Deal Alert! Free Shipping + 20% from Bath and Body Works

If you need some gifts or want to stock up on lotions and soaps, now might be a great time to buy! Bath and Body Works is offering Free Shipping on orders of $50 or more plus 20% off ANY online order with code TWENTY50. Offer ends May 17, 2012!

**Offer not valid with any other code that needs to be entered at checkout.**

Deal Alert! Starbucks Happy Hour 1/2 Price Frappaccinos

It’s that time of year again! Starbucks is running their Happy Hour promo once more! From now until May 13, at participating stores from the hours of 3-5 p.m., you can enjoy a Frappaccino at 50% off!

Be sure to check your location for participation!

Deal Alert: Select PBTeen Bath Towels 65% off

If your kids are in need of some new bath towels then be sure to check out the sale TODAY ONLY at PBTeen. They have very cute colors and styles and prices for washcloths begin at $2.99! What a great way to spruce up the look of your child’s bathroom!

Browse PBTeen bath towels.

What We Love Right Now May 9, 2012: Super Cheesy Crock Pot Tortellini

Usually I am not a fan of the crock pot once warm weather begins, but this pasta bake is an exception. It is too easy to whip up and tastes good also!

Super Cheesy Crock Pot Tortellini

What You Need:

1-2 pk frozen tortellini {cheese blend or cheese & spinach}

1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese

1 small red pepper {optional}

1 small onion {optional}

1 pk sliced mushrooms {optional}

Parmesan cheese

Spaghetti Sauce, 1-2 jars {We prefer Ragu Mama’s Garden Combo}

Fix it Fast:

1. If you choose to use any veggies, chop and then cook with a little bit of olive oil in a frying pan for about 10 min. This will help them become a little tender and cook thoroughly in the crock pot.

2. In a 5 qt., round crock pot layer frozen tortellini, veggies, sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Be sure to cover pasta and veggies completely with sauce. Repeat layers 1 or 2 more times, depending on how much pasta you have.

3. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on top of last layer.

4. Cook on low for 2-3 hours.

Serve with tossed salad and breadsticks.

This meal makes plenty of servings. You might have some leftovers if you’re lucky!

Kids Eat Free at Chili’s May 7-9, 2012

Love Chili’s Bar and Grill? If you have children this is one deal you can’t pass up! Take a night off from slaving in the kitchen this week and enjoy a meal out with your family! For every adult entree ordered, two free kid’s meals will be awarded. What a deal! Offer good May 7-9, 2012.

To get your printable coupon for free kid’s meals click here!

Red Robin Gift Card Giveaway

May is National Hamburger Month and there’s no better place to enjoy a yummy, juicy burger than your local Red Robin. Red Robin has been named “Best Burger” in the full-service chain category for the three years in a row by Zagat’s Fast Food Survey.

I could go on and on about my love for Red Robin! It has a great family atmosphere. My kids LOVE dining there. They usually leave with a balloon. And, who doesn’t love the endless fries?! My personal favorite burger on the menu is the Bacon Cheeseburger and, of course, I’m a fan of their kid’s menu choices too!

So, let’s get right to it! When you enter this giveaway you’ll have a chance to win one $10 Red Robin Gift Card AND a Free Kid’s Meal Card good for one kid’s menu item (kid’s meal card expires 12/31/12).

Here’s how to enter:

1. Mandatory Entry: Comment on this blog post saying: Yum, yum, yum I want to win! 1 entry

Extra Entries:

2. Like SharpMoms on Facebook. Comment on this post saying you’re a fan. 1 entry

3. Share this Facebook post on your own Facebook wall and tell your friends: I entered to win a Red Robin Gift Card from Sharpmoms. You can too! Be sure to leave a comment here with the URL to your share post. (This is a one time entry.) 2 entries

4. Tweet this to your Twitter followers: Yum, yum, yum! I entered the Red Robin Gift Card #Giveaway from @sharpmoms! http://sharpmoms.com/2012/05/red-robin-giftcard-giveaway/

Tweet this daily for one entry per day! Don’t forget to comment with your tweet URL/link here on this blog post. 1 entry per retweet

5. Of course, follow us on Twitter @sharpmoms. Tell us you’re following in the comments below. 1 entry

Please remember to leave a comment here on this post for each entry you choose to use!

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 10 p.m. EST and a winner will be chosen at random. We will announce the winner shortly after the giveaway ends and the winner will also be contacted by email.

