You can get the Vegetarian Times Magazine Subscription for $4.99 a year (up to 4 years) when you use code COUPONGEEK (or code 2813)at checkout before 11PM CST on 1/25/12.

Not one of your favorite titles? You can also use code COUPONGEEK to get 20% Off their other titles.

Coupon Network has added a few new coupons including:

$1 Off Honey Bunches of Oats New Fruit Blends Coupon

$.75 Off Dean’s Heat n Dip Coupon

The daily deal on Kids Woot today, 1/19/12, is for a WowWee Alive Mini Cub for $5.99 and $5 shipping. You can buy up to 3 for the $5 shipping costs.

You get to choose between the lion and leopard.

When I was doing a search awhile back, I found a site that mentions fun food holidays. I check it every once in awhile when I’m looking for an idea of something new to do with the kids. They love our themed meals, such as Panda Bear Night. I noticed that they mentioned this week as National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week. I’ve seen a few other sites mention the same thing when doing a search to check it out.

Last month, I mentioned this deal on oranges on Jasmere (no longer available) that I decided to pick up. You can see from the picture above how many I received!

The oranges and grapefruits from The Orange Shop were so fresh. The kids and I spent one afternoon making a bunch of freshly squeezed orange juice. It was so delicious! I’ve decided that we’ll do this every so often when we need a little change to our Weekly Menu Plan.

I didn’t use a juicer but just a citrus reamer. It actually didn’t do too bad of a job. I thought I’d share in case you were looking for something new to try this week. You can start off your morning with a great glass of freshly squeezed orange juice!

I am always amazed how much smoother my day goes by simply just taking 5-10 minutes the night before to lay out the clothes for the kids and myself. It seems like when I skip this small task, I spend the beginning of my morning running around in circles and stressing myself out before I even really start my day.

So I’ve been working on carving out my morning and nighttime routines over the last two days. Like everything else I do, I’m trying to keep it real simple and basic so I don’t overwhelm myself and quit before I even start. I’m hoping that by simply taking a little time when I wake up and before I go to bed to plan out my day and tie up any loose ends from the current day that I can save myself a lot of time and stress in the long-run.

Even little things as simple as checking to make sure there aren’t any clothes left in the washer/dryer or that I remembered to start the dishwasher can lead to an overall difference in how my next day starts. I find that when I start my day off trying to catch up from the one before, that I never truly catch up.

So here’s a tiny peek into what I’m going to try over the next week or two to see how it works:

Morning Routine
1) Rise and Shine and Make the Bed
2) Get ready right away so I don’t have to squeeze in a shower midday. (yes, sometimes that happens!)
3) Start a load of laundry. This way, it’s done by the time breakfast is over!
4) Unload the dishwasher, if need be.
5) Make myself a cup of hot tea and review my to-do list for the day before the kids wake up.
6) Enjoy breakfast with the kids before I start my work day.
7) Check my emails and begin whatever I have planned for that day.

Nighttime Routine
1) Lay out clothes for myself and the kids for the next day.
2) Check to see events for the following day and put any items I need by my purse/coat so I don’t forget them.
3) Take time out with the kids to read books and get them tucked in for the night.
4) Check washer/dryer and finish up anything left.
5) Wrap up loose ends in the kitchen–washing up countertops, putting away dishes, etc.
6) Do a quick walk-through of the house and put away anything that’s not where it should be.
7) Make a to-do list for the following day.
8 ) Check my meal plan for the following day and take out any frozen items that need to thaw.
9) Take time to wrap up any website loose ends or take time for myself or with my hubby.
10) Check my email one last time for the night and get to bed at a reasonable time!

I’m hoping that by getting in a little routine that my day will go a little smoother, save me time, stress and possibly money. I’ve found that when my house is in order, I have more free time to get myself organized so I can stay on top of my menu plans, coupon clipping and other ways that help us save money.

Do any of you currently have morning/nighttime routines set in place yet? I’d love to hear how yours looks!

Facebook has been making a lot of changes and a lot of you may be just like me and having a hard time keeping up with everything.

Some of my readers have been asking why they are not seeing updates from pages like mine and here’s a tip for seeing the most recent updates:

1) If you aren’t already there, click on Home at the top right of your screen on Facebook.

2) Off to the left you’ll see something called “News Feed” – click there.

3) Then in the middle of your screen, you’ll see something that says, “Sort.” Click the dropdown menu. More than likely, yours is set to “Highlighted Stories First.”

