Coupon and Freebie Roundup

$1 off coupon when you purchase 2 (20 packs) of Nestle Pure life Water http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?bt=wg&tqnm=yf4ndkq27537928&o=87736&pt&lang&ws&ct&ci&cl&cp&eb=1&c=NF&p=g55df6e4c-8cef-4b31-9c8a-4f42c0964cab&z&r=10088873&pc&tc

On July 7, 2011 be sure to stop by your local 7/11 to get a free Slurpee at participating locations. https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=171477509581811

If you are a fan of Hidden Valley Ranch, be sure to like them on Facebook to get a $1/1 coupon https://www.facebook.com/hiddenvalley?sk=app_231382206890917

There is a printable coupon $1/1 Morning Star product http://www.morningstarfarms.com/coupon.html
  
wheat thins is offering a coupon on their facebook page $1/2 http://www.facebook.com/wheatthins?sk=app_139596152775063

Harry Potter Prop Tutorial - The Grim Teacup

Grim teacup from the movie 

With the new Harry Potter movie coming out in just a few weeks,  the excitement is building at my house.   I love to recreate items from the Harry Potter movies.  The movies are rich with magical and fantastic items.
Most of time, we use them as part of our Halloween decorations.  There are a few items that manage to stay out all year long and make for great conversation pieces.

  I thought I would share a little tutorial about making a Harry Potter Grim Teacup.  This is a really inexpensive prop to recreate and it is easy for children to make.    If you aren't really familiar with the movies or the books, the first mention of the Grim comes from book The Prisoner of Azkban.    Harry learns that the Grim is an omen from Professor Trelawney's divination class.
 The Grim takes the shape of a large, black, shaggy dog which is seen in the bottom of Harry's teacup.


I picked up a great little teacup and saucer at my local Goodwill for $1.   I was looking for something that I thought you might find at an English tea party.  I was shocked when I found such a beautiful cup and saucer and my Goodwill.

Using 2 part Apoxy glue, I attached the cup and saucer together and allowed them to dry.  Some of my apoxy seeped out so I have to go back and scrape it off.  So be careful, you want to use a enough for it to stick together, but not too much to cause seepage.  Also, if you are working with younger children, this is a step that you will want to  do. 

Then using a teabag and plain white glue I sprinkled the tea leaves inside the cup.  I tried to create what looks like a dog howling on the inside.

I hope that you will give this a try!  You can check out some of my other Harry Potter Tutorials : Monster Book and Chocolate Frogs. 

disclosure:  These are not original props, they are fan made replicas made for personal use. 

Food Matters : What The World Eats!

The website Food Matters is featuring images from the book, " Hungry Planet: What the World Eats" by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio.

The book explores what culturally diverse families eat for one week.  It is an interesting look at the human diet.  It also takes a look at processed food and the impact that it has on the diets of western families and developing countries worldwide.   I was very interested in the pictures and it really made me stop and think about what my family eats. 

I would encourage everyone to check out the website, it is very interesting.

Blast from the Past- 80's bell charms

I have been digging around the house in an effort to de-clutter and better organize our house.   I had to share these because when I found them, they brought back so many memories.  


Who remembers these?

I remember having hundreds of these little charms. Did they have a name? I don't really remember if they did. I would wear them on necklaces, bracelets, I think I even had a belt that you could wear them on.    I used to trade them with friends all of the time and would flip out when I found new ones. 

I am happy to still have a small handful of them.  I might even share them with my children. 

Cake Shooters Review

Who doesn't love cake?   I know I do!    Which is why I was so excited to try out Cake Shooters. 

If you aren't looking to eat a whole cake and you are not really in the mood for a cupcake, then Cake Shooters is the perfect dessert.    Cake Shooters are  mini portable desserts with a perfect cake/ frosting ratio.  Each Cake Shooter is a delicious mini dessert  with 20 different tempting cake and icing combinations to choose from. My family really loved the taste of the cake!  The Chocolate raspberry was delicious!  The cake is super moist and the rich frosting delights your sweet tooth.


