$100 Challenge Week 2 and giveaway winner

So spending $100 or less looks like it is going to be harder than I thought. Partly because I didn't do much grocery shopping for most of December because we were out of town so much. The end of week 1 and I've already spent almost half my budget. However, I now have enough produce to last me at least a couple weeks.
Here's the breakdown:

•  Bountiful Basket- $15 (cucumber, radishes, lettuce, spinach. avocados, broccoli, tomatoes, oranges, apples, bananas, pears, grapes, and blackberries)
•  Italian Pack- $8.50 (eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, garlic and fresh herbs. If you have never tried this you should, it makes my fridge and kitchen smell like heaven.)
•  38 lb case of tangerines- $15
•  BB handling fee- $1.50

 But then I split the case of tangerines with two friends, so they each gave me back $5.
Produce total= $30

• milk- $1.61 after coupon
• olive oil- 2 (17 oz) bottles @ $1.99 each (How can I resist that price?)
• Yoplait yogurts- 10 @ 40 cents each (When my children request healthy snacks I really try to make it work. And this is a challenge, not a punishment.)

Grocery total $40.03 (including tax)

I never made Taco Soup last week, because we had enough leftovers to cover meals without. Nor did I make wheatberry salsa, but both of will hit the menu again this week because I opened  tortilla chips for the BBQ Wheat salad and I want to use those before they go stale. In fact BBQ Wheat salad is making a reappearance because I have all the ingredients for it and Thing 1 has decided that she really likes it (as do my husband and I). Also my children requested (and gobbled) scrambled eggs with mushrooms and toast. Fine. Little do they know that I made it with half dry powdered eggs. (I'm still getting them to eat healthy meals built around my food storage, so I'm happy.)

Breakfast and Lunch are more or less the same story as last week. Variety is not a priority for my children. I will also make muffins out of one of the instant mixes that is in the pantry.

Dinner

Eggplant Parmesean

Taco Soup

BBQ Wheat Salad

Fresh Pesto and Pasta (Pasta and Red Sauce for the kids)
Tomato Basil Soup with toasted rosemary sourdough bread
Green Eggs and Ham (Made with spinach)
leftovers

Snacks and Sides
fresh fruit
Wheatberry Salsa
roasted zucchini with caramelized tomatoes

fresh veggies and dip
green salad
yogurt

And the winner of I Dare You to Eat It by Liesa Card is April Evans. Congrats! Now you are on your way to tasty and realistic adventures with food storage. Stay tuned for another giveaway later this week.

$100 Challenge and Menu Week 1

Happy New Year everyone!
 So it's a new year and one of my resolutions is to organize (and maintain) my pantry. In order to do this I need to clean it out, which from what I've read is something that you should do once a year anyway. So I'm going to try to live off my pantry this month and to make it slightly more realistic I'm giving myself a budget of $100 for groceries (food storage meals go down easier with some fresh produce). So this month I'll give you a rundown of how much I'm spending and what we're eating. Hopefully it will give you some ideas to use your own food storage and save some money. And there will be prizes!
 So here's what we're eating this week. (I have to have multiple meals sometimes because my husband is a vegetarian and I have my own dietary restrictions.) On weekends and holidays, I tend to make big batches of breakfast foods like waffles and use the leftovers throughout the next week. This week I'm also focusing on using a lot produce that's in my fridge.

Breakfast
Pumpkin Waffles
Baked Apple Pancakes
granola
cold cereal
oatmeal

Lunch
sandwiches
leftovers
mac and cheese (for the kids)

Dinner
BBQ Chicken and Wheat Salad (without the chicken)
Stir-fried Green Beans & Brown Rice and Tropical Sweet Potato Casserole
Hawaiian Haystacks
Red Pepper Pesto and Pasta
Taco Soup (Vegetarian style)
leftovers

Snacks
Wheatberry Salsa and chips
fresh apples
canned peaches
smoothies
crackers and cheese

Now for this weeks giveaway: I'm going to give away a copy of I Dare You To Eat It by Liesa Card. This is my favorite food storage book. If you have no idea where to start with your food storage, this book is a great starting place. It's full of tips and ideas that make using your food storage feasible. Here's what you have to do to enter:

1. Be a follower of Secrets of Mom (required) and comment on this post.
2. Join the $100 Challenge and comment.
3. Share your favorite food storage recipe.
4. Share this post on twitter.

