3 Day Sale at Whole Foods!

There are some fantastic deals to be had at your local Whole Foods Store this weekend!

ONLY AT THE 400 SOUTH AND SUGARHOUSE LOCATIONS!

Re-stock you fridge and pantry after the holidays - shop our after New Year's Sale! With over 20 blow-out deals-plus our regular Good Stuff For Less specials-now is a great time to save.

New Whole Foods Market Good Stuff For Less Flyer Out!

The New Whole Foods Market Good Stuff for Less Flyer is out.
Sale Prices are Good 12/30/09-1/19/10

Check out the complete flyer by clicking here.

And now see how we've saved you even more off of sale items in the store!

Stonyfield Farms 6 oz O'Soy Cultured Yogurt 2 for $1 or .50/each
Register for printable coupons here
Current printable coupons: .50/3 O'Soy Yogurt

+ Stack the savings!
Buy any 4 yogurts and use the Stonyfield printable yogurt coupon + use the Coupons.com .75/4 yogurt (any brand) coupon and save yourself even more!!!

Price if you buy 4:
Sale Price: $2
w/.50 off 3 coupon: $1.50 for 4
w/additional .75 off coupon = .75 for 4 or .16 each!!!
**(Cannot guarantee that they will take both, but it's worth a try! Let me know if it worked for you!)

Bulk Organic Rolled Oats: .99/lb

Kashi Go Lean Cereal: 2 for $4 or $2/each

Amy's Kitchen Organic Light Sodium Soup 2 for $4

Earthbound Farm Organic Salad $2.99
Printable .55 off coupon
Price w/coupon: $2.44

Imagine Soy, Rice or Almond Milk, 64oz: $2.99
Printable .75 off 2 Imagine products
Price if you buy 2: $2.62

Sunflower Market Deals 12/30/09-1/6/10

Here are the best deals from Sunflower Market this week. We've paired it up with coupons/savings deals to save you even more money!

For the full ad, click here.
Last week's ad is right here, already organized for you!

Produce:

Hass Avocados and Tropical Mangos: 3 for $1
Braeburn of Jonagold Apples: .88/lb
Red Rotatoes: .29/lb
Cucumbers and Large Green bell pepper 2 for $1
Organic Fresh Crisp Celery 2 for $3
Organic Bunched Carrots or Mini Peeled Carrots 2 for $3
Organic Yams .88/lb
Organic Pears .88/each
Organic Golden Delicious Apples .88/lb

Fresh Express Salad Blends: 2 for $5 or $2.50/each
.55 off 2 printable Fresh Express Coupon--exp. 12/31/09
$1 off 1 printable Fresh Express Coupon--exp. 12/31/09 *Good for Seasonal Salads Only*

Dairy and Frozen:

Pacific All Natural Fire Baked Thin Crust Pizza $4.99
signup for printable $1 coupon on any Pacific products
Price w/coupon $3.99

Brown Cow 6oz All Natural Greek Yogurt .99/cup
Printable coupon .50 off any 3 Brown Cow Yogurts
If unable to print, click here to signup for instant printable coupons.
+ STACK THE SAVINGS
Use this Coupons.com printable coupon to save an additional .75 off any 4 yogurts (any brand)
So if you buy 4 yogurts:
Sale Price: $3.96
w/.50 off coupon: $3.46
+ additional .75 off coupon your final price = $2.71 or .68/cup!

Mozzarella Fresca Regular or Smoked 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella Balls: $3.99
Printable .75 off one, $2 off 2, or $4 off 3 coupon
Price for 1 w/coupon: $3.24

Grocery:

Barbara's Bakery 7 oz Snack Mix: $2.99
Printable Barbara's Bakery Coupon

Simply Organic Organic Dip Mix: .99
Printable .50 off any 2 Simply Organic seasoning, dips, or mixes
Price w/coupon: $1.48 for 2 or .74/each!

**Just in: Printable $1 off any 3 Simply Organic Dip Mixes from Mambo Sprouts!


Pop Chips 3 oz All Natural Potato Chips: 2 for $3 or $1.50/each
Printable $1 off coupon Exp. 12/31/09
Price w/coupon: 2 for $2 or $1/each

Cascadian Farm Organic Cereal: $2.99/box
Printable $1 off coupon
Price w/coupon $1.99/box

Muir Glen 14oz Organic Soup: $1.99
Printable Coupons.com $1 off any Muir Glen Product Coupon
Price w/coupon: .99!!


