See if your local AMF is participating!

Disclosure: I participated in this campaign as a member of One2One Network and am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated in this post are my own.

I love summer, I really do.  But I am exhausted!  I feel like I spend the whole day trying to make sure the girls have something to do. (Hello, Pinterest).  Five minutes after stepping outside to play, I hear the dreaded: "I'm boooored!".  

If you know my family, you know that we are not good in the heat. I have passed on those genes (and curly hair!)...we turn into sweaty, frizzy, grumpy girls when it's hot and humid out.  Free activities in the heat are slim to none.  I love the library, but we can only go so much!

When I heard that AMF was doing their free bowling program again this summer, I got really excited!  Kids get to bowl for free all summer!  I am thinking we are about the age for bumper bowling for the twins, don't you?  Yes, you do have to pay for shoes, but that's not a huge fee. For the parents, they have a summer pass which is $34.95 and you can bring up to 3 guests with you!  Not too shabby!


More facts:

• This program runs from May 13- September 2 (Still plenty of time for free bowling!)

• Each day, you can use 2 FREE games! 

• If you want to play more games, it's $1.49 per game after

• You can register up to 6 children

• No coupons needed, just state your name!

What's your go-to free activity to beat the heat?

Free Father's Day Card from Treat! {EXTENDED to 5/31!}

Father's Day is coming up quickly!  As much as I love for the girls to make a nice homemade card (or 10), I also love the look of photo cards!  Plus they are great keepsakes!

Treat is offering a FREE card by using code TREATDAD.  Order soon though, since this deal only lasts until Friday (5/31)!

What do you like to do for Father's Day?

We usually make Ricky breakfast (while he is wearing his lovely cereal box crown) and then I make my specialty ribs on the grill with all of the fixins for dinner.  Mmm mmm!

Craftsy offering a FREE class {May 18 only!}

Pinterest has given me the crafty bug.  Well, maybe I should say the inspiration to be crafty.  Whenever we go to a craft store, I always glance at all of the fun classes they offer.  In a perfect world, I would have time to take all of them and be super crafty Mom.  But, let's be real... I'm lucky if I shower and eat lunch before 3:00.

Have you tried Craftsy yet?  It's a great website where you can take craft classes from the comfort of your own home.  Best part?  Once you buy a class, it's yours FOREVER.  No pressure to hurry up and finish.

They are always offering specials and FREE and discounted classes, so it's a great way to learn a new craft.  There are also fun free mini-classes.  I keep browsing the cake and sewing sections...I really want a sewing machine!

Today (May 18th), they have a great event going on.  All new members get a choice of a FREE class (up to $39.99 value!) and donations will be made to DonorsChoose, to fund arts education in schools across the US.  Win/Win situation!

I just started this creative play costume class and it's perfect for our family.  My girls could live in costumes if I let them...might as well know how to make some cool ones!

Make sure to get in on this great deal today and let's get crafty together!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  By using these links, you are helping support this blog.

Deal alert! Free holiday photo shoot!

[I thought I would re-post this to remind everyone now that it's November!]

It's that time of year again, believe it or not!  Christmas shopping season!  Fa la la lala!

When I think of Christmas shopping, I think of Christmas Vacation.  Definitely one of my top 5 favorite movies EVER.  Home Alone is up there too.  Plains, Trains and Automobiles.  Christmas Story.  Plus all of the decorations and family fun.  I love the holidays! 

Every year, I have a great elaborate plan to do my shopping early and get my cards done before December 20th.  Last year, we barely got cards out!

This is what our holiday photo shoot looked like:

This will be our classic Christmas photo...we had a canvas made!

This year, I am determined to get myself in line.  Step one: get a family photo.  I would like us ALL to be included this year.  (I will admit, I am dreading this...).

The minute I got this email, I made an appointment!

See my favorite word? FREE.

JCP is offering a free family photo all of November!  No sitting fee, nada!  You get an 8x10 and (most importantly) a digital copy sent to you!

Once you get your photo taken, you can go to Vistaprint or Shutterfly to get some cheap cards made.  I'll keep you posted on any deals I see.

Yay for freebies!  Anyone else see any holiday deals yet?

101 FREE Shutterfly prints!

From 10/31-11/2 Get 101 Free Prints from Shutterfly.com with promo code: SPOOKY

I cannot wait to take advantage of this deal!

From now until NOVEMBER 2, you get 101 FREE prints using the code SPOOKY.

ALSO, you can get 50% off photo books!

The girls are already itching to get into their costumes and it's not even noon yet.  It's going to be so cold tonight, I hope trick or treating goes well!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!  Be safe and eat some candy!!

Music freebie: Spin magazine

Get your free iTunes download here

Did you know that Spin Magazine offers free featured tracks each month?  If you like music, it's worth checking out each month! 

