Does breakfast have to be an expensive rush? Not with #BreakfastSavings

 Breakfast can be the hardest meal to fix in a rush and on a budget, but it doesn't have to be thanks to Safeway and this week's promotion.

  I recently took my son to Safeway to pick up a couple breakfast items that will make our mornings smoother. Normally I would coupon match and spend time on Safeway's Just for U sight to rock the savings, this time it was right after homeschool co-op so all I had was the weekly circular. I love the side bar ads (underneath they show the $5 Friday deals that are always winners). This week (February 27- March 5, 2013) is an awesome Buy 4 Save $4 Rise and Shine Savings.  I knew we needed some breakfast stuff for my picky kiddo (he doesn't like eggs, doesn't like pancakes, not a huge milk drinker, etc..)  So with the circular in hand we headed into our local Safeway store 

 Thankfully we found Milk on sale as well as cereal bars, yogurt, cereal, and even some vegetarian bacon.

My awesome little helped loaded all the groceries onto the conveyor belt for the cashier, glad he was there to see exactly what was available and what he got since he is my picky eater. I was also glad he could see the prices and the value of those various items as we shopped the store.  I usually just type in my phone number as soon as the cashier starts my order, but since my guy was with me and I wanted him to see the values I waited until the last minute to put my number in. 

We started with just under $30 in groceries and ended up just under $20, when we got home he made me check for coupons I might have that could have saved us more, I found a couple valued at about $1.50 or so, next time.

Our quick shopping trip sure made this morning's breakfast easier and affordable, two things that make this homeschooling mama a lot happier.

 

With great deals and our pantry organization projects breakfast is now a lot less stressful.

You can check out more pictures from our breakfast journey on Google

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Safeway #cbias #SocialFabric
 

Summer Smoothie Season helped by Awesome Deals at Safeway #JuneDairyMovies

Summer time means fresh fruit and vegetables, but it also means busy days that need fast breakfasts that are filling. How about some smoothies.

My family loves smoothies and I loving be able to make a variety of smoothies that help each person. I am also excited to be using the Safeway just for u personalized savings program to do my shopping. If you haven't signed up for personalized savings yet it is really easy, you can do it online or at your local Safeway or Safeway affiliate store and immediately start saving 10-20 % on average and more.

So with all those savings I love being able to pick up fun things to make smoothies with including Silk Coconut Milk, Silk Almond Milk, regular Milk, Fage Greek Yogurt,  Simply Orange juice, and sometimes even a not so healthy treat like Drumstick ice cream treats. I am still on the edge about making smoothies with greens but as the summer continues I may try it. 


So each morning when the boys want a smoothie I have options.  I love combining the Greek Yogurt , milk alternatives, and  fruit with a splash of orange juice to create a protein filled, low fat smoothie.


I love  creating a variety.
 How about Chocolate Almond milk,yogurt, and Chocolate Peanut Butter. This combination works best to make ahead and freeze or add ice, it is like a peanut butter cup ice cream shake.
My new favorite: Orange and Mango juice, Coconut Milk,Greek Yogurt, and homemade pineapple (it is actually zucchini canned in pineapple juice). Again ice helps but with this variety it is pretty thick.


Cameron enjoyed the "Pineapple smoothie as a morning breakfast during PBS morning shows. 
The next idea was to use the blender drink bottle and take it on the road. Worked out great. I can take my smoothie with me to run errands, head to the park, etc... I even put it in the freezer while we did some stuff around the house and then took it out as we left the house.


And the best part of this smoothie adventure, we scored a voucher for free movie tickets to see Ice Age Continental Drift when it hits theaters and the boys are crazy excited.  Here's the deal, purchase $40 in select Dairy products at Safeway or an affiliate store and received a Catalina voucher with a code to get your tickets during #JuneDairyMovies Month.

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• “I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Safeway #CBias #SocialFabric”

Post Champions for Kids helping support Literacy in our Community. #PostCFK

We were first introduced to the SIMPLE service Projects with Champions for Kids back in August with the Elmer's Bag it Forward program then at Christmas and through out the beginning of 2012. We love these projects so when we heard the Champions for Kids had a new project Post Bowls of Hope we were eager to get started. I kept thinking I wanted to do something more than just a simple food drive to donate to the local food bank, it was time to think outside of the box. (pun intended).