Bulk:

Raw Almonds $3.99/lb
Turkish Apricots $2.99/lb
Short Grain Brown Rice .99/lb
Oriental Trail Mix $2.99/lb
Maple Pecan Granola $2.49/lb

Great Getting In Shape Deals

Okay, not very happy this morning. Last night, had to exchange those cute new jeans for a size bigger. Did I mention I'm not happy about that, because I'm really NOT happy about it. For one, I'm disappointed in myself. And two, I'm not happy when I'm not feeling good about myself.

So when I came across these deals last night, I thought, *perfect.* January is a rough month for me. And every January I try to change up the workout alittle bit and do something different. Something fun. A new workout tape, or trying a new type of workout. Since I have two young kids, the gym isn't feasible. The treadmill and the TV are.

There are some great deals to be had around the valley if you're looking to get in shape. (Or just need a change in your workout like me, knowing that the long, boring winter is now in full swing).

$7.50 DVD Deals on Fitness Video Favorites:

* Dancing w/the Stars Dance, Body, Tone
* AM/PM Yoga for Beginners
* The Biggest Loser 30 Day JumpStart Workout
* Personal Training w/Jackie
* Denise Austin 3 Week Boot Camp

Gold's Gym 55 cm or 65 cm Body Ball $9
Danskin Now 3mm Yoga Mat $9
Assorted Workout videos including Jillian Michaels, Dancing with the Stars and More, $9
Danskin Now 8 piece Pilates kit, $20
Gold's Gym Door Gym, $19
Perfect Pushup, $15
Stamina Air Resistance Upright Bike, $87

Know of any other great deals? Post them here!

Monday Mayhem Continues...

More great deals from all of your favorite stores!
If you're looking for the earlier morning edition, click here.

This Monday Mayhem shows you the best deals available at health food stores including FREE products!

HARMON'S BEST DEALS

Clif or Luna Bars: $10 for $10 or $1 each

Prickly Pear Nectar $17.99 each

Prickly Pear Spread $12.99 each

So Delicious Coconut Milk $2 for $7 or $3.50/each
So Delicious Coupon

Silk Soy Milk 2 for $6 or $3/each
Silk Soy Milk .75 off coupon
w/coupon $2.63/each

Bubble and Bee Products 20% off

Pirates Booty 16 oz Snacks $4.99/each

Barney Almond Butter 16oz $4.99/each

Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips $2.19/each
Food Should Taste Good $1 off Coupon
w/coupon $1.19 each

Food Should Taste Good Granola 2 for $6 or $3/each
Food Should Taste Good $1 off Coupon
w/coupon 2 for $5 or $2.50 each

Barbara's Cereals 2 for $6 or $3/each
(Shredded Spoonfuls, Vanilla Almond Shredded Oats, Shredded Oats or Shredded Wheat)
Signup for Barbara's Bakery Coupons

Naked Juice 2 for $5

RITE AID

SoyJoy 1.06 oz Bars 5 for $3
Single Check Rebate $3 off 5 bars
= FREE!

Kashi GoLean Crunch 2 for $5 or $2.50/each
Sign up to get Kashi Coupons in the mail
(Currently $1 off Kashi cereal)
w/$1.00 off coupon 2 for $4 or $2/each

Monday Mayhem!

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. We've played a million rounds of Wii Sports Resort this weekend, both my husband and I have set and reset up a million different racing tracks with my sons Hot Wheels Trick Track set, and helped me daughter braid her horses hair a million times with her Barbie Shower and Show horse set. 

Glad the weekend is over, but do have to admit that it was an absolute blast. I had a great time spending my days with the family. And we hope that your family had a very happy holiday.
Now, onto the savings!

If you're looking for the Sunflower Market weekly savings blog on how to save even more with their current ad, click here. If you're heading out to Whole Foods and want to save even more, click here.

UP TO 75% OFF AT GREEN LIVING!

There are some fantastic deals to be had at Green Living this week. Some great deals I found? LED flame tipped lights as low as $3.75, ornaments as low as $1, and roll on perfumes for $7.25.

I also found a cute Santa Paws spa kit for dogs for only $5! (With two dogs, I'm a little partial to finding good deals on dog stuff). The spa kit includes Four 2 oz happytails’ spa products that not only smell marvelous, but are made with good ingredients and green packaging. The kit contains: 1 Comfy Dog, 1 Fur Better (or Fur Worse), 1 Dog Smog Remedy, 1 Fur Breeze in Citrus Vanilla. For only $5!

There are a ton of other great deals on jewelry, clothing, games and more. Click here to be connected to the site!

Deal courtesy of Ecobunga!

FREE CUP OFFER FROM STONYFIELD FARMS!

Buy any four yogurt quarts and get a free reusuable eight ounce cup with lid from Stonyfield farms, plus over $4.50 in coupons on Stonyfield products too!

Click here for all of the details!

NEW COUPONS!

