Last week my friend Deb wrote a very brave post. 

She had a near-foreclosure experience and blogged right through it.  Deb put it all out there, and it wasn’t pretty. 

Deb is a good person.  She’s kind and she takes good care of her kids and her husband and her friends.  I met her through blogging, but we live in the same town and when I met her in person I was so happy I couldn’t stop smiling at her kinda dorky-like.

One of the things she mentioned in her posts about the whole ugly foreclosure incident was that they weren’t big spenders, and the one area they could really cut back on is food spending and making more meals at home.

So this is my very humble offering to try and help Deb, and any of you who might need to reign it in a little but don’t know where to start.  We’ve been low income for years, so we’re pros at getting through tight spots

These are my Top Ten Menu Planning resources.

• Angel Food – My aunt told me about this.  Order a package ahead of time and pick it up at the host church.  It’s inexpensive and the benefit really is that you have complete meals, ready to go.  Some of them we liked, and some not as much but really it was fine and a way better alternative to eating out.
• Great Food For All - Just like Angel Food, but we haven’t tried it yet because I keep forgetting.  I am totally doing it this month.
• I’m An Organizing Junkie – Menu Plan Monday is a weekly carnival of, well, menu plans.  It’s HUGE and easy to get overwhelmed, so just look for ones that say “recipe links” to narrow it down a bit.
• Aldi Meal Planner- Choose the recipes you want to make, and print out a shopping list.  Aldi is really inexpensive, so you don’t have to work around what is on sale that week.
• Meijer MealBox – Find recipes and create a menu plan, and then shopping list.  You can print coupons from here too, and also see what is on sale in the store.  I’m sure other major grocery stores have this, too.
• Eight Meal Menus – This will get you through just over a week.  Sometimes, just having the suggestions put together is all you need.  Scroll down the page for the recipes.
• $45 Emergency Menu for 4-6 -  This is for all meals, for an entire week.  It’s not bad, really.  There is more ‘made from scratch’-ness than usual, but it tells you what to do on each day to prepare for the next meal.
• Once A Month Mom- While the initial outlay of cash will be big – remember you’re shopping (and cooking!) for an entire month.  It’s so nice to have dinner already in the freezer, waiting to go!
• If you have recipes you already like, try these free downloadable menu planners and shopping lists.  They are much cuter than the scrap paper mine are written on most of the time.
• You could also form a cooking exchange.  A group of people make a certain number of the same dish, then show up and exchange it.  So you make 6 lasagnas, and come home with a bunch of different meals.  I would strongly recommend you not invite me to be part of your group; advice I think my fellow exchangers would back me up on.  I am great at making the meals; but not so great at getting to the actual exchange. On time. Or even the right day. Oh well.

This post is linked up to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda.

One of the things I love about my kids’ school is the parental involvement.  The teachers do an excellent job of tolerating the well-meaning parents who are always hanging around, waiting for something that needs laminating. 

There are other ways to be involved though.  Behind-the-scenes parents are important too, especially in the fundraising area.  If your kids’ school is involved in any of these programs it’s easy to particpate.  If not – step up and initiate it.  The worst thing I’ve heard about running a program like this is that people don’t always clip their Box Tops neatly.

1. (West Michigan) Paper Gator - So easy it’s sick.  Just save up your newspapers and dump them in the garbage can with a cute alligator on it.  The school gets money for every pound of papers, and your recycling cart is not overflowing.
2. (Midwest) Meijer Community Rewards -  For every dollar you spend, a percentage goes to the school.  You don’t have to get a Meijer credit card to do this; you just have to remember to give the cashier your card to swipe when you are checking out.
3. (Michigan) Spartan Cash For Labels -  Bring labels in from Spartan Brand products, and the school turns them in for cash. 
4. (West Michigan) Family Fare School Days and:
5. (West Michigan) D&W School Days -  Schools will each have a specific code shoppers give to the cashiers when checking out.  Get the code from your school, and put the dates on your calendar.  Family Fare and D&W will then send a percentage of sales from those days to the school.
6. (West Michigan) TRIP - The school purchases D&W gift cards at a 3% discount, and then sells them to parents at full price as a fundraiser.   Family Fare has a similar program.
7. (Michigan) Great Lakes Scrip - Similar to TRIP except for tuition-based schools, a portion goes to the tuition.  We did this for preschool and it really made a difference!
8. (National) SCRIP - Same as Great Lakes Scrip, just a different organization running it.
9. (National) Campbells Labels For Education - Parents bring labels in from Cambpells products, which the school exchanges for money.
10. (National) Box Tops for Education - Kind of the mac-daddy program.  These Box Tops are everywhere, including Totinos Pizza Rolls which I was sent to review.  The only person in my family who was a big fan was my husband, but he is in school himself so they make a perfect after work/before school snack for any 37 year old students you are responsible for feeding! 