4) Change it to “Recent Stories First.” This should help you see the most current posting.

Thanks to my friend, Sean, for the tip!

If you haven’t already, you can follow Coupon Geek on Facebook. I often share extra deals, coupons, freebies, etc there–especially deals that are very time-sensitive and would be gone by the time I posted them here.

I hope this helps some of you that are having issues seeing your facebook updates. If anyone has any other tips for keeping up with your favorite pages on Facebook, I’d love to hear them!

When I sat down earlier in the month to think about what types of goals I wanted to set for 2012, I started to see a pattern that I could really wrap up all of them into just one goal–Taking Time to Plan! It became clear to me that everything I wanted to accomplish could possibly fall into place if I set aside just a small amount of time each day to plan ahead. And here’s why I think that:

Financial Goals – I can meet my goals by putting into a place a great budget and taking time to plan out my shopping trips and planning ahead for events such as birthdays, holidays, weddings, vacations, etc. I can stick to my budget by keeping track of items we use the most and when they reach a “Low Inventory” so I can make sure I keep watch for a great deal on them.

Cleaning/Organizing Goals – I can meet these goals by taking time to plan time each day for household and website tasks. I can save time asking myself “What’s for Dinner?” by putting a meal plan in place and freezing meals ahead for busy weeks. Also, keeping my coupons organized is another great way to help meet my financial goals.

Fitness Goals – By keeping my household in order, I can possibly carve out time for myself to get in some much needed exercise–and also plan in some fitness time with the kids. I can also plan time for researching healthier recipes and meal options for us.

Self-Help Goals – By taking time to stay organized and financially stable, life might possibly feel less stressful making it easier to just enjoy life a little more.

Family-Time Goals – By making sure to plan time each day for one-on-one quality time with the kids, I can get in some really great outings and make some great memories with them! We can also maybe take them on a small vacation if I plan ahead getting great prices and by keeping on course with my financial goals.

So my biggest goal for 2012 is just set aside 15-30 minutes a day to plan out my day/week/month/year. I’ll be doing my best to share with you what planning I’ve managed to get in each week in hopes that maybe it will help you become a happier and more organized person, as well.

While making New Year’s Resolutions/Goals may seem cliche, I truly believe it is important to set goals for yourself each year. It can lead to a more rewarding and fun year as you might take the time to get in more fun, worry less about things that don’t truly matter and plan for your future.

I just wanted to remind you all that there won’t be any Coupon Inserts in this week’s papers, due to the holiday weekend. Take this extra time to enjoy some great quality time with your family and friends.

I am now going into “light mode” on Coupon Geek for the next several days. My family is always so supportive of me over the busy holiday season and I’m going to be thanking them by taking a few days off.

Thank you all for your support and for sharing your lives with us!

I’m wishing you all a joyous Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! I’m hoping that you have a very blessed holiday season full of lots of laughs, smiles and memories for years to come!

You can get 50 4×6 Photo Prints for $5 at Walgreens when you use code 5BUY50 at checkout and choose in-store pick-up.

Thanks, Coupon Gal!

I wanted to share in case any of you had any last minute photo gifts to make. Photo albums full of family memories makes for a great gift!

If you are going to order other photos, make sure you go through Walgreens Photo on Ebates to get an additional 3.5% Cash Back. It’s free to join if you haven’t already.

Every year I have an all-day “baking fest” and make all sorts of baked goodies for my husband’s co-workers. It’s just something that I love to do and I turn it into a fun activity to do with the kids.

Each year it gets a little more fun as the kids get older and can help out and enjoy it more. They love to help mix everything and add on the sprinkles and such. This year, they were a *huge* help in getting all the wrappers off the Hershey’s kisses that we used.

I thought I’d share a few pictures of some of the things that I made and where I found the recipes in case you were looking for something new to add to your baking day. Mine never turn out as great as the originals as I’m not really that great at making everything look so pretty and perfect. But…it all tastes the same and my hubby’s co-workers appreciate everything so it’s all good!

These are little square pretzels with melted candy cane kisses and an M&M on them. This one is from My Computer is My Canvas and she has a great M&M Nativity Legend you can add to it. I printed these and put the pretzels in a separate bag and put them on with the red twist ties that came with the bags.

