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Movie Night in Meridians Setters Park

Grab your family, friends, and neighbors this summer and join Meridian Parks and Recreation for CableONE Movie Night in Meridian!  Every Friday in June, July, and August (some exceptions) we’ll set up our huge inflatable movie screen in Meridian Settlers Park (Meridian Rd. & Ustick) and take in a family-friendly movie.  Here’s the best part - IT’S FREE!  So bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and movie pals and enjoy a summer of fun with Meridian Parks and Recreation!  All movies start at dusk. http://www.meridiancity.org/parks_rec.aspx?id=222

CableONE Movie Night in Meridian 2009 Schedule

July 3rd
Star Wars: The Clone Wars

July 10th
Hotel for Dogs

July 17th
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
**Free 3D glasses for the first 2,000 people**

July 24th
The Princess Bride

July 31st
Kung Fu Panda

August 7th
Madagascar:
Escape 2 Africa

August 14th
Horton Hears a Who

August 21st
The Sound of Music

August 28th
The Tale of Despereaux

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Great Deal On Stay-cation 5th Person FREE $750 ALL-INCLUSIVE

I love the great outdoors and with our budget even tighter this year we will be taking advantage of local staycations.  Not only are staycations convenient but they can be very economical.

I contacted a highly recommended white water river outfitter and negotiated a great price for a group (12-19) of us to experience an all-inclusive 3 day white water experience. I was so impressed with our trip and the great deal we got I couldn’t keep this to myself. For MomsFirstStop.com readers, this summer ONLY, I negotiated a sweet staycation:

–
Jacob & Tricia Warren, Owners
North Star River Expeditions, Inc.
PO Box 906
McCall, ID 83638
208-634-2296
877-610-3200

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Take Your Kids to the Movies For FREE

REG’s Free Family Film Festival is Now Showing!
When school’s out, kids around the country visit selected Regal theatres for the Free Family Film Festival. It’s a fun-filled nine weeks of movies for kids and parents. Since 1991, Regal has provided this service to the community, and best of all it’s FREE!
Selected G & PG movies start at 10AM each Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. First-come, first-served seating is limited to theatre capacity. The Free Family Film Festival is safe, lots of fun and a great way for kids to spend a weekday morning in the summer.
Tickets for our 2009 Free Family Film Festival are exclusively available at select theatres’ box office on the day of the show.
You can also select a state from the link below to find participating theatres in your area along with what films are playing each week!
http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx?state=ID

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Father’s Day Freebies & Fun

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to show the dad in your life how much you love and appreciate them.  Take the time this Sunday and treat the dad in your life to something special.  Here are just a few ideas that won’t hurt your wallet BUT will share some love.

Free Cone at TCBY
At certain http://www.tcby.com/ (say it with us…only some locations…) Dads are entitled to a free cone or cup full of tasty frozen yogurt! Call ahead to be sure that your location is participating, then head on over on June 21!

Free Entrée at T.G.I. Friday’s
Through June 22 you can take Dad out for lunch or dinner and get his meal free. Friday’s has a http://www.tgifridays.com/ entrée coupon that will entitle you to a free entrée.

Free $10 Gift Card
For Father’s Day you can take Pop to Outback and choose from a special new menu of 15 meals under $15. What’s even better is that at the end of the meal Dad will walk away with a free $10 gift card to use on his next trip. http://www.outback.com/foodandmenus/fathersday2009.aspx

Carinos Italian http://www.playpick2.com/ Win free food instantly.

Wendy’s Father’s Day Frosty Weekendhttp://www.wendys.com/

CVS.com coupon: Free 8×10″ print CVS Photo Center offers an http://www.cvsphoto.com/home.aspx for free via coupon code “FREE8X10″. That’s the best such offer we’ve seen from CVS. Shipping adds 99 cents or opt for free in-store pickup. Coupon ends June 21.

