Pampers Gifts to Grow: Free 10-point code

Add 10 free points to your Pampers Gifts to Grow account with the following code:

10000LatinasFbk

Even More April Fool's Day Tricks

Still need a little inspiration coming up with just the right prank to play on your friends and family.. check these out.

Candy in a Fruit Can

Spaghetti and Meatballs?

Meatloaf Cupcakes

You could do a backwards dinner and serve the cupcakes for dinner and spaghetti for dessert.  

Swagbucks Update

This will be a daily post to show you how quick and easy it is to use Swagbucks.  It takes just a few minutes a day to see the benefits.  If you haven't tried it yet signing up is easy and you get bonus bucks.  Give it a shot and see how you do. 
Here are my daily Swagbuck totals for March following the steps listed here:
3/1 - 1
3/2 - 68
3/3- 113
3/4 -184
3/5- 297
3/6- 359
3/7- 426 - bought a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card
3/8 - 38
3/9 - 105
3/10-178
3/11- 286
3/12- 391-bought a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card
3/13 - 18
3/14 - 85
3/15-178
3/16 -278
3/17 - 393 - bought a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card
SBTV on the toolbar is great.  I can watch videos and continue to use the web. 
3/18- 35
3/19- 147
3/20 - 200
3/21- 294
3/22-375 bought a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card
3/23-29  
3/24 - 128 - lots of videos today so I earned more then usual
3/25- 250
3/26 -348
3/27 -448 - bought a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card
3/28 -87
3/29 - 208
3/30 - 320
3/31 - 430
As you can see I made almost $30 this month using Swagbucks.  It is so easy and takes very little time to build it up. 
Read more about Swagbucks here.

More April Fools Tricks

April Fools Day is for the kid in all of us. Here are a few more ways you can fool your children.

Bedtime Switcheroo
After you children go to bed move around some of their furniture or toys. They will wake up to a big surprise!

Mouse Malfunction
For your older children who check their email or Facebook first thing in the morning you can put part of a post-it note over the tracking ball on the computer mouse. It won't work for them! You can write April Fools on the post-it.


If the Shoe Fits 
Stuff tissue in the toes of your children's shoes so when they go to put their shoes on they can't!


*Ideas from Parenting.com

Wacky Wednesday

Create a scavenger hunt.  Create a simple list of with items for your child to find - around the house, outside, or looking out the car window as your running errands.  Add pictures for little ones.

April Fool's Day Pranks

When we were growing up my parents were big tricksters on April Fool's Day.  We had to be on guard all day.  You never knew what was coming.  Check out these ideas from Parenting for some family friendly pranks. 

This one would be perfect to do on my son-in-law since I know he has cereal EVERY morning.
Put water in a cereal bowl, and freeze overnight. The next morning, offer to fix Dad or your kids a bowl of cereal. Pour the cereal on top of the ice, completely covering it, and watch them try to dig in.



Kids Eat Free at Chili's

Oops.... I almost forgot to remind you that tonight, March 29th  kids can eat at Chili's for free AGAIN!!  The free meal is available to kiddos 12 and under. Limit two Kid’s Meals per each adult entree ordered. So if you already made dinner save it for tomorrow and go enjoy a night out.

Tasty Tuesday

Getting children to eat healthy is tricky.  These quick, easy to make Carrot Apple Raisin muffins from Blade and Cauldron that you can grab and go in the morning is a nutritional way to jump start the day.

Home Depot Kids Workshop

The free Home Depot workshops teach children ages 5 -12 do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, while at the same time helping to instill a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, this fun time allows for quality one-on-one time between adults and children.

In addition to the newly constructed project kit, each child receives a kid-sized orange apron, similar to The Home Depot associates' aprons, and an achievement pin.

Kellogg's Coupons

Sign up for $5 in coupons, special offers, promotions & more from Kellogg's!Click Here and you can print money saving coupons.
Also, you can get a $10.00 prepaid Master Card when you submit UPC codes from select Kellogg cereals.

Museums on Us

On the first full weekend of every month, get free admission to participating museums, zoos, science centers, botanical gardens and more just by showing your Bank of America Card. This is such an incredible deal. Go here to find a museum near you.
Here are the dates for 2011
April 2 & 3  
May 7 & 8    
June 4 & 5 
July 2 & 3
Aug 6 & 7
Sept 3 & 4
Oct 1 & 2

Nov 5 & 6

Dec 3 &  4

Craft of the Week

 Has spring got you in the mood to garden?  These garden stones would be a colorful addition and the kids will have so much fun making them.  Check out the complete tutorial on Twig and Toadstool.

Barnes and Noble Events

Barnes and Noble stores offer weekly storytime for preschooler and toddler's as well as other special events.  Times and activities vary be location so check your local locations to see what is happening in your area.

