My #Cinchspiration Update!

It’s time for me to give my Cinchspiration update and well, I feel like a failure.  I do.  I’ve been sick for the past month and I haven’t exercised at all.  I didn’t follow the Cinch plan because I didn’t feel like eating healthy.  I just wanted to sit with a blanket and drink honey tea or sleep.

 

The month started with me taking care of my sick little girl.  I hated seeing her sick, it hurt me to see her uncomfortable.  It wasn’t long before my husband and I were sick as well.  Together we went through two jars of honey and I wrote the post Homemade Cough Remedies after a lot of reading and asking everyone I knew for advice.  The doctor said that I had bronchitis and I went through two rounds of antibiotics and one round of steroids before I began to feel better.  It was bad!  I felt sluggish and I sounded like a man, an old man at that.  Even after the steroids kicked in and I felt remarkably better I had to go back to the doctor because I started having intense chest pains.  It turns out that I messed up the cartilage between my ribs from coughing so hard.   I didn’t even know that was possible!  “Messed up” wasn’t the way the doctor phrased it but I can’t remember his twenty-dollar word for it.  He gave me prescription pain medicine for it but I’ve held off taking it because the pain is bearable.  I’m using a heating pad at night to help ease the pain so I can sleep.

 

Long story short, I’ve felt pretty crummy recently and not only that but I have the overwhelming guilt of giving up on the Cinch program.  I’m not out and I will continue on but I feel so discouraged to get behind like this and lose a whole month.  Everybody falls though, right?  It’s important to get back up and move on.  Here’s to next month!  I can do it!  I’ll be posting a video soon since I no longer sound like a man.

Kellogg’s Start Simple, Start Right Cereals

Kelloggs Cereal

Recently my family was asked to participate in Kellogg’s “Start Simple, Start Right” Campaign.  We’re big fans of Kellogg’s so we gladly accepted!  Kelloggs sent us five boxes of cereal.  One of each of the following cereals:

 

 

Our family was eating all of these cereals anyway…well, with the exception of the Gluten Free Rice Krispies.

 

Kelloggs

 

My Morning Routine   Each morning I drag myself out of bed, take my meds, and we all scurry downstairs.  My little girl eats her cereal and I pour myself a bowl of cereal.  I’m not a morning person. At all.  I would love to say that I make my family whatever they want for breakfast but that’s far from the truth.  I know moms that do that and take orders from each family member but I just can’t bring myself to.  That’s terrific that they can but it’s not for me.

 

Cereal is the simplest breakfast I can throw together but it’s also a very nutritious one one so I don’t feel too guilty.  I love that I can feed myself and my family a quick, wholesome meal and give them a great start to their day!  I know how important eating breakfast can be for their body and even concentration.  It took a while but I even have my husband eating breakfast before he heads out the door.  I don’t want my family to feel hungry before lunch and end up distracted or snacking on something unhealthy.  Feeding them cereals that I know are nutritious guarantees that they’ll be fuller longer.

 

Not all cereals are created equal!  Some brands have a ton of added sugars {some have on the upwards of 40% sugar!}!  Not to mention all of the words that I can’t pronounce.  Kellogg’s has reintroduced a line of cereals that are as simple as can be!  They are made from well-known ingredients like wheat, rice, corn, and other grains and are made with only a handful of simple ingredients.  Isn’t that awesome!  I feel confident feeding my family a cereal where I can read every ingredient in my food.  Don’t you love simplicity?

 

You can show your family these short videos about the food they are eating:

 

Follow Kellogg’s process on how they take grains from Seed-To-Spoon. Here’s a great infographic that explains it all:

Seed to Spoon Infographic

 

What’s your favorite Kellogg’s cereal?

 

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Kellogg’s. I received sample products to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.”

Target: All Laundry Detergent for $1.99!

All Free & Clear

 

Right now there’s a pretty good deal on All Small & Mighty Free Clear Laundry Detergent at Target. Here’s the scenario:

 

Buy 2 All Small & Mighty Free Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent (32 loads) – $3.99
Use $3/2 All Laundry Products printable (take the quiz to get the coupon)
Stack with $1/1 All Free Clear Laundry Detergent Target printable
$1.99 per bottle after coupons!

Free Bed & Breakfast Rooms for Military and Vets on November 11, 2012

Free Bed & Breakfast for Vets Nov. 11, 2012

Bed and breakfast innkeepers around the United States and Canada are honoring US military personnel and veterans by giving them a night’s stay in a bed and breakfast for free.  How nice is that!  Hundreds of inns  across the country are offering a free night’s stay on November 11 for members of the military or veterans and one guest. If you qualify, you can register for your stay by following this B&B for Vets link for US inns and this B&B Vets for Canadian inns. Keep in mind that rooms availability is limited and will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis.  There was some question about this B&B Vet freebie last year so I want to point out that you may be asked to give a credit card to secure the room but it won’t be charged unless you don’t show up.

 

$1/1 Maybelline Eye Liner Coupon = FREE at Dollar Tree!

Maybelline Eye Liner

 

Right now there is a high value coupon on Coupons.com.  You can print a coupon for $1/1 Maybelline Eye Liner coupon.  It’s been reported that many Dollar Trees have this priced at $1, which would make it free after this coupon!