These are “North Pole Cupcakes” made from cupcakes, frosting, candy canes, sprinkles and a topper. The original recipe used a red Gobstopper but I forgot to buy them. I didn’t have anything else to use so I came up with dyeing a small marshmallow with some red dye. Totally a last resort as I don’t like using dyes. The marshmallow topper and sign are added on with just a dab of frosting. This one comes from One Charming Party. She also has the North Pole printable available.

I had to add this photo so you could see how the sprinkles kind of look like snow. They are such a nice touch if you can find them. I used some Wilton Sprinkles that I found at Michael’s Craft Store. I used a 40 or 50% Off coupon for a deal on them.

These are Peanut Butter Blossoms that I tried to make look like a Christmas tree. Didn’t work so much as my fingers were so tired by then! They have some star sprinkles that if you put on top, adds a nice touch. I didn’t have time to make “homemade” so I used a Betty Crocker Cookie Mix this year–something I almost never do!

These are always the favorite with his co-workers. They are so simple to make. It’s just pretzels that you dip in melted almond bark. You need to add the sprinkles on before the almond bark dries, which is usually pretty fast! I’ve found that using two forks is the best way to allow the almond bark to drip off them.

These are just your typical Rice Krispie Treats Recipe. I really don’t like using dyes so I keep them plain and add sprinkles and some frosting. Though, you could make them more festive by adding green or red dye to the mix before adding in the cereal.

Mmmm….Brownie Oreo Bites! These are so delicious!! They are fairly easy to make. Basically you make the brownie batter according to the box, drop the Oreos in and get them covered and then put them in a generously sprayed muffin pan. When they are done, you have to run a knife under them and pop them out. I found it easiest to put down some waxed/parchment paper and then flip the pan upside down to get them out but you may find an easier way. This one comes from Picky Palate. All the cooking details are there along with beautiful pics of hers. I didn’t add as much icing on top. I just used some almond bark I had left over from the pretzels and shook a fork over them to make the lines.

I had to show you what these look like on the inside. They are so festive if you can find the green or red Oreos to use. And did I mention they are delicious?

I put everything, except the cupcake, in these cute candy cane goody bags that I found at our local dollar store. 20 of them for just $1.10. I am just glad that he works for a very small company so that I could give each of them one. I ran out of steam but had wanted to make these Melted Snowman Cookies that Crazy Domestic has. Maybe next year because they are soo cute!

Baking is so exhausting for me but it is such a good time that I actually do look forward to “Bake Fest” each year.  I love sharing quality time with the kids and getting to send in some treats to everyone. I found several of these recipes by following Moms By Heart’s “100 Days of Christmas.” Lori really does find some of the cutest stuff so you may want to check out everything. There’s more than just recipes there, too.

Hoping that you all have a fun time if you are planning a baking day, too! Remember that it’s not about everything looking pretty but about all the love that you put into making it. That’s what really counts in the end! Happy Baking, Everyone!!

Kohl’s has the Croft and Barrow Chenielle Gloves discounted to $3 from $6. (Just do a search on “Croft & Barrow Chenille Gloves” to find them. Use code CYBER20 to get them for $2.40 shipped.

They have several colors to choose from.

Thanks, Couponing For 4!

You can also go through Ebates to earn 6% Cashback. It’s free to join if you haven’t already.

I thought these might make for a good stocking stuffer or as a part of a gift basket for someone.

I just wanted to take a moment to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

May you all have a joyous day and hoping you get to spend some great quality time with your family and friends.

Thank you all so much for stopping by Coupon Geek® and for sharing your lives and stories with me.

I will be spending the day with my family and resting up so that I can bring you some really great deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

You might take a second to read my posting on How to Prepare for Holiday Shopping to help maximize your savings.

Reader friend, Sarah, sent in a picture of her daughter, Emmalyn, dressed up as a coupon for Halloween. It is so adorable that I couldn’t resist sharing it with you.

This is by far the cutest coupon I’ve ever seen!

Thanks for sharing, Sarah!

Here are a few more additional printable coupons that were added:

$1/2 Fleischmann’s Yeast Strips Coupon

$1 Off MaraNatha Product Coupon

There’s a new $1/5 Weight Watchers Smart Ones Frozen Entrees Coupon available.

Before I start off my day, I just wanted to take a moment to thank all the amazing people that fight for our freedom and protection here in the U.S.

Thank you all for the sacrifices you make on a daily basis to keep us safe.

There’s a new $1 Off a 13-16 oz bag of Skittles, Starburst or Lifesavers Coupon available.

