FREE channels!

HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime are all FREE channels for the weekend on Dish network! Watch and record some faves!

Photo reminders for Santa



Over the weeks, leading up to Christmas, my kids will see something in the store that they "just love" and think they have to have...we snap a pic to save or forward to Santa as a reminder, it satifies them, they put it back on the shelf and know that we can revisit it later to see if they really want it on their Santa list.  This ALSO help ME to find the correct item! lol!

 

"oh Mommy!!  I really hopes Santa brings me this exact
purple piggy" and thanks to this pic....he just may!

Fun Crafty Christmas Gifting!

This year, the kids are giving handmade gifts to the special people in their lives.  They love being creative and it's a great way to make a personalized gift! 

The kids and I had fun putting together a "guy gift basket" for their older sister's boyfriend.  We hadn't met him yet, so we didn't know what he might like...this was a way to still show that we cared.  We picked out guy-food and piled it in a microwave popcorn bowl.  The kids loved the way it turned out and they couldn't wait to give this gift!

They both enjoyed making photo ornaments.  I let them pick them out and then choose the self portrait that they wanted to make them with. Their sister got one ornament of each of them.

Another really cute one was the little angel necklace that we made out of beads and a pipe cleaner!  It was adorable and could be hung over the rear view mirror, a key chain, necklace, or just hang from a handbag, etc...

Our very favorite one is a special memory jar they are making for their dear Aunt Sissy.  It consists of a jar/container filled with 52 special memories, songs, jokes, pictures, etc that she can open weekly.  Every Monday morning, she can reach in and grab out a special surprise from one of the kids.  We took time over a couple family dinners to talk about Aunt Sissy and how special she is to us, I jotted them down and then the kids took little cards and created "memories" for her to open!  This is a gift that will keep giving ALL YEAR!  (can't show pics, because we will ruin the surprise! lol!)

Charter Rewards!!!

If you use Charter for your home phone, internet, or cable provider, chances are...you have Charter Rewards,  if you don't, you need to sign up for it.  They just posted all kinds of neat gifts on their shopping page.  I got a paddle ball set and a magic singing microphone for the kiddos for Christmas for FREE! 

SQUEEZING some fruit into breakfast!

My kiddos love waffles for breakfast, but I hate the fact that the syrup and carbs alone are NOT a healthy way to start the day!  I had been trying to serve sausage and fruit on the side, but guess what was always left on their plates...the fruit.  Even the tastiest fruit will seem sour if you've just licked maple syrup off your fork, so....

I decided to make my own blueberry syrup to cover their waffles with....ta-da!!!!  Fruit served "on" waffles was, obviously not my very own idea! lol!  But making my own "healthier" version is working to get the fruit into my kiddos with less syrup...

berries heated in syrup and left whole

I always have ample frozen wild bluberries around,  i use them in my smoothies everyday, so I just decided to blend some up with a tad of the normal maple syrup, heat for a few seconds in the microwave and pour atop the waffles.  Sometimes I leave the bluberries whole, and sometimes I puree them in my blender to make a smooth syrup...either way "squeezing or sneaking" good stuff into meals is always a challenge for parents, but this is easy and they LOVE IT now!

berries totally blended up with a tad of syrup

Food Deals

I am loving the deals that local supermarkets are running lately!  They are family meal deals!

Dierberg's is running their "Family Style Savings" this week.

You buy a rotisserie chicken and you get FREE mashed potatoes, side of gravy, 1lb green beans, and King's Hawaiian dinner rolls!  That's a super easy dinner for the family!

Schnuck's has a "MEAL DEAL" offer this week!

Purchase a package of Buddig lunchmeat and get FREE american cheese singles, loaf of bread, and a box of Mac n'cheese!

Schnuck's also has a "Dynamite Deal"...you buy a 12oz prepack of chili or soup and get a Torpedo sandwich for free!

Enter to win 25,000 BOX TOPS for your school!!!

Register at  BTFE.com/Hero for a chance to WIN 250,000 BOX TOPS for YOUR school!!!  Wouldn't that be so cool?!?!?!?