Couponing Adventure

My friend Christine has really gotten the hang of couponing over the last couple weeks and she wanted me to join her! Yesterday was our first run together and she did great... I some how screwed up in Target so I won't even post about that but I made up for it in Walgreens.
Today Drugstore Divas posted about another great deal at Walgreens so I tried that out alone!!!
In this weeks flier, Walgreens brand Hydrogen Peroxide (16oz bottles) are 3/$1.00 (.99cents each with out the in flier coupon) and for every 2 first aid products you purchased you got a first aid bag for FREE !! I purchased 4 bottles of Peroxide and got 2 first aid bags for free.
*In store the sign says the bag is free with the purchase of every 2 first aid products which is correct. The actual first aid bag says "free with the purchase of any three first aid products"*

My husband will be using one bag on his trip down to California on his motorcycle and the other I will keep in our car. Ya never know when you will need bandages.

Memorial Day Discounts & Events For Military Families

The following is a list of the major events and discounts for Memorial Day weekend. I will try to update this page as much as possible as I find more discounts!

Blue Star Museums
Blue Star Museums is a partnership among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, Joining Forces, MetLife Foundation and museums across the country. From Memorial Day (May 26, 2014) through Labor Day (September 1, 2014), thousands of museums, art centers, and exhibits are offering free admission to all active duty, National Guard and Reserve military personnel and their families.

California's Great America
For Memorial Day weekend, all active and retired service members, including veterans, get free park admission to California's Great America May 24-26, 2014 with a valid military ID.

Home Depot
On Memorial Day, all veterans are eligible for Home Depot's 10% military discount. (Some Home Depots give this discount all year round)

Hooters
On Memorial Day (May 26, 2014), Hooters is offering 10 free wings with a drink purchase to all active duty military, veterans and their spouses.

King's Dominion
King's Dominion is offering free park admission to any active, inactive or retired service members May 24-26, 2014.

Knott's Berry Farm
Knott’s Berry Farm honors active duty military members and veterans with free admission to Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City May 24 – 26, 2014. 

Legoland California
LEGOLAND California is opening their new Legends of Chima Water Park Memorial Day weekend. All active duty military personnel, National Guard and Reservists can receive military discounts, including a second free day.

Lowe's 
Lowe's honors all veterans on Memorial Day (as well as July 4th and Veterans Day) with a 10% discount. (Some Lowe's  give this discount all year round)

SeaWorld Parks and Entrainment
Any active duty, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman is entitled to a free one time admission to any SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment amusement parks. Memorial Day Weekend SeaWorld in San Antonio will have a fireworks display. Bring your family to Ski Lake on Sunday, May 25 and enjoy entertainment before the show. Click here for details. Fireworks begin at 9:45 p.m.

Wolcott Hotel
Planning to be in New York for Memorial Day weekend and Fleet Week (May 21-27)? Wolcott Hotel is offering a 15% military discount.

MEMORIAL DAY EVENTS
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, and there are many events throughout the country you can attend to honor our military. Click here to find your local military installation to see what they have to offer.

National Cemeteries
For a schedule of Memorial Day events at VA national cemeteries around the nation, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website. Memorial Day ceremonies vary by cemetery, and may include parades, speeches, music performances, and more.

Washington DC and Surrounding Area:
National Memorial Day Concert
Sunday, May 25th, 2014 from 8:00 to 9:30 pm ET
PBS sponsors a FREE concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The concert features actors Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise, and other guests along with the National Symphony Orchestra. General Admission gates will open at 5:00 p.m.

National Memorial Day Parade
Monday, May 26, 2014 at 2:00 PM
The 2014 National Memorial Day Parade will take place on Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC. It will be hosted by Rita Cosby of Inside Edition and wounded warrior and Dancing with the Stars winner JR Martinez.

Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally
Sunday, May 25, 2014, 12 p.m.
Rolling Thunder will assemble at the Pentagon Parking lots at 7:00 a.m and depart at noon. After the Run, riders salute the troops just north of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Arlington National Cemetery
Monday, May 26, 2014, 11 a.m.
A wreath-laying ceremony will be held at the Tomb of the Unknowns in honor of Memorial Day. The ceremony will be followed by an observance program in the amphitheater.

Navy Memorial
Monday, May 26, 2014, 1 p.m.
A wreath-laying ceremony will take place at 1 p.m.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Monday, May 26, 2014, 1 p.m.
Wreath-laying ceremony, open to the public.

Air Force Memorial
Monday, May 26, 2014, 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Wreath-laying ceremony, open to the public.

President Lincoln's Cottage
Monday, May 26, 2014.
Free wreath laying ceremony at the cemetery at 10:00 a.m. Free guided tours of the USSAH National Cemetery at 10:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Do you need paint? 

ACE hardware this weekend is having a Buy One, Get One free sale!!

The deal is on all gallons of Clark + Kenisgton or Valspar Optimus paint. 

There is a limit of two free gallons per household and the free gallon must be the same brand as the paid gallon BUT if your looking to redecorate a room or two this is a great deal!  

