Mondays...uggg

Well, it's everybody's least favorite day, Monday, back to work (or school) 4 more days to look forward too, mind you, this weekend coming is a long weekend for Canadians, so I imagine for the most part, it will be a good week, despite the cold, dreary weather.

My day started off not too bad, it could have been worse! I came downstaris to find a half bag of milk spilled on the counter, and a pile of Golden Grahams that look like someone had attempted to clean up then gave up!  I asked my 6 year old son why he did not tell me he spilled the milk, his response was that he was scared to tell me, I felt kinda bad at this response because accidents happen, I would not have been mad, but because of his negligence, there was milk spread all over the counter, dripping onto the floor and now stepped in by both the dog and cat, and tracked through the rest of the house! So, I know what I'm doing when I get home from school, at least that's one good thing about the cool weather; my house won't smell like sour milk in the few hours I am gone! (I cleaned up most of it, but didn't have time to do the whole mopping thing!)

Dropped the kids off, late, but hey, better late than never, right!

Went to my favorite coffee establishment for my daily medium hot chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie, I was presented with a huge monstrosity of a cup and was told my beverage was made the way I like it, but they ran outta cups! So, I am sitting here, trying to drink out of it and every sip I get in my mouth, I am thankful it didn't all come rushing out at once, scallding my skin!  Why don't they tell people these things before you get to the window, if I hadda known, I probably would have gotten a juice or went somewhere else, I hate the extra large tall cups!

Got to school, worked myself outta work, again...couldn't find the teacher, I browsed Facebook for a while, promoting my kid and pet pictures to everyone who would listen, hoping to gain more votes, I even approached another student in the classroom who was on FB and asked her to please vote for my pictures!

Now, I have found my teacher and have a ton of work to complete and what am I doing?  blogging!!!  So, hope you're Monday goes good, it's almost lunch time, we're halfway there!

Have a great day!

Please vote for my baby to be in the baby calendar for charity!

PLEASE click on the link below, then LIKE my son's two photos, you can go back every day and click on comments, then write VOTE until October 15th.  I'd really love for my baby to be in this calendar!  Thanks |SO much!

Click HERE to go to voting page!  Below are the pictures of my baby, Tyler that are being voted on!

Please vote for my dog and cat to win a spot in a charity calendar!

My dog, Lexi, has won semi finalist in a local calendar contest.  If she gets the most Facebook votes, she will win the title for November's dog. Also, Bentley, my crazy cat has a shot at getting the month of January!  All proceeds to the calendar will be going to local charities!

Please click the link, and simply click LIKE!  it's that easy!


Thanks so much for your support!Click HERE to LIKE Lexi and Bentley's photo!

I'm baaaaack!

Wow, so it's been quite a while since I've updated my blog!  A lot has happened since my last post! 

I have decided to take more of a blogging approach to my writing, after all, this is a blog!  So, from now on, I will be writing more on my thoughts and ideas, and daily events, as well as other stuff I find interesting and just have to share with you!

So...yesterday was my baby's first birthday!  Everyone always says "they grow so fast" and it is definately true!  I see newborns and get all teary eyed, (but then think of my 6 year old as he is throwing a tantrum and I snap right out of it!!!)

Also yesterday, and I am under strict instruction to inform everybody that my oldest son, Dylan, has his first loose tooth!  He has been waiting and constantly checking his teeth for this to happen!

I quit my job a couple weeks ago and decided to go back to school.  I am attending a community college and am studying Executive Office Administration!  Basically, I want to get a job that will allow me to wear nice clothes!

School is going great so far, it is my third week and I have already had exams and assignments.  My lowes mark so far has been 95% !!!  Now that I am getting high marks, I would like to keep it that way, and my overall goal is to graduate with honors!  HA good luck!!!  naw, if I do that would be great, but I don't want to pressure myself too much.

Other than that...not too much has changed, but when it does, I will be sure to update you!  I am sorry I haven't posted in a while, and I will try to be more on the ball with this blogging stuff!

In celebration of Chris Cornell's Birthday, here's one of my favourite CC songs (originally done by Michael Jackson)

Chris Cornell - Billie Jean  <-----(Click to watch video)

This day in history - July 20

July 20, 1871: British Columbia becomes part of the Confederation of Canada as the sixth province!!  Yay BC!  Welcome!!!

1903:  Ford Motor Company Ships it's first car!

