Great Offer: Carter's Coupon (Good Through August 12)

I forgot I had this, but since there are a few days left, I thought I would post it. Get 20% off a purchase of $50 or more. One thing I do like about Carter's is that if you have the receipt, you can return things 2 years later. I always buy from the clearance sales for the next year, so if Baby Boy has a growth spurt, and the clothes don't fit, I can return them (assuming I can find the receipt!).

Aspiring Photographer: Dahlias

A few years ago, I grew Dahlias in my flower garden. They are one of my favorite types flowers, and there is a lot of variety. I didn't continue growing them, because in Colorado, you have to dig the bulbs up every year and store them for the winter.

This one is a Dahlia Hawaii. It was the focal point of the color theme of my garden. I picked up all the colors for the flowers from this flower.

This was my favorite: It was a Dahlia Fringed (semi-cactus) Star's Favourite.

A Christine Dahlia.

This was a Dahlia Fringed (semi-cactus) Yellow Star.

The next one is actually a Love & Peace Rose that I grew the same year.

How To: Decode Text Message Abbreviations

You see teenagers texting each other all the time...at the movies, in the mall, while they're driving (hopefully not, but I have seen it). If you are like me, you wonder how they can do it so fast, or find it an efficient use of their time. I hate sending text messages. I'm slow at it, and quite frankly, I'd rather just call someone.

To text efficiently, you need to be able to decode the abbreviations. Here is a sampling of some popular shorthand texting terms.

• # 99 - Parents are no longer watching
• afaik - As far as I know
• asap - As soon as possible
• atm - At the moment
• b4 - Before
• bbl - Be back later
• bbs - Be back soon
• bf - Boyfriend
• BI5 - Back in five minutes
• btw - By the way
• cid - Consider it done
• cm - Call me
• cuz - Because
• cya - See ya
• dk - Don’t know
• dl - Download
• dur - Do you remember
• eod - End of discussion
• ezy - Easy
• f2f - Face to face
• fwiw - For what it’s worth
• fyeo - For your eyes only
• g2g - Got to go
• gf - Girlfriend
• gl - Good luck
• gr8 - Great
• h&k - Hugs and kisses
• h8 - Hate
• hagn - Have a good night
• hig - How’s it going
• howru - How are you
• iccl - I couldn’t care less
• idk - I don’t know
• ilu - I love you
• im - I am
• imho - In my humble opinion
• jk - Just kidding
• jtluk - Just to let you know
• kit - Keep in touch
• kwim - Know what I mean
• l8 - Late
• lmk - Let me know
• lol - Laugh out loud
  
• luvu - Love you
• mob - Mobile
  
• mte - My thoughts exactly
• mtf - More to follow
• n - And
• ne1 - Anyone
• np - No problem
• nrn - No reply necessary
• obtw - Oh by the way
• omg - Oh my God
• otoh - On the other hand
• pcm - Please call me
• pls - Please
• ppl - People
• prw - Parents are watching
• ptmm - Please tell me more
• qix - Quick
• r - Are [or ] or
• rotfl - Rolling on the floor laughing
• ruok - Are you OK
• sec - Second
• sit - Stay in touch
• sol - Sooner or later
• sry - Sorry
• sys - See you soon
• t2ul - Talk to you later
• tafn - That’s all for now
• thx - Thanks
• tmb - Text me back
• tmot - Trust me on this
• ttutt - To tell you the truth
• ttyl - Talk to you later
• ur - You are
• v - Very
• w/o - Without
• wayd - What are you doing
• wbs - Write back soon
• werru? - Where are you
• wtm? - What time
• wuwh - Wish you were here
• x - Kiss
• xoxoxo - Hugs and kisses
• y - Why [or] yes
• yr - Your
• zzzz - Sleeping
• UG2BK - You got to be kidding
• GBTW- Get back to work
• NMP - Not my problem
• PIR - Parent in room
• GFTD - Gone for the day
• FYEO - For your eyes only
• BI5 - Back in five minutes
• DEGT - Don’t even go there
• BIL - Boss is listening
• PAW - Parents are watching
• 99 - Parents are no longer watching
• PCM - Please call me
• IMS - I am sorry
• TOY - Thinking of you
• KUTGW - Keep up the good work
• CID - Consider it done
• FWIW - For what it’s worth
• HAND - Have a nice day
• IAT - I am tired
• NRN - No response necessary
• 4COL - For crying out loud
• WRUD - What are you doing
• LMIRL - Let’s meet in real life
• ^5 - High five

If you should get a text that you need to find the meaning of, visit LG's Mobile Phones De-Texter website: http://dtxtr.com/ or NetLingo.com.