The boys are participating in the local Library Summer Reading program and I thought this would be a great way to do our project. Why not donate to the Summer Reading program? Our local community has a high number of children that participate in the Free Breakfast / Lunch program at the local school, even during the summer, however that still leaves the weekends and snacks. Cereal is a great snack and perfect for weekend breakfasts. So, the boys and I decided we would collect donations of boxed cereal for the #PostCFK project

Our local Walmart has a large section of the cereal aisle dedicated to Post brand cereals, so we picked up two extra boxes of Honey Bunches of Oats the family favorite around here to start the donation drive off.

We started off the donation box with the Buy 2 give 1 idea but we ended up buying 3 and donating 2 to the box. 

I printed up a sign for the side of a tote box where donations could be left.

I took the box with me to our local homeschool co-op used curriculum sale where I had hoped to get a couple boxes, I also took the box to a local Mom's group clothing swap where I got a couple boxes donated. The majority of the donations came from Ladies Night Out , an evening activitiy where local Moms and Mom businesses could meet each other and interact. 20 boxes of cereal later my tote bins were filled to over flowing and my heart was bursting know that we would be helping local families in a little way.

I am so excited for the opening day of the Summer Reading Program on June 13th where I will be able to bring a small bit of help to families in the community and help support local literacy at the same time. This is not the last project we will do, I love to do what we can to help our neighbors and the community even something as simple as a box of cereal and as the summer goes on we will work with the local gleaners to harvest farm fresh produce and donate it to local food banks and soup kitchens.

Check out our entire photo journey HERE on Google+

Get social with Post and Champions for Kids on Twitter and Facebook :Post Cereal on Facebook,  Post on Twitter ,  Champions for Kids on Twitter , and   Champions for Kids on Facebook

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric

Lunch Dates are always fun especially when you check out something new.

Looking toward Downtown Portland from the Ross Island Bridge

When I learned to drive I spent tons of time driving to Portland to check out new places, now that I have 2 kids and live in the Willamette Valley I don't get to Portland as often, but for a lunch date with my oldest I'll go a little farther to check something new out.

Clay's Smokehouse 2932 S.E. Division St, Portland, Oregon

This past Friday, Cameron and I ventured into S.E. Portland to check out Clay's Smokehouse Grill a local BBQ restaurant specializing in onsite smokey barbecue. Clay's Smokehouse is a welcoming spot along SE Division that boasts a fun decor and amazing Happy Hour deals.

From their website a bit about the owner and chef:

Chef Michael Slyman received his formal education serving his apprenticeship with Westin Resorts at Hilton Head Island, in South Carolina. But he mastered the barbecue as a youth working at his uncle's rib house in Oklahoma.

$5 menu for Happy Hour was a good sign as we arrived. By the time we got to Clay's Cameron was crazy hungry and would have eaten whatever I put in front of him.

We checked out the outdoor seating but decided it was too chilly for outdoor seating (summer in Oregon doesn't always mean sun, we had a thunder storm and rain off and on all day)

Inside the restaurant we were greeted by a neat wall chalkboard with the specials, fun decor, and a warming atmosphere.
In typical small restaurant style we were offered glasses of water and menus right off the bat. I appreciate the little things in a small setting.
We ordered off the Happy Hour Menu after seeing that the prices were so close to the Children's menu.

Cameron ordered the Brisket Sliders and chips while I ordered the Chicken Basket with cole slaw and homefries. When we received our food I noticed the familiar basket instead of the plate for my order. I used to work in a short order restaurant and remember those baskets because they were easier to clean up then the plate. I'm sure Clay's uses Cash & Carry for the simple things that make it easier to a small local business.

We also tried their Red Bean and Grilled Vegetable chili, it was too spicy for Cameron so we brought it home for Daddy's dinner in a small plastic lidded container just the right amount to add to a burger for Daddy.  

Finally we added a Mud Pie for dessert, I wasn't sure if Cameron had anymore room for dessert but turns out this kid can find room when offered a Mud Pie.
We ended up spending under $30 and that included a root beer and a lemonade. This was more than I usually spend on "lunch" but this was a date and the quality time with my little dude is more valuable than a fast food lunch any day.

