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My Current Book “crack” Reading Recommendations

Angela’s Reading List
Back in the day (aka before kids) I used to read a ton.  I was a huge Anne Rice fan and have read just about everything she has ever written.  In addition to reading fantasy books, I also liked reading historical novels, murder mystery, horror and it wouldn’t be good book unless there was a good mix of strong female characters and tasty male treats. This past summer I reacquainted myself with my love of books by taking a hit of an addiction called “Twilight” and spent a week not sleeping but reading all 4.5 books (partial of book 5 is published online).  So, I now I admit I may have a reading addiction now BUT to be honest its the only thing that has kept me sane…ok that and drinking. :p
Seriously, its like a vacation every time I settle into a book. So, I thought I would share my book “crack” with all of you and hopefully you’ll return the favor and offer some of your favorite getaways as well.  I should note that my current reading criteria is that it can’t have anything to do with my reality, meaning, I don’t want to read about dishes, laundry, dirty diapers, marriage conflicts, kids, traffic, world hunger, people dieing of cancer, political propaganda, financial woes, etc;

Twilight Series 4 total books - Great reads (most of you have already been there done that), totally sucks you in and at the end you are totally pining for Edward. …sad but true!

Sookie Stackhouse series by Charliane Harris - The HBO True Blood series is based on these books but let me just say the show is NOTHING like the books. The books are fun, sexy, usually murder mystery and fantasy. They are a bit naughty but I enjoy a bit of naughty….;)  I have read books 1-10 AND loved them all.

The novels and short story collections
  1. Dead Until Dark (May 2001) [2]
  2. Living Dead in Dallas (March 2002) [3]
  3. Club Dead (May 2003) [4]
  4. Dead to the World (May 2004) [5]
    • “Fairy Dust” in Powers of Detection (October 2004) - Introduction of Claudine’s brother Claude, and posthumous introduction of their sister Claudette[6]
    • “Dancers in the Dark” a novella in Night’s Edge (October 2004) - Indroduction of Sean and Layla, later seen briefly in All Together Dead.[7]
      • (a Sookie-universe story without the character of Sookie Stackhouse)
    • “Dracula Night” in Many Bloody Returns (September 2007) [8]
  5. Dead as a Doornail (May 2005) [9]
  6. Definitely Dead (May 2006) [11]
    • “Tacky” in My Big, Fat Supernatural Wedding (2006) - Introduction of vampires Dahlia and Taffy, and their ex-husbands Todd and Don. (Dahlia is later seen in All Together Dead and with Taffy in “Bacon”.)[12]
      • (a Sookie-universe story without the character of Sookie Stackhouse)
  7. All Together Dead (May 2007) [13]
    • “Lucky” in Unusual Suspects (December 2008) [14]
  8. From Dead to Worse (May 2008) [15]
    • “Gift Wrap” in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (October 2008) [16]
  9. Dead and Gone (May 2009) [17]
    • “Bacon” in Strange Brew (July 2009) [17]
      • (a Sookie-universe story without the character of Sookie Stackhouse)
    • “The Britlingens Go To Hell” in Must Love Hellhounds (September 2009) - The Britlingens were previously introduced in All Together Dead. [17]
      • (a Sookie-universe story without the character of Sookie Stackhouse)
  10. A Touch of Dead (October 2009) [17]
    • (a compilation of some of the Sookie-universe short stories: “Fairy Dust,” “One Word Answer,” “Dracula Night,” “Lucky,” and “Giftwrap.”)
  11. Dead in the Family (May 2010) [17]
  12. Death’s Excellent Vacation (August 2010) [17]

Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon - Historical Fiction/Fantasy (7 books). - The first 2 books are a really fun, interesting and has characters you will really enjoy. She is kinda wordy but worth reading the 700-1000 pages. I really enjoy the historical tid bits and of course there was some naughty WHICH you know I like. :-)  The first 2 books are must reads and once you’ve fallen in love with the beautiful Highlander you will go back for more.

Outlander (Cross Stitch[1] in UK) (1991)

Dragonfly in Amber (1992) Voyager (1994) Drums of Autumn (1997) The Fiery Cross (2001) A Breath of Snow and Ashes (2005) An Echo in the Bone (2009) — released in many countries (including Canada, Australia and New Zealand) in September 2009; UK release date January 7, 2010

Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton - I really love the Anita Blake character.  She is a small unassuming gal that turns out to be pretty kick ass.  She is a vampire executioner for the government, she raises zombies for her day job and works with the police to solve paranormal crimes.  The first 6 books are her solving crimes and kicking ass.  Starting around book 7 things start to get a little racy.  I had to shut my prude-odometer off and just go with the flow.  Admittedly, certain seems made me feel like I was reading the script from very inventive porno HOWEVER I am on book 16 and love the books.  Not for the faint of heart BUT if you are looking for a kick-ass heroine, lovely man candy, great plots and character development then these books are for you!