I was also sent a sweet backpack with a new binder (love!), a pack of highlighters, two giant glue sticks, a calculator, AND a coupon for 25 Box Tops I can take right to school and drop in the little collection box. Oh, and also a pizza.  They want one of my readers to have the same package (including the Pizza and Pizza Rolls!), so sign up to follow me on via RSS feed, email, twitter, Facebook.  You can do all four if you’d like – you’ll get an extra entry for each one! 

Leave a separate comment for each entry, or if you already follow/tweet/like/subscribe – let me know that too.  This contest will close Saturday, September 18 and I’ll notify the winner by email so make sure I have that.  Good luck! Go get involved!

Prize package and review packaged provided by General Mills through My Blog Spark; opinions are my own.  This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh! Amanda.

I have friends with family hanging around their houses, begging to take their kids for the afternoon, or the evening, or the weekend.  They never have to get a sitter because there is always someone close by to babysit.  My husband and I don’t have the luxury (and if you do – I hope you realize it is indeed a luxury!) because we don’t have a ton of family nearby. We occasionally are able to make arrangements to drop our kids off and run out for a while, but for the most part we have to rely on other resources.

The good thing is that there are a ton.  Some are Grand Rapids specific, but not all.  Even so, look in your area and this will at least give you some ideas of where to start your search.  Here are the Top Ten Babysitting Childcare Resources:

1. Date Nights at the YMCA.  This is DA BOMB.  Our kids love it and we know they are having tons of fun while they’re there.  It’s $30 for both kids and I think $40 for two kids if you aren’t a member, plus a few bucks for pizza.  They play games and play for 5 hours which, as it turns out, is enough time to get a few drinks in early and recover nicely by the time you have to go get the kids.  In case you were wondering.
2. Care4hire one of the online databases that reference checks its babysitters.  There is a monthly fee for the service. Can I just say: step away from Craigslist? I know it’s free, and you can pay for your own reference check but at some point it has to be cheaper just to have it done.  Plus, I dunno.  The whole thing with the, um, other services provided by people on Craigslist is creeping me out a little.  I mean; whatever pays the bills but I am just not sure I want to find my babysitter from the same source.
3. Nannies4hire.com like Care4hire but on a more ongoing basis.  Some of the nannies might take a babysitting job if the nanny business is slow, too.
4. Care.com has reviews of sitters written by other parents.  In our area anyway, there are more registered caregivers on this site than the other ones of its kind.
5. Sittercity.com is like the others above in that you pay a fee for the service, but they are having a sale through September and you can get 15% off with the code “TAKE15“.
6. Gymco.  This is similar to the YMCA in that you drop your kids off and they have a ton of fun, but it is a little more expensive.  Still, it’s a gym for kids – it’s as much a treat for them as date night is for you.
7. Gymboree. Like Gymco and the YMCA but more expensive and less frequent with their Parents Nights Out.  Also, this is for the younger set – the upper age of kids that can be dropped off is six.  But still – a complete blast for the kids.
8. College kids.  We have Aquinas, Calvin, Davenport, Kuyper, and Grand Rapids Community College here.  All of them have thousands of students and more importantly (to us), a career center that posts off campus jobs, such as babysitting.  Be prepared; I can’t believe how good kids are at negotiating these days.
9. Naked Plates, a pottery painting studio has a date night event occasionally.  I’ve never done it because, well, if you’ve met my kids you’d understand.  A.P. anyway.  Leaving him in a studio with a bunch of breakable items is not a good move.
10. Great Start Connect.  This is a re-format of what used to be Kent Regional 4C, a free database of all licensed childcare providers.  I don’t need to write any more about this; because it’s already been covered brilliantly in this article.

This post is rife with affiliate links; and is also submitted to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda.

Late summer is the perfect time for picnics.  Unlike outdoor dining attempts in the spring; the ground is warm and not muddy.  Unlike mid-summer outdoor dining attempts, it is not so muggy you just want to get done with the meal and get back into the air conditioning. 

