Old Navy: $2 Cami's

If you are going shopping this weekend, make sure you print out this coupon to take to Old Navy. You can get up to 5 layering cami's for $2 each today through 7/31. You can also just say, "Cami for me" at the register.

Thanks, Deal Wise Mommy!

Publix: Buy Theirs, Get Ours.

This week (today - 8/4) you can get the Publix brand free when you buy the name brand of a few snack items. Included in this week's promo is:

• Mott's Apple Juice and Publix Apple Juice
• Sunmaid Raisins and Publix Raisins
• Barnum's Animal Crackers and Publix Animal Crackers

Also, if you are a part of the Publix Baby Club (it's free!), you may have gotten a coupon in the last mailing for a free box of Barnum's Animal Crackers. You can use that coupon and get both boxes of animal crackers free!

I can't wait to go to the grocery this week!

Thanks, I Heart Publix.

Free Veggie Tales Showing

If you are not busy this Saturday (7/31), Family Christian Stores has a great option for some free family time. You can watch the new Veggie Tales movie Sweetpea Beauty: A Girl After Gods Own Heart at any of their locations. The movie will be shown at 10am, noon and 2pm. The first 40 children will get a poster and a balloon. Everyone will get stickers and coloring pages. They will also have special sales during the movie for the parents to enjoy!

Here is a coupon to take with you if you plan on buying anything while you are there, as well.

Thanks, Moms By Heart!

Free Patterns

Once again, I will lament about how I wish I were more crafty. I really wish I could sew. I think I need to invest in a sewing machine that pretty much does everything for me. Too bad they are way out of my price range.

For those of you who are crafty and can sew, Amy Butler has a bunch of free patterns available. She also has patterns for paper crafts for free, too.

Thanks, Moms By Heart!

Restaurant Coupons

I wanted to share with you a few coupons that have shown up in my inbox this week.

• Bahama Breeze - Join Island Insiders to get $10 off $20 coupons. I have gotten two of these in the past 3 months, one mailed and one emailed. 
• Chili's - Join their Email Club and you will get a coupon for free chips and queso. I have also gotten coupons for free dessert and $4 off 2 entrees emailed to me. 
• Cracker Barrel - Join Front Porch Friends and get a coupon for $5 off $20 purchase. Plus, they will email you other coupons throughout the year, as well.

Are there any other good coupons you have seen lately for dining out? 

Where I've Been

For those of you who like Mom Loves Deals on Facebook, you know that I haven't been posting because of some personal struggles. I want to share a little of what has taken over my life for the past two weeks. It's been a rough time.

Since my younger son was born, I have struggled with panic attacks. At first, I got them for a reason like when I had an epidural, at the dentist, or in small spaces. They were awful but controllable. This time was something completely different. July 11th was the third day of a non-stop panic attack during which I couldn't function at all, didn't sleep, and didn't eat. I had a complete meltdown. We were in church and after throwing up all morning, I told my husband I had to go to the hospital. He said ok and we went to get our kids from the nursery. While he was getting them, I leaned against a wall in the nursery and broke down. Two woman asked me what was wrong and I couldn't even really tell them. All I knew was I needed release. My heart had been racing for three days and I honestly felt like I was going to die if I couldn't get rid of the panic. I don't know why it started this time but it was absolutely horrible. One of the women got a lady who works at the church and has written a book about her years of struggling with panic attacks called No More What Ifs. She looked at me and knew exactly what I was feeling. I couldn't and didn't tell her anything and she started praying right away that my heart would calm down. We sat in an empty room with my husband and one other woman while I cried and freaked out. She just kept praying until I felt like I could breathe again. We missed the entire church service but for the first time in three days, I didn't feel like I was going to die. I went home, spent time with my family, read Psalms, and prayed. I still had another rough day the next day but I knew I was meeting with Mo (the lady who wrote the book) again on Tuesday so it was more manageable. I haven't had an actual panic attack in about 10 days which is amazing. Now I am working on conquering the resulting depression and pain in my body. I'm at the point right now where my entire body hurts but I can't really decide what is real pain and what is just residual from the excessive tension and sleeping too much. I also gave myself a double ear infection from taking long showers to try to calm myself down so I am fighting that, too.

