My Mini Harris Teeter Shop

On Sunday afternoon, my hubby, our daughter, and I were running errands and stopped by Harris Teeter to pick up a few freebies.  The small Simply Juices were on sale for $1 each and I had some coupons for $.50 off each.  My daughter loves to make purchases too, so we split the juice coupons between the three of us.

My daughter and hubby bought the same 4 items, Simply Orange, Simply Lemonade, Simply Cranberry, and Simply Raspberry Lemonade.  They each had a ZERO total!  I bought the same 4 juices along with 2 packs of Trident Gum, 1 Glade Mist starter kit, 1 Glade Mist refill, and one Lunchable w/Smoothie.  After my coupons (2 free items and 1 B1G1F plus the Simply) my total owed was $.52!  YES, 52 cents!

We were happy with our small shopping trip.  It is easier than it appears to save money with coupons.  It just takes time and some research!  My one tip would be for you to look for coupons where ever you are.  I found the Simply coupons at a convenience store!  What deals have you found recently?

How I Met Your Mother Out Oct 2nd!

How I Met Your Mother: The Complete Season 7 out on Blu-ray and DVD on October 2nd

A Terrible Case of“Pregnancy Brain?”

In Season 7 of How I Met Your Mother, after Lily announces her pregnancy, the gang has to deal with her hormones – not to mention her “pregnancy brain.” Take a look at this short list of tips on how to keep your cool during pregnancy and remain sane.  Trust us, your friends will thank you!

Make Lists

Instead of worrying about how "pregnancy brain" might take over, take the time to write things down when you think of them. Make sure you post them to visible places like the refrigerator orhome screen of your laptop.

Wait on Big Decisions

Obviously, some decisions during your pregnancy cannot wait but if you can put less important things off in order to take the proper time to think them through, be sure to do so! Rely on the opinions and thoughts of loved ones to guide you as needed.

Laugh About it

Expect that your best friends will be more humored than annoyed by your lack of wherewithal and ask them to help you out by confirming and reconfirming meet-ups or social gatherings. And when all else fails, have a chuckle!

Repetition

If you are meeting newpeople during those super pregnant months, make a point of repeating names a lot and mentally noting things about them that might give you hints later on.

Relax

Lots of women go through “pregnancy brain” so take comfort in that. Make sure you are not stressing out over the little things – take naps and satisfy some of those pregnancy-induced cravings!

Be a Mommy

Not to worry, most women will tell you that once your new bundle of joy has arrived, you will eventually find yourself remembering more and being less forgetful. Things may not be “normal” but at least your brain will start to work again!

Disclosure:  No compensation of any kind was received for this post!  The information was provided to me and I wanted to pass it along because I thought it was cute!

Go Back to School with Luden's and Chloraseptic

The school year has started, and it is joined by coughing, sneezing and sore throats!  If your household is like mine, you have probably already had these complaints from your children.  My daughter and I suffer from a lot of allergies which means scratchy throats.  At night time, our sinuses drain down our throats and some mornings we have a hoarse voice and a sore throat.  It happens every year, but this year we were given the opportunity to try out some wonderful Luden's new Moisturizing Drops and the Chloraseptic's new Warming Sore Throat Spray!

Since my daughter sings in the chorus at school, it is important that her throat is healthy.  She was very pleased with the Luden's Moisturizing drops, because it kept her throat moisturized even through the longest practice.  While her allergies are acting up, morning brings a sore throat.  My daughter uses a couple sprays of the Chloraseptic Warming Sore Throat Spray and it soothes and warms up her throat.

Information about Chloraseptic:  Chloraseptic’s® new Warming Sore Throat Spray, referred to as “hot tea on the go,” is the latest innovation to America’s #1 line of throat pain relief staples.  Like all Chloraseptic® products, it provides immediate relief of sore throat discomfort, with the added benefit of a warm and soothing feeling. 

The Chloraseptic® line of sore throat sprays helps to soothe and relieve throat pain on contact.  The new warming spray, available in popular Honey Lemon flavor, is sugar-free. In addition to the warming ingredients, the new formula contains phenol, which helps ease the pain and temporarily relieves irritation. New Chloraseptic® Warming Sore Throat Spray is available in a 6 fl. oz bottle with a suggested retail price of $6.25.

