Christmas Pictures

Merry Christmas!

We didn't travel for Christmas this year, and celebrated early with my family and late with Ted's family, so on Christmas day it was just us! We enjoyed a fun and relaxing day, and even went sledding!

The annual challenge of getting a good picture of all five kids in front of the Christmas tree!

Overheard: My Heart Smiles

It makes my heart smile to hear Ted putting the girls to bed. They ask for a bedtime song, and the next thing I hear is them all singing the duet, "Lida Rose" from the Music Man. Ted sings "Lida Rose" while the girls sing "Dream of Now". Without skipping a beat, the girls launch into "Lida Rose" while Ted sings "Dream of Now." Priceless.

Overheard: Mindtrap

H pulled another new game out of our game cabinet--Mindtrap. Here is a variation we made up on one of the questions we got last night.

"Jessica and Ted have five children. Half of them are girls. How is this possible?"

Because the other half are ALSO girls!

Roundy's Coupon Matches (Pick 'n Save, Rainbow, Copps)

Roundy's stores (Copps, Pick 'n Save, and Rainbow) double 5 coupons up to $1 per $25 order every Wednesday AND Saturday. Here are some printable coupon matches to help you make your list. Check your coupon stash to see if you can find more matches. For printing tips, click here. Questions? Feel free to email me.

$1.99/ea: Kellogg's Cereal or Pop-Tarts wyb 5, All Other Purchases $2.49
$1.50/2 Kellogg's Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, Honey Smacks and/or Kellogg's Frosted Flakes

==================================
$1.00/ea: Red Gold Tomatoes

$1.00/4 Red Gold Tomatoes

$0.50 each ADC
==================================
$2.50/ea: Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice

$2.00/2 Welch's Sparkling Juices or Sparkling Juice Cocktail

$1.50 ADC
==================================
$3.99/ea: El Monterey Taquitos, Quesadillas, Tamales or Mini Chimis

$1.00/1 El Monterey Mexican Snacks 24oz or less
$1.00/2 El Monterey Taquitos
==================================
$3.00/ea: Totino's Pizza Roll

40¢/2 Totino’s Rolls Snacks

$2.60 ADC
==================================
$2.50/ea: Wholly Guacamole
$1.50/1 Wholly product
$1/1 Wholly Guacamole
==================================
$1.50/ea: Yo-Plus Yogurt
$1/1 Yo-Plus yogurt
FREE ADC
==================================
BOGO Free Fiber One Yogurt
$0.50/1 Fiber One yogurt
$0.50/1 Fiber One yogurt
==================================
$0.66/ea: Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix
$1.00/ea: Ortega Diced Jalapenos or Green Chiles
$1.25/ea: Ortega Refried Beans
$1/2 Ortega products
FREE ADC
==================================
$2.50/ea: Nabisco crackers
$1/2 Nabisco crackers
$1.50 ADC
==================================
$6.99/ea: Hills Bros Coffee
$1/1 Hills Bros
$4.99 ADC
==================================

Earn 31 Swagbucks!

Have you been searching with Swagbucks? You can earn 31 swagbucks today without even doing a search, and it will take you less than 5 minutes. If you don't have a Swagbucks account yet, get started here and you will get 30 free swagbucks in your account! Read on to learn how to earn 31 more in five minutes.

• On the home page there is a slide that says "AXE, play and earn x3". Click on it and a game will open. Click skip (and you may also want to turn off the sound). Throw eggs for 60 seconds and you will earn 4 swagbucks. Open the window to play three times and earn 12 swagbucks.
• Take the Daily Poll to earn 1 SB
  
• Click on Trusted Surveys to earn 1 SB
• Click through the NOSO's to earn 1 SB
• Under the slides on the homepage, answer an American Express poll and earn 8 SB.
• Click on earn more under American Express and watch a video of Conan in India to earn 8 more SB.
• Now do a quick search or two to see if you can win a few holiday bucks, as long as you are at it! If you collect all 5, you'll automatically earn a 50 SB bonus. I've already won 3 or 4 of them just by searching. I won this 21 SB today!
  

Organic Pumpkin for $0.85/can!