1957:  American Acress, Donna Dixon was born, wife to Dan Aykroyd.  Happy Birthday Donna!  ** I have actually had the pleasure of meeting Donna and even went jet skiing together at one of their Summer homes in Ontario!

1969: After making the first lunar landing, astronaut Neil Armstrong, commander of the Apollo 11 mission, becomes the first person to set foot on the Moon!

1964:  Birth of Musician, Chris Cornell!  Happy Birthday Chris!

Shreddies Inukshuks

My son is fascinated with Inukshuks!  He gets so excited when we see them along the highway on top of rock cuts!  He is going to have so much fun making and eating these Shreddies Inukshuks!

PREP TIME: 30 min.
TOTAL TIME: 30 min.
MAKES: 1, 24 Shreddies and approx. 2 Tbsp. chocolate icing (32 g)

INGREDIENTS

Post Shreddies Cereal
Prepared chocolate icing
Fruit leather or pretzel sticks

DIRECTIONS

SELECT 24 whole Shreddies for each Inukshuk.

STACK 6 Shreddies for each leg, using a dab of chocolate icing in between to hold the stacks. Stand legs about 1/2-inch apart.

STACK 5 Shreddies, using a dab of chocolate icing in between; centre body over top of both legs.

STACK 3 Shreddies over a piece of fruit leather (approx. 2-inches long x 1/2-inch wide) using icing to stick Shreddies to fruit leather to make arms. If desired, instead of fruit leather, use 2 straight pretzel sticks to support Shreddies. Attach arms to body using icing.

STACK remaining 4 Shreddies to form head, using icing to hold the Shreddies together.

REPEAT to make desired number of Inukshuks.


TIPS & SUGGESTIONS
Make Ahead:
Inukshuks can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Variation:
Instead of chocolate icing, use smooth peanut butter.

To make smaller Inukshuks, use 20 Shreddies. Each leg: 5 Shreddies; body: 4 Shreddies; arms: 3 Shreddies; head: 3 Shreddies

FREE Maynard's Candy for Canadians!

The Blush Berries Film Heist is now LIVE! For your chance to get a free sample, click on the link to catch as many strawberry-flavoured Maynards Blush Berries as you can before they ruin the Swedish Fish Film Festival legacy.
Limit of one free sample per person. 2500 samples available per week for 2 weeks. Offer expires the earlier of July 13, 2011 or when all weekly samples have been given away. Must be 18 or older. Offer available only in Canada.

Click here to play the game on Facebook.

$0.05 Coca Cola CANADA DAY ONLY!!!

Make sure to stop by Mac's on Canada Day to get a 414ml bottle of Coke for only 5 cents (plus taxes).   You will need a printable coupon for this deal, so click here to print one.  The red and white bottle will be so festive for Canada Day!!!

Happy Birthday Canada!

H A P P Y     B I R T H D A Y     C A N A D A !

Sorry!!!

I took a bit of a blogging break due to some personal matters, but will be posting very soon with awesome deals and great stories! Thanks for checking in, and please check back often!

Kinder Eggs are banned in the US??? Huh...

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Friday Apr. 22, 2011 9:03 PM ET

To Canadian kids, Kinder Surprise eggs are a tasty chocolate treat with a fun little toy inside. But to Americans, they're contraband.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency issued a notice this week to remind Americans travelling outside the country for Easter that they are not permitted to bring home Kinder eggs. And if they do, the treats will be confiscated.
Kinder Surprise eggs are hollow milk chocolate eggs about the size of a large chicken egg, and are packaged in a white and orange foil wrapper. Within the egg is an oval-shaped plastic capsule that contains a toy, such as a mini animal or tiny puzzle. The egg contains a constantly rotating selection of toys, says the Kinder Surprise manufacturer, the Ferrero Group.
But the eggs are banned in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration because they are classified as "a confectionery product with a non-nutritive object imbedded in it." The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says the toys within the eggs fail to meet their small parts requirements for children less than three years of age.
Health Canada has deemed the toys, which are difficult for small children to take apart without the help of an adult, safe.
Though they're sold everywhere in Canada. Europe, Australia and parts of Latin America, Kinder Surprise eggs have been banned in the U.S. since 1997.
Yet even 14 years after that ban was put into place, U.S. authorities still have to periodically remind Americans – usually around Easter and Christmas -- that if they pick up the eggs on their travels, they will not be allowed to bring them home.
Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 25,000 Kinder Surprise eggs in around 1,700 incidents, the CBP says.
"While there are some commercial-sized seizures that occur, most Kinder Eggs are seized in personal baggage or at mail and express consignment facilities," the agency said in new release.

