Two Magazine Deals

2 years of Redbook for $10



2 years of Ladies Home Journal $10

I ordered several subscriptions from Amazon last year and had great luck. These make great Christmas presents!

Ohhh! Melissa & Doug Wooden Castle $45!

Reviews are FABULOUS and this looks gorgeous and worth much more than $45!

A Few More Amazon Deals Before Bed

Fisher Price Loving Family Grand Dollhouse - $55.20

Melissa & Doug Safari Floor Puzzle- $3.88 with $1.99 shipping, but has fabulous reviews and is still a great deal even with shipping

Amazon Melissa & Doug Sale

Looks like a lot of Melissa & Doug stuff is on sale today. Our OT has this food set and both kids LOVE it.

Sign up for Amazon Mom and get free Prime shipping so you can jump on all these great deals!

Amazon $3 MP3 Download credit- FREE

Amazon offers a Free Amazon $3 MP3 Download Credit when you enter code STUDENT3. Offer is valid through Nov 1, 2010.

1. Click here and enter code STUDENT3

2. Select your album to download- Taylor Swift is still just $3.99!

Fabulous way to start the weekend!

GDA: Guilty Party Wii game $23.79

Guilty Party Wii game is $23.79 shipped using code GAMESAVE- I'm a mystery lover and am getting this to play with P!

Couch to 5K

I got a great email from a Sasha Says reader the other day:

Hi Sasha-

You clued me in to Couch to 5k a few years ago and even were kind enough to send me your spreadsheet. I stopped and started a few times but finally followed through. I ran my first 5k today and owe it in large part to you.

Thanks!
Ellen

That little spreadsheet has been emailed around hundreds of times and I love love love hearing about other moms who have followed the plan (taken from http://www.coolrunning.com/) and ran a 5K.

When I started the plan on my treadmill about 7 years ago, I had a rough time keeping track of when I was supposed to run and when I was supposed to take a walk break. So the accountant in me created a spreadsheet to help me keep track.

This week I uploaded the spreadsheet, which shows the 9 week plan detailed with stop/start times for running versus walking, to a google doc to make it easier to access.

Couch to 5K Spreadsheet

If you've used the Couch to 5K plan, I'd love to hear your story! I am planning on running my first half marathon in December with Beth from C. Beth Blog, and I am so excited to have come so far on my running journey. If you've got some motivation for me, leave it in the comments.

Join Amazon Mom to get Prime Shipping

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If you are going to take advantage of some of the fabulous Amazon Christmas shopping deals I'll be sharing (and trust me, they will be FANTASTIC!)- you're going to need Prime so you can jump on small deals and have them shipped instantly, without having to worry about getting to $25 for free shipping.

Clicking the link above will get you a membership in Amazon Mom, which gives you 3 free months of Amazon prime, just in time for Christmas!

Happy Shopping!

Real Simple Says..... One Easy Shortcut

photo and text from Real Simple (September 2010), page 62

The Fastest Way to Frost a Cupcake

Try this sweet, no-icing-necessary method. When your cupcakes have about three minutes left to bake, pull out the tin and place one marshmallow on top of each cupcake. Return the tin to the oven for the remaining time (or until the marshmallows are slightly melted but still fluffy).

Sasha Says...

Genius

GDA: I Love Lucy Complete Series- $85!

Thinking of getting this for my mom for Christmas (don't tell!). Such a great deal- the entire I Love Lucy series for only $85. She'd love it!

Look who finally lost a tooth!

We were beginning to think the Sasha family brushed teeth way too well.

At 7 years and 2 months old, P was feeling quite left out since he had not yet lost a tooth.

That was remedied last night when he lost not one, but two!

We heard the going rate was a $1 per tooth (is this right?) so that's what the tooth fairy left him and he was excited and dashed into the bathroom this am while I was drying my hair to show me.

Another milestone...... he's growing up way too fast for my tastes, though.

GDA: Garmin 205 $99

This is the same model Garmin that I have (we paid a lot more for it!) and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it and can't run without it. Such a great deal.

The newer, more expensive models have the heart rate monitor, but I totally don't think that's a useful feature for the typical runner.

GDA: Pink Razor Scooter $24

Different colors are different prices, but the pink Razor scooter is $24 with free shipping with Prime.

GDA: Taylor Swift MP3 album and Toy Story Silly Bandz

Toy Story Silly Bandz for only $1.99- great stocking stuffers

And Taylor Swift's new album, Speak Now, is only $4 for the MP3 download

GDA: Magic Tree House Books

Set of Magic Tree House books 1-4 for $6.88- fabulous!

And also ordering this set of 4 Magic Tree House books for P (age 7) for $9.33- he LOVES these and we don't have these 4. Perfect Christmas gift and at $2.03 per book if you get both sets it's a great deal!

