Thursday's picture perfect deal...

The picture...

I took this picture at a great French Bakery near Minneapolis when I stopped there for breakfast with friends after a day at the Renaissance Festival.  We all ordered Eggs Benedict but we each got different coffees.  They all tasted fantastic, but this one was by far the prettiest of them all.

The deal...

As many of you may know I am a member of Bzz Agent so I get to try new things from time to time.  The current campaign is for Green Mountain Coffee, perfect for my K-Cup brewer.  They recently rolled out a new line called their Wellness Collection.  In my sample pack I was able to try the Focus Blend coffee with its 50mg of L-Theanine and the  Antioxidant Blend which has vitamins A and C.  Having gone through a summer filled with Dr.s due to breast cancer I am a HUGE fan of anything with Antioxidants and with the holidays here I find I get more scatterbrained so the Focus Blend has been nice to have on hand!  Both have fantastic flavor and are more than enough to get me up and ready for the day, and even better they are both made using fair trade beans!  So what's the deal?  This line is only available on line through Green Mountain Coffee, and if you would like to try it you can use coupon code GMCBEWELL to get $3.00 off your wellness collection order.  While you are there be sure to check out the other great wellness blends of tea and the brew over coffees.  Really, anything from Green Mountain is great.

Oh, and if you are interested in becoming a Bzz Agent just stop over and click on the How it Works button.

Have a fantastic Thursday.

C.Q.

Friday's freebie...

This weekend the National Parks honoring our nations Veterans by offering free admittance.  Because so many parks have historic battlefields and  and historic sites that honor   veterans the National Park Service is waiving entrance fees to all parks for all visitors.  To find a park near you or to get more information, just go to the National Park Service page.

Have a great weekend exploring.

C.Q.

Wednesdays learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

inspissate  \in-SPISS-ayt\  ~ verb

DEFINITION: to make or become thick or thicker

EXAMPLES: "Marmalade of carrots is the juice of yellow carrots, inspissated till it is of the thickness of fluid honey, or treacle, which last it resembles both in taste and color." — From Capt. James E. Cook's 1777 book A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1

"Estrogen and progesterone affect direction and flow of tubal secretions, which may accumulate, inspissate, and eventually calcify." — From Gary B. Siskin's 2009 book Interventional Radiology in Women’s Health

DID YOU KNOW?  "Inspissate" is ultimately derived from Latin "spissus" ("slow, dense") and is related to Greek "spidnos" ("compact") and Lithuanian "spisti" ("to form a swarm"). When it appeared in English in the 17th century, "inspissate" suggested a literal thickening. Francis Bacon, for example, wrote in 1626 that "Sugar doth inspissate the Spirits of the Wine, and maketh them not so easie to resolue into Vapour." Eventually "inspissate" was also used metaphorically. Clive Bell once wrote of "parties of school children and factory girls inspissating the gloom of the museum atmosphere." There is also an adjective "inspissate," meaning "thickened in consistency" or "made thick, heavy, or intense," but that word is used even less frequently than the somewhat rare verb.

 

Find more great words at merriam-webster on line.

~THE REBATE~

Getting in the gift giving mode yet?  If you are planning on purchasing games this holiday season this is a great rebate.  Hasbro is offering a rebate of up to $40.00 back on many of their great games.  You can mix and match up to 12 games, but you are limited to only 4 games of one title per rebate form, but you can mail in two forms.   Even better, you can file your rebate right on line and save yourself the postage.  The games included are:

• The Game of Life (SKU# 04000)
• Monopoly (SKU# 00009)
• Scattergories (SKUs# A2861, 05721)
• Pictionary (SKU# 05713)
• Scrabble (SKUs# 04024, 37719),
• Yahtzee (SKU# 00950)
• Hungry Hungry Hippos (SKUs# 05297, 98936)
• Jenga (SKU# 53557)
• Twister (SKUs# 16965, 98831)
• Connect 4 (SKUs# 08417, 98779),
• Elefun (SKUs# 05294, 98934)
• Operation (SKU# 40198)

To maximize your savings be sure to check your local paper for game sales and Hasbro coupons as well as join their reward program for their Perks Coupons and discounts.

