I was stoked when I found out I was chosen to review Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers for my blog through Moms Meet.  When the box arrived I was thrilled and did a definite dance for joy.

Crunchmaster Crackers are an alternative to regular wheat crackers.  They are natural and certified gluten free.  They are  made from brown rice, stone ground corn, oat fiber and a 4 seed blend.  These crackers are oven baked and have a great texture.

The verdict is in and these get a thumbs up from my family.  I love having a great multigrain cracker for the little ones.  Our family does not need to avoid wheat, but they get plenty of wheat in their diet and I like to offer a wide variety of foods (and grains).  These crackers help us to shake things up a bit.  They have the perfect crunch and and come in 3 flavors.  They come in sea salt, roasted vegetable, and white cheddar.  I think our favorite flavor was the white cheddar.  The only thing I would love more about them is if they were organic.

On to the BEST news.  They also wanted me to give away a case to my readers!!! So…just enter by leaving a comment below (make sure I have a way of contacting you if you win).  What flavor would you be most excited to try?

Giveaway closes Dec 21st.

I would also be thrilled if you wanted to become a “follower” so that I can bring you more awesome giveaways.

For more info check out Crunchmaster’s web site (they even have a coupon up right now) or their Facebook.

 

WINNER IS… JEN “Roasted Vegetable sounds good”

She has been notified and 48 hours to respond by email.

 Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

It’s that time of year again.  The time when we all bribe our kids in attempts to get the “greatest family photo of all time” to send off to loved ones.  On Saturday one of our friends blessed us by offering to take our picture.  Our kids were not feeling well and it was cold and windy…but I am sure there are a few gems in there anyway.  Our photographer used a tripod.  Tripods always equal success.

When I heard about a program from Tiny Prints for bloggers to get 50 free photo cards I was thrilled.  We have never used them before, but their cards look amazing!

Here are a few of my favorites (click on images for links)…

 

 

Which one am I choosing? NO IDEA! There are too many I really love.  One thing I really liked about Tiny Prints was the number of types of cards you can choose from.  They have the traditional rectangular and long photo cards, but also adorable tri-fold folding, and round.  You can even get the corners rounded on your rectangular cards.  If you go with one of the traditional cards I LOVE the rounded corner option.  Many of the cards also have super cute printed backs that coordinate.

If you are shopping for cards their current promotion is save 20% off your entire order with the code 20SAVE (ends 11/15).  I will watch to see what their next promotions is and update this post!

 

What are your tricks for getting a great picture of your family? Do you just pick the best picture from the last year and call it good, or have pictures taken specifically for your cards?

I was fortunate enough to get to sample Kashi Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered Granola Bars (say that three times fast) .  Awhile back I was accepted into the Moms Meet program and occasionally I am chosen to try some fun products. I share them with my group, and then am sometimes asked to summarize what we thought on my blog.

Here is what Moms Meet has to say about the new bars, “Looking for a good-for-you granola bar that also tastes good? Kashi’s all natural TLC^® Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered Granola Bars start with a chewy granola base made with peanut butter and peanut chunks for a nutty flavor. A thick layer of real soft fruit mixed with rich, dark chocolate tops the granola along with roasted runner peanuts and dark chocolate pieces for hearty, natural goodness you can see and taste. And they’re nutritious, too!”

When the box came in the mail we were holding our big garage sale.  I was stoked!  The kids were just getting up from their naps and they saw the box.  They asked if they could try them and we handed them each a bar and sat them on the chair.  They sat in perfect silence while they chowed every last speck.  I was actually surprised at how focused they were on the bars.  When strangers are waltzing around your front yard and taking away your beloved possessions the last thing I expected was them to calmly sit and focus on a snack.  They LOVED them and have asked for them many times since.

The main purpose of the sampling is for me to share them with a group I meet with who are interested in natural/green products. This totally fits with the interests of the girls in my Bible Study and so when I get a package from Moms Meet I always take the goodies along.