Edible Finger Paint

I take care of an adorable 15 month old little boy while his mom works.  I thought he would have fun fingerpainting but I knew it would go from hands to mouth so I wanted something edible.  I knew I could use pudding but I wanted something his mom could save. This is what I came up with:

Ingredients:
1 cup of flour
1 cup of hot water
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 Tbsp salt
food coloring

Directions:
Mix the flour, salt and cold water in a saucepan and stir well. Smooth out any lumps. Add a cup of hot water to the mixture and stir well. Put the saucepan on the stove and let it boil on medium high heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Monitor the mixture as it boils to ensure it doesn't burn or turn into clumps. Turn off the heat as soon as the mixture thickens.  Place the mixture in a bowl.   Use a mixer or whisk and beat the mixture until very smooth.

Divide the mixture into several small disposable cups or bowls.  Add different food coloring into each mixture according to the desired colors.  Let cool.  Place on freezer paper or fingerpainting paperand let the fun begin.

A few tips I learned: 
After whisking for about 5 minutes the mixture still had clumps so a ran it through a strainer to remove them.
If I was making this recipe for just a couple of kiddos I would cut the recipe in half or maybe in fourths.  It made a lot of paint.

Wacky Wednesday

Rise and Shine Dance Party
Choose some energetic music and turn the stereo up loud enough to wake up your sleepy kids and have a dance party.  Yes, they will think you have lost all you marbles but isn't that what is fun about Wacky Wednesday. 

If you haven't already don't forget to read Wacky Wednesday.

Easter Party Ideas

Check out these Easter treats!! Aren't they adorable? It's alway's a party at the Parker's has these and many more wonderful party ideas on her blog. The tags, wraps, signs... are available to print so you can make your own wonderful treats for your Easter Party.

Upside down cupcakes! I never would have thought of that.

 A cute little take home treat for party guest.

I need to get the recipe for these marshmallow cookies.

Chili's Kids Eat Free

March on into Chili's Tuesday, March 22nd because they are giving kids 12 and under a free kids meal. You can order two FREE kids meals per adult entree purchased! If you don't mind the noise sit in the bar area and get free chips and salsa. This makes for a cheap night out.

If you haven't signed up for the Chili's Email Club make sure you do and you will receive a coupon for a free order of chips and queso. Sign up here.

Tasty Tuesday

 

I have such a sweet tooth.  Every time I think of my post for Tasty Tuesday that is where my mind goes - straight to the sweets.  Today I thought I would feature something a little healthier but just as yummy.  And what kid won't love having food served to them on a stick?   This recipe is brought to you by Super Healthy Kids.


Ingredients:
All natural peanut butter 
Shredded apples (with a cheese grater)
Shredded carrots (also used a cheese grater)
1 Whole Wheat tortilla
1 bamboo skewer

Spread the peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla. Top the tortilla with shredded carrots and apples. Roll up. Place the pinwheels on the skewer along with a few apple slices. 

Just think of all the variations you could do with this idea:
Nutella instead of peanut butter, bananas instead of apples.. you get the idea.  Have fun with it.  It is a great way to get kids to eat healthier. 

Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic

Lowe's Build and Grow workshop for children is this Saturday, March 26th at 10:00 AM.  This kit is fun for the whole family! Ask a question, shake up the kit and look inside for the answer! The class is open to the first 50 participants at each location so register in advance.

Each child also receives a free apron, goggles, a project themed patch, and a certification of merit upon completion of their project.

March is National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month!  Yoplait wants to encourage us all to snack healthier and Yoplait is one way to do that. With the many nourishing options that Yoplait has to offer - with varieties like Yoplait Light, Yoplait Original, Yoplait Fiber One, Yoplait Kids and Yoplait Delight Parfaits it is a great snack for the whole family.

Be sure to "like" Yoplait on Facebook.

 Each product offers different benefits, and loads of variety, to make eating well a no-brainer. Here are five great ways to `get your snack on´ with Yoplait this March!

1. Start spring off right with Yoplait Light´s Two Week Tune Up Plan - Replace breakfast and lunch with a cup of your favorite flavor of Yoplait Light, a whole grain and a piece of fruit and you could lose 5 pounds in two weeks. Go to Yoplait.com for full diet details.

2. Get more calcium with Yoplait Original style yogurt - Now with two times the calcium of the leading yogurt (50 percent of the Recommended Daily Value) in one convenient 6-ounce cup*, Yoplait Original style yogurt is committed to women´s health, offering a product that has even more of the calcium women need for strong, healthy bodies. Grab a free cup while supplies last during the Million Cup Giveaway on Yoplait on Facebook!

3. Try the newest flavor from Yoplait Fiber One - Yoplait Fiber One´s new Blueberry flavor yogurt is packed with filling fiber, calcium, vitamins A and D, real fruit and the great taste of blueberries. With only 50 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat, this deliciously creamy yogurt won´t break your calorie bank.