I hope you are all having a great day.

C.Q.
 

Monday's musings...

I missed last weeks writing prompt because we had out of town guests for a few days.  It was a fun few days that I got to spend with my great nephew and a niece, we always love seeing the younger family members, they keep us young ourselves! 

So, on with prompt #2 ~ Something you feel strongly about:

With the election thankfully only a day away the thing that has always been one of my biggest pet peeves has really come to the boiling point lately.  I have gotten tons of emails from friends and relatives supporting different folks, both nationally and locally and so many of the emails are filled with false information.  All it took for me to find out facts was a simple check to Snopes or a verified (and unbiased) news source like the Associated Press or  Reuters.  There is even a great site JUST for political fact checking, and it's not just for the Presidential candidates called Fact Check. 

It is so easy to believe everything that is out there, but there is so little that is really based in fact.  Take a second to check it out and see if what your reading is the truth, remember, just because its on the Internet doesn't mean it's true.  (Thank you State Farm ~ Bon-jor!)



Have a great week!

Michele

Thursdays pircure perfect deal...

The picture...

The birds of prey have been migrating all month and we have had a few beauties visit our yard looking for mice or small birds but this Merlin was special, at first I thought it was just resting but the more I watched I realized he only has one leg.  In the bird world that's not usually a big deal, UNLESS you need your feet to hunt with.  This guy, or gal, was doing just fine though, beautiful bright eyes, nice plumage and a good weight.  A good reminder of the things we can over come if we put our minds to it.

The deal...

Looking for a way to hold onto your Summer memories through the Winter?  Check out the great deal from Snapfish:  40% off one photo book using coupon code NOVBOOK40, 50% off two books using coupon code NOVBOOK50 or a huge 70% off 3 books using coupon code NOVBOOK70.  This would be a great way to get pictures together as a Christmas gift for someone far away as well.  The coupons expire November 7, 2012 so be quick.

I hope you are all having a good week and to any of my readers affected by Hurricane Sandy you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Michele

Wednesday's learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

 

Halloween ~ noun (Concise Encyclopedia)

Holiday observed on October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day. Its pagan origins can be traced to the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated in ancient England and Ireland to mark the beginning of the Celtic new year. The souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on Samhain eve, and witches, goblins, black cats, and ghosts were said to roam abroad. The night was also thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death. The pagan observances influenced the Christian festival of All Hallows' Eve, celebrated on the same date. The holiday was gradually secularized and was introduced into the U.S. by the late 19th century. Still associated with evil spirits and the supernatural, it is celebrated by children in costume who gather candy by ringing doorbells and calling out “trick or treat,” “trick” referring to the pranks and vandalism that are also part of the Halloween tradition.

Find more great words at Merriam-Webster online.


~THE REBATE~

Today's rebate is great if you are buying gifts for a few children or a lot this holiday season.  Get up to $38.00 back from Crayola on select items including Glow Book, Jewelry Boutique, Light Sketcher and My First Crayola Color Me A Song just to name a few.  Just print off the rebate form; I had to click on "save" to download it, then open it from my own computer.  Check off the boxes of the products purchased, then mail it together with the original UPCs from the package(s) and the original cash register or online receipt(s) dated between October 15, 2012 and December 31, 2012.  There is a limit of one rebate per item as well as per household.

Happy Halloween and hope you are all having a great week!

C.Q.

 

Thursday's picture perfect deal...

 

The picture...

Last month I went to the Renaissance Festival with some friends and got some really fun pictures.  This one of Captain Jack Sparrow in a nail biting conversation with a Black Pearl crew member was one of my favorites.

The deal...

This one is an awesome!  Get the new SodaStream Genesis for only $65.00 using a coupon code and rebate combo.  Just go to Kohl's website and add the SodaStream to your cart.  Then when you check out use coupon code SPIDERWEB and the price will drop from the original $139.99 to $79.99 with a $5.00 for shipping.  With your purchase you will get $10 in Kohl's Cash to use on any future purchase (maybe some extra soda flavors). Then fill out the rebate form and mail it in with all the requirements for the proof of purchase for another $10 cash back. You get the soda maker, 2 carbonating bottles, and 12 pack of flavor samples with this set, plus you get your choice of black or red.  As a little added savings, if you shop through QuickRewards you will get 3.2% cash back on your Kohl's purchase.  We have a SodaStream and it has actually already paid for itself pretty quickly.  With the holidays coming up this would make a great gift as well. The cartridges can be exchanged for full ones so you will never have to buy another one and I have been using Monin and Torani syrups (ordered from Amazon using my prime membership) for all sorts of unique soda flavors, so far our favorites are cantaloupe and blackberry. 

