Kids

  • Giveaway: $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

    I am doing another giveaway on Blessings Multiplied!!!  The winner of this giveaway will receive a $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card!  As a Mom of fraternal twin daughters I am always looking for ways to save a little extra when buying books for the family.  Our family loves to read and as we continue to teach our girls how to read I want to share a Barnes & Noble gift card with my readers.  Barnes & Noble is a wonderful place to relax and pick out fun books for the whole family.

    1. Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied.
    2. You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing one of your favorite books (you have read for yourself or read to your child) this summer!

    All comments must be made by July 31st at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing.  On July 31st  I will randomly draw a winner from those who have entered the giveaway.

  • Vacation & Travel: Family Time at Tybee Island, Georgia

    We had an amazing trip to Savannah, Georgia this year.  We were able to explore Savannah, celebrate a cousins graduation from SCAD, and go to the beach on Tybee.  Here are some more fun pictures from our trip to Tybee Island:

    Checking out Savannah's Wildlife!

    The girls were thrilled to find this “pretty green frog” at Grandma Penny’s hotel!  As we were leaving one time we were greeted by this little guy!  It is amazing how fascinating a frog can be for the kids!

    It was fun to spend time with my sweet Mom in Savannah!

    We were so happy that Grandma Penny was able to go with us on the road trip to Savannah!  The girls loved hanging out with Grandma Penny!

    Karlie watching Daddy out the Grandma Penny's hotel window!

    Karlie wanted to make sure Daddy wasn’t going to leave us.

    Brina's ready for the beach, she's swinging her arms to dry off the sunblock!

    We found that putting sunblock on at the hotel, letting it dry, then heading to the beach was the key to stay unburnt and sand free!

    The girls know we are getting close to the beach on Tybee once they see the giant shark!

    They think the shark is hilarious.  The first time we went to Tybee we stopped by because they wanted a closer look.  Now when they see it they just giggle!

    Aunt Mary Ann and the girls were the first to get their feet wet!

    The girls love testing the water for a few minutes before going right into the ocean.

    Karlie loves Tybee Beach!

    Karlie running up the beach to take off her glasses so she can go swimming in the ocean!

    Everyone starting to enjoy the beach!

    It was great having an opportunity to go to the beach with extended family.  Tybee was beautiful and really only a few people were out on the beach with us.

    Come on in Grandma Penny, the water's great!

    The girls had a blast swimming with Grandma Penny, Aunt Renelle, Uncle Eric and everyone else.  The beach adventure was a lot of fun for the girls.

    Mom and Renelle enjoying their time at Tybee Beach!

    Everyone enjoyed a relaxing swim at Tybee.  We even saw some DOLPHINS!  I didn’t have my camera handy when they came but thrilled they came to visit us during our swim!

    Karlie "helping" Uncle Eric dig a giant hole in the sand!

    Every time we go swimming on Tybee Beach we see several of these cargo ships going by.  It is amazing the amount of cargo they carry on these ships as they go in and out of Savannah’s harbor.

    Brina having fun riding on Daddy's shoulders!

    The girls love the water!  I am thrilled that they are becoming more confident with their life jackets but still (for the most part) stay near us!

    Aunt Mary Ann enjoying the shade while talking with Jake!

    It was a beautiful day at the beach!  We are so thankful to be able to share it with so many family members!

    Brina swimming with Daddy and Karlie swimming with Grandma Penny!

    The girls thought it was awesome being able to swim with a lot of different people, they usually have a choice between Mommy or Daddy.  Thankful that they love the ocean and had fun with family!

    Brina and Karlie "helping" Daddy dig a hole for a sand castle!

    Thanks Laurel for the awesome sand toys!  The girls had a blast making a sand castle at Tybee!

    Brina and Karlie taking a lunch break in the beach tent!

    The tent was a nice place out of the sun for the kiddos to take a break and eat lunch.  Thanks babe for taking care of us so we didn’t get crispy in the sun!

    The sand may be messy but it sure is fun playing in it with Daddy!

    One of their favorite activities to do at the beach, dig in the sand!

    Lunch time at the beach! We were thrilled Mom could join us in the adventure!

    My Mom was able to fly up to Greenville and come with us on this road trip.  That weekend was packed full of fun with the graduation celebration, beach adventures, the road trip and many more exciting activities!

    Checking out the lobsters at Red Lobster!

    We didn’t have a chance to stop at a seafood restaurant in Georgia so on the road trip back home we ate at Red Lobster.  The girls were fascinated with their lobster tank!