4. Stress less over snack time with Yoplait Kids yogurt - With a wholesome and fun snack like Yoplait Kids yogurt in the fridge, you can feel good about what your children are eating at snack time. Yoplait Kids provides an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, and has 25% less sugar than the leading kids´ yogurt**. With yummy flavors, and favorite friends like Dora and Lightning McQueen on the packages, Yoplait Kids is a hit with moms and children alike.

5. End the day with a Delight Parfait from Yoplait - Even with two luscious layers providing a double shot of rich and creamy yogurt, these 100 calorie indulgences from Yoplait contain only 1.5 grams of fat per serving. Now available in two new flavors, Chocolate Éclair and Cherry Cheesecake, you can enjoy a dessert that´s 100 percent guilt-free.

*Leading yogurt has less than 25% Daily Value calcium per 6 oz.
**Yoplait kids has 9 grams of sugar per 3oz. the leading kids' yogurt has 13 grams of sugar per 3oz.
"Like" Yoplait on facebook to get the latest information and news.

Disclosure: This information was provided to us by Yoplait and by posting the information I have the chance to win a prize provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

The Knack Free Family Event - Make-It Take-It Bottle Caps

Learn how to turn ordinary bottle caps into a work of art.  Michael's is holding a free event for children ages 3 and up on Sunday, March 27th.  This event is from 1 PM - 3 PM, while supplies last.

AC Moore Spring into Craft Event

Make these cute bugs at AC Moore's free make and take event on Saturday, March 26th from 1 - 5 PM.  There will also be face painting and other demonstrations.

Make a Difference

We've all seen the horrible tragedy unfolding in Japan and it is hard to even comprehend the devasting loss to all the families.  If you are creative and have a sewing machine and want to help out in a small way you can participate in the Sew Along: Monday, March 28 – Friday April 1 on Living with Punks.  She will provide a step by step tutorial with pictures to guide you through the process as well as downloadable patterns.  T-shirts will be shipped to California and then on to Japan. 
It is cold in Japan so you might want to consider making a long sleeve t-shirt or sweatshirt.  You can probably find some deals on clearance.

And the winners are...

Congratulations to the following readers :

Flufferwuffer

Anne

Lydia

Nancy

Claudia

Judith

I have sent you an email. If we don't hear from you in 48 hours we will pick another winner. 
Thank you for participating.  Check back soon we have another giveaway coming up.

Magazine Mosaic

 

If you are like me you have lots of magazines laying around that you haven't gotten a chance to read. Why not put those magazines to good use with this Magazine Mosaic craft you can do with your kids or if they are old enough they can do on their own. This will keep them busy for awhile!

         Materials

• Paper plate
• Magazine pages
• Scissors

• White glue
• Water
• Small brush

Directions

1. Sketch a design on the back of a paper plate.

 2. Tear out magazine pages printed with shades of the colors you'd like to use. Cut strips of the pages into small squares. If your child is under 3 bigger squares would be easier for them to handle. The shapes don't have to be perfect -- a little variety is what makes a mosaic interesting. You'll also need a few triangles to fit in corners.

 3. Mix together equal parts white glue and water. To fill in the design, brush a bit of glue mixture on the plate, put the squares in place, and seal each with a top coat of the glue mixture. When you are finished, let the project dry completely.

 4. Once your mosaic is finished you can punch a whole at the top and tie string through it to hang up in a window.

*Idea & pictures from Family Fun

Craft of the Week

Pinwheels are a fun way to teach your kids about the wind and they are super easy to make with things you have around the house. Plus, the weather is so nice why wouldn't you want to be outside playing.   Check out the full tutorial over at Counting Cocounts. If you don't have a dowel try using a straw.  I had to improvise once and it worked out just fine. 

Pampers Gift to Grow Code

There is a new Pampers Gifts to Grow 10 point code: T9PDXPKKGA3M4GK (good until 3/22)


Plus it looks like you can play the EcoNursery game again and receive another 10 bonus points. You don’t have to get a perfect score and you will be given the code at the end of the game.

Thanks Couponing to Disney

Blockbuster Rental Codes

Just in time for the weekend here are a couple of Blockbuster Express Codes for you guys.
FREE Rental with the code: GHO7UU (expires 03/27) – the code is a letter O not a zero or use the code WEEKEND (through 3/20) for a BOGO deal and get one for you and one for the kiddos. Blockbuster Express kiosks can be found in many Publix stores.

Plant a Rainbow

Spring has sprung here in southwest Florida - it may have jumped right into summer.   I don't know about you but I want to see flowers in the spring.  Now, I do NOT have a green thumb and everything I plant seems to die but this time of year I am always inspired to try again. Most kids like to plant and watch things grow too so why not get inspired by the book  Planting a Rainbow by Lois Elhert.  After reading the book let your kids decide what they would like to plant and head to your nearest nursery and pick up some flowers and plant your own rainbow.

