Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Thriving 360 Free-Give Away


Giving away "THRIVE Brownie sample pack" & "Granola sample pack"

How to Enter:
1. Visit our Thriving 360 Facebook page. Click "like".
2. Submit another entry by: Post about this give-a-way on your facebook page, blog or tweet about it on twitter.
(Make sure you include a link back to thriving360.com and leave a comment stating that you did)
3. Spread the Word.

The winner will be randomly selected. Thanks and GOOD LUCK!


The winner will be announced on June 10th

Friday, May 27, 2011

Free Summer Movie Days!!

The Summer Movie Program at Tower Theatres is Back! The first movie starts the week of May 30!!
All kids are free up to 10years old. 11-up are $2!
 

For more info go to mytowertheatres.com


Tuesday, May 24, 2011

FREE Couponing Class on Wednesday, May 25th


Many women locally have been begging me to teach a couponing class.  Tomorrow (WEDNESDAY May 25th) I am teaching a FREE class at Estes Elementary.

11279 W. Grier Road. Marana, AZ

They said that anyone from the community is welcome to attend.  The class will be held in the library at 3:30 p.m..  You are welcome to bring a friend. 




For those of you who live far away,  here is the information on how I organize my coupons.

Pinching Your Pennies is a free website that lists weekly deals with coupons. Click on the current list. I love that they give the deals STAR ratings. You know that 4 or 5 stars is a great deal.

If you live outside Arizona, click here to see the deals listed by other States!


Click here for information on organizing and couponing in Arizona.

Want to Increase Your Couponing Savings even more?
http://send2press.com/mediaboom/08-0623-CopSense_72dpi.jpg



If you are wanting to seriously coupon, there are websites that charge to see a more intense list of coupons matched with what is on sale. Couponsense is the most used here in Arizona. They have a more comprehensive list for the serious couponer. They teach you how to combine online loadable coupons with manufacturer coupons to get even better deals. Right now they have a promotion for those who want to try it. $4 for the first month and $15 each month after. You can cancel at any time.  


I think I save at least $15 extra each week using Couponsense than I did using Pinching Your Pennies.
I also saved so much time using Couponsense.  Before I was copying and pasting each individual deal I wanted to use from Pinching Your Pennies to make my list.  Then, I'd go by each deal and cut out the individual coupons.  Couponsense cut at least 2-3 hours off my couponing last week.  You click on the deals you want to use, it generates you a shopping list per store and a coupon cutting list that tells you that from this specific Sunday insert, you need these coupons for your deals.  I'm LOVING this.

If you choose to try Couponsense, use the promo code:  enjoy the savings

Select Referred by friend and enter Stephanie Ashcraft.  It should show Andrea VanHorn as your instructor.  She lives here in Arizona and is one of the top 10 couponers in their company.

Newspaper Subscriptions

AZ Daily Star- $4.30 per month for Sunday paper. www.azstarnet.com
AZ Republic- Multiple Sunday Papers available. More expensive. More coupons. https://subscribe.azcentral.com/circpromos/promopages/pinchingyourpennies.php
AZ Republic- $1 per week for 1 Sunday paper https://subscribe.azcentral.com/circpromos/promopages/2010_deal_blogger.php

Printable Coupon Sources

http://www.insidesocal.com/bargain/GroceryCouponsArray.jpg

There are so many ways to get coupons. 

Lately I realized that I am using more printable coupons than coupons from the Sunday paper. You can get printable coupons from so many sources for pretty much everything you need for your family. FYI-Most of these websites reset their coupons and add coupons at the beginning of each month. Some even reset coupons on the 15th so you can print them again.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Does anyone have an extra vacuum?

We are purchasing a Dyson in a couple of weeks and we need to borrow a vacuum until we can get it. Does anyone have an extra one we could borrow?

Thanks!

Danielle

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Stationary Bike

Willa Mae Patterson, who recently had knee replacement surgery is in need of borrowing  a stationary bicycle for a month or two to help with her therapy. 


If you are willing to allow her to borrow yours, or know of one please call her @ 682-6725


Thanks so much!!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Grade School Curriculum

Does anyone know the differences between Saxon and Spalding Language Arts Curriculum? We're trying to compare Legacy and Sonoran but aren't very familiar with either curriculum. And what does MUSD use? Thanks!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Summer Art Tour Program

Through Marana Parks and Rec there is a fun looking (and cheap) program. I'm interested in it, but don't know if I really want to commit to driving to Twin Peaks Elementary everyday. Would anyone be interested in car pooling? I would be looking at the first session (6/6-6/23).

Here's the link to the program guide (go to page 8 for this program).

