the time at our stop is listed as 7:40 AM. YEAH! the kids say - not only did we *not* miss the bus, we get a little more time in the morning to get ready! We turned around and walked home. Opened the door at 7:15 AM and shared the good news with Daddy.

But....just to be sure I fired up the computer and checked the school district web site to find the bus routes. I found our bus number, and looked up our stop. 7:02 AM. Ugh.

Then I ran the same google search as I did outside at the bus stop and pulled up the local newspaper listing of bus routes. Looks like they were actually from 2007-2008! Super handy. Thanks Valley News. (note: the main Web Extra lists 2008-2009 as active dates, and our school district page was listed as 2007-2008.)

Now I'll be dropping the kids off by car and waiting in crazy lines of cars at two schools. Chalk it up as a first day of school fail.

Happy new school year!

PS: Case Study....If your business, organization, school, community agency or group has a web site - PLEASE take down old info! Even if you have a date listing the last update or dates valid or other disclaimers about accuracy...some of that fine print isn't easily readable, especially when people pull up your info on mobile phones. I know how tough it is to maintain web sites, the constant auditing of information - contact and deadline/event information in particular - is a major pain. But these are the types of things people come to our web sites to find out. If you are reposting or collecting information as a resource to the community, but the information you are sharing is not coming directly from your organization....do everyone a favor and just put in a link to that org's web site directly and let them maintain for accuracy. It will be more efficient for you, and more effective for end users.
<<< stepping down from soapbox >>>

Green Mountain State of Mind: #VTirene

2011-08-29T01:58:00.002-04:00

Now is one of those times when I still feel like a Vermonter. In my New Hampshire home, I was following the news coming out of my home state. I monitored the facebook photos and updates from family and friends, the #VTirene tweets, and videos of landmarks and towns in trouble.

I can totally relate to this clip from The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore - who grew up in White River Junction, VT and graduated from Lyndon State College - about the situation so many Green Mountain communities now face:

Take a look at the snapshots of Tropical Storm Irene impacting Vermont...

This is also not to say that NH has been unscathed either. There are families being evacuated from homes tonight from the next-door towns of Canaan and Lebanon. There seems to be plenty of flooding to go around. I just thank my lucky stars that there have not been more injuries or deaths reported, and that my family has been safe. As I said in a tweet on Sunday afternoon, the damage inside my house from cooped up kids will likely surpass the damage in my yard from Irene's wind and rain.

But tonight, and for the time following, I hope that you will keep Vermont in your hearts and mind as well.

Wordless Wednesday: #RedSox Vacation - Baseball Camp

2011-08-24T16:22:00.001-04:00

The boys in their very own Red Sox uniforms. They are both having the time of their lives so far at Red Sox Baseball Camp. Much more information to be posted in the next week. Great stuff.

Enjoying vacation too much to spend more time typing. Hope the end of your summer is going well!

Symbolism From the Sky

2011-08-03T00:00:00.002-04:00

I looked out the airplane window last Friday night and saw the dome of the US Capitol. To my left, across the aisle, a mom looked down and did the sign of the cross.

The symbolism stuck with me.

It's likely that the mom across from me was just happy that our flight was finally off the ground (gate changes, terminal changes, shuttle buses and delays of several hours will do that to most anyone!) - but for me, I was praying for our elected officials to come up with a sensible plan to address the debt ceiling issue.

I was returning home from the Next Generation of Government Summit in Washington, DC and had heard many jokes, concerns, comments and hopes related to the looming crisis and what it would mean for the young government professionals at the event. Now that the country has additional borrowing authority, what impact will the "compromises" have on regular families like you and me? I'll be keeping an eye on the news, reading blogs, talking to others, and hope to have a better sense of this important issue. I hope you'll leave a comment with your thoughts on the matter.

I'll leave you with what I'd say is the best thing about this crisis. A Jimmy Fallon slow jam.

Preview #RedSox Baseball Camp: Our Boys Are Counting Down the Days

2011-07-25T04:34:00.001-04:00

It's the dream of many youngsters to put on the uniform of their favorite team and take the field. Our two boys are counting down the days to do just that. Check out this video for a preview of camp:

You may remember that I was encouraging readers, followers and fans to enter the cool MomsTeam contest for a free week at 2011 Boston Red Sox Baseball Academy Summer Camp. The wonderful news: I WON! It was the best 6th birthday present for our youngest son, Zach.

Even better - we were able to also register Connor as well, so both boys will be attending the camp this summer. We feel so fortunate to have won the free week from the MomsTeam contest, and then to have the Boston Red Sox Baseball Academy Summer Camp leadership work with us to register a second son for the same session was just ideal.