Ricky calls these "Ashleigh music"...I tend to gravitate toward alternative or different music.  Usually they feature new and upcoming musicians. 

Just go here and it will start up your free download on iTunes.  

NOTE: These tracks aren't edited, so you might want to be careful around little ones.

August = Free haircut month at JCP!

Can you believe it's August already?!  The twins start preschool this fall and it's starting to set in.  I am overjoyed, yet super sad that my babies have grown up so fast!

With August comes back-to-school shopping and your kiddo might need a haircut too! Head on over to JCP and get a free one while you are already out shopping.  Your child just needs to be in K-6.  I wish the girls were eligible for this!


You need to be a JCP Rewards member. Not a member?  Super easy to sign up!

Fun freebie: Breakfast on the Farm

Find a breakfast near you!

Looking for something fun to do on the weekend?  Check out Breakfast on the Farm!  It's a free event where you and your family can enjoy food and a tour of a local farm.  There are many locations all over the state of Michigan. 

Next weekend there is one in Sparta that I am hoping to check out with the girls.  Ever since I returned from my tour the other day, the twins have been wanting to visit a farm.  What a perfect opportunity!

Although the event is free, you still need tickets.  All ticket locations are listed on the website.

 Don't forget to check out my new giveaway!  You can win a fun dairy recipe book, $50 MasterCard gift card and a Magic Bullet system.  It's my biggest one yet and you have until 7/31 to enter!

{Giveaway!} Let's be honest: win free Purex!

Need a good laugh?  Check out the videos here.

To be honest, I don't even watch too many commercials now that we have a DVR, but when a funny one comes along I make sure to check them out.   Purex has a great new batch of videos on their website that crack me up.  They are short and to the point.

My favorite (or most like me) is the "Current Events" video.

They are running a great giveaway where you can win a free year of detergent!  With three little ones, I have my fingers and toes crossed.  We have SO much laundry!  I love Purex because it's cheap, yet super effective at getting out stains.  It also smells great!

Here's how you can win free detergent: check out the videos and pick a favorite.  Come back and enter in the rafflecopter below and you can win 3 coupons for free bottles!  Super simple!

This is a quick giveaway, ending Thursday, so make sure you enter soon!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kiddo need new 'do? Free cuts all of August at JCP!

Find a salon near you!

I wish our girls were eligible for this! If your kiddo needs a cut, head on over to JCP for a free one!  Okay, not quite right now, but the whole month of August!  Mark your calendars.  You could snag one while you are out back to school shopping.  Don't you miss those days?  I am still obsessed with buying school supplies...especially when they go on clearance!

You just need to be a JCP Rewards member. 

Not a member?  Super easy to sign up!

Speaking of haircuts, this Mama really needs a new look.  Any ideas for curly hair?

*GIVEAWAY!* UPrinting die-cut cards

Create a custom business card!

I have been shopping around for business cards for a while now.  Yes, I know I am not officially working right now, but I love to spread the word about my blog.  I came across this website and I absolutely love the die-cut shapes!  They look very unique and the website helps you create a custom card.  I am so excited to see mine!

Even if you aren't in the market for business cards, you could make some "Mommy Cards".  I was also thinking about making these.  You put your information and give them to other Mamas at playgroups or wherever you may meet new people.  It's a quick and easy way to exchange information!

Check out the UPrinting.com website and you can win a set of your own cards!

Enter below!!  Contest ends on Tuesday, June 19!

Prize Information:

• 250 Die-cut Business Cards!  PLUS free shipping! 

Restrictions:

1. This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.

2. No prize substitutions allowed.

3. Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.

4. Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"You should assume that I will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions. Interested to hold a giveaway like this? Please sign up here.”

Want a freebie?

Who doesn't love chocolate?  Especially FREE chocolate!  I never used to crave sweets like I do now before I had my girls.  Maybe it's a motherhood thing. 


SheSpeaks, a great freebie and information website, is sending out bags of Milk & Truffle Ghirardelli squares. Click here to find out if you can get some sent to your doorstep, plus some coupons!

Enjoy your weekend!  We are having a rockstar party for the twins' 3rd birthday.  I am going to try to make a guitar cake tonight...and not eat all of the batter.  

Bzzz: a great site for freebies

You may know by now, I love free stuff...especially in the mail.  I can hear the mail truck from 5 houses away and I wait impatiently for him to drive off so I can grab the mail.  BzzAgent is by far one of my favorite.  They send out great freebies and coupons for you to hand out to your friends.  Usually you get a full sized sample to try, then you Buzz about it on Twitter or Facebook.  So easy!

You just take some quick (less than 5 minutes) profile surveys and they will email you with any campaigns you might be eligible for.  They can be for anything from makeup to household cleaners.  The more items you sample, the more invites you get.

Sign up for free here!

No, I am not paid to rave about this, I just love it so much. 