ACME Studios-Mystery Art Tour-After Summer School
Mystery Art Tour Express: Take a ride on the A.C.M.E. express for
your trip around the world. Experience ethnic art forms by creating
them yourself. These “mini vacation workshops” will let you know
where the A.C.M.E express will take you!
5-12 YEARS OLD
0511.106 2:30pm-5:30pm
Mon-Thu
TP (Twin Peaks) $36.00(R)/$45.00(N) 6/6/11-6/23/11
0511.107 2:30pm-5:30pm
Mon-Thu
TP $36.00(R)/$45.00(N) 6/27/11-7/14/11
Note the 2nd week of this session runs Tue-Fri due to the holiday.

MUSD GEM testing

I have children going into both 1st grade and kindergarten this coming school year and I have to say, the second time through hasn't been smooth sailing, but it is going much better than trying to figure out the school system before you even have kids in school.

To hopefully help other Mom's who are first timers in this school district, here is a little information I really could have used a year ago!

Do you have a child going into KINDERGARTEN this next fall? Do you want to have your child tested to be in the Gifted Education in Marana (GEM) program at school? check out the district website here: http://www.maranausd.org/index.aspx?NID=4067 to learn more about the testing.

Contact your GEM teacher for your school by clicking on their name for their email address in the GEM teacher directory here: http://www.maranausd.org/index.aspx?NID=3819

If you look at the dates for testing online it says May 31-33. kind of funny. I don't think the gifted teachers wrote that. lol
(I looked online last year for this info and could not find it anywhere, maybe it was there, but it wasn't easy to find, in fact I was told that there is no GEM for kids until 2nd grade. FALSE.)

The Estes GEM teacher is Kristine Stewart. I had the chance to meet her this last Friday and I wish I had met her a year ago! She is so nice and really took the time to answer a million questions from me!

She sent out some info on testing for the incoming kindergartners:
Students entering kindergarten in SY 2011-2012 may take the Cognitive Abilities Test.

There are two sessions:
Session One: May 31, June 1, June 2nd
or
Session Two: July 26, 27 and 28
Your child would need to complete one session (all three days in a row) to take the entire test
.
The test is in the Twin Peaks library, from 8:30-11:00. Your child will need to attend all three testing days in order to complete the entire assessment.
If you have a child (or know of a neighborhood kid) who you would like to refer for testing, please let me know and I can get you the appropriate forms and information. - Kristine Stewart


I emailed her a few times to make sure the information is all there, however I already have a few questions to ask when I contact her to get the paperwork. (like the address of the testing site, just to make sure) I would suggest you communicate with the teacher for your school to have the least amount of mis-communication!


As you can tell above, if you want to have your child tested, contact the GEM teacher for your school, get the right paperwork and find out how to sign up for the test!

I can't believe my Travis is going into kindergarten!!! I'm still not ready for that. :)


Monday, May 9, 2011

Help Marana Heritage Farm to win a fruit tree orchard!

We Need Your Votes! Help the Marana Farm Win an Orchard

Dreyer's LogoThe Community Food Bank’s own Marana Farm is in the running for an entire orchard of fruit trees! All we need to make this happen? Your vote throughwww.CommunitiesTakeRoot.com. Once you register you can vote up to once daily to give the Marana Farm and our community the best chance at having this resource planted here.
Vote Now
Voting for “Communities Take Root” will run on or about April 15 – August 31, 2011. Visit www.CommunitiesTakeRoot.com to read the inspiring nominations and cast your vote. The communities with the most votes will receive a fruit tree orchard, which will be planted in partnership with the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to planting fruit trees to support healthy nutrition worldwide.
“Dreyer’s is passionate about helping neighborhoods become greener, healthier and of course, sweeter. Last year, tens of thousands of people voted at www.CommunitiesTakeRoot.com to help select which 25 neighborhoods would receive a public orchard. After the votes were tallied, “It was amazing to witness people from all walks of life coming together in each community to help plant the fruit trees,” says Jia Li, Fruit Bars Associate Brand Manager.

Swim Lessons!

It's that time of year again. A few of you have asked me about Swim Lesson offered at Marana High School: Wade McLean Pool
Marana High School
12000 W. Emigh Road
Marana, AZ 85743
(520) 616-6500

The cost is $20 for a two week session (4 days a week- 8 lessons total)

This is an awesome deal, and we had great swim instructors last year. I wouldn't say they are the best instructors you can find... but for $20, they are awesome!!!

Registration for the first 2 sessions is popular. The website indicates that registration for these two sessions begin @7:30 am... but I'd go sooner if you want a guaranteed spot!
Registration is: Friday, May 27

For more information Check out their Website!!

*they also offer swim team, which we love! For a whopping $20 -for the entire Summer! Your child can swim in the morning practice or afternoon practice or BOTH!
-as a side note, the site says the min age for swim team is 6yrs old, but if they can swim the length of the pool, unassisted... they can enroll!

If you are interested in the Marana Marlins Swim team, which practices at the Ora Mae Harn Pool. The cost is $50 for the season and info can be found here
-click on the program guide.

Feel free to post questions or comments regarding Swim Lessons/Swim Team!! others may benefit from your input!