Looking forward to your entries for this yum, yum, yummy giveaway!

What We Love Right Now May 2, 2012: Dream Catcher Frame Craft

Dream catchers are one of the oldest traditions of Native Americans. The traditional dream catcher was intended to protect the sleeping person from negative dreams by only allowing positive, happy dreams through. The positive dreams would slip through the hole in the center of the dream catcher and glide down the feathers to the sleeping person nearby. The negative dreams would get caught up in the web and vanish once the first rays of sunlight hit the web in the morning.

Why not create a dream catcher with your child? It’s the perfect way to do something fun together and help your child get a good night’s rest full of peaceful, happy dreams. Hang it on your child’s bed post or nightstand.

image via

You can create this dream catcher using this kit from Oriental Trading. If they happen to be sold out simply use popsicle sticks, leather cord, beads, feathers, brown yarn, and light colored fabric to create your dream catcher. All the supplies needed can be found at your local craft store.

Deal Alert! Michael’s 40% off Coupon

Need a new frame or something cute to spruce your spring or summer decor? Then head over to Michael’s this week and use this 40% off coupon. It’s good only for one item April 29-May 2.

Click here to get your coupon!

Fun Birthday Countdown Printables {It’s FREE!}

Birthdays can be a big deal, especially with kids. Why not countdown to your family member’s next birthday? These printable are FREE and super cute.

Here’s just one design…

image via

Just click here and choose a design that you can print at home or at a local store, like Walmart or Target. Then put the printable in a frame and use a dry erase marker to change the number from day to day!

Thanks to Life Sweet Life for creating such cute printables!

Top 5 Best Snacks at Walt Disney World

We’ve linked up with Destination Disney to share our picks for best snacks at Walt Disney World. What we love about our snack picks is that they are all included on the Disney Dining Plan as one snack credit!

1. Mickey Bar At the top of our list has to be the ever-popular Mickey Bar. Vanilla ice cream with a milk chocolate coating-YUM! We think these are a definite favorite of children (at least ours) and adults too! Another plus about this snack is that you can find them in all the parks at almost every land/street, etc. and at resorts within WDW as well.

2. Dole Whip Pineapple Float This yummy soft serve creation can be found at Aloha Isle in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom. One word: Scrumptious and a must try–this is a super treat on a hot Florida day!

3. Zebra Domes This is one of our favorite African treats. You can find them at two of the restaurants at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. So delish!

4. Pork Egg Rolls You can find these at Yak and Yeti (counter service restaurant) at Animal Kingdom. Plain and simple, we just love Asian cuisine so these rolls made the cut!

5. Hand-twisted Pretzels There are pretzels throughout almost all the parks, but our favorites are at Sommerfest in the Germany Pavilion at Epcot.

What are your favorite snacks at Walt Disney World?

What We Love Right Now April 25, 2012: Strawberries!

Strawberries are very in season right now and perfect for picking at your local berry batch. Wouldn’t that be a fun spring outing with your kids or playgroup? If you’re not into berry picking then head over to your local grocer or farmer’s market. They are sure to have strawberries by the bucket right now!

While we love fresh strawberries just as they are, there are some other things you can do with your strawberry crop. Many folks don’t think about canning strawberries, but by doing so, you can have a great supply to last throughout the coming months. Canned strawberries make a great cake or ice cream topping or can be used as a filling for cakes and pies.

Never canned strawberries before? Just follow these steps to get started!

What You Need:

Potato masher
6 quarts fresh strawberries
3/4 cup minute tapioca
2 quarts water
Salt
Sugar
Sterilized canning jars with lids
Canner Pan/Pot

Fix it Fast:

1. Remove the stems and caps from fresh strawberries and wash the berries.
2 Mash, chop, or halve the strawberries. You can choose to leave them whole. It depends on how smooth you want the final product to be.
3. Add sugar to taste.
4. Boil water.
5. Very slowly stir 3/4 cup minute tapioca into the boiling water. Keep boiling until the water again becomes clear.
6. Add pinch of both salt and sugar, to taste.
7. Add tapioca water mixture to the mashed strawberries and mix well. You may not have to add all of the mixture. Add a little at a time and keep an eye on the consistency.
8. Put the strawberry mixture into the sterilized canning jars, seal, and boil for 5 minutes in a hot water in your pot.
9. Turn off the heat but leave the jars in hot water for about 10 more minutes.
10. Remove jars from pot and store them in cool place.