Here is a list of the top 10 things you need to take with you on a nice, late summer picnic:

1. A picnic basket
2. A blanket
3. Frisbee (in case there is a disc golf course nearby)
4. Paper plates, napkins, and silverware.  I use disposable stuff, and fully acknowledge that it is ironic to enjoy a meal in nature while simultaneously destroying it.
5. Wipes, for sticky fingers and any little spills.
6. Drinks like bottled water and juice boxes.
7. Some sort of main course-ish meal.  Sandwiches or wraps are the easiest.
8. Potato chips.  This is the only legitimate instance in which they are considered an actual ‘side dish’, so take advantage of it.
9. Something that can be frozen, then allowed to partially thaw in the cooler, thus doubling as an ice pack.
10. A trash bag to throw all of your junk in when you’re done.

I wholeheartedly suggest Yoplait Splitz for number 9.  I was asked to try them, and they were a hit with my kids. They freeze great, and both kids want to take them in their lunches at school.  There are a bunch of yummy flavors, and will counteract the potato chips as there are no artificial flavors or high fructose corn syrup.  

Also, the picnic basket and blanket? I got a really cute ones as a thank you for trying Yoplait Splits, and so can you! Just pop over to the Yoplait website and check out the flavors.  Leave a comment letting me know which one you would like to try, and one commenter will win the same insulated carrying tote and roll up blanket I received.  I’ll draw the winner this Saturday.  Please make sure I have a way to contact you, or I will have to pass the prize along to another commenter if you win and I can’t contact you!

Comments are now closed.

I received the Yoplait Splitz, the prize pack, information and the prize package for giveaway from Yoplait through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own. This post was linked up to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda.

Apparently I have over-estimated my abilities several times in the past few months.  Perhaps ability isn’t the correct word.  Perhaps the correct word is discipline. Whatever it is, I’ve clearly haven’t had nearly enough.  How do I know? Because it took me almost no time at all to come up with the Top 10 Things at which I am currently failing pretty badly.

1. This weekend, someone asked me if I was still running a 10K.  The answer – it’s complicated.  Yes, I am still running one. But no, I am not running one in October like I said.  See, I called to get tickets to a vineyard tour and the only day they had left was the day before the race.  And in my world; wine trumps running. Every. Single. Time.
2. Losing weight.  Three pounds down, two pounds up. One pound down, two pounds up.  The math averages about a net loss of a (big, fat) ZERO.
3. Getting my kids up earlier to get them ready for school.  In fact, we are going in the wrong direction here.  My son slept later today then he ever has in his whole life. 
4. My friend Melissa had an awesome idea – let’s do a Bible study in the summer! And I thought for sure I would be able to do a little of the reading every day, rather than jam it all in the night before our weekly meetings. Nope. We are on week four and it hasn’t happened once. Apparently, something in me believes I can cram for eternity.
5. Giving up bleach isn’t going so hot either.  I go strong for about three days, then cave in and can’t stop until I get a whiff of a sheet that smells like Clorox.  I am trying so hard. I can’t quit you, Clorox.
6. I have an idea for a series I want to write that I have so much material for in my head I think I might start another blog. That is, if I ever get it out of my head.
7. Scrapbooking.  I set up my little table, with my cutters and fancy paper.  And there it sits. And sits.  If you asked my scrapbook, not only do I not have any children, my husband is actually just my boyfriend and we are on vacation in Toronto. And it’s 2001.
8. A few weeks ago the carbon monoxide detector ran out of batteries and started beeping crazily to let me know. In the middle of the night, naturally.  I swore at it, took it down, and left it on the counter where it sits presently; quietly detecting absolutely nothing.
9. My kids turn 5 and 7 in a few weeks and not only do I not have gifts chosen for them, I don’t even have any tangible plans for a party yet.
10. I switched my domain for Big Binder two months ago. I continue to cross off the old one on my business cards, write in the new one, and hand it out. Because that’s classy.

Strangely, listing all of these out doesn’t make me depressed.  In fact, I am pretty darn happy these days.  I just have this “to-do” list I’d like to be able to refer to as a “done” list sometime soon.  Maybe tomorrow.  Or next week…

This post was linked to Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.

My kids’ birthdays are coming up, and I have worked hard to research the Free Birthday Goodness that comes but once a year.  Per person.  Other exclusions apply.  Must show proof of ID. 

It’s a logistical challenge, but I believe I have narrowed it down to the best of the bunch.  Since A.P. and Maybelle’s birthdays are a mere three days apart, it’s important to time the visits to the restaurants just right so as to fully maximize the free eating bonanza.  Most involve just signing up for the E-Birthday Club, or something along those lines.  Click on the websites for full details.

