Friday, November 30, 2012

We reached 1000+ likes on Facebook!

So, as I have mentioned over on my Facebook page for Busy Momma Loves to Save, I will be doing some sort of giveaway to celebrate my reaching 1000 fans in less than 1 month! I am trying to figure out exactly what it is that people want to win from a giveaway. I have been throwing around the idea of a gift card, is this something that you would be interested in or should it just be PayPal cash! Let me know what YOU, the readers are interested in winning!

Tomorrow is Lowe's Build and grow day! I preregistered for this event and it is FREE! My son loves to go and build these neat little wooden pieces. They offer these workshops every other Saturday (although it is 2 in a row this time), be sure to check the website for registration, updates and to check their calendar!
These fill in fast, be sure to PRE-REGISTER!
I also made my Christmas Wreath for my door and it is already hanging! I will take pictures and put them in a later post. It turned out better than I had hoped it would! Maybe I will make a wreath for each holiday just to have on hand. They are inexpensive, fun and easy to make. If you wanted to be adventurous you could even have your kids help you! I usually make mine during "me" time and relax/wind down for the evening.

I plan on making cookies next week to take to my husband and his nurses at the hospital since they finally lifted his special diet and he is on an anti-nausea medication that seems to be working for him now. He has finished one round of chemo so far and gets a little break before they start the next one. After the build and grow clinic tomorrow I am going to go spend the afternoon with him and maybe play a round of chess (he just taught me how to play, and I am not that good at it--yet!) and see if I can beat him!

Happy Friday! Have a good weekend!



Jennifer

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Fisher-Price Peppa Pig Peek 'n Surprise Playhouse Playset Giveaway Signups! Blogger Opp!

Here is another great FREE blogger opportunity!


Blogger Opportunity


This giveaway will be from 

12/19/2012  to  1/10/2013

Come and be part of this awesome giveaway!



Fisher-Price Peppa Pig' Peek 'n Surprise Playhouse Playset


Introducing the Fisher-Price Peppa Pig's Peek 'n Surprise Playhouse Playset, new for fall 2012! Peek 'n Surprise playhouse lets little girls play out Peppa's everyday adventures with her family, just like on the show!

The Fisher-Price Peppa Pig's Peek 'n Surprise Playhouse Playset features:

  • 4 floors of play space including bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom
  • Comes with over 18 play pieces including 2 articulated figures - Peppa and George
  • Play pieces include lots of little surprises..washing machine flips to reveal clean clothes, fridge opens up to reveal food, barbecue flips for different meals, bathtub flips to reveal bubbles and more!
  • Pieces store inside house for easy and convenient clean-up



Options to join
**FREE FACEBOOK OR TWITTER with announcement (If no announcement pay $5.00)
*Additional links $1.00 each (optional)
* Host a page $5 fee (Optional)
*Be one of the Host $10.00 (Optional) -Host does not pay any other fee As I host you will get: -Will be part of the giveaway without the $2.00 charge -Name with link of your blog as a host on the post -Mandatory entry links on the rafflecopter (up tp 4 links) -Host a page *The blog that refers more bloggers will get FREE host :) Here is the promotional post!



* Agree to post the giveaway html on the date the event begins and promote at least 3x a week

Please send any Payments:

Paypal melisurveys1978@gmail.com

Any payment received will go to pay for prize that I already purchased and shipping charges

Please say that Busy Momma Loves to Save referred you if you join!




Jennifer

Xbox Holiday Bundle Giveaway! Ends 12/19

Here is a massive giveaway for the gamer in your life! An Xbox bundle with an approximate retail value of $339! This includes a Kinect Sensor bar and 2 games which are family friendly! I know when I need some downtime the Xbox is a great way to wind down and relax, of course there are some games that get you more amped up than relaxed (Halo for example!). This would be the perfect way to treat your gamer to a bundle of gaming excellence! Get your entries in the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win this awesome prize package this holiday season!

