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Apr 30, 2012

How To Have A LEGO Birthday Party For Under $100!

Apr

2012

Monday

Those of you who are following us on Facebook know that a couple of weekends ago we had a LEGO Birthday party for our 7 year old boy! We typically don’t do the themed parties… in the past, birthday parties have just been an excuse to have a bunch of families we know over and hang out together! But he REALLY wanted a LEGO party this year with just a handful of his friends.

And you know, I really think they would’ve been happy with just cupcakes and Lego Star Wars on the Wii. I had to DRAG the boys away from Lego Star Wars to play the games that I had planned for them, lol!! So, if you do have a LEGO party, and you have a Wii… that game of LEGO Star Wars just might be worth buying because it will entertain them for at least half of the party time!

So here’s what we did from start to finish, along with the price breakdown for each item:

1. Invitations

I had everyone’s email address that we were going to invite, so I just sent out email invitations instead of mailing them! They were super easy to make in my photo editing program by using this LEGO Birthday Party Invitation Template here. I got the LEGO letters for Jacob’s name from this LEGO letters website and just switched out the colors in the photo editing software to match the invitation. The invitation that I used was available to purchase as invitations to mail, but why mail when you can email?

Price: FREE

2. Food

Pizza from Target for 8 little boys? It was only $4! I did splurge on the Honest Kids Organic Juice at around $3.50 for the package.

Price: $7.50

3. Plates & Decorations

We didn’t need cups because we had the juice pouches so we only had to get the plates which were $1.99 at Party City for the 8-pack.

Price: $1.99

We bought 12 balloons (only 11 made it to the party though) and tied them to yellow cones that we had in the garage. I also got the big HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEGO Star Wars sign to hang up in the room.

Oh, and a big bowl of LEGOs in the middle of the table for them to build with (FREE!) :)

Price – $12 for balloons, $5.99 for the sign

(Yes, we mixed regular LEGOS and LEGO Star Wars stuff and none of the boys seemed to mind!)

4. Cake

OH MY GOODNESS the cupcakes were amazing!!! And yes, those are fondant LEGOS, and yes, they are AWESOME (it’s marshmallow fondant, not typical nasty fondant and it is DIVINE!)

The cupcakes were made from this White Cake Recipe, this Buttercream Frosting Recipe (except with all butter since I’m not a shortening fan), and this Marshmallow Fondant Recipe!

One more picture? Yes, those are charger plates from our Christmas collection and one of them is on top of an upside down bowl! Do you think the boys noticed? NOPE!

Price: around $13.00 for everything you need for the cake! (A friend of mine had the candy mold, but if you don’t have it then it’s $12.99 for the lego ice cube tray/candy mold that you need to make the fondant legos.)

5. Entertainment

Well, like I said earlier, the boys would’ve been more than happy to play LEGO Star Wars the entire time, but I had planned games for them so I forced them away from the Wii!

Game #1: Guess The # Of LEGOs

This was a super easy one and they loved it! I got one of my small jar containers from the pantry, emptied it into a ziploc (it was storing baking powder) and filled it up with LEGOs. Then I had the boys guess how many were in there! No one got close (there were 237 and the highest they guessed was 110), but they still had fun!

Game #2: Pin the shark in the water!

This was an impulse buy at Party City, but I’m glad we got it. The boys had fun playing it and I just didn’t have the time to cut out a full lego figure from construction paper to play pin the head on the LEGO guy. (Price of this one was $4.99).

Game #3: LEGO Relay Game!

The boys had a blast with this one! I divided them up into two teams (they had to pick either a red lego or a blue lego from a bag to determine which team they were on) and lined them up. There were two bowls at each end of the yard… an empty bowl by the team, and a bowl full of legos in their color on the other side. They had to run across the yard and put one lego at a time on a spoon and run back and put it in their bowl and then pass the spoon on to the next player. Once the last person was finished then the first person ran again. They did this until one of the teams got all of the LEGOs in their bowl! They probably could’ve played this a couple more times, but we were running short on time since they had played LEGO Star Wars for so long earlier!

Game #4: Team Build!

