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How Strategic Grocery Shopping Earns You FREE Ice Age Movie Tickets #JuneDairyMovies

So… Last week I told you about our super fun Tacos and Floats summer party that we had. I set up a big ol’ taco bar, filled with a ton of toppings {including super yummy dairy must-haves like shredded Tillamook cheese and Dairygold sour cream} – and we topped that off with super cool root beer floats for dessert. It was a great night with the family – and it was made even greater by the fact that shopping for those dinner ingredients gave me a free set of movie tickets to take my family to see Ice Age, Continental Drift next month! How cool is that, right?

how to get free ice age tickets during june dairy month

June Dairy Month at Safeway = Free Family Movie Tickets!

Pretty much all of us are moms on a tight budget, right? The economy is not-so-hot, incomes are not-as-high, and prices on just about everything are ever increasing. That makes it tough on us moms to keep up. But – some meal planning and smart shopping can help any busy mom save some big bucks. And this month, the must-have deal to grab is the free movie ticket promotion at Safeway. Here’s how it works:

  • Head to your nearest Safeway, {or affiliate store like Vons, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Pavillions or Carrs} – and look for the June Dairy Month tags all over the store. #JuneDairyMovies.
  • Use your Safeway Club Card each time you shop during June, and it will automatically add up all of your participating dairy purchases.
  • Once you’ve purchased at least $40 worth of family dairy must-haves like cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and milk, the register will print out a Catalina coupon good for two free movie tickets! Sweet, I know.

The movie tickets can be printed and redeemed online, and will be valid until 8/31/12. It does mention on the ticket that you can use it for a different movie of your choice – but since Abby looooves the “funny guys” in the previous Ice Age movies, that’s what we’ll be heading out to see when it opens locally.

Dairy Month Taco Night

Our Family Night Celebration was a Hit!

Since movie nights at the theater are often a luxury around here, I knew that I did NOT want to miss out on the chance to get free tickets. So I went out shopping for our favorite taco night ingredients – and partnered with the new Just for U rewards program, I was able to save enough on all of the great goods that I bought that I could really stock up on cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and more. We go through a TON of dairy products here – {Abby loooves her string cheese!} – so these were all items I would have purchased anyway. Getting that great free movie ticket coupon at check out was a much-appreciated bonus.

ice age dairy month free movie tickets

How to get free Ice Age Movie Tickets at Safeway

You probably remember reading about my Safeway shopping trip, and our super fun Tacos and Floats party – if so, you’ll probably also remember seeing a pic of the Catalina coupon that printed out at check out. So – once you get yours too, here’s how it works – easy peasy. Just visit the online rewards site, click the store you shopped at, then fill in your info and add the code found on your Catalina coupon. Then you’re ready to print out your free tickets – and take your family on a great summer night out. Awesome, I know.

Tell me – are YOU planning to take advantage of this smart shopping strategy too?

{I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Safeway. #CBias #SocialFabric” (Feel free to add any additional wording you would like such as “all opinions are my own.}

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Posted by on June 26, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff, Celebrations | 1 Comment

How to Pull Off a One Bag Event

Ready for your next event or party to go ONE BAG?… That means a party that creates only one bag of trash for an entire event, from birthday party to holiday open house.With a little bit of smart planning, and some of my fun entertaining tips – Anyone can make their next party a “One Bag Event!” You’ll spend less, waste less, and send less to the landfill. And THAT is something to celebrate!! Keep reading to see how I’ve hosted not one – but THREE! – parties over the past couple of weeks, and was able to make each of them a One Bag Event…

creative party foods for summer bbq

Let’s Talk Trash!…

This is a little peek at our recent celebrations – We had a Pirate Pizza Party a couple weeks ago, to celebrate getting our outdoor space ready for summer. We took the cover off of the in-ground pool to start prepping it for opening, cleaned up the grill, and spruced up the patio area. Then we had a super fun Tacos and Floats night, and got a free pair of tickets to the new Ice Age movie when we bought the supplies. {So cool, right?} Then just a couple of days ago we invited a few friends over for a Hot Dog Bar – which is when I created my little Hot Diggity Dog in the last pic. During the summer we entertain non-stop, which I love. What I don’t love is how much trash piles up after a party. So, I decided to give the Glad One Bag Challenge a try, and see if the tips and ideas they shared could help me cut down on all that garbage. Keep reading to see how we did, and learn how you can do it too…

green your party supplies

Learn How to Pull Off a One Bag Event

Honestly, I did not think we were going to be very successful with this challenge. I mean, we seem to always end up with a ton of trash after every BBQ. But, it wasn’t at all as difficult as I expected – it’s really just a set of small swaps you make that add up to a BIG decrease in what you have to toss at the end of the party. Here are the tips that worked best for us:

