Food Fun Family

How I Am Reducing Holiday Stress

Lolli — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 21:18:13 +0000

This post has been sponsored by SheSpeaks, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love the holidays. All of them. I love finding the perfect gifts for my family and friends. I love decorating my house (despite the fact that I’m challenged in the home decor department). I LOVE baking. And I love hosting big gatherings for family and friends.

The fall to winter season makes me happy…in all ways except for one. Holiday shopping crowds give me a headache. Even when I’m heading to the store for something as simple as sodas and bread (which, for a family like mine is something we need to restock every few days), the lines and the crowds can be overwhelming. As far as the holiday spirit goes, crowds are a buzz killer for me.

I’ve tried all sorts of things to make my life easier and less stressful, especially around the holidays. I’ve tried shopping early in the season or during less busy hours. I’ve made well-planned and detailed shopping lists so that I could reduce the number and length of trips out. But hiccups seem to always happen to even the best-made plans.

As we enter another holiday season, I’ve discovered my new favorite holiday helper: Club Pickup at Sam’s Club. Now, whether I need to shop for gifts, stock up on soda or lunch snacks, or re-fill our kitchen essentials like bread, I can order online and pick all of my items up at Sam’s Club – for no extra charge. Club Pickup is free for all Sam’s Club members! That means a full cart with no lines and a lot less time out of my busy schedule. And THAT means more time to spend in the kitchen making my famous caramels and toffee and cookies!

Here’s how Club Pickup works: I shop online or on my Sam’s Club app. A Sam’s Club employee does the shopping for me. I get a notice when my order is ready for pick up, and I drive over to the club. I can either pick up my order inside or just drive my car up to the Club Pickup area. I check in on my Sam’s Club app and they’ll bring my items out to my car for me. This is an especially handy feature when you’re shopping for heavier items like cases of Coca-Cola® products for the party you’re hosting.

This past week, I used Club Pickup at Sam’s Club for the first time and was blown away. Not only did I get to spend my time preparing a nice dinner for the family instead of standing in a line, but I was able to take advantage of Sam’s Clubs’ awesome value on my favorite Coca-Cola® products, like Coca-Cola® Mini Cans and Sprite® Mini Cans, Dasani® Bottled Water, Gold Peak® Sweet Tea, and Diet Coke®.

I’m definitely going to appreciate Club Pickup when it’s snowing outside and I’m rushing to get back home to host a big dinner for family and friends. On second thought, I think I’ll send my husband or son out to do the Club Pickup run for me while I stay at home to cook (and sip on my ice-cold Coca-Cola®). Learn more about these products at Sam’s Club here.
What will Club Pickup at Sam’s Club help YOU do (instead of standing in line) this holiday season?

Connect with Sam’s Club:

Twitter: @SamsClub
Facebook: @SamsClub
Instagram: @SamsClub

It’s Time to Get Your Game On for Back-to-School

Lolli — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 17:00:24 +0000

This post is sponsored by Kohl’s. I received the included back to school clothes and essentials as compensation.

I remember as a kid that I LOVED back-to-school shopping. I was the one time of the year (and often the ONLY time) when I could count on getting a few new outfits. I loved trying on new clothes and finding pants and shirts and shoes that were stylish, crisp, colorful and new.

Starting off that first day of school with a new outfit made me feel more confident and more ready to tackle the new year.

Now I’m on the other end of the back-to-school shopping spectrum, as a mom with 4 kids living at home (and teenagers at that!!). Let’s just say that back-to-school shopping is often NOT on my list of “fun things I am looking forward to doing.”

I love shopping for myself. Browsing the racks of clothes and trying on new styles is still as exciting as ever. But taking four kids out shopping and finding things they like (and I like, equally)? That can be a different story!

I decided to bite the bullet this back-to-school season and knock all of the school clothes shopping out in one trip to Kohl’s. What was I thinking? Taking four teenagers out to shop for clothes….two girls and two boys, all shopping in different departments?

Yes, it was a big undertaking, but we scored some amazing deals at Kohl’s and came home with outfits for each of the kids that they can wear during the first week of school and throughout the school year. And you know what? I actually had fun!

And now my kids are ready to tackle their new year of school, with both of my girls heading to new schools this year (one starting high school, and the other starting college!). They definitely have their “game face” ready to make a great first impression.