Coupons.com has added a Buy One Get One Free 20 oz. bottle of Sundrop Coupon.

For those of you following on Facebook, if for any reason you quit receiving the Coupon Geek updates, be sure to check your Facebook Account Settings. Sometimes when they make changes/upgrades, the settings flip back to those you interact with most and not all your pages.

This happened to me a few weeks ago and I didn’t notice right away and I was missing out on some pages I was following. Here’s how to switch it back if you need to, too:

1) Click on your Home Page.

2) Under “Most Recent” towards the top, click there and choose Edit Options.

3) It should pull up a dropdown box with choices of Friends and Pages you interact with most or All Your Friends and Pages. If you want to see everything, click on All Your Friends and Pages.

If you haven’t already, you can follow Coupon Geek on Facebook. I put time-sensitive deals and link-up to other blog posts there, along with some extra chit-chat with my readers from time to time. Please note: I put all of the postings there, around 10-15 a day, so please keep that in mind when deciding to follow or not.

I just wanted to take a minute to wish all of my U.S. readers a very Happy 4th of July and to extend a very big thank you to all the military men and women who fight and sacrifice so much for our freedom. I am truly grateful for for all you do for us.

I’ll be spending the rest of the day with my family enjoying the holiday and some fireworks this evening. Hoping you all have a great holiday, as well!

I wanted to take a minute to say “Happy Father’s Day” to all the Dads out there.

I am going to be taking the rest of the day off to spend time with my hubby. Not only is he a great husband and a wonderful father to my kids but he’s also my #1 fan and such an amazing supporter of Coupon Geek. I am so very thankful to have him with me every step of the way and I assure you, this site wouldn’t be here without him as he helps me keep family and blog-life balanced.

I’m hoping you all have an amazing day with your families, too! I’ll be back tomorrow with fresh deals and coupons.

To all the military men and women who sacrifice so much for our freedom……Thank you for all you do for us!

Coupons.com just loaded a new $1 Off Sally Hansen Nail Treatment Printable Coupon.

Thanks, She Saved!

I just wanted to take a minute to wish all of you a very Happy Mother’s Day!

“Like” Folgers on Facebook and then you’ll be able to sign up for a Free Sample of Folgers Special Roast Coffee.

Thanks for sharing, Coupon Pro!

While you are there, don’t forget that you can also “Like” Coupon Geek on Facebook for more deals and coupons that I share there.

From my family to yours, Happy Easter Everyone!

I’ll be taking the day to enjoy some quality time with my family.

I’ll be back tomorrow with lots more deals and giveaways!

Just wanted to remind you all that there are two giveaways ending today, 4/22/11 at 11:59PM CST including:

Zumba Fitness for Wii

Just Dance, Just Dance 2 or Just Dance Kids for Wii – Winners Choice

Be sure to get your entries on those postings before the cut-off time for your chance to win!

On 4/16/11 at 7PM CST, Fox will be showing Truth Be Told which is part of a Family Movie Night sponsored by Walmart and P&G. Truth Be Told stars Candace Cameron Bure, whom most of you probably remember from the TV series Full House. Here’s a synopsis from their site:

When leading marriage counselor Annie Morgan (Candace Cameron Bure) is offered an opportunity to host a relationship talk show, she jumps at the chance. But fearful that being single might ruin her big break, she conspires with an old college friend and recent widower, Mark Crane (David James Elliott), to pose as a married couple with kids. Their story starts to unravel when Annie and Mark join her eccentric soon-to-be boss (Ronny Cox) for a weekend at his ranch in New Mexico. Comical misunderstandings mark the event as Annie struggles to keep up the ruse, finding herself emotionally invested and conflicted by her own conscience. Will she confess the truth about her marital status and her feelings for Mark… and will the truth set them free?

I had the opportunity to watch an advance screening of this and it was so nice to see Candace in something after all these years. I had a hard time feeling bad about Annie and Mark’s lies as their intentions were so great—both wanting to help out people in need with Mark trying to save a Children’s Program he runs and Annie seeing the radio show as an opportunity to bring much needed relationship therapy to those who can’t afford it. Overall, Truth Be Told is a great lesson in (despite even having good intentions) how one lie, that seems so little at the time, can start snowballing into several more lies.

You can “Like” Family Movie Night on Facebook and tell them how you use entertainment to bring your family together and you’ll be entered into a sweepstakes for a 55″ LCD TV + Home Theater System.