Cake Shooters are a great dessert idea to serve while entertaining outdoors or any type of party.   Imagine serving these at a children's parties! These are a perfect dessert treat for children because they are easy to eat and a lot less messy.   For those with food allergies or dietary restriction, you can also get Cake Shooters that are vegan and gluten free.

Cake Shooters are really affordable at $3 a piece  and can be shipped nationwide.   You can even get them customized with your own logo and would make great party favors.   I think these would be a wonderful addition to a wedding dessert bar. 

If you are looking for something new in dessert, then you will want to try Cake Shooters.


disclosure:  I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post.  I did receive a sample for the purpose of this review.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Little Something: Photo Challenge- favorite for the month of June

Wordless Wednesday!

A walk through Hatcher Gardens

I am a Google PR 2!!!!

  I saw several other bloggers had posted about their new Google PR rating.  I decided I would check mine as well.  It has taken me forever to boost my PR.   But, I am definitely excited to be a 2.  Hopefully, I will be able to bring some more great giveaways to my blog!  

Thank you to everybody who follows The Squeaky Grocery Cart.   I really appreciate each of you!!

Chat live with Emeril Lagasse on Facebook tomorrow 6/29

Have you ever wanted to get some grilling and entertaining tips from a celebrity chef? 

Tomorrow is your chance!   Renowned celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse will be answering questions live on Facebook  during Emeril’s Grilling Survival Hotline on Wednesday, June 29 from 3:00-4:00pm EST.

For anyone who has ever wanted to ask Emeril his favorite barbecue sauce for grilling, tips on how to cook the best burger or even advice on how to properly prepare a grill, now’s the time!

Become a fan of Emeril's Cooking Line to join in on the fun! 

Grilled Chicken Tacos with Peach-Cucumber- Avocado Relish

There is nothing I hate more then slaving over a hot stove during the summer time.   I like to keep all of my families meals light and cool.  

Tacos are always a hit with every member of the family.   These are super simple and the peach relish gives it a little twist with unexpected ingredients that you wouldn't necessarily associate with tacos. 

Start out with some chicken breast.  I like to season them with garlic, salt, pepper, a little chili powder and a dash of lime juice.  After that, I grill them until done. 

For the relish, you will need:                                                     

3 ripe peaches, peeled and diced
1 avocado, ripe and diced
1 small purple onion, diced
1 small cucumber, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 lime or 2 packets of true lime
cilantro
salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder


Combine all of your ingredients into a bowl.  You can season it to your taste.  I like mine a little on the spicier side, so I use the whole jalapeno pepper.  I also add a few sprigs of cilantro.  Not everyone is a fan of cilantro, so you can make that optional.   I like to give this a few minutes in the refrigerator before serving.  Just allowing the flavors to come together.

The sweet from the peaches combines nicely with the nuttiness of the avocado.  The spice from the jalapeno pairs nicely with the sweetness of the peaches.  The lime and the cilantro give a brightness and a touch of sour that plays off the sweet spiciness.  This is a relish that will play with your taste buds.

Honey Nut Cheerios voted America's favorite cereal! and Giveaway!!

YAY ! for Honey Nut Cheerios!!   It has recently been voted America's favorite cereal*.   I know  it has been a favorite in my home for a long time.   To celebrate, Honey Nut Cheerios being America's #1 choice, they are hosting a Billion 'O' Giveaway providing free samples of Honey Nut Cheerios to fans beginning July 4th, 2011 while supplies last. 

Zip over to get your free sample by visiting http://www.favcereal.com

I am excited to be hosting a Honey Nut Cheerio gift pack giveaway!!    You can show how much a fan you are!

The winner will receive a box of Honey Nut Cheerios, 1 Honey Nut Cheerios t-shirt, 2 cereal bowls, and a pair of bee antennas.   