So, that's how I've spent the last two weeks. I have learned alot from this time and I want to share it with you because I know I am not going through this to hold on to it.

• Anxiety, depression, and mental battles are incredibly common, especially among women. Talking about it helps more than anything else.
• Friends and family will help but you have to ask for it and tell them what is going on. Five different people took my kids for me so I could sleep, get a massage, go to the grocery, go to the doctor, and take a walk. Someone, I still don't know who, sent me flowers and the card said, "Remember: HE is in control." That card is on my refrigerator right now. Facebook has been a surprising place of encouragement. 
• God is bigger than any of this. I have committed to work to fight this battle. Philippians 4:4-8 is an amazing verse to memorize. It says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, that transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." For me, this means I must daily write down things I am thankful for and things I petition of God. Some days, I have to give those written petitions back to God over and over because it is not natural for me to think true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy things.
• There is a real battle for our minds. Satan does not want us to be at peace. He is fighting for our minds so we must join God to fight to keep our mind holy. We have the power within us, through God, to tell Satan to go away and leave us alone. That is an amazing concept to me and I am just learning to utilize that power!
• It's ok to live simply and not be able to do much. For a few days, all I did was go to the gym (the exercise, time for my kids to play, and seeing other people helps alot) and stop at the grocery on the way home to get stuff for lunch and dinner. I couldn't think enough to actually go weekly grocery shopping.
• While medication is always an option, I recognize my struggle as a battle and know this time has done more for my relationship with God than any other time in my life. I absolutely cannot do this without Him and am giving it all to Him. So far, it's working! 

I am still going to keep up the blog but it may be a few more weeks before I'm completely back on track. Depression and anxiety are exhausting so I am not going to push myself. For those of you who have never struggled with this, PRAISE GOD! You are blessed. I know this may not make much sense to some but that doesn't make it any less real. I greatly appreciate your support and prayers.

I have assigned a friend as an admin to the Facebook fan page and I have another coupon class planned. You can stay connected that way, as well.

And the winner is....

...Shonda! She won the personalized note cards from Pear Tree Greetings! I have emailed her and she has 48 hours to claim her prize.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Free Slurpee!

If you are out and about today, stop by any 7-Eleven and get your free 7.11 oz Slurpee in honor of, you guessed it, 7/11. Anytime they give away free Slurpees, my husband always gets one and "forgets" to tell about it until late that night. This time I finally get one! And, oh yeah, my kids can have one, too. These will be available from 8:00 am - 11:00 pm.

Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom!

And the winner is....

...Susan L.! I have emailed her and she will have 48 hours to respond. Thanks, everyone, for reading!

Giveaway: Pear Tree Note Cards

I am happy to announce that I am now a Pear Tree Greetings Pearista! I am very excited about this because I love their products and now I will be able to host giveaways of their stuff each month.

I was sent a pack of these note cards in pink personalized with my name and I love them! They are great for those quick notes when email just won't do. And yes, those occasions do exist! They are thick, sturdy, and classy. After these are gone, I will be buying more and can't wait to choose another one of their beautiful designs!

Who is Pear Tree Greetings? Pear Tree Greetings is a fun, fresh and affordable personalized stationery company that offers Birth Announcements, Moving Announcements, Photo Cards, Baby Shower  Thank You Cards and more, all on 100 lb matte card stock and truly affordable prices!

If you place an order in the month of July, you can get free shipping on all orders over $29 using the code PEARJUL10.


One of you will be able to win a set (either 12 or 16 cards, depending on design) of your choice of note cards! The giveaway will end July 18th. I will choose a winner using random.org and the winner will have 48 hours to respond to collect their prize.