Here is what one of my friends thought of the bars:

“The texture/consistency was perfect. Chewy, but not gooey. I also thought the flavor had good balance between the chocolate and the peanuts. I am not a big peanut fan, but I did enjoy these.”

If you are interested in any of their products you can check out Kashi’s website.

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Go check out Kashi’s Facebook page to stay up to date on their promotions and be alerted of coupons.  I just checked and RIGHT NOW they have  a coupon for $1 off a box of their new pita crisps! Pared with a sale this will get you a great deal!

 

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Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

Borders has just reduced their prices again! Everything is now 40%-60%.  Check out your local store to see if you can score anything great!

I went in a couple weeks ago and found a nice little pile of books for the kids for cheap.  I was able to get some holiday and bargain books for even better prices than the books in the regular areas of the stores.

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Rue La La is offering free $10 credits to new signups!

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See Kai Run (One of our favorite shoe brands) just reduced prices on a bunch of cute shoes and socks.  Great prices up to 50% off.

Happy Thursday!

Yesterday I was lucky enough to get to go shopping for a bit.  We drove up to Portland and I headed to the Clackamas Old Navy with the baby while the Hubs kept the twins occupied elsewhere.  I got to take my time and really check things out.  While I like shopping at Old Navy for summer pieces, I love shopping there even more when the fall merchandise comes out.  Fall means sweaters, jeans, scarves, and boots.  Oh so cozy.  I was excited to see what they had for this year.

Here are some pictures of some of my favorite finds. Yes, I know it is back to school time…but I could not resist checking out stuff for the mamas too!

Some of my favorite deals right now

Jeans for kids are $12

 

They also had girls leggings for $6

 

Some of my favorite finds.

 

Reasons why I love the Clackamas location

It was the Old Navy I used to beg my parents to drive me to before we had a local Old Navy and the place I took my friends to on my sixteenth birthday.  Good memories.

It was also the location of my first date with Hubs during the summer between our sophomore and junior year of high school.  I was trying to revamp his wardrobe which basically consisted of 2 well loved Tommy Hilfiger t-shirts, a pair of jean shorts, and some Dr. Martin sandals.  Holding hands on the way home from a successful Old Navy trip is so romantic.

All moms can appreciate parking in one spot and hitting up multiple stores.  If you happened to need a caramel macchiato, some toilet paper, a loaf of good bread, party supplies, soccer cleats, a discount designer bag, and some never ending soup and salad and bread sticks you are in luck.

Lastly, because there are other Old Navy locations in the greater Portland area they seem to have a better selection of clearance items!

 

How does Old Navy compare to other value brands?

I would say it is at the upper end in terms of style and quality.  When shopping at stores whose regular prices are already fairly low I am looking for certain things.

• How well does it look like it will wash up? (Skip black if it looks like it might fade.)

• How well does it look like it will hold its shape? (Make sure it is just a bit longer than you will want it in case of shrinkage.)

• What is the weight of the material?

• How tight is the weave?

• What IS the material?

Old Navy has denim, woven (think dress shirts/sheet type material), and thicker knit material that will hold up great.

For every thin t-shirt or tank I find, I can usually find a thicker one I am happy with.  Sometimes shirts that are a cotton blend will hold up better than ones that are 100% cotton.

For comparisons sake their boys solid polos also felt like better quality than brands like Target and Children’s Place.

 

Ways to save at Old Navy:

Sign up for their Email list to learn about new promotions and sales and get great coupons.

Check your receipt and see if it has an opportunity to do a survey for a discount on your next purchase.

Watch your paper for occasional coupons.

Look for clearance items throughout the entire store.  Some of the best items I found were items which were marked down, but not even in clearance area.

Ask an employee what their current promotions are.  Sometimes it is easy to miss some of them.

Currently they are running a promotion called Super C-A-S-H where you earn $10 for every $20 you spend through 8-18.  Looks like each super cash voucher is good for $10 a $20 purchase.  (Works much like Gymbucks)

 

What did I get?