  1. Guilty Pleasures (1993) ISBN 0-515-13449-X
  2. The Laughing Corpse (1994) ISBN 0-425-19200-8
  3. Circus of the Damned (1995) ISBN 0-515-13448-1
  4. The Lunatic Cafe (1996) ISBN 0-425-20137-6
  5. Bloody Bones (1996) ISBN 0-425-20567-3
  6. The Killing Dance (1997) ISBN 0-425-20906-7
  7. Burnt Offerings (1998) ISBN 0-515-13447-3
  8. Blue Moon (1998) ISBN 0-515-13445-7
  9. Obsidian Butterfly (2000) ISBN 0-515-13450-3
  10. Narcissus in Chains (2001) ISBN 5-558-61270-3
  11. Cerulean Sins (2003) ISBN 0-515-13681-6
  12. Incubus Dreams (2004) ISBN 0-425-19824-3
  13. Micah (February 2006) ISBN 0-515-14087-2
  14. Danse Macabre (June 2006) ISBN 0-425-20797-8
  15. The Harlequin (2007) ISBN 978-0-425-21724-5
  16. Blood Noir (2008) ISBN 978-0-425-22219-5
  17. Skin Trade (2009) ISBN 978-0-425-22772-5
  18. Flirt (February 2010)
  19. Bullet (June 2010)
Black Dagger of the Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward - These are MUST reads!  These books are about a brotherhood of vampire warriors fighting to keep their race from going extinct from some very bad guys.  Each book is about a different warrior and how their life story fits into this brotherhood.  I fell in love with each of these warriors!  These guys are big (6′6″), beautiful (think ambercrombie model), complex and they know how to have a good time.  The author does jump around  a lot to different characters talking in first person so that can be annoying but it didn’t stop me from wanting to talk one of these males home as a pet.
Cat and Bones/The Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost - Cat is 1/2 vampire 1/2 human that came to be because her mom was raped by a newly turned vampire.  Cat growing up feeling like an outcast and once she learns what she is she decide to kill every vampire she can get her hot little hands on.  This pursuits leads into the dangerous hands of Bones, a vampire assassin for hire.  He decides not to kill her but train her to help him.  I really liked Cat’s character AND of course I found Bones very compelling as well.
  1. Halfway to the Grave (October 30, 2007, ISBN 0061245089)
  2. One Foot in the Grave (April 29, 2008, ISBN 0061245097)
  3. At Grave’s End (December 30, 2008, ISBN 0061583073)
  4. Destined for an Early Grave (July 28, 2009, ISBN 0061583219)

The Night Huntress World Series

  1. First Drop of Crimson (February 9, 2010, ISBN 0061583227)
  2. Eternal Kiss of Darkness (July 27, 2010, ISBN 0061783161)
Riley Jenson Guardian series by Keri Arthur - I just started reading this series and I like what I’ve read so far.  The main character is Riley Jensen and she is 1/2 vampire and 1/2 werewolf.  She works for an Australian based agency that protect other worldly person from hurting humans and otherwise.  Kinda like 007 except for vampires/werewolves etc.  There is a lot of blatant sex due to the fact that werewolves go into heat the first week of the full moon and have one big orgies.  Don’t let that scare you away!  These are quick, fun, sexy reads and I’m looking forward to reading the next on the list. 1. Full Moon Rising (2006)
2. Kissing Sin (2007)
3. Tempting Evil (2007)
4. Dangerous Games (2007)
5. Embraced by Darkness (2007)
6. The Darkest Kiss (2008)
7. Deadly Desires (2009)
8. Bound to Shadows (Oct 2009)
9. Moon Sworn (May 2010)

The Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole - I read “a hunger like no other” and other than hating the title and the cover of the book (super cheesy!) I really enjoyed the book and characters.  There are a lot of characters and concepts to keep track of but it sucked me in and I’m going back for more.
  • “The Warlord Wants Forever” in Playing Easy To Get (anthology with Sherrilyn Kenyon and Jaid Black)
  • A Hunger Like No Other
  • No Rest for the Wicked
  • Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night
  • Dark Needs at Night’s Edge
  • Dark Desires After Dusk
  • Kiss of a Demon King
  • “Untouchable” in Deep Kiss of Winter (Duology with Gena Showalter
  • Pleasure of a Dark Prince - Available February 16, 2010
Women of the Other World series by Kelley Armstrong -I have read books 1-7, and 10 which were all fun, sexy and interesting reads.  I LOVED Bitten! Which is about the first and only female werewolf and her complicated story.  She is trying to make a normal life for herself but her past haunts her as well as her ex-fiance/werewolf.
Book 1: Bitten (published October, 2001 by Viking Press) Book 2: Stolen (published May, 2003 by Viking Press) Book 3: Dime Store Magic (published 2004 by Bantam Spectra) Book 4: Industrial Magic (published 2004 by Bantam Spectra) Book 5: Haunted (published 2005 by Bantam Spectra) Book 6: Broken (published May 2006 by Bantam Spectra) Book 7: No Humans Involved (published May 2007 by Bantam Spectra) Book 8: Personal Demon (published April 2008 by Bantam Spectra) Book 9: Living with the Dead (published November 2008 by Bantam Spectra) Book 10: Frostbitten (published September 2009 by Bantam Spectra) Book 11: Waking the Witch
Time Travelers Wife - Great READ!

Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanavich - I read the first book which I thought was a lot of fun.  I haven’t continued reading the series mostly because I’ve busy reading horror/fantasy/romance genera.
Queen Betsy series by MaryJanice Davidson - These were fun quick reads.  Betsy is a shoe-aholic that leads a pretty normal life until she wakes up dead.  Her shoe fetish continues as she learns she is the prophetic Queen of the vampires and makes her own path that is highly nontraditional for vampire standards.  She is a high maintenance girl that doesn’t have a shut off switch on her mouth but doesn’t mind a good brawl for a good cause.  Her love interest is yummy and the rest of the characters make for a fun read.
  1. Undead and Unwed (Berkley, 2004)
  2. Undead and Unemployed (Berkley, 2004)
  3. Undead and Unappreciated (Berkley, 2005)
  4. Undead and Unreturnable (Berkley, 2005)
  5. Undead and Unpopular (Berkley, 2006)
  6. Undead and Uneasy (Berkley, 2007)
  7. Undead and Unworthy (Berkley, 2008)
  8. Undead and Unwelcome (Berkley, 2009)

Short stories:

  • “Dead Girls Don’t Dance” in Cravings (Jove, 2004)
  • “Biting in Plain Sight” in Bite (Jove, 2004)
  • “A Fiend in Need” in Dead and Loving It (Berkley, 2006)
  • “Undead and Wed: A Honeymoon Story” in Dead Over Heels (Berkley, 2008)
Little Goddess Series by Amy Lane - I have all three books in hand and if all goes well I can give a recommendation in a week or so.
Vulnerable
Wounded
Bound
Cassandra Palmer series, written by best-selling author Karen Chance.  - I have the first book in hand and if all goes well I can give a recommendation in a week or so.
Touch the dark
Claimed by shadows
Embrace the night
Curse the dawn
Sunshine by Robin McKinley I have the book in hand and if all goes well I can give a recommendation in a week or so.
On my list:
Odd Thomas
Sunshine
Little Goddess series
Daughter of the Forest series
Moon called by Patricia Biggs
Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase
After the kiss by Suzanne Enoch
On the Edge, Ilona Andrews


Posted on : Jan 08 2010
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Posted under Mom & Dad, Parent Hacks |

Making Homes Affordable - First Hand Experience Part IV

After many phone calls and emails I was finally able to knock some heads and get some straight answers about how Wells Fargo is allowed to report our mortgage status to the credit bureaus.  The bottom line is that they CAN report to the credit agency’s that our mortgage is being modified which will impact our credit rating by a few points.  They CAN NOT report our mortgage as delinquent as long as we are current on our payments and adhere to the terms of the trial period.

What did I have to do to make sure Wells Fargo was abiding by the rules setup by the government?
I called my US Congressman Walt Minnick (ID) 208-888-3188 and talked with his representative Beverly Bean.  I explained our situation and faxed the documentation provided by Wells Fargo to her so that she could do some leg work for us.  In addition to calling Wells Fargo she also contacted the US Department of the Treasury, Malloy Evans 202-422-8135.  Turns out that Wells Fargo was NOT abiding by the rules set forth by the government and now my US Congressman and the Department of the Treasury are making sure they are in fact playing by the rules.
I received assurances by my Congressman and the Dept of Treasury that my mortgage Would NOT be reported as delinquent as long as I made our payments in full and on time.  In addition, I received a phone call and apology from Wells Fargo/Freddie Mac indicating their Making Homes Affordable documentation will be updated appropriately.
Again, I think to myself (and to all of you) that this process is made too complicated and overwhelming so that people won’t be able to take advantage of something that is bought and paid for with tax dollars.  However, we are going forward and taking that next step into the Making Homes Affordable Program.