Mandatory Entry:
 1.  Be a  GFC follower of The Squeaky Grocery Cart
 2.  Leave a comment telling me your favorite way to enjoy Honey Nut Cheerios.  

Extra Entries: 
Follow Cheerios on Facebook. 
Follow The Squeaky Grocery Cart on Twitter

This giveaway is open to US residents and will end on July 8, 2011.   I will use Random.org to select a winner. 

* based on Nielsen sales data, 52 weeks ending 1/1/2011
"Disclosure: Honey Nut Cheerios^® cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark."

Cake Class- Project 3 Shaggy Mum Cupcakes

If you have been following along, I have been taking a Wilton cake decorating class.   This time we made cupcakes that were decorated with shaggy mums.   If I use that type of flower to decorate anything, I will be sure to practice beforehand.  

Mine look terrible! They really are shaggy.   I commented on my facebook, that it looks like Cookie Monster barfed a hairball on top of my cupcakes.    YUMMMM.....

I couldn't resist taking this last picture.   There was a giant pink elephant in the parking lot.   Well, of course elephants love cupcakes too. 

Thrift Finds- Vintage Pyrex and as always Toys!!

Ok, so you probably guessed from my last few thrifty shop/ flea market posts that we collect toys.   I know that isn't much interest to most people.  But, we just can't help ourselves.  Especially, when the 80's gave us such great movies and cartoons.    This week's post isn't all about toys.  

I have been reading some about how popular vintage Pyrex is.   I remember my mother and grandmother having pieces of it.  In fact, if I dig around at my mom's, I think I could get a few pieces from her.   I really have fallen in love with the mixing bowls.   I came across a small bowl with the blue butterprint this weekend for the grand total of $1.    It isn't in the best of shape.  The pattern is a little lot faded on one side.   But, for a $1 it was a nice entry piece.

We also picked up:

some awesome Lego minifigures!    We got 2 Star Wars figures.  The Harry Potter figure is from a set called Slytherin.   The figure is from the Chamber of Secrets.     It is Ron  that you can turn into Krab.  When you take the hair off and turn the face it is Ron.  The little surfer is from series 4 of the Lego Minifigures. 
We got some loose Star Wars figures.  One was a holographic Dooku.  



And lastly,  a little robot figure for me.   I posted a picture of him.  I can't figure out what he is from.  If anyone recognizes him, please let me what he is. I know that he is something newer, but he is a perfect fit for my growing robot collection.  




Lastly, I couldn't help myself!  I picked up 2 Madonna cds for a $1 each.  In my world, there is never enough Madonna music.

this post is linked to Apron Thrift Girl and  Her Library Adventures.

Menu Plan Monday

 This weekend I picked up a lot of local produce at the Farmer's Market.   I am going to make use it this week.  One of our goals has been to eat more vegetarian meals.   I think this week, we will succeed beautifully.

Monday- Ratatouille with pasta.

Tuesday-  Grilled corn with chili lime butter, green beans, fruit salad

Wednesday-  Grilled chicken tacos, with mango-cucumber relish and avocado with black beas

Thursday- Stuffed tomatoes, couscous, grilled asparagus, frozen peach and blueberry salad

Friday-  Grilled pizza party

Saturday-  BLT sandwiches, chips and fruit

Sunday is always YOYO

This post is linked to Organizing Junkie's: Menu Plan Monday.

Sunday Scavenger Hunt

These are my pictures for the Sunday Scavenger Hunt.  If you want to join in on the fun, visit Ramblings and Photos: Sunday Scavenger Hunt. 

Windows/Doors




Eyelashes-  I never could get anything that I really liked.  I failed 

Paint- This one is a stretch.   This is an older picture that I edited with a paint effect.

Leaf Veins

Faceless Portrait

Fawk You Friday

Fawk you to ASS KISSERS!!   I  hope your lips get tired and that brown spot on your nose begins to reek.

