I am sick of seeing 5am :)

Seriously? Where have I been? It's not like my life is that busy...maybe hectic but not busy...So sorry for not posting in what fees like FOREVER!

This week has been crazy. Worked hard this week and now I'll be working all weekend too. Not that I'm complaining! I love my job, if I've said it once, I've said it a million times. I LOVE MY JOB.

Can I just say, I am sick of feeling my feet hit the floor EVERYDAY by 5am? Chad works an odd shift and works the weekends... he leaves at 5:15am and is up at 4:30! That means I'm up too. It is nice to get a blissful if not groggy hour or so before children start to wander out but really, I'd rather be in the cozy confines of my bed...But then reality sets in and then my day really starts.

Today I am making mini cheesecakes for Fight Night. Yes, Fight Night! I love Fight Night. Chad and i get together with some great friends and watch grown men beat the snot out of each other. Gruesome? Some do say that. I say AWESOME! lol I am not really that into it. I couldn't tell you who is fighting when and the only on I remember is the California Kid and that's just because one friend is totally enamoured with him :)

Back to the task at hand. I have a few good deals today. Not too many. But hey, a deal is a deal right?

Who wants a free Mother's Day Cookbook? It's a little cheesy, but nice and well hey it's free! Click HERE!

Ok... who out there has tried ZUMBA? How about Curves? How about trying them now for a week for free? Click HERE!

Like to travel? How about travel and save? Through Eversave in Salt Lake (it's an online deal and you can use it ANYWHERE) you can spend $50 for a $100 Travelocity gift card... kinda nice! Click HERE

Cinco De Mayo is coming quick! And AllRecipes has some an entire page dedicated to ways to get your foodie love going for Cinco De Mayo! Best part the basic membership is totally free! Click HERE

Hey, that's all I've got for now. If the kids don't tie me up, gag me and put me in the closet why they take over the house, I might be back later. Right now I am going to go enjoy some quiet time on the couch, with a cup of coffee and enjoy the view...even if it IS APRIL 30th and there IS SNOW EVERYWHERE! A little bitter. Yes. They keep telling me Spring is coming. I'll believe it when I see it.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Sunday! Before you get busy hunting on Easter eggs and other activities don't forget that Easter is a promise. God renews to us in each spring. May the promise of Easter fill your heart with peace and joy! Happy Easter!

We have had an exciting week. A LONG exciting week! We spent time up at Hotel Park City. It was amazing. I am thankful to work for such a wonderful company. My boss Craig has let us use his suite there and it was just perfect.

Can I just say that I am in love with this Kitchen!

The living room was nice and cozy. We watched movies and had the fireplace going!

We even went swimming, outside! See the snow on the mountains!? It was fun even if we did freeze our butt's off!

Yesterday we had the Ward Easter Egg Hunt. Even though we aren't members of the church we always get an invitation and the kids all had a blast!

I feel like it's Christmas Eve!

You know that feeling you get the night before Christmas? The excitement about the festivities that will follow going to bed that night? I am pretty sure everyone in our house feels that way today. Tomorrow the in-laws are flying in from Michigan for a weeks visit. The kids are so excited. They haven't seen their Papa since last July and their Nana was last here in October so this is long overdue! We have lots of great things planned. We are taking them on a surprise trip to an awesome place. I really want to tell you, but they read this blog so I can't spill it, but trust me it will be awesome! We are pulling the kids out of school for three days to enjoy the time with them. We've rented a Suburban so we can all ride together on our adventure which means we will fit in with every other Utahn on the road!

Ok so I know I have mentioned it before... BUT I love zulily! You never know exactly what you'll find—the brands they offer change every day. It's like finding a treasure chest full of cute stuff. Membership is free and I know you'll love it too. They have the greatest deals! Up to %90 off! Check them out HERE!

Who DOESN'T love Bath and Body Works?! They have their spring stock up sale going on now! Buy 3 GET 3 FREE! How awesome is that and shipping is only a $1! Click HERE for the link!

Any Mom's out there want to make a little extra cash? Really, who doesn't... There is a site called Shadow Shopper and they are hiring secret shoppers all over the country to "shop" stores and businesses. Most of the time companies like this make you pay up front, but not these guys, with a little work you could bring home an extra $150.00 a week! Click HERE to find out more!

Do you love books?! Do you like Borders? Save %40 with this coupon code:

BAC1892L

For more great coupons like these check out Extrabux HERE!