Why Treat Head Lice When You Can PREVENT it!

Zippity Doo’s™children’s hair care products, mild enough
for daily use, provide health benefits to the
hair and scalp while helping prevent lice infestation.

*** CHECK OUT THE CONTEST UNDER "REVIEWS AND GIVEAWAYS"

Brad's Deals - For USA customers

I have recently discovered Brad's Deals, and am so excited to share it with you!  here is a link to Brad's deals printable coupons, there is an AMAZING selection of printables for almost every store you can imagine!  Target, Kohls, Bed Bath and Beyond!!!  so, stock up your paper and check your ink, I have a feeling you will all be printing like crazy!  Have fun!!!

http://www.bradsdeals.com/printable-coupons

They have coupon codes, online shopping deals, a search engine to search for coupons you want, I am giddy!!!  "Thou Shal Not Pay Retail"!!!

Update on "lucky" the missing bear from B.C. * FOUND* !!!

Aileen Donnelly

Lucky, the missing bear whose safe return came with a hefty reward, has returned home thanks to a Vancouver resident who offered up an identical stuffed toy.
Langley, B.C., father Gregory Gron had plastered his neighbourhood with posters offering a $1,000 reward for the return of his four-year-old daughter Victoria’s beloved plush teddy bear, after he realized he drove away with the toy left on top of his car.
Lucky and Victoria had been inseparable since she was six months old and with its scruffy fur and stitched bottom, the bear was one of a kind, Mr. Gron said.
The father spent hours searching every garbage can and interviewing local businesses before a security guard told Mr. Gron he had seen a car stop and snatch the toy off the road.
Distraught, Mr. Gron and his wife turned to their pediatrician to decide how to break the news to their daughter. The doctor suggested they tell her Lucky was on vacation. Mr. Gron then launched an exhaustive campaign for the return of the stuffed toy.
Wednesday, his unusual efforts paid off after a resident of Vancouver’s North Shore called Mr. Gron to offer an identical bear in slightly better condition. Mr. Gron wouldn’t reveal any information about the person who gave him the new bear, but said both agreed the $1,000 reward should be donated to the Red Cross for earthquake relief in Japan.
Meanwhile, Victoria is happy with her slightly refurbished Lucky and hasn’t noticed the difference.
“She has taken a liking to him. He’s an identical carbon copy of Lucky,” Mr. Gron said. “We explained to her that he was on a trip and came back all cleaned up.”
Mr. Gron said that since he posted the reward, some people have criticized him for going to such extreme lengths to protect his daughter from the inevitable pain of losing a favourite toy. While he agrees a $1,000 reward for a teddy bear seems outrageous, Mr. Gron said he was willing to do anything to reunite Victoria with her beloved bear.
“Yes, she will lose things in the future. Yes, she’s going to lose best friends. Yes, she’s going to have hard times,” he said. “But, I guess I’m trying to preserve her innocence as long as I can.”

National Post, with files from Tamsin McMahon

Tim Horton's Canada to raise prices again

Starting next week, April 11, Tim Horton's restaurants across Canada will once again be raising their prices.  It is estimated that a large coffee will go up 7 cents, bringing it to $1.59.  No other prices have been confirmed/released yet.

With the price of gas here in Ontario today being $131.9 I don't question their motives, as well the cost of sugar has gone up 40% and the cost of wheat has doubled!

Nobody likes price increases, obviously, personally I feel $1.59 for a cup of coffee is pretty steep (I wonder how much the tea is going up! lol, get it?  STEEP!!)  Sometimes the coffee tastes like crap too, other times it's great, but...supply and demand, sure we can all brew a cup of Timmy's coffee at home, but really, who has time??

How do you feel about this price increase?

Greek Lemon and Rice Soup Recipe

I am SO happy I found this recipe!  My husband and I used to go to a little Greek restaurant once and a while, and we would both order the soup to start.  It was Greek Lemon soup.  I will never forget the first time I tasted it, it was love at first bite!  The soup was so creamy and delicious, I've never tasted anything like it.  I searched high and low for a soup similar but was unsuccessful, until now, thanks to http://www.cooks.com/ I found a recipe that tastes exactly like the soup I used to eat at Leoni's Restaurant.