  • Invitations: Instead of spending a bunch of extra money on those custom designed invitations you’re thinking about, use an online invite site like Evite.com, Ping.com or punchbowl.com. Or reach everyone where they’re already at – set up an event page on Facebook to give everyone all of the party details – including reminders leading up to the big day!
  • Serving Dishes: Stock up on ‘real’ serving ware – either some fun melamine dishes like the French Bull 12-Piece Melamine Dinnerware Set, {have it, love it, use it all the time!} or choose compostable: sugar cane, fallen palm leaves, and corn are some of the most popular materials. For the past couple of parties I used these great compostable party plates, cups, and utensils – and I was blown away by how sturdy they are. Super cool green geniuses to come up with this stuff.
  • Decorating: Ok, this is one of my favorite ways to creatively cut down on trash. Instead of buying a pile of decorations from the party store that you’re just going to throw away afterwards, think about what you already have that you can use to brighten the party atmosphere. A few ideas – Jars: You could spray paint them and fill with flowers, or use them to hold pre-mixed party cocktails. Food: Use the food itself as the decoration, which leads to almost no waste at all. Make a Watermelon Turtle for summer BBQs, or use chips, dips, and other snack foods to build a Snackadium during football season. You could have the kids color their favorite coloring book pages and hang them like a pennant banner, or just use pics of the birthday child to decorate at their party. Tons of fun ideas.
  • During the Party: Make sure to set up an easy peasy spot to recycle – you could even use a Triple Laundry Sorter lined with Glad Bags {they now have less plastic, and more stretch – meaning you can stuff more into them and have less waste} to make it super simple for guests to toss their cans, glass bottles, and regular trash.

Now – Give yourself a big high five of congratulations! You just saved a ton of waste from clogging up your local landfills, did your part to leave our world a little greener and cleaner for your kids, and saved a ton of money too! Want to show off your success? Visit Glad on Facebook to tell them your story, and share a pic of your One Bag Clean Up! You can also get a ton of tools and tips on Glad.com too, to help you waste less at your next event!

Glad One Bag Challenge

Host a One Bag Event of Your Own!

Now that you know some great tips to cut down on party waste, and are going to visit the Glad.com site to learn more great ideas, you’re ready to host your own One Bag Event. If you do – I would LOVE to see your party pics too, so feel free anytime to stop by my Facebook page to share pics. I’d also love to hear your best “Green” party tips – Come join the conversation in my Smart Mom Chat room, and let me know what works best for your family parties. You guys are such smarties, I love hearing your ideas!

For more fun party ideas, see my collections of favorite Party Foods and Party Drinks on Pinterest!

{Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Glad and received a One Bag kit to facilitate my review, a kit to give away, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.}

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Posted by on June 25, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Celebrations, Green Living | 4 Comments

How To Build a Hot Dog Bar for Summer BBQs

“It’s no sin to get sauce on your chin.” – Bishop Tutu… As you’ve probably noticed lately, I love any excuse to entertain. As soon as the weather turns warmer, it’s time to spruce up the patio with some fun summer accessories, take the cover off of the pool and the grill, and get ready to party. Summer entertaining brings together all of my favorite things – spending time outdoors in the sun, relaxing and laughing with my favorite friends and family, and of course – great food! Everything tastes better when it’s cooked on a grill, right?

Grillin' Kosher Hot Dogs

“Give a man a barbecue, feed him for a day; Teach a man to barbecue and feed him for the summer.” – Unknown

At our house, we grill just about everything… From BBQ’d chicken and ribs, to foil packets of fresh veggies straight from my garden. And of course, a regular request at my house is for hot dogs – to me, a great grilled dog just tastes like summer, you know? So to celebrate the sunshine this weekend, we decided to do a full Hot Dog Bar, with loads of toppings and extras that everyone could add to our favorite dogs – Hebrew National. I’ve been on a mission for a couple of years now to help my family live a little cleaner, and a little greener, but making small changes. When Mike’s daughters visited a plant that makes and packages hot dogs for a school assignment last year – they came back refusing to eat them ever again after what they saw go into them. And after learning more, I had to agree. So I searched out a better option, and found it in Hebrew National – their products are so much better, without all of the yucky fillers and additives found in cheaper hot dogs. And I love it when a switch is not only better for my families health – but tastes better too!