Xbox Holiday Bundle Giveaway Event

Please take a moment and visit our sponsor, Penny Auctions Canada

Penny Auctions Canada is an online auction website that lets you buy awesome products for pennies!
Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Console Bundle Includes:
Xbox 360 250GB Console
3 Month LIVE card
Kinect Sensor
Kinect Adventures
Kinect Carnival

One lucky reader will receive a Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Console Bundle!

Giveaway ends December 19th at 11:59pm, open worldwide {residents outside of the US will receive cash equivalent of $339}, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Busy Momma Loves to Save is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.
Jennifer

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

World Vision Giveaway! 8 Winners! Ends 12/9


Here is a great giveaway that is sponsored by Mom Powered Bloggers and for a meaningful cause. I personally try to make donations to animal welfare charities such as WWF or Defenders of Wildlife, or even to a local shelter or ASPCA. This is an excellent way to create awareness for those that are in need and can be helped simply from making informed purchases from places who donate such as from the World Vision Catalog, please be sure to check the link below for some holiday shopping ideas!

Whether it’s for the tax deduction or the warm fuzzy feeling giving to others generates, most Americans plan to make a charitable donation over the holiday season. In fact, nearly 60 percent of Americans say they’ll donate between Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to a survey reported in the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
With so many worthy causes, it is difficult to know where the gift can best be used. Gifts to the WorldVision Gift Catalog Maximum Impact Fund are used where resources are most desperately needed, to help children and families in struggling communities around the world. With a financial contribution, the gift giver can select one of 36 Maximum Impact items (a few are listed below) that can be given to a loved one and at the same time help a person in need.

Please consider the unique, life-changing items from World Vision’s Gift Catalog as you start, continue or even complete of your holiday shopping. Here are a few suggestions we would like to offer you:
  • Artisan Beaded Necklace: This glass-bead necklace is handmade in Thailand and can be worn several different ways — even as a multi-strand bracelet.
  • Eco Cold Cup: This popular 16 oz. BPA-free tumbler comes in handy when on the run. Every sip is a reminder of those who’ve been helped.
  • Veggie Tales "Incredible Vegetables" DVD: Heroic adventures and veggie fun for the family movie night! This newest Veggie Tale DVD is an action adventure that teaches kids how to conquer fear through a faith-based message.
  • Plush toys - Gertie Goat, Chuma Chick and Pallu Pig: Gertie, Chuma and Pallu are available exclusively through World Vision and represent farm animals that are donated to children and families around the world and provide a steady supply of nutritious food and the surplus can be sold for extra income.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
They serve close to 100 million people in nearly 100 countries around the world. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

Eight lucky readers will receive one of the following: Artisan Beaded Necklace, Eco Cold Cups, Veggie Tales Incredible Vegetables DVD or a set of plush toys (Gertie Goat, Chuma Chick and Pallu Pig)!

Giveaway ends December 9th at 11:59pm, open to US residents, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
Special thank you to Mom Powered Media bloggers for putting this event together.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Busy Momma Loves to Save is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.










Jennifer

$500 PayPal Cash Giveaway Signups! Blogger Opp!


$500 Cash Giveaway Sign-Up hosted by Emperola.com


Join us for the $500 CASH GIVEAWAY which will for sure increase your site stats and social media exposure!


This Giveaway is scheduled to run from Jan 3 till Jan 23.
Sign-up is open until December 18th.

Prize: $500 in PayPal cash


About the Giveaway

  • $5 for each link (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Email sign-up, RSS subscription, etc.)
  • $10 for host page
  • The participating blogger who refers the most other bloggers to join this event will get $50 paypal cash.
  • 5 referrers who have at least 3 referrals will receive host page status
  • Open to US, Canada & UK
Check Registration page for additional information on this giveaway

To sign up click here or the image above!
Please say that Busy Momma Loves to Save referred you!!





Jennifer

Influenster! Request your invite!

I recently joined a program called Influenster where you can become a member (by invite!!) and get products to review and blog about and most of all share about. Giving my honest opinion or feedback on certain products is important to me, I feel as though I am making a difference in the way they are either marketed, manufactured, priced or even certain qualities about the products themselves.