• A new pair of double-button boot-cut jeans for Little Miss $12

• Grey toddler boys polo for $5.oo

• Pair of strip leggings on clearance for $2.99

• Pair of toddler boys plaid shorts $3.97

• Toddler boys t-shirt $3.99

• Dressy tank for myself $5.99

Total- $33.94

Not to shabby!

When I was showing everything to Hubs and the twins after they came back Little Man said, “Those look like fall shorts!”  “Oh, like colors for Fall?? (thinking I had a very fashionable son), I said.  “No like fall….like they fall…fall off”, he says.  At least my skinny little boy can recognize a pair of wide legged shorts. He was absolutely right.

Now on to the fun part! Needing to do any shopping??  I scoured my coupon stash and have a coupon for $10 off any purchase of $50 or more for the first 7 people who comment below AND email me their mailing address.  I would randomly draw for them, but they expire next on the week on Thursday the 18th and I want to get them out to you ASAP!  If you would also take the time to subscribe via email, RSS feed,  or follow me via Google Friends I would be forever grateful!

This coupon would be a great way to earn some Super C-A-S-H and save even more money!

Email-  TwinMamaLoves (at) gmail.com

 

Disclosure: Old Navy compensated me for my drive and time with a small gift certificate.  I was not paid to write this post and these thought are my own.

When I occasionally actually get into the stores (we have been swamped lately) there are definitely some deals to be found.  The Hubs and I loaded the 3 Littles up and did a Trader Joe’s trip followed by Fred Meyer.

At Trader Joe’s we shopped like we still didn’t have a local store.  You would think we were preparing for Y2K like pretzels and counterfeit “Pirates Booty” were going to save our life.  “Divide and conqueror” turned into divide and “double up”.  Pretty sure we won’t need to buy snacks for 2 months.  My kids were “those kids” and I blame those darn little carts.  Last time Hubs took the kids he let them use them.  This time mean mommy said we had too much shopping to do.   I did not want to spend 3 hours using my nice voice to try and protect other shoppers ankles.  We went with the push the double and single  BOB’s and drag a cart approach.  What we ended up with was 2 toddlers who wanted NOTHING to do with the stroller and know how to push each and every button of their twin counterpart.  But, lucky for us they offered our kids taffy and suckers (I think we were the suckers).  Only 3 minutes later daddy was crawling around the van looking for which crevasse the taffy fell into and revoking the sucker for being stuck to inappropriate surfaces.  Next time I think we might pass on the “Mojo” basket.

The next stop was Fred Meyer.  Needless to say I went in while the rest of the family stayed in the car.  I was happy with my trip. I came out to pleasant kids and a patient daddy and Buzz Lightyear sticking out from our mini van’s sunroof.  I love my life.

Here is a tiny snapshot of my FM loot (Hubs has the good camera and phone today).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Came home from with…

2 Crayola colored pencils 99 cents

3 Crayola 24 ct. crayons 39 cents

2 packs of Avery 3 ct (with bonus) glue sticks. On sale for $1.49 and had a B1G1 coupon hanging from price tag.

Johnson’s Natural body wash. Had coupon for $1.50 off. (Having a hard time finding a good price on a good natural baby wash. This will do for now.)

Cottonelle wipes (great for toddlers!). Coupon for free product, but the shelf price was more than coupon would allow for. Anybody ran into this before? I think this shows that Fred Meyer’s regular prices are a bit high. I just asked if I could pay the difference.

3 big organic peaches on sale for $1.48 (decent price)

Whoppers (yes I said whoppers) $1.49ish or $1.25 with in ad coupon

Kettle chips. $1.50 after $1 off coupon at coupons.com

Pantene conditioner. Coupon for free product

Total $13. 24!

I also noticed that they had their clearance toys an additional 50% off.  I was at the South Salem store.  I did not find anything amazing but they did have quite a bit.  Might want to check it out!

Happy Tuesday!

