Today is progress report day at the school my daughter attends.That means report cards will be out in a few weeks. We try to take advantage of restaurants and stores that offer discounts or free meals for good grades. The kids will feel special and you can get the savings.  Make a copy of your child’s report card and keep it in your purse or car so you have it ready to show the clerk to qualify for the freebie or discount.

Before you head out the door, do a web site search or call  your favorite places for dinning out and even ice cream shops and see if they are offering a reward to good report cards.

Here are a few places to try:

Children can get Tokens for Grades^® from Chuck E. Cheese’s bring in their most recent report card and they can get free tokens for games. Visit their website and print out the coupons for even more savings.  (look under the promotion tab for the coupons)

Yogurtland gives free frozen yogurt with a good report card. Call your local store for details. I did not find any information on their website, but have seen the sign in the store.

Applebee’s is offering a $10 bonus card when you buy a $50 gift card for graduates or gifts.

There are many deals to find this time of year for graduation parties and gifts for graduates so do your homework before you make your purchase. Visit web sites or call the places your frequent and ask what special promotions they have for good report cards or purchasing gift cards for graduates. You can have a free lunch with that bonus gift card!

visit Alison over at Kitchen Table for more deals and giveaways

Happy Mother’s Day

This Saturday May 12, 2012 is Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.  It is easy to take part.  Fill a bag with non perishable food and put it in your mailbox. Your letter carrier will pick it up when they deliver your mail. Your donation will be given to the local food bank. Head over to their page on Facebook  to learn more.

If you don’t have a mailbox at your residence  you can  drop off your donation directly at the post office.  I  leave the bag at the base of our mail box with a note on it that says “Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive”.  Just leave the bag as close as possible to your mailbox.  I do know  that  this food drive is not  very succesful in our area from a conversation I had with our mail carrier. Perhaps the word neeeds to get out more!!!

Share some non-perishable food from your pantry this year and help stock your local food pantry.

Check your mail for a postcard announcing the collection. You can also visit their web site for more info!

It’s time to start thinking about Mother’s Day. Are you  planning a day with your very own Mom, a Grandmother, or a Mom you know?

What do you wish for this year? For me,  Mother’s Day  would be, the kids clean their rooms, and collect their belongings strewn all over the house. It’s priceless.

This year for Mother’s day you can go all out, but you don’t have to empty out your wallet! It’s Spring and garden plants are on sale just about everywhere I shop. I found half off annuals in the clearance rack (near the registers) in the garden center at Lowe’s.  Pick out some plants your “Mom” will like and help her plant them on Mother’s Day. I like to plant any blooming flowers outside on or after Mother’s day since the danger of Frost has past.

If you are not a green thumb type of person or Mom is allergic to all things blooming, here are some gifts that might suit her better:

Consider make a monetary donation to Heifer International in her name. Your charitable gift provides animals and training to help families have food and an income.  You can learn more about them at www.heifer.org.  Request a card when you make your donation, you can give the card to Mom.

Macy’s Facebook page is offering Thank-A-Mom Movement. Through Mother’s Day they will give $3 to your choice of their five charities when you join the movement on Facebook/macys. You can also enter Mom into the Ultimate Disney Cruise Line vacation at Macy’s.com/gifts.

If you are planning on dinning out for Mother’s Day, make a reservation! When you make your reservation ask if they are offering any specials for Mothers. Some restaurants will offer a free meal, desert or even a small gift for Mom when they dine with them. Before you go to the restaurant, visit the restaurant’s web site and look for specials and coupons just for Mother’s Day.  If you are a spur of the moment type planner and find yourself at a restaurant with Mom, ask your server what the specials are for Mother’s day. A free dinner or desert is not to pass up!

Make your own card or have the kids make a card for Mom. It is unique, special and a keepsake and the price is way less than a store-bought card.

Make a coupon book for Mom, coupons could be for: a night off cooking dinner, free babysitting, clean up the kitchen, take her shopping at her favorite store, an ice cream treat after dinner, be creative and thoughtful!

Buy a tree or bush for her yard.  A Lilac bush or any other blooming tree that will bloom around Mother’s day each year as a special memory.

A favorite book of mime for this Mother’s Day is “The God Box” by Mary Lou Quinlan. I already gave my Mom a copy of the book. It is the perfect gift for this Mother’s day. Look for it at book stores now, or Amazon.com.

Happy Mother’s Day to All!

visit Alison at Kitchen Table

I have to admit that I really had no idea what Floam (www.floam.com) or Gak (www.gak-is-back.com) was when I first heard about this new product. I also have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by how much the kids enjoyed playing with the Floam and Gak. I gathered up my kids (ages 10, 13 and 14) and a friend (13) to use the products, and they had a great time.

