A New Fall Routine | Week 2 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

My girls headed back to school this week and with that my morning routine has changed too. All summer, after my 6 am run I would come home to a quiet house.  I had about 1-2 hours before the kids would get up. I enjoyed a cup of coffee, ate my breakfast, checked my emails, and planned my day in peace and quiet.

 But no more.

At 7 AM when I'm walking in the house after my run, the girls' alarm is ringing. As the morning reality overcomes my girls, I'm hopping in the shower to get ready for work. They're pleading for an additional 10 minutes of sleep or arguing over who gets to wear the purple headband.

At 8:10 we're running for the bus stop and my coffee is now enjoyed from my to-go cup in my car on the way to the office.

Our new fall routine has begun.

10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

Join me as I journal my training for my fifth half marathon, the Runner's World Half in Bethlehem, PA. This will be the second time I've blogged about my 10 week training--the first time was this past spring as I trained for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. I achieved my goal of a sub 2 hour time in Pittsburgh and you can read all about it here, Race Day Success.

My Week 2 Workouts:

• Monday: 3 mile run outside, easy pace
• Wednesday: 4 mile run outside, easy pace
• Thursday: 3 mile run outside, easy pace
• Friday: 1 hour of yoga at the YMCA
• Saturday: 5 mile run outside, run at conversational pace

My Training Plan for upcoming week 3:

• Monday: 3 mile run, easy pace
• Wednesday: 4 mile run, easy pace
• Thursday: 3 mile run, easy pace
• Friday: 1 hour of yoga at the YMCA
• Saturday: 6 mile run, run at conversational pace

Are you training for a race? Has your training changed now that the kids are back to school? Tell us about it in the comments.

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Christmas Savings Club | August Meeting

Happy 4 months til Christmas!

On the 25th of every month from January to November in 2013, I'm holding a virtual meeting for the Christmas Savings Club. The goal for this monthly accountability meeting is to give updates on our progress, motivate one another, and help all of us save for a cash Christmas. Today is the eighth meeting, but you can join us at any time.

If you are new, please read more about the Christmas Savings Club in the first post and join us. My offer for a FREE Christmas Gift & Spending Budget excel spreadsheet is still available.

On with the August meeting...

How did I do in August?
Our monthly goal for Christmas savings is $100. That number includes gifts for our kids, extended family members, teachers, friends, neighbors, bus drivers, service people, our Christmas cards, stamps, and our donations towards the Salvation Army's Adopt-a-Family program.

At the beginning of August, I was $100 short from June when we used some of our Christmas savings for gifts that were needed that month. I also needed to come up with August's goal of $100 for a total of $200 for the month. To achieve this, I attempted a pantry challenge in August.

I'm happy to report that I was able to reduce our grocery spending in August by about $50 and I'll put that money in our Christmas savings.

Our grocery spending has crept up over that last several months and it was time to rein it back in. My goal during the pantry challenge was to shop our freezer and pantry to put together my weekly menus instead of only using the Sunday sales flyers.

It pays to take an inventory of what is already in your kitchen before you make a grocery list. You'll avoid all sorts of duplicate purchases and reduce food waste too.

I'm still left with a $50 shortfall for the year, but I have 3 more months to save it before I make the majority of our holiday purchases.

September Assignments:
1. If you have not done so, complete the Christmas Gift & Spending Budget worksheet.

2. If you have not done so, open up a separate checking account specifically for your Christmas Spending Savings.

3. Set aside your monthly savings goal for September.

4. Start looking for Christmas gift ideas. My girls and I were in Target last week shopping for school supplies. They asked to walk through the toy department on our way to the Back-to-School department. I took pictures of a few things that they picked out for reference. They were pricier toys, but I'll start keeping my eye open for when they go on sale.

Let us know how you're doing with your Christmas Savings Account in the comments. You don't need to leave specific numbers if you don't feel comfortable, but let us know if you did anything specific to save your goal.


