Target

Note: I received compensation to facilitate purchase of deals found with the Flipp app. All opinions are honest and are my own.

Halloween is next weekend (!) and the kid in me was pretty thrilled to discover that it falls on a Saturday evening. It works out perfectly -Friday night we’re having friends over for a pumpkin carving & painting party, and we’re having a Halloween-themed meal for the kids, since Saturday will be busy with trick-or-treating. It’ll be a lot of fun, and I decided I needed to ramp up my Halloween decor and supplies to get ready.

I knew that, when shopping, I didn’t want to break the bank on items we’ll only get to use for a short time each year, so I turned to my Flipp app on my iPhone to help me find the best sales and coupons. If you haven’t heard of Flipp before, it is a free iPhone & Android app that aggregates all your favorite retail circulars onto one super-handy digital device for seamless access to the very best deals on everything you’re shopping for. There are all sorts of categories to pick from, or you can do a search to find the specific item(s) you want.

The screen below is my favorites screen; it shows me circulars for the stores I shop at most.

I was on a mission, though – to find great Halloween deals. I did a search for Halloween, and it brought up all the deals in my area.

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I participated in an Influencer Program on behalf of Mom Central for Huggies. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Baby E turned 21 months old today and trust me when I say she is almost always on the move, whether it’s running after her brothers, the dogs, or just around the house pushing her baby stroller. Just yesterday evening all three of my kids were marching around the house singing, “The ants go marching one by one!” There’s not much sitting still in this house until we’re in bed at night, and as exhausting as it can be, I really adore this stage with her. She’s becoming more independent and wants to be down and walking on her own everywhere, and it’s pretty adorable watching her run after her brothers as fast as her little legs will go.

Huggies knows that movement & activity are really important for the development of babies, but it can be really hard to keep constantly-moving babies comfy & dry throughout the day. Their Little Movers diapers address the issues parents like us can have with some great features:

• Double Grip Strips:  soft, durable Velcro strips on the sides and front diaper panel, for an all-around comfort that lasts
• SnugFit waistband: for all an around stretchy fit

We’re really happy with how the Little Movers diapers fit. The stretchy panels on the sides are great at keeping the diaper snug but still comfortable, and the tabs stick really well making diaper changes easy (and giving us the assurance that the diaper will stay on well, too!).

Target, which is pretty much my favorite store ever, is offering an awesome chance to win a whole year’s supply of Huggies Little Movers diapers. When you enter, you’ll automatically get a $2.00 Target coupon for Huggies diapers, so everyone’s a winner – because who doesn’t love a good coupon?

• To enter the giveaway, celebrate your little one’s moving moments by visiting the Huggies site and uploading a photo or video of your baby’s best moves. To enter, you’ll need to create or login to your existing Huggies account.

Don’t forget to celebrate your little mover’s many moving moments!

We used bottles with both of the boys, and plan to use bottles this time around too. And if you’ve used bottles, you know how often you end up washing them. A lot. But if you’re like me, just washing them well isn’t enough – you want to sterilize them, too, to protect your baby’s delicate immune system.

A while back I wrote about how much we loved Tommee Tippee sippy cups for the boys. They’re still holding strong as our favorites with no leaking, by the way! Before then, I hadn’t heard of this UK-based brand, but now I’m a HUGE fan of their products – AND they’re available at Target, which makes it even better!

We received some bottles and the Electric Steam Sterilizer to review (check back next week for a post about the bottles). I love the idea of a countertop device that works quickly and efficiently, so I was eager to check this out.

The first thing I noticed about this is that it’s pretty fail-proof to use. You can see the control panel there (a.k.a. the single, can’t-miss-it button). You just pour in 2.7 oz of water (which is marked with a handy line on the Tommee Tippee bottles), load the device, put the lid on, and go!

The bottles load on the bottom level of the rack. The top level holds nipples and lids, and is removable if you don’t need both levels or are sterilizing something a bit taller.

This sterilizer is easy to maintain, too – every few weeks you just wipe it down and run a cycle through with vinegar to descale it from water build-up. I know we’ll get a ton of use out of this! You can find the Tommee Tippee Electric Steam Sterilizer at your local Target store or on Target’s website – plus, right now you can get free shipping on items over $50! This retails for $69.99 which seems to be on par with pricing for other electric sterilizers.

