Freebies, Coupons, Samples & Resources

Photo courtesy of www.freepressreleaselist.com

I know I am bombarding the web-waves with freebies and such, but I am just now combing through my emails (and sadly seeing where I missed out on some awesome deals, grrrrrrr). For instance, there is an Old Navy coupon below, that I could have used last Saturday when I spent upwards of $110 shopping for my little ninja, tsk tsk tsk. Lesson learned….stay current on my bargain emails!!! So, because I am behind, you will see that some of these things expire today:-/ … Sorry, I promise to do better. Hopefully some of you will still be able to take advantage of them. Well, enjoy reading through…there’s some good informational resources as well. Many thanks to my friend Yolanda for all the wonderful info!

Freebies, coupons and samples for mommies - https://www.babiesonline.com/offers/

Free Blockbuster Express Rental Codes (expire on 2/25/11) - INBG8G & MRC37H

LITE-UP TEXAS (Gexa Energy): LITE-UP TEXAS is back.  The Low Income Electric Discount Program will run May 2011 through August 2011.  For additional information and program requirements you can call 1-866-454-8387 or go to the Public Utility Commission of Texas website at http://www.puc.state.tx.us/ocp/assist/liteup/index.cfm

HISD Becomes Third U.S. School District to Offer Free SAT to All JuniorsStudents can take the college entrance exam during class time in April. http://www.houstonisd.org/HISDConnectEnglish/Images/PDF/FreeSAT_PR.pdf

Scholarships Available at UH for all Students/Majors Website: www.HoustonAlumni.com/scholarships/

Free Customized 10x13 Wall Portrait from Sears Portrait Studio - No Session Fee. Sears Portrait Studio is offering a free customized 10x13 wall portrait now through March 31st. There is no session fee required and no purchase necessary. Just print out the coupon and take it to a Sears Studio near you.

http://searsportraitstudio.rsys4.net/servlet/formlink/f?kLHjkiQYST

2011 Consumer Action Handbook

http://www.consumeraction.gov/caw_orderhandbook.shtml

Free Six-Month Subscription to American Baby Magazine

“American Baby magazine offers parenting tips, advice, coupons, and information on what to expect when you're expecting. Allow 6-8 weeks for the first issue to arrive. Typically the magazine runs about ten bucks!”  https://secure.americanbaby.com/bhg/store/checkout/partner/?promoCode=I406VADF1&ordersrc=earthsbest0604

 Free Baby Carrier (value $39, all you pay is S&H) at sevenslings.com

a.      Go to www.sevenslings.com

b.      Click on “Shop Now”, and select any baby carrier you like.  Be sure to go to the sizing page to get the correct size.

c.       Once you have selected your size, you’ll automatically be directed to the “shopping bag”.  Enter the promo code “TEXAS” and they will deduct 100% of the cost of the carrier – all you pay is shipping fees!

Free Information Kit with final wishes planner from Physicians Life Insurance Company, call 1-800-238-5979

Or use this final wishes planner…

https://www.physiciansmutual.com/PDF/final_wishes/XREF-0610.pdf

Last Wishes & Final Arrangements http://www.beyondtheveil.net/wishes.html#factsheet

Organizing Your Financial Records, Free Personal and Financial Organizers http://www.todaysseniors.com/pages/Organizers.html

Arby’s Free Steakhouse Onion Rings with the purchase of a sandwich (excluding value menu items) http://arbys.fbmta.com/members/ViewMailing.aspx?MailingID=27917301978&storecode=5360

Old Navy 25% off coupon

http://oldnavyprd.vo.llnwd.net/o43/index.html

$1 off coupon for Wendy’s new Asiago Ranch Chicken Club

http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=ybjiemm97096905&bt=wi&o=82302&pt=&lang=&ws=&ct=&ci=&cl=&cp=&eb=1&c=WY&p=yprier@hotmail.com&z=&r=&pc=&tc=

National Engineers Week Celebration at the Children’s Museum of Houston -  The 60^th Anniversary of National Engineers Week is this week and you are invited to celebrate this weekend, February 26 and 27, at the Children’s Museum of Houston . Take part in some popular engineering projects using everyday activities, such as Paper Tower , Engineer Word Search or Engineer Take Over, where you can work hand in hand with real engineers in a variety of fun, hands-on engineering activities sure to spark the imagination. Visit the Children’s Museum of Houston website for more information.