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Roasted Vegetable Sauce {Fresh from the Garden}

Pin this Recipe
If your garden is overflowing or your neighbors are begging you to take their extras, then you need to make a batch of Roasted Vegetable Sauce.

It is super easy, unbelievably delicious, yet incredibly cheap if everything is from your garden. You can use tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, onions, celery, carrots, and/or eggplant and fresh herbs. Every tray that you roast will taste different, depending on what vegetables you use. Any combination will do, but I recommend that half of the tray is tomatoes.

This sauce freezes really well in reusable containers. Even if you don't have a garden, take advantage of the local summer produce and MAKE THIS SAUCE!

Roasted Vegetable Sauce

Ingredients

• Assorted fresh summer vegetables, cleaned and roughly chopped (You can use tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, onions, celery, carrots, and/or eggplant. Any combination will do, but I recommend that half of the tray is tomatoes)
• 3 garlic whole cloves
• handful of fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme
• olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Lay the fresh vegetables, garlic, and herbs flat on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill up the baking sheet with the vegetables.

3. Drizzle olive oil to coat all of the vegetables and herbs. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

4. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through. Carefully remove the pan from the oven because the vegetables get juicy.

One tip for roasting tomatoes: I leave the skins on the tomatoes and I just slice them in half and place on the sheet, cut side down. After roasting, use tongs to peel the skins off easily (see below).

5. Allow the vegetables & herbs to cool completely. Once cool, blend in a food processor. This will take several batches to complete. Place each batch in one large bowl and stir well to combine.

6. Stir the blended tomato sauce well. You might need to add additional salt and pepper to your taste.

7. You can use immediately or freeze in containers. One baking sheet will yield about 5 cups, depending on the vegetables that you use. Use the sauce with your favorite pasta dishes. My kids love it as a dip for bread.

Print recipe for Roasted Vegetable Sauce.

This post is linked to Thrifty Thursday and Fabulously Frugal Thursday.

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Beach Running | Week 1 of 10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

It's a good thing my first week of training for my next half marathon was at the beach. I'm a bit bored with my local routes at home. Same roads. Same houses. Same white squirrels.

But last week we were in Stone Harbor, NJ with extended family for our annual summer beach vacation and for me there is nothing boring about running on the beach. It's very easy for me to get out of bed in the morning to run when I know that the beach is my destination.

My morning runs lead me to a sandy path through a bird sanctuary at the southern tip of Stone Harbor.

But I wasn't stopping to look at the birds. Instead, I kept following the path...

keep going...

Yep, right where I wanted to be. BIG SIGH--let any stress just melt away.

Nothing takes stress away like a wide open space with very few people on it.

I was one happy happy happy runner.

10 Weeks to a Half Marathon

Join me over the next 10 weeks as I journal my training for my fifth half marathon, the Runner's World Half in Bethlehem, PA. This will be the second time I've blogged about my 10 week training--the first time was this past spring as I trained for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. I achieved my goal of a sub 2 hour time in Pittsburgh and you can read all about it here, Race Day Success.

My Week 1 Workouts

• Sunday: Ran 3 miles on the beach.
• Tuesday: Ran 4 miles on the beach.
• Wednesday: 3 mile walk on the beach with a college friend who was also in town for the week.
• Thursday: Ran 3 miles on the beach.
• Friday: Ran 5 miles on the beach.
• Sunday: Cried like a baby, because our beach vacation was over and no more beach running until next year.

Note about my beach running: I ran close to the water line where it is really flat and solid. First week down and my feet feel fine.

My Training Plan for upcoming week 2:

• Monday: 3 mile run, easy pace
• Wednesday: 4 mile run, easy pace
• Thursday: 3 mile run, easy pace
• Saturday: 5 mile run, run at conversational pace

I intend to incorporate some cross training into my plan in future weeks, but week 2 is looking pretty hectic since school starts next Monday and there's a next to nil chance that I'll get to the Y for yoga.