New Santa Cruz printable coupons! .75 off any Santa Cruz celebration beverage and .75 off any Santa Cruz peanut butter!

New R.W. Knudsen printable coupons! Enjoy a $1.00 off coupon for any 32 oz. Just Juice product or a $1.00 off any 8-pack of organic Sensible Sippers Juice Boxes for kids. There's even a coupon for adults too! Enjoy a .50 off coupon good on any Sparkling Essences 4 pack!

AMEX USERS GET REWARDED AT WHOLE FOODS MARKET!

Starting today, you can win $50 off a $100 purchase, or $25 off a $50 purchase at Whole Foods Market.

Here's how you enter to win:


Go to The Daily Wish site & sign-up (AMEX Cardholders Only)

Be on the site & logged in tomorrow at 2:30 pm EST (11:30 PST)

When offer goes live, click the "I want One" button. The first 800 people who do this will get the deal!


Good Luck! If you don't win today, try Tuesday and Wednesday too!

Offer courtesy of Organic Deals
Thank-You!

To view last week's Monday Mayhem savings include a buy one get one free coupon on guacamole, click here.

Whole Foods Market Sales Flyer 12/16-12/29

Just a few more days until the next Good Stuff for Less Whole Foods Market sales ad comes out, but we wanted to save you extra money before it does!

There are some fantastic deals to be had!

Click here to be connected to the current sales flyer.

Or start viewing below:

Produce:

Navel Orages: 10 lbs for $10
Columbia River Organic Vegetables 3 for $5
Bear Creek Comice Pears 10lbs for $10

Grocery:

Annie's Homegrown Macaroni and Cheese: 4 for $5 or $1.25 each
Click here for printable coupon for .50 off any 1 Annie's product.
Price w/coupon: $1.13/box

Amy's Organic Soups: 3 for $5 or $1.67 each

Organic Valley Farms Butter Salted or Unsalted 16 oz: $3.99
$1 off any Organic Valley Butter found in Mambo Sprouts Holiday Savings Booklet w/coupon $2.99
Printable coupon $1 off any Organic Valley 8 oz or 16 oz butter: Price w/coupon: $2.99

Organic Valley Farms 32 oz Organic Egg Nog: $2 for $6 or $3/each
$1 off any Organic Valley Half Gallon or Gallon Milk Price w/coupon $2.50/each

Kettle Foods Potato Chips 14oz bag 2 for $7 or $3.50/bag
Coupon for $1 off Kettle Brand chips w/coupon: $3/bag

Tillamook Specialty 3 year cheddar $7.99/lb
$1 off any 2 lbs cheese coupon (any brand) from Coupons.com
Price w/coupon $13.99 (if you buy 2 lbs)

Applegate Farms Black Forest Ham $7.99/lb
Printable $1 off Applegate Farms purchase coupon

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you

And Your Family

A Very

Happy Holiday

Weekend Full of

Fun and

Family!






Thanks to all of you

This Holiday Season

For Your Support.

See you Monday!

Sunflower Market Great Deals 12/23-12/30

Remember, Today is Double Ad Wednesday!! Last Week's Ad Overlaps w/This Week's Ad!

Here are the Best Deals from This Week's Current Ad Good 12/23-12/30:
To view the full ad, click here.

Produce:

Acorn, Butternut, and Spaghetti Squash: .29/lb

Golden Pineapples: 2 for $3

Bunched collard, mustard, kale and turnips: .88/lb

Sweet onions: .88/lb

Minneola or Orlando tangelos: .88/lb

Red grapefruit: 3 for $1

Garnet or jewel yams: .88/lb

Green Onions, radishes, cilantro, parsley and carrots 2 for $1

Cluster and Hothouse tomatoes $1.99/lb

Apple Rama: Most brands .88/lb

Cucumbers, green bell peppers: 2 for $1

10lb Russet Potato Bag: $1.99

3 lb yellow onion bag $1.99

Organic Braeburn and Fuji apples: .99/lb

Organic Northwest pears: $1.49/lb

Organic Russet baking potatoes: 5 lb bag 2 for $5

Organic red or green leaf and romaine lettuce: $1.49 ea

Organic creamy Hass avocadoes: .99/each

Dairy:

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Milk: $2.99

w/coupon: $2.49

Printable .50 off coupon

Other:

Terra 5 oz exotic vegetable chips $2 for 4 or $2/each

w/coupon 2 for $3 or $1.50 each

Printable $1 off Coupon

R.W. Knudsen Sparkling Cider Sparkling Crisp Apple Cider 2 for $5 or $2.50/each

w/coupon 2 for $4 or $2/each

Printable $1 off coupon

Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes 2 for $3 or $1.50 each

w/coupon 2 for $2 or $1/each

Red Plum $1 off Muir Glen Product

or use the $1 off any 2 Muir Glen Sauces

RECALL: Hazelnuts Sold To Whole Foods Market Stores

Whole Foods Market is recalling organic raw hazelnuts (filberts) sold in bulk through its stores in California, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington because the nuts were part of a batch that was contaminated with salmonella.