Fawk you to companys that will lie to make a buck.   Integrity will catch up with you. 

Fawk you to places that give you an appointment, then make you wait 2 hours before you are seen.

 Fawk you watermelons!

Sweet Shot Tuesday and ABC Wednesday

Blogger Problems?

Has anyone had any trouble this morning leaving comments or adding pictures to their posts?   I have tried adding pictures and leaving some comments, but for some reason its not working for me.   Just curious if anyone else is having trouble. 

Chic-fil-A Cow Appreciation Day! July 8th

Mark your calendar!! July 8th is Cow Appreciation Day at Chic-fil-A!!! If you dress like a cow you can get a free meal, partial costumes get you a free entree. Check out http://www.chick-fil-a.com/ to find participating locations

 My kids and I love doing this!  Last year, we painted cow spotted t-shirts for our costumes.  So I know we will be there this year for sure.  

Wordless Wednesday! Trix are for kids!

There is nothing better then playing games in the car, especially on a long drive.   My kids are always up for a game of punch buggy.  But lately, we have been noticing all of these older model cars that have been painted with name brands or cartoon characters.   We love them!   Whenever we are out and about, we look for cars like these now.  

What's in your beach bag?

When summer time comes around, everyone starts thinking about heading to the beach or to the pool.  Some times when packing a beach bag, I feel like I am taking everything including the kitchen sink. There are always the usual things.

Sunglasses are of course a must have.   I tend to go for cheaper sunglasses because they either get broken or lost.  My sister got this great pair of Ray-Bans that I would love.  But, I just know that if I put that much into a pair, it will not end well. 


Sunscreen!  There have been so many things in the news about sunscreen being good, then bad, then good again.   Recently, the FDA announced new rules for sunscreen.    The best thing to look for, is a product that offers UVA and UVB protection.  As well as a product that has an SPF of 15 or higher.   To learn more about the new rules regarding sunscreen and tips to protect yourself, check out The Skin Cancer Foundation website.

Hat-  I have a straw hat that I picked up at Target a few years ago.  It has a wide brim and is super comfortable.   Wearing a hat is another great way to protect from the sun. 

Phone/Camera-   I am lost with out my Blackberry.  It's kind of like my third child.  So I never leave home without it.  It is always fun to capture those great beach/pool pictures.   

Visine Summer Spectrum Eyedrops-  I have sensitive eyes, so for me these are another must have.  These eyedrops are made specifically to help relive summertime irritations caused by chlorine and salt water, as well as dryness caused by sun exposure and wind.
I love to swim and the chlorine always makes my eyes sting.   I have found that these work really great for me.  You can find these at CVS for around 3.99.   
*I did receive a sample for the purpose of this review.

The next thing that I have to have is plenty to drink!   For me personally, I love Metromint waters.   Metromint is mint and water.  They use the essential oils in the water, so you get a nice refreshing cooling sensation.  Metromint comes in several different flavors, but my personal fav is the spearmint.

If I don't have Metromint, I love to carry True Lemon packets with me.   True Lemon comes in several flavors (lemon, lime, orange)  They are made from cold pressed and crystallized lemons, limes, and oranges.   All natural ingredients and contain no carbs.  These packets are great with water or tea.    You can also get lemonade and raspberry lemonade packets to add to your water.  


Towel/ Cover-up

iPod-   I like a lot of assortment in my music.  My ipod mix is heavy on the 80's-90's music.  But, right now I am  loving the new Lady Gaga cd. I have some novelty hip hop and some music for meditation.




Brush, Body Spray, Hairbrush, Lip Gloss-   After sitting outside or on the sand all day, you really don't want to smell like the beach.  I like to have a freshen up kit with me in my bag.

I always carry some sort of Bath and Body Works body spray with me.   My newest favorite is the Deep Aqua scent.    It is a great summer time fragrance.  It is cool and crisp with a light floral scent.  It is a perfect refreshing scent.