 

This deal and photo credit come from Dollar Store Deals! Thank you!

Free Magazines: Working Mother, Bridal Guide, & More!

I love flipping through magazines but I hate the hefty price tag that usually comes with them.  To avoid feeling like I wasted money on them I feel a commitment to read them and that sometimes turns into a chore. And sometimes a stack of unread magazines!  However, a free magazine will either be casually read and passed on to someone else or donated without the slightest sense of guilt.    Anyway, I like free magazines!

 

Here’s a list of the best free magazines:

 

Bridal Guide

Bridal Guide Magazine

 

North American Hunter Magazine

North American Hunting Magazine

 

Working Mother magazine

 Working Mother Magazine (I love this one!)

 

Please know that these are free subscriptions or free issues and not free trials.  You won’t be billed for any of these magazines.  Enjoy!

 

Credit Cards Manipulate You Into Debt

Credit Cards Manipulate

 

I just read an article on Wise Bread that tells 4 ways credit cards manipulate people into more debt.  I thought it was an interesting read and I wanted to share it with you.  I would love to hear your thoughts!

*HOT DEAL!* 3 CoverGirl Eye Shadows for ONLY $0.14!

CoverGirl Eye Shadow I have an awesome deal!!!  I’m about ready to jump up and down.   Amazon has these Purple Pop CoverGirl eye shadows on sale for only $3.14.  That’s great on it’s own but to make the deal better you can clip the $3 coupon on that’s found just below the price.

$3.14 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.

That means you’ll get 3 CoverGirl eye shadows for only $0.14!!  Plus this is eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25!

CoverGirl eye shadow

Update: Since I first posted this I noticed that the recommended buyer is selling the same product for $5.19 plus $4.99 shipping.  You can still get the Amazon price of $3.14 {before coupon} with Free Super Saver Shipping if you click on the correct “Add to Cart” button.  See the picture above.

Oriental Trading: Halloween Costumes as Low as $2.29 Shipped! Today Only!!

Today only, October 8, 2012, Oriental Trading Company has a coupon code valid for FREE shipping on any size order when you enter the promo code WCE3628 at checkout.  Halloween costumes start as low as $2.29!  Here are a few of the cheap costumes I found in their Halloween Sale Section.

 

Pumpkin Costume

Pumpkin Child’s Costume on sale for only $2.29 shipped (reg. $14!)

 

 

Christmas Candy Costume

Christmas Candy Costume on sale for only $2.59 shipped (reg. $10.50!)

 

 

Bumble Bee Costume

Bumble Bee Child Girl’s Costume on sale for only $3.49 shipped (reg. $16!)

 

 

Here are a few of the adult costumes available:

 

Priest CostumePriest Adult Men’s Costume on sale for only $2.79 shipped (reg. $16!)

 

 

Queen of the Nile Costume

Queen of the Nile Adult Women’s Costume on sale for only $4.59 shipped (reg. $21!)

 

Woopie Cushion CostumeWoopie Cushion Adult Costume on sale for only $6.99 shipped (reg. $37!)

 

DIY Minnie Mouse Halloween Costume

I’ve been trying to think of a cute DIY Halloween costume for my little girl but I couldn’t think of what would work well for her.  I wanted a costume that wasn’t itchy, that she could wear again, and matched her sparking personality.  That’s not too much to ask right?  Finally it dawned on me when I was shoe shopping.  Shoe shopping can be a magical time!  I found the cutest little Minnie Mouse shoes for my sweetie {pictured below} and it was then that I was stuck on a Minnie Mouse costume.  I bought a monkey costume after Halloween last year for $3 to keep as back up in case I couldn’t find a great costume but it looks like I won’t be needing it!  Here are the pieces of my DIY Minnie Mouse Halloween Costume!  You’ll have to use your imagination to piece together the different items but I think you’ll get the idea. Go here to see my little Minnie Mouse all fully dressed up!

Minnie Mouse Ears Minnie Mouse Ears $4.99 + $4.99 Shipping on Amazon (Also at a local Birthday Express)   Super cute, right?  I think these will make a fun dress up accessory for later too!     Toddler Dress Sears’ Girl’s Dress Multi-tier Short Sleeve Dress – On sale for $22.00 (Originally $44)   I’ll probably throw a short black cardigan around her if it’s cool out.  I love that this is a dress that she can wear again and again.  Plus, it doesn’t have any of that itchy fabric that cheap Halloween costumes do!   Black Tights Amazon’s 3 Pack Tights for Baby – 1 White, 1 Black, & 1 Pink in size 9-18 months $5.99 (other sizes available)   Any black tights will do but I found these for a good price on Amazon.

 

Minnie Mouse Shoes

The shoes that started it all!  Disney Baby by Stride Rite Soft Motion Minnie Mouse $42.00   $42 is a bit much for a Halloween costume accessory so if you aren’t in need of an extra pair of shoes I’m sure any pink or black ones would look great too.   I might add a little black face paint on her nose too!  What do you think?  Would this be cute or am I letting the pink and polka dots cloud my judgment?