GDA: M&D stuff at Amazon

From what I understand, $13 for the cookies and $17 for the ice cream is about as low as it gonna get before Christmas.

SPD: 30 Stories in 30 Days

Through blogging, I "met" the most wonderful mom and blogger named Hartley, who is the author of This is Gabriel Making Sense of School: A Book About Sensory Processing Disorder.

Hartley had a wonderful idea for a fundraiser: she asked SPD moms like me to share their story on her blog to raise awareness about SPD, and she's doing a fundraising project for SPD Foundation’s 30th Anniversary at the same time.

How can you help?

First, head on over to read our family's story at Hartley's Life With Three Boys, which is the featured story today. I'll be reading the comments there throughout the day and would love to recognize some names! Should you feel led to make a donation to the SPD Foundation, just put my name in the comments section of the PayPal form to let Hartley know you are a friend of the Sashas.

Next, will you spread the word about our story on your facebook and twitter accounts? Simple links to my post at Hartley's blog would be wonderful!

Thanks for following our SPD story! I appreciate it more than you know!

Music Monday

Today Hairbows & Guitar Picks is hosting Music Monday, and I thought I'd join in!

The Doors- LA Woman

I love me some classic rock and The Doors rank up there at the top. When I get home from work, I'm going to download the LA Woman mp3 album from Amazon because it's only $3.99 today and there are a few songs on there I don't have.

GDA: Amazing Deal on Canon Rebel

Amazon is running an absolutely amazing deal on a Canon Rebel.

The camera body and kit lens is marked down from $649 to $499.

On top of that, you can get a 75-300 mm zoom lens for free!

Here's the details from Amazon:

Purchase this Canon Digital SLR and Save Up to $200 on a Canon Lens. For a limited time, take advantage of amazing instant savings when you purchase this Canon digital SLR and select Canon lenses from Amazon.com. Here's how:

Save $150 instantly on the Canon EF 75-300 mm zoom lens with combined purchase of this Canon DSLR from Amazon.com. Simply add both products to your Shopping Cart, enter promotional code 753OOOCT, and we'll automatically apply a $150 discount at checkout.

Or, save $200 instantly on the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS telephoto zoom lens with combined purchase of this Canon DSLR from Amazon.com. Simply enter promotional code 5525OOCT, and we'll automatically apply a $200 discount at checkout.

If you've been thinking about getting a DSLR, now's the time......

Having fun with the camera

I know this breaks the photography rules since the space to the left doesn't matter and should have been framed with her on the left edge, but I love the look in her eyes. And she wasn't even posing, just a shot I caught. (Oh, but that poor underbite.... starting to get my pocketbook ready.)

*This* cheesy little smile is what she does when she poses.... I had a great time playing with the settings on my camera, trying different things to figure out what worked. These two ornery little girls almost lost us moms in the corn maze.... we had to run to find them!

Any Alfred Hitchcock fans in your family?

This Alfred Hitchcock collection would make a GREAT gift- 14 of his movies for only $51! Thinking of getting it for myself- I LOVE Hitchcock.

Ready for some Christmas shopping?

Both of these Melissa & Doug books (one sticker, one coloring) are about $5 and eligible for free shipping. These will make great Christmas gifts, and might even be good for your birthday closet!

GDA: Complete Series- Buffy the Vampire Slayer $71

Hell of a deal if you are into vampires, which I am not.....

GDA: New Taylor Swift CD $8

Would you vote for The Wild Child?

I just entered this photo of Reese (The Wild Child) in the Fancy Nancy Fantastic Fan Photo Contest.

Could you take a second to vote for her? I absolutely love that she dressed herself for the pool, and also love that she wore a football jersey to school the next day- she's a bit prissy, a bit of a tomboy, and I love her just the way she is!

Pumpkin Patch

We stopped by our church's pumpkin patch the other night and the kids had a great time pulling the wagon around picking out their pumpkins.

I am SO ready for fall! The mornings have been nice and cool, but it's still warming up to the mid-70s by afternoon. Come on October, bring us your weather!

GDA: New Sugarland CD $7

Great deal- Sugarland's new CD, which comes out the 19th, is only $7 right now.

Mystery Solved re: Fancy Nancy

Last night the I was reading the newest Fancy Nancy book (Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique) to the kids and we were delighted to find out the answer to a question that has been haunting us for ever... her sister's name!

One the last page of the book, it is revealed to be...

JoJo!

Phew! I can finally sleep at night! :-)

The book was just released yesterday, and since I had pre-ordered it, Amazon shipped it in time for it to be delivered yesterday. I absolutely love the hardcover Fancy Nancy books- the are just gorgeous and the perfect length for a bedtime story. Right now Amazon has it 45% off the retail price, and it's quite a bargain at $9.89.

With this recipe, I will rule the world

Last week I saw a fabulous recipe for Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcakes on Kevin and Amanda's blog and knew the perfect occasion to make it: a birthday celebrate at work.

