Great Weekend to Buy Newspapers!

Usually after a holiday there are great coupons and this weekend is no different. Go HERE to see a preview of the coupons. I have to add that one of my favorite coupons will be coming out on Sunday. Its the high dollar Finish Dishwasher 2.15/1 coupon. It's not as high as it has been in the past but still great. This coupon usually only comes out in January and July. It is a stock up coupon and worth purchasing quite a few papers or buying the coupons on eBay.

Jo-Ann Fabric Kid Classes

You can go HERE to find out what the classes are at your local Jo-Ann Fabric. Just find your location and click on Class Schedule. There may be a small charge for the class.

If you are local to Franklin, TN. Here area the classes offered for kids beginning in January at the Mallory Lane location:

Kids' Sewing 101: Headtime Story
(8+years old)

Sat Jan 7 3:30-6:30pm
Sat Jan 21 3:30-6:30pm
Thu Feb 9 4:30-7:30pm

Kids' Sewing 102: Robo-Pals
(5+years old)

Sun Jan 22 3:00-6:00pm
Fri Jan 27 6:00-9:00pm
Sat Feb 4 2:00-5:00pm
Sun Feb 19 2:00-5:00pm

Kids' Sewing 201: Sew Hip Bag
(8+years old)

Sat Feb 11 3:30-6:30pm
Sat Feb 18 3:30-6:30pm

Kids' Quilting 101: Y'all Sprawl Pillows
(8+years old)

Sat Jan 7 3:30-6:30pm
Sat Jan 21 3:30-6:30pm
Thu Feb 9 4:30-7:30pm

Kids' Knitting 101: Basics
(8+years old)

Sat Jan 14 2:00-5:00pm
Sun Feb 12 2:00-5:00pm

Wilton® Kids' Cake Decorating 101:
Gotta Have Heart
(8+years old)

Sat Jan 14 1:00-3:00pm
Sat Jan 28 1:00-3:00pm

Wilton® Kids' Cake Decorating 201:
Robot Invasion
(8+years old)

Sat Jan 21 1:00-3:00pm
Sun Feb 4 1:00-3:00pm

Lowe's Build and Grow for January 2011

Lowe's will be offering two Build and Grow Clinics for January. The dates for January's Build and Grow are the 14th (Castle) and the 28th (Dinosaur) and begins at 10 am. You must sign up in advance by going HERE.

Each participant receives a free apron, goggles, a project themed patch, and a certification of merit upon completion of their project.

Home Depot Kids Workshop for January

My kids really enjoy going to Home Depot and learning to build different things. On January 7th, Home Depot will be having a workshop that teaches kids to build a "Savings Shed". So basically, not only do you teach your child about saving but you also get to teach him/her how to build their own bank. Very cool.

The workshop is between 9 am and 12 am. This FREE hands-on workshops is designed for children ages 5 - 12 and is offered the 1st Saturday of every month.

Menu Plan Monday 12/26/2011

Monday: Burritos
Tuesday: Crockpot Meatballs & Steamed Vegetables
Wednesday: Turkey Chili
Thursday: Baked Ham & Zucchini
Friday: Pesto Chicken, Mushrooms & Cauliflower
Saturday: Spaghetti
Sunday: Quiche & Pancakes

Link Love: Top Twenty Easiest Appetizers

This is a great site for those of us who are appetizer challenged. Check out Mommytalk's Top Twenty Easiest Appetizers! It's amazing what you can do with a block of cream cheese.

Merry Christmas!

Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Old Navy Groupon $20 for $10

Right now Groupon is having a great deal where you get a $20 Old Navy voucher for only $10! This means you can get 50% off any in-store purchase. Shop sales and clearance to get the most out of your money! This Groupon is valid from 12/22/11 until 1/28/12.

If you still have stocking stuffers to buy, this is a great deal!

Menu Plan Monday: 12/19/2011

Monday: Sausage Gumbo
Tuesday: Whole Crockpot Chicken with Mashed Potatoes
Wednesday: Caribbean Chicken Stew
Thursday: Pumpkin Chili
Friday: Baked Sour Cream Tilapia & Steamed Vegetables
Saturday: Family Gathering, I make Cranberry Salad, Red Cabbage
Sunday: Turkey & Leftovers

How to Finger Knit

I was crocheting a scarf at the football field a few months ago. We spent a lot of time there for practices and waiting for games to start. I guess my idea caught on because another preteen girl started to bring some yarn with her to the games/practices. I noticed that she only used her fingers to create something so I googled finger knitting. I am so glad I did.

In the past I have tried to teach crochet to my kids, ages 6, 8, and 10, but it never seemed to connect. Finger knitting on the other hand, does work for this age group. So I watched a few videos on YouTube, made one myself, and then taught the kids. The first one or two were not so pretty but then they really caught on. They turned it into a business and sold some to their friends to give to their parents for Christmas! My eight year old son made one for me in less than an hour one morning while waiting at the pediatrician's office and was with me later in a store when the lady complimented me on it - he was super excited and she was very impressed that he made it. I suppose it is not often that an eight year old boy knows how to knit but all the kids love doing it. He has been begging me for three days to buy more yarn. Just a tip, if you are going to try it, make sure you buy really thick yarn and don't forget your Michael's coupon!

Oh, one more benefit, the kids are really still and quiet while they are doing it! It takes concentration.