Are you training for a fall race? Let us know all about it in the comments. Also, where is your favorite place to run? Mine--obviously is the beach!


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Balance Bar mini energy bars Giveaway THIS IS CLOSED

August is winding down and families are officially in “Back to School” mode, which includes packing lunches, soccer games, play-dates, homework and so much more! Balance Bar® in partnership with the Macaroni Kid parent network surveyed more than 5,000 parents of school-aged children and found that 61% of parents thought that Fall (aka Back to School) is the busiest time of year for their families.

What else did we find from this survey? Check it out:

• 77% of parents said they have 3 or more activities/events per week on average once school starts.
• 80% of respondents said once school starts, they will be planning more meals and attending more sporting events for their kids.
• And 57% of parents said they try to have one meal together each day as a family to help balance their schedules.
• 79% of parents reported that they pack their kids’ school lunches.

To help parents, Macaroni Kid provided some tips on how to better prepare for a school day and balance everyone’s schedules:

• Do a run through. Are your kids starting a new school or a new routine? Do a run through. Wake up "school time," brush teeth, get dressed, pack lunch, have a school-appropriate breakfast and maybe even drive or walk to school. Then, take those packed lunches and head to the park for a final summer break picnic.
• Plan the menus. Give your kids several options in each category and let them weigh in on what they'd like to find in their lunchboxes... you won't have to guess each morning and they are far more likely to eat it if they've had a hand in selecting it. We love Balance Bar® minis to pack along for snacks!
• Clean your closets! Nothing gets you and the kids ready for smooth mornings like purged, well-organized closets.
• Start a good sleep routine early. Kids love to stay up late in the summer time (and who can blame them) but it makes for tougher mornings if kids are used to going to bed later and sleeping in past "school time" wake up.
• Set goals with your children for the upcoming school year. Whether it's academics, sports, or extracurricular activities it's great to help kids get motivated for success in the new school year.

Interested in hearing more tips on how to balance your schedule come this Fall? Join Balance Bar® Tuesday, August 20 at 2:00 PM EST/11:00 AM PST for a live, one-hour Twitter chat.

Giveaway Details

Balance Bar sent me a box of 10 mini energy bars and a reusable snack & everything bag (in the picture below). Balance Bar will send one lucky winner this same gift.

To enter, simply tell me in the comments what flavor you like the best: double chocolate brownie or cookie dough.

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

I'll choose one lucky winner on 9:00 AM EST, Monday, August 26. Please use a valid email when commenting, so that I may contact you if you win.

For more information about Balance Bar mini energy bars, check out www.Balance.com, Balance Bar on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BalanceBar), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/BalanceBar)

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Back-to-School Sales for August 18 - 24

Here is a snapshot of the stores with the best prices on back to school supplies this week:

Kmart Sales

[ ] Paper Folders, 3 Prong 2 Pocket - $0.10

[ ] Elmer's Glue, 4 oz or Filler Paper, 150 ct - $0.20
Shop Your Way Deal Of The Week - After $5 Purchase, Limit 3

[ ] RoseArt Crayons, 24 ct - $0.39

[ ] Crayola Crayons, 24 pk - $0.49

[ ] Crayola Regular or Fine Tip Markers, 10 pk - $1.49

Office Depot Sales

[ ] Office Depot Brand Spiral 1-Subject Notebooks - $0.01
Limit 3 per person. While Supplies Last

[ ] Office Depot Brand Acrylic 12" Ruler - $0.01

[ ] Wilson Jones Basic Round-Ring 1" View Binder - $1
Limit 3 per person. While Supplies Last.