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Visit Milan For $10

A week ago I treated myself to a wonderful facial.  It was a little piece of heaven to be in a quiet room being pampered and to make the experience even better I got a great deal.  I paid $10 for an hour long facial which included a very nice neck and arm massage.  This was exactly what I needed to relax, rejuvenate and my skin looks vibrant. No kidding, I was carded at the grocery store and the twenty something clerk said “you look MUCH younger than you are”.  I almost cried, that was the best compliment I have had in a while.
I want this experience for you too so I called Milan Institute http://milaninstitute.edu/and convinced them to give MomsFirstStop.com readers a great deal on several of their services.
$8.99 Basic Pedicure *print coupon
$10 Basic Facial
$18 Swedish Massage
25% off all Peels

**For the Boise area call 321-2870 or for all other locations please see the links below. These deals are for a limited time only so take advantage of them while you can. Please make sure you mention MomsFirstStop.com to get your discount.**

Milan Student Salon/Spa Locations:

Amarillo MIC | Go to our Amarillo Student Salon/Spa page 2400 E. 27th | Amarillo, Texas | 79103

Bakersfield MI | Go to our Bakersfield Student Salon/Spa page 2822 F Street | Bakersfield, California | 93301

Boise MI | Go to our Boise Student Salon/Spa page 8590 W Fairview Ave | Boise, Idaho | 83704

Clovis MI | Go to our Clovis Student Salon/Spa page 731 W Shaw Ave | Clovis, California | 93612

Fairfield MIC | Go to our Fairfield Student Salon/Spa page 934 Missouri Street | Fairfield, California | 94533

Indio MI | Go to our Indio Student Salon/Spa page 45-691 Monroe Street, Ste 2 | Indio, California | 92201

San Antonio-Ingram Park MI | Go to our San Antonio-Ingram Park Student Salon/Spa page Ingram Park - 6151 NW Loop 410, Ste 201 | San Antonio-Ingram Park, Texas | 78238

San Antonio-Windcrest MIC | Go to our San Antonio-Windcrest Student Salon/Spa page Windcrest - 5403 Walzem Road | San Antonio-Windcrest, Texas | 78218

San Antonio-South MIC | Go to our San Antonio-South Student Salon/Spa page South San Antonio - 605 SW Military Drive | San Antonio-South, Texas | 78221

Reno-Sparks MI | Go to our Reno-Sparks Student Salon/Spa page 950 Industrial Way | Reno-Sparks, Nevada | 89431

Visalia MI | Go to our Visalia Student Salon/Spa page 3356 S Fairway | Visalia, California | 93277

Visalia MIC | Go to our Visalia Student Salon/Spa page 3238 S Fairway | Visalia, California | 93277

Reno MIC | Go to our Reno Student Salon/Spa page 1050 Matley Lane | Reno, Nevada | 89502

Concord MIC | Go to our Concord Student Salon/Spa page2150 John Glenn Drive | Concord, California | 94520
Please note Indio, California MIC Student Salon/Spa will be opening soon!

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Coupons For Dummies

This may come as a surprise to some of you but I just recently started using coupons.  I always liked the idea of coupons but they also seemed a little too complex and quite frankly a pain to deal with. Given the times I decided to give it a try and see if they are worth all the hassle.
My first baby step into using coupons was to subscribe to a friends website http://stretchingyourdollarsnewsletter.com/.  Its geared for Southern Idaho but it still made the whole process easier.  She goes through the local stores sales, all coupons available and tells you what you should buy, where and how much you’ll pay.  She spends hours doing this so you don’t have too.  There are several sites like this but I use this one.

Here are a few tips for those of you that are wanting to join the couponing adventure:
1.  Collect your coupons in a small organizer so you can carry it with you and you know what you have.
2.  The Sunday paper is a great place to see all the local stores sales and get coupons.  You can also print them online:
www.smartsource.com
www.coupon.com
www.couponbug.com
www.redplum.com
3.  Some stores will double the value of your coupon.  - Albertson’s has “doubler” coupons in their ad (you can pick them up at the front of the store).  Use the doubler coupon to double the value of your manufacturer coupon up to $1.   You can get a lot of items free this way.
4.  Some stores will honor other stores sales ads. -  Rite-aid will match competitors prices if you bring the ad.  Walmart will also match prices.  *This is nice because you don’t have to drive all over town for sale items.
5.  Don’t be suckered into buying something just because you have a coupon.  - The only time I buy something not on my list is if the items is really cheap or its free.
6.  Sign up for the stores rewards card.  Fred Meyers, Albertsons, ect.  - You get extra saving and coupons.  *Since I buy lots of diapers, wipes, baby food and formula I will get special coupons for those type of items.  Last week I got a $10 off coupon for formula!

7.  If you are making a trip to a store for just a few items make a trip out of it.  - About once a week I meet my sister for coffee at Fred Meyer.  We do this because they have “Freddies Play Land” which is FREE childcare for 1 hour. We drop off the kids, get a coffee and pick up the items that are on sale.  We save money and its fun for moms and kids!