I recently found out about a deal at Albertsons where for every $100 in qualifying gift cards you bought you would earn a catalina (paper that prints off with your receipt) for $20 to use at A’s within the next week.  I did some research and it looked like with some effort we could purchase Disney gift cards and use them towards purchasing our park hopper passes for our fall trip (don’t tell the kids or we will never stop hearing about it).  We were able to use 3 gift cards on each park hopper transaction.  We purchased each pass separately since the cards only came in $25 and $50 amounts and we wanted to purchase as many gift cards towards their purchase as possible.   The best part was that through the research for this deal I found out that Disney passes were going up in price within the next two days.  If I had not been reading about it I would have missed it because they usually raise their prices in August.  This was definitely a blessing!

We earned $120 in catalinas for Albertsons and Monday night we made a trip.  We don’t normally shop there, but we figured it would be worth our effort and could find things to buy.  Many people get out of Albertsons for pennies during their double coupon periods.   As I looked through match-ups and the ad I struggled to find great deals on things we would eat.   We were almost felt like we were wandering through the store looking for things to buy.  We could have easily spent our money on many things, but I wanted to get a good value.

Some of the criteria I used while shopping:

• Things we regularly buy anyway at good prices (corn tortillas, dog food!, organic apples, pasta (hubs got a ton).

• Organic items which were close to the prices I would pay elsewhere (very small number of organic options-apples, apple sauce, crackers).

• Things we don’t often find coupons for (specific hair things I use, tire gauge, muffin liners, organic apple sauce cups for baby when out of house).

• Special treats for the man who shopped with me (ice cream… and cones for the kids).

We used 4 $20 catalinas and spent about $20 because we had to do each transaction separately and could not break them up perfectly.  We still have 2 catalinas to use in the next couple days. I hope I find some good deals.

This was my first time trying to work the deals at Albertsons.  Purchasing the cards ahead of time to buy our passes was absolutely worth it to get the “free money” (even if we both forgot our wallets and had to drive all the way home and back after loading up all 3 kids).  Will I be a frequent Albertsons couponer? I don’t think so.  But wow…going to the store I grew up going to as a child was like a trip back in time.  Same cashier as when I was 7, same chipping paint on the shelves in the meat department, same smells, same displays, same everything.

There is still time to purchase gift cards at Albertsons to earn a catalina.  The promotion should be running through the 21st and the catalina expires a week after it prints.

Check out Frugal Living NW for a list of gc’s and more info.

 

 

 

I must tell you all about my new favorite thing. For more months than I would like to admit I have been modifying my “virtual cart” at Azure Standard.  Last week I was finally able to get my first order.  Azure Standard is a co-op of “quality bulk and natural foods”.  They can ship most things to your door, but the best way to order from them is by having your order sent to a “drop point.”

It is like grocery shopping from your couch…for good quality food…at great prices.  What’s not to like?

To get started you can call customer service and tell them your city and see if they deliver to your area, or check out their route information on their site.  Then, ask them for the phone numbers for some people who have “drop sites” in the area.  After calling around and settling on the coordinator that is most convenient for you ask when you need to submit your order by (or try to figure it out online), and when the order will come.

The items come by truck to your drop point and either the driver or coordinator will usually call you to tell approximately you when your things are coming/ have arrived.  Some sites work things a bit differently.  Some drops are in parking lots and some are on porches.

I found it a bit difficult to get started because of all the phone calls that I had to make.  With three small children it was really hard to call the 9 names they gave me to actually figure out which drops where near me.  I attempted a few times, but then got busy and a month or so would pass before I would get back around to it.

The other tricky thing is that most drop sites have to make a minimum order to get delivery.  The first drop I tried was going to be really close to my house, but we did not make the minimum order and I had to switch at the last minute to find a new one.  I ended up doing what I knew I should have done all along and went with a “tried and true” drop that a friend used that always meets their minimum (around$500).  Another thing to be aware of is that I believe most sites require that you meet a personal minimum order of $50 if you are having your items sent to a drop.

Be sure to check out their specials as well.  Their sales span over a two month period.