Whole Foods Market customers who have purchased the recalled product since Oct. 12 in the states listed above may return the item for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company by calling 512-542-0656 or by logging on to http://www.wholefoods.com/.


For the full article, click here.

The Staples of Christmas...

Not healthy, but good.

These are the staples of Christmas around our house:

Toffee.

Caramels.

(No picture available. 3 attempts and finally a broken candy thermometer yielded a whopping 0 caramels that turned out).

Ranch Oyster Crackers.

And a Tiny Elf Who Appears in the Strangest of Places Everyday

It's not always about the presents, the holiday rush, and the giving of gifts. It's the staples of Christmas that make the holiday the best.

Monday Mayhem! Lot's of Savings This Week!!!!

Survived the Christmas shopping. All the presents are wrapped and ready to go. Of course, the day AFTER we go shopping, the Sunday ads come out showing the ONE thing my daughter wanted--a Zhu Zhu pet. $9.99 at Toys R' Us if you want to fight the crowds for one. Otherwise, check out these great deals, drawings, and coupon finds!

Saw this Recycle Bank ad, and looked into it more. You can be rewarded for recycling! Simply sign up, and automatically get 100 rewards for signing up. Then go back into the website, login and go to "Get Rewards." Then click on "Grocery and Food" and use your points to redeem coupons at some of your favorite places like Stonyfield Farms, Happy Baby or Seventh Generation. You can get extremely high value coupons thatyou can't find anywhere else. You can also use your points towards free products too. Over 1,500 merchants participate. (Note: I signed up and redeemed for 1 free tub of chlorine free baby wipes from Seventh Generation, and a $2 off coupon from Stonyfield farm).

It's free to register. Get started here.

Already using Recycle Bank? Head to the forum to let us know what you think.

The Sunday US Today insert had a fantastic coupon for Ocean Spray Cranberries. Buy one 6 pk 100 calorie dried cranberry, get another one free. A great deal!

$500 Coupon Giveaway!!

Earn $500 in coupons on Amy's products when you register to win. It's simple and easy!

Click here to sign up now.

Hanna Andersson sells some of the best organic cotton pajamas. And twice a year they put these pajamas on

sale. (Up to 60% off!) Hurry and order for Christmas! You've only got just a few days left! They have some of the cutest pajama patterns. Click here to start shopping.

Wholly Guacamole!  Buy One, Get One Free Coupon. Click here to print your coupon good for any organic Wholly Guacamole Salsa or Guacamole.

PROCRASTINATION LOOKS LIKE THIS...

Yup.

Haven't Done ANY Christmas Shopping Yet.

This Weekend Is IT!

Just Me and the Crowds.

Hope I Survive.

Whole Deals Now Has Printable Coupons

Loving this!
You can now print coupons for the latest Whole Deal Newsletters right here!
Perfect!

Click here to start printing!

Easiest Way to Save Money

No it's not the almighty coupon. (Although it does save quite a bit of money). But the easiest way to save money on things we eat everyday are through tear pad rebates! Interestingly, these rebates are put out by beer companies. Many rebates are for things like $10 off a $15 meat purchase, or $10 off a $25 snack cracker, cheese, or deli purchase.

Many of these rebates don't limit what store you need to purchase the item from, making it easy for me to shop at my favorite health food stores and still get rewarded. In Utah, no beer purchase is required either, so it's very simple and easy to save.

All I have to do is keep my reciept, circle the appropriate item that corresponds with the rebate, and send the rebate form and receipt into the company. Simple and easy and often only takes me a couple of minutes to save a significant amount of money.

Some months I may only get $10 back, other months I've earned $40 or more back in tear pad rebates!

These rebates can be found at grocery stores--often times up at the customer service desk area, or in beer display aisles. Sometimes in the refrigerated section of the beer aisles. However, I've resorted to using eBay at times and paying a small fee to have a rebate sent to me instead of having to search all over the county to find the latest rebates in stores. In eBay, I search "beer rebates" and then adjust the pricing to go from low to high. Make sure you read each rebate carefully to make sure it is able to be used for your state.

Where can you find a list of the current rebates floating around? I love Savvy Shopper Deals. Many people submit the rebates they find floating around, and tell you which store and what area of the store they found them at.

Tear pad rebates are by far the easiest to use and the simplest way to save a significant amount of money when shopping.