Lucky Lime Float

Ingredients:

Lime sherbet

Lemon Lime soda

Green sugar sprinkles

Whipped cream

Directions:

Place green sprinkles in a dish.  Wet rim of glass and dip in sprinkles.  Add two scoops of sherbet to the glass and pour soda over the top.  Top with whipped cream and additional sprinkles. 

Wacky Wednesday

Have a staring contest.  No smiling or laughing allowed. Good Luck!!

Disney on Ice Promotion

Repost: Just a reminder that this offer is still available.
Look for this Kraft Singles wrapper in your store to save 50% off Disney on Ice tickets. You must redeem your wrappers toward tickets by May 31st but the tickets are good for shows thru May 2012.

Addtional details on redeeming your wrappers is available here. Check Disney on Ice for shows in your area.

Barnes and Noble Events

Join Barnes and Noble on Saturday, March 19th for a National Storytime reading of The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, as well as other activities. Participation, time and activities vary by location so please check with your local store for complete details before leaving home.  Also, check for other events at your local store.

Tasty Tuesday

This adorable cupcakes from Amazing Mom's will make an extra special St. Patrick's Day treat.  Don't let the instructions overwhelm you like they did me when I first saw them.  They are really pretty simple.  I just made regular cupcakes, frosted them store bought frosting  I tinted green and topped them with a gold candy wrapped coin I picked up at WalMart.  I used green construction paper to go around the cupcake wrapper.  Super, super easy.  I promise.

Leprechaun Poop

One year my Irish principal passed out a little treat bag full of Lucky Charms to the school staff.  The following poem was attached.

Tis a little bit of Ireland
That's been sent upon its way
To wish you luck and happiness
On this fine St. Patrick's Day
It's a wee and tiny present
From that merry little group
Tis the little folk of Ireland
Have left you their
Leprechaun POOP

 This is a inexpensive, silly treat to pass out on St Patrick's Day to your kids, coworkers, friends or neighbors. 

The Knack Family Event - Clay Pot & Saucer Make-It Take-It

Purchase a clay pot and saucer at Michael's and create this cute cupcake on Saturday, March 12th.  This event is for children ages 3 and up. All the fun starts at 10:00AM,  while supplies last. 

Thred-Up Deal at Plum District

Have you signed up for Plum District yet? Plum District a discount site like Groupon or LivingSocial specifically for moms. Today they have a great deal for thredUP. Not sure what thredUP is? Read our blog here. Today and today only: for $10 you get a box of gently used clothes (about 15 items) sent to you free plus a 6-month PRO membership. A thredUP PRO membership (typically $19.99) unlocks VIP features giving you access to 'Golden Threds' — boxes of brand-new clothing direct from premium retailers — 24-hour first-dibs on newly listed boxes, customer recommendations, favorite sender notifications, and more! I am excited to try this and will let you know how I like it once my box comes. What to take advantage of this deal? Click here.

Chili's is offering 3 special deals this week
Monday - Kid's (12 and under) Eat Free. You can order two FREE kids meals per adult entree purchased! If you don't mind the noise sit in the bar area and get free chips and salsa. This makes for a cheap not out.
Tuesday - Free Fried Cheese with an entree purchase.
Wednesday- Free Molten Cake with an entree purchase

Rainbow Toast

Here is a great breakfast idea for St. Patrick's Day:
Ingredients:
White bread
food coloring or natural food dye
milk
new paintbrush
clean icecube tray

Directions:
Place a tablespoon of milk into 7 slots on the icecube tray.  Add food coloring to the milk to make the seven colors of the rainbow - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, indigo  Use the paintbrush to paint your rainbow on the bread.   Place the bread in the toaster on a light setting.  The colors will brighten as it toast.

Note:  You can paint the toast generously but don't make it soggy.  It is going in a toaster!

Purex Complete Crystals Softener - $1.99 at Walgreens

Purex has a new product called Purex Complete Crystals Softener.  I love this product since it is safe on all clothing including children's fire retardant sleepwear.
As Purex Insider I was able to try this product out and are currently having a giveaway so be sure to enter.

Starting today you can get this great deal on it at Walgreens. 
Purex Crystals Complete Fabric Softener $4.99
RR: $2 wyb 1
Use $1/1 Printable Purex Complete Crystals Softener Coupon here.
or the $2/1 in today's paper
Pay $3.99 or $2.99 and get $2 RR
Total: $1.99 or .99 depending on your coupon

Similac Strong Mothers Club

If you are an expectant Mom you can sign up for the Similac’s Strong Moms club and you will receive a $20 credit to Shutterfly to use towards birth announcements.