Information about Luden's:  New Luden’s® Moisture Drops have a great-tasting formula that will soothe the dryness and discomfort associated with dry mouths, while easing everyday throat irritations.  Luden’s is famous for temporarily relieving minor throat discomfort; the newest addition to the Luden’s® line hydrates the mouth with a delicious, mouth-watering Kiwi-Strawberry flavored lozenge. Luden’s® Moisture Drops work with a unique “HydroAction” formula to moisten dry mouths, a common problem that affects everyone at one time or another. 

Luden’s® Throat Drops are available in 14-count packs with a suggested retail price of $.99, and bags of individually wrapped drops for $1.79.   The new Luden’s® Moisture Drops are available in a 20-count bag at a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Thanks to the addition of these new products, we are not suffering as much this allergy season.  My daughter can continue to sing and enjoy her high school days without suffering from a sore throat or a dry mouth!    Do your children suffer from allergies and sore throats?

Disclosure:  No monetary compensation was received for this post, but I did receive samples for review purposes.  All thoughts and opinions are honest and are those of the Shelly's Bits and Pieces family.  The information in purple was supplied to me by the sponsor!

Chefy Says: Check Out FLOW and See What You Think

Being a chef was a dream of mine from the time I was a teenager. I loved to cook and the more compliments I received, the more my drive to be a better cook increased. I graduated from cooking school at 19 and the rest is history.

 I am constantly on the look out for products that make my time in the kitchen cleaner, easier, and less time consuming.  Recently, I heard about a new product called FLOW by SimpleWare.  It is the world's first perforated cutting board that allows juices from meats, vegetables, etc. to flow through the board into an attached tray. The juices can then be used to create sauces, gravies and dressings! This would keep my counter so much cleaner, because when you cut on a regular cutting board, the juices escape and run all over everywhere. Imagine the delicious juices you lose when you cut up pineapple. With the FLOW cutting board, the juices would flow into the bottom container and you can save them! No Waste! The cutting surface is designed to snap into place on the tray creating a strong, stable cutting surface. The non skid rubber feet keep it secure on your counter top.

Clean up is easier with FLOW because it has a streamlined, low-profile design. They use high-quality FDA approved cutting board material to prevent the growth of bacteria and it ensures durability, ease-of-use and dishwasher safe cleaning. FLOW is 8 3/4" (22 cm) by 12 1/2" (32 cm) and the FLOW cutting board assembly with tray is 1 1/4" (3.2 cm) thick. It’s easy to store, use it in a sink or in a standard baking tray.

You can find out more about FLOW at their Kickstarter project link: HERE. The Kickstarter project has a deadline date of October 14, 2012. You can like FLOW by SimpleWare on FACEBOOK or follow them on TWITTER too!

Milk Unleashed Giveaway

The weather is changing and the kids have gone back to school. If you are like me, this means car pools, soccer practice, dance recitals, and maybe even a little mommy time! That on the go lifestyle can be a huge challenge, especially when you want your kids to have something healthy! Milk Unleashed is here to help! They offer single-serving shelf safe milk, so you never have to be without. You can take it with you where ever you go. Milk Unleashed is perfect in a lunchbox, cooler, backpack, purse or diaper bag!

Milk Unleashed has this very cute app that you can check out here!
Check Out the Milk Unleashed Blog App Here: https://www.partnershub.com/show/16/milk-unleashed/widget/milk-unleashed/
You can play games, take a quiz and get tips with the app. The very nice people at Milk Unleashed are offering one Shelly's Bits and Pieces reader a gift pack that includes a 4 variety pack along with a cow stress ball and information on shelf safe milk. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form!

Crazy For Saving $50 Vitacost Giftcard Giveaway

Enter to win a $50 gift card to Vitacost  from Crazy for Savings! Enter using the Rafflecopter form link. Good Luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Be sure to visit http://mbella77.blogspot.com/2012/09/love-vitacost-giveaway.html and let them know Shelly's Bits and Pieces sent you!