Click here to head to the Naturally Savvy forum and let me know what you think about tear pad rebates. Or leave a comment here!

And the Winner Is....

Have you checked your inbox?

You could be the winner of our giveaway!

Have you checked our website?

There are some great events going on this week just in time for the holidays. Be sure to check there and attend an event. Lot's of yummy sampling parties!

Have a great day, more exciting things to come tomorrow!

LAST DAY TO ENTER TO WIN!

Today is the last day to enter and win prizes from last week's segment. Winners are being announced tomorrow. We've got fabulous prizes from Kids Central Kitchen, the Healthy Pantry, and MORE!

Hurry to enter! 5 prizes to choose from!

Click here to view the prizes and enter to win!

Monday Mayhem! Freebies, Discounts & Samples!

I LOVE Mondays! (That's because I used to hate them, then started Monday Mayhem). The start of my Monday is so much better now. And I'm making Monday more enjoyable for you now too. Check out some of the latest free samples, discount codes and printable coupons available for those living a healthier lifestyle...

Free Samples:

Mean Green Sample

Mean Green makes a large line of hand cleaners for industrial and office use­s, the best cleaner-degreaser av­ailable for use in industry, office or home, the single most effective holding tank treatment and deodorizer for RV's, marina's and campgrounds and other associated products. Get your free 2oz sample by clicking on the link below, than looking for "Request a free sample" on the left hand side of the screen.

http://www.meangreen.us/

FREE Letter from Santa

Since 1914, children have had the joy of receiving letters from Santa Claus for free.Every letter mailed to Santa Claus before December 21st, will receive a letter back from Santa Claus himself! The earlier you can send in your letter the better. Letter courtesy of the Santa Claus Museum.

http://www.santaclausmuseum.org/letters.html

FREE Aveeno Tote Bag

Hurry and grab your free Aveeno Tote Bag while supplies last! A cute bag with an $8 value!

http://www.aveenosampleoffer.com/

Pillsbury 2010 Calendar--FREE

create your profile below to sign up to receive the Pillsbury® or Cooking 4 Two email newsletter, access
exclusive member benefits on Pillsbury.com, and receive a FREE* Pillsbury® 2010 Calendar!


http://freecalendar.pillsbury.com/PB2010Calendar/Default.aspx

Coupons:

Ecobunga now has new printable coupons up for brands like Method Cleaners, R.W. Knudsen, and Santa Cruz organic. While you're there, check out some great giveaways they have. And if you're still looking for a gift, check out the "ending soon" section for fantastic deals ending this week. Click here to start saving.

Discount Codes:

The Healthy Pantry:

 Offering delicious meal kits that are simple and easy for busy families. Just add a few ingredients and you're done! Use the code TRACI to save 20% and get free shipping on ANY order!
http://www.thehealthypantry.com/

Kids Central Kitchen

Fun gift baskets and great dessert kits that are easy for families to make together. They offer great cookie and breakfast mixes perfect for any family. Child have a gluten allergy? No problem! They also offer gluten free prodcuts too!

Use the code ABCSLC to save $10 off your $25 order!

http://www.kidscentralkitchen.com/

Baby Bistro Brands

The holy grail for new Mom's! Baby Bistro Brands is a perfect gift for any new mom, or a mom with toddler aged children.

Use the code HDL09 to save 10%!

http://www.babybistrobrands.com/

Activz

Order any adult product and get kids product (for 2 kids) at up to 60% off! Call 877-488-INFO to find out more.

http://www.activz.com/

Great Time!

I had a great time yesterday and hope that those of you who made it out are enjoying your gift bags. If you haven't had a chance to enter to win gifts from yesterdays segment, please do so now by clicking here.

If you can, I'd love for you to come out and take a class so I can get a chance to meet you in person! Head to our website at HealthyDealsNSteals.com and click on classes. So far, Sunflower Market is listed there, but shortly you should see classes for Whole Foods Market as well.

Loved what you saw yesterday and want to know more? We've got exclusive money saving codes and more as well as information on all the products that you saw yesterday. Head to our homepage at HealthyDealsNSteals.com.

Thanks for a great time! Eating healthy doesn't have to taste bad! (Trust me, I gained 5 lbs taste tasting numerous healthy cookie mixes and frosting mixes just to be sure. A lot didn't make the cut, but a few did.) The cookies didn't last long either after the segment.

Again, my thanks goes out to everyone of you for coming out!

--Traci

HOST A CLASS!
Enjoy eating healthy and saving money? Host a class to learn how you can save money at health and natural food stores. Send an email to diabeticparents@live.com to request a class time.

Healthy Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen!

We're talking Healthy Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen. And we've got some fantastic giveaways from the segment for you!