It was a bit difficult to open the packages, and sharp objects needed to be obtained and put to use. I was instantly drawn to the Floam, it had a fun texture, and just oozed with creativity. I have fun memories of other modeling types of substances, so I was ready to get started. The floam felt like a more “grown-up” or modern version of Play-Dough. The kids squished it, and kneaded it, as per the directions, and then were ready to start creating. They each made a few objects and had a great time creating. Some of the items we left out overnight to harden, but the Floam we did not use went back into the containers to be used another time.

After our experience with the floam, I thought the kids would open the Gak (which took some time), and then run off to their I-Pods and video games…but they absolutely loved the Gak. I honestly was super surprised!! I did not have Gak as a kid, but remember something similar, Slime, that came in a trash can shaped container. If you were lucky you got the slime with the fake worms in it.

The first thing I noticed was that Gak smelled better than the slime of my childhood. The kids did not want to stop squishing it, acting like they had a bloody hand (with the Rebel Red Gak), and making fun (!) noises with the ooey gooey stuff. Once we read the directions we realized that you could also blow it up into a balloon. I distributed straws to my kiddos and they started blowing up the Gak. Over and over I heard, “I love this stuff, it is so fun!” A couple of days later I saw my 13 year old daughter get out the Gak and start playing with it again.

I highly recommend using a vinyl tablecloth, wax paper, or a vinyl placemat when using either Floam or Gak. This made clean up very easy, and also saved my table.

"Bloody" Gak hand

Blowing up the Gak with a straw was a lot of fun!

Some of the Floam creations

blowing up the Gak

I did receive complementary Gak and Floam, but the opinions and experience are mine ( and those of my children).

Post a picture of baked goods this week and head over to my “mom blog” here to link up in support of the in-real-life Food Blogger Bake sales going on nationwide on April 28, 2012. Help me reach our team’s virtual goal of $100o or more by donating now to this worthwhile cause.

Donate Now to Help End Childhood Hunger http://join.strength.org/goto/VirtualBakeSale

{Disclosure: I received a Villeroy & Boch platter and a Little Miss Muffin doll for posting about the Food Blogger Bake Sale, in support of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. All thoughts and opinions are my own.}

Do you have a child graduating this year or yourself perhaps?  From kindergarten to college graduates, it’s a great time to celebrate!  Tell them “congratulations”, or give them a bouquet of flowers, a special greeting card, or throw an awesome party for the graduate.

THE PLAN:

Make a budget: What amount do you want to spend on the party? Write down what you need to buy and stay on budget.

Guest List: You might want to invite everyone you know or just close family and friends.

Pick a place: Use your house or backyard for the party. Skip the rental fees and catering costs.

 Plan a menu:  Buy beverages and snacks when you see them on sale. You can store these for a month or two.   Let your guest know you will offer the main dish, beverages, and paper goods.  Most guest will ask what they can bring, so give them a side dish or appetizer to bring. Keep a list of who is bringing what so you don’t get too many potato salads!

Involve your child: Ask them for comments. It is their party after all.

Personalize the party: Make it personal for the graduate. Have their name written on a poster, banner, announcing their graduation. Have a guest book or sign in poster.

Invitations: Instead of whom, when, and where, make it a funny story invitation and print it yourself. For example if your child is going off to college to study Engineering make up an invitation story related to the major.

Pick a theme: The party does not have to be all cap and gown decorations. One year we made the party a beach theme because my daughter was going to college along the coast. It was summer, and easy to plan. We used plenty of sea shells collected from the shore line for decorations.

Decorations: Use what you have on hand. Look around your house for ideas and things you can use for decorations. Have the kids make decorations, and let them decorate the party area. Dollar type stores are a good place to find decorations. Ask someone your know that had a graduate last year if you can re-use their decorations for your party.

The schedule:  let your guest know when to arrive, and if needed a time when the party will end. Have activities for younger children to do: crafts, games, play time. The older crowd might be  happy talking and listening to music. Don’t set a time for each event, just let the party flow. Don’t over schedule your guests. Have games and activities available for your guests.

At the close of the  party: Send your guest on their way with a cup of coffee in a travel cup and some cookies to enjoy for their ride home. It’s a nice way today thanks for coming and show your hospitality

Stay well rested. Nobody likes a crabby host. If your guests ask you “what can I do” give them a job. Most guests are willing to help, so take advantage of the offer!

visit Alison over at Kitchen Table

Read HERE for more details!