Do you love feta?

I do. I really love feta cheese! I love it on salad or with pasta. My favorite feta recipe I got from one of my friends who is a vegetarian. It's basically couscous, feta, kalamata olives, and whatever veggies you have. I've made it with a few different combinations of peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. It's a meal in itself. Because of my love, I like Athenos  on Facebook so I'm always on top of the latest news in the feta cheese world. Well, I was so excited to see a list of 10 bloggers who are taking part in the Feta Friday Giveaway! You can enter on all 10 blogs to win all of this:
• ATHENOS Feta coupon
• ATHENOS Feta “Shape Up Your Salad” recipe booklet
• ATHENOS Feta water bottle
• Life Time Fitness 1-month membership
• Fit & Fresh salad container
• Built NY lunch bag

So, yes, I entered on all 10 blogs. It was quick and I got alot of great ideas for feta even if I don't win! Most of the giveaways end on Sunday. Make sure you like Athenos on Facebook because there will be more Feta Friday Giveaways and you can get a BOGO coupon for hummus.

Giveaway: Video Games from Disney Interactive Studios #5

Mami and the Multiples is giving away a copy of the Toy Story 3 XBOX 360 game and a movie poster. She will pick a winner on July 10th so enter now!

Review: Neutrogena UltraSheer Liquid Sunblock

As some of you know, my kids and I spend alot of time at the pool. I don't particularly like dirt but my kids need exercise so the pool is our compromise. Since my husband is Puerto Rican, my kids don't burn easily but I was not blessed with golden brown skin that loves the sun. I get sunburned if I drive too much in the middle of the day. So, I was ecstatic to try Neutrogena UltraSheer Liquid Sunblock. The bottles I received were SPF 70 which is perfect for my fair skin. I use it anytime I know we will be outside for any length of time and it is easy to put on all of us before leaving the house. It's very light and dries quickly. I used it under makeup with no problems. This sunscreen has become a part of my daily routine. Even after swimming in chlorine, my skin felt great.

Neutrogena UltraSheer Sunblock is created with Helioplex technology protecting the skin from UVA (those causing aging) and UVB (those that cause burning) rays. It is also PABA-free, waterproof, sweatproof, and won't clog pores. I can honestly say this sunblock does all it is advertised to do. I was very impressed! The best part is you can get a $2 off coupon to try it yourself!

Disclosure: I received this sunblock from Tidal Labs in exchange for my honest opinion. I received no other compensation for this review.

Can you be a stay at home mom?

If you have been debating, wondering, or thinking about becoming a stay at home mom, Parents has created a useful tool to get you started. Using the Stay at Home Calculator, you can input all income, bills, expenses, and debts to see if it would be feasible for you to stay home. Working is expensive and many people don't take the cost of child care, clothes, food, and gas. All of that is actually deducted from your take home pay.

While this is a comprehensive tool, I would not recommend making this your deciding factor. According to every ounce of reason, budgeting, and helpful advice, we could not live on just my husband's income. But I have not had a job since September 2008. My husband's income has actually gone down since that time and somehow, we are doing fine. On paper, we can't live on one income, but we do. I don't drive a 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe anymore, but my 1999 Ford Contour doesn't have a $450 car payment either. I have learned to use coupons which saves us about $80 a week in groceries, clothes, and even eating out. I don't buy new clothes as often but I also don't have to wear dress clothes everyday which is very nice! Basically, while this tool is a place to start and can bring you peace or confirmation that you can do it, if you feel God is asking you to stay home, it will work out. Money is the only area that God asks us to test Him. You may have to make a few changes but our quality of life has gotten better because we are content with less knowing we are doing what God asked us to do.

Crafts for Kids

The more I blog and find new blogs, the more I realize my place in this world does not include crafts. I came across the crafting blog of a very talented 12 year old! If you know any young girls who are looking for new things to do, send them to her blog. There are lots of great ideas with easy to follow tutorials!