This soup is SO easy to make, I was ecstatic when I made it, I felt like I should be doing more work, and honestly didn't believe it would taste the same, but it did!!

This recipe yielded me only 2 bowls, so if you want more than that, I recommend doubling.

You must try this, I know you will love it!!

Enjoy!!

3 c. chicken broth
2 to 3 oz. uncooked regular rice
2 eggs
3 tbsp. lemon juice
Dash of salt
Dash of white pepper   (Black is fine too!)

 

In 2-quart saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat, add rice, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. In small bowl, beat eggs and lemon juice. Stirring constantly, add 1 cup of hot soup, a little at a time. Stir mixture into soup in pan and heat. Do not boil! Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 4. NOTE: 2 oz. rice makes thinner soup; 3 oz. rice makes thick soup. Weight instead of measurement gives the option of using medium grain rice.

$1000 Reward for the return of a teddy bear in B.C. Canada

A Langley, B.C., father is offering a $1,000 reward for the return of his daughter's missing teddy bear.
Gregory Gorn said he lost his four-year-old daughter's bear, named Lucky, last week after he put it on the roof of his car while he was strapping his daughter into the vehicle..
He said he drove away from the strip mall near 196th Street and Fraser Highway off without first retrieving the stuffed toy from the roof.
"She could have kept [it] until her adult years," said Gorn. "It would have been her first childhood toy that she really deeply cared about. That's why I am going through great lengths."
Gorn said his daughter cries her self to sleep ever since he lost Lucky.
The bear is described as beige, with a black nose, grey tummy and is about 40 centimetres tall.
Gorn asked that anyone who can return the stuffed toy to call 604-716-6664.

                                                    HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BEAR??????

Back to "normal" (whatever that is!!!)

Well, it was a hectic week while kids were out of school!  I had my 6 year old son, my 5 month old son, our new puppy and our crazy cat all to myself all week!

The first day was hell; the puppy got worms (sorry if you are eating while reading this, that'll teach ya!!) so I had to take her to the vet, while explaining to my 6 year old why we had to postpone the activities I had promised him for that day.

At home I was scrubbing, sanitizing and washing like a mad woman, just the thought of the disgusting parasites made me clean more and more, I was cleaning things that didn't need to be cleaned!

The puppy was fine the second day, so I packed up the two boys and went on a cross border shopping trip, I was afraid at first, wondering "what am I doing, this isn't going to go over very good" but surprisingly, the trip was fantastic; there were no freakouts from the 6yr old, and I only had to park behind a deserted building to nurse the baby once!  (I know, it's crazy, but I don't nurse in public!!!) 

Day three brought us to a reptile exhibit at a local mall, nothing spectacular, some snakes, an alligator and a bunch of turtles, the kids enjoyed it.

The rest of the week we just kinda stayed around home, did some yard stuff, went to the stores around home, then my 6year old invited himself to stay over night at his Gammy's, giving me a much deserved break!  YES!!!  

Finally, to end our break, the family went to a Maple Sugar Shack to enjoy some real maple syrup and pancakes.

I love my children dearly, but am glad the break is over! 

Free Jamie Oliver Recipe Book for doing a survey!

Doesn't specify wether or not it is for US or Canada.  Quick survey on Alaskan Seafood.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/alaska-seafood-survey.php

Canadians - FREE Mars Chocolate Bar !!!

FREE CHOCOLATE!!!  Need I say more???  This is a coupon for a free Mars or other chocolate bar from the Mars company!!

http://www.save.ca/marsacts

Fabulous Savings - US site you HAVE to check this out!

Saving Is Fabulous!

Imagine getting your hands on something you want for less... just by using a coupon. That's what those who've discovered FabulousSavings.com do every single day. Be a part of these smart shoppers. Turn to us for free coupons to save every time you shop.

http://www.fabuloussavings.com/

Fabulous coupons has coupons and/or coupon codes for tons of merchants including Victoria's Secret, Petco, UGG, and much more! constantly updated!

Happy saving!

P&G Brandsaver is back! over $130 in CANADIAN coupons!

I LOVE Brandsaver! these are the same coupons you get in your local newspaper from Proctor and Gamble, only now, YOU chose the ones you want and they get sent right to your address within a few days!
http://www.brandsaver.ca/en_ca/

US only - Join the Kraft First Taste Program for freebies, coupons and much more!