The winner will be chosen using a random number generator. The giveaway ends at midnight on Sunday January 8, 2012. The winner will be announced Monday morning. Keep checking for more recipes and giveaways throughout the month.

Planetarium Giveaway Winner

The winner of the Clark Planetarium Ticket vouchers is Deanna who made comment #16. Congratulations! And thanks to everyone who entered.

Clark Planetarium and Giveaway

While we were visiting the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum, we also stopped by the Clark Planetarium. Admission to the Planetarium itself, is free for all ages. The Planetarium includes 19 interactive exhibits and depending on how curious your children are you can probably get through them in 45 minutes to an hour. The exhibits include playing with prisms and light, learning about the solar system, how much you would weigh on another planet, telescopes, meteorites, pendulums and powering light bulbs. If you're in the area it's definitely worth a stop.

Thing 2 exploring Mars

 Inside the planetarium is an IMAX theater where you can see current Hollywood films, cosmic light shows or documentaries. The schedule and pricing can be found here. Now for the giveaway: I am giving away a voucher for 4 tickets to the Clark Planetarium Theater plus a voucher for 2 medium popcorns. ($43 value) The voucher is good for any documentary in the IMAX theater and expires on November 30, 2011. It would make for a fun afternoon activity with the family.
How to enter:
1. Follow me through Google Friend Connect and post a comment on this post. (Required)
Extras:
2. Follow me on twitter and leave a comment below. (If you already follow me, just leave a comment)
3. Tweet about this giveaway including the link to this post and leave a comment with a link saying you did so.

The giveaway runs through July 31, 2011 at 2359 MST. The winner will be selected through Random.org and the winner will be announced August 1, 2011 and must respond within 48 hours. I realize this is prize that is of more value to those who live in or near Utah. If you are selected you have to promise that you will actually use the vouchers before they expire. Good luck!

$85 CSN Gift Certificate Winner

The winner of the January giveaway is Barbara Montag. Congratulations!

January Giveaway: $85 CSN gift certificate

Let's start the new year with a giveaway. This month's giveaway is provided by CSN stores where you find almost anything under the sun, including modern duvet covers. One lucky winner will receive a $85 gift certificate to use at CSN stores. Here's how to win: Become a follower of Secrets of Mom through GFC and leave a comment. (Old and loyal followers just have to leave a comment.) For an additional entry you can share this giveaway on Facebook.  For two extra entries you can blog about it and leave me a link to the blogpost in the comments. This giveaway runs through January 31, 2011 at 11:59 MST. The winner will be selected using a random number generator. Good Luck. If you live outside of the United States, CSN international shipping rates apply.

Ornament Winner #3

The winner of the Nativity Story Ornaments is Jocelyn of We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ. Congratulations! Thanks to Ceder View Christian Gifts for donating these ornaments, and thanks again to riricreations and Mike's Wood Craft for donating the ornaments for the other giveaways this month.

Christmas Ornament Giveaway #3- Nativity Story Set

All right, it's time for our last nativity ornament giveaway. This week's giveaway is provided by Cedar View Christian Gifts.

This four piece ornament set features Mary and Joseph's trip to Judea, the three wise men traveling to see the new born King, Shepherds in the field enveloped by the glory of the Lord, and the Holy family upon the birth of Jesus and the corresponding scriptures. Cedar View Gifts was so gracious as to send me a set for myself and I have to say that they look even better in real life than they do in the photograph. I really, really love that each ornament has the corresponding scripture on it and that the set illustrates more of the story than the average nativity ornament. Plus check out the detail. It totally made my day to get these in the mail and hang them on my tree. I hope you guys are as excited at the chance to have this beautiful ornament set in your home as I was. Here's how to win it: 1. Tell me about your favorite Christmas story. 2. Check out Cedar View Gifts and tell me about your favorite item from their shop. 3. Become a follower of Secrets of Mom through GFC and leave a comment. (Or if you are already a follower, just leave a comment.) 4. Share this giveaway on Facebook. The giveaway runs through December 17, 2010 at 7 pm, and the winner will be selected from the comments using a random number generator.