For the Pom Poms at the end of the scarf:

Cheap Theraflu at Publix

I was at Publix yesterday and noticed at the pharmacy that there is a Publix pamphlet about colds and flues. Inside this single page folded pamphlet was a $2/1 Publix coupon for Theraflu. If you match that with a manufacturer, you can get Theraflu very cheaply. This is a good thing currently in our house!

Theraflu, about $5.50
-$2/1 Publix Coupon, exp 12/31/2011
-$4/2 Theraflu Products, any - 12-04-11 SS
-$2/1 Theraflu Product, any - 12-04-11 SS
-$3/2 Theraflu products, any - found on product
-$2/1 Theraflu Multi-Symptom Severe Cold With Lipton Green Tea And Honey Lemon Flavors, Any - Bricks
-$3/2 Theraflu Products, Any - Bricks
-$2/1 Theraflu Warming Relief Syrup Or Caplets, Any - Bricks
Final Price: as low as $1.50

For the Locals: Flea Market Weekend!

The Holiday December Flea Market is Friday – Sunday (Dec 16 - 18) at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Hours are 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday. Parking is usually $5, or free if you park on the street.

It's a great place to finish your Christmas shopping! Just fyi, when I was there last month, they had some really cool winter hats like mo-hawks and characters like Angry Birds. There were also some great deals on tools. For you men out there who have no clue what to buy for the ladies in your life, there was a booth in the middle of one of the buildings with Amish ladies selling homemade soap which smelled fantastic and was very reasonably priced. Happy shopping!

Menu Plan Monday: 12/12/2011

Ever have one of those weeks where you know you don't want to cook? This is that week. The cold/flu crud has hit our house hard so I am only making that which requires the minimum of effort! Hope your week is going better than mine.


Monday: Turkey Stroganoff
Tuesday: Crockpot Fifteen Bean Soup
Wednesday: Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup
Thursday: Chili
Friday: Crockpot Hawaiian Drumsticks and Vegetables
Saturday: Shepherd's Pie
Sunday: Quiche & Blueberry Muffins

For the Locals: Fort Nashborough Winter Activities Day & Second Harvest Food Fight

The Metropolitan Historical Commission is hosting a living history day on Saturday, December 10 from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at Fort Nashborough on First Avenue North in Nashville.

The event is a celebration of Fort Nashborough’s history and importance to our community. Members of 2nd Company North Carolina Militia, a Tennessee based 18th century reenactment group, will demonstrate daily life at the fort. Living history demonstrations will include cooking, spinning, tanning, trapping, and hunting. The family-friendly event is free and open to the public.

The event is jointly sponsored by the Metropolitan Historical Commission (MHC), the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation, and Historic Nashville, Inc. For more information, please call the Historical Commission at 862-7970.

Menu Plan Monday: 12/5/11

Monday: Spaghetti
Tuesday: 40 Clove Garlic Chicken
Wednesday: Chili
Thursday: Chicken & Spinach Casserole
Friday: Mexican Vegetarian Casserole
Saturday: Pesto Chicken & Vegetables
Sunday: Quiche & Waffles

Free Christmas Music!

If you are spending your weekend decorating and are in the mood for a new free Christmas playlist for your iPod, then you are in the right place!

Gloria by Snowflake & ccMixter
I Saw Three Ships by James Edwards

Coventry Carol by James Edwards
First Noel by Maya Filipic
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Chance's End
We Three Kings by Chance's End
Winter Night by Little & Ashley
Baby It's Cold Outside - Elle Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan (my favorite!)
White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
Silent Night by David Lanz
Snow, Snow & Mistletoe by Shelly Adams
What Child is This? by Denny Jiosa

Amazon's 25 Days of Free Music

Kohl's Coupon Codes

For those of you who like to shop online for Christmas (soooooo much easier), here are some great Kohl's Coupon Codes. Kohl's is having lots of sales right now so when you add these, it's like icing on the cake! You can use two coupon codes for any order so right now you can get 20% off and free shipping.

Just a tip, if you are going to shop at Kohl's in the future, first go to dealigg.com and find out the current codes (use the search tool) and then go through ebates.com to get 4% back. Here's another tip. If you forget to start at ebates and you are at your checkout page, open another page and go to ebates and log in. Find the store you are shopping at and open an ebates connection to that store. Go to checkout and you will usually find everything still there as long as you did not close the original page, AND you still get the money back.

20% off for All Customers
* Online: Use Kohls Coupon Code CON20HH4 or HOLLY20
* In-store: In-store Printable Kohls Coupon [Exp. 12/05]

Free shipping on any order for All Customers
Use Kohls Coupon Code XMASFREE

20% off for Kohls Card Holders [Exp. 12/12]
Use Kohls Coupon Code DECEMBERPYD

15% Off Orders of $100 or more for All Customers
Use Kohls Coupon SAVINGNJ3 or PGO15OFF

Sign up for $5 off $5 your next in-store purchase and 10% off your Kohls.com purchase

Link Love: Snowman Soup!

Time2Save has a great post on making "Snowman Soup." I think this is a great idea for kids to make as gifts to friends and teachers.

For the Locals: Tour the Governor's Mansion

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam have started a new holiday tradition by inviting the public to tour Tennessee's executive residence.

"Tennessee's Home for the Holidays" is a free open house event at the executive residence during the first two weeks in December.