I just stumbled upon this, signed up, and was informed I was going to get a coupon for a FREE tub of new Philly cooking cream!  I have been wanting to try this!  http://www.kraftfirsttaste.com/ make sure you go to "My Homepage" when you are done registering, to see what special offers they have for you!

As a member of the Kraft First Taste community, take advantage of the opportunity to:

• Be among the first to know
  about the latest featured products from Kraft Foods.
• Share great products
  with friends and family by spreading the word and voicing your opinions.
• Connect to the community
  to meet others with a zest for trying new things.
• Keep informed
  with the latest activities and buzz that's happening at Kraft Foods

Toddlers and Tiaras...what's your opinion???

I just finished watching an episode of Toddlers and Tiaras on TLC. I've seen the previews before but never actually watched the whole show.
About 15 years ago, I remember my aunt entered my little cousin, then around 5 years old, into a local beauty pagent. She advanced and we all traveled out of town to a bigger show. I remember she had on a beautiful dress and her hair was blonde and curly. I don't recall any hair weaves, custom made sequined outfits or makeup bags jammed packed with cosmetics like what I saw on tv.
Do these little girls enjoy being made up like this by their parents? Personally, if you are forcing your child to smile, she is not having a good time! And the clothes some of these girls are wearing, I can't think of another word other than "skanky", don't get me wrong, some are wearing very tasteful fancy dresses, but others are wearing Daisy Dukes and knee-high boots!
I think the whole pagent thing has gone way to far, these children aren't being judged by their natural charm and beauty, they clearly aren't happy; they're live Barbie dolls being played with by their parents, perhaps these parents didn't have Barbies growing up, and they are filling a void.
To me, a children's beauty pagent should be about the natural, innocent charm and beauty of the child, like the one my family attended years ago, there is no need to stress these little girls out, or putting so much makeup on them even Tammy Fay would be jealous!
As I am writing this, there is another episode on, there is a 3 year old girl, freaking out because she can't find her lipstick! 3 years old! Unbelievable, I am glad I have boys!
I am sure I am not the only person who feels this way about these toddler parents, and to those of you who are for them, well that's fine, everyone has their own opinion, I am just putting mine in writing.

LOOKING FOR YOUR SUBMISSIONS

I would like to do an article on "amazing thrift store finds".  Have you ever found something amazing at a thrift store?  A designer bag, diamond ring, stief bear, antique or any other unbelievable bargains?  If so, I'd like to hear about it.  I will post submissions and pictures.  Please send all submissions to chalene8@yahoo.ca and don't forget to mention how much (rather how little!) you paid for your treasure!

Build and Keep a LEGO mini Model - Select States and Calgary AB Canada

Here is a schedule of lego.com stores across the USA and Calgary Alberta Canada, that offer workshops once a month where children ages 6 to 14 can build and take home a Lego mini model!

http://stores.lego.com/en-us/storeevents.aspx

Windsor ON parents not allowed to take terminally ill baby home for final days

As I sat, nursing my own baby boy, I could not help but cry as I read this article.  When my first son was born, he stayed in the NICU for 10 days, that was the hardest 10 days of my life as a mother, I cannot even imagine the pain and frustration this family is going through.

I personally do not agree with the doctors decisions, and agree with the parents; if it were me, I would want my baby home with family for his final days as well.

This article is extremely sad, and I find myself tearing up again as I blog about it. 

No baby or family should have to go through anything like this.  My heart and prayers go out to the Maraachli family.

Article can be found here:  http://ca.news.yahoo.com/windsor-parents-lose-fight-keep-baby-son-life-20110217-132048-555.html

6 year old taken to psych ward over a drawing

Pay careful attention to those pictures, moms and dads. 

