Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Smoothies instead of Shakes


I must admit I am a goodie hound. I love sweet treats, must be why I am so sweet myself lol. But I am trying to switch my thinking to be more healthier. Instead of making milk shakes with ice cream I am now making Smoothies using yogurt.

As a frugal mama I cannot waste anything especially fruit! Over the summer our bananas seemed to go brown faster than we could eat them. So each time I would put it whole into the freezer. Also we purchased fresh fruit when it was a great sale and froze that as well. I purchased some large tubs of vanilla yogurt at Safeway using coupons and my rewards card for a great deal.



This smoothie we used bananas, strawberries, yogurt, a few rasperries, and some milk. I did not add any extra sugar since we are trying to cut back on that as well. It was really good. The vanilla yogurt helped sweeten the tartness of the strawberries.



Plus its cheaper than Jamba Juice and you don't have to leave the house!

So I say forget the ice cream shakes and switch to smoothies for a yummy and frugal way to enjoy a nice treat.


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Mi-Del Cookies Review and Giveaway 3 Winners



Cookies are a favorite treat in my house! They are easy to eat and can be made with so many different flavors. I have loved baking cookies since I was a teenager. I even have a recipe from a book that my mom wrote my name by since it was the one recipe I would always make. My son adores cookies too. He comes really close to saying it. I am sure with in a month he will have it down perfect. We always get a free cookie at the grocery store too, its fun, frugal and a tradition we started with my mom when Sam and I were kids.

Since it has been a warm summer we have not been able to bake as much as we would like to. I wanted to find some good quality store bought cookies to share with my Bubba. Our local store only carried the Gluten Free version of the cookies we were looking for, Mi-Del. I have been curious as to how Gluten Free Cookies taste so this was a treat to be able to review these cookies.




I did a mini taste test while I had some extra kids in the house. I gave the all one of each cookie and had them tell me what one they liked best. For the two kids including my son who don't talk yet I gave them one at a time to see their reaction.

All of the Gluten Free Cookies are free of:
  • Wheat
  • Trans fats
  • Artificial flavors or artificial ingredients

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip cookies give you the satisfying crunch that makes every bite a delight.

What's In

  • Gluten-free flour
  • Organic dehydrated cane juice
  • Organic chocolate chips


MI-DEL Arrowroot Cookies are fun animal shapes and a slightly sweet flavor make these a favorite for moms who want to give teething babies a healthier option.

What's In

  • Gluten-free flour
  • Organic dehydrated cane juice
  • Arrowroot Flour

Perfect for those who suffer from gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, but still want to enjoy the bold taste of ginger. This classic cookie has a deep, rich flavor with a crispy snap. MI-DEL Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps are also great as an ingredient in pie crusts and other recipes.

What's In

  • Gluten-free flour
  • Organic dehydrated cane juice
  • Unsulphured molasses

The results of the taste test were what I expected. The kids liked the Chocolate Chip ones the best, the 1 year old liked the Arrowroot  and I liked the Ginger Snaps. The other adults commented that the cookies were a bit dry but would be great with milk. One of the kids put the Chocolate Cookies in her oatmeal the next morning which I thought was really cute! The Ginger Snaps are very snappy, they have a very strong flavor and none of the kids would eat them. I think they would be great as a pie crust. My son would not eat the Arrowroot cookies and handed them back to me. I was shocked he handed back a cookie! He did eat the Chocolate chip ones.

Chocolate Chip covered face!


We look forward to trying other flavors of the Mi-Del cookies in the future. They make a Pecan flavored cookie that I think would be great with a cup of coffee.

GIVEAWAY
 
Win  1 Free Product Coupon for Mi-Del Cookies (3winners)

 

To Enter This Giveaway: 

What cookies from Mi-Del would you like to try?


 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like on Mi-Del Cookies Facebook +1 
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-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +2

-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1

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-Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +2 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Add our button to your blog and leave a link of where it is located +5 (right hand side) 


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts August 31, 2011 and ends on September 10, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provide the item in this review for free by the company or PR firm representing them. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others.