Our favorite deals? We loved all of the “two-for” shirt deals! Everyone scored some graphic tees for a great price. It was fun to see which styles “spoke” to each of the kids. I loved that I was happy with each of the things that they picked out, too!

The boys were in desperate need of some new jeans (because boys grow SO fast!) and we were thrilled to find jeans that were a great price and fit. And take my word for it…the boys are not always the easiest shoppers to please!

After we got home, I asked each of the kids to pick out their favorite outfit to take some back-to-school pictures. They definitely don’t want to wait til the first day of school to start enjoying their haul from Kohl’s…and I don’t blame them!

Are you getting ready to do some back-to-school shopping with your kids, too?

Check out Kohl’s Friends and Family Sale from August 17th-20th. Be sure to score 20% off using code SAVER at check out. You can also get $10 off any $50 kids clothing purchase between August 4-20 using promo code BTS10!

Check out the back to school selection here: https://www.kohls.com/sale-event/school.jsp and here: https://www.kohls.com/sale-event/kids-clothing.jsp

What is on your must-have back-to-school list?

My blog may contain links to other websites. I am not responsible for the privacy policies of those other websites. When you click on a link, your information may be collected by those websites so I encourage you to read their privacy policies.
Affiliate links are not associated with Kohl’s.

Fuel Your Adventure with Safeway this Summer #FuelURAdventure

Lolli — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 12:00:16 +0000

This is a sponsored conversation between myself and Safeway. All opinions are completely my own.

Summer….in one breath it’s the relaxing break we crave all school year long. And in another breath, it is absolutely exhausting!

Summertime is the time of mixed up schedules, early morning swim practices, summer reading, vacations, long, lazy play days with friends, and family adventures near home. We might not have to pack school lunches every morning like we do September through June, but we seem to require even more fuel to keep us chugging along (and cool!!) during the summer months.

One of the keys to fueling ALL our adventures, year-round, is starting off with a good breakfast every morning. My youngest son declared this week that Quaker Life Cereal is one of his favorites and I need to buy it more often. He likes to stay fueled with a bowl of cereal or two or three throughout the day!

I visited my local Safeway recently and couldn’t wait to share with you guys the exciting #FuelURAdventure campaign. Safeway is our one-stop-shop for everything we need to keep our family fueled for our summer-time adventures, whether that’s chilled bottles of water and Gatorade for hikes or swim meets or tasty breakfast to give us energy to start the day. One of my favorite summer-time “treats” are Tostitos Scoops with a big bowl of fresh salsa made with tomatoes and peppers from our garden (we’re still waiting on the tomatoes here…).

Now! Here’s the news I couldn’t wait to share with you!! To help celebrate summer adventures everywhere, Safeway is giving shoppers the chance to win a $500 grocery gift card! You can enter simply by sharing how you #FuelURAdventure with Safeway and participating PepsiCo products this summer.

How to #FuelURAdventure

Show your local Albertsons Companies store how you #FuelURAdventure for a chance to win a $500 grocery gift card. Entry is easy as 1-2-3:

1. Take a photo featuring one or more participating PepsiCo products (see below) showing how they fuel your summer adventure
2. Share the photo on Twitter or Instagram or the contest site by 8/17
3. Use #FuelURAdventure on Instagram or Twitter and don’t forget to tag your local store

For official rules and more details, visit the contest site here

BONUS: everyone is really a winner here, because you’ll earn 4x Gas Reward Points when you stock up on any of these items. (Restrictions and exclusions apply. See your local store for details.)

PepsiCo Participating Products:

Quaker Cap’n Crunch (14 oz.)
Gatorade G2 Lemon Lime (32 oz.)
Lay’s Classic Potato Chips (family size 10.75 oz.)
Tostitos Scoops (10 oz.)
Quaker Life Cereal (13 oz.)
Aquafina bottled water (24pk 16.9 oz. bottles)
Gatorade (32 oz.)
XL Sunchips Veggie Harvest Tomato Basil and Cheese (7 oz.)

I can find all these great products here in Washington D.C. at my local Safeway store – be sure to check out these great products at your local Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Shaw’s, Star Market, United Supermarkets and Market Street.

So tell me, how will YOU fuel the rest of your summer with Safeway?

Connect with Safeway:

Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Safeway. The opinions and text are all mine.

Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip with Peapod

Lolli — Sat, 31 Dec 2016 21:58:23 +0000

I’ve partnered with Peapod to create this content. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The holidays wore me out. Between Christmas shopping for my big family to all of my holiday baking, decorating, Christmas cards, etc…not to mention our enormous kitchen remodeling project that started the day after Christmas, I haven’t had the time to do my normal meal planning and grocery shopping like I normally would. Don’t get me wrong. The holidays were fantastic. But have you ever had so much going on that the normal, every day things felt like they were too much to handle?

Peapod was particularly handy for the week between Christmas and New Years. Thank goodness for a quick and easy solution that helped me avoid yet another trip to the store!

About Peapod:

Peapod, an Ahold USA company, is the longest operating and country’s leading Internet grocer, serving 24 U.S. markets throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Peapod has delivered more than 40 million grocery orders. Customers can order online or on Peapod’s free mobile app for delivery to homes and businesses.

Peapod has all of the grocery store staples you’d find at your local supermarket in a range of categories: produce; meat and seafood; deli items; prepared foods; natural and organic foods; Kosher foods; floral; office and school supplies; seasonal items; pet items; health and beauty aids and value-priced private labels from Giant.

Get tasty recipes from Peapod’s recipe site: https://fromthepod.com/. Not only will you find delicious, family-friendly recipes, but you can place ingredients straight into your shopping cart. No need to bookmark a recipe and write down a grocery list when you head to the store.

We were invited to a New Years Eve party with friends and I knew I wanted to bring an appetizer, but I also knew that I wasn’t going to have much free time before the party. I clicked over to Peapod.com, loaded my cart full of staples and the ingredients I needed for my dip, and then I went about my business cleaning up from our kitchen remodeling project. At check out, I was able to select when I wanted to have the food delivered to my house, or I could choose the store pick up option as well.

I’ve always loved a good hot, cheesy spinach artichoke dip, and I was eager to try making the dip in the pressure cooker (since I’ve been trying more and more recipes in my Instant Pot).

The dip was a hit at home, and I know it will be a hit at the New Years Eve party, too!

I added the hot dip to a hollowed-out bread bowl and used the removed bread for dipping. Note: I would highly recommend getting two Sourdough bread bowls to serve with this dip, or serve on a platter with half bread cubes and half tortilla chips.

Yum

Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip with Peapod

Ingredients

4 cups fresh chopped spinach
2 (14 ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained well and coarsely chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce
Dash of salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl; spoon mixture into a small oven-safe baking dish that will fit comfortably inside the cooking pot of your Instant Pot. Cover baking dish with foil.
Place Instant Pot rack in the bottom of your cooking pot, then place two 18”-20" strips of aluminum foil (that have been folded in half and then in thirds) crossing each other in the bottom of the post. This foil "sling" will make it easier to remove your hot baking dish when it's done. See photo.
Pour water into the bottom of your Instant Pot so that the water comes just below the rack.
Place foil-covered baking dish on top of the foil X inside your Instant Pot. Fold the tops of your foil sling down so they don't get in the way of the Instant Pot lid.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure that the valve is set to "sealing." Select High Pressure and set the timer for 12 minutes.
When Instant Pot beeps at the end of the pressure cooking time, press cancel/off and use quick release to release pressure. When valve has dropped, carefully remove the lid.
Serve dip warm inside a sourdough bread bowl with bread cubes for dipping, or simply serve hot in a bowl with tortilla chips.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://foodfunfamily.com/instant-pot-spinach-artichoke-dip-with-peapod/

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can bake the dip in an oven-safe dish at 375° for about 15 minutes. And then I highly recommend that you consider getting yourself an Instant Pot! You won’t regret it (Amazon link).

How Peapod Makes Shopping Simple:

Express Shop: Quickly locate and select all for a specific recipe, meal plan, etc. Just type your list into the notepad; click Start Shopping and the products matching your first item will be displayed.
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Past Purchases: Peapod saves your orders so re-ordering is fast and easy!
Sort feature: Find products with the best price, to meet your dietary needs, even see which product is most popular. Select your sort preference from the drop-down box at the top of every page. Click the Save Sort link and your products will always be sorted that way.
Filter feature: Filter to only see the products that meet your needs, whether you’re looking for dairy-free cereal or peanut-free snacks.
Mobile App: The free Peapod Mobile App allows you to complete your full weekly grocery shopping in seconds with just one click of Order Genius or quickly add items on the fly as you think of them.
Money Savings:

o Peapod.com shows the running total of the bill as you shop so it’s easy to determine a budget and stick to it.