Thanks, Dollar Store Crafts!

And the winner is....

...Angela!! She won the $40 gift certificate to CSN Stores! Thanks to the everyone who entered and thanks for reading.

Please remember to enter my giveaway with Birdie Baby Boutique.  I will pick that winner on July 10th.

Free School Uniform Shirt

If you are buying school uniforms this year, Burlington Coat Factory has a deal going on through September 6th. For every eight official school uniform clothing items you buy, you get a free short sleeved polo shirt (up to $9.99 value, limit 3 per customer). Izod, French Toast, and U.S. Polo Assn. are all considered official school uniforms. So, if you are shopping for more than one child, this could be a savings of up to $30! You can mix and match sizes, boys and girls, and  tops and bottoms to get the free shirt.

Has anyone seen any coupons for Burlington Coat Factory to make this a sweeter deal?

Please vote!!!

Top Mommy Blogs resets every quarter and today was the day. Some of you have been voting every day (THANK YOU!) and we are currently ranked #33!!! (The highest we ever got before was #330, which isn't bad out of over 2000.) You can vote every day so please click the brown Top Mommy Blogs link on the right. There is no registration, it's just two simple clicks. The higher ranked we are, the more companies will work with me to make things happen for you. Thanks so much!!

Free Ensure

Go here to get a coupon for a free Ensure shake. You can either print it or have it mailed to you. You will need to register and answer a few questions. When I was pregnant the first time, I couldn't keep anything down for the first five months except chocolate Ensure and Domino's pizza. I would freeze the shakes and then shake them to make them slushy. They were so good and I'm excited to get one free!

Thanks, Deal Wise Mommy!

Free Libby's Vegetables

Go here to print a coupon good for one free can of Libby's Vegetables. You can print it twice so make sure you hit the back button after the first one prints. If it doesn't work today, try again tomorrow because I think they are limited how many can be printed each day.

Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom!

Barbie Doll Crafts

I still have my old Barbies from when I was a kid because I loved them so much, I am having a hard time letting them go. I even washed all the clothes and put outfits together in plastic baggies. Plus, my mom made some of the clothes so even with the hair cuts I gave them, the fact that some of them are "no neck Barbies" (my brothers ripped their heads off and when you put the head back on, they no longer have a neck), and them being 20 years old, I kept them. It brought back memories when I read this Roundup on Dollar Store Crafts and made me want to make the old girls some new stuff. I especially love the headbands because they are also recycling! The shoe bracelet is great idea because when I was organizing my Barbies and clothes, I found two shoes that don't match. I didn't know what to do with them. I'm sure everyone who has Barbies in their home has that same problem. If you have little girls at home, this roundup would make for some great summer crafts!

The Odds are...

If you have ever wondered how likely an occurrence is to happen, then The Book of Odds is for you. It's fun to see the odds of having twins (as a non-Hispanic Caucasian woman, the odds my next pregnancy will be twins is 1 in 27.56) or the odds an adult will wash their hands after handling money (1 in 4). You can also create your own Book of Odds which is a collection of your favorite statistics. It's all free!

Independence Day

Most of what I know about our nation's history came from fiction and diaries of notable historic figures. I don't know much about dates and the timeline as I know it is incomplete. Since I read with passion, I feel much more when I read of how America came to be. I know about important historical people and love knowing the individual's story. Jen of Cake Wrecks fame has another blog which is slightly less hilarious, more personal, and just as intelligently written called Epbot. On her 4th of July post,  she has an awesome music video that gave me goosebumps and made me even shed a tear about...The Declaration of Independence. If that American Government class I tried to take in college was taught with as much passion as this song was sung, I wouldn't have withdrawn from the class and I might actually know some dates and complete timelines. Watch it. I think the personification of our founding fathers will make impact on you, too. Take a moment to remember how much people fought to get us here.



While you are at it, check out the Epbot blog. It's worth your time.