Travel Tip: Airfare Denver to Orlando for 127 RT

I just got an email announcing this great deal!

Flights to Orlando from Denver were just slashed to new low prices of $121-$127 round trip, including taxes. These fares, which usually total $300 round trip, are good for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays Aug. 18 - June 30. These fares are unadvertised and could sell out quickly.

Click here to find the lowest priced deals through October.

Click here to find the lowest priced deals after October.

Click here for awesome hotel deals in Orlando.

Travel Tips: Sightseeing in Denver

Sightseeing in Denver (A Sample 3-Day Itinerary)

If you only have three days to spend in Denver, here are some of the highlights you won't want to miss. They are all kid-friendly and clustered, in a way to help you make the most of your time.

Day 1

Visit the Molly Brown House Museum in the morning. Molly Brown has an amazing story and the architecture is stunning.
Days: Tuesday through Sunday.
Price: $8.00 for Adults, $4.00 for kids
Time required: Tours last for 45 minutes, but you may want a bit of time to browse the gift shop.
Address: 1340 Pennsylvania Street, Denver

BONUS Tip: Walk the Women of the West Denver Story Trek (the Molly Brown House is one of the stops), as part of your tour.

Lunch: Head over to the 16th Street Mall, hop on one of the FREE RTD Mall Buses and grab a burger at the Hard Rock Cafe or Johnny Rockets.

Late in the afternoon, enjoy Afternoon Tea at the Brown Palace Hotel. The tea and snacks are delicious, and the Brown Palace is breath-taking. Be sure to make a reservation in advance.

For the evening, head over to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and check out a show.

Day 2

Head up to Boulder, Colorado for a day outdoors. Go to Chautauqua Park (900 Baseline Road), check out the Flatirons, take a hike, and then have lunch at the Dining Hall. Keep your eyes open for the local wildlife...you might see a deer, elk or possibly even a bear! Don't worry though, you aren't heading completely into the wilderness, these trails are well traveled.

For dinner, head over to Pearl Street in Boulder. Pearl Street has some great restaurants. One of my favorites is Pasta Jay's. Pearl street is a great place to people watch and you are sure to encounter a street performer or two!

Day 3

Visit the Denver Aquarium on 700 Water Street. Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $9.25 for kids 3 to 12.

Head over to the Children's Museum after lunch. It's right down the street from the Aquarium. It costs about $7.50 a person. There is a different theme each month, and the programs reflect the theme. Check out the different programs, to plan how much time you want to spend there.


Bonus ideas:

• Take a FREE tour of the Colorado State Capital Make sure you call in advance to schedule the Dome tour.
• If Capital Tours aren't your thing, schedule a FREE tour of the Denver Mint instead.
• Visit the Denver Firefighters Museum.
• Explore the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Great Offer: Oshkosh Coupon

Here is a coupon for Oshkosh that is 20% off for purchases over $50. It is good through August 12. While shopping, don't forget to enter in their drawing to win $25,00 college savings.

Great Offer: Walgreens Coupon for 8/5 and 8/6

I just came across this coupon for Walgreens. It is only good for 8/5 and 8/6. Spend $25 at Walgreens and get $5 off.

Tasty Treat: Cheesy Chicken Tortellini Bake

A few years ago, I hosted a Pampered Chef party. This was one of the recipes I got at it. It is super-easy to make. This is one of my favorites to make for my friends that have just had a baby. It is easy to freeze and it tastes great!


Cheesy Chicken Tortellini Bake

PREP TIME 15 Min
READY IN 20-25 Min
SERVINGS 6-8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 jar (16 oz.) white Alfredo pasta sauce (I like the Classico^® Roasted Garlic Alfredo or Four Cheese Alfredo)
• 1 pkg. (20 oz. refrigerated cheese-filled or spinach tortellini (ravioli's would be good too)
• 1-1/2 cup cooked chicken (cubed)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. dried basil leaves (I only use a 1/2 tsp.)
• 1 cup of frozen peas (frozen green beans are a good substitute)

Topping

• 2/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 cup of dried bread crumbs
• 2 tsp. olive oil
  

DIRECTIONS
In a large frying pan, heat the oil and cook the onion and garlic until tender. Pour into a casserole dish, and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and bake at 400 for 25 minutes*.