I wasn’t quite sure how this one would work out. I had seen it on Pinterest and thought it was a great idea so I decided to try it and the boys loved it!! You get a bunch of random LEGO pieces and put them into a bag. Pass the bag around the group and each kid takes out one of the LEGOs and puts it on the flat LEGO board. It’s kind of like the game where you start a story and each person has to build onto the story as you go along… except with LEGOs! The boys were very proud of their creation (and all of them enjoyed it… from the 4 year old up through the 10 year old!)

6. Party Favors

I wanted each boy to be able to take home his own LEGO figure from the party, and I was worried this was going to be one of the most expensive items of all. Each LEGO person at the LEGO store is $3.33, so times 9 boys (because even though there were only 8 boys, you have to buy them in groups of 3 at the LEGO store) is $29.97 plus tax. So instead I got two of the LEGO City Police Minifigure Collections at Target for $8.99 each. Each of the boxes came with 4 guys, so it was perfect! And the boys really enjoyed putting them together too (I’m sure the pieces didn’t end up going with the right characters, but everyone was happy with what they made!)

I also got them LEGO Star Wars pencils, pencil sharpeners, and notepads – around $9 total.

Plus the party bags (the treat sacks) which were $2.99 for an 8 pack.

Total for party favors: $29.97 (for EVERYTHING… which was as much as the 9 LEGO men would’ve started to begin with!)

7. The Piñata

The Piñata was another impulse buy but it was such a hit with the boys! The only problem was that it didn’t hold together very well and ended up busting after only a few kids had had their swing at it (anyone know how to reinforce a Piñata?). That was okay though because the candy falling from it more than made up for the breakage! And there really is no reason to stuff a Piñata FULL of candy if you’re not having a big party. We only got about $6 worth of candy and it was plenty for all 8 boys.

Total cost: $15 for the Piñata + $6 for the candy = $21

If I had it to do over again I wouldn’t have bought the extra party favors which would’ve shaved $9 off the cost, and I would’ve prepared a little more beforehand and made our own Happy Birthday sign to shave off another $5.99.

GRAND TOTAL: $96.44!

Definitely under my ideal party price of $100, and if I wouldn’t have gotten the extra party favors and happy birthday sign it would’ve only been $81.45!

We’ve had parties at the park with just hot dogs, chips, drinks, and cake that cost more than this (because you have to feed EVERYONE, not just the kids) so I was very very happy with the final price of everything!

And ALL of the boys (from age 4 up to age 10) had a blast!

I would love to hear your LEGO party ideas too!! Where do you shave off extra costs on birthday parties?

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Apr 27, 2012

How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies With Apple Cider Vinegar And Dish Soap

Apr

2012

Friday

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How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies

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Does anyone else out there hate fruit flies as much as I do?

I have tried a few different methods over the years to try to get rid of them, but this past weekend I heard about a new method (new to me) from some friends of ours using apple cider vinegar and dish soap!

Since the ACV/dish soap method is much easier than the paper funnel method that I had settled on in the past, I decided to try it. So last night before I went to bed I put out a bowl of apple cider vinegar and poured a decent amount of dish soap in with it.

When I woke up this morning, most of the fruit flies in the house were at the bottom (see picture at the top of the post)!! VICTORY!!

There are still a few left who are refusing to get in the apple cider vinegar, but hopefully they will get desperate enough and dive in soon.

I’d love to hear from you guys on this topic! What do you use to get rid of fruit flies?

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15 Comments Filed Under: Articles, Frugal Living, How To/DIY, Natural Living, Natural Remedies, Survival Tip Tuesday

Apr 26, 2012

Country Hobbies {Etsy Store of the Week}

Apr

2012

Thursday

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It’s time again for our featured Etsy Store of the Week! Each week, we will highlight a different Etsy shop, filled with handmade goods! I love these shops because not only are their products unique and generally well-made, but your purchase often supports a mom, working from home.

Paige, the owner of Etsy shop, Country Hobbies, makes handmade items such as jewelry, key chains, supplies, and accessories. She often has sales and clearance items, since she is always busy creating new things!

Take a look at some of my favorite items!