Put Your Favorite Photo on Canvas - EasyCanvasPrints.com R&G

We take a lot of photographs in my family.  When I go to my grandma's house, I look through the boxes and boxes of family photos.  It is so cool to be able to look back at how we have grown and changed.  My husband and I also scrapbook, and I have a lot of fun putting these photos into books and telling a story with them.  Then, there are some photos that you love so much, you want to see it all the time.  I do not want to take a chance damaging them, so I have them printed on canvas.  Nothing is more beautiful to me than photos on canvas!

Recently, I tried out EasyCanvasPrints.com and I am so thrilled with the entire experience.  The process is simple and you are walked through it, step by step.  You start by choosing the size of the canvas, then you choose the thickness of the canvas wrap.  Next you upload your image.  You are even told whether or not the image is good enough to print!  No worries about the quality this way!  Editing and resizing of the image is also done at this stage, then on to choosing your border. Last is the color finishing and image retouching, then it goes into your cart for check out!  What I love most is that everything is spelled out for you on EasyCanvasPrints.com.  If you aren't sure what something means, no worries!  It is explained right there!
Shipping was fast and as for the quality, it was fantastic! 

The photo we chose was a candid shot of me and my daughter, and she begged for a canvas to hang on her wall.  She is a photograph snob and most of the pictures on her wall are on canvas!  We chose everything together and she was amazed at how quickly we completed our canvas. 

You can even have custom signs made!  What are your thoughts?  Is there a photo that you would love to have on canvas?  Well, thanks to the wonderful people at EasyCanvasPrints.com, one lucky Shelly's Bits and Pieces reader will win a promo code that they can redeem for a FREE 8x10 Canvas!  Simply enter on the Rafflecopter form below, and YOU could be that winner!  This giveaway is open until 11:59pm EST on October 1, 2012.  It is open to US residents, excluding Alaska & Hawaii. (Sorry)

Buy Candy Online - BW Clifford Inc Review

My hubby and I have been affiliated with a few Independent Wrestling groups for over ten years now. My hubby runs the lights and sound and I do pretty much anything they need done.  One of my jobs is to run the concession stand, and even to go purchase the goodies.  It can be very time consuming to run from here to there looking for certain candy, and it also gets very expensive paying retail for it.  We have even purchased from warehouse stores, but that takes a membership, and prices are still not that low.  I never thought about ordering the candy online until now.

B. W. Clifford, Inc. is a family owned online candy store that has been serving customers for over three generations.  They carry a large variety of wholesale candy, including candy bars, gum, mints, chocolate and other candies.  I was wowed by the number of well known manufacturers whose products they carry.  They have candy from W.M. Wrigley, Nestle Foods, Corp, M & M Mars/Masterfoods, Kraft Foods International Inc, Hershey Chocolate Co, Ferrero U.S.A. Inc, Ferrara Pan Candy Co, Farley/Sathers, and the Dorval Trading Co Ltd., just to name a few!  They are a great company to use if you want to buy in bulk and have it delivered right to you!

If you are looking for wholesale candy from a great company, check out B. W. Clifford, Inc.  This family owned business has generations of experience waiting to help you. 

Disclosure:  Compensation was received for writing this review, but all opinions stated are honest and my own.  The compensation had no influence on the review.                                           

Making Lunch Easier with Rubbermaid LunchBlox - Review

School is back in session and the lunch complaints have already started!  My daughter has started high school and she was determined that she was going to eat lunch at school everyday.  That lasted for two whole weeks.  The lunches at her school are "OK" as she says, but they are too repetitive for her.

When she was in elementary school, she was easy to satisfy, but she has gotten harder as she has grown.  My daughter likes a variety of foods, but her biggest pet peeve is squished, lukewarm sandwiches.  Thanks to Rubbermaid, we no longer have that problem!  They have developed an awesome LunchBlox Sandwich Kit!