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

Boy have I been busy the last two days! Last week I started a new work out routine with my friend Wendy and that has been a lot of hard work but fun too! Next week my mother and father in law are coming to town from Michigan and the whole house can hardly wait. We have a special trip planned for when they are here and it's going to be a blast!

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
So she'll pour herself some.
The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do some laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper for tonight.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With a Pound of
Hamburger.)
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow.
She will look for the checkbook.
The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her three year old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the three year old.
While she is changing the three year old the phone will ring. (Of course!)
Her five year old will answer it and hang up.
She remembers that she wants to phone a friend to come over for coffee on Friday.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.
And chances are,
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Written by Kathy Fictorie

Do you love to add a little spice to your life?!

Groupon has a great deal today!

Before the discovery of spices, chefs used physical gestures to describe meals’ intended tastes, thus inventing yoga and the mimed head explosion. Partake of palate-detonating flavors with today’s Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of spices from the Milford Spice Company. CLICK HERE!

Are you a nut fan?!

The Nutty Guys have a great Groupon deal today!

Nutty Guys sports a massive selection of nuts, dried fruit, candied delights, organic goodies, and more. Legume fundamentalists will raise fists in solidarity at the chance to buy both raw peanuts and raw Spanish peanuts (each starting at $3.73/8 oz.), while nut progressives can try punishingly powerful wasabi peanuts ($3.37/8 oz.). Fuel snack times with mango cubes ($3.75) and apple-juice-sweetened blueberries ($7.15/8 oz.), or sweeten a stash with chocolate-covered pretzels ($6.70/1 lb.), butter toffee almonds ($8.38/1 lb.), or cinnamon gummy bears ($3.67/8 oz.). $10 for a $25 deal... Click HERE!

A very berry Sunday!

So this morning we once again woke up to snow. I am really beginning to wonder if Utah really has any other season but winter. Rileigh and I decided we needed a taste of "spring" (what's that?!) and we made some strawberry pies! First Rileigh mashed a quart of strawberries!

Then we added the mashed strawberries to a 1 3/4 cups of sugar and 1 1/2 cups water and put it all in a large pot...

We turned the heat to med-high and let is simmer for 7 minutes...

Meanwhile... Rileigh whisked 6 tablespoons of cornstarch with a 1/4 cup of water!

Then we simmered some more...

Then we pulled out pie shells out of the oven (we forgot to tell you that they had been baking (thawed) for 12 minutes at 400 degrees)

We added a whole quart of beautiful strawberries...

The poured the mashed berry filling over the pie and then WAHLA!

You have strawberry pie! I am lucky to have made it this far with my Super Strawberry Sneaker Parker!

Ingredients

• 2 (9 inch) pie crust, baked for 12 minutes @ 400 degrees
• 3 quarts fresh strawberries
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 3/4 cups water divided

Directions

1. Arrange 1 quart of strawberries in each baked pastry shell. Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and remaining water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over berries in pastry shell. Chill for several hours before serving. 

Let us know how yours turns out!

The weekend is here!!! And so are some great deals and a yummy treat! :)

Yeah, scrapbooks are great - don't get me wrong! But these are cooler! At ScrapWalls you up load your photos, choose a shape or layout and your done! They look great on a wall or for that special occasion.

$15 for $30 worth of custom photo collages from ScrapWalls.com Click HERE!

Do you love magazines! HERE is a steal of a deal! Get a year's worth of home and lifestyle advice from Good Housekeeping for just $5, 12 issues of popular women's magazine Redbook for a fiver, or a full year of the latest in technology and innovation with Popular Mechanics for just $6. Can't decide? Get all three (or any combination) for $16!

Who out there can't use a good deal on AA batteries? Extrabux has found a great deal. For $18.99 you get a 48 pack of Rayovac AA batteries with free shipping! Check out the deal here!

Looking for a delicious dessert to celebrate spring and all things yummy?

Why not try a Strawberry Ruhbarb Crunch!

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 3 cups diced rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup rolled oats

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix white sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, strawberries, and rhubarb. Place the mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, butter, and oats until crumbly. You may want to use a pastry blender for this. Crumble on top of the rhubarb and strawberry mixture.
4. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and lightly browned.

Thursday...Woo hoo! Tomorow's Friday!

After looking at the inventory at two different stores we finally decided on a couch! I think this one will last longer than the 6 months the first set did!

Then while we were out we stumbled upon this store:

I think this could only happen in Utah! How in the heck can you be Sexy AND Modest! :) Anyways! On to the deals!

Today at Eversave you can get a great deal on these adorable wall decor from Lot 26.