Crissy Haslam actually started planning and choosing decorations back in June. Each live tree was selected by a Tennessee tree farm and is unique to each room.

In Conservation Hall alone, there are 16 trees. Students sent in ornaments based on their favorite children's book.

Self-guided tours of the mansion start next Monday and run daily on the weekdays through December 16.

Those interested should register online at the First Lady's website: www.tn.gov/firstlady

Link Love: JC Penney Toy Sale

Check out Mama Cheap's post on the great sale for JC Penney toys good through 12/3! Great time to shop for Christmas!

For the Locals: The Works of Reverend Howard Finster

Stranger in Paradise: The Works of Reverend Howard Finster
November 11, 2011 — January 15, 2012

Currently on view at the Tennessee State Museum is a special exhibition featuring the work of the late folk artist Howard Finster. The exhibition, Stranger in Paradise: The Works of Reverend Howard Finster, is free and on exhibit in the museum’s Changing Galleries. A self-proclaimed "Man of Visions," Finster was one of America’s most widely known and prolific self-taught artists, producing more than 46,000 pieces of art before his death in 2001.

Go HERE to learn more about the artist and display. The entrance of the museum is the same entrance as TPAC.

For the Locals: Tuba Christmas!

I went to Tuba Christmas for the first time several years ago. I was not sure I would enjoy listening to a hundred or so Tubas (that's what it seemed like but was probably less) playing Christmas music at one time. It was actually quite amazing and a lot of fun. Everyone is so happy to be there and the music is great. It is also free and a wonderful way to get into the Christmas spirit. Here is the information for this year's Tuba Christmas. If you have never been, I recommend it! Also, kids love it. Get there early because it is always packed.

NASHVILLE - TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13

TIMES: 11:00 am - First Baptist Church, corner of Broadway & 7th Avenue South
12:30 pm - First Baptist Church

REGISTRATION: 8:30 am, Fellowship Hall

REHEARSAL: 9:30 am, Sanctuary

PARKING: Free parking for performers and audience in Church lots.

NOTE: Directions: I-40, I-65 or I-24 to downtown Nashville, Broadway exit. Head toward downtown to just past 7th Ave. South. Turn off Broadway into driveway that goes under building. Unload at Fellowship Hall entrance.

CONDUCTOR: G.R. Davis

COORDINATORS: G.R. Davis 615-714-0247, Nancy Holland 615-419-2837

Cub Scout Cake Decorating Contest!

I am a big believer in Cub Scouts for boys because it's fun, inexpensive and teaches them important skills. Last night was our cake decorating contest, and I thought you might enjoy seeing the cakes! This is what we spent our Sunday doing. They both placed first within their dens but did not place within their pack. They had a ball and came home stuffed with cake. I am giving you the links as well if you should like to get directions to make these yourself. There were some pretty amazing cakes. I really liked the Star Wars, Lego and Angry Birds cakes.

This is my 10 year old's cake:


The fries are browned slices of pound cake. The "ketchup" is white icing mixed with red and a little brown food coloring. The hot dog is a pound cake and twinkies and directions are found HERE and HERE.

This is my 8 year old's cake:

My younger son wanted a dog. HERE are the best directions that I could find. The results were not perfect but certainly fun and pretty easy to make! I suggest before you begin the process, you make a trip to the dollar store for supplies. It is far cheaper than Michael's or the grocery store. This cake was pretty cheap as it only requires one box cake and two cans of frosting. The expensive part was having to buy the frosting tip for the "hair". Michael's had a 50% off printable coupon so it was not too pricey (about $5). Don't forget the pan for display at the dollar store. Buy two for each cake for extra support in transportation.

Menu Plan Monday: 11/28/11

Monday: Crockpot Chili

Tuesday: Chicken Corn Chowder

Wednesday: Florentine Meatballs and Pasta

Thursday: Crockpot Cranberry Chicken & Steamed Vegetables

Friday: Cheeseburger Bread & Sweet Potato Fries

Saturday: Chicken Pot Pie

Sunday: Kitchen Sink Quiche

For the Locals: Flea Market Weekend!

The “Holiday Preview” November Flea Market is this weekend through Sunday, November 27th at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Hours are 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday.

It may be a great alternative to the super busy mall!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Menu Plan Monday: 11/21/11

Monday: Creamy Southwest Taco Soup
Tuesday: Beef & Cabbage Bake
Wednesday: Chicken Curry in a Hurry with Rice
Thursday: Thanksgiving!
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Sunday: Quiche & Cranberry Orange Muffins

$5 off of $25 Coupon for Family Dollar

Go HERE to get your $5 off of $25 coupon good from today through Tuesday, November 22!

Link Love: Black Friday Deals

Dealigg.com has a page set up just for Black Friday Deals. Check it out if you are looking for some great sales!

For the Locals: Half Off Learning Express of Cool Springs Gift Certificate

This is a fantastic local toy store! I just happened to be on Channel 4's Better Deals website when I noticed that they are selling gift certificates to Learning Express for $12 worth $25. They have a great birthday registry that we used for other kids' parties in the past, and this gift certificate would make a nice present become totally awesome. At first I was unsure if I liked this concept of birthday gift registries, but it made shopping so much easier and would now recommend it. The certificate is also great for holiday shopping! The store has baby things as well.

I don't know how long this will last so you may want to take advantage of it quickly.