**This great offer was from Brads Deals, if you are not a member it is worth checking into,  I have gotten a lot of great deals from this site!

Have a wonderful Thursday!

C.Q.

Wednesday's lean and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

vanward \VAN-werd\ ~ adjective

DEFINITION: located in the vanguard : advanced

EXAMPLES: The company is looking to hire a marketing director who is savvy in social media and other vanward marketing tactics.

"The New Jersey Festival of Electronic Arts, held today from 1 to 8 p.m. … is described as 'an exploration of electronic, environmental and performance art … where AV geeks are vanward and hip.''' — From an events listing in The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey), March 10, 2012

DID YOU KNOW? The troops at the head of an army are called the "vanguard," and that word can also mean "the forefront of an action or movement." It was "vanguard," rather than "vanward," that led the way on the route into English. "Vanguard" was first documented in English in the 15th century. By the early 17th century, it was sometimes shortened to "van"—a reference might be made to an army's "van and rear." Some 200 years later "vanward" brought up the rear, making its English debut when writers appended "-ward," an adjective suffix meaning "is situated in the direction of," to the shortened "van," thereby creating a word meaning "in the forefront."

Find more great words at Merriam-Webster online.

~THE REBATE~

With the heavy cooking season approaching I thought this was a really nice deal!  From now until November 3, 2012 you can get a really nice free free 5-Quart Glass Bowl OR Food Grinder Attachment when you purchase a new KitchenAid 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer.  The attachment is usually either $49.99 for the grinder or $69.99 for the glass bowl.  This offer has a few store restriction: it is not valid at Bed Bath & Beyond, Macy’s, Whirlpool Corporation’s VIPlink program or employee purchase program or at online auction sites.  To get the free attachment you will need to fill in the rebate form and mail it in together with the UPC from the mixer box and a copy of your dated register receipt.  Allow up to 8 weeks for your item to arrive.

I hope you are all having a great week so far!

C.Q.

Monday's Musings...

I recently found a great 30 day challenge over at Beth Ann's blog It's Just Life and I asked her permission to steal it for a writing prompt, I thought this would be a fun idea and a great way to connect with my readers. 

So today we start with #1 ~ Five ways to win your heart:

Well I am a romantic as well as a wanderer at heart so this is an easy peasy question.  The links may help you a little with information on where to fine something fun to do or something fun to eat.

1) I adore flowers, but I tend to lean towards the funner varieties like Gerber daises or Lilacs.

2)  I am not really a chocolate girl, but if you have a Creme Brulee I am all in!

3) Pampering goes a long long way and I am a girl who loves loves loves  spa day!

4)   I love to get out and do things that are cultural, museum, play, ballet etc.  This is a little hard where I live, but I manage.

5) Travel, I love going to new places, seeing new things, trying new stuff and trying new foods etc.  favorite stories of travel though are the conversations and interactions with the people I meet.

So, what are the ways to your heart?

Have a great week!

C.Q.

Silly Saturday...

I hope you all have escaped to a great weekend!

C.Q.
I don't know why Melissa's button dosen't like me and/or Blogger, but we sure like her!  Please stop by the Mommyhood Chronicles and visit her hop. :)

Thursdays picture perfect deal...

The picture...

This is one of the last pictures I took of a flower in our garden this year before the cold set in.  It is a close up of a moon flower early in the morning before it opened for the day.  When it opens it is pristine white, but when it is still closed the bud is lavender around the area that opens like a pinwheel.



The deal...