Ornament Winner #2

The winner of my second ornament giveaway is Debbie. Congratulations! Debbie, shoot me an email with your contact info so we can get it sent off to you. And thank you again to Mike's Wood Crafts and riricreations for donating their ornaments. Come back Monday for one more nativity ornament giveaway.

Check out this Bounce House Giveaway!

Um, so yeah this is pretty darn awesome. Crazy Coupon Mommy is having a bounce house giveaway on her site. You should definitely check it out. I really think this is the best blog giveaway that I have encountered as of yet. I could totally use one of those.

Christmas Ornament Giveaway #2-Cherrywood Nativity Set

Are you ready for a chance to win more beautiful nativity ornaments from another talented artist? This week's ornaments come from Mike's Wood Crafts.

This set of three ornaments is handmade from cherry wood and features the Holy Family, the wisemen and the shepherds. I love the way the figures tell the story, although they are made of wood, they aren't "stiff". I like how the camels and shepherd seem to be caught in motion.
To enter (1) tell me about your favorite Christmas memory. For additional entries (2) you can check out Mike's Etsy shop and leave a comment mentioning something of interest there. (3) Become a follower of Secrets of Mom through GFC (or if already follow, just leave a comment). (4) Share this giveaway on Facebook. This giveaway runs through Friday December 10, 2010 at 12:00 pm MST. A winner will be chosen Friday afternoon using a random number generator. Good Luck.

Ornament Winner

And the winner of this week's ornament is Mindy. Congratulations! Check back next Monday for a chance to win another great nativity ornament.

Christmas Ornament Giveaway #1-Believe in Miracles

Hooray it's Christmas time! That means it's time to decorate. Long ago I made the decision to try to keep my Christmas decorations focused on the Savior and His birth, to help remind me it's not about the stress or the glitter, it's about a miracle. This also means that I am always on the lookout for great Christmas ornaments with a Nativity theme, especially ones that are just a little different. Although this year I have a plastic tote and a half of my collection that are staying packed because I can't replace them, they're fragile, and my darling son has the obedience of a goldfish.  Recently I found some beautiful nativity ornaments through Etsy and a few very talented and generous artists who were willing to share with my readers.

Our first week's ornament comes from riricreations (who is btw offering free shipping for Cyber Monday and some deals for her shop anniversary this week). To win it: 1. Tell me about you help your family to focus on the real meaning of Christmas. For additional entries 2. Check out riricreations and comment below on one item you like from her shop. 3. Become a follower of Secrets of Mom through GFC and leave a comment (or just leave a comment if you already are). 4. Share this giveaway on Facebook and leave a comment. The giveaway will run until Friday December 3, 2010 at 12:00 MST. The winner will be selected using a random number generator and announced Friday afternoon. Then Rita will send off the winner's ornament off in time to be enjoyed for the holidays. Good Luck!

Blog Lovin'

My friend Lindsay is having a giveaway on her blog that certainly has the potential to make at least one holiday evening easier for someone. Lindsay blogs at iheartmotherhood.blogspot.com about being a cake decorator, mother of two and surviving culinary school. (Plus she is one of my little brother's very good friends, and was in the marching band that I also once belonged to. We band geeks stick together :D.) Go check out her giveaway and give her a little blog lovin'.

Also on Monday I will be guest posting on Fun On A Dime, a place full of easy and inexpensive ideas for things to do with your family. I'm sure there will be many awesome ideas for things to do this holiday season. Also worth checking out.

The Happy Housewife is having a contest for lemon recipes. (Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I have a real weakness for desserts involving lemons.) If you have one to share you could win a $25 giftcard to Amazon.

Tips on Freezing Meats

 Properly freezing meats can make the difference between a  delicious convenient meal that saved you time and money or a meal that is dry, tough and something to be endured.  Marinade is your friend. Yesterday I bought some boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale, divided them into plastic freezer bags, added some Italian dressing and lemon pepper (which is also my favorite marinade for fish), and popped them in the freezer for use at a later date. I use this method any time I find meat that I like on sale. Prepared salad dressings make great marinades, as do the packets of dry marinade mix when you can get a good deal on them. ;) Learn from my experience, do not just put a value pack of meat in the freezer. It will make meal preparation very inconvenient when you have to defrost it. Trust me.
Recently I came across this video from Kraft about buying, storing and freezing meats. I thought it was useful and informative, so here you go. Some of the info I learned from taking cooking classes, but there were a few tips that were totally new to me. Also, Kraft is having a giveaway of $2,500 towards a kitchen remodel that is worth checking out.