Simply scroll through the Christmas giveaways, and fill out the contact form on the bottom of the page giving me your top three choices in order. A winner will be chosen randomly on December 15th, 2009!

Kids Central Kitchen

Fun gifts to get kids excited about healthier eating! We've got one pirate and one fairytale gift basket to give away. Each kit comes with a spoon, sprinkles, sugar cookie mix, cookie cutters, measuring spoon and mixing bowl. A $39.99 value.

Picnic Giveaway

Win our picnic giveaway complete with two GoPicnic meals, and a one year Kiwi magazine subscription! A $35 value!

Cupcake Baking Set

We've got one cupcake cooking set complete with cupcake mix from Cherrybrook Kitchen and a frosting mix from Dr. Oetker. We're also throwing in some all natural food coloring and sprinkles from India Tree to spice up your cupcakes!



Baby Bistro Brand

The best gift to give at a baby shower or for a new parent! We're giving away one Baby Bistro baby set and one Toddler Bistro set. A $27.95 value!

The Healthy Pantry

What Mom doesn't need the gift of more time? The Healthy Pantry allows you to keep your family eating healthier and gives you more time to spend with them! You can win one Sloppy Joe Mix complete with shells and pasta side!





Contest Rules: Must be a resident of Utah to win. Prizes available for pickup or delivery. Delivery charges are the responsibility of the winner. One prize per household only. Winner chosen courtesy of Random.org. Drawing held Tuesday, December 15th. Winners notified on December 16th.

Are you Ready?

I'm not lovin' this cold weather.
At all.
But my husband and I have gotten a kick out of the weather lately.
Snow, snow and more snow, except for Wednesday.
It's like someone upstairs knows that I can't drive in the snow.

I'm looking forward to meeting all of you who will make the trek out to the set of Good Things Utah tomorrow. For now, I've got cookies to decorate, a car to pack, and errands to run. See ya tomorrow!

Monday Mayhem

The blogs will be short this week as Wednesday quickly approaches. It's like this looming red circle on my calendar. Of course, there are a lot of red circles on my calendar with the holidays approaching. My daughter's cookie party is finished and was a lot of fun! You can view all the pictures and details as well as a delicious gingerbread cookie recipe at my husband's and my diabetes blog at http://blog.diabeticparents.org/.

Right now? I'm off to finish up the final details for our website relaunch. So excited to meet all of you!

I LOVE Hearing This...

Wednesday is quickly approaching and the deliveries are coming in. The gift bags are nearly ready to go. And I've been trying frosting recipe after frosting recipe. I'm excited, and it's mostly because I've got some fantastic things to talk about that will be perfect for the holidays!

(And because I can FINALLY start talking about all the great items I've got to show everyone!)

PS If you've got a frosting recipe for me, send it my way. Make sure it has no corn syrup and includes organic powdered raw sugar. It needs to taste good enough to top sugar cookies with!

If you haven't already, head to the Good Things Utah website to grab your tickets. I hear they are going fast!

Have a great weekend!

You Can't Put a Price on Service...

Last night we had a great opportunity to serve as a family together. My husband called before he left work and said that was asked to do a Sub for Santa for four children--two boys and two girls both our children's ages. Instead of doing it himself or assigning it to one of his coworkers he thought it would be a great opportunity for our family to go together and shop for these children.


So Target was taken by storm last night by a Mom, a Dad, two kids, and two shopping carts. We loaded up those carts to overflowing with a Barbie house, cars, clothes, Littlest Pet Shops, Transformers, Spiderman, Spongebob, shoes and wrapping paper.

But it wasn't the accomplishment of finishing our list that brought satisfaction to us. It was the fact that as a family, this was our first real service project. And it felt great to serve someone else. We loved watching our daughter become possessive of "the girl's cart." She rolled her eyes, huffed, and asked how much longer we were going to be shopping for "the boys" when we were in the boys department. She also uttered a few "eeeew's" in when we had to shop for underwear for the little boys. But when I announced that it was time to shop for the girl's, her reaction changed. She took the girl's department by storm.

"Get this for them Mom!"

"Dad, those shoes are the BEST! They're sooooo cute! You have to get them Dad."

"No Dad, not that shirt, that one. It's got Littlest Pet Shop on it! And she likes Littlest Pet Shop."

We were so impressed with her checking the list and making sure that everything we got went along with what these girls wanted. From the toys, to the clothes, she was the official 'girl expert.'

Except when it came to Moxie Girls. One of the little girls wanted a Moxie girl doll, and my daughter didn't know what that was. But our son who can't read yet could. "Look Dad, here's one!" He easily pulled one out of a sea of Barbie, Groovy Girls, Bratz dolls and Fancy Nancy dolls. All of you advertising execs out there--you're good.