This is the time of year we think about pumpkins, bats, ghosts, vampires and things that go bump in the night.  Are you ready to dress for Halloween?  If not check out Wholesale Halloween Costumes clearance section for some great deals and ideas.  Use coupon code SALE5 to get 5% off any purchase over $50.00 or coupon code WOW until 10/21 to get 30% off your purchase.  You can get an additional 8% cash back if you remember to shop through Ebats.  Want to save even more?  Check your closets for some fun ideas.  Imagine an old dress as a costume, with a little distressing and some make up you are ready to be a zombie fresh from the cemetery. 

Have a wonderful day!

Michele

Update and stuff...

Well I know I have been remiss for the last month and I hope to get back on track now that the weather is going to start getting cold.

The update:  I went in for my 3 month follow up with my radiologist and my oncologist today and all is well, just need to go in for a blood test since I started a new medication but aside from that I don't have to go to a "scary" doctor for another 3 months.  October is breast cancer awareness month, be sure to get your mammograms and remember to do a monthly self exam. 

I thought since I hadn't posted anything in awhile I would share some of the great deals I have gotten this month and let you in on how to find them.

Shop #1 was with 1800PetMeds, my dog takes Dasuquin and it is pretty expensive, 1800PetMeds has the lowest price I have found on it anywhere and they currently have a sale going on to make it even a little lower.  I then added on coupon code W5PER from Retail Me Not to get an additional 5% off site wide and free shipping.  I ordered through Ebates so I also got 6% cash back on my transaction. 

Shop #2 was with Buy.com and was a whopper!  Our vacuum went kaput so we ordered a new Dyson Animal, it is fantastic at picking up pet hair and is so nice because there is no bulk to it, we will have it a long, long time; but what a price tag!  I was able to find it for the lowest price of $499.00 at Buy.com with free shipping.  Because I could not find a coupon code for this one I did a lot of digging for the lowest price.  Then I placed the order going through Quick Rewards so I will get an additional 2.1% cash back; it's not a lot, but $10.48 is about the cost of a CD for my husband for Christmas.

Shop #3 was with DeepDiscount where I ordered 2 things that will help with the winter Blah's, Frozen Heat on CD, the third book in the Nikki Heat series based on the TV show Castle. (I love books on CD because I can listen while I work on my scrapbooks.)  I also ordered season two of Haven.  Just going through DeepDiscount saved me $32.00 but I also went through Ebates again so I will get an additional 3% cash back.

The last shop was through Kohl's, they are having a huge sale on their throws and I found one I loved that is 60" x 80" marked down to $19.99 from $39.00, then I used a one day coupon code from Brad's Deals that brought the price down another 20%.  I also made sure I was shopping through Quick Rewards so I got 3.2% cash back.  There was tax on the item since I live in a state that has Kohl's but there was no shipping.  My total cost was a few cents over $17.00.

On all my shops online I only use one credit card and it is one that earns me points to use towards miles, gift cards, hotels or merchandise and then pay it off at the end of the month.  My motto is never miss an opportunity to earn something for all your hard work shopping!

What deals have you found this month?  I would love to hear about them!

Have a great week everyone!

Michele

Fridays freebie

Who loves pancakes?  I know I do and what's better than free pancakes at Perkins?  Tomorrow Perkins is running their Full Tummy Full Heart promotion to offer a free short stack of cakes to customers hoping they will donate to their Give Kids the World program which fulfills wishes of kids with life threatening illnesses.  So if you want a Full Tummy and a Full Heart stop in for your free stack on Saturday, September 15, 2012

I hope you all have had a great week!

C.Q.

Wednesdays learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

bon vivant  \bahn-vee-VAHNT\  ~ noun
 

DEFINITION: a person having cultivated, refined, and sociable tastes especially in respect to food and drink.

EXAMPLES: Mr. Murray is a congenial bon vivant who seems to relish the fine art of conversation almost as much as he does the fine art of French cooking.