Menu Plan Monday 11/14/2011

Monday: Chili & Twice Baked Cauliflower

Tuesday: Spicy & Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Wednesday: Spaghetti & Salad

Thursday: Spinach Turkey Meatloaf & Baked Parmesan Tomatoes
Friday: Evening Out - Pizza for the Kids!
Saturday: Pigs in the Blanket & Fruit
Sunday: Curried Coconut Chicken & Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake, Pumpkin Pie Smoothies


Spicy & Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
by Aimee Fortney

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies, liquid drained
12 ounces cream cheese
4 cups shredded chicken (Ground meat or seafood could be used)
9 (six inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup to 1 cup Queso Fresco (Mexican Cheese)
Heavy whipping cream (approximately 1 Tablespoon)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 13 inch dish and set aside.
2. Pour tomato mixture through a colander to drain liquid.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat tomato mixture and cream cheese until cream cheese is melted. Stir in shredded chicken and remove from heat.
4. Spoon mixture down the center of flour tortillas, roll up and place seam side down in greased dish. Repeat with remaining mixture.
5. Crumble queso fresco over tortillas, then drizzle heavy whipping cream over top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Serve with pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole.

This is a great base recipe, and you could easily add other seasonings or ingredients.

Link Love: Educated and Jobless

I used to teach High School Business and Technology. I would definitely make my students listen to this if I were still teaching!

Up to 75% off Melissa & Doug Toys: Deals from $5 + free shipping

Bloomingdale's cuts up to 75% off several Melissa & Doug toys. Plus, coupon code "HOLIDAY11" cuts 20% off. With free shipping via coupon code "FREESHIP11", and prices starting at $5.40, many items are at price lows. Sales tax is added where applicable.

A best bet: Search for "497829" to find the Melissa & Doug Band-in-a-Box (pictured) for $5.40 with free shipping via the above codes. It features a tambourine, cymbals, maracas, clacker, tone blocks, and triangle.

Thanks to dealnews.com for this great tip!

For the Locals: Battle of Franklin Illumination

This is one to put on your calendar!

Date: November 30, 2011
Times: 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Address: Fourth Avenue and N. Margin Street, Franklin TN 37064
Location: Rest Haven Cemetery
Phone: (615) 794-0903
Admission: free
Description: 1,000 luminaries will be lit to commemorate the casualties of the Battle of Franklin held November 30, 1864. Held at Carnton Plantation near the McGavock Cemetery, but hosted by the City of Franklin.

Link Love: Best Day of the Week to Buy Everything

If you have ever wondered what day of the week is the best day to buy items online, check out this interesting article!

For the Locals: History Festival at the Bicentennial Mall

NASHVILLE –Tennessee’s History Festival will be held Nov. 11-12 at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville. With a focus on Civil War history, the event blends education and entertainment, allowing school groups and families to experience day-to-day soldier life during this important time in history. In year’s past, the festival has drawn more than 6,000 visitors to the park.

"Tennessee’s History Festival offers something for the entire family and all age groups,” said Park Manager Mike Cole. “As we continue to commemorate the sesquicentennial of Tennessee’s involvement in the Civil War, I encourage everyone to join us for an up-close look into what military life was like during the 1860s.”

With its “Struggle for the Heartland” theme, the two-day festival will feature multiple displays and demonstrations by re-enactors and living history interpreters. A highlight of this year’s festival will be a re-enactment of a Civil War skirmish between Northern and Southern troops, demonstrating black-powder weaponry. Visitors will get an opportunity to observe how cannons were loaded and fired by Porter’s Battery of Clarksville, Tenn.

Civil War stories will come alive as participants see and hear from Generals Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee and George H. Thomas, along with special appearances by the 13th United States Colored Troops and the 19th Alabama civilian encampment. Infantry and artillery demonstrations will include how to march in formation, inspections and drills.

The festival is free and open to the public. Activities will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. School groups are encouraged to plan their visits for Friday, Nov. 11, and must register in advance. Educators may arrange for bus parking and special informational packets for their visits. School group reservations may be made by contacting Park Manager Mike Cole at (615) 741-5800.

Tennessee’s History Festival is made possible by the generous support of Tennessee State Parks and Bridgestone Americas.

The Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is located at the foot of the State Capitol in downtown Nashville. The 19-acre park was designed to complement the Capitol and give visitors a taste of Tennessee's history and natural wonders, while serving as a lasting monument to Tennessee's Bicentennial celebration. Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park recently celebrated recognition as one of the American Planning Association’s Top 10 Great Public Spaces for 2011.

Additional details about the park can be found at www.tnstateparks.com/Bicentennial. For more information about Tennessee’s History Festival, please call the park office at (615) 741-5280.

For the Locals: Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Lecture

Literary Award Public Lecture

Location: Nashville Public Library, Auditorium, Conference Room 1

When: November 12 at 10:00 am
Price: Free
Event Website

John McPhee, recipient of the 2011 Nashville Public Library Literary Award, is often considered the greatest living non-fiction writer and a legend in literary journalism. His narrative approach to a multitude of common and uncommon topics has earned him a Pulitzer Prize and legions of fans who accompany him on his carefully constructed literary journeys. Visit the Nashville Public Library for a rare public lecture by John McPhee.