And I've got to tell you- they are amazing! I am eating one as we speak.

Here's what the finished product looks like:


I do have to disclose that I am all about the semi-homemade, so I used a tub of premade Pillsbury cookie dough, a boxed cake mix, and canned frosting. Nothing to be ashamed of!

1. I took a vanilla cake mix and mixed it as directed. I filled my muffin tins about 2/3 full, as Amanda suggested.

2. Next, I plopped a frozen ball of cookie dough in the middle of each cup. (Earlier that morning, I had used a Pampered Chef scoop and made some cookie dough balls, which I placed in the freezer for about 10 hours.)

This is what it looked like before I put them in the oven. The cookie dough sinks to the bottom as the cake bakes.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for about 16-18 minutes.

4. Once they were cooled, I frosted with Betty Crocker Whipped Butter Cream frosting (amazing BTW!) and sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top.

I am ever-so-grateful to Amanda for sharing this fabulous recipe idea with her readers. This is definitely going to be a signature dessert and my next dessert contest entry.

GDA: Katy Perry's new album download- $3.99!

Hope this price is still good when I get home from work!

The One Where I Embarrass My Husband

Images from NICOclub

Recently our family was down visiting my parents, who live in the town where I met my husband during college. He played football there and during his playing career the team won the National Championship- it was so exciting!

It was Sunday afternoon and we were about to get on the road to head home, but first he wanted to take The Politician down on field and show him where he played. As we walked out on the field, I glanced up in the visitor stands and saw a beautiful sight- tons of discarded bottles of Coke!

See, I'm a tad bit crazy with my couponing and point-earning and Coke caps are some of my favorites! I've already cashed in Coke reward points for DVDs for the kids, and recently got myself Season 4 of How I Met Your Mother. So when I saw all those bottles, I knew what I had to do...... I just couldn't resist!

My kids love a project and they were excited to help me gather up the bottles and carry them to the trash, first taking off the caps to keep. I thought my husband was going to kill me though! There's a track around the field that is often used by local residents for exercise, and the thought of someone seeing us gather up the caps was totally embarrassing my husband! It's so funny that I get embarrassed so easily normally, but I'm shameless about couponing and point programs!

So consider this the post where I ask you to send me your Coke codes if you aren't using them!

GDA: Angel Seasons 1-5

Angel Seasons 1-5 is on sale at Amazon for $50.99 with free Super Saver Shipping- they say this will go fast, so if you are a fan, this sounds like a great deal!

Holy Cuteness!

photo from Baby Meshach's etsy shop

A darling IRL friend of mine, Michelle, has just opened up an etsy shop for her precious handmade items.

Michelle recently did two custom orders for me for baby shower gifts and I couldn't have been more pleased! I have already heard from both moms-to-be that they loved their items! (One even said they may be too cute to use!)

Each gorgeous item (including clothes!) is adorned with beautiful bibles verses. You simply must visit her shop, which she describes as follows:

welcome to the baby meshach shop! i enjoy designing and creating baby blankets, bibs, burp cloths, and funky unique Christian clothing!

Happy Shopping!

Shuffle Hop Shuffle Step Shuffle Step Step

(image from shoponline2011.com)

(Oh, this picture makes me laugh. Slim, didn't we have some costumes similar to that in 1991?)

Any locals want to sign up for an adult tap class with me? It's on Thursday nights from 7:30-8:30. We need at least 6 of us to make the class happen....

I am working on furthering myself, and photography, crochet, and tap are winning the contest for my time right now. Join me on my quest to be a more centered me!

Newest Foundation Find

Too Faced Amazing Face SPF Foundation Powder ($32 at Sephora)

For the past week or so, I've been trying out Too Faced's new powder foundation, which I purchased from Sephora, and I LOVE it!

Description from Sephora.com:

Go from sheer and natural to full and flawless with this flexible-coverage foundation. The weightless pigments float over imperfections to minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines, while instantly improving tone and texture. The formula contains the innovative Regu-Seb, which helps to control and reduce oil production and leaves skin looking fresh. It also features Bamboo Silk, a nutrient-rich ingredient that revives and renews the skintone to promote a balanced texture and impart a comfortable-feeling finish.

Rather than use the sponge it came with for application, I've been using a flat top brush and love the coverage it gives me- heavy enough to even out my skintone, but still light enough to look natural.

What foundation are you loving right now?

By the way, if you ever do order from Sephora, don't forget to go thru ebates for 4% back. And if you are new to ebates and register using my link, we each get $5 cash.

Photography Class

one of P's teammates at their soccer game last Saturday, photo by me!

I am loving my photography class! So nice to do something fun, for "me". Mr. Sasha encouraged me to sign up for the next class so I'll be doing another month.

We are headed south for the big game. Do you have big weekend plans? Hope you have a good one!