"Polemicist and journalist Christopher Hitchens, who died in December at 62 after a battle with esophageal cancer, was celebrated Friday as an incorrigible contrarian, dazzling public intellectual, obdurate justice seeker, and passionate bon vivant in a star-studded memorial service at New York's Cooper Union." -- From an article by Lloyd Grove on The Daily Beast, April 20, 2012

DID YOU KNOW? Fans of fine French wine and cuisine won't be surprised to hear that the French language gave us a number of words for those who enjoy good living and good eating. "Gourmet," "gourmand," and "gastronome" come from French, as does "bon vivant." In the late 17th century, English speakers borrowed this French phrase, which literally means "good liver." No, we don't mean "liver," as in that iron-rich food your mother made you eat. We mean "liver," as in "one who lives" — in this case, "one who lives well."

Find more great words at Merriam-Webster online.

~THE REBATE~

 

Back to school and Football season need great snacks so here is a fun one!  When you purchase specially marked packages of Pillsbury Cookies between 9/01/12 and 12/15/12 you can send in the UPCs and original store receipts showing the store name and date, together with the rebate form for a free 15 count of Totino's Pizza Rolls.  The request must be submitted by 12/31/12.

I hope you are all having a great week so far.

C.Q.

Thursdays picture perfect deal...

The picture...

One of the fun things my hubby and I were able to do this year was go to one of our local fairs.  We don't do  a lot when we go, I love the colors on the midway (if you can call it that when they are this small) and the animal barns.  I have a special place in my heart for the merry-go-rounds and all the animals on them, but this one had mirrors around the top which made for a great picture that had an old and new feel with the colors of the fairground in the reflection with the background black and white.


The deal...

This is kind of a big deal for me, Ebates announced that they are offering 3% cash back at certain departments of Amazon!  Amazon is a place that notoriously does not partner with reward sites, which has had me questioning a lot of purchases over the years.  Now with this partnership I am hoping that is will grow to even more departments as time goes on.

I hope you are all having a great week, mine has been very busy; as is the rest of the month which has left me playing catch up with the blog and Facebook pages.  I wish I could promise it will get better soon but I think in all honesty it will be like this for a bit while I try to cram a whole summer's worth of fun into a couple of months. 

Thanks for hanging in there with me, I really appreciate it!

C.Q.

Thursday's picture perfect deal...

The picture...

We went to a local minor league baseball game with my sister in law and her family, since we were ahead by quite a bit we decided to leave early.  On the way out I stopped to take this shot of the best seats in the house.  Our home team boys were watching the other teams pitcher and it made such a great end of Summer picture.  Looking forward to a fun and busy Fall.

The deal...

If you are looking to up date your home this Fall then be sure to stop by HomeClick where you can find almost everything you need in on stop.  They are having their annual Labor Day sale with 10% off everything and free ground shipping.  They always offer free shipping on all orders over $99.00 but with the coupon there is no minimum needed.  If you are looking for specific items be sure to check out the codes at RetailMeNot, there are currently some great coupons for lighting at HomeClick.

Sorry for the delay in getting this up today, it has been a busy week!

Have a great day,
C.Q.

Friday's freebie

Grandparents day is coming up on September 9th and now through Sunday, August 26, 2012 you can get a free get a free Grandparents Day card with free shipping from Cardstore.com.  All you need to do is head over and pick the card of your choice, then add your own message and a photograph.  Then when you check out just use the code CCK2248.  You can have the card shipped directly to you or have it mailed directly to the recipient.  Note ~ there is a limit of only once card for each account.

I hope you are all looking forward to a great weekend!

C.Q.

Thursday's picture perfect deal...

 

The picture...

This picture was taken last September in my far garden.  It is a close up of a tricolored bumble bee on one of my Artichokes that I let flower instead of harvesting.  I was curious about how the flowers would look so I let one progress well past the picking stage and was rewarded with a beautiful almost neon lavender flower that attracted quite a few of the cold weather orange belted bees as well as a few late season butterflies and evening moths.  It was well worth letting one artichoke go past its eating stage.


The deal...

Got a lot of great summer memories and no time to organize them yourself?  Snapfish is having their end of Summer sale with a whopping 50% off their 12' x 12' and 8' x 11' photo books!  This is a huge savings and a great way to save a few Summer memories to keep you warm in the winter months.  Just enter coupon code 50BOOKS when you check out.  You can also get 20% off 5' x 7' or 8' x 10' print enlargements when you enter code LARGE20 at checkout.

Hope you are having a great week so far!