After lunch we made a quick trip to visit my older sister who was watching her granddaughter so it was a added bonus. On our trip home I let Cameron watch the GPS for traffic updates and I gave him the camera to see what he else he could find, well he found a hidden tree house along Barbur Blvd. It was pretty cool and I bet it has some of the best views in the city being high above the highway and set out over the hill a little.

We also stopped at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge as Cameron was getting ansy in the van and needed to stretch our legs. We will be making a field trip and returning to the refuge later in the year, but for now our date was a lot of fun, we enjoyed a new to us restaurant and had good quality time together. 

You can check out our full adventure in photos here.

Clay's Smokehouse #cbias

• I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. #CBias #SocialFabric

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Graduation Season is here, find a Spirit filled card with Dayspring Cards

Tis the season for so many cards. I needed a few Graduations cards for some very special young ladies graduating from high school, so I headed out for a drive across town to Beaverton to find the perfect cards with just the right message.  Before you say it,  yes I could have settled for a card from the local Hallmark or Walmart or even one of several different gift shops, but since 2 of the cards are going to young ladies from our homeschool co-op I decided a trip to Lifeway was totally appropriate.

Cameron decided he wanted to tag along and have a Mommy/Cameron afternoon.  We headed out and spent the 40 minutes drive talking about life, the end of his Adventurers class, the new school year. and anything else he thought about. As we drove through the back roads I told him where we were going and what our mission was.  He wasn’t totally sure about the mission but he liked the idea of checking out the videos and music.

I love shopping for cards but one thing I hate is the price. I was very grateful to find the prices were reasonable and affordable .

I also look for a quality message, yes humor is ok but lately the humor in most cards is offensive, so I was glad to find some fun cards but also excellent scriptures worked into the cards.

The shelves were stocked and organized making it easy to find the perfect cards at the right prices.

We also checked out other parts of the store including the music, the VBS supplies, and learning aids for the boys’ school activities.   Cameron wanted a set of tabs  for his Bible,  we  found this fun  set.  I am all for tools to inspire kids  open their Bibles and this is one more way I hope he will be inspired .

 

 

Now since I don’t go clear to Beaverton often I am also excited to find both DaySpring and Lifeway have amazing websites to shop and check out their amazing products.  Online or instore Lifeway is one great way to shop for  Spirit filled products.

On our way home we noticed the temps were higher than usual for us topping 93 degrees.  We continued our chatting but decided to stop for a snack.  We took full advantage of our location by stopping of at a old favorite , Back of the Rack a children’s resale shop we love. Finally ending up for a playdate with the cousins. What a fun Spirit filled day I got to spend with my first born finding the perfect cards for some amazing young ladies.

 

 

Dayspring cards

Feel Free to check out the rest of our journey in the above Album.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias

Couponing for Good , the kids need our Help, a Simple Service Project #AllforCFK

Families across the country are struggling to make ends meet and for some it is especially hard. Not everyone qualifies for government assistance for whatever reason. I know from personal experience that it is hard to ask for help when it comes to feeding your kids. I coupon to make ends meet and I have asked for help myself before  and it is hard, but I was blessed not only with the food but with the love and compassion that comes with that box of food. I have also been blessed with the love and understanding while standing in line with other parents. I have met several very dear friends while standing in line to get that little bit of help. 

It was that compassion that led me to join with All You and Collective Bias in their partnership with Champions for Kids to help give back to 1 local food pantry that has helped me in the past.  

Lafayette Community Church Food Bank is a ministry of Lafayette Community Church and offers food boxes on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month as well as a bread bank that is open Mondays and Saturdays where the local community can receive assistance making ends meet. 


The boys and I had our shopping done on a Thursday afternoon and had planned on delivering the loaded grocery bags the following Saturday. Well, that Friday morning I fell and dislocated my shoulder so had to put our delivery on hold. 

Thankfully my husband needed to run an errand to the local parts house which happens to be a block away from the Food Bank. Since that was on a Monday and things have been a little tight lately I decided to take advantage of the Bread bank and deliver the groceries for the Food Bank.  It wasn't nearly as much as I had hoped but I know the 2 bags and the toilet paper will go a long way to helping fill the Food Banks shelves. 
The local Food Banks can always use our help to feed local families. This year seems to be a hard one for many families with the price of gas on the rise, the cost of everything has increased. 