I highly recommend requesting an invite to the site and signing up to see what you can get the chance to review! What's great about this site is you also earn badges for each thing you review or accomplish on the site! This is an excellent way to get your voice heard and some recognition for it in the process, oh and didn't I mention also FREE stuff?

Here is a little more info from the site directly:

"Influenster is a place for culture junkies to come together and share their unique opinions of products and experiences. Active members of Influenster get exclusive access to deals, promotions, and swag from brands that thrive off the input (the good, the bad, and the ugly -- they just want to know what's up)."


Jennifer

ThredUP Cyber Monday Extended! + Coupon Code $15 off!

ThredUP is having an awesome Cyber-Monday deal, which they have so graciously extended to Tuesday night at midnight! If you are in the market for gently used children's clothing this holiday season, then ThredUP is the place for you to shop! They have warm and cozy winter essentials starting at $3.99, what a bargain!

Plus, be sure to check out how to order a bag you can fill with your "like new" used kids clothes and earn cash for it! Just click on the CLEAN OUT tab at the top of the page and see what they accept and order a bag! It is that simple to earn a little extra cash to fill your pockets with after the long holiday season.


Here are the fine print details:

- Offer valid only on Cyber Monday, November 26th at 12:01AM to Tuesday, November 27th at 11:59PM PST

- Cannot be combined with other offers

- Does not apply toward shipping

- One use per household

- Valid for new customers only/first purchase only

Use code CYBER15 at checkout!



Jennifer

Sunday, November 25, 2012

This is my new road

So as most people were spending their Thanksgiving holiday with family in warm and cozy houses, maybe by fires or with festive candles lit, I was spending mine at the hospital with my husband as he started chemo-therapy.

Let's roll back a little bit here and figure this all out.

It started 3 weeks ago, what you ask? The flu. My husband came home sick with the flu, or so we had thought for the last 3 weeks, my boys even got sick, the whole nine yards, runny nose, (whiny-ness) coughing and sore throats. So we thought nothing of it until the boys started getting better but my husband got worse. He went into sick-call at work and they loaded him up with stuff to treat the symptoms of the flu. He immediately started taking these medications to start getting better. One week goes by and nothing. He consults with his uncle who happens to be a Dr. and we all decide he needs to go back to sick-call as soon as possible. Oh did I mention his BP was through the roof as well? He goes to sick-call and pretty much demands a chest x-ray. They find an abnormality in the center of his chest in between his lungs. This mass is the size of a large softball.
Next, I get a call from the hospital where he was transferred to. They have done further x-rays and imaging to see what the heck is going on. The doctor comes back and notifies us it is most likely a Lymphoma.

Now, my husband is transferred to a larger hospital with a cancer center. This hospital is an hour away. I don't get to go with him or see him for the rest of the night. I have two small children that I have no one to care for. It was a long night.

I get to drive down the next day and after a little while of waiting (because the kids cannot go into the ward) some lovely nurses offered to watch them for awhile, which turned into pretty much the rest of the afternoon. I see him and know I needed to be strong for him. The doctor comes back in and lets us all have a seat (my mother-in-law had already flown in from another state) so he can let us know exactly what is going on.

My husband is diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). They started chemo and he gets it 2 times a day along with a bunch of other stuff to kill off this systemic blood disease. On top of all that, his kidneys' function had begun to decline and he needed to do Apheresis to remove as many excess white blood cells as possible. He had 197,000 WBC's in his body when the normal amount is around 10,000 or so. All these extra cells were putting pressure on his kidneys to do a harder job and work more so they were beginning to shut down.

He is currently undergoing treatment for his kidneys as well as this Leukemia and is expected to be at the hospital for at least 4-6 weeks. This is such a scary prospect and I think I am still processing it as reality because it feels like a really bad dream. I have never ever known anyone close to me with cancer or had been affected in such a way by any disease so this is something completely new. My husband is 31, physically fit as well as active and in the Army, how could this happen to him? It is a question that goes through my mind over and over but there is no answer. It just is, and we just need to push through it.