The features of this product include:

•  Modular containers snap together in to save space in your lunch bag
•  Kit includes specially designed Blue Ice™ pack that works with LunchBlox containers to keep lunches chilled on the go
•  Containers are perfectly portioned for lunch foods commonly carried away from home
•  Microwave-, dishwasher- and freezer-safe and BPA-free
•   The Sandwich Kit includes a sandwich container sized for regular and specialty breads, two snack containers (perfect for yogurt or nuts) and a snack container (perfect for fruits, vegetables and chips)

No longer will I have to worry about that squished sandwich!  I love that it has the Blue Ice pack too, because she eats lunch at 1pm, and any sandwich packed at 7am would be hot!  The kit is very unique because it snaps together.  We were shaking it in the kitchen and it stayed together!!  WOOHOO!  The small snack containers are the ideal size for yogurt, or for ranch dressing!   Yesterday, we packed a small salad in the sandwich container, cucumbers in one small side, ranch dressing in the other, and carrots and celery in the larger snack container.  She came home from school bragging about how everything was still cool and crisp and talking about how her classmates really liked the set up!

What do you think?  The kit retails for $12.99, but prices vary from merchant to merchant!  The individual containers are sold separately from the kit, and there are a lot of choices available.  I will be purchasing the salad container for myself!  You can learn more by following Rubbermaid on twitter or on facebook. 

The LunchBlox Sandwich Kit is currently available for purchase at Rubbermaid.com, Target, Kmart, Kroger, Safeway, Bi-Lo, Winn-Dixie, HEB, other grocery stores and select Wal-Mart stores!

Disclosure:  I did receive the Rubbermaid LunchBlox Sandwich Kit at no charge so I could review it!  No monetary compensation was received!  All opinions are those of the Shelly's Bits and Pieces family. 

Washing Clothes the Easy Way - Tide Pods Review

Laundry is not one of my least favorite cleaning chores I have as a stay at home mom, but it is far from being my favorite!  This all can be traced back to my chores as a pre-teen.  I was in charge of the laundry since my parents both worked full time.  When they found out I was good at it, it became my permanent duty.  Although years have passed, laundry is still all mine. 

Anything that can make doing laundry easier is a plus, so when I heard about new Tide Pods, I really wanted to try them.  Tide has always been the laundry soap of choice in our home, but I will try new brands and types to give them a chance.  I've used other pod packs that are on the market, but my clothes either did not seem clean, or the pack did not dissolve all the way and I had a mess.  

When the Tide Pods arrived, I noticed that they looked different because they have three separate cleaners, a detergent, a brightener, and a stain remover!  That is a huge plus because it saves me money!  I threw a pod in my washing machine and I was very pleased with the outcome.  My clothes were clean and they had a nice fresh scent!  I would purchase the Tide Pods again, in fact, I have!

For more information on Tide, you can follow them on Twitter or on Facebook.

Disclosure:  This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media.  All opinions are honest and my own!

Taking a Meno-Pause with Poise

When I was twelve, my mother started having hot flashes.  I thought it was hilarious, because it could be snowing outside and she would be sweating.  Never did it occur to me that since she started with menopausal at 32, I would do the same.  Fast forward twenty years...one nice winter afternoon, I had my first hot flash!  UGH!  When I mentioned it to Mama she informed me that it made sense to her because my grandma, Mama, and my aunt all started with symptoms at, believe it or not, 32!  That was 14 years ago, and I am still experiencing symptoms!

September is Menopause Awareness Month!  I am very pleased to be able to make you aware of that fast and also to give you a little information.  We all can remember the birds and the bees talk (puberty) our parent's gave us, but no one really told us about menopause!  It is time for that 2nd talk!  Menopause commonly begins between the ages of 40 and 58, BUT some not so lucky women do start menopause earlier.  (ME!)  If you ask your mom when her symptoms began, you should have an idea for yourself!  Symptoms of menopause include:

1. Mood Swings
2. Decreased Sex Drive
3. Hot Flashes
4. Sweating
5. Racing Heart
6. Headaches
7. Vaginal Dryness
8. Trouble Sleeping

When I read over the list I had to laugh because I have had all the symptoms, well, to some degree anyway!  Since you never know when a hot flash will occur, it's not easy to hide from others!  I usually end up "flashing" during Church or while checking out at the mall!  Talk about some looks!!  My face turns bright red and I am sweating like a pig.  My hubby tells me I look guilty...I wonder what everyone else thinks?