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Nalgene BPA Free Water Bottle Review and Giveaway

We have tried many reusable bottles since my son was born. Some stainless steel and others plastic. With the stainless steel they can be a pain to hand wash and often have small drink holes. With plastic they have to be BPA Free and dishwasher safe. Thankfully more and more companies are realizing BPA free bottles are what people want. 
I have been looking for a wide mouth plastic bottle that I can easily use. I am always thirsty and take something to drink with me anytime we go out and often to just hang out at home. With my little guy wanting to grab anything he sees having a lid on something I am drinking makes things easier. We found some great bottles for all our needs on the Nalgene website.




MultiDrink bottle

 

I had the opportunity to review a bottle by the company Nalgene. The MultiDrink bottle with a wide mouth and of course BPA free was the bottle we selected to review. I was so glad to see that the opening is as wide as the bottle. It made it super easy to toss ice into it and have great ice tea on the go. The pivoting straw and leak proof lock is great. We took it the park over the weekend and it was a hot day. We shared some grape juice with ease. Even after realizing it was on its side at the bottom of the diaper bag it still did not leak. Thankfully since it was purple grape juice!

On The Fly bottle


We also reviewed the OTF On The Fly BPA Free Bottle. I really liked the ease of use on this one. It was one hand open which for me is great since my hands are always multi-tasking. I can see this being very useful for sports and outdoor activities since its easy to use.
 These would be great for back to school to save money on those costly juice boxes. Or for your kids after school activities to stay hydrated. We have been mixing our own juice and using BPA free bottles to be more frugal and earth friendly.
Nalgene offers two new products, the On-The-Fly (OTF) and the Multi-Drink water bottles that will help students of all ages stay hydrated in a cost-effective manner. Parents can save money on expensive bottled water by giving their kids these re-usable Nalgene water bottles! Whether young kids want to carry one of these around school as their newest accessory or older students need to stay hydrated while they play on their sports teams, kids of all ages going back to school will love these water bottles. These hydrating essentials with easy-to-use loop top caps are 100% leak proof so you don't have to worry about unwanted spills. You can sip, gulp, or slug with the Multi-Drink bottle, which has a straw and a sipping valve so you can have the best of both worlds. Kids will love to show up on the first day back to school with these hydrating essentials, which come in a variety of bright colors! Both of these products are BPA-free, under $15, and also make the perfect accessory to any of your favorite family-oriented activities.


GIVEAWAY
 
Win a prize package of one On-The-Fly (OTF) bottle and one Multi-Drink bottle

To Enter This Giveaway: 

What other product on Nalgene website do you like?


 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like on Nalgene Outdoor Facebook +1 
-Follow Nalgene Outdoor on Twitter +1 

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +2

-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1

-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +2 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Add our button to your blog and leave a link of where it is located +5 (right hand side) 


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts August 31, 2011 and ends on September 10, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provide the item in this review for free by the company or PR firm representing them. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others.

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Great Deals with Online Coupon Codes


Keep the Summer of 2011 alive with vivid photo books, cards, calendars, and more. Snapfish is celebrating the end of summer with sizzling offers just for you. Save 67% on softcover photo books when you use coupon BOOKS67 or get 50% off custom cards, mugs, and calendars with coupon HURRAH50.

Visit Snapfish for great deals



Order by September 10 to get these hot deals on the photo gifts you love most.*






Today only (8/31) FREE Shipping on orders of $25 or more with code FREESHIP

Tons of great sales right now at Bath and Body Works including Fall Scents.





JCPenny Free Ship to Stores with code FREESHIP this would be a great deal for the sales for Labor Day.

Great deals in the Baby Clearance section.
 


**Applies to standard shipping to a jcpenney within the 48 contiguous United States. Surcharges may apply. Excludes manufacturer-shipped and some oversized items or in combination with any other discount(s). No minimum purchase required. You'll be contacted when your order arrives. Offer valid through September 5, 2011
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Opening of newly designed Disney Store in Seattle/Southcenter Mall



If you live in the Seattle area you should be excited to hear that there is a newly designed Disney Store opening in the Westfield Southcenter Mall!