In the early 70′s I sent  a form to the environmental protection agency requesting a  free conservation kit. Summer days went by as I waited for the kit to arrive.  I don’t remember how I found out about sending away for this kit, I suspect it was my conservative parents that gave me the form to fill out and mail  to the Environmental Protection Agency. One day the mailman put the kit in the mailbox. It had arrived.

I was ready to put my “clean the world” plan into action. I headed out the door into the summer sun to gather up my neighborhood friends to enlist them in my “club”. I had papers and stickers to share, activities, and ideas on how to make our neighborhood clean.

My neighborhood was by no means in need of any cleaning. I don’t remember any litter, debris, or any un-kept yards. Perhaps it was the Country Club in our neighborhood that influenced the manicured lawns. There was a small wooded area with a stream where we would swing on the tree vines when we got the chance. I figured this was the place to put our “club” to work.

There were no plastic bottles floating in the stream, no plastic store bags stuck to the trees, and no old tires thrown by the wayside to be found. Maybe we did not do much in the way of picking up trash, but we were introduced to the word  environmentt.

The years since my first meeting with the word Environment lead me to choose this as a college path. The birth of children put me on the path of motherhood and teaching the girls how to be good stewards of the earth. We are by no means the best at conservation, but we are learning and improving upon our habitats.

Like my childhood, I enrolled my own kids in environmental clubs. We attend Earth Day events, and try to reduce our impact on the planet. The girls sang Tom Chapin songs on every car trip and knew how to spell recycle before they could read.

How will you be spending Earth Day 2012? For residents of Pennsylvania, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click on the Earth Day 2012 box. Check out the calendar on this site for month-long activities.  Most of Earth Day events are free to attend around the country. Plan your Earth Day fun now and take the  family. Visit your State’s website and search for Earth Day events.

Another good site worth mentioning is www.earthday.org. They are promoting an eco-friendly Picnic for the Planet. To participate sign up on their website.

For the children, there is www.kidsforsavingearth.org a non-profit group. You can sign up to receive their free membership kit.

Check your local newspaper and search the world-wide web for Earth Day events around the country and the Earth!

feel free to visit me at Kitchen Table

When the sky is blue and the grass is green you can really see the dirty windows in my house. Who wants to clean windows? Anyone?  There just happens to be Fish Foam glass cleaner sitting on my kitchen table waiting to be tried. Ok, I’ll clean the windows, like someone in my house would have said oh, me, me, pick me!

I started with the cat’s favorite window watching spots.   He must sit there and rub his little nose on the window because there is always muddy grime on the window.  I sprayed the foam on the window and wiped it off with a paper towel. That was easy. On to the next window, and the next. Window cleaning was easier this time. I’m not sure how glass can look cleaner or have more sparkle but it did.

What I like about Fish Foam:

spray and wipe, one time only.

no runs, drips, or dried up foam.

fume free-you don’t have to wear a clothes pin on your nose .

ammonia free-yes this is good because ammonia is smelly.

Haze and smudge free shine with one wipe- step away from the mirror, it is clean.

clean windows that are shiny-I look all the time now and am amazed how clean and clear they look.

I ended up cleaning more that I set out to do.  Um, I don’t ever remember cleaning the Grandfather clock. Well, now it’s shiny clean.

The Storm Door: This glass door is always dirty. The outside is either speckled from the rain, and the inside is like a magnet for handprints. I sprayed Fish Foam on the glass and with one wipe the spots and handprints were gone. Normally this is a two or three-time cleaning process.

If  I was a professional photographer I could probably show you how clean the glass is!

What about the bathroom?

The haze look on the bathroom mirrors was impossible to remove any time I cleaned the mirror. (Should I mention the toothpaste splatter here) . One spray, one wipe, done.  From any angle I stood and looked at the mirror after using Fish Foam I can not detect any smudge/haze. I am so glad about that. I used to clean those mirrors several times and still see the haze. ha, not anymore!!!

Since 1978 Fish window cleaning  company has been cleaning windows at homes and business. Clean your own windows with Fish Foam. It is professional grade, all-weather (like if company is coming in the dead of winter and the front door is so cold to clean), and created and used by America’s largest window cleaning company-Fish Window Cleaning.

For your chance to have your very own can of Fish Foam Premium Foaming Glass Cleaner, leave a comment on this post telling me what your window cleaning thoughts are. giveaway closes April 9, 2012 at 12 midnight EST.  CLOSED

visit Alison at her blog, Kitchen Table