[ ] Office Depot Brand Low-Odor Dry-Erase Markers, 4 pk - $2

OfficeMax Sales

[ ] Schoolio Colored Pencils, 12 pk - $0.25
Limit 3

[ ] Schoolio Solid-Color Composition Book, 80 Sheets - $0.01
After $5 Minimum Purchase

[ ] Just Basics #2 Pencils, 12 pk - $0.25
Limit 3

[ ] Duracell Coppertop AAA and AA Batteries, 20 pk - $16.99
$16.98 Max Perks Rewards wyb (1) ~ Limit 2

[ ] OfficeMax 8.5" x 11" Multipurpose Paper, 500 Sheet Ream - $6.99
$6.98 Max Perks Rewards wyb (1) ~ Limit 2

Staples Sales

[ ] Staples Composition Book, 100 sheets - $0.01
Limit 3 per person. With an additional $5 Purchase.

[ ] BIC Velocity gel pens, black, 2 pk - $0.50
Limit 2 per person.
$1.50/2 Bic Stationary Products
$1/1 BIC, stationary product 08/04/13 SS Insert (exp 09/15/13)
Final Price FREE

[ ] Paper Mate Magic Rub erasers, 3 pk - $0.50
Limit 2 per person.

[ ] Westcott Preferred 7" scissors - $0.50
Limit 2 per person.

[ ] RoseArt colored pencils, 12 pk - $1
Limit 2 per person.

[ ] Staples 3-hole binder punch - $1
Limit 2 per person.

[ ] Quartet EnduraGlide low-odor dry-erase markers, fine tip, 4 pk - $2
Limit 2 per person.

[ ] Staples 0.7 mm assorted mechanical pencils, 12 pk - $4.29
$4.29 Easy Rebate. Limit 1 per person.

[ ] SanDisk Cruzer Glide 16GB USB flash drive - $9

[ ] Staples photo supreme 8.5" x 11" paper, double-sided matte, 50 pk - $13.99
$11.99 Easy Rebate. Limit 1 per person.

Walgreens Sales

[ ] Wexford Mini Highlighter - $0.19
Limit 3

[ ] Glue, 4 oz; or Jumbo Glue Sticks, 2 oz - $0.39
Limit 6

[ ] Wexford No. 2 Pencils, 8 pk - $0.39

[ ] Bic Briteliner Highlighter, 5 pk - $0.79
Limit 3
$1.50/2 Bic Stationary Products
$1/1 BIC, stationary product 08/04/13 SS Insert (exp 09/15/13)
Final Price FREE - $0.04 each


[ ] Wexford Filler Paper, 130 Sheets - $0.79
Limit 3

[ ] Easystore 8GB USB Flash Drive - $6.99

Walmart Sales

[ ] Dixon Pencils, 10 ct - $0.49

[ ] SchoolWorks Blunt-Tip Scissors, 5-inch - $0.50

[ ] Inc Highlighters, 2 pk - $0.64

[ ] Filler Paper, 150 Sheets - $0.82

[ ] Bic Cristal Pens, 10 pk - $0.97
$1.50/2 Bic Stationary Products
$1/1 BIC, stationary product 08/04/13 SS Insert (exp 09/15/13)
Final Price FREE - $0.22 each

[ ] Avery 1-inch Economy Binder - $1.78

Find a full list of all store back to school sales at SavingsLifestyle.com.

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Fresh Home: 15 eBooks and Tools for Only $15 - THIS DEAL HAS ENDED

In 2 short weeks, the lazy days of summer will become the crazy days of school for me and my family. We're very excited about the changes that will be happening for our family this fall, but those changes will also mean busier schedules, more chauffeuring, and very little free time.

I don't want my home to suffer from all of the busy-ness, and fortunately two of my favorite blogs have come to the rescue:

A Bowl Full of Lemons and Clean Mama have come together to bring you an amazing set of e-books and tools. These fantastic resources will help you get your house clean and organized and your time in order. This exclusive bundle will only be available for the next five days, so grab yours now! While this bundle is valued at over $100, it is available to you, our readers, for only $15 (or less than $1.00 per e-book or tool)! "Fresh Home" is the perfect bundle to get you back on track as a new school year begins and new routines are being implemented in your home.