Last week a 6-year-old California boy, Jack Dorman, was taken to a psychiatric hospital by ambulance — against his mother’s wishes — after he drew a “violent picture” in class and wrote that he wanted to die. When school called Jack’s mother to let her know, she explained that the his father had deployed for Iraq and that he was experiencing separation anxiety. She asked school officials not to send him to the psychiatric hospital, explaining that he had suffered from this in the past and that the family had a therapist she would get him into see that same day.
The school district sent him anyway, saying the ambulance was already on the way, and committed Jack for a 72-hour hold in a Los Angeles psychiatric hospital. The district superintendent released a statement, saying in part, “When any student indicates a desire to take his or her own life, the LAUSD is required to follow strict protocols to ensure the safety of the student … The safety of LAUSD students is paramount. We did the right thing here.”
Jack was returned to his mom after 48 hours. She told MSNBC he is “traumatized”. She is now homeschooling.
Yowza. I’m not one to second guess a death threat, but I wonder if a 30-minute conversation with the mom at school before the ambulance was called might have been a better first step. For a little boy who is afraid to be away from his family, I’m thinking it’s worth at least a quick conference with the parent and a mental health professional before sending him off to the psych ward.

Did the school district do the right thing?

via Today Moms
Image: Preventing and Reducing Youth Violence

Mall food court trays have more bacteria than a toilet seat!

There were as many harmful bacteria detected on reusable plastic food trays in some Vancouver-area shopping malls as are found on toilet seats, a CBC investigation has found.
Swabs taken from trays in food courts at three malls were sent to University of British Columbia microbiologist Bob Hancock, who analyzed the samples. The malls involved were Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver, Park Royal in West Vancouver and Metrotown in Burnaby
"We saw as many bacteria on some food trays as we saw on a toilet," said Hancock.
Swabs were taken from a gas station toilet for comparison and lab technicians did find similar types and amounts of pathogens.
Hancock said that one of the bacteria found in abundance on some food trays could be particularly dangerous.
"There was a fairly large number of a bacteria called acinetobacter," Hancock said. "Acinetobacter is one of the superbugs in our society that's causing major problems in individuals throughout the world because it's so resistant to antibiotics."
The acinetobacter was found on one tray at Park Royal and one tray at Pacific Centre.
The Pacific Centre mall's general manager, Ultan Kampff, said cleaning staff wipe the trays after every use and disinfect them every night.
"Our service provider has very high standards that are in line with acute care facilities," Kampff said. "Having said that, there's always an opportunity to revisit our procedures and our processes to see if we can do it better."
Park Royal and Metrotown both offered statements in response to the CBC test results, saying they had rigorous cleaning methods.
Despite the presence of some serious pathogens, they are not a major concern for healthy people, Hancock said.
"The number of bacteria that are transferred from a tray, even if it's in the range of hundreds of bacteria, they're not sufficient to cause disease because we have very efficient systems in our body for getting rid of bacteria."
Mall administrators said that while local health authorities do set the same standards for cleanliness in food courts as they do in restaurants, standards are not set for trays themselves because they aren't meant to be in direct contact with food.

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY TO MY FIRST BABY, DYLAN!!!

6 years ago today my first baby, Dylan was born!  Dylan came to us a month early and weighed 7 pounds!  His little lungs weren't fully developed and he had pnemonia and had to stay in the NICU for 10 days, it was the hardest 10 days of my life.  Living an hour away, we drove to and from the hospital in snow and ice every single day to deliver breast milk for our baby.  Today Dylan is a happy, healthy 6 year old and is a great big brother to his little bro Tyler!

Happy Birthday Dylan!!!  We love you very much!!!

Feb. 2005

Feb. 2011

Just ' Like' Lazboy on Facebook free Teddy bear Donated to Ronald Mc Donald House

Simply click "LIKE" when you get to the page, and one off these cute cudley bears will be donated to a child at a Ronald Mc Donald House of your choice.  Offer good until the end of Feb. or until supplies run out.

---

http://www.facebook.com/lazboy?v=app...A3T23B3H40JL7C

How to fold socks!!!

I came across this instructional video on how to properly fold socks!  lol  Enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6_7W8GzunI

Over $35 in savings from SC Johnson Canada - Printable Coupons

I love SC Johnson, they are the makers of Glade, Windex, Pledge, and other household products we all know and love.  Head over to their website and check out their printble offers, like save $4.00 when you buy 2 ZIPLOC products, or buy one get one FREE GLADE candles!

http://rightathome.ca/default.aspx?sC=1

FREE Pyrex pot holder! US and CAN

Pyrex wants to teach us the 4 rules of taking care of your glass bake ware, and to help out, they are offering up 120,000 "I heart Pyrex" pot holders to US and CAN residents!  Hurry, these will probably go fast!

Click HERE to go get your free pot holder!

Alan Jackson Concert was awesome!

