Note: prices constantly change on Amazon. If you see something that you like, you should buy it before the price changes.

If you know my family, you know that we love music.  All of us play at least one instrument.   And so, there’s always some accessory to buy.   But my local music store doesn’t seem to stock everything that I need.  But, I have a solution.  I’ve got a favorite places to shop for band instrument supplies — Woodwind & Brasswind.  For a limited time, they are offering free shipping on all orders (except those requiring a big truck).  This is the perfect time to check out your instrument needs and get them shipped for free.

I’ll see you at the concerts!

Suggested List of Ingredients:

• Graham Crackers
• Nilla Wafers
• Fudge Sticks
• frosting
• food coloring
• ice cream cone (for evergreen trees)
• M & M’s
• skittles
• coconut (for snow)

I gave a few general instructions and then let the kids have at it.   This is what they came up with.  We may have a future architect .

Besides having a lot of patience, here’s how my kids measure flour and sugar:

Dip the measuring cup into the container and use the back side of a knife to level it off.

Then dump it in and start mixin’

Do you have a pile of these around your house?  I cleaned out my coupon stash and came up with this big pile of coupons that have expired.   Here’s a few ideas:

• Throw them away, they aren’t worth anything anyway
• Fire starters for your wood burning fireplace
• Recycle!
• Play Money

No, I’m not suggesting you use coupons as counterfeit.   Let your kids play with the coupons and use them as “money.”  Here’s some ideas:

• Cash for playing grocery store
• Cash for ‘admission’ to kid’s special events like their zoo, amusement park, or whatever they are playing.

And then there’s the educational angle:

• Addition practice
• Sorting into groups: same value, same product, same color, etc
• counting practice: put coupons in piles of 5′s or 10′s and then count by 5′s or ten’s
• Make a bar graph based on value
• Teach Change — if I want to buy a candy bar for 50 cents and I give you this $1, how much change do I get? (multiple ways to get the $0.50 — 1 50 cent coupon, two 25 cent coupons, a 40 cent and a 10 cent, etc)

And one of the best things about expired coupons — when you find them laying around the house after the kids go to bed — you can just throw them in the recycling because there will always be more.

But it gets even better….you can click into your region and then your state to get a county by county view of your lack of water.  In spite of hurricanes that whip through the gulf, Louisiana could use more rain.  What do you notice for your area?

But this is not all…there’s lots of other maps too.  Here you can find out about soil moisture, snow pack, and fire danger areas.

These maps can be a great way to talk about drought with your kids.

These are very simple to make.  So, dig out the dehydrator and let’s get ready.

My method is simple…

1. peel bananas
2. remove bruised parts
3. cut in even slices
4. place on dehydrator tray
5. turn dehydrator on
6. wait about 24 hours (or until bananas are dry)
7. remove dried bananas for storage and eat a few on the way
8. store in quart or pint sized freezer ziplocs
9. enjoy!

Some people say to dip the bananas in a solution to prevent browning.  We don’t care about how the banana looks and we didn’t like the sugary solution I once tried.  So we just keep it simple.  Just bananas.  Kids still eat it like candy.

Try it.  I hope you like it too.  Leave a comment below with your experience.

You might also be interested in my grocery deals pages for SW Ohio and Cincinnati Area Kroger and Meijer stores

Staples
composition notebooks $0.10 w/$5 purchase limit 3 (mon-wed only)
#2 pencils 8pk $0.25 limit 4
12” see-through plastic ruler ruler $0.50 limit 2
BIC brite liner highlighters 5pk $0.50 limit 2
Staples printer paper ream $4.99 -$4.49 easy rebate – $0.50 limit 2

Kroger
1 subject notebooks $0.15
2 pocket folders $0.15
BIC 10pk pens $0.79
Crayola 24pk crayons $0.25
paper mate pens $0.33
Office Works kids scissors $0.50

Office Depot
2 pocket folders $0.01 limit 10
Office Depot plastic ruler $0.01 limit 3
Office Depot slider pencil box $0.01 limit 3
Office Depot compass $0.25 limit 3
PaperMate pink eraser 3pk $0.25
Office Depot totes, crates and mini crates 50% off

Walgreen’s
Penway filler paper 130sheets $0.39 w/coupon limit 3
10pk papermate pens $0.39 w/coupon limit 3
5pk mechanical pencils $0.39 w/coupon limit 3
Sharpie Markers $0.39 w/coupon limit 6
Clean ‘n Natural hand sanitizer 2oz $0.39 w/coupon limit 3
Penway sharpener $0.39 w/coupon limit 3
Scotch tape $0.39 w/coupon limit 3
Crayola posterboard $0.39 w/coupon limit 3
Scotch Mailers bubble and cushioned $0.39 w/coupon limit 3 (great for shipping for the holidays)

Walgreen’s coupons can be found in their print ad – available near the entrance.