We can do this, he can do this.
Jennifer



Saturday, November 24, 2012

Cherry-Almond Cheesecake Bars

On a plate for devouring!


So here is the recipe I promised the other day! These are super yummy and unfortunately I printed the recipe a while back (without headers or footers) and I cannot remember where I printed it from so I cannot credit the source! Sorry! We did not end up using whipped topping for this recipe which is fine because they taste excellent without it! I must say mine did not look like the one in the picture but it tasted fantastic!



Before going into the oven!
Cherry-Almond Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
2/3 Cup all-purpose flour
2/3 Cup quick-cooking rolled oats
3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar or 1- 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar substitute
2 Tablespoons finely chopped almonds
1/4 Cup butter
2, 8 ounce packages of reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
1/3 Cup granulated sugar or sugar substitute equivalent to 1/3 Cup
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 Cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 4 eggs lightly beaten
1/3 Cup finely chopped dried cherries

Topping:
10 Tablespoons fat free frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed (optional)
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds (optional)
After baking!

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, and almonds. Using a mixer, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla, and almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add egg, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in cherries. Spread cream cheese mixture over partially baked crust.
3. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until cream cheese layer is set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours before serving.
4. Cut into bars to serve, garnish individual servings with the dessert topping and/or almonds, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Jennifer


310996_thredUP Save 75% on Like-New Kids Clothes



Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Unknown road

Just wanted to apologize in advance for being kind of absent, I am currently experiencing a family emergency/crisis and may not have any updated posts for the next few days. I had originally planned to do a craft post and at least one recipe, they will get posted but not until this weekend some time so keep your eyes open for those. Thank you for the support, we need it all right now.

We shall see where this unknown road that we are currently on takes us, somewhere good I hope.

Jennifer

Monday, November 19, 2012

Hidden Treasure Giveaway! Ends 12/20



Welcome to the Hidden Treasure Giveaway!

Hosted by,






Hidden Treasure Candles offers a variety of Soy candles in many scents from Amish Spice to Summer Breeze! Best part is in every candle is some sort of Hidden Treasure and every 500 candles contains a Grand Prize! Will you be the lucky winner of one of the 3 current grand prizes? An iPad 3, a Le Vian Necklace (value $1000) or a Tiffany & Co. Pendant (value $5000) which are the grand prizes currently up for grabs! I love the mysterious nature of Hidden Treasure Candles because you never know what is hidden inside!


About the Giveaway








  • Five Winners will received TWO Hidden Treasure Candles Each!  Like always, winner chooses their candles, so head on over to Hidden Treasure Candles and check out their fabulous scents.




  • Event runs from 11/20/2012 at 12:01am EST until 12/20/2012 at 11:59pm EST





  • To enter use the Rafflecopter form below, must be 18 years of age.





  • Giveaway is open to US

  • a Rafflecopter giveaway


    Jennifer


    Black Friday Savings

    Sunday, November 18, 2012

    Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods!

    Today my oldest (3) and I took the time to make some tasty treats! Pretzel Rods dipped in melted Almond bark and rolled in sprinkles! My aunt makes these and sends them to the boys on occasion but I thought I would give it a go myself!


    You need:
    Pretzel Rods
    Almond Bark
    Sprinkles (optional)
    Wax paper
    Spoon (for stirring)


    These are super easy to make and you don't even need to use the stove to melt the Almond bark. I used the microwave in a glass measuring cup to melt my Almond bark, but be sure to keep it in small increments and stir it each time you microwave it--15-30 seconds each time. Then just dip your pretzels! Roll them or sprinkle the sprinkles on top, or you can just leave the pretzels and chocolate plain! Lay them on the wax paper to cool. I recommend putting the wax paper on a plate or platter of some sort because half of my pretzels were stuck to the counter as the heat melted the bottom of the wax paper to the counter top! These took a little while to cool probably 20-30 minutes is good, but you could put them in the fridge if you are on a time constraint. Then you're done! Eat and be happy!



    Jennifer

    Totsy