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

tranche \TRAHNSH\  ~  noun
 

DEFINITION: a division or portion of a pool or whole

EXAMPLES: "The funds are doled out in tranches over time…." — From an article in The Economist, March 10, 2012

"The 1917 law … allowed $8 billion in national debt, the first tranche of an ultimate $30 billion debt to fund World War I, repayable in gold." — From an article by David Malpass in Forbes, February 27, 2012

DID YOU KNOW? In French, "tranche" means "slice." Cutting deeper into the word's etymology, we find the Old French word "trancer," meaning "to cut." The word emerged in the English language in the late 19th century to describe financial appropriations. Today, it is often used specifically of an issue of bonds that is differentiated from other issues by such factors as maturity or rate of return. Another use of the French word "tranche" is in the French phrase "une tranche de vie," meaning "a cross section of life." That phrase was coined by the dramatist Jean Jullien (1854-1919), who advocated naturalism in the theater.
 

Find more great words at Merriam-Webster online.
 

~THE REBATE~

 

Planning on getting a few house projects done before old man Winter shows up?  If you are here are a couple of rebates that may interest you.  The first is from Glaze ‘n Seal driveway sealant, get $10 back on each 5 gallon pale of Glaze ‘n Seal, up to $100 total.  To get your rebate just print the rebate form and mail it in together with your original dated cash register receipt dated before November 1st.  All requests must be received before November 30, 2012 and all rebate checks must be cashed with in 60 days from the date of issue.

 

The other rebate is from Thompson's WaterSeal.  They are offering $4 back on each gallon of their WaterSeal Advanced Wood Protector and $3 back on each gallon of their WaterSeal Waterproof PLUS Wood Protector.  You can get up to $12 back for the sealers, additionally you can get up to another $9 back on their wood cleaners.  All the information on mixing and matching is on the rebate form.  You will need to mail in the form together with your original cash register receipt(s) dated between April 7, 2012 and October 6, 2012 with the purchases circled and the original UPC codes from the containers.  There is only one offer allowed per address so make sure you have all the products together before you mail in your request.

 

I hope you are all having a great week so far.

 

C.Q.

Monday's memory...

Last Monday I didn't have the blog up because I was having one last minor surgery.  With luck this was my last hurdle before getting back to a more normal life, or at least one that involves seeing Dr.s on a far less frequent schedule.  The silver lining to that surgery was that it gave me something to write about today.  I am a firm believer that you have to be able to laugh at yourself, even on your "bad" days, so it is with that in mind that I tell you this story...

Fade in, fade out, fade back in....(no really, I was waking up from surgery and was fading in and out)  I was waking up slightly in a strange room with other people around me in steal sided beds, kind of like we all were in a Robin Cook novel, the lights turned low and people talking in hushed tones.  I became aware that there was something attached to my index finger, it was heavy by my groggy calculations and really needed to come off.  I lifted my hand and shook it vigorously which given my state was more like limp spaghetti dangling off a fork.  One of the hushed voices saw what I was trying to do and quietly said "no no, you need that".  I thought if it was that important I should see what it was, so I lifted my hand to my face to see.  Turns out it was a little white box with a pretty red light on it and I had only one thought pop into my head; "E.T. phone home", and I must have thought it out loud because the hushed voice at the head of my bed burst out laughing and couldn't seem to stop.  Since I adore the sound of laughter I must have drifted back to sleep because when I woke up next I was being wheeled out to recovery to sit with my husband, I still am not sure if I was deemed Okay to move to the next stage before going home or if I was kicked out for being disruptive.

I hope you are all having a fantastic Monday!

Michele
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Silly Saturday...

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

C.Q.

I am still having a problem with Melissa's button. Please stop over and check out her fun blog hop at The Mommyhood Chronicles.

Friday's Freebie

Does your little one have a favorite show on Nick Jr.?  Did you know they have TONS of items you can print off from their most popular shows like Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues, Olivia and many more?  You can find everything from simple coloring pages to things to help them brush up for going back to school with numbers, spelling, science and geography.  This is a great project idea for a rainy day or to help pass the time while your little one get over a summer cold.

I hope you are all having a fantastic Friday!

C.Q.