Menu Plan Monday 11/7/2011

Monday: Chicken Corn Chowder & Salad
Tuesday: Crockpot Beef Stew
Wednesday: Pork Chops & Mashed Potatoes
Thursday: Spinach & Artichoke Topped Chicken
Friday: Mexican Vegetarian Casserole with Tortillas & Salad
Saturday: Spaghetti
Sunday: Baked Pesto Chicken & Sweet Cream Corn

Link Love: Free Teeth Cleaning in November

Check out Ms. Cheap's article on how to get free teeth cleaning this month! This is an excellent opportunity for self-maintenance especially if you lack insurance or if money is tight!

Harris Teeter Trip 2

Trip 2 was surprisingly fast!

OOP: 16.78 (Saving 79%)

1 Smart Balance Milk, $3
-$1.50/1 printable (zip code 85004), doubled
Final Price: Free

2 I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spread, 2.59
-(2) $1.00/1 printables, doubled
Final Cost: .59 ea

Sarah Lee Bread, 2.79 BOGO
-Free Bread WYB 2 I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spread printable (deducted $2)
Final Price: Free

10 Cream of Chicken/Mushroom Soup, .80
-(2) $1/5 printable, doubled
Final Cost: .40 ea

2 Nestle Cocoa, 1.79
-(2) .55/1 printables, doubled
Final Price: .69 ea

Muir Glen Tomato Paste, 1.39
-.75/1 IP Qs, doubled
Final Price: Free

2 Country Crock Spreads, 2.00
(2) .40/1 IP Qs, doubled
Final Price: 1.20 ea

2 H.T. Large Eggs, 1.50 ea
-.55/2 IP Q, doubled (no longer available)
- Free eggs WYB 2 Country Crock Spreads HT e-coupon (subtracted 1.89)
Final Price: .005 ea

4 Swanson Chicken Broth, 2.00 and 1.29 BOGO
(2) $1/2 printable, doubled
Final Cost: .16 ea

2 Gold Peak Teas, 18.5 oz, $1.50 ea
-(2) $1/1 Gold Peak Tea (Facebook), 18.5 oz printable
Final Price: Free

3 Chex Cereal, 2.50 ea
-B2G1 HT promotion
-1.10/2 printable, doubled
-$1/2 Chex Cereals Harris Teeter eCoupon
Final Price: .60 ea

2 Underwood Meat Spread, 2.25
-(2) $1/1 printable, doubled
Final Price: .25 ea

4 Fleischmann’s Strips, $1.49
-(2) $1/2 Fleischmann’s Active Dry or Rapid Rise yeast strips printable, doubled
Final Price: .49 ea

Total before sales/coupons: 80.29
Sales: 24.13
Coupons: 39.38
OOP: 16.78 (Saving 79%)

JC Penney Kids Coats Sale!

Kids Coats and Jackets for 19.99 or 2 for 29.98!

Add 2 to cart and Use $10 off $25 JCPenney Coupon Code KIDSAVE Shipping is $5.99 to home or $4.99 to store. Selected items: * Girl's Puffer Jacket Pink * Girl's Puffer Jacket Wave * Infant Girl's Weather Tamer Bubble Parka * Boys 8-20 Puffer Jacket * Boys Puffer Jacket * More ... Thanks to Dealigg.com for this tip!

Harris Teeter Super Doubles Trip

OOP: $20.55 (saving 75%)

Football season has finally ended so now I have a little more time to shop! Harris Teeter is having their Super Double Coupon sale this week. There are some great deals to be had.

2 M&M large bag of candy, regularly 6.99, on sale $3.50
(2) 1.50/1 IP Q for Mars Candy, doubled
Final Price: .50 ea

6 Jello Pudding, .97
- (2) 1.25/3 printable (zip code 27107), doubled
Final Price: .14 ea

2 Arnold Bread, 4.29 BOGO
-(2) .55/1 IP Qs, doubled
Final Price: 1.05 ea

1 Smart Balance Milk, $3
-$1.50/1 printable (zip code 85004), doubled
Final Price: Free

2 Silk Almond Milk, $3.49
-(2) 1.25/1 IP Qs, doubled
Final Price: .99 ea

2 Carnation Evaporated Milk, $1.00
-.50/2 printable, doubled
-.55/2 HT e-coupon
Final Price: .23 ea

L&P Worcestershire Sauce, 3.39
-$1/1 printable, doubled
Final Price: 1.39

2 Muir Glen Tomato Paste, 1.39
-(2) .75/1 IP Qs, doubled
Final Price: Free

3 Trident Gum, 1.29
-$1/3 MF Q, doubled
Final Price: .62 ea

Celestial Tea, 2.5
-$1/1 MF Q, doubled
Final Price: .50

Chock Full O' Nuts Coffee, 3.49

3 Hidden Valley Salad kit $2.99
-(3) $1/1 Hidden Valley Salad Kit, exp. 11/30/11 (SS 08/21/11)
Final Price: $.99 ea

2 Blue Dog Doggie Paws Treats, 3.39 BOGO
-(2) $1/1 printable, doubled
Final Price: Free

Total before sales/coupons: 82.16
Sales: 21.44
Coupons: 40.16
OOP: $20.55 (saving 75%)

I Have a New Niece!

Congrats to my sister, Mrs. M., who had a beautiful baby girl this afternoon! She is lovely! You forget how small humans are when they begin life until you hold one less than an hour old.