With the boys, we used microwave sterilizers, which can be great (Tommee Tippee makes a microwave sterilizer, too) but if you go somewhere without a microwave it can be a challenge. This electric sterilizer is compact and would be really easy to take along with you on a trip, which is another added benefit.

Don’t forget to check out the baby aisle at Target on your next trip and see all of the Tommee Tippee products available! And keep an eye out for my post on their bottles coming up soon.

Note: I received an electric sterilizer and bottles from Tommee Tippee to facilitate my review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. All opinions are honest and my own.

If you’ve got kids who don’t want to eat their veggies (or, let’s be honest, you don’t really like eating them yourself) then you’ll love this great way to sneak some veggies in with a tasty treat. Giada de Laurentis has whipped up a recipe for carrot & zucchini muffins that blends together deliciously sweet veggies, raisins and cinnamon for a calorie-conscious muffin recipe. Great for breakfast or a quick snack in between meals, these little muffins have big bite. And for those still seeking an extra dose of sweetness, spread on the soft cream cheese and honey frosting.

Ingredients:

For the muffins

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup grape seed oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/3 cup grated carrots (from 1 medium peeled carrot)
• 1/2 cup grated zucchini (from 1 medium unpeeled zucchini)
• 1/2 cup raisins

For the frosting (optional)

• 1 cup (about 8 ounces) whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 24 mini muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sieve together the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add any solids leftover in the sieve to the bowl and mix in.

3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the oil, syrup and egg.

Add the dry ingredients and mix well until combined. Mix in the carrot, zucchini and raisins.

4. Using 2 small spoons, fill the muffin cups 3/4 full with the batter and bake for 15 minutes until light golden. Cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool, about 30 minutes.

5. Frosting: In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and honey until smooth. Spread the cooled muffins with frosting and serve.

Shared with permission from A Bullseye View & Target. A Bullseye View is an online magazine, updated regularly to bring Target to life. It is a behind-the-scenes look at Target’s most exciting partnerships, initiatives, events and innovations.

Do you “like” Target on Facebook? If not, you ought to! Find out about great deals, like the one that starts today and runs through December 3. First, go on over and “like” Target’s Facebook page so you can print the coupon… then you’ll get a free $10 gift card when you spend $50! Simple, right? Happy shopping!

I wrote yesterday about Target’s Earth Month celebration – well, when I got home from work I had a bamboo bowl from Target waiting for me to review! This bowl is just one of the eco-friendly products Target is featuring for Earth Month.

I love bamboo products because they’re not only eco-friendly – they’re beautiful! I absolutely adore this bowl. I can imagine using it for salad or as a bread bowl, or even to serve as a centerpiece filled with fruit, etc. It retails for $17.00 at Target, and when you purchase it you can feel good knowing you’re buying something made from a sustainable material.

Here are some of the other product offerings that Target is featuring this month to help celebrate the Earth Month, along with the bamboo bowl. You can find these in-store or at their online EcoBoutique:

• Clorox Greenworks Cleaning Products • Starting at $2.49 • Made from 95% naturally-derived ingredients and  never tested on animals, these products clean just as well as traditional cleaners. Available at Target stores and online
• Tom’s of Maine Peppermint Toothpaste • $3.89 • Recyclable carton, free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives- also clinically proven to whiten teeth! Available at Target stores and online
• Coca-Cola Desani Plantbottle • $3.99 (24-pack) • PlantBottle ™ packaging contains up to 30% plant-based materials and are 100%-recyclable. Available at Target stores and online
• Proctor & Gamble – Tide Cold Water Free and Tide Coldwater • $10.99 • Switch to cold water and save up to 80% of energy* in every load. Tide Coldwater is specially formulated to clean in cold water. *By switching from warm/cold to cold/cold for all loads in a standard top-loading machine with an electric water heater set at 140º. Available at Target stores and online
• General Electric Smart CFLs • $4.32-$6.00 • These “smart” bulbs turn bright as soon as you flip the switch, and can save up to 75% more energy, compared to standard incandescent. Available at Target stores and online
• Bamboo bowl • $17.00 • Bamboo is not only a fast-growing renewable resource, it’s a stylish accessory for the kitchen or dining room. Available at Target stores and online

Note: I received a bamboo bowl from Target for review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. Any opinions are honest and are my own.

Anyone that knows me knows that I love Target. Like, love it. One of the perks of our house to me was that it’s only a 5-minute drive to get to one. Our boys will request to go to Target for fun, because they love getting popcorn & ICEEs and going to look at the toy section. The love of Target is hereditary, I guess.