Even though he didn't play "I don't even know her name", Alan Jackson blew the roof off of the K-rock Center in Kingston, ON, Canada.  The show had a mix of both slow and upbeat songs.  When he played "Remember When..." I had tears in my eyes watching images on the monitors and thinking of my Grandma who recently passed.
When the faster songs came on, the crowd went wild! especially some girls who insisted on getting up on stage and dancing during "Don't Rock the Jukebox", one made it on stage twice!
Near the end of the show, Alan started autographing items people were holding up in the front row, everything from the shirt off peoples backs, to a stinky running shoe!  He spent about 10 minutes making sure everybody's items got signed.
One part of the show that I found really touching, was when he played "Where I come From" and on the monitors in the background, were images of Kingston, (where I come from!) the scenes and landmarks of Kingston really hit home and the crowd loved it as their favourite nightclubs and coffee shops were displayed, it was great.
The K-rock centre once again hit a home run with another sold out concert! 
If Alan were to return to Kingston, no doubt, I would definately see him again, but next time I think I will wear a plaid shirt and cowboy hat like 75% of the concert go-ers!!!

                                                   


Check out this video!

Alan Jackson - Country Boy

Check out Groupon ! CANADA and USA !!!

Groupon is an easy way to get huge discounts while discovering fun activities in your city.  Daily deals consist of ,restaurants, spas, hotels, theaters, and a whole lot more, in dozens of cities across the country.

http://www.groupon.com/r/uu20472286

Retro Pepsi Sighting!

I was in Wal Mart yesterday and the Pepsi guy was stocking a bunch of Retro Pepsi cases!  He said this is the original formula of Pepsi that came out back in the day and is made with real cane sugar!  Being Pepsi Guru's, we had to buy a case!  It tastes a lot sweeter than the Pepsi we have now, but it was still good.  Retro "throwback" Pepsi is only going to be in stores for a few weeks, so if ya want it, you better hurry!

American Freebie/coupon site

Here is a great site for Americans.  It offers links to free samples, coupons and much more!  Have fun!

http://www.freakyfreddies.com/

Gain and other P&G product coupons (Canadian)

Here are a few coupons for Gain laundry.  At the bottom if you click "continue shopping" it will take you to the rest of the coupons.  These are P&G coupons for stuff like Pampers, Gillette, Crest, Pantene, Duracell and much more.  Click on the coupons you want, and in a few days, they will magically appear in your mailbox!!  Sweet!!!

http://brandsaver.ca/en_ca/portal/gain/

What's For Dinner? Forget About It! Dinner, Soprano's Style!

After watching episode after episode of the first 4 seasons of the Soprano's, I decided to try and make a baked ziti.  I found this recipe from http://www.kraftcanada.com/ , bought all the ingredients and made it tonight.  It was awesome!  It was almost effortless but tasted so good!  Enjoy!

prep time

20 min

total time

40 min

makes

8 servings, 1 cup (250 mL) each

What You Need

4 cups ziti pasta or penne pasta, uncooked

2 cups pasta sauce

1 can (398 mL/14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained (I used the spicy ones!)

185 g (3/4 of 250-g pkg.)  Brick Cream Cheese, cubed

1-1/2 cups Mozzarella Shredded Cheese

1/3 cup 100% Parmesan Grated Cheese

Make It

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt. Remove from pan; drain. Meanwhile, add pasta sauce, tomatoes and cream cheese to same pan; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Return pasta to pan; mix well.
LAYER half the pasta mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of 3/4 cup mozzarella and remaining pasta mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
BAKE 20 min. or until heated through.

Make Ahead

The pasta dish can be covered and refrigerated up to 8 hours before baking. Increase baking time to 30 to 35 min. or until heated through.

Extreme couponing: Great deals, but not much popularity in the checkout line

Here is an interesting article from the Globe and Mail.  Thanks to my mom and dad for forwarding it me!  love you guys!!!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/household-finances/extreme-couponing-great-deals-but-not-much-popularity-in-the-checkout-line/article1881706/

Zigabid.com - A Ticket Revolution -

Check out Zigabid.com !  Zigabid is where consumers interact directly with each other to determine the price of a ticket. 

You can check them out at http://www.zigabid.com/ or follow them on Twitter like I did and won a $100 Amazon.com gift card!  www.twitter.com/zigabid  you can also "like" their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/zigabid#!/zigabid?v=info  or for all of you TV Buffs, you can check out their Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/zigabid 

They are constantly hosting ticket and gift card contests, who knows, YOU could be the next Zigabid winner!