Harris Teeter Super Doubles 11/2 - 11/8

Harris Teeter will begin Super Doubles (will double coupons up to 1.98) on Wednesday! Here are a few websites to give you some ideas on great deals:

Southern Savers

Faithful Provisions

Hot Coupon World

Coupon Teacher

Here are some current catalina deals that may be useful when planning your trip:

Jello Snacks

Buy any refrigerated Jello Snacks, including Pudding, Gelatin, and Mouse Snacks and Temptations by Jellp Between 10/31/11 and 11/27/11 and Save up to $4 OYNO

Buy 3 and save $2.00 OYNO
Buy 4 and save $3.00 OYNO
Buy 5 or more and save $4 OYNO

All items must be purchased in shopping order. Limited to product in stock. No cash back. Offer expires 11/27.

Barilla Sauce

Buy any Barilla Sauce between 11/2/11 and 11/11/11 and save up to $3 OYNO.

Buy 2 and get $1 OYNO
Buy 3 and get $2 OYNO
Buy 4 or more and get $3 OYNO

Coupon printed at register.

All items must be purchased in shopping order. Limited to product in stock. No cash back. Offer expires 11/11.

Huggies

Buy any Huggies Diapers Between 10/31/11 and 11/27/11 and Save up to $6 OYNO

Buy 2 and save $3 OYNO
Buy 3 and save $5 OYNO
Buy 4 or more and save $6 OYNO

Coupon Prints at register.

All items must be purchased in shopping order. Limited to product in stock. No cash back. Offer expires 11/27.

For the Locals: Williamson County Parks & Rec Couponing Class

The Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department will offer new couponing classes at the Franklin Recreation Complex, 1120 Hillsboro Road, and a monthly coupon swap event. The couponing basics class is 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Nov. 9 or 1:30-4:30 p.m. Nov. 13.

Learn how to use coupons, and how find the best deals for buying fresh and healthy foods, household products, beauty supplies and more. Gain knowledge that could help you save more than 70 percent on groceries.

Either class is $18, plus a $3 supply fee payable to the instructor. To register, call the Franklin Recreation Complex, 615-790-5719, ext. 10.

Once a month, Franklin Rec will host a coupon swapping event. Bring any unused coupons to the swap and get the coupons you need while sharing with others. Instructor Cristina Hooghrirk will be on hand to answer questions. Join the swap on 9:30-10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18. The coupon swap is $5. To reserve your spot, call 615-790-5719, ext. 10.

Menu Plan Monday: 10/31/2011

Monday: Monster Meatloaf, Children of the Corn & Bobbin' for Apple Slices
Tuesday: Turkey Chili
Wednesday: Crock Pot Autumn Sausage
Thursday: Caribbean Rice
Friday: Peach Dump Chicken
Saturday: Beef Stew
Sunday: Pancakes & Eggs

Link Love: Penny Prints at Snapfish

Check out Momma Cheap's post on how to get up to 300 prints for a penny each! It's a great deal and perfect for all those Halloween photos!

For Halloween: Candy Corn Screwdriver Recipe

Now this looks like a great treat (for the parents, of course)!

Candy Corn Screwdriver
from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

Ice
1 cup Vodka
1 1/2 cups Pulp Free Orange Juice
16 Candy Corn Candies

Directions:

In cocktail shaker, place ice, vodka and orange juice. (Depending on size of cocktail shaker, you may have to work in batches.) Shake 30 seconds.

Pour into 4 chilled martini glasses. Garnish each with 4 candy corn candies.

Makes 4 servings

Link Love: Great Nutrition Links!

Someone recently asked me what I like to read. I realized then that my choices in preferred reading was quite extreme. When I have the time (not often) I can usually be found reading sappy historical novels (brain candy) or scientific medical books like the history of plagues (which made me into a true supporter of immunizations). Thus, I like to also read current research on nutrition. Here are a few great articles you also might like:

6 Cancer Fighting Snacks

Aspirin Slashes Colon Cancer

The Multiple Nutrient Needs of Bones

Astaxanthin Benefits and Dr. Oz's show about Astaxanthin

For the Locals: Franklin Pumpkinfest!

Franklin, TN, is hosting its annual Pumpkinfest this Saturday, October 29th from 10 am to 9 pm with more than 75 arts and crafts vendors, a children’s activity area on 3rd Ave. S., Five Points stage, Sister Cities’ Great Pumpkin, Franklin Tomorrow Chili Cook-off and more.

Held in conjunction with Pumpkinfest is the second annual Franklin Battle of the BBQ presented by Heineken. For more information, please see www.franklinsbattleofthebbq.com

And there’s a night-time cemetery tour in Downtown Franklin with the “Grave Matters: The Stories Behind the Stones” tours Saturday night, Oct. 29, at the Old City Cemetery and Rest Haven Cemetery from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, see www.franklinonfoot.com

The street festival of Pumpkinfest is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Franklin’s Main Street from First to Fifth Avenues. The fun continues until 9 p.m. on Main Street from 4th to 5th Avenues, with children’s activities and booths closing at 6 p.m.