Disclosure: A special thank you to P&G & Walmart for the advanced screening. I provide honest reviews and let me sponsors know this in advance of accepting any offers.

I rarely post anything on my site that requires people to send a comment or anything relating to a petition. But after watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution last season, I would love to see some changes to the school’s menus, as my children are not too far off from the school age.  If the current standards are kept, I will definitely have my children take their own lunches from home. I work very hard to provide them healthy food at home and would love to see them get that at school, when they go, too.

Here’s what was in the email I received, as I signed up for any new show info:

This is a hugely important moment in time for us. We’ve got a brilliant opportunity RIGHT NOW to get better food into schools all over America, but we really need your help. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has drafted a new set of school meal standards as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. If these new standards are passed, schools will have to begin replacing junk and processed foods with lovely fresh, whole ingredients and it will be the first time in 15 years that nutrition standards in schools have really improved. If they aren’t passed, children all over America will be facing more years of substandard, unhealthy food in their schools. The USDA is taking public comments on these proposed standards as we speak, so please tell them you want these changes….. If you join us in supporting the new standards proposed by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, this is what it will mean for your kid’s meals:

• more whole FRESH fruits (no more fruit snacks);
• a wider variety of veggies;
• more healthy whole grains;
• French fries limited to once a week;
• and a reduction in the sodium, saturated fats and calories of processed food items.

We need your help to get the Food Revolution started in America – make sure the USDA hears what you have to say by submitting a comment at this link. Thank you for taking this important first step towards getting real food on school menus and giving our kids the promise of better health.

~Jamie Oliver and the Food Revolution Team

Just thought I’d share that info with you all in case you were interested in sharing your comments with the USDA, as well, at this link.

CVS has the M&M Easter Eggs for $.99. Here’s how to get a deal on these:

M&M Easter Eggs $.99 – Buy 2
*Use $2/2 Easter Candy Coupon from All You Magazine – April Issue OR
*Use $1/2 Candy Coupon from 3/20/11 Red Plum Insert
FINAL PRICE = Free to $.98 for Two depending on coupons you have

Thanks, My Frugal Adventures for the deal and photo!

You can also check out another scenario for next week at Walgreens on the Snickers Creme Eggs.

Amazon has the Solofill Cup, Refillable K-Cup For Keurig Brewers for $13.86 and free shipping with Amazon Prime.

Thanks, Penny Pinchin’ Mom!

I mentioned this product several months ago when we ordered one. My hubby doesn’t like any of the K-cups out there, for the most part, but he’s been using this for a few months now. So far, he likes it as he can use put any coffee he wants to in it.

There’s a $1 Off 2000 Flushes Coupon available right now.

Thanks, Budget Helper$!

It’s a Bricks Coupon that you should be able to print twice.

Just your weekly Friday reminder: If you don’t always do your searches through SwagBucks, you’ll want to make sure you do today! It’s “Mega SwagBucks Day!” You could win anywhere from 5-500 SwagBucks today! And remember, it only takes 450 to get a $5 Amazon Giftcard! Good Luck! And if you haven’t joined yet, you can sign-up now for FREE and you’ll get 30 SwagBucks added to your account. SwagBucks is one of my favorite online programs where you earn SwagBucks for online searches or finding free codes, etc. and you turn them in for gift cards or prizes. You can also read my posting on More Ways to Earn SwagBucks

Back in November, I was given the opportunity to see a screening for the movie “The Grace Card.” This was my first screening invite and I didn’t quite know what to expect.  They were so generous to not only offer me a ticket, but also one for a guest of my choice.  I knew this would be something my neighbor would want to see, so I invited her to join me in this little adventure.

Before the movie began, we were given a little synopsis and some background info on how the movie came about being written. The woman speaking then said, “I cried four times the first time I saw it.” It was then that I immediately began digging in my purse and coat pockets for that little pack of Kleenex I was hoping I still had!

The movie starts off with a life-changing tragedy. The storyline is then jumped forward several years and you see that the father, named Mac, is now a police officer and assigned a new partner, named Sam, who is from another background. There is a lot of tension between Mac and Sam but along the way, somehow there’s not only a friendship built but also faith is renewed.

It’s seems like there are fewer movies being released these days that leave you with a sense of inspiration and wanting to change your life–and help others. I was glad to see that this film was all those things. The actors were amazing. The script was well-written. And the movie overall—had me in tears (in a good way) and wanting to just make a difference.