What is next on the list?

  • Make our first trial period payment.
  • Trial period documentation signed and sent in.
  • Hardship Affidavit *This is similar to previous hardship letter sent in to Wells Fargo/Freddie Mac.
  • Signed and dated copy of IRS Form 4506-T
  • Copy of all income statements (pay stub, social security, disability, pension, public assistance, unemployment, alimony/child support, etc)
  • Counseling session with HUD-approved housing counseling agency *This is FREE
    • www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/fc/
    • HOPE Hotline 1-888-995-HOPE
      • I chose this option because I could just call and it only took 45 minutes.  They gave me some good information and I thought it would be beneficial to share with you.

FREE Help with Medical Expenses
1-573-996-3333  *I don’t know the details of this service but its worth checking out if you have medical expenses you can’t afford.

Angel Food Ministries 1-877-366-3646  www.angelfoodministries.com
They sell food at discounted prices.

This is going to hurt me, more than its going to hurt you. Making Homes Affordable Program Part III

Making Homes Affordable Program: First Hand Experience

How To Get 2% Interest Rate on 30 Year Mortgage

http://www.financialstability.gov/


Posted on : Oct 15 2009
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Posted under Deals, Home, Mom & Dad, Parent Hacks, Uncategorized |

FREE Olay Anti-Aging Eye Roller

Some days I definitely feel older than I deserve.  This is mainly due to the fact that my children are sucking the life out of me.  I say that in most loving way possible. They are killing me softly. I can’t prevent them from doing their worst but I can try every lotion, potion and creme to help me stay close to my fictional age of 28.  You can imagine how happy I was to find out a great deal on an anti-aging product.  Here’s hoping it works!  :-)

Here is a deal I just can’t resist.  Shopko has OLAY Regenerist products for $17.99 each.  I have a rebate form for $20 with the purchase of a Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Eye Roller and Pantene shampoo or conditioner.  This makes your complete purchase FREE!

http://www.olay.com/Club_Olay/sep2009/images/Regenerist_Pantene_Rebate_Form.pdf

Here is another Olay rebate form for a FREE Olay Anti-Aging Eye Roller when you buy 2 Olay Regenerist products.  Click here: http://www.olay.com/Club_Olay/sept2009/images/Regenerist_Rebate_Form.pdf

Special thanks to Margie for sharing this rebate offer!


Posted on : Sep 29 2009
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Posted under Deals, Mom & Dad |

Continuing Education in Your Love Life

When we first start falling in love with someone, whether we realize it or not, we become a student of that person.  You try to learn as much as you can about that person, you memorize the way they look, smell, talk, and act.  Becoming an expert on that certain someone becomes a priority and its intoxicatingly fun. At some point you start to feel like you know that person like the back of your hand.   You know all there is to know and its a comfortable place to be.  As soon as we stop becoming a student of our relationships that is when the trap is set.
We are quick to admit that we are not the person we were yesterday and we will inevitably be different tomorrow but we expect everyone around us to stay the same.   Our tastes change, we grow, we learn and continue to evolve into a new self.  So why is it so hard to think that the person we met oh so many years ago wouldn’t be the same?
Here is where I admit that I have continued to be student of the human condition but haven’t been a diligent student of my husband.  I have a thousand excuses why this is; work, children, responsibilities, life, etc but it all boils down to the fact that I just thought I knew everything about him already.  Stupid and arrogant on my part (I know) but I’m being honest here.
If you are like me and if you are ready to begin your continuing education but have forgotten how to be a student of your relationship here are a few pointers that helped me re-learn how to be a student of my love.

  • Start asking questions.  Find a quiet moment when you are both relaxed and ask the kind of things you would have asked in the beginning of your relationship.  Keeping the questions lite and fun will make the process more enjoyable for both of you.  ie What were you like as a kid?  Who was your best friend?  What kind of trouble did you get into?  Who was your first kiss?   **This isn’t a game of jeopardy so don’t get carried away with asking questions.  The purpose to get reacquainted, to remember what attracted you to this person in the first place and have a conversation about each other, with each other.

I definitely find this topic a little out of my comfort zone but after talking with several of my close friends I felt compelled to share.  I don’t mind having my failures be a source of your education.  I guess its just my way of contributing and sharing the love.