8.  Don’t be afraid to ask.  - If the store is out of a sale item don’t be afraid to ask if they will give you a rain check.  Ask if they will take competitors coupons or price match.

9.  Shop during off hours.  - If you have a lot of coupons or if you may need help it’s better to shop when the store isn’t busy.  The store staff will be a lot more accommodating and you won’t hold up the lines when checking out.

Yes, couponing can be a hassle but bottom line is that if you do a little home work before you go to the store including getting your coupons organized you can save a lot of money. I save about 30% per grocery trip just by doing this.
I’m still learning about coupons and saving money at the grocery store so if you have advice for a novice please email angela@momsfirststop.com or post to the group.  Helping others save money is a great way to share the love!

Another Great Read:

8 Cheap to Free Childcare Options When You Need a Little “me time”

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Physics 001 For Toddlers

My two year old was playing with a balloon in the living room with my 10 month old.  He was dropping the balloon to the baby and she would kick it back with her arms and legs flailing.   I was keeping an eye on the situation because sometime Noah gets a little carried away when playing with his baby sister.  Everything seemed harmless so I starting working on dinner.  Not two minutes later did I hear a very loud “crack” followed by a very loud cry.  Noah had found another ball to play with that was the same size and color as the balloon.  The only difference was about 7 pounds!

Physics lesson 001 for two year olds:

• Things tend to fall downward
• Every Action there is an opposite but equal reaction.
• Not all balls are created equal.

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The Last Vaccination is a Doozy

We took our 5 year old in last week for her kindergarten vaccinations which to our surprise  was a total of FIVE (Eve was freaking out since we told her it was only going to be two shots) vaccinations: Hep A, DTaP, IPV, MMR and Varicella.  I held Eve down and together we counted to 10 while the two nurses quickly administered the vaccinations.  After the tears and the consoling, Eve took advantage of the prize box and the candy bribe promised weeks prior to the dreaded day.  She was a little sore but felt well enough to brag to any passer by that she was now ready for kindergarten.
She seemed to tolerate the vaccinations until almost 24 hours later when she started complaining that her head hurt and the sight of her vaccination was itchy.  She was running a fever of 102 and the site of her vaccination was bright red and was the size of a softball.  I immediately called the nurse and she gave me some great information about vaccination reactions.

• It is very normal to have a reaction on the last of a series of vaccinations. -This was news to me and I wish I would have known.
• An itchy hive reaction in the spot of the vaccination is normal and you can treat it with over the counter creme.
• A fever of up to 102 can occur and can be treated with Ibuprofen or Tylenol.

**The fever was gone after a day and the large red area is almost gone after a week.

With all the news about vaccinations and the life altering repercussions when your child has a bad reaction I think its important for parents to know that having a reaction to vaccinations is normal.  We shouldn’t be scared to protect our kids with vaccinations but I do think its important that we are informed.  Since I have three little ones with vaccinations in their future my biggest take away with this experience is that I SHOULD expect a reaction when they get the final vaccination of a series and that calling the doctor/nurse for questions or concerns is ALWAYS the right thing to do.

What has your experience been with vaccinating your child?  What important information have you learned?

Want to read more?

Vaccinations, Autism and My Decision for My Baby Boy

First Time Parents: Choosing a Pediatrician

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Making Homes Affordable Program: First Hand Experience

Several months ago I encouraged you all to go out and see if you qualify for the “Making Home Affordable” program http://www.financialstability.gov/.  I took the time to read through the website and walk through the steps to see if our mortgage would qualify.  I checked with Fanni Mae and Freddie Mac and both indicated that they did NOT hold our loan.  My next step was to look at a traditional loan since interest rates are so good right now so I call my mortgage company, Wells Fargo and the first thing their automated message said was that our loan WAS held by Fannie Mae.
Point 1: Double check with your mortgage company to see if you qualify.
Point 2: If you don’t qualify you may qualify for a “stream line loan” through your mortgage company which means you won’t have to pay the typical refinancing fees.

I immediately called my local Wells Fargo mortgage representative, Victor.  Victor gave me excellent information and he explained to me some of the options Wells Fargo could do for us.  He also gave me two numbers to call to get the process started.  1-877-937-9357  1-800-678-7986
Point 3: If you know you qualify start the process ASAP since it will take several months to get your mortgage modified. We faxed our information in April and we won’t have an answer till July (best case).