This won't be the last time we acknowledge both organizations, as we will be posting "Notes from the Field" during camp week in August. I encourage you to subscribe to the Kids Meal Crowd blog by email or RSS, follow me on Twitter, or "like" the Kids Meal Crowd page on Facebook. Happy to answer any specific questions that you have about the camp, and hope you enjoy the updates.

Disclosure: The Boston Red Sox Baseball Academy Summer Camp provided me with a discount on camp registration for the second camper. All opinions are my own (or my family's).

How Our Kids Are Keeping Cool in This Heat

2011-07-23T16:36:00.000-04:00

My afternoon surprise - Stumbling upon the clever and creative way that our kids have been beating the heat:

I opened the freezer and found...frozen towels and shorts!

How are you and your families holding up?

Sundays Should Make You Smile - and this did!

2011-06-26T19:24:00.001-04:00

Adorable. I dare you to watch this video and not smile. Even if you aren't a Glee fan, this is totally worth it.

Three Suggestions for Better Middle School Yearbooks

2011-06-22T19:00:00.001-04:00

The school year has just come to a close, and that means that it's yearbook season. Our elementary school (grades K-4) doesn't have a formal yearbook, but our middle school (grades 5-8) does. It was interesting to flip through the pages to see which items were highlighted.

Overall, it was a nice publication, but there are three items that would make it even better. So all of you educators, students, PTA members and parents...some food for thought:

Add captions to all group photos for clubs, teams and extra-curriculars (or to none at all). Athletes in our school district seem to be at the top of the social scene. This is reinforced in something as simple as the middle school yearbook - where every single school-sponsored team (A and B level ) has a group photo with names in the caption. This is not the case for band, chorus, math team, student council, karate club, drama, etc. If space is a concern, consider having a list at the back of the yearbook with the names of *all* students who participate in one or more extra-curricular activities. Students who are selected for the 7th and 8th grade sports teams (yes, we have tryouts and cuts at this level) could have a * by their name for additional distinction, if desired. Recognition is great, but consistency is also important.
Consider white/light colored lettering on dark background colors. Small black font on dark blue pages is tough to read, not enough contrast on the page to make it pop. Regardless of the time constraints, try to get a proof of your publication in order to get opinions from a few different people to catch stuff like this.
Have a title page. Even if your yearbook doesn't have a name, like ours, you can and should still have an opening title page that has some visual interest and/or information about what I just started to read. For example, our yearbook has this great page with all of the kids school portraits in the background with a tiger (the school mascot) as an overlay. Lots of cool texture, and would make for a great title page - especially with a school name and year in the page border. The problem? This was page 4 of the yearbook.

I really appreciate the work of the yearbook staff (it looks like 3 students and 2 teachers for our middle school yearbook). The task is large and there are lots of eyeballs on your work (stressful!). Kudos for stepping up and doing such good work.

Do you have any yearbook tips to share? Other yearbook stories?

Slide Into Savings with the NH Fisher Cats

2011-06-21T22:25:00.001-04:00

Kids really do pay attention to what we grown ups say and do. My kids know that I enjoy using coupons. So it made me smile when my middle guy came home from attending a NH Fisher Cats minor league baseball game with a friend, he was sure to bring me a copy of their "Slide into Savings" coupon book!

The booklet is distributed at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (Manchester, NH) during home games, and includes the following offers:

Free Food packages for home games, starting at only $30. With the purchase of 4 tickets, you can get 4 hot dogs, 4 bags of chips, and 4 small fountain drinks for free. Use special offer code "FREEFOOD" when purchasing your tickets online [We just ordered for this weekend vs. the Portland Sea Dogs to celebrate Zach's 6th birthday! This game was $40 for the 4 ticket offer, plus we purchased one ticket at regular price as we are a family of 5.]
$10 off $50 or more purchase at Goodale's Bike Shop
Buy a meal, get a free appetizer at Wings Your Way (Kids eat free on Monday Nights)
$50 off any service from Heritage Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling
$3 off x-large or rustic pizza at Papa Gino's
Free combo up with any lobster sandwich at D'Angelo
20% off your total purchase at OutFITters Thrift Store
$10 off the purchase of 2 entrees at T-Bones of Bedford or CJs of Manchester
10% discount at Town Fair Tire (bring in ticket stub)
Free regular egg muffin melt with purchase of any sandwich of equal or greater price & a 16-oz coffee or 21-oz fountain drink at Subway
Free 21-oz fountain drink or 16-oz coffee with any 6", flatbread, or footlong purchase at Subway
Eyevision Eyecare: Buy 1 box of contacts, get 1 box free; they will pay your co-pay; free lenses with frame purchase
11% off your next visit at Nadeau's Subs-Salads-Wraps
Buy 1, get 1 free at Whale's Tale Waterpark
$5 off with purchase of 2 entrees at Clam King
Buy 1, get 1 free at Atlas Fireworks Factory
Spend $30 and get 1 lb of marinated chicken breast free OR spend $60 and get 1 lb of marinated steak tips or 2 lbs of marinated chicken breast free at The Meatery
$50 off 90 day commit to get fit program at NH Wellness Network/Executive Health & Sports Center

Don't forget that you can also get a great deal on admission to Minor League baseball games on Tuesdays with the Kraft Singles Tuesday Night Ticket program. Bring in your Kraft Singles wrappers for buy one, get one free tickets.