    “A Vacation To Remember” series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Go with a good attitude and looking for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!

  • SheSpeaks: Dove® Deodorant “Don’t Fret The Sweat”

    Goody Bags ready for the Tween Girls at our Church!

    A couple months ago I signed up for a Dove Go Fresh Party from SheSpeaks. Last week I received my Dove Go Fresh package with all kinds of goodies inside. They sent Dove Go Fresh Deodorants Burst (Nectarine and White Ginger Scent), Dove Go Fresh Deodorants Revive (Pomegranate and Lemon Verbena Scent), Dove Go Fresh Body Mist Revive (Pomegranate and Lemon Verbena Scent).  The items were developed for Tween Girls (ages 8 to 12).

    A close up of the goody bags with products from Dove and SheSpeaks!

    A picture of one of the goody bags including the body mist and deodorant!  I had the privilege of treating the tween girls at our church along with several other family and friends with the awesome products that Dove and SheSpeaks sent to me.

    A couple more goody bags ready for my guests!

    Another picture of the goody bags my guests were able to take with them.

    Thanks Dove and SheSpeaks for the amazing products!

    Please try out Dove’s new deodorants and provide feedback to help them continue creating great products.

    If you are wanting to sign up for special offers from SheSpeaks please register here!

    Thanks for all those who participated in this event with me!

  • Fresh & Healthy: Our Garden – Leafy Lettuce, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Purple Beans, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Green Beans, Cabbage, and Cauliflower!!

    We are loving the fresh vegetables from our garden!  This week I did a little  better at taking pictures of the items our family picked.  Although I must say the strawberries didn’t get in most of the pictures, they were ate immediately after washing.   We were able to give some of the garden produce to friends and family this week so it is nice that the garden is producing extra to share with others.

    Here are some of the fresh veggies we were able to eat and share this week:

     

    Produce from the garden!

    We hadn’t been out in several days because of unexpected emergencies with friends and a busy week so we got quite a bit in this batch.  We had a whole bunch full of green beans and purple beans, 2 heads of cabbage, 2 heads of cauliflower, lots of cherry and roma tomatoes, leafy green lettuce, purple leaf lettuce, cucumbers and strawberries!

     

    Giant Zucchini and Summer Squash from the garden!

    The girls were VERY excited to pick these, as they called them, GIANT Vegetables!  We are hoping to get a couple more later in the week!

    What are you eating out of your garden this week?

  • Family Celebrations: Graduation in Savannah, Georgia

    In a previous post I mentioned that our family was able to take a road trip to Savannah to celebrate my cousin Laurel’s graduation from college, SCAD.  Here are a few more pictures of our trip.

     

    2011 SCAD Graduation - Way to GO Laurel!

    We were able to see Laurel Graduate.  It was a fun trip of celebrating and catching up with family while enjoying Savannah!

     

    Uncle Rick, Laurel, and Aunt Mary Ann!

    Proud parents of the graduating college student!

     

    Three Graduates - Karlie and Brina from Kindergarten and Laurel from College!

    The girls thought Laurel was so cool because she graduated the same year they did.  Although they thought her classes might have been harder and definitely bigger!  We were thrilled to have a graduation to attend on the East coast.  Thankful for the opportunity to celebrate with Laurel.

     

  • Vacation & Travel: Family Time in Historic Savannah, Georgia

    We recently went to Savannah, Georgia to celebrate my cousins graduation from SCAD (Savannah College of Arts and Design).  It was great having a reason to travel to Savannah again.  Our family enjoys all the history in the area and loves an opportunity to go to the beach.  We arrived on Friday nights just in time to see Savannah’s first Friday Firework display downtown on River Street.  Saturday was graduation day so we had a mix of sightseeing, graduation ceremony and celebrating with Laurel.  The girls thought Laurel had a lot more in her class then they did in their kindergarten graduation earlier that week. My Mom was able to fly out from Kansas and spend a couple days with us and drive with us to Savannah.  It was great spending some extra time with her and the girls loved having Grandma around.

    Hilarious....Karlie fast asleep with her treat still in her mouth!

    The girls picked out a snack to munch on during the ride to Savannah.  Karlie picked out a special treat, fruit by the foot.  Obviously she was too tired to finish eating it because when I looked back this is what I saw…..her fast asleep with the last six inches of the fruit by the foot hanging out her mouth.  All of us got a good laugh at this one such a classic road trip picture!