The "Fresh Home" Bundle is a collection of 16 e-books and tools devoted to getting your life in order. What's included:

• three cleaning e-books
• one cleaning printable kit
• one emergency preparedness e-book and printable kit
• one babysitting kit
• three time management e-books
• six organizing e-books
• one complete household binder printable kit

Everything you need to get your house clean and organized is in this fresh new bundle! Keep reading to learn the details about each home management e-book and tool....

CLEANING

Clean (Enough)

($4.99)

Clean Enough: Simple Solutions for the Overwhelmed Homemaker is packed full of practical tips and advice to encourage you in your high calling and help you become a less-stressed housewife.

Perfect Cleaning Schedule

($5.99)

Christine has put together an easy step-by-step plan for you to create your own cleaning schedule that fits your lifestyle, your preferences, and your family. It will help you Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule.

Cleaning Around the Seasons: Deep Cleaning On Your Schedule

($10.00)

Cleaning Around the Seasons is a comprehensive guide for anyone that needs to do some deep cleaning and doesn’t know how to start or where to fit it in to a busy schedule. With an easy to read style and quick start approach, you can read it and get started all in the same day.

ORGANIZING

Project Organize Your Entire Life

($4.99)

Inside this easy 50 page read you’ll find a new approach to starting down the road to a simplified and more organized life. Rather than instructions on how to fold your T-shirts or organize your pantry, you’ll take a look at your daily habits and weekly routines to start thinking differently about how to efficiently spend your time.

10 Steps to Organized Paper

($5.00)

Can you imagine being able to find ANY piece of paper in your house anytime you needed it? 10 Steps to Organized Paper will motivate, encourage and walk with you step by step while you turn your mountains of paper into organized systems.

Getting It Together

($3.99)

Getting It Together is an ebook designed to help you set up your own Home Management System that works. It includes a step-by-step tutorial, and over 30 printables that you can use to start your system right away!

The Busy Mom’s Guide to Getting Organized

($5.00)

Getting organized is the key to keeping busy moms sane. As a professional organizer (and mother of two active boys), Sara Pedersen shares her favorite tips and easy processes to guide you to an organized, efficient, happy life. You'll learn how to organize your time, your clutter, your kids, and the abundance of paper and other things in your busy life.

Emergency Preparedness: Organizing An 8 Week Step-by-Step Survival Station In Your Home

($10.00)

Emergency Preparedness outlines step by step directions on how to put together an Emergency Survival Station in your home. The E-Book also comes with a “printables kit” for the Emergency Binder with several pages to fill out your family information.

Simple Living - 30 Days to Less Stuff and More Life
($2.99)

Need a bit more simple in your life but unsure where to start? Simple Living is written for you. Using minimalist principles Lorilee has created a 30 day course, taking less than 1 hour a day that she guarantees will give you a simpler life.

"Who Knew? Get Organized Now!

($4.99)

All of us want to be more organized...and here are secrets and strategies for doing just that! In this ingenious book, the authors of "Who Knew? 10,001 Easy Solutions to Everyday Problems" reveal how to clear clutter once and for all, with ingenious organizing ideas, secrets for repurposing items you already have at home, and much, much more. “Who Knew? Get Organized Now!” uncovers hundreds of tips and ideas to help you clear away clutter and become more organized than ever before!

TIME MANAGEMENT

Tell Your Time

($2.99)

Tell Your Time: How To Manage Your Schedule So You Can Live Free outlines Amy's straightforward, step-by-step approach to controlling your schedule and ensuring the important things don't fall through the cracks.

28 Days to Timeliness: Tips and Confessions From a Semi-Reformed Late Person

($2.99)

Full of useful tips and funny confessions, "28 Days to Timeliness" is packed with practical information that will help teach you how to manage your time so you can be on time.

Plan It Then Do It – Living on a Dime

($19.95)

“How To Get Organized” is designed to help you organize your time better. It includes pre-made schedules and lists along with information to help you make your own customized schedules.