Spring cleaning seems to inspire the interior decorator in all of us. Are you itching to try a new look in your home or spice up a certain accent wall or cozy corner? Pick up today's Save and get 50% off hundreds of options of stunning wall decor at Lot26.com. Each wall design is easy to apply and you can change them whenever you desire. The decorating possibilities are endless! Click HERE!

Groupon is offering a great deal from The Candleberry Candle Company! You can get a $30 online gift certificate for only $15! Who doesn't love candles?! Click HERE for this great deal!

Who wants some free chips and queso from Chilis?!

 Click HERE!

Get any small Quiznos sub for just $2.99. Print your coupon now! Click HERE! 

Enjoy the latest samples and coupons from P&G Brand Sampler. Simply login or signup to get access to free samples and coupons. Current  free samples as of today include Head & Shoulders, Tampax and Prilosec. Click HERE!

Did I ever tell you I love to shop?

Especially for furniture! When we moved to Utah we bought a new living room set from Ashley...

We loved it. It looked great in our living room and was so very comfortable. Chad could actually lay down on the couch and not have his feet dangling which was a major perk! Over time however, this couch became the enemy. First the upholstery was fraying on the cushions on the couch, then the love seat too. We called the store and they sent out an Ashley rep and she ordered us new cushions. We were thrilled. Till the cushions came and they were off by several shades!  We let the store know and they were going to send the warranty rep out again. Then the bottom of the couch and the back cushions all started to fray. It was like some little gremlin was going around and pulling at the threads on it so it would unravel! I waited for the Ashley rep to come out... and waited... AND WAITED. Finally we received a call from the store. The Ashley warranty rep had determined that this set was more of a "sitting room" set and that daily use just wasn't an option.... WHAT? Not an option? Have you ever seen that warning on furniture? What did they want me to do, put plastic covers on it and shove it into the front room and never sit on it? That would be great, but did they not know that I have 4 kids? I mean it's Utah, with 4 kids we are the minority! Why even bother selling it if it's not the least bit durable? So the store was kind enough to offer a full credit :) Bless their hearts... we get to go in to Knight's Furniture and pick out a new, MORE DURABLE, FAMILY FRIENDLY, NON SITTING ROOM, PLASTIC COVER, WARNING FREE couch and love seat! I am a very happy Miva!

Last but not least! Here are some deals of the day!

I love me some Eversave deals and today could not be any better! These are all ONLINE deals... so even though it says Salt Lake City, you can use this anywhere in the US!

Who doesn't love popcorn!

We hold a certain reverence for all things "pop:" pop culture, the King of Pop, popping in a shoe store "just to look." But today's Save is all about the kind that melts in your mouth and keeps you company during your favorite movies. Pay just $12 for $30 worth of gourmet popcorn in a variety of palate-pleasing flavors from POPtions!. Plus you save $5 on shipping!
Click HERE for divine popcorn!

Have you ever used Babo Botanicals Skincare Product? I just love them! They are awesome and I love their kids products! Another great deal from Eversave!

BaboBotanicals.com is partnering with Eversave once again to bring you a great deal on their premiere line of safe, organic, chemical and tear-free products. You feel great scrubbing the little ones clean from behind the ears to the wee behind knowing they're protected from harsh and toxic chemicals. So snag today's Save for $20 for $45 worth of Babo's skincare productsto restock your supply or get in on the Savings if you missed this deal the last time around. Click HERE for the deal!

Going out to dinner is so darn expensive these days... but I love Restaurant.com... you can go on their site and buy gift certificates for great prices! Right now Through Sunday (4.10), use promo code PLATE on Restaurant.com to get 70% off any dining certificate. A $25.00 dining certificate valid at local restaurants is usually $10.00 at Restaurant.com, so with this promotion you can grab one for only $3.00. 

Loving Tuesday's!

Can I just say, I LOVE MY JOB! Where else can you work and get to go to awesome broadway performances and concerts as a perk? Today I got Taylor Swift tickets and I am planning on taking my daughter to see her for her 8th birthday. I thought I would share with all of you the link to the presale for Taylor Swift at Energy Solutions Arena. 

Click HERE for the presale and the password is:

8003272177

This is a great deal through Utah Deal Monster.Family 4 Pack @ Planet Play Only $38! 4 Pizza Buffets, 4 Attractions and 4 $10 Game Cards! ($76 Value)  ..Click HERE to take advantage of this great deal!

Last but not least! Who doesn't love food from Chili's!?

Kids eat free today! Click HERE for the coupon!

I'll be back later with more great deals! :)