Well, at this screening they had an amazing surprise for us….we were able to meet both lead actors: Michael Joiner and Michael Higgenbottom. I was in complete disbelief when we were told that it was Mr. Higgenbottom’s first movie as he was just phenomenal. Here’s a few pics of me with them:

With Michael Joiner

With Michael Higgenbottom

I am very thankful to Provident Films, not only for the special screening invite, but also for allowing me to delay my posting so I could share this all with you closer to the release date. If you are looking for something refreshing to do this weekend, check to see if The Grace Card is showing at a theater near you. (and don’t forget your Kleenex!)

You can use code MOVIENIGHT to get a Free Red Box Rental Code today, 1/27/11 Only.

Thanks for sharing, Save The Coupons!

PediaSure is offering a rebate on either a 6-pack of PediaSure or a 4-pack of PediaSure SideKicks.

Thanks, The Freebie Blogger!

Rebate is valid from 1/23 – 3/6/11. Be sure to read the rebate for all requirements/exclusions.

There’s a $3 Off 12 hour Afrin Nasal Spray Coupon on Coupons.com right now. (Find it easier by click on Health Care in their left sidebar.) Wal-Mart sells these for $4.38 so here’s what your deal would look like:

Afrin Nasal Spray $4.38
*Use $3 Off Afrin Nasal Spray Coupon
FINAL PRICE = $1.38

Thanks, Passion For Savings and Save the Coupons!

Each year, I try to take a little time to reflect on what I’ve accomplished and to set new goals for the following year. This keeps me always moving forward trying to grow as a person and to keep life a little interesting by adding some welcomed change.

In 2010, I achieved a major goal that I had set for myself of running a 5K. It was right before the holiday season hit so I didn’t even get to share it with you. I didn’t get to train due to sickness, and only squeezed in one mile run beforehand and yet I finished the race! It was truly a  fun experience to share with my hubby and I’m hoping those of you with this goal may try to reach it next year.

I set a goal of leading a healthier life and switched my family over to as many Organic foods as possible, buying shares of a cow, pig and veggies/eggs from local farmers. I also finally got that garden I’ve always wanted started and have set a goal for myself to double its size next year!

I forced myself to allow a little “me-time” each month to squeeze in one book–and by sharing those with you, I found some new leads on some good books to read in the future. (Thank you!)

This was the biggest year of donations to the needy for me. I love being able to use my couponing and deal-finding skills to be able to buy toiletries, food and toys for the needy. I’m hoping next year will be even larger!

And as a blogger, I’m been so very blessed to have more than doubled my subscribers, have over four times as many Facebook reader friends and have met some more really fabulous fellow bloggers. It’s been such a joyous year for us and I’m so thankful to all of you for visiting the blog and for sharing about it with your friends/family. I’m hoping you are continuing to find more deals, coupons and ideas from it.

I did my very best to continue to put more focus and time on my family and less time on social media and blogging. Still trying to juggle the balancing act some days but when you always put your family first, you can never go wrong! I’m so very lucky to have a very supportive partner in my husband and such loving kids.

What’s on the agenda for 2011?

As always, I plan on continuing to keep Coupon Geek full of deals, coupons, freebies and hopefully….a little inspiration. While I love to do so many series on my blog, I have found that what’s best overall is to put your focus into just a few and have better quality than quantity. So here are the two that I’m focusing on for 2011:

WHAT’S NEW FOR DINNER?

It’s so easy to fall into a boring meal plan if I don’t continue to try new recipes. I’ve had such fun trying new things thanks to some different foods that we received in our veggie CSA and it sparked something in me that I’d like to continue this journey of exploring new meal options.  And to stay focused on my goal, I’ve acquired a partner in crime for this series—my friend Jenn, from SuperJenn.

Each week, we are both going to try a new recipe. Just something that we’ve never made before, be it an entree, dessert, side dish, etc. We’ll post about what we’ve tried and either link to the recipe we’ve found or share it with you in the posting.  It will be fun to try at least 52 new recipes during the year. I’m hoping you’ll join us in this little challenge to keep your meals new and exciting and hopefully your family will start asking, “What’s NEW for dinner tonight?” You’ll want to keep your eyes open for our monthly cookbook giveaways, too, as there will be a new one from each of us each month.

GETTING BACK ON TRACK

(A special thank you to Keri Lyn for making my button for this!)