Dillard's Add'l 40% off clearance starts 2/24 http://www.dillards.com/?campaign=txtlk_ddsclk&linkshare=null/affiliate

Chick-fil-A Free Fry Day 3/4/2011  

http://view.chick-fil-ainsiders.com/?j=fe9b15717d64037c77&m=fea315707664047876&ls=fe2112797761037f7d1370&l=ff001772766106&s=fe21157370620d7f7c1275&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe8e1d727760017a71&r=0

Hobby Lobby 25% off coupon  http://www.hobbylobby.com/weekly/coupon.cfm

JoAnns 20% of total coupon http://i52.tinypic.com/epn13l.png

40% off Michaels coupon

http://www.michaels.com/022011-40AORPI/022011-40AORPI,default,pg.html

T.G.I. Fridays $5 off $15 or more coupon

http://fridays.qrs1.net/greatdealsapp/19qske9t.html?CMP=30422

Payless ShoeSource 20% Off Printable Coupon or Online Purchase til 3/8

http://www.facebook.com/payless?v=app_6009294086

Payless 15% off printable coupon through 3/31/11

https://updates.payless.com/servlet/website/PersonalizedForm?sLllEVTTCTUVW.209yf.203LsJhtL.20.26tHpsE.26f7be_7.2e.2ey.26zzEiHtLsHFthttRlHOLlIpnDJht

Mimi’s Café

http://mimiscafe.fbmta.com/shared/images/27917287438/27917287438_20110218173480.jpg

FREE Legal Advice - The Houston Bar Association offers free legal advice over the telephone through legalLine, a public service program on the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of the month, between the hours of 5 p.m.-9 p.m.  Licensed volunteer attorneys answer legal questions and direct callers to additional resources for assistance.

CALL:  713-759-1133  /  Learn more about the community services of the Houston Bar Association at www.hba.org

Stop & Smell the Roses...Or Kneel & Watch the Leaves...it's all the Same!

Photo courtesy of going-places-blog.com

One of the things I love most about motherhood is having Jace remind me of the things we take for granted as adults. It not only allows me to see God in a loving, creative and sovereign way; but it adds some spontaneity to my life. It teaches me what the all-too-famous, yet hard-to-understand cliché, “stop and smell the roses,” means. We took a walk outside today, much like we usually do; me on foot and him in the stroller. All of a sudden, from behind, I saw him sit up straight and his head going very quickly from side to side. I leaned forward to look at him, and his face was the most intense that I had ever seen it, still going from left to right with wonder. I stood up and looked around…nothing…I saw absolutely nothing. We rolled on, only for him to do the same thing again. I looked again…nothing. We continued on. Why is he doing it again!!? It just doesn’t make sense! I leaned forward, looked him in the eye (although he never looked back at me) and followed his eyes with precision. The only way, though, for me to see clearer was for me to kneel down and align myself with his eye-line. When I did that, I saw it, I saw it! And I smiled…then I laughed. So what was it? Well, he was in sheer amazement at the leaves running down the street, with the wind at their backs…hustling and bustling, barely touching the ground. They looked like kids racing, playing and laughing. Well, at least that’s what I saw. He saw members of nature rustling, making sounds foreign to his little ears, dancing a jig that his eyes have never seen…and he was utterly captivated…something we should all be at God’s marvelous, artistic and entertaining creation. There are so many opportunities for us to have heart-lifting moments; get a smile without having to give anything in return; or be reminded that there is a sovereign creator who thought of everything we would need to be reminded that He created it all. We often miss these opportunities, busied by things that seem far more important…and in doing so, we miss God. 