TOOLS

Babysitter Notebook (JOYS)

($7.00)

JOYS Babysitter Notebook is a simple pdf for busy moms who want to empower their babysitters to make the best choices, no matter the situation.

Citrus Paper Company – Chevron Binder Set

($10.00)

Citrus Paper Company's complete home binder printable set includes ALL of their binder printables to keep your life and finances organized and beautiful!

Clean Mama Printables – The Cleaning Kit

($10.00)

Clean Mama Printables' Cleaning Kit is a comprehensive tool sure to streamline your cleaning routine and maximize the time you spend cleaning. This simple, printable kit has six original documents and introduction sheet that can be used together or separately - any way that works for you!

Important Details:

• Please remember to back up your files. We are unable to send you copies of the e-books that have been deleted or lost.
• Please do not share your bundle with anyone else - it is intended solely for the person who purchased the bundle. Please be respectful of the authors' copyrights.
• After purchasing, you will automatically receive an email (to the email address you provide) containing the download link. Please check your spam folder if you cannot find the email.
• Please download and back up your Fresh Home eBook Bundle purchase. You have 5 download attempts to access your files. The download link expires on 10/31/13. After that date, we will not be able to provide new links to download.
• Due to the digital nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. If you do have questions regarding the downloads, or how to open and save them, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page before contacting us.
• The Fresh Home eBook Bundle is only available from 9 a.m. EST on August 11th to 11:59 p.m. EST on August 15th.
• If you have any questions or issues with any of the e-books or tools included in this bundle, please contact that author directly.

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each Fresh Home eBook Bundle. Thank you for your support of this site!

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End of Summer Break

My kids head back to school on August 26, so I'm taking an end of summer blog break for the next 2 weeks.

When I come back there's a good chance that FamilyBalanceSheet.org will look a little different. The migration to Word Press and the new design should be finished by then and I can't wait for you to see it.

See you soon!

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August 10 & 11 | FREE & Low Cost Activities for Kids and Families

Click the links below for more information at the respective web sites.

Lowe's Build & Grow

• Saturday, August 10, 10 AM | Free Kids' clinic: Build Dusty from Disney's Planes.
• Sunday, August 11, 2 PM | Free Kids' clinic: Build Dusty from Disney's Planes.

Michael's

• Saturday, August 10, 10 AM - Noon | Free Family Craft time - Creativity Can

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Tomato & Cucumber Salad {Fresh from the Garden}

Pin this Recipe on Pinterest
Easy Summer Food doesn't get any easier than this salad. The fresh vegetables and herbs were either from my garden, the CSA, or a neighbor's garden and the rest of the ingredients are staples in my kitchen.

Tomato & Cucumber Salad is fresh, delicious & when from your garden--inexpensive!

Tomato & Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1 cucumber, chopped, (also, peeled if not organic)
• ¼ - ½ red onion, cut into thin slices
• 3 tablespoons feta
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs - use a combination of your favorites: oregano, parsley, thyme, basil
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon each salt & pepper

Instructions

1. In your serving bowl, mix together the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and feta.

2. Combine the evoo, garlic, herbs, vinegar, salt, pepper well and pour over the vegetables. Mix together to coat the veggies well.

3. Allow the salad to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or longer--can be made the day before. The fresh garlic will have a bite to it, but will mellow out the longer it sits in the refrigerator.


Print recipe for Tomato & Cucumber Salad.

This post is linked to Thrifty Thursday.

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5 Back to School eBooks for Just $7.40

Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Family Balance Sheet! You can read the site's full disclosure here.



It's back-to-school time, and this week's bundle is designed to help you simplify your routine, get organized, and juggle all of your various responsibilities during the school year. With your purchase, you'll get a complete back-to-school guide, printable planners, tips for simplifying your chore routines (for the adults and the children!) and ideas for simple outdoor fun in the midst of your busy schedule.