Here is a little info on the opening of it's newly designed, innovative store. Which happens to open TOMORROW:


Opening Day
Wednesday, August 31st
Free gift to first 250 Guests
Doors open at 10am

Grand Opening Celebration
Saturday, September 10th
Free gift to the first 500 Guests
Opening Ceremony at 10am
Meet Minnie Mouse and Pluto in Macy's Court from 12pm-4pm*. Don't forget your camera.

*Characters alternate every 30 minutes. Character appearances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Visit Disney Store in Macy's Court or call for more information.




Pretty exciting to hear! We can't wait to check it out!!
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Monday, August 29, 2011

Free Spirit Emotions and Behavior Book Review and Giveaway



I really enjoy using books as a learning tool in my home. For dealing with topics like feelings and emotions books can be a great tool for kids to listen and see in pictures what I am trying to explain. Now that my son is 20 months old I can tell he is having more emotions. Its sweet to see the happy ones and sad to see when he is upset. I do my best to explain to him on his level that I hear him, understand him and lets fix what is bothering you. Recently we had the chance to review some of the new books from Free Spirit Books from the Our Emotions and Behavior series.


Not Fair, Won’t Share
A book about sharing

Playing fairly doesn’t always come naturally to kids—and sharing isn’t always easy. Plus, the hurt feelings that happen when others won’t share can make matters even worse. Nora, Henry, and Dan find this out when Miss Clover builds a special space station in their classroom. Everyone wants to play at once! Can they figure out how to share? Not Fair, Won’t Share shows that when kids get frustrated and mad, there are ways for them to calm down.

This book "Not Fair, Won't Share" arrived just in time for me to read with my son a few times before we had a day filled with having to share. He had 3 of his second cousins come over and he had to share all his toys, books, markers and cups. He was great with some items while others he was mad to have other kids touching his stuff. All perfectly normal behaviors and he did good. I did tell him he was being so nice to share his toys and thank yous when he would offer his stuff to play with. When it came to his crayons and markers oh boy was he mad. He likes to hold every crayon or marker he has all at once in one hand while he colors with the other. This time he did not want to color at all just hold them all so no one else could use them. I explained to him in the best way a 1 year old could understand that we can share our markers so we can all make pretty pictures. He let go of a few markers and crayons so the other kids could draw but he still refused to join in the coloring. I read him the book again today about sharing and reminded him how nice it was that he shared his crayons and markers. I know hes only 1 and might not totally get what I mean but I think its good for him to hear it.



But Why Can’t I
A book about rules


Kids and rules don’t always make a perfect match right away. But Why Can’t I? explores these feelings using simple text, cheerful illustrations, and a light touch of humor. When Jenny comes over to babysit, Noah doesn’t want to do what she says. Rules for games, rules for bedtime—rules, rules, rules! But Jenny helps him understand that adults have to follow rules as well as kids, and rules help keep everybody safe, healthy, and happy. 

I liked this one a lot. It shows the day of a brother and sister that are being baby sat and how they must follow the rules their parents set before they left. Thankfully the baby sitter sticks to the rules ( I know Sam and I had some wild baby sitters that once threw pennies at a pizza guy who was late) This book about following the rules is to show kids that there are rules for safety reason. I know sometimes parents can say "because I said so" and that usually does not make a kid really understand. This is  good one too.






I’m Not Happy
A book about feeling sad

Big feelings are part of daily life for small kids, and happiness just isn’t always within reach. Unwelcome events, from a broken toy to a missing pet, bring on sad feelings that can darken kids’ days. In this charming feelings book, follow along as Ben helps cheer up his friends and shows how kids can turn sadness into smiles. I’m Not Happy uses simple, easy-to-read text to present positive coping skills for children to use when they feel sad.

I like this one for the way it shows kids its ok to be upset and when we are we need to look for ways to turn things around. I have the habit of always trying to be as cheerful as possible but that can be not always a good thing. Even as adults we need to remember to address the things that don't make us happy so we can fix them and not just cover them up. A great lesson for kids to see and learn.