I also like to have with me, the Moisture Plus lip balm by Carmex.   It is one of their newer products.   The Moisture Plus is a hydrating lip balm that offers sunscreen/SPF 15 protection.    It contains Vitamin E and Aloe that add to the moisturizing protection.   It is lightly tinted, so it will give you just a hint of color.   I like the sheer pink tint.  


Flip Flops or Sandals-  When the temperature hits around 75 degrees, then its time for flip flops!   I am a flip flop junkie!    I am always going to Old Navy to get flip flops for cheap.    Flip Flops are great because you can totally customize them with ribbon, flowers, rhinstones, whatever you like.     If you need a summer craft project, pick up a pair of inexpensive flip flops and some craft supplies and have fun.   There is even a special flip flop glue that you can find at your local craft store for adding embellishments. 

Well, it looks like my beach bag is ready to go!   See you at the beach!

Thrift Finds! Swatch Watch and action figures

My husband wanted to go to the flea market with me!!  For him to do this, I have to catch him in the right mood.   This week though, he has been on a mission to find Xbox cords.

You see, he works for an apartment community and people leave or toss good stuff ALL THE TIME.  He had found this Xbox a few months ago and decided to hold on to it.  Then he did some research on the internet and figure out that he could rebuild it, but he needs the cords.   That is the only reason he wanted to go, he was looking for cords, but it turned out that we made some awesome finds.

The first was a 1987 Snow White Swatch Watch for the grand total of .50!  My picture looks a little funny, because the Snow White has a mirrored face.  My husband loved these when he was in  junior high school.   We picked up a battery at Walmart and the watch still works.
Now, he has been googling and cruising Ebay to look for other Swatch watches.



We also picked up this really cool 1987 GI Joe cartoon TV tray for $5.   We thought that it would be perfect for our little boy to use for drawing, playing, eating snack.

 We found a trunk for our daughter to put her dress up clothes in for $6.  Which we have already started stickering up

And no trip to the flea market is complete without us bringing home an assortment of vintage/retro action figures.  We hit the jackpot this week!

We picked up 3 vintage Lanards (GI JOE'S cheaper cousins) for $1.50.    The Lanards are hard to find because Hasbro sued in the 80's over copyright issues.

And speaking of GI JOE, we picked up a 1985 Cobra Crimson Guard Twin for .25.

My little girl loves Wonder Woman and Batman.  We found some JLA and Batman figures for her.  We got Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, and Batgirl for $3.  Now, if I can just find Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn her set will be complete.   (not pictured)

For me, I have some mad love for all things Ghostbusters.   I picked up an Egon figure.  Egon (Harold Ramis) is my favorite of the Ghostbusters. He was only a $1.

We love all things that come in action figure form around our house.  We got all this stuff for around $20.

Plus, my husband did find one of the chords he needed for $1.  He is still looking for the main power chord.

This post is linked up to Her Library Adventures

Menu Plan Monday

This is week is super busy for us!  My son has baseball on Tuesday, then on Friday we are attending a party at my husband's work.   Plus with it being so hot, who wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.   This week's menu is going to be super simple.

This is what's for dinner at our house this week: 

Monday-   Chicken fajitas, grilled veggies, toppings, black beans and rice.

Tuesday-   Make your own Sub night!, fruit salad, chips

Wednesday-  Turkey meatballs and pesto pasta salad

Thursday-  Buffalo chicken salad, garlic toast

Friday-  Night out

Saturday-  YOYO

Sunday- YOYO

This post is linked to Organizing Junkie's: Menu Plan Monday

Sunday Scavenger Hunt.

These are my pictures for this week's Sunday Scavenger Hunt.  If you want to join in on the fun, visit Ramblings and Photos: Sunday Scavenger Hunt. 

emotion-  I am reusing this picture from Freedom Weekend.  I just think this balloon has a great smile. 

flower's pov



natural frame- this picture is from a hike at Linville Falls




Letters- my keyboard with a retro effect.




bliss- Is a quiet little breakfast on Saturday morning with my husband, some sort of nice little pastry, and a lovely macchiato.     I added a film grain effect to this picture.