Tax Day Freebies and Deals

Arbys: The fast-food chain is offering a free value size order of curly fries. You will need to download the coupon from arbys.com

Boston Market: Two individual meals, each including a half rotisserie chicken with a choice of two home style sides and freshly baked corn bread, for $10.40. No coupon required.

Cinnabon: From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Cinnabon is offering two free Cinnabon bites to customers.

Chick-Fil-A: Buy anything at a participating location, keep your receipt and get the same order free in May (Very limited participation)

Great American Cookies: Get a free chocolate chip cookie from participating Great American Cookies locations. No coupon required.

Hard Rock Cafe: You can take the stage at Hard Rock Cafes across America and earn a free dinner entree by completing a whole song in front of the entire restaurant. The song is up to you!

McDonald's: Buy one Big Mac, get a second for just 1 cent. Valid at most McDonald's.

Office Depot:  Office Depot is letting customers shred upto 5 pounds for free through April 29th. Must have this coupon.

Olive Garden: Use this coupon to take $10 off purchases of $30 or more through April 20.

Sonic Drive-In: The chain's drinks and slushes will be half price al day. No limit, no coupon required. 

Steak 'n Shake: Get a free shake when you buy a $10 gift card. Good through 5/6.

Ice Cream Cookies

Ice Cream Cookies

What you need:

1 package of Nutter Butter Cookies
2 cups of candy melts (use whatever colors you want the “ice cream” to be)
30 small colored candies, such as mini jelly beans (we used m&m)
2 TBSP Sprinkles
Wax Paper

1.      Start by melting your candy melts as directed on the package. I picked white because I had white chocolate chips in the house already.

2.      Once melted, dip one end of the candy melt carefully.

3.      Add sprinkles (for me it was easier to just dip the cookie in the sprinkles bowl)

4.      Add candy piece to the top.

5.      Place on wax paper and let dry for 10-15 minutes, or until candy melt has hardened.

Planter Boxes

While walking around the garden section in Walmart, I realized why pay $6-$15 on a small planter when I can make one myself!  Nicole and I made it to Home Depot to buy everything we needed to make planter boxes. Nicole decided she wanted to plant veggies and since I'll be away for a couple weeks during the summer months I figured flowers would be the best way to go. 

Supply List for one flower box:

2- 2ft Ceder wood pieces

6- 3ft ceder wood pieces

4- 18-Gauge Framing Angles

32 wood nails

2 trash bags

Drill

Staple gun

Potting soil

flowers/veggies

Since we are girls with husbands deployed we had Home Depot cut the wood for us. The sign says they cut the first 2 cuts free and each cut after that is .25cents, not sure if its every Home Depot but I've never been charged for other cuts.

We did the outside of the box first, here is where we need two 3ft boards and two 2ft boards. On each side of the framing angle there are three holes. We put a screw in each one to make sure its sturdy.

After the four boards are connected, it was time to screw the bottom ones on. These will be the extra four 3ft pieces. Screw the wood into the frame, one nail on each end works just fine. There is about a half inch gap between each board for water to drain.

There are few ways to do the next step. The guy at Home Depot told us that we can use garden paper, rocks, trash bags or Styrofoam to line the bottom but warned us that garden paper could get moldy with the amount of rain we get here in Washington. We chose to use trash bags because we had them at home already. We used a staple gun & then poked holes in the bottom of the bags so the water can drain.

Now its time to put the garden bed where you want it because the next step is filling it with dirt. I used miracle grow potting soil.

If you are planting flowers this is the fun part on how you want your flower garden to look. I chose red, white and blue flowers. We are a Navy family and my husband is coming home soon so its part of the decorations!! 

Deployment Redecorating

If your a military spouse who has gone through long periods of being away from your spouse, you will know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!

My husband left in July for a 9 month-ish deployment. On day two of his deployment I wrote out a "goals" list for myself so I had something to look forward to doing while he was gone. The first couple months went great, I was checking things off like crazy! The holidays came around and I realized that all my ideas and projects were either not getting done or I wasn't finishing what I started! About Mid September I started painting the inside of our home. The first two days were great and then I got lazy. I kept on telling myself that as long as I got it done before Roy (my husband) got home I was good. Two weeks before Christmas I realized that I invited a few families over for Christmas Eve dinner & I had a very noticeable half painted house. Just days before Christmas Eve, I rushed through Home Depot got everything I needed and quickly painted the rest of the house.  I couldn't believe that it took me almost 4 months to finish 8 walls AND 2 walls in the kitchen aren't even finished!
I knew after the painting situation I needed to re-think some of my goals. The holidays are always a busy time for Created On 86th because everyone wants their orders before Christmas. The new year came around and I decided that the only things on my goal that I was going to finish were those that didn't include much thought or work.
With homecoming just around the corner, I have ran a business, painted the inside of my house, moved furniture around, bought new furniture, move THAT furniture around and so much more!

Today  Drugstore Divas posted a great deal from Walgreens. I got 10 picture prints for FREE! I took them on the offer ALONG with the 20% off discount for military (Thursdays in WA state)  for the extras that I purchased. I headed over to Walmart afterwards and grabbed some simple white frames.
I'm by no means a photographer but I finally finished our bedroom.

This is the last wall that had to have something on it :) 

What did you redecorate while your spouse was gone?