Today I stopped and smelled the roses. Well, I knelt and watched the leaves; but the end result was the same. I had a splice of spontaneity added to my day, a nice quick dose of dancing leaves that brought a huge smile to my face and a chuckle to my voice. Before that, I was simply walking…and thinking…and doing what I usually do, very routinely and quite mundanely. And before I knew it, after a little exploration and determination to see what caught the attention of a fascinated babe…I found it…God, running on the ground right before my eyes, telling me to stop, look, and listen…to take a moment to run and play and dance. And I did. I grabbed the handles of the stroller, ran down the street so Jace could feel the air on his face, and inadvertently I felt the air on mine. Boy, have I missed what it feels like to marvel at something. He laughed…and I laughed…and we laughed. And that was a special moment. Thank you, Jace, for that lovely and easy and heart-lifting reminder. Mommy needed that!

Today's Freebies, Deals & Coupons!!

Image courtesy of kosheronabudget.com

If you’re like me, you can stand all the deals you can get :-) So…here are more goodies, freebies and coupons! As I said, I try to check them out to make sure they are still valid. Every now and then I may miss one. If you find that something is not working or invalid, please post a comment to let us know. If any of the hyperlinks don’t work just copy and paste the URL into your browser. Thanks much and enjoy the savings!!

1.       Free Starbucks Coffee @ Barnes & Noble on 2/26 w/Guided Nook Color Tour

http://ebm.e.bn.com/c/tag/hBNY3sXB8GcokB8ZMZFNPYjHsVe/doc.html?byo=1&pubid=K1971&lkid=J14950200

2.      Luby’s Welcomes Fuddruckers into Their Family of Restaurants! Join the Fudd’s Club to receive info and perks

http://www.murgent.com/users/job_link.php?job=4755-EC-110222-00&tr=34e2bd96&mqcid=232582975

3.      FREE Kleenex Sneeze Catcher Kit – Includes Shirt, Hat, and More!

Sign your kid up to get a FREE Kleenex Sneeze Catcher Kit. The kit includes: Member ID card, Sneeze Catcher Hat, Sneeze Catcher T-Shirt, Activity Book, Kleenex® Brand Pocket Pack of Facial Tissues, Facial Tissue holder, and Coupons.
To get the kit answer the questions, enter your email address. Then check your email and click on the link to request your free kit!

http://www.kleenex.com/Sneeze

4.      American Airlines is offering from 100 up to 100,000 AAdvantage Miles for Free when you "Like" them on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/aadvantage?sk=app_146688548725178

5.      Joyce Meyer Ministries is offering FREE upon request, Enjoying Life Encouragement Greeting Cards…These greeting cards will offer a right-on-time word of encouragement.

See other February Special Offers as well. www.joycemeyer.org/Life

6.      Hope you still have your Sunday Houston Chronicle...if so, check out the bottom of page A24...Coupon for FREE (up to $1.39) one (1) 2-liter bottle of Sun Drop (Reg. or Diet).

7.      Please come and join in for line dancing classes @ St. Mary's Catholic Church, 3006 Rosedale @ Ennis, at the cottage building every Tuesday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Have fun while working out!  4 info call 832-260-3111.  Instructor:  Victoria Carriere-Peterson

8.     Bagel and smear only $1 at Einstein Bagels http://einsteinbrosbagels.fbmta.com/members/ViewMailing.aspx?MailingID=42949675529&storecode=

9.      40% off Justice For Girls Coupon

http://www.shopjustice.com/coupons?utm_source=justice&utm_medium=email&utm_term=ruffle_tanks_denim&utm_content=all&utm_campaign=20110224_ruffle_tanks_denim

10.  Quiznos coupons http://www.quiznos.com/qmail/20110223/  

11.   Free 8×10 Collage Print at Walgreens today (2/24/11). Choose multiple photos – Printed on high-quality photo paper and ready in as little as an hour http://photo.walgreens.com/walgreens/fe/l=en_US/p/store/deals/DealOftheDay