Several years back, we discovered the book The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey. At the time, we had a small amount of credit card debt, two vehicle payments and our house payment. My hubby and I spent a few years going “Gazelle” and have worked on paying it all off, aside from our house. Once our credit card debt and vehicle debt was gone, we kind of loosened up the purse strings a little, allowing ourselves a little break. Well, I’m now ready to get back on track and focus on getting that house paid off, too.  I’ll just be sharing with you ways I’m finding throughout the year of how to watch our money. It could be some great shopping trips, frugal outings, ways to earn some extra money or just free things we’ve stumbled on. I’m hoping that when I post them, you’ll share what you’ve done that week/month to stretch your dollars farther, too.

I just wanted to thank all of you for taking time out of your lives throughout the year to stop by and visit a little Coupon Geek and her family. I value each of you and I hope that you’ll continue to find more things of value here. My overall goal for 2011 is to help make your debts smaller and your smiles bigger!

Happy New Year to all of you!

For those of you that are stuck for gift ideas, here are a few of my favorites that I thought you might consider for options. Some of the ones for older kids, I had to go by bestsellers since my kids are both toddlers:

TOYS

Baby – Toddler
Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Tea Set

LeapFrog My Pal Violet

LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table

Touch and Feel Books

ExerSaucers

Tiny Love Super Deluxe Lights & Music Gymini Activity Gym

Tupperware’s Shape O Toy

Leapfrog Baby Counting Pal

Marpac SleepMate Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner – For light-sleeping babies. But more of a gift for the parents. This is the only way I got sleep with my daughter!

Busy Zoo Activity Center – Target used to sell this a lot cheaper. Some may still carry it.

Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Activity Walker – Both of my kids used this help to learn to walk

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Piggy Bank

Fisher-Price Corn Popper Push Toy

Toddler

Push Around Buggy

Step2 Easel For Two

LeapFrog Scribble and Write

LeapFrog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Alphabet Set and Fridge Words Magnetic Word Builder

Fisher-Price Little People Noah’s Ark

Fisher-Price Little People Build ‘n Fun – several different sets. They are like a larger version of Legos.

Melissa & Doug Shopping Cart – The toy that is most requested by kids to their parents when they have left our house!

Melissa and Doug Sets – My kids love the pizza, ice cream parlor and cookie ones.

Melissa & Doug See & Spell – This one has helped my son learn to spell quite a few words along with….

Word World DVDs – I cannot say enough good things about this show. And it’s on PBS in case you’ve never seen it.

My Very Own House – Price these as I’ve seen them for $19.99 on sale during the holidays.

Playskool Alphie – Haven’t tested this one but it’s my kids’ (and a lot of other’s kids’) lists this year

Melissa & Doug Jumbo Knob Puzzles

Older Kids

S107 Helicopter

Nintendo DSi

LEGO Ultimate Building Set

Loopz Game

Bananagrams

LeapFrog Leapster 2 Learning Game System

LeapFrog TAG Reading System

KITCHEN ITEMS

Zyliss Handheld Pizza Wheel – one of my favorite kitchen gadgets

Keurig Mini Personal Single-Serve Brewing System – I have this and love that it doesn’t take up much space and that it offers tea, coffee and hot chocolate options in the K-cups.

Waring Pro Professional Popcorn Maker – Perfect for making movie nights fun.

Oxo Good Grips Items – I especially like the meat tenderizer, pastry scraper, veggie peeler and potato masher.

OXO Good Grips Batter Bowl – I love this for making pancakes, waffles or cupcakes.

Cuisinart 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Dome Cover – The pan that gets used the most at our house.

Chef’n Nesting Bowls 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set – I love these because they have a pour spout on them.

Chicago Cutlery Walnut Tradition 3-Inch Paring/Boning Knife – One of my faves for chopping veggies.

MOVIES & DVDs

Glee: The Complete First Season – This show is definitely unique in its humor–and slushies!

The Sound of Music 45th Anniversary Edition Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo – One of my favorite classics!

Modern Family: The Complete First Season – I haven’t seen this one but have heard good things about it.

Toy Story DVDs/BluRays – Amazingly each movie is just as good as the first!

Jillian Michaels – 30 Day Shred – Awesome workout that I highly recommend!

VIDEO GAMES

Mario Kart Wii – One of my faves for adults and kids alike. You can even play with friends from across the states. We had about 9 people from all over the U.S. all playing this together in the comfort of our own homes.

EA Sports Active – This is like having your own personal trainer right in your living room!

Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!

Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Smart Boys: Gameroom

Smart Girls: Playhouse

EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp for Wii – Possibly a gift idea for a football fan

EA Sports Active 2 – The newest version of EA Sports Active.

Zumba Fitness – This one’s on my list this year.

BOOKS

My Book Picks – You can check out the books I’ve been reading this year.

Kid’s Book Picks – You can check out some of the books I read to my kids this summer. (and readers left comments of what they were reading, if you need more ideas)

The Complete Little House Nine-Book Set – Great set for adults or kids. I plan on re-reading these next year.

MISC.

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Gift Sets – They sent me some of these to check out and I really loved the Winter Dream Tea Latte Mug Set and Cafe Mocha Gift Set. The mugs are squared off and a really great size. Not to mention, everything else was yummy!

Photo Gifts – I’ve ordered most of my photo gifts from SeeHere. They have photo mugs, blankets, photo calendars, mini-books and more.

Kailo Chic Women’s Pleated Laptop Tote – This is the laptop bag that I have and it’s just gorgeous. I receive a lot of compliments on it. (Green Hexagon color)

Kindle – A hot item on a lot of lists this year.

Fluval Edge 6 Gal. Aquarium Set – This is a 3D Fish Tank. I got one (in black) for my birthday and I love it! Just make sure you read all the details on what fish you can have in it, etc.

Apple iPod touch 8 GB (4th Generation) – This item was on a lot of your lists so I thought I’d include it.

Note: Some items were sent to me to consider for my gift guide. I have only included the ones that I truly thought were good gift ideas.

I just wanted to take a minute to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

I am very thankful for all my blessings–including all of you. Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to stop by and visit and for sharing your stories and comments with me.

I’ll be enjoying some quality time with my family today —and resting up for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals! Hoping you all get in some great family time and some yummy food, too!

You can get Free Standard Shipping at Build-a-Bear with code 95624.

Just thought I’d share in case these were on your list or if you needed some accessories.

You can sign-up for a $1/2 Bar-S Franks Printable Coupon.

Thanks, Money Saving Madness!

The Giant Party Store has the Appreciation Station Treasure Chest marked down to $29.63. This is a  system for moms, teachers, day cares, etc. to use to give rewards for good behavior.

You can check out Coupon Cabin for a code for either 20% off or Free Shipping.

Thanks for sharing, Carrie.

Pinecone Research is taking applications for new members of their survey groups. They open it up to different groups at different times, depending on where the openings are at that time. Right now, they are looking for female panelists between 18 – 24.

If you fall into this group and would like to earn a little extra money, be sure to apply to see if you’ll be accepted into their group.

I haven’t tried this one yet, but I’ve heard good things about them. I believe they pay around $3 for surveys but be sure to read all the details when you sign-up to verify.

It’s so amazing how much you learn from the first day you start blogging. At first, the hardest part is coming up with your blog name and what your content will be.  Then it’s how to find  readers and bloggers to share your love of blogging with. And then you find out, there’s a whole other side to blogging called “technical stuff.” OK, that’s just what I call it because I know very little about it.   But I’m working on learning some of it as I go along.

But I was incredibly fortunate to have found a great friendship in Zack from Coupon Dad –and I now have the peace of mind that my blog is safely in amazing hands. Friday evening, Zack helped me switch Coupon Geek to a new server that we felt had better security options and could handle the traffic levels for the future.

The transfer went smooth and flawless. I was expecting it to take much longer but it actually was finished earlier on Saturday.  But I still took advantage of a day off and had a fabulous day with my family.

We took our annual trip to Boggio’s in Granville, IL.  It’s a drive for us but since I always get to see my sisters and their families, it’s worth every mile. My daughter had her first apple picking outing. And the kids had a blast climbing through the tunnels, onto of the hay tower, jumping in the corn pit, sliding down the huge apple treehouse slide and even feeding the animals they had there.  (That’s her above feeding some of the goats.) And as an extra bonus, we “splurged” and paid for each of them to have a $4 Pony Ride. I’m pretty sure my daughter will become obsessed with My Little Ponies now, as she was just overjoyed that you could actually ride on a horse.

But I’m not sure I could have had such a good time if I didn’t have such a smooth server transfer. So I just wanted to take a minute and send out a special thank you to my friend and tech support, Zack! I highly recommend him if you struggle with tech stuff like I do.

And thank you to all of you for being so patient when I wasn’t able to get the normal postings up. Many thanks—and I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend, too!