Posted on : Sep 26 2009
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Posted under Home, Mom & Dad, Parent Hacks, sex |

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


Posted on : Jun 30 2009
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Posted under Deals, Mom & Dad |

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.

“A staycation (or stay-cation, or stacation) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions. Staycations have achieved high popularity in current hard economic times in which unemployment levels and gas prices are high.”

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:

This Summer Only—-Great Vacation Deal for MomsFirstStop.com readers!!!  North Star River Expeditions, Inc., an outfitter based in McCall, is offering a first-class all inclusive rafting trip for your family or group of friends at an amazing price.  This all inclusive adventure vacation provides a 3 day/2 night experience on the Snake River in the famed Hells Canyon.  The trip puts you on the river each day paddling Class III & IV rapids, as well as enjoying the fishing, hiking, camping, Dutch oven cooking and real summer fun in the sun.  This is the perfect chance to do the trip you’ve been dreaming about.  Transportation is included from McCall to the river and back to McCall after the trip.  $750/person AND the 5th person is FREE!!! You must add to an existing trip or book a group of 4 or more.  Contact owners Jacob or Tricia Warren, 208-634-2296 and mention that you are a Hidden Springs resident to get this phenomenal deal.  www.northstar-rafting.com


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


Posted on : Jun 25 2009
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Posted under Deals, Mom & Dad, Uncategorized |

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

Boise Downtown Stadium 9
760 Broad Street
Boise ,ID 83702
208-338-7465
06/23/2009-06/24/2009 Space Chimps (G)
Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa (PG)
06/30/2009-07/01/2009 Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G)
Evan Almighty (PG)
07/07/2009-07/08/2009 Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
Nim’s Island (PG)
07/14/2009-07/15/2009 Horton Hears A Who (G)
Inkheart (PG)
07/21/2009-07/22/2009 The Tale Of Despereaux (G)
Kung Fu Panda (PG)
07/28/2009-07/29/2009 Everyone’s Hero (G)
Surf’s Up (PG)
08/04/2009-08/05/2009 All Dogs Go To Heaven 2 (G)
Journey To The Center Of The Earth (PG)
08/11/2009-08/12/2009 Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (G)
Bee Movie (PG)
Check for regular Movies and Showtimes
Boise Stadium 22 & IMAX
7701 W Overland Road
Boise ,ID 83709-1628
208-377-9603
06/23/2009-06/25/2009 Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G)
Evan Almighty (PG)
06/30/2009-07/02/2009 Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
Nim’s Island (PG)
07/07/2009-07/09/2009 Horton Hears A Who (G)
Inkheart (PG)
07/14/2009-07/16/2009 The Tale Of Despereaux (G)
Kung Fu Panda (PG)
07/21/2009-07/23/2009 Everyone’s Hero (G)
Surf’s Up (PG)
07/28/2009-07/30/2009 All Dogs Go To Heaven 2 (G)
Journey To The Center Of The Earth (PG)
08/04/2009-08/06/2009 Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (G)
Bee Movie (PG)
08/11/2009-08/13/2009 Mr. Bean’s Holiday (G)
Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)
Check for regular Movies and Showtimes


Posted on : Jun 23 2009
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Posted under Deals, Mom & Dad, Uncategorized |

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/

Saturday, June 20 – Sunday, June 21, 2009
Fifty cents from every Frosty sold will be donated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Patrons have the option of purchasing a Frosty pin up for $1 or creating a Father’s Day eCard at FrostyCard.com and 50¢ of each design will benefit the DTFA.

Father’s Day Ride & BBQ

ww.highdeserthd.com

Live Music, BBQ, Free Bike Wash & a Father’s Day Ride!

Saturday, June 20, 2009, 9am – 6pm
High Desert Harley-Davidson
2310 E. Cinema Dr.
Meridian, ID
83642

Woodriver Cellars Father’s Day BBQ www.woodrivercellars.com

Bring dad out to Woodriver Cellars on Sunday, June 21st for a low key BBQ and fun activities, including Bocce Ball, fishing at our pond, and live music performed by The B3 Side. No admission charge, so bring the whole family!

Woodriver Cellars
3705 N Highway 16
Eagle, ID 83616

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.


Posted on : Jun 19 2009
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Posted under Deals, Mom & Dad, Uncategorized |

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!


Posted on : Jun 11 2009
Tags:
Posted under Deals, Mom & Dad |

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”


Posted on : Jun 08 2009
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Posted under Deals, Home, Mom & Dad, Parent Hacks, childcare |