Of course, he had a blast picking out toys from the toy aisle. My husband grew exasperated with him as he secretly threw toys into the shopping cart behind our backs. When my husband had to fish them back out, my son would say, "but Dad, this little boy needs cars. And these are so cool."

We didn't think he would understand the concept of giving. But apparently he did. More than we knew. How can you not feel a tug on the heart strings when you see your son trying to buy the entire Target toy department for two little boys? How can you not tear up when you see your daughter get into the spirit of giving by meticulously checking the list over and over to make sure two little girls got what they wanted? And how can you not love your spouse more than watching him navigate through the crowded aisles of Target with two little ones in tow asking for their opinion and advice? You can't.

You can't put a price on serving others. And you can't help but feel great, but sad at the same time. It's easy to think that we could have been one of these families this year. That all of us are close to being in a situation like this. Some of us may even be in the situation or have been in the past. We can't always help in the way that we did. But we make sure that we do when we're able. Because we learn the most about ourselves when we forget ourselves. Serving helps you to remember that many of the problems we face in life are insignificant. That all of us will face different challenges in life. Health, financial, or mental. It doesn't matter. What matters is we think less of ourselves, and more of others. It's the main reason I love this season so much. Service extends beyond Christmas. But last night, it was Christmas for us and several families.

Happy Holidays!

Great Deals Wednesday

Here are some of the great deals and freebies floating around the web today:

Sunflower Market

It's double ad Wednesday today! Sales are overlapping so head to the website to plan for the best deals. One of the good ones is a huge sale on meat! Buy one, get one free on many items. Check it out and make sure to head over to your local Sunflower Market.

You can also sign up to receive your flyer by email by clicking here.

And click here to go straight to the ad.

Free Organic Iced Tea

Print your coupon for a free 16oz Steaz Organic Iced Tea. Than take the coupon to your local Target store to redeem. Easy!

Print your coupon now.

Free Sample of "Don't Disturb Me, I'm Sleeping"

Natural Sleep Aid

Having trouble falling asleep? Try a free sample of "Don't Disturb Me, I'm Sleeping!" sleep aid from Asphalia. An all natural sleep aid designed to give you a more restful night. You can request your sample here.

Free Sample of Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers

Looking to make the switch to a more natural, better for the enviornment and your baby diaper? Have you tried Huggies Pure and Natural? If not, sign up to receive a sample and coupons from Huggies. (Just a note: I received my samples, and it came with $3.00 off coupons!) Get yours now!

Let's Mambo, Naturally!

As many of you know, I write for Naturally Savvy and Mambo Sprouts.
Here is a link to some of the articles you might find interesting. Just click on them, and you'll automatically link to them:

Costco Goes Organic, But Will It Really Save You Money?

Are you Really Getting the Whole C?

**Plus**

With a New Month Comes New Coupons from Coupons.com!!!
Click here to start printing your new coupons!

The Best Gift to Give Your Young Kids...

Several Christmases ago, our elf came to live with us. He arrives the day after Thanksgiving and returns to Santa on Christmas Eve. He sits in our home, watching our children throughout the day and each night he flys home to Santa to report if they have been bad or good that day. Each morning when they wake up, they eagerly search through the house trying to find where our elf is hiding.


Sometimes he's hanging on our kitchen chandelier,

other times he's sitting on our Christmas Village. And if you had a particularily bad day, you might find him in one of the kids rooms. (Just so he can watch over you alittle more closely that day to help you be good.)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Can you guess who's room he gets to sit in today? Oh, and guess who won on Saturday? (that was one cold, cold game).


Our elf was a gift from Grandma. He arrived on our little girls 4th Christmas and has continued to come to our home each year. Our kids act up, and all I have to say is "Fizzy (our elf) is watching." Suddenly behavior changes and the kids are suddenly back to being happy and find a way to work out their solutions.

The kids can talk to Fizzy, but Fizzy can't talk to them. We love hearing what our kids have to say to Fizzy when they think we're not listening and it's just them and the elf. They start out by giving him their Christmas lists and by the end of the weekend they have stopped thinking of themselves and start thinking about their friends and family. "Fizzy, Mason doesn't have a elf at his house and his Mom and Dad don't have a lot of money. Can you make sure that he gets a Transformer? That's all he really wants."

I'm shocked by how unselfish our kids become and how much they start thinking of others during the holidays as they talk to Fizzy. I'm also lovin' all the good behavior that lasts well after Fizzy leaves. Some may knock the ethics behind the elf, but I'm convinced the elf has been one of the neatest Christmas traditions we have started in our home. It just wouldn't be the same without Fizzy!