    Brina opening her goodie bag from Aunt Mary Ann and Aunt Laurel!

    Aunt Mary Ann and Aunt Laurel put together a sweet goodie bag for each of the girls.  They had a lot of fun playing with the toys, drinking through the silly straws and writing in their new notebooks.

    Friday Night Fireworks on River Street in Savannah, GA

    The first Friday evening of every month (at least during the summer months) Savannah has fireworks.  They start after sundown about 9 PM at night.  The fireworks are set off over the river and are beautiful.

    Brina, Daddy and Karlie exploring Savannah!

    Saturday morning we decided to explore Savannah on foot while it was still early and cool.  The girls had a fun time walking and asking questions about the town.  Love this picture of Jake walking hand in hand with the girls, if only you could hear the conversation going on…..so many questions and Daddy patiently answering each one.  Such a great Daddy, love these three very much!

    Brina showing off her new purple seashell necklace and watching the horse carriages driving by at the same time!

     

    Karlie showing off her new seashell necklace!

    When we were looking through the shops and picking out postcards we found two purple seashell necklaces on clearance for $0.99 so the girls got their first seashell necklaces to remember Savannah.

    Relaxing before graduation! Karlie and Brina kept Laurel entertained as lunch was being made.

    The bed in Uncle Rick and Aunt Mary Ann’s room was a make shift couch throughout the weekend.  Karlie and Brina had fun talking with Laurel.  It was pretty funny listening to some of their “stories”!

    The ladies in our group that went on the Trolley Tour - Renelle, Bridgette, Randy and Penny!

    Jake and I had been on the trolley tour before but wanted to go again.  It was amazing the amount of different information we learned this time around.  Every tour guide has a unique way of presenting the information.  Renelle, Randy, and Mom had never been on the tour and enjoyed it as well.  Even though it was pretty hot outside with the open trolley and breeze it was comfortable.  Thanks babe for running to grab waters for everyone while we took this picture.

    Beautiful Church in Savannah, GA

    Savannah has a lot of amazing history.  This is one of several beautiful churches in the downtown area of Savannah.

    Savannah has a lot of great squares with Monuments and historical information in each one.

    There are a lot of shaded squares in Savannah that you can walk through and read a bunch of history.  Each square has some type of monument to view and benches for those wanted to rest or have a picnic.  If you are wanting to get an overview of Savannah I recommend taking one of the trolley tours first then you can come back later and learn more about the sights that interest you.  We chose the Oglethrope Trolley Tour because it was the best price and we didn’t have to pay for parking.  Finding parking in downtown Savannah can be difficult and expensive.  Plus the trolley would pick us up and drop us off at a number of locations throughout Savannah all day.  You could explore a historical sight or go shopping and when you were done or wanted transportation to the next area of interest you would wait a few minutes or call them and they would come pick you up.

    More Savannah Trip Pictures Coming soon!

  • Pampers Gifts to Grow – 10 Free Points

    Receive another 10 free points from Pampers with the a new Gifts to Grow code!

    This code is different from the previous codes I have given.

    Use Code:  WELLCABABYEMAIL

    The code didn’t have an expiration date but they usually expire in a few days so be sure to add it to your account soon!

    You can save up the rewards to purchase gifts!

    For more information about the Pampers Gift to Grow Program and how you can start earning Pampers “Gifts to Grow” Rewards for your family go to Pampers Gifts to Grow!

  • CVS: Spent $1 and Got $7 ECB’s Back!

     

    CVS Deals this week!

    CVS has a few good deals this week.  I was happy to stock up on some items including tums and shampoo this week while utilizing a few of my coupons.  Today I was able to get the items for $1.06 plus tax ($0.08) making my out of pocket cost $1.14 and received $7.00 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.  Here is what I purchased this week.

    • 2 –  Pantene Classic Touch Hairspray for $6.98 ($3.49 each)
    • 1 – Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder for $1.19
    • 1 – Lady Speed Stick Shower Fresh for $1.99
    • 1 – Tums Extra Assorted Berry (96 count) for $3.99
    • 1 – Colgate Total White for $2.87
    • 1 – Ban Solid Deodorant Shower Fresh for $2.99 (used a rain check to get this one)
    • 1 – CVS 12 Hour (10 Count) for $4.89
    • 1 – Teddy Boom (4 Piece) Girl Baby Onesies and Bib Set for $2.50
    • 1 – Teddy Boom (2 Piece) Girl Baby Onesie Package for $1.50

    Here are the coupons I used on the items.