how to build a hot dog bar

How to Build a Hot Dog Bar

For this little backyard shindig, we decided to build up a hot dog bar – my brother grilled up a ton of Hebrew National dogs in a few different varieties, and I put together enough toppings that everyone could make their own hot dog creation. Here are a few of our favorites:

  • The Italian {Pizza Dog}: Pour pizza sauce into a hot dog bun. Add shredded cheese, pepperoni slices, and olives. Top it with a freshly grilled dog, and enjoy. The kids love these!!
  • The Mexican: This is my favorite – Mix some taco seasoning into your mayo, to make it spicier. Schmear a bit on your bun, add your hot dog, then sprinkle with a mexican blend cheese, jalapenos, and salsa. Sooo good!
  • The Russian: This is always a favorite with the guys… Spread a  bit of cream cheese on a toasted bun, then add your hot dog. Smother it with a pile of sweet relish, and sauerkraut. It’s messy, but they tell me it’s good stuff!

In addition to the above ingredients, you’ll want to make sure to have basic condiments like mayo, ketchup, and a few types of mustard. We also like to have a big crock pot of chilli, bowls of olives, pickles, tomatoes, and grilled onions, and fun sauces like ranch, pesto, sour cream, and bbq sauce. We also like to get a few varieties of buns, since everyone has a different favorite style. The more there is to choose from, the more creative everyone gets. And to encourage creativity, we always give out a prize for the best hot dog creation of the day. Want to see this parties winner?

hot diggity dog

“No great barbecue was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Meet the winner – My little Hot Diggity Dog, made from Hebrew National Franks. Pretty cute, right? {Yep, this idea was all mine – I made him in secret, while everyone was outside grillin’ and chattin’}. All I did was cut up a couple of hot dogs, and put him together with toothpicks. His friendly eyes are a couple of tiny olive slices. And he’s frolicking around in the summer sun on a bed of lettuce. The kids thought this was the coolest thing…

summer grilling and kosher dogs

How do YOU enjoy Hebrew National?

Hebrew National is running a very cool promotion on their Facebook page – they want you to “Snap-and-Share” Hebrew National Franks. So, while you’re enjoying summer fun, watch for any time that Hebrew National’s are being served, and snap a pic to share! Photo contest participants will be entered to win a weekly grocery store gift card prize for all their summer BBQ needs, and there’s also a grand prize ball game trip to New York City for two! Here’s how you enter: Visit the Hebrew National Facebook page. Click on ‘Snap & Share’ and LIKE the page to enter the contest. Start the hunt for Hebrew National! Easy peasy.

weiner dogs

Hebrew Nationals look so good, even these dogs get jealous…. Lol.

100% Kosher Hot Dogs

Hebrew National tastes great because, for more than 100 years, we’ve adhered to the highest quality standards. Hebrew National all-beef franks contain no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no by-products, and no fillers. That’s our guarantee. They are made with premium cuts of 100% pure kosher beef and provide premium taste and high quality every time, for any occasion.

Share your favorite hot dog recipe with me in the comments!

{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Hebrew National via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Hebrew National.}

 

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Posted by on June 24, 2012 Filed Under: Celebrations | 5 Comments

Simple Family Taco Night Party – #JuneDairyMovies

Did you know June is Dairy Month?… You guys know how much I love to entertain, right? And with summer finally showing it’s bright, cheery face around here, my entertaining schedule goes into overdrive! We have a big patio, in ground pool, and a really great, fenced-in yard and field. So what I’m saying is, we’ve got the perfect gathering place for all of our friends and family to come and cool off when it’s hot out! We celebrated last weekend with a little #GrabSummerFun party, as we took the winter cover off of the pool, and started prepping it for summer. This week we’ve had little shindigs almost every evening… I just love an excuse to get the family outside and enjoying the weather together in the evenings. And, since June is Dairy Month at Safeway, which means you get free movie tickets to see the new Ice Age flick when you buy $40 bucks worth of participating dairy goodies, I planned a family night dinner around that, to take advantage of the freebie!