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o Customers earn Gas Rewards and A+ School Rewards with every purchase.

PodPass

Once you try Peapod, I’m pretty confident that you’ll want to shop this way again and again! Luckily, Podpass makes shopping with Peapod an even better deal. PodPass is available in 3, 6 and 12 month subscription options. Just pay one price for unlimited deliveries within a set timeframe.

Check back in the next few weeks for more info on Peapod.com, and a chance to WIN a $119 Peapod PodPass

Connect with Peapod:

Facebook: Facebook.com/PeapodDelivers

Instagram: @peapoddelivers

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/peapoddelivers

Twitter: @PeapodDelivers

15 Household Items That You Should Buy in Bulk

Lolli — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 11:00:30 +0000

This post is sponsored by BJ’s Wholesale Club, but all thoughts and ideas are my own.

If you’ve been reading my blog for more than a year, you probably remember that Food Fun Family used to be Better in Bulk. I chose that name many, many years ago as a newbie blogger because, as the mom of a family of seven, I felt like everything I did was in bulk. I cooked a lot of food. I did a LOT of laundry. I took a whole lot of pictures. And heaven know that my shopping cart was always full.

I’ve always been a frugal shopper. I’m not an avid couponer, but I still love saving money on our monthly grocery bill. I employ two simple methods to cut our grocery bill down: first, I make a lot of our food from scratch and, second, I buy whatever I can in bulk.

First, What to Not Buy in Bulk

My mom always shopped at warehouse clubs like BJ’s Wholesale Club, and I have been a long-time fan of bulk shopping for my big family, too. It’s important to remember a couple of things when planning to stock up on food and household supplies:

First, Not all grocery items were meant to be bought in bulk. A couple of examples of items that you should NOT purchase in bulk are perishable foods that will go bad before you can reasonably consume them, experimental/new products that you don’t know if your family will love, items you don’t have room to store (such as loads of meat that won’t fit in the freezer or a dozen 12-packs of toilet paper what won’t fit in the closet), and unnecessary items like candy (unless, of course, it’s the month before Halloween…in that case, stocking up on candy makes perfect sense).

Second, be sure to do some comparison shopping. Not everything is going to be a deal. But there is enough that is a significant savings when I shop in bulk that it makes it totally worth it for me.

Foods And Household Items That Are Great to Buy in Bulk

Since I’ve been shopping at wholesale clubs since I before I had my own family, I have come to recognize the household items that are the best deals to buy in bulk. A lot of my favorite warehouse deals are non-food items like toilet paper and toothpaste. You can often save a ton of money when you buy a package of several products instead of buying one at a time. One of my favorite pantry items to stock up on in bulk is spices. I can often get a huge spice container for about the same price as one of the tiny containers I get at the grocery store.

Here are a few of the household items that we regularly stock up on:

Canned foods (vegetables, fruits, soups, sauces)
Rice
Flour
Sugar
Dry pasta
Dry beans
Nuts
Spices
Oatmeal
Dry cereal
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Soap (both bar soap and liquid hand soap)
Laundry & dish washing detergent
Shampoo and conditioner
Toilet paper

It’s important to remember that not all lists are going to be perfect for everyone. Your list might look a little different than mine. If you don’t do a lot of baking, then maybe stocking up on flour and sugar in bulk will not make sense. If no one in your family likes eating beans, then a bulk supply of dry beans will go to waste. Adjust your bulk shopping list to fit with your family’s needs and buy what you know you will use.

One last tip: Be sure to check the shelf life (and use-by dates) of any foods that you plan on storing for long (in other words, don’t forget those cans that get pushed to the back of the shelf!).

What are some of your favorite items to stock up on and buy in bulk?

About BJ’s Wholesale Club

BJ’s Wholesale Club is a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States offering huge selections of the very best products for home and business — from groceries, cleaning supplies and health & beauty to home goods, electronics and more – at incredibly low prices. Click “Find a Club“ at the top of the page to find a BJ’s near you.

Connect with BJ’s on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Traveling? Don’t Leave Home Without Comfortable Shoes

Lolli — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 17:54:27 +0000

December tends to be a huge traveling month. I just got back from one trip and I’ll be heading on a family road trip in less than 2 weeks. What are the most important items in (and outside) YOUR suitcase? I know that I don’t leave home without a pair of comfortable shoes! This post is sponsored by Aerosoles but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am all about comfort. I’ve never been much of a fashionista, but I do want to look nice when I leave the house. However, with very sensitive feet, having something comfortable on my feet is a #1 priority, especially when I’m traveling.