Note:  These deals have been found in the Cincinnati Ohio area market.  Many nationwide stores offer the same items for sale, but may have different pricing.  Check your local store.

Here’s how it works:

• Find a participating bowling alley near you
• Sign up your kids (up to 6 per e-mail address)
• Coupons would be e-mailed to you
• print out coupons and take them with you…

Seriously…it’s that easy. Each kid can play 2 games fore FREE each and EVERY DAY. You will probably have to pay to rent bowling shoes.  Mine charges $2.

We’ve had a great time this summer and hope you can enjoy the last few days of summer bowling for FREE!

Pick up your school supplies NOW!

From now until early September-ish I’ll post a weekly list of great deals on school supplies.  If you don’t have kids, stock up on those “office supplies” that you use.  And, don’t forget to pick up a few extras for your local food pantry.  Most of them offer free school supplies to their clients.  One rule of thumb I use is — if I wouldn’t buy the brand for my family’s use, I don’t buy it for the food pantry either.  Some school supplies are better quality than others, and I’d hate to have someone who couldn’t afford it get a new school supply kit that only lasted a month or so.

You might also be interested in my grocery deals pages for SW Ohio and Cincinnati Area Kroger and Meijer stores

Discount Drug Mart

Pilot pens $0.99
spiral notebooks $0.19
composition notebooks $0.50
2 pocket folders $0.10
school box $0.59
stretchable book covers $0.60
Papermate #2 pencils 12ct $0.50
Papermate mechanical pencils 5pk $0.50
Expo dry erase markers 4pk $1.99
3 subject spiral notebooks $0.99
5 subject spiral notebooks $1.50
steno book $0.79

Staples
PNY 2GB flash drive $9.99 – $8.99 in Staples Rewards
Staples filler paper $0.01 limit 5 w/$5 purchase Mon-Wed only
Staples Stickies (like post-it notes) 12pk $5.29 -$5.29 easy rebate limit 1
Pentel retractable highlighters 4pk free after easy rebate
Staples printer paper ream $4.99 -$3.99 easy rebate limit 2
Scotch pop up tape dispenser $3 – $3 easy rebate limit 1

Kroger
1 subject notebooks $0.15
2 pocket folders $0.15
BIC 10pk pens $0.79
Crayola 24pk crayons $0.25
paper mate pens $0.33
backpacks and lunch kits 25% off
Office Works kids scissors $0.50
fabric book covers $1
Sharpie 2pk markers $0.99

Office Depot
folders $0.05 limit 5
2 hold pencil sharpener $0.05 limit 3
composition book $0.50 limit 3
sharpie highlighter 6pk $0.75 limit 3
HP printer paper ream $1 after $6.49 mail in rebate limit 2
1″ poly binder $0.25 limit 3
schoolworks 5″ scissors $0.25 limit 3
book covers $0.25
TI-83 calculator $99.99 -$10 mail in rebate

Walgreen’s
2 pocket folders $0.09 limit 4
notebook paper 130ct $0.49 limit 6
composition book $0.49 limit 6
elmer’s glue sticks 2pk $0.19
basic backpack $3.99
Kleenex tissues $0.99 (not the big boxes)
Crayola markers 10pk $0.99
rubberbands $0.99
sharpie highlighters 4pk $0.99
5 tab dividers $0.50 w/c limt 4
composition notebook or memo book (small) $0.20 w/c limit 5
Papermate eraser mate pens 4pk $0.99 w/c limit 4

CVS
2 pocket folders 8/$1 limit 8

Note:  These deals have been found in the Cincinnati Ohio area market.  Many nationwide stores offer the same items for sale, but may have different pricing.  Check your local store.