They carry SO many different types of things.  They carry tons of bulk foods, canned goods, produce, packaged natural/organic yummies, dairy, frozen goods, meats, herbs, health and beauty items, cleaning products, baby things, supplements, pet care items, and more all at great prices.

Here are some more shots of the goods…in case you are as curious as I am about what other people buy when they shop.

Here is what happens after you get all your pretty new glass jars out and start putting your bulk purchases away.  After months of dreaming of this moment…your toddler knocks the oatmeal over.  You bite you lip, try to show grace, and see how fast you can run the price per lb.

 

(In case y’all were wondering, I get nothing for this endorsement. I just am really enjoying my purchases.)

If you have any other questions for this newbie feel free to try me.

Do you order from Azure? What are your favs?

Do something with your kids that they LOVE…even if you don’t.

Turn on some music that perks up the grumpy person.  If you are grumpy turn on something you love.  If the kids are grumpy turn on something they can’t resist or ignore.

Pray.

Do something for someone else!  Talk about who you could do something for and then decide together what you could do.

Do something messy!

Take a bath.  You could even let them use some things in the bath that they usually don’t get to (maybe things from your kitchen).

Go for a walk around the block.

If you are overwhelmed by all there is to do start with 2-3 easy things that will get you moving.  Or, set a timer and clean for 5 minutes in the area that it will show the most.

Call someone on the phone…unless that always results in meltdowns and fighting over who gets to talk and push buttons…then don’t do that.

Get out stickers.

Open more blinds.

Light candles.

Make a fort and read a book in it.

Plan something fun for the next day so you have something to look forward to.

Give the grump a big love till their needs are met and finish with a tickle to make them smile.

If all else fails sprinkle a bag of marshmallows on the ground and run for a “potty break”.

Hope your house doesn’t need any of these suggestions today!

Blessings!

P.S. I am writing this post for myself

How many of these things did we do today? NINE

Lately every few weeks I have been hitting a thrift store or two.  I love it!  It is like a treasure hunt.  Last Saturday the Hubs had already been out with the kids early morning while I SLEPT IN (first GOOD sleep in since I can remember), so he said he would stay home with the kids and I could run out.  We are slowly working on our bedroom redo and I wanted to go to Greenbaums to get some fabric from my favorite designer (Anna Maria Horner) with a coupon I had.  I also wanted to hit up UGM.  It is my store of choice lately because of its proximity to my house.  I decided that I would never get out if I actually showered and got ready, so I did the 7 minute version and jumped in my swagger wagon.  I stopped by my parents and my mom decided to join me on my adventures.

My purchases:

A gap long sleeve shirt for little man

White CP dress shirt for little man

Gymboree corduroy dress with a ducky print for baby

New with tags Zutano snappy shirt/jacket for baby

Vintage overalls for baby (I love vintage baby clothes!)

-All of the clothes were between $1.50 and $3.00

AND! My first cute vintage Pyrex finds…

1) a round pink baking dish with lid

2) A soft lime pie plate (upside down under pink bowl…but you cant really see the color)

3) A nothing special Pyrex pie pan (we needed one)

Pyrex is not super valuable, but it came in some fun colors and patterns and I had been looking for something both practical and inexpensive that I could keep my eyes out for.  I would love to find some of the colored glass nesting bowls or cute refrigerator storage containers. Both of my finds today were very well loved, but I figured my small collection might as well start somewhere.

My other very important find was a white vintage-ish chenille type bedspread that I have been looking for for our bedroom redo.  I had a hard time deciding if it was just right, but I was afraid that it was the best I could do in the near future (especially since I don’t get to hit the stores often).  It was not as fuzzy as I was hoping for, but did not have holes and only a couple small spots that I am hoping will come out.  I am kinda grossed out about buying old bedding, but it will be getting washed good and hot with a touch of bleach and hopefully that would kill anything that might be lingering. I will try to post pictures of this soon in a bedroom post.

Head over to Apron Thrift Girl’s Thrift Share Monday to see what other people scored.

Do you like to shop at thrift or consignment stores? What has been your best find?