After all the sweating, I was offered the opportunity to try out some Poise products that can help us ease these symptoms.  WOOHOO!  When I learned about the Poise Feminine Wellness products, which are carried by Walmart, I hopped online to learn more about it!  You can also print a coupon there!  When my hubby came home, we headed out to pick up the products!  My Walmart had coupons on the shelf to save $1 off 2, which was perfect for me since I forgot to print one at home.  I purchase the four products our Walmart carried!
You can learn more about my shopping experience by clicking HERE!

I planned a Meno-Pause party for Thursday, but it was moved to Friday.  Then on Friday, several friends could not attend, so today, we took the party to my friend!  Mama, my BFF, my daughter and I went out to eat at TGI Friday's and enjoy our break!  We opened each of the products and everyone had to smell and feel each of them.  And then, as if on cue, I had a hot flash!   OMG, I love that body cooling gel!  My daughter thought the products were amusing, but she was glad to see something help cool me off!  My mom and my BFF snagged the cooling towelettes from me, and both have been using them!  We had a blast having the 2nd TALK!  We all know a little more, and my teenage daughter now is prepared! 

Want to know more?  Join the Poise 2nd Talk Twitter Party on Thursday, September 20th at 1:00 PM EST. Simply RSVP here to have a chance to win $100 spa gift cards and $50 Walmart gift cards.

My Mom at the party

Me & BFF at party

My Daughter & My BFF

You can follow Poise on Twitter or Facebook!

Disclosure – I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Poise. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own. #CBias #SocialFabric #PoiseFab5

Harris Teeter Super Doubles Trip

My obsession with couponing began when I was in high school.  Several of our local stores would offer a double coupon day, so I would gather together the coupons from my grandparent's Sunday paper and start clipping.  That was back in 1983, and things have only gotten better since then!  I still take the coupons from my grandma's paper, and now I get my own, as well as online coupons and e-coupons.  As you know, my Daddy passed away in February, and my desire to do my normal things vanished.  Well, I've had my daddy on my mind and I realized it was time to get back to normal.  Daddy would want it that way.  He always loved to hear about my shopping trips, and what goodies I got for him.

Harris Teeter was running super doubles this week, which means they will double any coupon up to a $2 face value.  My mind started racing, and with limited time, I got together some coupons and ideas for my trip.  Hot Coupon World is a huge help for me because other shoppers share their finds, and we can help each other!  Harris Teeter was out of a lot of things, but I was happy with what I did get.  Here is a picture of what I got...

My trip was broken into two orders and my hubby used my mom's card for one of them.  The first order included:
(4)  StayFree Maxi pads
(2)  Oikos Yogurt Singles
(1)  Simply Pure Milk
(1)  Stoneyfield Squeezers Yogurt Sticks
(1)  32oz Stoneyfield Yogurt
(1)  Herbal Essences Shampoo
(1)  Ocean Spray Sparkling 4pk
(1)  Jello Mix Ins Pudding
(1)  Kashi Layered Granola Bars
(1)  Hormel Compleat meal

Total on mom's card after coupons was $0.94 (we did have some free item coupons too)

My order included:
(1)  Hormel Compleat meal
(1)  HT Sandwich Bread
(1)  Simply Potatoes Hashbrowns
(1)  Simply Pure Milk
(1)  Tropicana Pure Premium OJ
(1)  Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix 
(2)  Bush's Grilling Beans
(1)  Chicken of the Sea Tuna
(1)  Starbucks Refresher
(4)  StayFree Maxi Pads
(1)  Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade
(1)  Dz Davidson Eggs
(1)  Al Fresco Sausage
(2)  Mahatma Yellow Rice
(2)  Honest Tea
(1)  Ortega Fajita Mix
(1)  Teas Tea
(1)  Wholly Guacamole
(1)  Cheerios
My total after coupons was: $3.52!  (I had a few free item coupons too)

I feel like my old self again!  You can expect more good deal alerts and posts about my shopping trips!
Do you coupon?  What is the best you have ever done on a shopping trip? 

Disclosure:  Just sharing my good deals!  No monetary compensation was received from ANYONE for this post! 