*To eat right away:
Mix the Parmesan Cheese, the bread crumbs and oil together and sprinkle over the casserole after it has been cooking about 12 to 15 minutes. Cook for the remaining 10 minutes uncovered until it is golden and bubbly.

*To freeze for later:
Pull the casserole out after 25 minutes. Allow it to cool completely. Put it in a freezer bag, squeeze the air out of the bag, and freeze it. To cook, thaw it out in the refrigerator the day before. Put it in a casserole dish, and bake (covered) at 375 for 25 minutes. Pull out and top with the toppings after about 15 minutes. Cook the remaining 10 minutes uncovered until it is golden and bubbly.

Great Offer: Awesome Coupon Sites

I recently came across a couple of sites that have a plethora of coupons. Since we are really trying to stay in a budget and save anywhere we can, I know I will be using these sites. They will save me not only money but also time (since by frequenting these sites, I won't have to dig around and actually cut coupons).





Coupon Mom

What I like about couponmom.com:


• There's a whole document that tells you how to get the most out of her site. All you have to do is register to access it.
• All the grocery deals are listed by state and store. there's quite and extensive list.
• There's a coupon database, where you can find coupons that are valid for your state/region.
• You can search for a particular coupon.
• There are sections for Restaurant coupons, Amazon coupons, a forum, and so much more.
• It's been on Oprah...so it has a reputable following and isn't just a willy-nilly coupon site that may or may not have valid coupons. It's the real deal!

What don't I don't like about couponmom.com


• That I didn't think of it first!

Retail Me Not

What I like about Retailmenot.com:


• Every type of retail coupon you can imagine can be found here. Best Buy, Kohls, Macy's, JC Penneys, Hallmark...I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
• They have some keywords categories, like shoes, electronics, tools, kids, etc., that will help you find coupons for the area you are shopping.
  
• You can rank the coupons and report on whether they worked for you. They list the success rate based on those that report back.
  
• There are gadgets and forums you can use to help you find and track the deals...a shop-a-holic's dream!
• They report on consumer shopping trends (which is how I found this site. I was doing research for my job, and came across some of their reports).

What I don't like about Retailmenot.com:


• Not all the coupons are valid. Some are only for certain regions, some are expired, or some are just not honored by the stores.
  

Chit Chat: About My Love of Ice Cream

I love ice cream. I use to think it was just a summer time thing, but then one day I realized. It really didn't matter if it was cold or warm out. I want ice cream all the time...if it is the right flavor. Mint Chip, Coffee, or chocolate are the flavors of choice for me (unless we are talking about a sundae).

Some of my favorite places (in no particular order) to get ice cream are:

1. Dairy Queen: Did you know that a junior chocolate or vanilla cup is only 3 Weight Watchers points? And it is just the right size, too!
   
2. Glacier Ice Cream and Gelato (in Boulder, CO): It's made fresh daily, and has all natural ingredients. I always get the gelato because it is a more intense flavor, and it has less points than ice cream.
   
3. Dairy Delite (in Loveland, CO). They have delicious soft serve dipped cones. I've never even checked the points.
   
4. Paciugo Gelato, they started in Dallas, Tx, but they are spreading to other states and there are two in Colorado. With flavors such as Hunka-Hunka Burnin'Chocolate and Amaretto Chocolate Chip, how can you go wrong by stopping in for an afternoon treat? Choose from milk-based, water-based, soy-based and sugar free flavors.
   
5. The Big Dipper (Upstate New York) I look forward to stopping in here while on vacation with the family, and since I'm on vacation...who's counting calories?!
6. Ted Drewes (a St. Louis, Mo tradition): Frozen custard. They're famous for their concretes, but my favorite is the Fox Trot Sundae...vanilla custard, hot fudge, raspberries, macadamia nuts and whip cream. YUM!
   

Have you got a favorite place to get ice cream? Tell me about it. Maybe I'll try it out someday.