Get all five of these ebooks for 70% off this week only!

Back 2 School Survival Guide by Susan Heid
The transition from a carefree summer into a rigorous school schedule doesn’t happen easily or without struggle, but it can be easier on everyone if you are proactive and intentional in your preparations. Susan's Back 2 School Survival Guide provides proven tips, tools, step-by-step instructions and printables to help you and your child be as prepared as possible—and create a more organized home in the process.

KidVentures by Jen Murray
Some of the best family memories take place in the best playground of all – the great outdoors! In KidVentures, Jen shares fresh ideas and inspiration to motivate you to get outside with your family, including 50 outdoor play ideas with supply lists and instructions, along with printables and resources to take each activity even further.

Quick and Easy Breakfasts from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures
We’ve all heard the most important meal of the day is breakfast, and a healthy breakfast provides children with the energy and nutrients they need to be able to concentrate in the classroom. But getting a healthy breakfast on the table can be a daunting task in the middle of your before-school routine. That's where Lynn's Quick and Easy Breakfasts comes in. With more than 20 delicious recipes, this ebook will help you make breakfast a priority this school year!

Clean Enough by Jenni Mullinix
In Clean Enough: Simple Solutions for the Overwhelmed Homemaker, Jenni offers practical tips and advice to encourage you and help you become a less-stressed homemaker. You'll find ideas for getting housework done with young children, step-by-step instructions for decluttering your home, tips to help you clean smarter rather than harder, simple laundry solutions, printable DIY cleaning recipes and more!

The Chore Jar by Kristy Howard & Monica Cooper
Discover an uncomplicated, fun way to motivate your kids to help out around the house with The Chore Jar. In this short how-to guide, Kristy and Monica share their system for making chore time simple, meaningful and fun plus printables to get your started!

The Back-to-School bundle is only available through 8am EST on Monday, 8/12. Get yours today!

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Back to School Sales for August 4 - 10

Here is a snapshot of the stores with the best prices on back to school supplies this week:

Office Depot Sales

[ ] Vinyl Storage Pouch - $0.01
Limit 3 per household. While supplies last.

[ ] Scholastic Crayons 24 pk - $0.25
Limit 3 per household. While supplies last.

[ ] Office Depot® Brand 2-Pocket Poly Folders - $0.25
Limit 10 per household.

[ ] Scholastic Pourable Glue - $0.25

[ ] Oxford® 3" x 5" Index Cards 100 pk - $0.25
Limit 3 per household. While supplies last.

[ ] Office Depot® Brand Book Covers - $0.25
Limit 3 per household. While supplies last.

[ ] Office Depot® Brand Wood Metal-Edge Ruler, 12 - $0.25

[ ] Office Depot® Brand Wood Pencils 8 pk - $0.25
Limit 3 per household. While supplies last.

OfficeMax Sales

[ ] Tote Bag - FREE
With $15 Purchase of select Post It or Scotch Products
Scotch and Post-It printable coupons

[ ] Bic Matic Grip Mechanical Pencils - $0.50
Limit 3 @ $0.50 each ~ Additional Quantities @ $3.99 each
$1/1 BIC, stationary product 08/04/13 SS Insert (exp 09/15/13)
$1.50/2 Bic Stationary Products
Final Price: FREE

[ ] Schoolio 1 Subject Notebook, 70 Sheets - $0.01
After $5 Minimum Purchase ~ Limit 5 @ $0.01

[ ] Dixon Yellow #2 Pencils, 8 pk - $0.10
Limit 3 @ $0.10 ~ Additional Quantities @$0.99 each

[ ] Paper Mate Write Bros. Ballpoint Pens, 10 pk - $0.10
Limit 3 @ $0.10 ~ Additional Quantities @ $1 each

[ ] OfficeMax White Glue Sticks, 4 pk or Disappearing Purple Glue Sticks, 4 pk - $0.25
Limit 3 @ $0.25 ~ Additional Quantities @ $1.75 each

[ ] Office Max Filler Paper, 100 Sheets - $0.50
Limit 5 @ $0.50 ~ Additional Quantities @ $1 each

[ ] Expo Chisel-Tip and Low-Odor Dry Erase Marker, 4 pk - $1
Limit 3

[ ] Lexar S50 8GB JumpDrive USB - $6.99

Staples Sales

[ ] Staples® filler paper, 8" x 10.5", 120 sheets - $0.01
Limit 5 per customer. Must have additional $5 purchase.