LEM Challenge: Smile

a href="http://liveeverymom.blogspot.com/">

My picky eaters and French's Onion Chicken

Between my husband and my son, cooking dinner can be, well....... a pain in the butt!!!

They both are really picky  "selective" about what they like to eat.   My husband, typically doesn't like anything ending in salad, Mexican, or casserole.    Vegetables, pork, and beef are not on the top of my son's favorite foods.  

One day, my son popped up after seeing the French's commercial that talks about the chicken recipe and says,"Mom, we need to make that!"   I was, of course, in shock because he doesn't like onions.  I was like,
" bubby, you know those are onions, right??. "    "Yeah, but I still want to try it"


Last trip to the store, I picked up a container of onions and we made the chicken.   You can get the recipe from the website or the container.  The recipe is really simple, you only need chicken, 1 eggs, some flour, and the French's onions.   It cooks for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. 

I was really worried that my son wouldn't eat it!   But he loved it!!   So if you have a picky selective eater, you might want to give this recipe a try.  Plus it is a great one to have in the recipe box, when you are looking for a quick meal.  

I didn't receive any product or compensation for this post.   I simply tried the recipe and wanted to share my opinion about it. 

Fill In Friday

This post is linked to http://feelingbeachie.com

This week’s statements:

1. My closet is full of _____

       My closets depending on which one you look in are full of junk!  I have been trying to get all of the closets better organized, cleaned out, and everything that we are not using is getting donated.   I really feel so much better that 2 are complete.  The next big step is to clean out and organize my clothes.  

2. I love coming home from work after ______

          I am a SAHM so my work is my home.   I am always here...

3. In high school I was _________

          I was the artsy, musical, wannabe hippie kid.  I loved to wear the long gauzy skirts, clunky clogs or birks, and I used to carry this great woven bag from Ecuador.    I played violin and viola in the high school symphony.    I also took a lot of art classes, so I was loaded down with 2 instruments and an art portfolio. 
I am still kind of a leftover wannabe hippie

4. I wish I had more time for/to_______

         I wish I had more time for napping!  My children don't ever sleep!!

Keeping the flies away!!

Lately, we have been doing a lot of outdoor entertaining. That means my back door has been open. Unwelcome visitors found their way into my home.  Needless to say, I hate flies!!!!

I heard this tip about keeping flies out of the house, so I thought I would give it a try. What you do is, take a large baggie and put just a little bit of water in it. Then place a penny inside and hang it in your doorway. This will prevent flies from coming inside.

I thought it was crazy but all I can say is it works!!

My theory is that maybe the flies think it is a spider sitting in a web. I don't know if that is the case. But, if anyone does know the science behind it, I would love to know more.

Coupon and Freebie Roundup 6/16

Walgreens is offering a free 8×10 photo collage, when you use the coupon code 1FREEBIE at check out! This deal is good thru Saturday! http://www.walgreens.com/

Become a fan of Driscoll's on Facebook and print at .50/1 coupon for berries. Great produce coupon. http://www.facebook.com/driscollsberries?sk=app_4949752878

DiGiorno is offering a High Value Coupon right now! 'Like' them on facebook to get a $2/1 coupon!https://www.facebook.com/digiorno?sk=app_136299459776489

Whole Foods is having organic blueberries on sale for $1.99 per pint this Friday! (6/17). This sale is ONE DAY ONLY!! This is a great deal because the berries are usually 4.99-5.99 a pint. There is a limit of 1 case per person (12 packs)

Cake Decorating Class- project #2

I have been taking a Wilton cake decorating class this month.  My second project was to decorate a cake with dots and elongated dots.   I had a lot of little helpers with this cake, so its not perfect.  But overall, I am  pleased with it. 

I just need to find somebody to eat all of my practice projects.