Join My Points and earn points to redeem for gift certificates and other cool stuff! it's so easy!!

I have been a My Points member for quite a while now.  They send you an email now and again, they do NOT spam you or send you a bunch of crap, you receive points for reading the email, also earn points for shopping on Ebay and other partner sites.  They have gift cards for Canadians and Americans.  Just the other day I redeemed for a $10 Target card!!

My Points

Where to find coupons

There are a lot of good coupon sources, you just have to keep your eyes out for them.  I am sure you've all received those little booklet inserts in your newspaper or mail box.  Here is a schedule of when you can expect the next issue to arrive, so if you don't subscibe to the newspaper, but want coupons, you know when to buy one or get others to save theirs for you.

Smart Source                                              Red Plum
January 29                                            February 5                                                   
February 12                                                  March 12
March 5                                                        April 9
March 26                                                      May 7
April 16                                                         June 4
May 14                                                         July 2
June 11                                                         August 13
July 9                                                            September 10
August 6                                                       October 1
August 27                                                     October 29
September 24                                               November 26
October 15
November 5
December 3



Another great way to get good coupons is to contact the company directly.  There are a few different approaches you can try.  1.  simply visit the company's website, click on "contact us" and just ask for coupons.  2.  Complain - Did you have a negative experience with a product? contact the company and let them know; company's have high quality control quidelines and when something goes wrong, they want to know about it.  They will usually compensate you by replacing the product and/or sending out valuable coupons.  3. Compliment - Have a product you absolutely love? contact the company and just let them know!  Company's are happy to hear their customers are happy and as a thank you will usually send out coupons.  One company that is famous for this is http://www.scjohnson.ca/ click on "contact us" under the green video screen.  You will be asked to chose what product you are writing about like GLADE, ZIPLOCK, WINDEX, PLEDGE ect.  as a thankyou, they will send you a COUPON FOR A FREE PRODUCT!


Keep your eyes open at the stores; sometimes there will be coupons right by the shelves, you might want to limit the number of coupons you take, especially if you have little children with you!  The other day I was taking a couple coupons for fabric softener and my 5 year old shrieked "Mommy, why are you taking ALL the coupons???"  (I didn't, I only took like 3!!!)

Some websites have spots you can go and view other peoples "trade" lists, so if you have coupons you don't want, perhaps someone else will and in return, will send you some you will use.  For more on coupon trades, check out http://www.smartcanucks.ca/ and click on the "coupons" tab.

Coupons and offers from Kelloggs!!

http://www2.kelloggs.ca/

sign up for their newsletter at the top of the website where it says "Get the latest news and offers from Kellogg SIGN up NOW"  For signing up, you will receive:

• valuable coupons,
• scrumptious recipes,
• specials offers & promotions
• tasty new products.
• great tips for your family

Websaver has new Loreal coupons! (they mail them to you!)

http://www.websaver.ca/en_ca/portal/lorealparis/

Did you know you are entitled to a discount if an item scans in at the wrong price?

That's right, it's called the Scanning Code Of Practice, or SCOP. 

If an item scans it at a higher price than the shelf or advertised price, then you get a FREE product or discount!  If the item is less than $10.00 you get it free.  If it is more than $10.00 you receive $10.00 off the price!

Some of you may not be aware of this, but it is completely true, I pay close attention to the monitors as my purchases are being scanned.  I have received several free/discounted products thanks to SCOP ranging from cereal, bleach, an area rug and many other things!

If this happens to you, simply point it out to the cashier, most are very friendly about it, but once and a while you will get the odd one who acts like the money is coming off of her paycheque!  Simply inform them of the item in question, then when they verify that it has actually scanned in wrong, make sure you mention SCOP and that you get it free, sometimes cashiers will try to charge you the correct price instead of giving it to you free or discounted, but most are pretty good.

Times are tough, we need to save anywhere we can, so don't feel embarassed if this happens, the people behind you won't mind! stand up for your SCOP rights!  I do it all the time!  The retailers made the "rule" and it's our duty as consumers to follow it!

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THE PRICES WHEN CHECKING OUT!!!

Canada's Largest Coupon & Shopping Deals Community

http://www.smartcanucks.ca/

Easy search and earn program, I've earned $20 in Amazon.ca giftcards in just a few weeks!

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