Monday, January 30, 2012

Returning to School with Sam's Club


Christmas season is now long over, and school is back in session.  I'm not sure what your pantry looks like, but I know that mine is nearly empty.  Between traveling, parties, guests, and get-togethers (and a long bout of pneumonia), what's left is a mix of expired foods and random bits and pieces that aren't enough to make a healthy meal.   Fortunately, now that I'm feeling better, Sam's Club is on my list of places to visit this week to stock up on all of the girls' essential snacks as well as soups to keep my lunches healthy here at home.

In addition to having all the foods my girls love, in quantities that I need, and prices I appreciate, Sam's Club also offers Bonus Box Tops on some of these great products.  If you like Nature Valley, Yoplait, or Progresso, then you might want to hurry in to Sam's Club to find the packages with the Bonus Box Tops.  Not only will you be getting the foods you love, but you'll be able to support the schools your kids attend as well.

Who wants a little help in paying for your back to school essentials from Sam's Club?  I was given a $25 gift card to share this information with you, and now one of you can win one as well.  All you have to do is enter via the rafflecopter form below.  Good luck!

Just a Thought -

This past weekend my family and I went on a mini vacation and stayed in a hotel.  I was struck by the fact that every hotel now posts a note asking me to do my part to save the environment by reusing my towel.  The cynic in me wonders if they really care about the environment, or if they are actually just trying to save themselves some work and money.  Regardless, I have no problem reusing my towel in a hotel.  I certainly don't change my towel daily at home.  The problem I have, is that all of the towels in a hotel are white and unidentifiable.  If they would give me four towels, each a different color, so that I was able to distinguish which one belonged to which member of my family, I would happily oblige and do my part to save the environment.   However, as much as I love my family, there are two things we just don't share - toothbrushes and towels.   So alas, I find myself destroying the environment one towel at a time. 

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

New Year, Souper You with Progresso

Welcome 2012!

The New Year is upon us, and while I don't generally do New Year's Resolutions, per se, I am always looking for new ways to better myself.   From being more patient with my kiddos to making smarter food choices, I have a long list of things to work on this year.  Unfortunately, many of them are carry-overs from previous years since it is sometimes difficult for me to reach specific goals and maintain them long-term.  (I get bored easily.)  By keeping these goals in the forefront of my mind, I can at least be more aware of individual choices I make, and eventually that has to add up to some improvement.  Right?

While I would love to lose some weight, my primary reason for wanting to make smarter food choices is to be a good example for my kids.  We generally eat fruit as snacks and don't keep too much junk food around the house, but we do go out to eat too often.  It isn't that we particularly enjoy that food more than home cooked food, but it is sometimes so much more convenient when we're out and about anyway.  I need to find some quick, easy, convenient, and healthy foods to keep around the house.  I already use my crock pot quite often, but am always looking for new recipes to try. (Again, my boredom becomes an issue.)  I want my kids to enjoy and appreciate healthy choices now so that it is easier to continue to make healthy choices later.  I don't want them to have to go through the same struggles I am going through as they get older, become less active, and get overwhelmed with stress and unhealthy options on every corner.

While considering what I should buy for myself to keep on hand, I discovered that Progresso now has 40 soups each with 100 calories or less per serving.  That should be enough to keep me from getting too bored.  Even if I liked 30 of them, I'd be set for a different soup every day for lunch for less than 200 calories.  (I'm going to be honest and say that if soup is all I'm eating, I'm highly likely to eat the entire can and not just half of it.)

In addition to having a huge variety of soups, Progresso is also hosting a Souper You Contest where you can enter to win an amazing makeover experience in Hollywood.  The prize includes a trip for two to Los Angeles, California where the winner will receive a head-to-toe makeover including hair and makeup, guided shopping spree with a $1,000 fashion retailer gift card, $1,000 spending money and 2 tickets to this season’s live finale of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. How fun would that be?!

All you have to do to enter is go to www.SouperYou.com and submit a photo and essay about why you love Progresso soups and why you deserve a makeover by February 22nd.  Finalists will be selected and posted by March 12th.  People vote on the finalists until March 25th.

So, what are you waiting for?  Go take a photo and work on that essay!    If you haven't tried Progresso Soups yet and want to find out why you can love them too, then go to http://bit.ly/ProgressoCoup and print off a coupon for $1.25 off 4 cans.  Good luck!

Do you need some motivation to get going on that essay?  Check out this video of the 2011 winner experience and see how much fun you could have if you won!


Now that you're ready to win the big prize, I'm going to give you a chance to win a smaller prize too.  If you'd like to win:
  • (2) VIP Coupons for Progresso Soup
  • (1) copy of “The Biggest Loser” Workout DVD
Then enter using the rafflecopter entry below.  Best of luck!

*Disclosure:  The Progresso® Souper You® prize pack, information, coupon, and giveaway have been provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.