Please remember your local food Bank when you are out shopping, it doesn't take lot especially if you see a coupon deal that makes something a great deal or even free, pick up a couple extra and help stock those shelves for those families that are struggling to make ends meet. 
See our full journey including the various coupons we used in our Google+ Album  
Another idea I was inspired by as I shopped, if you have a coupon that you aren't going to use, leave it on the shelf next to the coordinating product for the next person, you never know it may be that small gesture that helps make ends meet for someone. 
A simple service project can really be that simple. 

Coupons can help make ends meet as they do for me  or they can help you share with those that need a little help up and help stock the shelves of your local food pantry. 
Every little bit helps and together we can be Champions for kids.
Follow Champions for Kids on Facebook and Twitter
This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias  

Getting ready to stay well during this season

Are you ready to stay well during the cold and flu season?

What kind of things do you do to stay healthy during this season? I would love to hear from you.
I'll share what we do around here.
First keep vitamin C in our diets. One awesome way of doing that is 100% pure Florida Orange Juice. While my boys like juice drinks most have are watered down with other things and during this time of year I try and keep it 100% juice.  I have homemade juice in the pantry but Oregon isn't a good place for growing oranges so I make sure to find 100% Orange juice for the winter months to keep them pumped full of vitamin C.
Another great idea is to check your multi-vitamin? Are you getting all the good stuff?
This year we have been blessed by a mild winter and have lots of opportunities to soak up the sun and get some extra doses of vitamin D.
Remembering to drink enough water is another way to help. The cooler air tends to dry us out when we don't expect it.
I also keep Emergen-C in the cupboard along with a couple boxes of teas that include immune boosters.
Finally eating well helps keep a healthy body healthy. I love making soups and stews during the winter filled with extra veggies as I know we tend to not eat enough fruits and vegetables during the winter.  Yesterday was a perfect example. I made a pot of meatball minestrone soup and added extra carrots, celery, and even some sun dried tomatoes I had saved from the fall.
I try to keep on hand a "kit" of things for the seasonal colds. This includes things like teas, throat lozenges, soups, and the occasional Over the counter pain reliever.
Did you know Safeway is helping support us with a special promotion, "Be Well, Save Well" . Stop by your local Safeway Pharmacy and ask about the program. They should have a special flyer that is packed full of coupons and helpful recipes and ideas to support you during the cold and flu season.
One last way to help stay healthy during this season. Wiping down surfaces can help stop the germs from spreading.
On your next trip to the grocery store , make sure you have your own Cold and Flu Season Kit fully stocked and ready.

• This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for CollectiveBias. #CBias all thoughts and opinions are that of the blog's owner/

They hunger, but we can help be Champions for Kids.

Children in America go hunger and struggle through their days even with the assistance of school programs.

For many parents they often don't even know the help is out there and that they qualify for that help. Here in Oregon there are local Food Banks in most communities and the guidelines for those programs are very simple. It is a very real issue especially in this economy that people struggle and choices are made every day how to spend their hard earned money. All too often food budgets are cut making it hard to keep up with the appetites of that smallest ones. 

I am going to be very honest with you, I have been to the local FoodBanks myself and when my youngest was just an infant we received assistance from the WIC program. I was very grateful at the time for the assistance even though I was nursing my youngest we still needed to keep my oldest feed as well as the help keeping me able to feed my youngest.  Pride and lack of understanding of the program available often keep people from seeking the assistance that can so often make a world of difference, that is why I have chosen to participate in another wonderful program with the Champions For Kids projects. I am filling boxes for Abbott Industries products for 2 local Food Banks that have helped me and may family in the recent past and still do on occasion.  I know even couponing doesn't always get the job done for some families and I want to help when I can. I chose to participate in this program because I know that the products in this program can help give a child an extra boost in their day and can help a parent feel comfortable knowing their child is getting a little extra nutrition. The products are also helpful to the adults. I know as a parent there are days when I need a little extra energy to keep up with my boys and a little kick in the rear or a quick snack can make all the difference. 

Last month Cameron and I did another Champions for Kids simple service project and it was one of the most rewarding things we have done together. Knowing that even the little bit we were able to do helped someone else felt good, revived my sense of community and the human nature. So, we decided to look into more programs and are happy to be involved in this program .  For January we are giving back to two organizations that are near and dear to us. Dayton First Baptist Church and Lafayette Community Church both have wonderful Food Banks where the staff is friendly and doesn't pass judgement on you no matter what your circumstances are.  Both these churches hold regular twice monthly food giveaways to people in their communities with open arms. They ask for nothing in return and only ask that you reside in the corresponding community. 