Other activities include:

• The Battle of the BBQ Peoples’ Choice tent on 4th Ave. S. invites the public is invited to taste pulled pork (at $5) or ribs ($1 per bone) with Heineken beers in the Heineys and Butts tent. Be sure to vote for your favorites!
• The Franklin Tomorrow Chili Cook-off on 4th Ave. N. from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Oct. 29. Tickets to taste chili from local organizations and restaurants will be available for $5 at the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Main during the event.
• Fall and holiday arts and crafts around the Public Square from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. More than 60 vendors will be displaying hand-crafted items perfect for fall and the holidays.
• Cemetery Tours 7 to 9 p.m. Participants will walk from tombstone to tombstone at the Historic Resthaven cemetery on North Margin Street, hearing from costumed re-enactors about the people who are buried in certain graves. Tickets are $15 per person for adults, $5 for children, but the activity is not recommended for children under 6. Tickets are available from www.franklinonfoot.com and at the Heritage Foundation. Participants should bring a flashlight and wear close-toe shoes.
• Costume Contest starts at 3 p.m. at the Five Points stage. It’s $1 for each entry and categories are pets, children ages 0-5, ages 6-13 and 14+. Enter at the headquarters tent on the Public Square between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
• Five Points Stage:

10am—Franklin School of Performing Arts

11am—All That Dance

11:30am—Prima Performance

Noon—Waste Management Elvis

12:10—Scott Ellis School of Dance

1pm—Kristin Butke School of Irish Dance

2pm—Tommy Jackson’s Rocky Top Revue

2:50pm-Pull-Tight Players Youth Guild

3pm—Waste Management Elvis

3:10pm—Costume Contest

4pm —O’Brien School of Dance

4:50pm—Waste Management Elvis

5pm—’50s Music—The Fabulous Suedes

6pm—’60s Music—SixtyFour Band

7pm—’70s Music—Emy and Soul Survivors

8pm—’80s Music—SASS

The annual fall event is presented by Bank of America and Waste Management and produced by the Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County and its division, the Downtown Franklin Association. Pumpkinfest is co-sponsored by the City of Franklin, Jackson National Life, Publix Super Markets, Fox 17, MY30, CW58, Williamson A.M./The Tennessean, Clear Channel Radio, and Williamson Medical Center. Pumpkinfest is open to the public with free admission except for special activities as noted. For more information please call 615-591-8500 or visit www.historicfranklin.com.

Menu Plan Monday: 10/24/2011

Monday: Stir Fry
Tuesday: Chicken Dijon & Steamed Vegetables
Wednesday: Sicilian Meat Roll & Cranberry Walnut Slaw
Thursday: Meatless Taco Soup (crockpot)
Friday: Spinach Turkey Meatloaf & Zucchini
Saturday: Black Bean Casserole
Sunday: Egg Muffins

Travel: Seaworld & Aquatica

While we were in Orlando this past week we fortunately got to visit Seaworld and Aquatica. If you purchase the Orlando Entertainment book, you can buy Seaworld tickets and get Aquatica (Seaworld's water park) for free online at the Entertainment website. The nice thing about purchasing that way is that you print off the tickets from your computer and you then go straight to the turnstile where they scan it and you are in. Be sure and save the paper tickets for Aquatica.

Seaworld is a lot of fun, especially if you like to watch shows. Some of our favorite things were seeing Shamu, petting Stingrays, climbing around on their super jungle gym (good even for the adults), and the Kraken Coaster. What we didn't like was there was only one decent ride (Atlantis) that our two youngest children could ride. There were three other potential okay rides that they probably could ride but they were closed (Shamu Express, Paddle Boats, and Skytower). So if you have kids between the ages of six and nine, I would not recommend taking them to Seaworld. While the shows were great, kids love rides as well and are extremely disappointed when they can't go on them. Our ten year old was big enough to ride the three good rides available which he loved.

While Seaworld was a little disappointing, Aquatica was surprisingly fun. I'm not a big pool person but even I loved it. The day we visited was a bit chilly for Florida (low 70s). Much to my extreme appreciation, the water on the slides/lazy rivers/rides was heated! All three children could also go on all of the slides. Usually water and three young children stresses me out since only one of the three can swim. However, there were lifeguards positioned (it seemed like) every ten feet. Also, even my youngest (6) could stand up easily at the end of a slide or in the lazy rivers. There was also a fantastic water castle-like playground that the kids loved. We purchased the all day meal plan which was worth it and reasonably priced. Basically you could go to this one buffet style restaurant where you could eat all day. The food was typical cafeteria food but did have fruit and an incredible red velvet cake (my super picky skinny eater had three pieces). We also splurged on a cabana (about $59 during the off season). It was nice to have a little more private area to leave our things, and it had a refrigerator and locker. The best part was that the kids felt super special to have their own cabana and now want to build one in the back yard. If you go, be sure and try Roa's Rapid River and make sure you get a life preserver. It is really fun but even great swimmers will benefit from a life jacket. Before I chose Aquatic I googled the accidents that occurred there and one involved a man on this river without a life preserver (morbid, I know but I like to be informed). Finally, I definitely recommend visiting Aquatica, we are already planning to go back some day!

There are other fun things to do in Orlando as well. We took the kids to the Orlando History Center in downtown Orlando. They were having a promotion for a free day which we took advantage of. I asked the employee in the gift shop what his favorite places in the museum were and he said the fourth floor so that is where we started. It contained a lot of early pioneer and Indian artifacts which the kids liked. There was an Indian corn grinder that the kids could actually use (and did). There was also a room about prehistoric times in Florida and a section on the history of Orlando including the rise of Disney. There was also a space capsule that the kids could climb into and play a video game (very popular). The thing that I did not like about this museum is that the kids had to read a lot to get anything out of it. My first and second grader are not strong enough readers to appreciate what they were seeing and certainly could not sit still long enough for me to read it all to them. Also, it seemed that the gift shop was far more enticing than the displays. Still it was worth seeing though I recommend that older kids might like it better.

