Disclosure: This post is part of a promotional program with HP and MomSelect; opinions shared are mine.

Be honest – when you go back to school shopping, do you tend to stick to the printed school supply list?  I’m totally guilty of that, too.  Our school system took great care to minimize expenses for parents, whittling down the list to the bare essentials.  In my classroom, we don’t collect all the kids’ pencils to put in a “community” box or anything.  The supplies that students bring belong only to them.  However, I realized that my personal children would also need to have a good reserve of school supplies at home in order to support their learning.  When my daughter was working on her summer reading project and needed to print her report, I realized that it was time to stock up on printer ink, paper, and the like to keep at our house!

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Disclosure: This post and giveaway form contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the link, I may earn a small commission. That’s how I pay for giveaways like this one!

Convenience is the name of the game at my house. We try to find products that will save us time and money, and we like to save time and money on our shopping experience, too! Amazon provides the best of both worlds in that regard. We buy a lot of our pet supplies from Amazon because of the low prices and fast, free shipping. They have so many cute ideas for pet items, including the trendy ugly sweater!  I hate having to go to the pet store because my kids want to look down every single aisle – it takes forever!  Shopping on Amazon takes seconds, and it’s often less expensive than our local PetSmart.

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Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation; giveaway winner will be randomly selected. I received a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

There are many ways to touch the soul. Fellowship. Food. Music. Pizza Ranch might just be one of the first to do it using all three, at least through pizza.  Haven’t heard of Pizza Ranch? Neither had I!   This unique eatery boasts 190+ nationwide locations. If you live in the midwest, you’ve likely heard of them, as they operate in many states: Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.  Pizza Ranch has an extraordinary vision. Their mission is to glorify God by positively impacting the world, and to give each guest a legendary experience.  They accomplish this through six homegrown pizza recipes, from founder Adrie Groeneweg’s mom Lorraine.  In June, Pizza Ranch expanded their offerings to include the Living Hope CD. This album contains twelve songs from contemporary Christian artists, including Colton Dixon, Francesca Batistelli, Ellie Holcomb, Sidewalk Prophets, Kevin Max, Bart Millard, Passion Band featuring Kristian Stanfill, Michael W. Smith, and Mark Schultz.  When our family chooses to eat at a restaurant, we love it when that business has a family-friendly atmosphere. Playing Christian music is always a bonus.

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Aflac. I was compensated for writing it, but all opinions are 100 percent mine.

Teaching 6th graders means that you must have a rhino-like thick skin. Kids are brutally honest, even when they’re trying to be kind and sweet. I’ve been teaching this grade for 18 years, and it keeps me young. Sometimes I forget that I’m not that 23-year-old first year teacher anymore because the kids are still 11. Every once in a while, they remind me by commenting about something I’ve said — “Who’s Mighty Mouse?” is a favorite. Then there was the day when one of my well-meaning charges told me how much she liked my hair. “I like your highlights!” she gushed. I was confused for a moment, since I hadn’t been to the salon in ages. Then I realized that she meant my GRAY STREAKS. She thought I did that on purpose. Oh, my heart. I have to wonder if the women in this ad felt a little bit like that. Some things are more important than hair, though. When you need an insurance claim to be quickly handled, a stylist might not be your best bet. An Aflac policy, which pays cash benefits, can help you get out of a bind. Consider their supplemental insurance policies, which pay out regardless of other insurance you might hold. Aflac is insurance for daily living….kind of like that styling emergency.  Their new One Day Pay^℠ promise makes sure that your life doesn’t get off track due to an unexpected setback.  After all, isn’t that why you buy insurance?

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Disclosure: I received this product to review. Opinions shared are mine.

For as long as I could remember, I’d always had the small bumps on my upper arm.  They itched and bothered me during the winter, but I don’t think I ever mentioned them to my mom. When my hands started to become dry and cracked in the winter, I took it in stride. People stared, asking what happened, and I shrugged it off. Sometimes I wore gloves to cover the bleeding cracks in my skin. Getting a pedicure was also embarrassing because my heels were always so terribly dry.  For some reason, I never thought to mention these things to my doctor until I had to see a dermatologist for another, unrelated reason. The specialist told me that all of these issues were caused by eczema.  I was so surprised! My kids struggled with eczema, but it was always a red rash, nothing like what I experienced.  That’s why I was really excited to try the TrueLipids Ultimate Eczema Kit. Immediately, my thirsty skin drank in the moisture!  Thanks to this generous sponsor, one lucky reader will win an identical set. You can also use code CLMDSave20 to save 20% on your purchase, if you just can’t wait until the giveaway is over! [Read more…]

We’ve been busy with trying to sell our home, trying to buy a new home, and still enjoying the sunny days of summer. There have been many days when I’ve rushed out of the house for a showing, then tried to get home in time to host friends and family for an impromptu get-together. Quick-to-fix healthy foods are my saving grace, and I often need to rely on convenient items like these Strawberry or Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars from Fiber One. You can even save a little cash by using this exclusive Publix coupon from 7/16/15 to 7/29/15! This is a great way to indulge while watching the calories. Here’s how to make your tasty treat in just a few seconds!
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Whenever we go to Ryan’s, my kids check out the family room to see if there’s something going on. That’s because every Thursday is Family Night at Ryan’s. They’ve got a real treat for the kids this summer. Starting July 2, 2015 and continuing weekly until August 31, 2015, the restaurants will offer an assortment of fun props for Family Night. These include tiger headbands, elephant and other Jungle-inspired headpieces that will transform families into their favorite wildlife creatures. The Go Wild! Jungle Fun Dress-Up accessories will be available for use every Thursday night from 5 to 8 p.m. at participating restaurants. Dinner guests can take pictures of their jungle-dressed kids and make quality, precious memories that they can keep forever. We’re receiving a party pack to try out, and Ryan’s is giving one lucky reader the same pack!   Ryan’s®, HomeTown® Buffet, and Old Country Buffet® are inviting families to explore a new adventure on Thursday Family Nights through August 31, 2015.  [Read more…]

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by AZO. Opinions shared are mine.  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This products is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.  I am not a doctor, so check with your physician if you have any health concerns.

Berries are indulgent and visually stimulating all year round.  Chances are good that you’ve got gorgeous berry shades in your makeup kit, as well as berries in your fridge.  You know that berries keep you beautiful from the inside out, but do you get a good variety of berries to maximize their benefits? Cranberries are easily overlooked when the seasons change from winter to spring.   The rich round gem does more for your body than you might think.  Be sure to enter the Berry Beautiful Sweepstakes for a chance to win great beauty products!  [Read more…]

Hot dogs were the star of many childhood memories for me.  Roasted over a campfire, sliced and cooked in beans, or drenched in rich chili — hot dogs are a summer staple. When Krystal sent me this prize pack, it was like those summer days shining back on my mind.  Revisit your inner hot dog fan now through August at Krystal. It’s  National Hot Dog Month with a special day on July 23!  Your local Krystal® is celebrating all summer long with “Add a Pup for $0.99” pricing on Krystal® Pups, Corn Pups, or Chili Pups. Purchase of any menu item, and enjoy the mini hot dogs for just 99-cents each. Super deal, right?!  There’s no limit to the number of Pups that can be added to each order — but it’s only available through August, so take advantage of this great special.   Additionally, every Tuesday in month of July, Krystal E-Club members can receive one free Pup!   Head here and register to get your free yummy.  Be sure to come back and enter this giveaway for a Krystal prize pack just like mine!   [Read more…]