Now as readers I would ask you to consider in the New Year giving what you can to help your local Food Bank and if you don't know yours, you can check with the county offices and they usually will have a list.  

If you are in my local area and would like to help with the boxes I am creating please feel free to leave a comment here. My goal is to fill 2 boxes with PediSure, Pediasure Sidekicks, and Zone Perfect Bars, and  to donate to the Food Banks before January 24th (a distribution day for both). 

Although this shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias the activity and additional assistance I am able to provide to these to charities is my own choosing. 

Crystal Deodorant: Have you tried it? #cbias

This past week I tried Crystal Deodorant, an all natural roll on.  

First thing I have to tell you I was unsure of the whole idea because I wear my deodorant instead of perfume and actually have matching body spray to go with all my deodorants, so I knew it would be a challenge.  I have been harvesting and canning  all kinds of produce over the last month and this past week was no exception, not only that I had something going on basically everyday last week; local Storytime, Mom meetings, youth group, homeschool co-op,  grape harvest, and homeschooling the boys in there too. 

Needless to say it was a crazy week and changing my deodorant for a week put added pressure on, a girl doesn't want to smell during any of the above activities. 

The first day I felt very self conscience about it, but as the week went on I was fine with it and actually was very surprised by how well it actually worked.  I didn't feel sweaty and better yet I didn't smell weird.

So the next thing to consider , the price. Without a coupon my regular antiperspirant is about $3.99 at Walmart. The Crystal Deodorant was $3.83 at Walmart and I am happy to say my little basic Walmart (Not a SuperCenter) carries it, BONUS.

I'm not sure if there are coupons available for this product but considering the benefits of an all natural product and the fact that it actually works well I would be ok buying it again even without a coupon. 

***This post is part of a social insight study with Collective Bias #cbias and was compensated as such, however all opinions and experiences are my own. ***

End of the Season campfire fun **beer** #Cbias

So what to do when you find the beer fridge empty but have an evening of clear weather ahead?
Head to the mini mart of course!
This time since we were going to be in town we decided after the wedding we were going to , we would head over to 7-11.
We use to shop at 7-11 when we lived in the Hillsboro area, but since moving to Yamhill County, it wasn't as convenient (the closest  store is 14 miles away).  I love the Slurpee machines and decided this would be a fun treat for the boys as well as a chance to pick up a couple of things for an evening campfire with friends.

We attended a beautiful wedding honoring 2 very special young people. The boys had fun hanging out at the reception with all their friends and being a little more social than normal. Usually this group of little guys are all together in their homeschool co-op so they know each other but don't hang out as much outside of co-op.




The boys enjoyed cupcakes and a little dancing, but tend to get a little antsy so we didn't stay as long as we would have liked.

Off we went to pick up some beer and chips at the 7-11 

We were surprised to find a pretty good variety of Beer as well as a fairly large selection of chips.




The boys picked out a bag of chips and then we let them get a Slurpee for on the way home.

Keeping in mind the amount of sugar the just consumed (cupcake and Slurpee) I knew it was going to be an interesting evening.

Once we got home I had them change into play clothes and Cameron went down to get his friends for the gathering.

We had campfire with snack foods to start (mini chimis and little chicken sausages in a italian breading but like a corn dog.)

The weather was perfect, not too cool and not raining.
The kids rode bikes through the yard to use up some of their crazy energy while I got the rest of the evening goodies out.


Finally time for campfire!

(I still haven't mastered campfire photos with the new camera... hoping I have a couple more chances before the weather gets too yucky)

Marshmallows and hotdogs for 4 kids and 3 adults.

The kids enjoyed a couple of bottles of Clear American while the adults enjoyed the beer. We had settled on Coors Light since the prices at 7-11 were more expensive then we usually spend.

Overall the evening was a nice treat of friends, campfire and laughs.  I really hope we get more oppotunities this fall. Something about fall campfires are so much fun! Besides they are a lot cozier than summer campfires. I love having a campfire and snuggling with the boys...

I will leave you with one last photo!

 A Cat and her boy!

If you would like to see the whole adventure check out this Google+ photostory.



This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias All opions are my own.