P.S. Mom's and Dads, the Elf on the Shelf is at your local Hallmark, or by clicking on this: https://elfontheshelf.com/indexnf.php  

Thanksgiving Freebie!

Gotta hurry, need to clean the turkey (procrastinating).

Here is one Thanksgiving deals for you today!!

FREE BETTY CROCKER 2010 CALENDAR

Filled with coupons, cooking tips and more. Head to this link to sign up and get yours!

You will need to fill out a registration form first and subscribe to one of their free email newsletters. Should take you a minute or less to fill out the form. So easy!

http://freecalendar.bettycrocker.com/BC2010Calendar/Default.aspx

 
 

Best Black Friday Sites...

There's BlackFriday.net, BlackFriday.com, BlackFridayAds.com, Black-Friday.org, Black-Friday.com, and many, many, many more Black Friday sites.

But cut to the chase.

Are they really accurate?

Edgar Dworsky of ConsumerWorld.org says not always. Since Black Friday sites typically post deals weeks before the company prints or posts their Black Friday deals, it can be inaccurate. Many companies will continue to slash and post deals up to the finals minutes before going to print. And Dworsky claims that the information should be deemed most reliable when the company has posted it on it's website.

Which sites are the best?

So which Black Friday ads would be considered the most reliable? BFads.net has probably been around the longest and claims to be the most accurate. BlackFriday.info and BlackFriday.net also seem to be good ones. But there's nothing funner than opening the newspaper after a busy morning of preparing meals to sit and look at all the Black Friday deals in the newspaper. It's how I enjoy my Thanksgiving Day.

References: http://www.komonews.com/news/consumer/69377492.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2322058/how_to_find_the_best_deals_on_black.html?cat=46

Thanksgiving with a Side of Swine Flu

Dig into your turkey. Enjoy your mashed potatoes. Our family? Holed up with swine flu.


I've apparently had it for over a week and just thought that the awful headache and stomach trouble I was dealing with was from the cold I had.

When my husband came down with it yesterday, he immediately went in to the doctor.

Diagnosis? Swine flu.

So this Thanksgiving while the family heads down to Arizona to enjoy the warm desert weather we'll be here, alone, eating our turkey and enduring our family's round of swine flu. Nobody seemed to want to visit us this year!

Come on in! Enjoy the turkey!

We'll cross our fingers that it doesn't get any worse. Our daughter was the one to bring it home and introduce us to it. And slowly, slowly each one of us has fallen victim to it. In a few weeks hopefully we'll have all run our course.

In the meantime, my husband is hoping the Tamiflu helps. 

They say that since it was within the first 24 hours that he started it, it should help significantly.

Anyone done the Tamiflu thing? Did it help?

Check this out!

Trampoline Giveaway!

This is perfect. Last summer my husband tried showing the kids how to do a flip and landed right through the middle of the trampoline. Last Christmas Mrs. Clause *aka* me, ordered the wrong mat size. This would be perfect! You can get your own now too! Click the picture below.

Follow Friday: Ecobunga!!!

Eco what?
You heard right. Ecobunga.
One of my favorite "green" sites on the web.

This site is a directory for all of the products, deals, giveaways, and more going on in the all natural and green community. I love the contests, the printable coupons, and the great resource that Ecobunga is for me.

When you get a minute, be sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook today!

Notes from Other Bloggers....

There are a few blog posts that have caught my attention this week:

SuperMomCentral Lauren is giving away an outfit from DownEast Outfitters. You can find more details on her site here. I love DownEast! Comfortable clothing that is trendy and perfect for wear as a busy Mom.

I loved this one. My niece is into Fancy Nancy, so when I saw this idea I thought it was brilliant! A fun Fancy Nancy Party! Complete with pink tea set, placecards and more! Check out the fun pictures and get some ideas for your little girls Fancy Nancy party.

While you are there, check out her article on Sub For Santa. A great reminder to help others out even when budgets are tight. We participated in Sub For Santa last year, and my kids had a blast shopping for clothing and toys for the two little girls we were able to buy for. It was a great reminder that the most important thing about Christmas is giving and sharing. The Sub For Santa program has a lot of needs this year, and help is desperately needed.

This blog post cracked me up too. The difference between boys and girls. Once again proving that boys and girls are very, very different!
You can click here to view it.

And you can get free photos! I just ordered my holiday photo cards yesterday from http://www.seehere.com/. You get 50 free + free shipping by entering the promo code freebies4mom-1109. Thanks Freebies4Mom! She just made my Christmas much more affordable. Remember it only works for the 4x8 horizontal or vertical photo cards.

It's always fun to share some of the neat things that we find on other websites and blogs. There are so many and it's so fun to read what other people have to share.