Free music: Spin magazine Best of 2011

Once again, Spin magazine has a free music sampler!  If you are unaware, each month they offer a sampler from their magazine.  This one is the Best of 2011.  I love these because I can find out about new bands!

You can check it out here!.  Note: you do need to download it with Itunes.

What was your favorite CD of 2011?

I have a few: Lady Gaga, Black Keys, Bon Iver and Kanye/Jay-z are all great.  I barely buy CDs anymore, I get most from the library.  Great way to keep up on music for free!

Gofobo.com: free movie screenings!

Do you love to see movies?  I will admit, we barely have time to go enjoy a movie, but I love this website Gofobo!  Sign up here and they will send you RSVP codes for free screenings in your area.  They go super fast, so if you are interested check-in quickly.  This is awesome, since I think the prices at theaters now are ridiculous!

Lately, they have had a lot more opportunities in my area.  If you find out there aren't any screenings in your area right now, still sign up.  They are expanding quickly. 

Every time I get offers, we seem to already have plans.  They have a lot of great ones coming up that I hope to see though!  This would be a great opportunity for a cheap date night.


Have you been to any free screenings in your area?

New free downoad: Spin's September mix

Every month there is a new set of music.  Check it out here!

Like indie music? 

Don't forget that every month, Spin Magazine offers a free download of tracks from that month's issue!  I usually like a majority of the music and it's a great way to find out about new bands. 

Who doesn't like free music anyways?!

Any new great bands that you can't get enough of? 

I'm loving anything that isn't Barney or Dora right now.  On non-stop rotation in the mini-van (yeah, Im cool...) is Mat Kearney , Robyn 'Body Talk' and the new My Morning Jacket.  Perfect driving music!

Dont forget about Coastal Contacts!

A few months back, I wrote about my new (almost) free glasses from Coastal Contacts.  I wear them almost every day and I love them!  I am so happy I was able to save a ton of money and get super cute frames. If you are in the market for new glasses, I highly recommend liking their Facebook page.  They offer free frames (to new customers) about once a week.  All you pay is shipping!  They do also offer cheap lens upgrades, such as no-glare.

My glasses!  Oy, I need a shower in this pic!

TODAY I noticed that they are having another freebie giveaway.  Make sure you "like" them on FB for your code. Here's a link to their site.

If you are interested in ordering, feel free to use my referral link.  No pressure, though!

Spring cleaning? Use Freecycle!

http://www.freecycle.org/

I know you have all heard of Craigslist, but I am loving Freecycle right now!  People post items they are giving away for FREE and all you have to do is email them back.  Most likely, you have one in your area.  Granted, most of the items being given away are probably not what you need/want, but you never know what will be posted.  I love that you can also post what you WANT to find.  For instance, we're looking for a jogging stroller (anyone have one?!), so we could put a wanted post up.  I've found baby books, unused baby items and other random things on there.  Here are some more perks:

• Some of the post offer some form of entertainment.  You cannot imagine some things that people list.  When you sign up, make sure you remove the check mark for daily emails.  They sent out a TON of emails.
• Have a larger item you don't feel like selling, but want to get rid of?  Freecycle it!  Instead of trying to haul it to Goodwill, someone will pick it up for you!
• I have noticed a lot of people who are moving are posting great items that they just want to get rid of.  Instead of bothering with a garage sale, they are just posting freebies.  

You aren't allowed to resell items you find on here, unless otherwise posted.  I'm not sure how people would know, but its one of the main policies.  

Let me know what gems you have found on Freecycle!

Spin: New music up from June issue!

New music up for June! Click here!

Remember I was telling you about the free monthly music from Spin? Well there is a new mix up from their June issue.  I am currently downloading it, so I haven't listened to it yet...but if you like indie music, you should be a fan.  Gotta love free music AND finding out about new bands!

Music lovers: Spin Magazine free downloads

Check out their picks every month!

I am obsessed with music.  I listen to everything, although lately it has been more Barney radio on Pandora than Jimmy Eat World or Postal Service radio.  Free music is a great way to bulk up your music collection AND learn about new bands.  Every month Spin magazine offers a free collection of their top picks from the magazine.  I may not love everything that they put on the mix, but I always make sure to download it! 

Looking for other sources of cheap or free music?

• Amazon digital downloads.  You can get new releases for as cheap as $3.99.  Use up your Swagbucks giftcards and you get free CDs!  They also have a lot of free songs, which change every week.
• Public library.  As you may know, I have recently have rekindled my love affair with the library.  My favorite thing to do now is to get new music from the library.  You don't have to waste money on a CD you may not like, and you can save so much money!  They also link up to a program called Freegal, where you can download 3 new songs on your library card per week.  Not too great, but its something!

Anyone else have any other great sources for music downloads?

Happy listening everyone!  What do you listen to these days?  I need to refresh my iPod!