1. Brann’s Steak House sends kids a coupon for a free meal, and if adults go on their birthday they will get a coupon for a sizzler on the next visit. This is an important one, because my kids both eat free on one trip, then for my birthday (November), we get a free coupon we use when we go on my husband’s birthday (December).  One more visit in January, and we’re pretty much done until the kids’ birthdays roll around again.
2. That same evening, head over to Baskin Robbins, where each kid gets a free scoop of ice cream. 
3. The next day we go to Red Robin.  Amazing.  Free burger, no strings attached.  Both kids can use the coupons at the same time, and so far we have been able to buy them kids’ meals, then use the free burger coupons for our meals.  This may have something to do with the fact that my cute little neighbor boy (OK, he’s like 23) works there.  I’m not sure.
4. Then we head over to Culver’s, where we get a free 2 scoop sundae with purchase of another one.  Buy two, get two – we’re all eating frozen custard of our very own.  It’s beautiful. 
5. The third day, we go to Mongolian BBQ because it has a free stir fry meal.  I am not a fan of this place, I think it’s gross that the food is just sitting out there, getting breathed on and whatnot by everyone shuffling past but A.P. absolutely loves it, and is inspired to be “one of those chefs” every time.  Plus, they give those nice plastic trainer “chompsticks“; as Maybelle says.
6. In a horrible entree and desert pairing, we then cruise over to Krispy Kreme where the kids get free donuts.  Not like it’s hard to score a free donut there, but still.  It’s nice to know it’s a sure thing.
7. Noodles & Company has a free small or medium bowl of noodles, but I just take the kids for lunch.  This is the kind of meal my husband sees in the same light as soup for dinner.  It’s a nice side dish, but where’s the main course?
8. If a movie we want to see is showing at the cheap seats, we go check it out and use Celebration Cinema’s free popcorn on your birthday coupon.  My husband isn’t the biggest fan of kids movies, either.
9. Perkins, Big Boy, Denny’s, and Bob Evans each have a birthday program with a free kid’s meal if you sign your kids up for their birthday clubs. I lump these all together because I’m kinda ‘meh’ about all of them but if we’re really going to town, we’ll use them.
10. I think this is my favorite of all of them.  Coldstone.  Oh my delicious.  Oh my expensive.  It’s truly one of the few times we go there every year.

I’d better make sure I have a new toner cartridge; I have some coupons to print…

This post was submitted to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh! Amanda.

Yesterday there was supposed to be some racing pigeons at the kids’ school.  I was not entirely clear about the tie-in, but somehow it was part of a summer reading program with the school library.  By the time we got there, the pigeons were pooped and packing up, even though we arrived an hour before it was supposed to end.  My kids were disappointed, and I was too.  I really didn’t even understand if they ran, or flew, or what.

To distract them, I decided to take in their library reading logs and hoped there was something compelling enough to make forget all about the racing pigeons.  We had already cashed in our free Barnes & Noble Book and gotten the first $5.oo gift card from Schulers, but the library programs are the real bonanza.  This year was no different.  Here are the top 10 things my kids had in their prize packs.  They got all jumbled together, so I don’t know what came from Kent District Library and what was from Grand Rapids Public Library.

1. Grand Rapids Griffins Tickets – from each library system so both kids got a total of four tickets.  With the Put A Lid on it Program and the Grand Cycling Classic Kids Race, we are up to 16 tickets already.  We are hockey fanatics – so this is awesome!
2. Whitecaps Tickets - again from each library system so each kid got two tickets to see our Minor League baseball team play.
3. Free kids meals from Qdoba (already used those babies today!)
4. Free kids meals from Chipotle.
5. Free kids meals from Texas Roadhouse.  Yee haw! Love it when they dance.
6. Free kids meals from Bob Evans.
7. Free Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut - from each library so both kids have two. 
8. A free pound of cookie dough from Papa Murphys.
9. Free haircuts from Sports Clips.  I’m pretty sure Maybelle will refuse to get her hair cut in a “boy” place, but A.P.’s hair grows really fast so I’ll just use both coupons on him.
10. $4.00 gift certificate from a cute little bookstore, Pooh’s Corner.

I love how generous these companies are, and since we have gone on two toad trips this summer having a few freebies will help the vacation-damaged budget.  The only bad part is that it’s making me realize this summer is already half over

Submitted to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda.

So I’ve learned a thing or two (or ten) from our road trip with two kids, a dog, and a husband. Let me share them with you.