Traveling? This is When You Need Comfortable Shoes:

Comfortable shoes for walking through the airport
Comfortable shoes for spending hours in the car
Comfortable shoes for sight seeing
Comfortable shoes for a night out dancing
Comfortable shoes for walking (because there is always a ton of walking when I travel!)

Basically, I need comfortable walking shoes for everything that I do – from my travels around the country to my trip to the grocery store to the time I spend standing in my kitchen. I love Aerosoles brand shoes because I know that I can do it ALL in the same pair of shoes – they’re a brand that represents extreme comfort to me, but they’re also CUTE.

I wore my new Aerosoles boots (High Gear faux fur mid calf boots) on my recent day trip walking around Washington DC with my family. I also wore them as I trekked through ZooAmerica in Hershey this past weekend. And to a Christmas concert with a wintery dress and a scarf. I’ll be wearing them again tonight as I head to see the Nutcracker at the Warner Theater in DC. They are so comfortable that I feel like I’m wearing moccasin slippers. There was no “breaking in” period – they were comfortable right out of the box.

And, what’s even more impressive is that I’ve gotten compliments every single time I’ve worn them. People love these boots!

Did You Know?

All Aerosoles shoes feature Diamond Flex Soles designed to disperse friction away from the foot as well as a Memory Foam Insole that soothes and pampers your feet. Running late and can’t find any socks? – Aerosoles shoes have a Sueded Sock and Lining to provide you with a breathable, soft layer to rest on.

There are so many beautiful, comfortable shoes to choose from at Aerosoles. I already have a few additional shoes on my wish list. Which shoes would you add to YOUR holiday wish list?

Connect With Aerosoles:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Must-Have Gifts for Travelers

Jody — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 15:09:47 +0000

Whether your sister-in-law travels for work, your nanny is backpacking through Europe, or your parents are jet-setting all over the place, you are probably looking for some great gifts for the travelers on your holiday gift list. From practical to fun this list has you covered.

Note: Amazon affiliate links used.

Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Must-Have Gifts for Travelers

Travel Pillow – Hypoallergenic, environmentally friendly, and machine washable, this comfy and practical pillow is a must have on the frequent traveler’s wish list.

Power Bank – Sometimes when you are on the road it is hard to find a plug to charge up your cell phone (a necessity, we all know) so a portable phone power bank can be a lifesaver!

Luggage Scale – A luggage scale comes in really handy for those on the go, a quick way to make sure they are within the limits on their carryon or checked in luggage.

Travel Journal – This pretty travel journal is a great way to record memories, experiences, and thoughts, or even collect ticket stubs and other memorabilia from trips.

Luggage Tags – Pretty and bright tags will make bags much easier to spot on the luggage carousel at the airport.

Camera Lens Kit for Phones – Great for anyone, but especially those who like to travel light, a camera lens kit will get them shooting like a pro with just their cell phone.

Scratch Off Map – This is a really fun and memorable way to mark where they have been, whether they are a world traveler or just road tripping across the US.

Noise Cancelling Headphones – These headphones lessen outside noises while allowing you to listen to music, watch movies, listen to podcasts, and more while you jet set!

Universal Travel Wall Charger – Overseas travelers will really love this adaptor! Nothing is more frustrating than having a dead cell phone or a computer that you can’t use. This adaptor works in the US, Australia, and the UK.

Toiletry Travel Bag – They will definitely need a place to put their toothbrush, deodorant, makeup, shampoo, and other items. This one comes in 5 beautiful colors.

What travel-centric gifts are at the top of your wish list? What would you add?

Three Cheers for Boot Season!

Lolli — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 12:00:33 +0000

I am so happy that it’s boot season! I was never much of a boot person until just about 3 years ago when I was converted thanks to my oldest daughter’s boot wish list. Now I’m hooked! I love shopping for boots like some women like shopping for purses, so Famous Footwear is naturally one of my favorite places to go. The selection, quality, and prices can’t be beat!