Well, here’s another reason to love Target – They’re giving away reusable bags, made from 100% recyclable Tyvek material, at Target stores nationwide on April 17 (while supplies last).

I love these bags and the fact that they’re made out of recycled material – and moms, are you as excited as I am about the long strap on this bag? When I’m shopping my hands are almost always full holding our boys’ hands, so carrying shopping bags can be a hassle and a pain. The fact that I can wear this bag over my shoulder? Awesome!!

In addition, Target always offers a 5-cent discount for guests off their total purchase per reusable bag. Since November 2009, Target has saved guests nearly $2 million through the 5-cent discount program. Target joins its guests, team members and partners in making environmental commitments everyone can keep. For more information about Target’s sustainability commitments, visit Target.com/hereforgood.

Shawn Gensch, Target’s vice president of Marketing, said, “From how we build our stores to the way we interact with our guests, environmental sustainability at Target is integrated throughout our business. As part of Target’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, our Earth Month activities are designed to remind our guests of the many ways we can all make small changes, which together make a big difference.”

Target’s Earth Month celebration also includes an online boutique at Target.com/Eco where guests can purchase sustainable products,receive sustainable decorating tips from Sabrina Soto, download coupons to use at their local Target store and enter for a chance to win the home makeover sweepstakes with Sabrina Soto. The sweepstakes also will offer hundreds of other prizes, including:

• Eco vacations, including air transportation and hotel accommodations;
• A chance to design your own line of environmentally friendly cleaning products;
• $5,000 worth of energy-smart lighting and/or appliances; and
• Giveaways of top Earth Month products

They’re also offering deals on sustainable products in the weekly ad, available April 17-23.

Be sure and visit your local Target on April 17 (this coming Sunday!) to get your free bag (don’t forget, supplies are limited, so get there early)!

I don’t know that I’ll do this every week, but I figured today I’d share a tip that I’ve figured out for decorating our home – and saving money, of course!

A while back I bought some gorgeous candles on clearance at a local shop. They’re square, which I love, and they have a warm honey color to them that looks even better once they’re lit and the glow from the flame reflects off of them. I set out on the hunt for something to set them on, and quickly found that most of the candle plates I liked were anywhere from $8-$15. I’m not talking about anything ornate, either! I tend to like things with clean, simple lines.

Inspiration struck. We were at Target (surprised?) and I decided to head over to take a look in the kitchen department. I immediately saw square, white, ceramic plates that were perfect for what I wanted. There were different sizes available, and I could buy just one. The best part? I got a 9″ plate for just $2.99. I love how it looks paired with the candles – the square shapes work together really well. If I wanted to, I could add some small smooth stones around the candles, but we liked the simplicity of just the three candles on the plate.

Do you have any tips to share? I’d love to hear them!

I found this meme and thought it’d be a fun one to participate in. After all, I can think of plenty of things I <3 LOVE <3 and would like to share! The one for today came to me immediately, because I was just going on and on about it to Brian the other day. And the best part? It cost $2. Continue Reading…

Brian, my husband, often teases me when I get excited about a sale or a bargain. As we’re walking out of the store where the bargain was found, he’ll say, “I bet you can’t wait to look at the receipt and figure out exactly how much you saved, right?” or, “I bet you can’t wait to email your mom about this deal, huh?” He knows me too well.

I’ve started to rub off on him a little, though. A while back we were at Target when we saw a large clock. Clean, simple, with a nice silver frame, it would be perfect for our living room. The only problem? It was $50 – and there was no way we could justify spending that much on a clock, no matter how large or beautiful it was.

We went back a couple of weeks later, and the clock was marked down to $35. We seriously contemplated buying it then, because we really liked it… and like I said – big, beautiful, perfect for our living room. You get it. Well, we talked ourselves out of it because we really wanted to start making wiser choices about purchases.

Fast forward two more weeks. We were out running errands on a Friday night and Brian needed to run in Target to get diapers. The boys and I waited in the car, and it wasn’t long until Brian came out, diapers in tow – along with the clock! He had found it marked down to $12.48 – 75% off. He didn’t say it, but I know he was proud of his find, and I love having it hang in our living room. We always get compliments on it, and no one can ever believe that it cost so little.

Here’s a photo of the clock in our living room. See how large it is? It really fits with the rest of our decor – and we never wonder what time it is.