Beauty and the Beast Combo Pack Winner

And the winner is "My name means wisdom". Congratulations!

Getting Ready for Christmas & October Giveaway

Yes, yes I know it is not even Halloween yet. However my kids' birthdays are in November and December and if I don't start planning for the holidays way in advance, the holidays aren't fun. They're busy, stressful and more expensive.
 Here are some of the things that I've been stowing away over the past few months:

• a couple Littlest Pet Shops from Target (used a B1G1 coupon combined with a sale) 
• eight books (including some activity books) gathered from various sales (I generally only spend $4 or less on children's books)
• a wooden alphabet abacus from GraveyardMall.com ($7)
• a few Tag reader books from Walmart clearance & LeapFrog.com (used my coupons and the LF.com sale is still going through the end October)
• a couple movies (great deals + coupons)
• a few Melissa and Doug puzzles from B&N.com (@ 70% off)
• a couple M&D magnifying glasses from B&N.com (same sale)
• coloring books and new crayons (at $1 each or less)
• a Toy Story Lego set from B&N.com (that sale is still going through 10/24)
• multiple small items for stocking stuffers and "shoe gifts" (In my husband's family they have a tradition that on the 12 Days of Christmas, an elf left a tiny present in one of their shoes. It's one that we continued.) 
• plus I found a really great idea to make for the extended family (I'd share here, but once in awhile my family does read my blog and that would ruin the surprise.)

And this is the one that I am really excited about.

 One day my super cute friend sent me a text asking if my daughter like Disney Princesses. Of course. She collected porcelain dolls when she was young, was getting rid of stuff and was wondering if I would be interested in taking them off her hands. There were these, plus two others that aren't in the boxes. It is going to make a fantastic set-up for Christmas morning. My husband  plans on making her a cabinet to keep them safe from her little brother. I'm so excited for how excited she's going to be! I'm done with my shopping for her and some for my son and I've spent about $120. I'm pretty happy thus far, some items they have requested, a few they wouldn't have thought of, and several 'learning toys'.

Now for the October giveaway: Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack plus Disney Princess soundtrack, to take one more item off your Christmas shopping list.  (Were you as excited as I was, to hear that this one was finally coming to DVD again?)

Here's how you can win it: 1. (Required) Be a follower and leave a comment stating your interest. 2. (Extra) Share one way you get ready for the holidays without losing your sanity. Be specific, not just 'I shop early', for example 'I hit x sale at y store', or 'I make z dish and freeze it' 3. (Extra) Share a deal you have found on one of your Christmas gifts for this year. 4. (Extra) 'Like' this post on Facebook (Button at bottom of post) and leave a comment here. 5. (Extra) Read one of these these posts Be A Hero, Be the Match or Folic Acid- A Key To Healthy Babies, share the info with someone and leave a comment here. (Because these are issues I care about, and I want people to be aware of how simple actions can make a huge difference.) Giveaway runs through October 31, 2010 at 23:59. The winner will be announced on November 1, 2010. The winner be selected using a random number generator. Only residents of the United States are eligible. Good Luck.

Time Saving Secrets for Moms plus Linky & Giveaway

I have two full-time jobs. I take care of sick kids and then I take care of my kids. Since I have gone back to work full-time in recent months I'm finding that sometimes my time is more valuable than money. My job as a mom is so important. My kids will never be 2 & 4 again. Now is the time that I need to be with them, to let them know that they are loved and help them to learn so they can grow into strong and productive people. Now is the time to enjoy their discoveries. However, this doesn't change the fact that my husband is currently going to school more than full-time and somebody has to pay the bills. (This is a short-term situation, only 2 semesters and then we're back to part-time working mommy. :D) So I thought I would share a few ways that I have found to cut corners without cutting out what is important.