Safeway Just for U

“In summer, the song sings itself.” – William Carlos Williams

Have you checked out the new Safeway Just for U program yet? If you’ve ever shopped at Safeway, I’m sure you already have the Safeway Club Card – the cool red card you swipe at check out to get your extra savings. But now, Safeway has made it even easier to save when you stock up on your families summer favorites – Sign up for Safeway Just for U today, and you get personalized savings tips, you can add digital coupons right to your club card, and right now you get a special coupon for a free dozen eggs added to your card just for joining. Super simple, very smart. {There’s an even an app for your phone too!}

dairy month

June Dairy Month at Safeway = Free Ice Age Movie Tickets #JuneDairyMovies

To get this sweet deal that’s going on this month at Safeway, look for the Dairy Month signs around the store. You’ll see it explained in their weekly sales ad, in big display signs in the dairy aisles, and each participating item will be marked with a little sale tag, so you know for sure what qualifies. I decided to go with a fun Taco Night family get-together, since things like shredded Mexican blend cheese, Dairgold sour cream, and nacho cheese were included in the dairy promotion. Then, since we were inviting Grandma and Papa over too, I picked up supplies to make Root Beer Floats, since those are her favorite. {And the Tillamook ice cream is also part of the promo!} Love getting little freebies like this, just for buying stuff we would have needed anyway.

dairy month taco night

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” – Sam Keen

We loooooove us some Taco Night around here! And since we had a couple of extra friends over, plus Grandma, I made sure to stock up on lots of extra stuff – 3 types of chips to go with 3 different salsas {watch for my tropical salsa recipe tomorrow!}, cheese, sour cream, jalapenos and olives, lettuce, tomato, and onions, spanish rice and beans – and of course, FOUR pounds of taco meat!! Whew, I’m getting hungry again just thinking about it all….

fun with water

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James

While I cooked up this simple homemade dinner, the kids cooked up their own fun outside. Since we hit a snag getting the big pool opened up for summer {we have to replace the pump. Ugh.} the kids have to make do with the kiddie pool and slip n’ slide. I absolutely LOVE this shot of Abby… She just learned about the hose, and that she can wave it around to spray the water, and thinks it’s the funnest thing of all time. And while I wish her face was in this shot, I love the way it catches the movement of the water. Very cool.

Dairy Month Taco Night Collage

“When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses.” – Joyce Brothers

Finally, dinner was ready – and everyone grabbed towels to gather up for dinner on the patio. Mmmm…. How can you not love a big double-decker taco, perfectly cheesy, topped with crisp lettuce and tangy salsa? So good! And the rootbeer floats were totally a hit – we haven’t had those in over a year. {The fact that I added glow-in-the-dark straws made them even cooler…}

free tickets for ice age

Have your own summertime family night!

Head to your local Safeway store anytime this month, {or any affiliate like Vons, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Pavillions or Carrs} and buy participating dairy items. You don’t have to spend the $40 all at once like I did – if you use your Safeway Club Card, it’ll automatically add up your purchases each time you shop, and let you know how close you are to getting your free tickets. You could have a fun Italian night, with a yummy baked ziti covered in cheeses, partnered with gelato, or BBQ up some burgers, and top ’em with some delicious Tillamook sliced cheese. Then, once you’ve spent $40 bucks, the register will print out a Catalina coupon like the one above, that you can redeem online for two free tickets to see the new Ice Age movie in theaters. That means you’ll get another fun family night, almost free.

“I don’t care how poor a man is; if he has family, he’s rich.” – Dan Wilcox

Collective BiasI am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Safeway #CBias #SocialFabric. All photos and opinions shared here are 100% my own. For more info on this June Dairy Month promotion visit JuneDairyMovies.com.

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Posted by on June 22, 2012 Filed Under: Celebrations | 6 Comments

Simple Summer Pirate Party… #GrabSummerFun

“In summer, the song sings itself.” – William Carlos Williams… I love summer. I love being outside with the family, enjoying the fresh air. Yes, this is partly because they make less of a mess INSIDE the house, when they get to run wild in the yard. But I also just truly love being in the outdoors. And – I’m totally a “celebration” type person… I like to find simple but creative ways to make the everyday a little more fun. So if you’re looking for easy ways to take your outdoor summer days up a notch too, keep reading – and feel free to steal some of my ideas for your own summer fun.

laptop and coupons for summer fun shopping

“I am curious, I love making discoveries, travelling, speaking with people, going shopping for cool new things to make life more fun.” – Maria Grazia Cucinotta