Are you and your family attending any baseball games this summer? Do you prefer the minor or major league games? How do you make the experience family AND budget friendly?

Teaching the Next Generation about Fallen Heroes

2011-05-30T22:41:00.023-04:00

This Memorial Day, I marched with my Girl Scout troop in the town parade and asked the girls what they knew about this holiday. I was happy to hear that all of them had a sense of the people that we were honoring and why. Our middle guy's Cub Scout pack was also marching in the parade.

This video was nice to see - service to community is truly important, as is making sure that our kids know about the sacrifices of others - whether the sacrifice was 1 week or 100 years ago.

Either scripts and active content are not permitted to run or Adobe Flash Player version10.0.0 or greater is not installed.

I hope that you will also consider sending a note of thanks to our military families. I have so much respect for my friends, family, and neighbors who are members of the armed services, and the families that support them. You can submit your message on JoiningForces.gov which is an initiative that was created by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden.

Zoe's Stamp of Approval: Rachael Ray Nutrish just 6 Dog Food

2011-05-23T18:00:00.002-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nutrish. All opinions are 100% mine.
Zoe, our chocolate lab, has been a significant member of our family since we brought her home in the summer of 2004. She's now a bit more mature, likes to nap on the couch, and is pretty willing to try new things. As a member of the family, we try to give her the best possible treats, foods and toys - just like she was one of the kids. Sydney, our oldest child, is a real dog lover (and future vet/WNBA player according to a recent conversation) and Zoe has been been her puppy since we brought her into our home.
We feed dry dog food almost exclusively, and tend to stick with a handful of brands that we have had the best response from with our Zoe. She is a good sized lab, who loves to be outside and play with the kids. She's very active, and so we go through a lot of dry dog food to be sure she gets the fuel she needs to stay healthy and keep up with our playful crew.
So I was happy to see an opportunity to include our dog Zoe in this review. We only had the trial size, so I can't speak to long-term impact, but the initial "feedback" was certainly positive! Here's our review of Rachael Ray Nutrish just 6 dry dog food in photos.
Packaging of the sample.

Zoe takes her first bite...
She likes it! Digging right in:

This is definitely a dog food brand that I will now look for at the grocery store! I like the fact that there are only a handful of ingredients (plus vitamins and minerals) and not a bunch of fillers. The six ingredients include: Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Dried Beet Pulp, Poultry Fat, and Natural Chicken Flavor. Lamb meal is a good source of protein, so I am sure that it will help Zoe maintain the level of energy that she needs to keep up with our busy kids! Rachael Ray also is a true animal lover, and she has a pet charity called Rachael's Rescue that benefits from a portion of the sales of this, and other products, in the Nutrish line.
If you'd like to try a free sample - just click through to request your own. I'd love to hear about any sales or special offers that you have seen for this brand as well. Please leave a comment and let me know. And just another reminder: I am not a vet or a pet nutritionist. Just a regular mom who wanted to share some thoughts from our household trial of this product. Thanks for stopping by.

Clever Marriage Proposals Make My Day

2011-05-18T11:31:00.001-04:00

Add this to my list of favorites! Very clever, took lots of planning to execute, and really sweet. Watch it and see what I mean.

Happy Wednesday!

Musings of an Eyelid Twitching Mom: How My Love of Diet Coke & the Red Sox might just be putting me over the edge

2011-04-22T02:01:00.002-04:00

photo credit: Kristina - the last name left

For the past few days, I've had this crazy eyelid twitch. It's my right eyelid, and I bet no one else even notices...but it is totally distracting. I did what any normal person does in this digital age - I googled it to figure out what the heck was going on and how I could make it stop.

And then I got the bad news.

Medline has the nerve to tell me that

"The most common things that make the muscle in your eyelid twitch are fatigue, stress, and caffeine."

Which made me feel really self-conscious, as I am writing this post at 1:39 AM while drinking Diet Coke and watching the Boston Red Sox play in extra innings. Oops.

And then I see the link to this related post, "13 ways to stay stressed out", from the Living the Balanced Life blog. Of course, of the list of 13 items, I am guilty of about 75% of them. So clearly, I seem to have a lot to learn about how best to manage my life. Maybe this eye twitch is supposed to be my wake up call. Maybe it will go away in a few days, like the Medline article seemed to imply.

Or maybe I need a West Coast road trip beard to help rally me back to sanity. Looks like it might be helping my Red Sox. Stay tuned...