1. I buy my diapers from Amazon. I hate buying diapers. I hate that they are so expensive, they're just going in the garbage. I hate that whenever there's a really good deal on them if I am not at the store within the first 3 hours there aren't any left in the size I need. However, if you buy them by the case from Amazon they are delivered to your house within 2 days (free shipping, baby) and are a significantly better deal than your average Walmart/Target prices, even without coupons. And you can have them shipped to you on a regular basis so you don't even have to think about it. I love that.
2. Bountiful Baskets I know lots of people have been talking about how wonderful this produce co-op is for awhile, and I finally jumped on the bandwagon. (I was somewhat afraid that if I bought one most of it would go to waste before we could use it. I hate wasting food.) I split a basket with a friend and got a lot of fresh produce, for less money and less time than if I had gone to the store/farmer's market myself. Plus I love the randomness. It forces me to add variety to our diet. 
3. I hired a cleaning service. This one was a little painful at first, and made me feel somewhat guilty paying someone to do something I can do myself. I just wanted someone to help me with the deep cleaning, which I really just don't have time to get to. It is kind of expensive to have someone else come and clean my house, but they can clean at least twice as fast as I can and more thoroughly (probably at an even faster rate if you take into account they are not distracted by small munchkins.) After they were done, I was so happy. I love it when my house is clean. It removes so much stress. And the next day I had off instead of worrying about cleaning my house I played with my kids. It was great.
4. I've stopped clipping coupons. Well sort of. I only clip the ones I need. Here's the system I use.
5. I use my food storage. (Usually with the aid of my crock pot) I know that I talk about food storage a lot, but since I've been working more I have been using it more than usual. When I plan my meals around what I have, not only am I saving money I also spend far less time grocery shopping. It may sound a little crazy, but give it a try and see if using your food storage doesn't make your life easier.

Now for the very first linky on my blog! Share what brilliant time saving hacks you have found that give you more time for the things that really matter. And of course a giveaway. This month I'm giving away a $20 Amazon giftcard. So here's how you can win it.

1. Be a follower. New or old, it doesn't matter. Just leave a comment telling me that you are interested in the giveaway. And if you don't follow through Google Friend Connect, just mention how you do follow.
2. Link up a time saving secret. Or you can just leave one in the comments.
3. Become my friend on Facebook. (FB is where I talk about any great deals that I am snagging, and if you're my friend and I find a great FB offer I will pass it on to you.)

 This giveaway runs from now until September 28, 2010 at 2359 MST. The winner will be announced September 29, 2010.

Giveaway Winner

The winner of the August Giveaway is April.  Congratulations! You will receive an email with your gift certificate code. Thank you to everyone who entered and especially to those who shared tips and recipes.

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler and a Giveaway

Right now we are planning a extended family camping trip. Camping means cooking in a Dutch oven. :) And I thought I would share my favorite super easy dutch oven dessert recipe. I believed I learned this back at girl's camp...awhile ago.

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
1 large (20 oz) can of peaches (don't drain)
1  (12 oz) can of Sprite/ 7-Up/ Sierra Mist (just make sure it isn't diet.)
1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 lb butter (1 stick)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Prepare charcoals (10 for the bottom and 14 for the top). 2. Spray inside of dutch oven with non-stick cooking spray. 3. Dump peaches with juice into dutch oven. 4. Sprinkle cake mix over peaches. 5. Cut butter into small chunks and distribute over cake mix. 6. Pour lemon-lime carbonated beverage of choice over cake mix. Don't stir! 7. Sprinkle with cinnamon. 8. Place lid over cake, cover with coals and allow to cook until cake is lightly browned on top and the sides pull away from oven (About 30-35 minutes) Test center with a toothpick. Cold leftovers make a great breakfast, if there are any.

And it's giveaway time! This month's giveaway is another $40 CSN gift certificate that you can use towards anything you please from one of their more than two hundred stores! Here's how to enter: 1. You must follow SecretsofMom and leave a comment telling me how (RSS, blogger, etc). For additional entries you can 2. Share your favorite dutch oven recipe in a comment below. 3. Share a great camping tip that you have. 4. Follow me on twitter. 5. Follow me on Facebook. This giveaway is open until August 31st, 2010. The winner will be announced Sept 1st. The winner will be selected using a random number generator. Only open to residents of the US and Canada. Canadian residents must pay international shipping rates at CSN stores.