12.  Free Redbox rental today (2/24/11) http://www.facebook.com/redbox?v=app_112267968848558

13.  Scholarship opportunities for all grade levels (Elementary, MS, HS) http://www.fwisd.org/guidance/Pages/scholarships.aspx

14.  Chipotle Coupon: Buy One, Get One Free Burritos, Burrito Bowls, Tacos, or Salads Spend about a minute and a half watching (or pretending to watch) the video, and you will be able to print out your coupon at the end. Bring the coupon into your nearest Chipotle by March 3rd, and enjoy twice the meat and tortilla goodness.” http://coupon.fanappz.net:8180/promotionappz/watchVideo/coupon

15.   $1 off Wendy’s new chicken sandwich http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=ybxkcqj26173650&bt=wi&o=82302&pt=&lang=&ws=&ct=&ci=&cl=&cp=&eb=1&c=WY&p=yprier@hotmail.com&z=&r=&pc=&tc=

16.  Free Pair of HEAROS Ear Plugs - Just enter your email address and select your choice of Original HEAROS, Xtreme HEAROS, or Sleep Pretty in Pink, then fill out the short form to request your free sample pair of HEAROS ear plugs. http://www.hearos.com/index/trial

Bargains & Freebies!

I have a friend who sends out weekly (sometimes daily) bargains of all kinds. I am going to try to share them with everyone as often as I can. Read below and see what works for you. I will try to check all the links and info for accuracy before posting but I can't promise I will have time to. So if you ever try one and find discrepancies, please let me know so I can make the modification. Enjoy!

1.       For a limited time only:

a.      Family Fun 10 issues/yr (up to 3 yrs) New or Renewal, only $1.99 per year (or 20 cents per issue)

Family Fun magazine dishes up crafts, recipes, party ideas and more.  Enjoy boredom-defying activities in over 180 splashy, colorful pages. Geared toward parents with young children, this energetic magazine promises to enrich the lives of families.

http://publicationstation.net/items/subscriptions/family-children/familyfun-detail.htm

 

b.      Parents 12 issues/yr (up to 5 years) New or Renewal, only $1.99 per year (or 17 cents per issue)

The leading family magazine for parents offering proven tips, sure-fire techniques and straightforward advice form America's foremost childcare experts.

http://publicationstation.net/items/subscriptions/family-children/parents-detail.htm

We accept all major credit cards, check, money order and PAYPAL. - NO DEBIT OR GIFT CREDIT CARDS PLEASE!!! 

     2.   Free “Txtng Kills” Thumb Bands - Order up to five "X the TXT" thumb bands for those you love to remind them - and help spread the word - not to text message while driving. Visit http://xthetxtstore.com/. Please be sure to visit us on Facebook for updates, events and more at facebook.com/XtheTXT. 

3.   How To Get A US Customer Service Representative Quick!! Any time you call an 800 number (for a credit card, banking, insurance, you name it) and are transferred to a representative (like in India), please consider doing the following:

After you are connected and realize that the customer service representative is not from the USA (you can always ask if you are not sure about the accent), please very politely say, "I'd like to speak to a customer service representative in the United States of America."  The rep might suggest talking to his/her manager, but, again, politely say, "Thank you, but I'd like to speak to a customer service representative in the USA." You will be immediately connected to a rep in the USA . It only takes less than one minute to have your call re-directed to the USA .

Note from someone who used the service: When I got redirected to a USA rep, I asked again to make sure - and yes, she was from Fort Lauderdale ...

Imagine if every US citizen who has to make such a call requests a US rep, imagine how that would ultimately impact the number of US jobs that would need to be created ASAP.  Imagine what would happen if every US citizen insisted on talking to only US phone reps from this day on.

If I tell 10 people to consider this and you tell 10 people to consider doing this - see what I mean...it becomes an exercise in viral marketing 101.