When you call make sure you tell them you want to apply for the “making home affordable program”.  They will ask several questions like:  are you current on your payments?  If you are not current you won’t qualify.  Are you planning on staying in your home?  Again, they want to make sure you are serious about keeping your house and making your payments.

Once they get your information they will need you to fax in these things:
Hardship letter *signed, last 4-digits of SS#, Loan number and dated by the loan holders
last 2 pay stubs *all working loan holders
expenses and debts *signed, last 4-digits of SS#, Loan number and dated by the loan holders

**They gave me two fax numbers so I faxed to both.**
ATTENTION - Loss Mitigation for Wells Fargo 800-678-7986
Fax 866-590-8910
Fax 866-359-7363
Call to confirm 800-416-1472
Loan #

Point 4: Please note there are more than one fax number and phone numbers. I kept them all and used them all.  Once you fax in your information call to confirm they received the fax.

Point 5: Call once every 1-2 weeks to verify your paper work is being reviewed and if they need additional information.

Hardship Letter Example
Name
Address
last 4-digits of SS#
Loan number
Phone number

To Whom this may concern,
Over the last year we have experienced several difficulties and significant life events that have impacted us financially.   To date we are current on all of our bills and have made significant cuts and used a large portion of our savings in order to keep current on all debts and to maintain our credit rating. Below is the chronological order of the last 12 months that have created a financial hardship for our family.

April 2008 - medical leave because of a complication with pregnancy
July 2008 - Hospital stay
July 2008 -  taken via ambulance to the hospital for an emergency c-section.  Baby was born 2 months premature and spent 22 days in the NICU.  Baby also required monthly doctors visits that included special shots because of her prematurity.
September - Home depreciated drastically
October 2008 -  (18 month old son) was taken to the emergency room.
November 2008 - Loss of job
November 2008 - out patient surgery
December 2008 -  out patient surgery.
January 2009  -  company wide 5% pay decrease and announced they would be laying off 5000 employees
January 2009 - admitted to the hospital for 7 days for an infection which included surgery.
*From April 2008 - April 2009 we had medical bills exceeding $100,000.

Monthly Expense Examples
Food
Utilities (power, water, gas)
mortgage and taxes
Home owners association
Phone
insurance (home and car)
cable
medical, vision, dental insurance
Gas (transportation) -
Medical bills
Misc. (clothing, toiletries, gifts, etc.)
Child care
Sewer & Garbage

Point 6:  You need to be your own advocate.  No one else is going to make sure you and your family is taken care of.  You can lower your mortgage payment and You don’t have to lose your home. Be tenacious, get your paper work in order, fax it in, and call often.

I will be updating our progress through this process and of course sharing with you. There isn’t a single family that hasn’t been affected by the economy so whatever your situation is, there is help so take advantage. Please email me if I can help you in any way or you have questions regarding my experience with getting our mortgage retooled.  angela@momsfirststop.com

Want to read more:

How To Get 2% Interest Rate on 30 Year Mortgage

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Economy Giving You Bad Hair?

If you are sporting the “haggard house wife” look because its too expensive to keep up on your personal maintenance you can officially take your hair out of that pony tail and follow me to a local Spa-lon offering economy busting deals.  As always, great news from MomsFirstStop.com deals department.  I just found out that my favorite salon is now opening under a new name, JMZ Spa-lon.  It is a full service salon and spa with most of their employees having 15+ years of experience.  I have been going to Teresa (my hair stylist) for almost 10 years now and she is fantastic!
JMZ Spa-lon’s is now offering several awesome deals for all of your personal maintenance needs.  Give them a call to make your appointment.  208-853-6299  5907 W. State St.  Boise, Id

$109 Stimulus package:1 hour massage, 1 hour facial, manicure and pedicure
April is offering a $25 pedicure
Dotty is offering $40 mani/pedi and full set of nails w/ free fill $50
Kim is offering $39 1 hour massage with a $10 off coupon with first visit
Britta is offering   $40 Brazilian wax, 1 hour facial $35, air brush tan full body $35, teeth whitening starting at $49, lash and brow tinting $30
Tina is offering an anti-oxidant facial $33, derma-sound facial $42,
AND
All Hair stylists are offering $10 hair cut for new clients.

**If you have a great deal on a product or service and would like to share it with momsfirststop.com readers please email me angela@momsfirststop.com**

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