[ ] Close BIC .7 mm mechanical pencils, 5 pk - $0.25
Limit 2. While supplies last.
$1/1 BIC, stationary product 08/04/13 SS Insert (exp 09/15/13)
$1.50/2 Bic Stationary Products


[ ] BIC Great Erase dry-erase markers, fine tip, assorted, 4 pk - $1
Limit 2
$1/1 BIC, stationary product 08/04/13 SS Insert (exp 09/15/13)
$1.50/2 Bic Stationary Products

[ ] Pentel R.S.V.P.® ballpoint pens, fine, assorted, 5 pk - $3.29
$3.29 Easy Rebate. Limit 1

[ ] Hammermill 8.5" x 11" Copy Plus® copy paper 500 sheets - $6.99
$5.99 Easy Rebate

[ ] SanDisk Cruzer Facet 16GB USB flash drive - $9

Target Sales

[ ] Up & Up Crayons, 24 ct - $0.25
FREE Up &Up Crayons 24 ct wyb 2 School Supplies, TARGET coupon

[ ] Up & Up Colored Pencils, 12 ct - $0.50

[ ] Fashion Notebooks, 70 Sheet - $0.50

[ ] Avery Durable View Binder, 1" - $0.99

[ ] Crayola Markers, 10 ct - $0.99
$2/1 Crayola Purchase of $10+, TARGET coupon

Walgreens Sales

[ ] Penway Wooden Ruler, 12 in or Wexford Plastic Protractor, 6 in - $0.19
Limit 3

[ ] Paper Mate Stick Pens or Mechanical Pencils, 10 pk - $0.29
Limit 6

[ ] Wexford Filler Paper, 130 Sheet - $0.69
Limit 3

[ ] Wexford Color Binder, 1 in - $0.99
Limit 3

[ ] Expo Dry Erase Markers, 2 ct - $0.99

[ ] Wexford Dry Erase Markers, 4 pk - Wexford Dry Erase Markers, 4 pk
Limit 3

Walmart Sales

[ ] Cra-Z-Art Crayons, 24 ct - 0.57

[ ] Dixon Pencils, 10 ct - $0.47

[ ] SchoolWorks Blunt-Tip Scissors, 5-inch - $0.5

[ ] Avery 1-inch Economy Binder - $1.78

Find a full list of all store back to school sales at SavingsLifestyle.com.

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August 3 - 4 | FREE & Low Cost Activities for the Whole Family

Click the links below for more information at the respective web sites.

Bank of America Museums on Us

• Saturday & Sunday, June 1 & 2 | Each Bank of America or Merrill Lynch cardholder gets FREE general admission to 150 museums nationwide. Just present your credit or debit card along with photo ID. List of participating museums.

The Home Depot

• Saturday, August 3, 9 AM - Noon | Make a Home Depot Load N Go Truck

Michael's

• Saturday, August 3, 10AM - Noon, on the 1/2 hour | Handy Growth Chart- Let your kids explore their creativity while you shop! Only $2 per child reserves 30 minutes for your creative kid. Sessions starting every half hour from 10:00am - 11:30pm.

Babies R Us

• Saturday, August 3, Noon - 3 PM | Breastfeeding Expo

Thanks for reading. If you would like to receive FREE updates of FBS, there are four ways to do so:

• have updates sent to your email,
• through your RSS Feed
• become a fan and 'like' FBS on Facebook
• become a Twitter follower