1. Make sure everyone is well rested and in a goodmood  for the trip. Otherwise, it’s going to be a loooong ride. If that is not possible, make sure you have a few new movies, and snacks.

2.  Put a hold on your mail. You can do it all online, and enter the stop and start dates.  What you don’t want to do is accidentally click the wrong return date. What happens there is that you don’t get your mail for a week after you get home and then it takes two hours just to sort out the junk. Not that I would do something like that, I’m just saying, someone might.

3.  Let your husband take his stupid bike, even if he is only going to actually ride it for 45 minutes. Total.

4.  Understand, and help your husband to understand, that pets and children have smaller bladders and will need to take more breaks than when he did his last road trip, which was approximately 15 years ago and he drove from Alabama to California in a day and a half.

5.  Keep your pet on a leash, even when they are in a house of a relative that has a 8 pound, geriatric poodle named “Cubby Bear”.  Because when you dog mistakes Cubby Bear for a snack, you can quickly pull her off of him. It’s the same feeling that you get when your kid bites someone in playgroup. Awful.

6.  Get in contact with the convention and tourism bureau before you go and ask where the pet friendly parks, etc. are.

7.  If you need help finding a pet friendly accommodations or attractions, check out Bring Fido.

8.  Get an inexpensive, engraved tag to add to your pet’s collar with your cell phone on it in case they get lost while you’re traveling. Our Wal-Mart has engraving kiosks, and it’s about $5.

9.  Check out Paws To Click and take a pledge to keep your pet safe while traveling.

10. Get a Bergan pet harness. What? You don’t have one? Let me fix that. I have one BIG harnesses that fits dogs from 80-150 pounds and would love to help protect a road-trippin’ pooch! To win, just go over to the Bergan website and leave a comment letting me know what other product you would buy for your pet.  I’ll draw a random winner on Saturday, so be sure to leave your email address.

For more Top Ten Tuesday, go see OhAmanda.

I received the Bergan harness and compensation from Collective Bias. This awesome research and all opinions are my own. For more about traveling with pets, check out HolidayRoads.

The Yoop. The “U.P”. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Did you know Michigan had an Upper Peninsula? It’s secretly part of Wisconsin, but that’s one of those family secrets no one really talks about. It’s connected by land to Wisconsin, but by a bridge to the Lower Peninsula.

They call us “trolls”. As in “You’re from downstate, eh? You live under da bridge. TROLL!”

It is beautiful, though, and aside from a speeding ticket it was a perfect vacation. So here are my top ten pictures of our trip “Up North” which conveniently describes pretty much everything north of Grand Rapids.

I am almost totally certain that whatever was going on in this picture had NOTHING to do with the fact that my husband's spoke broke shortly after he got on his bike.

Leland - doesn't it look like they are going to fall in?? Made me nervous.

My sister; "Dude I'm squishing your head".

I know - I couldn't believe it was Michigan either.

Look at that water!! It was unreal.

So pretty - but I kept thinking, "What if the oil spill were here?" and it was kinda wrecking it for me.

They don't film movies here WHY?

Un-named beach 'cause I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to have fires on it.

In case there was any last shred of hope I am not a complete dork; I was teaching my family about tree-ring dating. Yes, for real.

The only picture I've ever taken in my life that remotely resembles a post card.

For more Top Ten Tuesday, check out OhAmanda!

The first few weeks of June is an onslaught of blog posts about the bazillion things you can do with your kids. Being un-crafty in nature, they all look very nice. I get a little inspired. In years past, I might have even bought supplies. Over time, though, I’ve come to know myself well enough to realize that it ain’t gonna happen. I have come across some, though, that I think I can manage. Here’s the list:

1. Make a fossil.
2. Make slime.
3. Sidewalk chalk. ’cause, um… see my logo? Yeah, that.
4. {Cheating incident number one}: go to Michaels “The Knack” events.
5. Kids Bowl Free I realize bowling is not a craft. However, it is stored  in the ‘craft’ category of my brain which is subtitled, “Things Other People Do, That I Don’t Really Understand Why“.
6. Worms in the mud. It’s a craft! It’s a snack! It’s disgusting (and my kids love it)!
7. {Cheating incident number two}: go to Home Depot Kids Workshops.
8. Toothpick marshmallow sculptures. Is it possible for me to NOT to involve food in everything I do? I think not.
9. {Cheating incident number three}: go to Lowes Build And Grow (do you see what crafts do to me??)
10. Make a bird nest. That’s a craft, right? Bonus theme snack: haystack cookies.

This post is linked up to Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda! Go see what other folks are saying.