How I Celebrate Boot Season:

I was at Famous Footwear earlier this week looking for my next favorite pair of shoes. Of course, I had to try on a few dozen pair. I tried on waterproof boots, cold weather boots, tall boots, short boots, and even a few pairs of shoes that weren’t boots at all. I finally settled on the BEARPAW Boshie Winter Boot because 1) they made my feet feel like they were walking on clouds (not that I have personal experience with cloud-walking, but I can imagine), 2) they were in a color (chestnut) that was currently missing from my boot collection and 3) the buckle and knit details on the back of the boot were absolutely adorable.

I’m not a fashionista by any means, but I’ve already gotten compliments on my new boots, and I was so happy with how well they went with a pair of jeans, a scarf, and a sweater. That’s basically my winter outfit of choice – I like warm, cozy, and comfortable, and if I can fit a little bit of “cute” in to the picture, then I’m a happy girl.

Now that I’m sporting a new pair of winter boots, I can see my 12-year-old daughter eyeing them with that “when are you going to get ME a new pair of boots?” look on her face. She rocked her Christmas present Bearpaw boots from last year all the way through the summer (yes, even with shorts) and they’re still going strong. But I know how she feels. There are never too many boots.

Check Out These #ohsofamous Moments

Check out the Famous Footwear #ohsofamous style gallery – a fun place to get inspiration, explore what others are wearing, and see the variety that Famous Footwear offers. And after you browse what everyone else is wearing, it’s your turn to share your own #ohsofamous moments. I can’t wait to see what everyone else is wearing (hey, I might even be inspired to add a little more “cute” to my “comfy” winter outfits.

Connect with Famous Footwear:

Website | Pinterest | Twitter | Facebook | #ohsofamous style gallery

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

7 Great Gift Ideas for the Adventurous Family

Lolli — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 14:02:01 +0000

We are all explorers. And this Christmas, my family is celebrating that fact with a different kind of holiday gift-giving. This list of 7 great gift ideas plus giveaway are sponsored by Sierra Trading Post, but all thoughts are my own.

We Are All Explorers

My oldest daughter, who is away at college, has started to comment (complain?) recently that she thinks her family has been abducted and replaced by outdoorsy adventure-seekers. She claims she doesn’t know who we are anymore. I just chuckle.

I suppose it’s true. After we drove across the country to drop her off at school 2 summers ago, we got a taste for travel and adventure and the outdoors and we haven’t looked back.

This year, we’ve made a conscious decision to focus on experience-based gifts versus toys and frivolous things. That’s where Sierra Trading Post comes in. If you’re planning outdoor activities, you need to be prepared. Sierra Trading Post makes it easier to explore by offering incredible savings on the best brands of outdoor apparel and gear from around the world. And right now, they’re offering a 15% off plus half off shipping promotion with code ASAVENOW5.

Note: Offer available 11/23 through 12/7. Clearance items are excluded from the 15% off, but you’ll still save with 50% off shipping!

7 Great Gift Ideas for the Adventurous Family

As we make plans for our winter adventures in Florida, our next family road trip or just explorations around our home town, I’ve been eyeing a few fun gift ideas that are perfect for the adventure-seeking family.

For the trail runner or hiker (like my husband), these Adidas Outdoor Terrex Swift R Trail Running Shoes (For Men) would be the perfect gift. A good pair of trail shoes will help him explore even more miles…in comfort!

For those times when you have to pack light, this Single Travel Hammock would be ideal. My husband likes to take the kids on bike rides down the C&O Canal in the fall. As beautiful as the bike ride is, they can’t carry much gear on their bikes, so light weight travel hammocks are a welcome comfort when they stop for the night along the trail.

For the anywhere explorer, a good backpack is a must, like this Kelty Redtail 27 Backpack. Whether you’re heading on the airplane or on the trail, a backpack is a critical part of your trip to keep snacks and other essentials close at hand.

For after a day of exploring, nothing beats a warm, cozy blanket like this Woolrich Meadow Creek Throw Blanket. I get a throw blanket every year for Christmas. It’s something I look forward to each year. You can never have too many cozy blankets!

For the adventurous girl, these waterproof, insulated Lowa Yukon Ice Gore-Tex® Hiking Boots for women will take you far. My girls go to a fun week-long camp each year and they need good hiking shoes. Nothing is worse on a long hike than wet, sore feet. My girls will be leading the group with these boots.

For the curious kids (little kids and big kids alike) these Steiner Predator Pro Binoculars are perfect for taking in the surroundings and taking explorations to the next level. Whether it’s watching for birds or other critters or enjoying the view up close, we love traveling with a good set of binoculars.