    • Used $3.00 Pantene Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $1.00 Colgate Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $0.75 Ban Manufacturer Coupon
    • Used $3.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $1.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $4.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $15.49 ECB coupons from prior purchases

    I received $7.00 ECB’s back today:

    • $2.00 ECB’s for Ban Products
    • $2.00 ECB’s for Pantene Products
    • $1.00 ECB’s for Mennen Speed Stick Products
    • $1.00 ECB’s for Colgate Products
    • $1.00 ECB’s for Tums Products

    Today I was able to save $37.34 at CVS by purchasing these items and using coupons.

    When you shop the CVS sales regularly and have ECB’s that you can roll over toward future purchases the bonus ECB’s start adding up (Green Bag Tags and Beauty Club).  As you can see from my shopping trip today you don’t have to purchase a lot to save money when shopping at CVS.  Plus you can use the additional ECB’s you receive towards your next purchase.  You can pick and chose what is best for your family.

    I would love to hear your CVS shopping story for this week!  For those of you who shop regularly at CVS please share how you were able to save this week!  Although the weekly ad sales are similar every family and situation is different so you may have found items better suited to your household.  In your comment please feel free to share a link to your blog article showing us how you were able to save shopping at CVS.

  • Mailbox Goodies: Free Laundry Soap, Dog Food, Wipes, GoodNites, Fiber Choice, Zone, Coupons, Magazines & More!

    Mailbox Goodies

    One of the best parts about getting the mail is when the mailbox full of goodies, especially when they are free! We got some great coupons, free samples, magazines and more stuff in the mail.  Some of these deals are still available so if you haven’t had a chance to sign up go ahead and do it now.   I will try to keep you posted of some of the new ones coming up as well.

    Here are some items we received in the mail:

    • Free Tena Feminine Hygiene Samples and Coupon (4 pads) – TENA(still available)
    • Free Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food and Coupon – Switch to Nutrish(still available)
    • 2 – Free Purina Alpo Homestyle with Beef Prime Cuts Dog Food and Coupons Walmart Samples
    • Free Tire Kingdom Coupons – sign up at your local Tire Kingdom(still available)
    • 2 – Free Hamrick’s 15% Off Entire Purchase Coupon – Hamricks, sign up at your local Hamricks store (still available) No picture because I used it this weekend to purchase Bingo Car Game for the kids.
    • Free $100 Google Advertising Coupon
    • Free Huggies Pull-Ups Flushable Moist Wipes Samples and CouponWalmart Samples
    • Free Tide Stain Release Sample (10 Count) and CouponsTide Facebook Page
    • Free Tide Laundry SampleTide Facebook Page
    • Free Valpak Coupon Savings
    • Free Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and CouponGarnier (still available) click on take the “48 Hour Challenge”
    • Free Newsweek Magazine – Rewards Gold
    • Free AV Technology Magazine – been getting this one for several years now
    • Free Field & Stream Magazine – Value Magazines
    • Free Four Wheeler MagazineFreebiz Magazines
    • Free SD Times “Software Development” – this one has been coming for a couple years now
    • Free CIO Magazine – this one has been coming for several years
    • Free Parents Magazine – Rewards Country
    • Free Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade MagazineBuy Sub
    • Free GoodNites UnderwearGoodNites (still available)
    • Free Laura’s Lean Beef Coupon
    • Free Fiber Choice (10 Count)Fiber Choice (still available)
    • Free Sweet & Salty Zone Perfect Cashew Pretzel and Coupon
    • Free Miracle Worker SamplePhilosophy
    • Free $5 Toys R Us Coupon – sign up at your local Toys R Us Store
    • And more free magazines and local coupons!

    If you are like me it is nice when you get a mailbox with free coupons and samples in it.  The bills will come as well but when you get a mailbox full of free items it helps make the day a little more enjoyable.  Plus the coupons and samples are a great way to stretch your budget and share with others!

  • Book: “Clifford the Firehouse Dog” by Norman Bridwell

    The girls really enjoy the “Clifford” books.  “Clifford The Firehouse Dog” by Norman Bridwell was one they were quoted just the other day.  We have read the book many times and it is neat that they retained the lessons that they learned in the book.  I like how the book encourages helping out in time of need as well.  If you have a little ones that likes dog and fire trucks this is a great book to read with them.  Our girls love anything with animals, especially dogs!