A book about being afraid

From pets to grown-ups, everybody sometimes feels fear. And children, grown-ups, and animals aren’t all afraid of the same things. Jack and his friends Ravi and Kevin discover this when they have a sleepover—one that unexpectedly includes a few scares! Who Feels Scared? is a cheerful and reassuring story that shows that positive coping skills can help kids deal with fear, and children can be brave even when things seem scary. 

We have not yet dealt with this emotion yet since my son is younger than the recommended ages for this book series but I know this will come in handy when he does. I like that the book uses positive coping skills for kids to overcome emotions. After all we are emotional creatures who need to learn its how we react to things in life that makes things easier or harder. 

I enjoy the books from Free Spirit Publishing. They are teaching tools that have a little story in them. We still have the ones we review for my sons 1st birthday about washing our hands. My son likes to wash his hands when we come home from being out all day. He sees me doing it and I know it helps us from getting sick. 

GIVEAWAY
 
Win a set of 4 books from Free Spirit Publishing from the Our Emotions and Behavior series. 

To Enter This Giveaway: 

What other book from Free Spirit Publishing would you like to have?


 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like Free Spirit Publishing on Facebook +1 
-Follow Free Spirit Publishing on Twitter +1 

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +2

-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1

-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +2 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Add our button to your blog and leave a link of where it is located +5 (right hand side) 


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts August 29, 2011 and ends on September 10, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provide the item in this review for free by the company or PR firm representing them. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others.




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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Mom Ride Your Bike


My son is obviously hinting to me that he is wanting me to get on my exercise bike! For a few weeks I was riding every morning and he would hang out and watch a DVD while I rode. It was at the same time everyday and when he climbed on here it was about that time. Too cute!!
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Organa Kids Happy Valley and Castle Farm DVD Review and Giveaway



Being the movie buffs we are in my home finding new characters to watch for my son can be fun. We recently reviewed two Organa Kids DVDs. We watched Happy Valley Vol.1 and Castle Farm Vol.1. This was the first time I had heard of Organa Kids and was eager to see what they were about.






Happy Valley, Volume 1

Set in a beautiful countryside by the sea, Happy Valley is filled with contemporary and traditional nursery rhymes and songs. Explore daily lives of children just like you living in a wonderful and imaginative place. Come along with them as they go about their daily lives splashing in the puddles, counting goats, brushing their teeth or riding a merry-go-round.

My son like this one. It was cute with happy smiling cartoons, just as you would expect in a place called Happy Valley. I liked the nursery rhythm type of show.


Castle Farm, Volume 1

A funny and charming animated preschool series set in an idyllic but busy country farm based in the grounds of a castle. This colourful series follows the two main characters, Farm Girl and her best friend, Piggy and their friends, including Farmer, Leonard the cow hand, and the wise Unicorn. We follow Piggy and Farm Girl as they embark on a series of quests. From wondering if a new puddle is wobbly water or silver soup to admiring a butterfly, Farm Girl and Piggy use their initiative to find out about the world around them.

My son did not really like this cartoon. I am sure other kids would since it has the appeal of a girl lead character. I think for him he could not pay attention to the cartoon drawing. I know its suppose to look hand drawn type but it wasn't for us. Cute story lines, I love anything with farming in it but he would watch for just a bit then do something else.

There are two other DVDs that Organa Kids carries that I think my son would like more Iris: The Happy Professor and Adventures of Mouse and Mole.


GIVEAWAY
 
Win a copy of Organa Kids Happy Valley Vol. 1 and Castle Farm Vol. 1 DVDs

To Enter This Giveaway: 

What cartoon character would you recommend all kids should see at least once?


 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like Organa Kids on Facebook +1
-Follow Organa Kids on Twitter +1 

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +3

-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1

-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +2 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Add our button to your blog and leave a link of where it is located +5 (right hand side) 


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts August 28, 2011 and ends on September 10, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provide the item in this review for free by the company or PR firm representing them. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others.


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