For the outdoor-loving cook, you can’t do without a classic Lodge Cast Iron Deep Camp Dutch Oven. I use cast iron for indoor cooking all the time, but I’ve been eyeing a 5 quart Dutch oven with a camp fire lid. Next time we go camping as a family, I won’t go without this staple for outdoor cooking.

Don’t forget – from now until December 7, you can save on all of these items and more with the 15% off + half off shipping promotion when you use code ASAVENOW5

About Sierra Trading Post:

Sierra Trading Post has great long-term partnerships with the best brand names in the business so they are able to offer super low prices on their very best closeouts, overstock items, and 2nds — then they pass the savings on to you!

Closeouts are always first quality; brands often make design tweaks or add new colors to their products. When they do, the previous product is offered at a great price.
Overstock items are always first quality, too. If an item is designated as a closeout item, it simply means that the manufacturer’s inventory is too large and they need to sell these extras.
2nds have minor cosmetic flaws or slight irregularities that don’t affect the fit, performance, or longevity of the item, but a small flaw means big savings for you! The labels for these products may be clipped or marked.

Enter to WIN a $300 Amazon Gift Card

Enter below to win a $300 Amazon gift card! Giveaway ends December 7. U.S. residents ages 18 and up only may enter.

How to enter: Tell us your favorite item from Sierra Trading Post and why you like it in the comments below.

Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Running Out of Gas…And Other Things You Never Want To Run Out Of

Lolli — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 14:26:36 +0000

It was our first year of marriage. I had been a full-time college student for the past 3 years and had not had a car at school. So the wedding gift from my parents – a used Ford Tempo – was a huge treat. My biggest challenge was not getting back into the swing of driving (it’s just like riding a bike, right?)…my challenge was getting used to pumping my own gas. That’s right, I was terrified of pumping gas.

I had learned how to drive and received my drivers license from Oregon, where it was illegal to pump your own gas. And then I spent 3 years in another state without a car and ended up as a young married woman who would have anxiety attacks thinking of having to pump my own gas.

I was able to avoid the gas situation fairly well for a few months. I just conveniently made sure that my new husband was in the car when we stopped at the gas station. Unfortunately, my plan to avoid pumping gas failed, as faulty plans like this tend to do. I had received a call from my husband to come pick him up from work. I made it to his work and about a block down the road when the car died. I had run the tank completely dry.

This was the age before cell phones, so I had to stay with the car for an embarrassing 15 minutes while D walked back to work to call my grandpa, who rescued us with a gas can he always kept in his pick up truck (Grandpa was the kind of person who bought a truck in his 70s just so he would be able to help people move. He was always prepared). Grandpa filled us up enough that we could make it to the nearest gas station. And from that day on, I was infinitely more terrified of running out of gas than I was of pumping gas….In other words, I never had trouble pumping gas ever again.

What are some other things you’ve run out of at inconvenient times? Cash? (Have you ever gotten up to the register with a cart full of food only to realize that you have $2.37 change in your purse AND NOTHING ELSE?) Food? (Have you ever invited people over for a get-together only to discover that you didn’t plan enough food?) Toilet paper??

Have you ever rushed to the bathroom, sat down on the toilet and discovered TOO LATE that there is no toilet paper? Oh, the panic! How often have you had to call out in a public restroom, “Hello? Could someone please pass me some toilet paper under this stall? See my hand waving around? Please? Anyone?”

I can’t tell you how many times my own kids have done the same thing to me at home.

Scott® doesn’t want anyone to have to feel that panic, which is why they’re giving a little extra. The 1000 bonus pack at Sam’s Club now has 1100 sheets – a BONUS bonus! I headed to my local Sam’s Club last week to pick some up (because in a big family like mine, we can ALWAYS use a little extra TP) but first I checked my Ibotta app.

Have you used Ibotta before?? You can earn cash back rebates for the things you buy at your favorite stores – even basic things like milk and cheese and lettuce. I found a $5.00 rebate for the Scott® 1000 bonus pack at Sam’s Club. It was as easy as making my purchase like I normally do and then scanning the product and taking a quick picture of my receipt. Quick and easy!

Grab a Scott® 1000 bonus pack for yourself. Your family will thank you (because no one wants to run out of TP). Don’t have a Sam’s Club membership yet? I can help you there, too! Just sign up here for a membership or try it out for free for a day to see if Sam’s Club is right for you (and pick up a Scott® bonus pack while you’re there…).