Back to School Giveaway with Frito-Lay

Our schools are already back in session!  To help get this school year off to a great start, Frito-Lay has offered up some snacking tips and are giving a prize pack to one lucky winner.

 

Sneak In The Whole Grains
We all know whole grains are important, but how do you get kids to eat them when they’re used to white breads and pastas? It’s easy: Add it to their snacks! Frito-Lay has two great options your kids are bound to enjoy.

· SunChips multigrain snacks pack a whole grain punch with 18 grams of whole grains per serving. Portion out a serving into a reusable container for your kids’ lunch boxes or throw in a one-ounce bag for easy on-the-go snacking!
· Tostitos Scoops! tortilla chips are another great option. Made with just three simple ingredients – corn, vegetable oil and salt – they pack 8 grams of whole grains into each serving. Another great surprise about Tostitos Scoops!: A one-ounce serving contains less sodium than a slice of white bread!

Jazz Up Your Fruit
Fruit is always a go-to snack, but it’s not always the first choice for kids. Jazz up your fruit by making fun shapes!

· Cut apples into French-fry style strips.
· Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of cantaloupe.
· Take a peach and scoop out little balls your kids can pop in their mouths.
· Peel some grapes and call them “slimy eyes” to add some appeal.

Dip It!
Boost the nutrition of snacks by pairing some of your kids’ favorite munchies with nutrient-packed dips.

· Make fruit even more appealing by pairing them with flavored non-fat Greek yogurt. Not only will your kids love dipping the fun shapes, they’ll be getting calcium and protein in the snack as well.
· For chips, take the nutrient factor up a notch with healthier dipping choices such as Sabra hummus, or fresh salsa

Recipes for your enjoyment, thanks to registered dietician and mom Deena Segrave-Daly

Mediterranean Dip:

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
½ cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste

Instructions:
Mix corn, chopped peppers and balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or longer).

Baked Bean Dip:

Ingredients:
1 slice bacon
1 (15 ounce) can baked beans
1 tablespoon grape jelly

Instructions:
Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble and set aside. Drain bacon grease but do not wipe out pan. Add can of baked beans (including sauce.) Bring to a boil. Stir in grape jelly and reduce heat. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half (about 5 minutes.) Mash beans with a fork or potato masher and allow liquid to be absorbed.

Giveaway!

One winner will receive a prize pack that includes a reusable food container, an eco-friendly lunch box, and some SunChips & Tostitos!  To enter, tell me your favorite Frito-Lay product.  For extra entries, you can subscribe or follow my blog.

I received free products in exchange for holding this giveaway, but no other compensation was provided.  Giveaway ends September 12 & the winner will be chose via random.org.

Deals of the Week

I made my weekly trip to Rite Aid today.  There aren’t many hardcore couponers in my area, so the shelves are usually well stocked on Saturdays.  Every once in a while, I will miss out on a deal because I wait until the last day of the sale.  Most of the time it is toothpaste and we are well stocked, so no worries.

This week I went in for diapers, pull ups, and toothpaste.  Bryson hasn’t started wearing pull ups yet, but I buy them when they are super cheap.  Hubby needed some deodorant, so he threw some in the shopping cart.  I actually ran out the door & forgot one of my $5/25 coupons, so I had more OOP costs than I normally would have. 

• 4 Jumbo packs of diapers (all smaller sizes for Miss Bella)
• 2 packs of Pull Ups
• 1 Toothpaste
• 1 Deodorant

Total OOP:  $16.29
Rebate Earned: $7
UP Rewards Earned: $6
Total Saved: $59.60!

I looked at next weeks add and it looks like another great week! 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.  

Pinecone Research accepting applications!

Okay guys, I have RAVED about Pinecone Research on more than one occasion.  They are by far my most favorite survey site.  You receive $3 per survey and you may even receive products to test out. 

They are taking applications again, but it probably won’t last long.  If you want to sign up, click HERE.

Letters to Baby Girl (1)

Dear Baby Girl,

Last night, I couldn’t sleep.  I KNEW you were a girl, but I had doubts.  Sometimes, I doubt myself just so I will feel better if I am let down.  I was so nervous and excited for our sonar today that I prayed for sleep last night.  Sleep finally came a bit after midnight, but I woke up many times- the excitement of knowing for sure was almost too much for your momma.  I woke up at 6 something and tossed and turned until after 7.  Your brother and I rarely get up that early.  He stayed at his Gangan’s last night, so it was just Daddy and I. 

I had a hair appointment scheduled to help pass the day.  Our appointment wasn’t until 1:30 and it seemed like it would never arrive.  Your daddy, brother, and I waited patiently for my name to be called.  When we were finally called and I saw your profile, I knew even more that you were my daughter.  Your little nose was sticking up in the air.  Baby Girl, that is something you’ll have to get use to.  It isn’t because you are a snob, you get it from your momma.  I have learned to love my “Mars nose” as we call it and I know that you will too.  You were sitting on your butt and I was afraid you were going to stay that way.  We ended up with a good view and I cried tears of joy when I asked if you were a boy.  I had already told Melanie that I wanted a little girl, so when she gave me a huge smile and shook her head no, I knew that I had been right all along.  You are my little girl. 

I love you more than you will ever know, Miss Bella Grace LeAnna. 

- Your Mom

Family Pictures? & a Deal!

I rearranged our master bedroom this week.  Yes, I can do that.. even pregnant!  That is another wonderful thing about our fully tiled home.  Everything moves easily, even beds and dressers, and it doesn’t scratch the floor.

Anyways, this post wasn’t meant to be about me rearranging our room.  I will say this it looks 100 times better than before.  Since I have finally decided on the placement for our bedroom furniture, it is time to start decorating the walls.  I want our room to be 100% about my husband and I… even if we do have a toddler that sleeps in between us every single night. 

I decided I would take advantage of an online deal and order some 8x10 enlargements of hubby & I.  Well, I ran into a small problem..  We have none!  Okay, we have a few.. maybe 5 since Bryson was born 20 months ago!  I ended up ordering 2 and I guess that will be the start of our wall.  It seems that when Bryson came about, we forgot about “us” as in “husband & wife” so I am going to change that.

We have our first ever family portraits scheduled for the first week in November.  I am SO excited!  I hope they will be edited & ready for Christmas cards & gifts.

So, how many pictures do YOU have of yourself & your spouse?  I posted about my dilemma on facebook and my aunt commented that she only has a few also… her & her husband have been together 17 years!

Oh, and if you want in on the online deal I mentioned.  This deal is only good TODAY.  Head over to Ritz Pix and you can get (5) 8x10 enlargements for $2.99 shipping.  My total was $3.26 after taxes which is a great deal.  Use promo code 5FREE.