You know how much I like pumpkin, so this deal definitely caught my eye! Get Organic Canned Pumpkin for just $0.85 per can delivered to your door when you select subscribe and save on Amazon. Shipping is free if you have an Amazon Mom account. Here's the step-by-step so you can take advantage of this deal:

• Join Amazon Mom if you haven't already. It's free and gives you free Amazon Prime 2-day shipping with no minimums on ANY items!
• Add the 12 pack of Farmer's Market Organic Canned Pumpkin to your cart under the "save 15% with subscribe and save"--choose 6 month delivery and click "subscribe now" (sale price is $12 for 12 cans, the price will go down to $10.20, or $0.85/can)
• After your order ships in a couple days, you can go back into your account and "manage your subscriptions" to cancel your subscription, unless you want to keep receiving pumpkin.

Mmm, pumpkin bars and pumpkin pancakes are calling my name! ;-)

Buy One Get One Free Little Caesars Pizza

Through Tuesday, December 28th, you can register and redeem this coupon for buy one get one free pizzas at Little Caesars Pizza. Their Hot-N-Ready pizzas are only $5, making the pizzas only $2.50 each after coupon. Limit one coupon per person. Expires 12/28/10.

**Call your local Little Caesars to verify if they are participating--my closest one isn't and wouldn't accept the coupon. Bummer!

Mailbox Monday

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas weekend!
Back to the freebies! :-)

• Get a free sample of Zapzyt acne treatment gel on Facebook.
• Get a free sample of Member's Mark Formula.
• Get a free sample of Parent's Choice Formula.
• Get free samples of Natural Nutrition cat food.
• Get a free sample of UnderJams.
• Get a free sample of Purina One SmartBlend from Sam's Club, no membership number required. (wait for the red screen to come up and click on "get a sample")
  

Great Coupons Available to Print

There are some great coupons available to print on Coupons.com right now, which will make for cheap or even FREE products! These caught my eye, but there are over 250 coupons available, so head over and find some that interest you!

FREE Excedrin Migraine (coupon will be mailed to you, value $5.99)
FREE Excedrin Extra Strength (coupon will be mailed to you, value $5.99)
(If clicking on the "coupon" doesn't work, look on the right side for the ad)



$1/1 Tone Body Wash (FREE at CVS next week!)




$1/2 Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta (wait for a sale and double this coupon for 2 FREE!)
$1/2 Ronzoni Healthy Harvest pasta (wait for a sale and double this coupon for 2 FREE!)



$0.50/2 Milky Way candy bars (wait for a sale and double this coupon for 2 FREE!)
$1/2 Country Crock
$2/2 Welch's Sparkling Juice (remember New Years!)
$1/2 Garnier Fructis products
$0.55/1 Frigo cheese product
$4/1 Benefiber product
$1/1 Welch's Light grape juice

Memorable Gifts Giveaway Winner

The winner of the Memorable Gifts Giveaway was #27, mpierce. Congratulations! I have emailed the winner. Thanks to everyone who entered and have a Merry Christmas!

Overheard: Scattergories

I taught H and G how to play Scattergories this week. It's been fun hearing what they come up with for answers--they often get points for creativity and thinking outside the box, which is what the game is about! Here are two of my favorite answers.

Letter J
Category--Get you from here to there
G's answer: Jesus

Letter G
Category--Heroes
H's answer: God

Roundy's Coupon Matches: Pick 'n Save, Copps, Rainbow

Roundy's stores (Copps, Pick 'n Save, and Rainbow) double 5 coupons up to $1 per $25 order every Wednesday AND Saturday. There are several deals this week, so here are some printable coupon matches to help you make your list. Check your coupon stash to see if you can find more matches. For printing tips, click here. Questions? Feel free to email me.

==================================

$3.00/ea: Hershey's Holiday Chocolates
$1.00/2 bags of HERSHEY'S KISSES Chocolate
$2.00 each ADC
==================================
$3.50/ea: Bob Evans Fresh Breakfast Links, Patties or Roll Sausage
$0.35/1 any variety of Bob Evans Sausage
==================================
General Mills Chex Cereal
Buy Two, Get One FREE
$1.00/2 Chex cereals
==================================
$3.00/ea: Minute Rice
$0.50/1 Minute Rice Product
$2.00 ADC
==================================
$2.00/ea: Betty Crocker Muffin Mix
$0.50/1 Betty Crocker Box Muffin Mix
==================================
$2.50/ea: Rhodes Warm-N-Serv Rolls
$1.00/1 Rhodes Warm-N-Serv Rolls
$0.50 each ADC
==================================
$3.00/ea: Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice
$2.00/2 Welch's Sparkling Juices or Sparkling Juice Cocktails
$2.00 each
==================================
$2.50/ea: Nestle Cookie Dough
$1.00/1 Nestle Refrigerated Cookie Dough
$0.50 ADC

Mailbox Monday

• Use this free Sleep Number Travel Pillow coupon (from Facebook) to get a free pillow at any Sleep Number store.
• Use this free 3 oz bottle of Island Escape Body Lotion coupon at Bath and Body Works with any purchase.
• Get a free sample of Skoopz all natural sweetener.
  