So – you know that I consider myself a super smart, totally savvy shopper, right? Which means that before any shopping trip, I always take a few minutes to check out my coupon stash, match it with my shopping list – and then check the store website for any super specials going on. {No, I’m no extreme couponer. But I do make a bit of an effort to ensure we spend our family budget in a smart way – which is why we do most of our shopping at Walmart.} Then, with list in hand, coupons in their envelope, and cash in my wallet – we headed out to grab a bit of gear to celebrate the first day of summer break for the big kids.

summer fun pool party ideas

“It’s almost Summer! Time to find out what my friends with swimming pools have been up to since last summer…” – Unknown

I usually spend way too much of my days working at the computer. The kids will remind me once in awhile that “you’re WAY more fun when you’re not at the computer, Auntie Meagan!” So now that summer break is here {school got out for us on Friday} – I have decided that it’s time for me to take more blogging breaks, and #GrabSummerFun more often. This was a perfect weekend for breaks… It was time to get our pool ready for summer opening!! We pulled the cover off – the kids ooohed and ahhhed – then added the chemicals and cleaners to have it ready by next weekend. Super exciting. Then – since the kids really wanted to get in the water – we set up this super cute little Mushroom Baby Pool that grandpa sent us… They had a BLAST. Great way to burn off some of that afternoon energy that kids seem to have an abundance of. The kid that us tired moms can’t even remember….

summer fun day supplies

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” – James Dent

After an awesome afternoon of outdoor summer fun, you have to start thinking about dinner. And while the dreaded “what’s for dinner!!??” calls can sometimes be stressful – they don’t have to be when you’re prepared. For this summer celebration dinner, I grabbed a few pre-made products that I jazzed up just a bit, to make them more fun. Frozen pizzas {even when you add extras like we did} are a quick dinner fix. And Nestle Drumsticks please even the pickiest of eaters. I mean heck – they have sprinkles. Who doesn’t smile at sprinkles, right?

pirate pizza

“To err is human , To Arr is Pirate.” – Unknown

I headed into the house to gather up some of the groceries I’d bought earlier in the day, to put together a super fun “Summer Pirate Pizza Party” that would totally top off the day. I had found some ideas on Pinterest – and hoped that they’d be successful… {Only about half of the cool ideas I attempt actually work out, lol.} I love that Walmart has everything that I need to put together any fun family evening that I come up with. Drum roll….. Ta da!! My Pirate Pizza was a super success – The kids LOVED it. I love moments like this, that make me feel like a super mom. {I plan to make this guy again for our Princess and Pirates Birthday Party for Abby in July…} I used a basic Tombstone Pizza for the base, then added our own pepperoni, peppers, and olives for more toppings. {My Walmart was totally out of pepperoni pizzas when we visited – see the rest of our shopping trip on Google+.} I wasn’t really sure what I was doing, and just kind of put him together randomly – but I think he came out kind of awesome. #JustSayin’.

Pirate punch

“Summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James

Of course no party is complete without party drinks, right? So I put together a super simple Pirate Party Punch – And, seriously – never underestimate the excitement kids will show over a few maraschino cherries – OhmyHECK. You’d think I’d brought home new ponies with built-in XBox systems. Wow. Want to be a super-hero mom too? Here’s the easy peasy mix:

  • Cherry Kool-Aid mixed with…
  • The juice from half a jar of maraschino cherries.
  • A splash of Squirt soda on top of each glass.
  • Then add a couple of maraschino cherries, plus half-frozen mandarin oranges, or pineapple wedges. {Those were my first choice, but we were out!}
  • Stir it up, add glow-in-the-dark straws from the party aisle – voila! Pirate punch fit for any little buccaneer!
Honestly, I could not believe how excited they were over this punch. All of the kids told me it was sooooo good. {Even though it’s just mostly Kool-Aid??} And the adults made their own grown-up beverages with this punch as a base {think rum or a bit of vanilla vodka} – and they raved about it too. I love when my short-cuts seem impressive…. Lol.

home ice cream summer party

“Summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James

And last, but absolutely not least – we finished up dinner with those frozen treats I mentioned earlier. We love Drumsticks – and I was super excited to see that Walmart now has some new options – including cherry stuffed, sprinkle topped, super yummy ice cream creations! You might remember how excited the kids get over some cherries? So yes, these were a huge hit too.

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” – Sam Keen

Collective Bias #CBias{Disclaimer: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Nestle #CBias #SocialFabric.} And learn more about the awesome products featured here on the Nestle Facebook page, and Tombstone Facebook page.

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Posted by on June 11, 2012 Filed Under: Celebrations | 11 Comments
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