Remember - the goal here is to restore jobs back here at home - not to be abrupt or rude to a foreign phone rep. If you agree, please tell 10 people you know and tell them to tell 10 people they know....etc...etc...

Bring Jobs Back to USA photo courtesy of www.wikihow.com
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Quest for the Perfect Chai Tea Latté

Photo courtesy of www.chaitea.net

I know I have been M.I.A. and with good reason, I'm a new mommy in the learning curve of a lifetime, remember?! :-) Seriously, though, I have been mommy-ing it up while trying to get back in the swing of work and life. All the latest haps will take a whole other blog post, but for now I need to scream out to cyber world that I AM IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT HOMEMADE CHAI SPICE, to make my daily chai tea latté in my very own kitchen at the start of every day.

I teach college, and I recently had coffee with one of my students during my break, where I ordered a soy chai latté, which I have not had since I lived in New York over four years ago. Just the thought of sipping on this warm handful of deliciousness took my senses on a much needed vacation! Oh my goodness! So I indulged, and closed my eyes for a spell as I gave in to this totally unexpected (yet very welcomed) sensory extravaganza. Boy oh boy was I the happiest person on the planet in that moment! So happy that I had one the next day, and the next, and the next. Thank God for the gift card that had been sitting in my wallet for months. But it finally ran out, and I shelled out the 4+ bucks for the drink. And, well, that was the last one I had. For some reason I just can't justify forking over 4 dollars to Starbucks daily the way I have done in the past. I mean, I just can't see that now. Perhaps I've outgrown the commercial feel of a nice cup of love. I like the feeling of a personal cup of something-hot, that makes me feel like I am having a rendezvous with something unique, made with care just for me. At commercial establishments like Starbucks, I feel the same as the next person...kind of like I am sharing my lover with the world, ya know? This part machine, part human made beverage that tastes exactly the same everyday, and that crosses a cold counter with such routine-ness, that it in no way seems especially made for me. Maybe I'm asking for too much...well, no I'm not! I want my hot-ness to myself and that's what I will have :-) So...I put my researching skills to use, in search of various chai latté recipes and techniques; and put that Starbucks money in the gas tank and headed to the north side, in search of an herb and spice store for ingredients.

My feet landed in Lone Star Culinary Spice Market, where I wanted to lick the walls it smelled so good! This place had every herb and spice you could conjure up. If I had hours to spare I would have spent them there, and possibly even spent the night. That's how heavenly it was. So, there I was able to buy everything I need. I got all the ingredients from all of the recipes that looked worth trying. That way I would not have to go back after every attempt.

Tonight I tried this one, from the Homemade Gift Guru:

• 1 small jar or small cellophane bag
• 3 teaspoons premium loose leaf black tea such as Darjeeling Tea
• 1 two inch cinnamon stick
• 1 four to six inch vanilla bean cut in 2 inch pieces
• 2 whole star anise
• 8 - 10 cardamom pods or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 8 whole cloves
• 3 whole black peppercorns
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 inch slice of crystallized ginger
• Optional to go with mix: 1 inch or larger nub of fresh ginger root with peel (choose ginger root that is plump and juicy not wrinkled)
• Homemade Recipe Tag - or Print Recipe Gift Tag Here

This variation was a bit too strong. The fresh ginger, along with the crystallized ginger, made the drink too, well, gingery. The drink did not give me the taste I am looking for. So... tomorrow I will experiment again. In the meantime, if you believe you have, or know of, the perfect chai spice recipe, please post it here and I will give it a try!

I am finding that many recipes only list the ingredients and not the amounts. I suppose this is because everyone's tastes differ widely; however I need the amounts to at least give me a starting point. I am not familiar with how to pair these particular herbs and spices, or how they even work together, so I need as much guidance as possible. With that said, amounts and methods are greatly appreciated!

So...I hope to be sipping, well slurping (as I am supposed to do, according one Indian site I found), my perfect chai tea latté soon and very soon!

Until next time...