We also took a trip to Winter Garden, Florida (about 30 minutes from Orlando) to see the Central Florida Railway Museum. It's a great little museum with a lot of train memorabilia and free (donations optional). The older man running the museum was extremely nice and took the time to talk to us. We then wandered around Winter Garden and discovered it is truly a gem and we will probably return to enjoy this adorable little town in the future. For the locals, it is just like Franklin, TN with a Florida twist. For all others, think Mayberry. It is obvious that a lot of money has been spent in creating a lovely small town atmosphere. There are cute antique stores and gift shops. You can see a play in the old theater. There is also a small sister museum to the Railroad museum a few blocks away with history of the area. There was a caboose that the kids could climb on and an antique fire engine that kids could get in to and explore. The lady running the museum told me that there is a fantastic mall nearby as well (though we did not see it). If you have kids that like trains, I recommend that you visit this area!

Link Love: Free Crest at Kroger

Check out the post at Faithful Provisions on how to get free Crest toothpaste this week at Kroger!

Save Up To 75% on All Halloween Costumes, Toys & Treats at The PetSmart Halloween Sale!

In case you want to get into the Halloween spirit for cheap by dressing up your pet, check out the sale at PetSmart!

Traveling: Federal Reserve Bank Money Museum

This is my kids' fall break and we are traveling from Tennessee to Orlando, Florida. So we packed up the car, said bye to the pets and housesitter and off we went on Sunday. From past experience I know that we never, ever leave when we (I) want to, so to de-stress I now plan to stop midway to our destination in order to get into a vacation frame of mind. Using points through the Sheraton Hotel system, we stayed in Atlanta at the Sheraton Suites Galleria. We've visited nearly all the Sheraton Hotels in and around Atlanta. So far this one is our favorite. The suites are perfect for a family of five. Each room has a couch that pulls out to a full size bed. So if you get a room with two doubles and use the pull-out, it fits our family size perfectly. The hotel is in an easily accessible area that appears to be safer than the others. Best yet, it is connected to a beautiful mall with lots of restaurants. Just a note, if you ever want to stay there, request that your room is on the mall side, not the side of the interstate. It is quieter.

I am a planner and believe that there are lots of things that are fun to do without breaking your wallet. I wanted to find something to do that was appealing to the kids and the adults in Atlanta before we drove the rest of the way to our destination. We started our morning at the beautiful IKEA store downtown. The restaurant opens at 9:30 and breakfast is free (eggs, bacon & potatoes) on Mondays until 11. Also, if you join their family discount program, you get free coffee whenever you visit. So for about $8 we had the free breakfast, coffee, kid drinks, fresh fruit and a couple of sides for the five of us. Of course, you will probably purchase something in the store but if you planned on that, it is quite the bargain!

Our next stop was the Federal Reserve Bank Money Museum. It is in the center of Atlanta and totally cool (and free). Parking was not a problem. There are pay spots around the square. I think it was around $2.50 for about an hour and a half which was perfect. The bank is huge but the museum portion is fairly small. When you walk in you go through security and then sign in to get badges. Some of the highlights were seeing the history of money, examining counterfeit money, lifting a real brick of gold worth nearly three quarters of a million dollars, seeing a $100,000 bill, and actually seeing the workers count piles and piles of money. There are a lot of touch screens that even the younger kids enjoyed. The museum also gives away small packets of shredded money to the visitors. My son was allowed to take enough to pass out to his classmates when he returns to school. I highly recommend visiting if you are passing through Atlanta. It's educational and who doesn't like seeing wagon loads of cash?

Another option in Atlanta that was my second choice is to visit the MLK Museum which is free as well. Probably we'll try it out the next time. Also, as we were driving south through Georgia, I noticed an aviation museum along the way. Since technology is so totally cool now and I was able to google it on my phone, I discovered that it was free and contained just a ton of planes. It will also be on my list of things to do the next time we travel this way. It's the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, GA. It has 93 aircraft and hundreds of exhibits on a 43 acre site. My kids would love it. It also appears to be close to the interstate which would make it an easy stop along the way.

We finally arrived in Orlando last night around 9 pm. We are staying in a condo resort where we have a full kitchen and two bedrooms, one with two doubles for the kids. It's a timeshare (boo, hiss) that we purchased years ago to force ourselves to actually go on vacation (it worked). I actually do really like it because it is gated (safer for kids) with lots of activities and pools. Just fyi, in case you ever want to bring frozen food with you, it does stay frozen/really cold for 24 hours if you first put in two fully frozen chickens in the bottom, fill the rest with frozen foods, and then top off with lots of ice.

What's on the list of things to do today? Well, it never goes as planned but I did a little research of free fun Orlando things to do and usually have something up my sleeve when the kids get bored. Orlando also has a lovely IKEA, and it just so happens that today is the day that kids eat free all day. We may try it out tonight. It has a great kids play area. Also, there is a site that promotes events called Yelp! which has made a deal with a few local museums around here during the month of October where if you mention Yelp! you get in for free. The Morse Museum of American Art is one of those and we may try it out since it is cloudy and possibly rainy here today. Or maybe I'll just have another cup of coffee...