New Pillsbury® Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain-Grab a Coupon NOW!

Calling all pizza lovers! Looking for a way to bring delicious homemade pizza to your dinner table? It´s simple with New Pillsbury® Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain. Quick, convenient, and completely customizable new Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain will help you add some pizzazz to your homemade pizza along with the health benefits of whole grain*!

Whether your family loves pepperoni, veggies, or the works, the possibilities are endless! You can visit http://bit.ly/PCwWG to download a printable coupon for $1.25 off one package of New Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain. Grab a coupon and let the good times un-roll with Pillsbury! 

My family loves to make put own pizza, and now Pillsbury is making it easy to add some whole grain to our pizza dinner!  Make sure you grab the coupon while it is available.  I've printed one for my weekly shopping trip.  Guess what is for dinner tonight!?

Disclosure:  I received this information and the coupon offer from Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.  No monetary compensation was received for this post.  I wanted to share this info and coupon with my readers!!

iPad3 Holiday Event

iPad3 Holiday Event is hosted by Mom Blog Society.

Prize: iPad3

The event dates: 10/4 - 11/1

Free Event ~ Sign-Up Here

Chewy.com: Quality Pet Supplies Delivered to Your Door

My "fur babies" are very important members of my family.  They are spoiled, just like my daughter, and like the rest of my family, they are well fed!  I prefer buying them high quality food, and I like having lots of choices.  Since I do not drive anymore, I have to wait for my hubby to come home from work, or wait for the weekend to shop.  The big name pet supply stores are all at least 30 minutes away, so I usually just pick up their food at the grocery store.

Drawbacks of grocery stores when purchasing pet supplies

1. Limited amount of brands and products
2. Picking up the heavy bags of food and moving around
3. No specialty products available

Recently, I was offered the opportunity to review an online supplier of pet goods, Chewy.com.  They carry over 120 popular brands of dog and cat food, treats and supplies.  They have everyday low prices on top pet food brands and they deliver them to my door!  If you purchase $49 or more, the shipping is free!  Chewy.com carries pet foods, treats, health supplies, potty pads, litter and more.

I ordered Dogswell Happy Hips Duck Breast Dog Treats for Ginger and she loved them.  She can be picky, but when we would ask if she wanted duck, she would appear!  We ordered the Tiki Dog Kauai Luau food for her, and she would clean her plate as soon as we put the food down.  There are so many wonderful brands to choose from, it was hard to decide!  

We will use Chewy.com again.  Shopping is quick and easy.  Choices are plentiful, and the staff is more than helpful!

Disclosure:  No monetary compensation was received for this post.  I was given a gift code to be able to purchase products in order to review the site.  All opinions are those of the Shelly's Bits & Pieces family!

Bloggy Whatcha Want Christmas Giveaway

Calling all bloggers, Sign up for the

Bloggy Whatcha Want Christmas Giveaway!

Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog, Diva Fabulosa, Dishin With Rebelle and There’s a Contest 4 That Bring you the Bloggy Whatcha Want Christmas Giveaway!

You’re not going to want to miss this awesome event!  Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog has an awesome event in the works for Christmas, hurry and get a spot, the good ones will fill up quickly!

About the event:

●     $250 Prize, whatever winner chooses (shipping included)

●     $50 Amazon Gift Code

●     More to come

●     FREE Facebook Link

●     $3 additional links, we want to bring more to the event so we bumped it up $1!

●     Event will run from November 10th until December 10th.

●     Everyone will get comments

●     $10 Co-Host available

These events are always awesome, everyone gets TONS OF COMMENTS!  Our readers love them, which is the reason we want to bring another fabulous event their way!  So don’t miss out on this awesome blogger opportunity!

Remember, if you want the FREE Facebook link for this Super Bloggy Giveaway you have to post an Announce post on your blog.  Why?  HELP PROMOTE, THE MORE BLOGGERS WE HAVE IN THIS EVENT THE BETTER PRIZES WE CAN OFFER OUR READERS, THE MORE FUN WE ALL HAVE!

WHERE DO I SIGN UP?

SIGN UP FOR THIS FABULOUS GIVEAWAY ON JENN’S BLAH BLAH BLOG HERE