The Floh Club

We all know that person who really wants to add the convenience of computers and the Internet to their life but they need a little extra help. Florence Henderson (better remembered as Carol Brady) has created the perfect solution. The Floh Club is a website geared towards older people to help them learn to use computers. You can give yearly or monthly memberships as a gift ($21-$25/month). The telephone computer support team at the Floh Club is always available and patient. They will answer any question, no matter how small. This would be perfect for grandparents out of state!

A breakthrough?

My sensory boy has been in speech therapy for about five months and it's been four months since his diagnosis. He has come so far from throwing himself face down onto the ground with no regard for safety because he was frustrated. This week has been a week of small miracles, in my book. We spent the weekend with my brothers and one of them said, "I never heard his voice before. He wasn't even making sounds the last time I saw him!" My brother has no children and doesn't quite understand Sensory Processing Disorder but the fact that he noticed a change was huge. We have heard many new unsolicited words this week including milk (mi mi mi), juice (ju), apple (which was very clearly apple), and thank you (na new.) A huge breakthrough has been the fact that he is saying people's names. He has attempted his brother's name, both of his uncle's names, and one of his friend's names. It's been a really good week and I have so much hope that SPD won't be a hindrance to his life, just a minor obstacle to tackle.

4th of July Meal Deal

Go here for a 4th of July meal plan. It looks like a great meal and at under $4 per person, it's a great price, too!

To save even more money, use the coupons for Kingsford charcoal she listed with this deal and you can get 2 bags of charcoal for around $5!

Thanks, I Heart Publix!

Disney flip flops under $2!

The Disney Store has kids flip flops on sale for $1.99 and if you use code FREESHIP, you will get free shipping! This would be a great time to buy sizes for next year. I typed 'flip flops' into the search bar and found Tinkerbell, Lightning McQueen (might be sold out because I couldn't choose a size), Wall-E, Finding Nemo, and Handy Manny flip flops all for that price. Sizes are limited so order yours now.

Thanks, Coupon Pro!

Make money with old electronics

Do you have old electronics, DVDs, video games, or cameras lying around? If you do, check out Nextworth.com. You can get a quote on your old stuff and trade it in for a Target gift card, PayPal credit, a check, or donate the value to a charitable organization. Even if your stuff isn't of value, Nextworth will still provide you with free shipping and recycle it for you. That is better than letting it collect dust!

Free Day at the Museum

On September 25, 2010, you can go to one of many museums nationwide for free! Find a participating museum near you and request your ticket today. You can print your ticket now and be ready for September 25th. The ticket is good for two people so if you are bringing the whole family, you will have to pay the kid's admission.

Thanks, Moms By Heart!

Giveaway: Birdie Baby Boutique

When I first saw some of the beautiful creations from Birdie Baby Boutique, I knew I wanted to work with them! Everything these two stay at home moms make is so sweet and inspired. Since they make everything themselves, if you see something you like but want it in a different color or pattern, they can do it. All of their designs are fully customizable. My favorite thing they make is the superhero capes. My 4 year old wants to be a Super (like Dash Incredible) when he grows up and I am always tying a blanket on him so he can "dash and dash and dash all around." Yes, he made up his own superhero song. Of course, they can be made in any fabric, with any letter, and any felt applique.

They recently entered the EtsyKids Design Challenge and won with their word name blocks! Also, if you like them on Facebook, you can see the latest creations and get special pricing by participating in their comment games.

Buy it: Visit Birdie Baby Boutique today to get your creation started!

Win it: Birdie Baby Boutique has very generously offered a frayed fabric rosette clip to one lucky winner. Winner chooses the color. These can be worn alone, stacked, or even on a shirt. This is one accessory a mom should share with her daughter!

If you see something else you have to have, you can gain 3 extra entries for this giveaway by purchasing it before the end of the giveaway!

I will choose a winner using random.org on July 10th. The giveaway closes July 9th at midnight.