• Get a free small coffee or tea at Seattle's Best Coffee inside Borders with this coupon. Expires 12/25.
• Get a free Ultra Thins Feminine Protection sample from Stayfree.
• Like Ester-C on Facebook and get a free sample of Ester C Vitamin Gummies.
• Get a coupon for a free cup of Yoplait Original Yogurt. (coupon will be mailed to you)
  

Wildtree Winner

The winner of my Wildtree giveaway was #15, Jessica! Congratulations! I have emailed her so she can claim her prize. Enjoy your pumpkin pancakes! Thanks to everyone who entered, and to Amanda for providing the mixes for review and giveaway. Have a great weekend, everyone, and don't forget to enter my Memorable Gifts giveaway because it ends soon. :-)

Redbox Groupon 3 for $1

Monday only, get a Groupon for 3 rentals at Redbox for only $1! To redeem this Groupon, you will enter your Groupon rental code. You will be required to swipe your credit/debit card for each rental, but you will not be charged as long as you return it by 9pm the next day. Expires 3/10/11. Find your nearest Redbox here.

Mailbox Monday--New Freebies!

Happy Monday! Enjoy your freebies!

• Get a free sample of Natural Dynamix Gummy Cuties or Fiber DX.

• Get a free sample of Purina One Smartblend Dog Food from Sam’s Club, no membership number required! (Scroll down and wait for the red "request a sample" window to appear.)

• Get a free 100 pk. of Boscia Peppermint Blotting Linens when you like them on Facebook.
  
• Like Purina ONE on facebook and you will get a free sample of Purina One Beyond.
• Get a free sample of Purina One SmartBlend Dog or Cat food from Walmart.
• Get a free sample of Prilosec OTC.
• Get another sample of Prilosec OTC from Kroger.
  
• Get a free sample of Solgar Whey Protein.
• Sam's Club members can get a free sample of Slim-Fast Peanut Butter Crunch Bars.
• Get a free sample of Garnier Fructis Anti Dandruff Shampoo. You can also print off a $1/1 coupon.
  
• Get a free sample of Gas-X Prevention.
• If you live in AL, AR, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, MO, NC, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA or WV, you can get a free sample of John Frieda Sheer Blonde Shampoo. No Kroger number is required.
• Get a free Poise sample from Kroger. No Kroger number is required, and this one is open to all states.

Picture Overload!

Things have been so busy over here that I haven't kept up with downloading pictures. So now that I've downloaded, you get overloaded! :-)

J got her first two teeth within a few days of each other. I tried to capture her toothy grin! She loves her walker and can really get places. She has also already started helping me in the kitchen--here she is licking a spatula! (I was making apricot baby food--yum!!)



G wanted me to braid her hair one day so she could have some curls. She loved the braids so much she left them in for a full day. But she was excited to take them out and see her curls. Here are the results!







On a break from schoolwork, the girls get silly! I believe they were all being rock stars this day.


Here is F with her sweet smile! What a cutie!



On one Sunday after church I got a quick picture of 4 of the 5 sisters (H is missing). It's really hard to get all 5 of them in a picture together, let alone all looking at the camera!

This morning they called me, "Mama, you have GOT to get a picture of this!" So here's another picture of 4 out of the 5, this time with baby J missing (she was napping--we'll have to try this pose again sometime!)

Earn Free BP Gift Cards

Save a little cash by buying some gas! BP wants to thank you for your business, so from now until 3/1/11, you can earn $10 BP gift cards!

Here's how:
*Purchase 8 gallons or more of any grade fuel at BP stations and present your receipt to the cashier and ask for a loyalty scratch card.
*Scratch the card, then visit www.thankyoudays.com and enter the code on your card.
*Once you have filled up 5 times and entered your 5 codes, BP will mail you a $10 gift card! Limit 3 $10 reward cards per person. Reward cards expire on 9/6/11.

A bonus is that at the BP stations near me, if I purchase 8 gallons or more, I also get a free coffee or cappuccino! Click here to find a station near you.
I'm not earning anything by your participation in this promotion--I just wanted to share this deal with you!