Springtime Spaghetti

Now that it’s getting warmer and fresh veggies are becoming more available at Farmers’ Markets it’s time to think about revamping traditional pasta meals and making them lighter, crisp, and fresh. Skip the meat sauce and try this recipe for Springtime Spaghetti.

Springtime Spaghetti

What You Need

1 small box of spaghetti or linguine
half a bag of frozen peas or 1-2 cups fresh, shelled peas
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil {we think fresh vs. spice jar basil adds much more flavor to this meal}
Shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, to taste

Fix it Fast

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Add peas to pasta during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain pasta mixture in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup pasta liquid.

3. Heat oil and butter in pan over medium heat until butter is melted.

4. Remove pan from heat and stir in pasta mixture, reserved pasta water, juice, salt, and pepper; toss well.

5. Scoop Pasta mixture into bowls and top each serving with basil and shaved cheese.

This meal tastes best when served immediately after cooking.

Get Organized with a {Printable} Summer 2012 Calendar

Soon summer vacation will be upon all of us and we’ll be either bored to death like our kids always claim to be or busy bees! Hopefully it will be the latter. Between summer camps, church activities, playdates, appointments, and the all important summer vacation{s} our calendar is already starting to fill up! We found this great organizational tool over at Brown Paper Packages. What a great way to keep all your summer fun listed by week and on display so you won’t miss or forget a thing!

Hop over to the Brown Paper Packages to print your very own PDF copy!

How will you display your calendar? We think using a frame is a great way to utilize this nifty calendar. Just use a dry erase marker to “pencil” in events. The glass surface will make it easy to wipe clean any oopsies .

Happy Summer Planning!

Top 6 Best Quick Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World

We have done a previous Walt Disney World post on the best places for table service dining, but decided when we linked up with Destination Disney to focus on the best quick service restaurants within the Walt Disney World Theme Parks and Resorts.

1. Peco’s Bills Cafe~Magic Kingdom

This restaurant is located in one of our favorite lands at Magic Kingdom, Frontierland. There are plenty of positives to this quick service restaurant. First off, the atmosphere is a great western theme which is so fun! If you can’t make it to Wilderness Lodge for a taste of the Ol’ West, then this is next best bet. Second, the food is pretty amazing and different for your typical theme park food. We happen to love the taco salad here. Peco’s Bills also offers a great toppings bar for your juicy burgers. Last, and most unique, is the automated ordering system that Peco’s Bills offers. Skip the line and use your Disney Dining Plan or credit card to order your meal.

2. Columbia Harbour House~Magic Kingdom

Columbia Harbour House is another Magic Kingdom quick service restaurant that we love. It’s located in Liberty Square and is one of the more spacious eateries. There is plenty of  indoor seating so you can enjoy your meal in the AC! Our favorite menu items here are the Shrimp Basket and Tuna Sandwich. The tuna might be an ordinary pick to some but we love it!

3. Wolfgang Puck Express~Downtown Disney

Want a table service meal at a quick service price? Then Wolfgang Puck Express is the place for you! Take a break from the parks and your resort and head over to Downtown Disney for some shopping and then get some yummy eats from this quick service restaurant. Enjoy scrumptious pizzas, salads, and more all with that great, raved-about Wolfgang Puck taste. You won’t regret dining here!

4. La Cantina de San Angel~Mexico Pavilion, Epcot

Epcot has great quick service restaurants, but this one stands out to us because it is one of our favorite pavilions, Mexico. At the La Cantina you can sit outdoors right by the lagoon and enjoy some wonderful, authentic Mexican cuisine. The kids menu is little lacking with just two choices, Empanadas de Queso (fried, cheese filled dough) and Chicken Tenders, but the empanadas have always been a big hit with our kids. The dessert here is great too! Who doesn’t love a Churro?!

5. Flame Tree Barbecue~Animal Kingdom

Another great place to get some bang for your buck and the really use your dining plan wisely. Flame Tree offers some very tasty barbecue meal choices in very large portions. Perfect for sharing if you want to save a buck or a dining credit. The ribs and chicken bbq is a  perfect meal for sharing. This is by far one of the best dining options within Animal Kingdom!

6. Riverside Mill Food Court~Port Orleans Riverside Resort

Why do we love the Mill? Well, it is at one of our favorite resorts, Port Orleans Riverside. You can dine here and when you’re done you can take the boat over to Downtown Disney or enjoy walking the grounds of the resort–sounds like a perfect evening to us! This restaurant offers great scenery of the iconic waterwheel and the Sassagoula River. The food options are abundant with five serving stations — bakery/ice cream, grill, pasta, carved meats, pizza, etc — plus the Grab and Go refrigerator which contains all your chilled drinks and pre-packaged items. Don’t miss out on the Riverside Mill experience during your next Disney vacation!

What are your favorite quick service dining spots within Walt Disney World? Share them with us in the comments below!

Deal Alert! Get Two FREE Canisters of Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

Are you a teacher? If so, then this deal is for you! You can get two free canisters of Clorox Wipes to help keep your classroom clean and germ free!

To receive your free wipes courtesy of Clorox click here.

What We Love Right Now April 18, 2012: Flower Power Earth Day Snack

Earth Day is just around the corner and we’ve been searching for a fun treat to feed the kiddos to celebrate the day. It just so happens that my children love veggies, but if your child isn’t a veggie lover maybe this cute presentation will turn their taste buds around, even if just for one day!

image via

This super cute flower snack is the perfect way to get some healthy food into your child’s daily menu and celebrate the fun of  Earth Day! Not to mention it’s pretty easy to recreate. Shown in the photo above are baby carrots, radish slices, celery sticks, spinach leaves, sliced cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. Served with dip this snack will be super delicious! The fun doesn’t have to stop with veggies. If your child is a fruit lover you could incorporate some of their favorites into this snack as well or even create a whole new flower snack with just fruits! We think strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and apples would make some great fruit additions!

Tax Day Deals 2012

Tax Day can be a major drag. Here area  few Tax Day deals to perk you up!

• Get one free appetizer or dessert with a purchase of an entree from Chili’s Bar and Grill (good April 16-18)
• Two Free “Tax Day” Bites at Cinnabon from 6-8pm on 4/17 only
• Receive 15% off your total order at P.F. Chang’s
• Like Arby’s on Facebook and you’ll get a free coupon for one value size curly fries
• Like White Castle on Facebook to receive a 15% off coupon (good April 15-16)
• Free Single Serving of Shanghai Angus Steak at Panda Express with coupon (4/17 only)
• Seattle’s Best Coffee: Get One Free House Coffee on Tax Day (4/17)
• Boston Market Coupon: Buy One Get One Free Entrees  Good 4/17 Only
• Sonic Drive Ins: Get happy hour pricing all day! {This is one of our personal favorite offers }

Do you know of a Tax Day offer we missed? Share it with us in the comments below!

Deal Alert! P.F. Chang’s Tax Day Deal

Love P.F. Chang’s? We do! From the Chang’s Spicy Chicken to the lettuce wraps…we could eat P.F. Chang’s for every meal! All of us are in lunch because all orders on Tuesday, April 17 will receive an automatic 15% discount! Be sure to stop by for lunch or dinner for a little tax day break on your total meal cost!

Baby Birds in a Nest Plastic Eggs & Paper Plate Craft

Still have plenty of plastic eggs left to recycle? Try this super cute birds in a nest craft and use up some of those Easter eggs!

You’ll Need:

2-3 Plastic Eggs

Construction Paper

Brown Paint or a Brown Party Plate

Craft Glue

Scissors

Black Permanent Marker

Make It:

1. Paint your paper plate brown. If you have a brown party plate, skip this step.

2. Begin crafting the baby birds. First, fold a small piece of orange construction paper and cut a triangle. This will make the beak.

3. Cut wings out of construction paper. Again, you can go with a triangle shape.

4. Glue beak on top of egg. Use a permanent marker to draw two small eyes on either side of the beak.

5. Glue on wings.

6. Put glue on the bottom of each egg and adhere to plate.

7. Cut brown strips of construction paper to make the nest straw. Glue the strips around the edge of the plate.

Thanks for sharing the great idea Busy Bee Kids Crafts!

Deal Alert! $5 off TOMS Shoes

Who doesn’t love or want a good pair or two of TOMS? So cute, so comfortable, and so many styles and colors to choose from! TOMS has great shoes for everyone in the family–including babies and kids! Plus we love their One for One campaign: For every pair of TOMS purchased one pair of shoes will be donated to child in need. Win, win!

{Aren’t these Classic Crochet TOMS fab?!}

Now you can save $5 off your next purchase with these two promo codes:

SAVINGSNTOMS5 and RMNNTOMS5

These codes are good online only.

Thanks to RetailMeNot.com for the great codes!

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