Country Hobbies is offering a discount just for Surviving the Stores readers! Just head over to the Country Hobbies Etsy Shop and enter the code STSREADERS2012 during checkout to get 25% off!

We will also be compiling all of the Etsy stores that we feature in a list before the holidays so that you can find some great and unique handmade gifts!

Do you have a product that you sell on Etsy that you think Surviving The Stores readers would love? Just fill out the form and let us know about yourself and your products! Not all entries are guaranteed to make it onto the site, but I just might be posting some to the Facebook wall from time to time too. :)

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Apr 24, 2012

Assessment Resources {How To Homeschool For Free}

Apr

2012

Tuesday

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Be sure to check out the other posts in the How To Homeschool For Free series too!

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The end of the school year is coming up for most of us. It is the time when we look back at the year and evaluate what we have done. How do you assess your students? Do you observe and take notes, keep a portfolio, or something else? There are different ways to assess as well as different types of testing.

A standardized test is a norm-referenced test, like Iowa Basic Skills, that will identify learning problems and gaps in general knowledge.

Criterion-referenced tests are designed for public schools. It is possible that they will include questions that deal with evolution as fact as well as other terms that Christians might find irrelevant or offensive. They are still useful tools. You can be prepared by pre-screening the content.

Evaluation and assessment for all levels can also be done through written assignments, portfolio goals & review, lapbook collections, or any method that gathers work samples over a period of time. These last choices are less stressful options for the student and the parents, as a general rule. They show progress and completed projects.

There are numerous free testing tools available online. Consider each option along with the personality of each child. Some children are proficient learners, yet terrible test takers. They might be able to do well orally, rather than on paper or on the computer. If you do opt for a test that gives scores, be sure understand that not all scores are accurate, especially if you use a public school criterion-referenced test. I have used them in the past, just to see what areas might have gaps. Tests are useful tools, but they are not the final say in grade level by any means. And PLEASE know that low test score does not mean you are an awful teacher! This is not a personal grade for you, but rather a tool for finding gaps in learning.

State Testing

EdInformatics

EdInformatics provides a list of states that have assessments and benchmark test available online. Some are printable, while some are interactive. All states do not test the same things at the same grade levels. This page has resources for grades K-12.

Internet4Classrooms

Internet4Classrooms has a simple way to find an assessment to meet your needs. When you arrive on the page linked here, you might be asked to provide info. It’s optional. I only indicated that I was a homeschool parent, but I did not provide my name. That was acceptable, so I moved on to the main information. You simply click on the grade level or subject you are interested in testing. There is a wide variety of tests available here for printing as well.

Academic Benchmarks

Academic Benchmarks will give you the guidelines for your state and what is tested at each grade level. You might find things such as what is the Core Curriculum, Intended Learning Outcomes, as well as Grade Level articulations.

Secondary and College Testing

Test Prep and Practice

If you want to give the SAT a preview before you send your child off to take it “for real,” visit Test Prep Preview or Test Prep Practice. Both of these websites offer free testing samples, some close to full length. It it not limited to SAT and GED. The available tests include GRE, Vocational Exams, Law School LSAT, and many, many more.

Curriculum Placement Tests

Curriculum Placement Tests are another way to find gaps in your homeschool academics. Several curriculum companies offer free diagnostic and testing tools for your use. Even if you have to register to take the test, you are not obligated to buy the curriculum. I have used several of these tests over the years to expose my kids to the different terminology used in the various subjects. Sometimes when you stick with the same curriculum (which is great!) students might have a hard time answering questions that are worded a bit differently in another kind of setting. Talking about how there are different words for the same thing can be very helpful.

Sonlight

Sonlight provides Horizons Math readiness tests. You can go directly to Alpha Omega, which is the publisher’s website for Horizons, but you will have to register. If you want to skip that and just take the test, go through Sonlight. They also have tests for Teaching Textbooks, Singapore Math, and Saxon. Once you have your student take the test, look at the results to see where gaps are and do some reviewing!

Alpha Omega Homeschool

Alpha Omega Homeschool does ask you to register for the online diagnostic test. I have used it and found it to be a useful tool for finding what my kids haven’t learned yet. It is for grades 3 and up.

Math Mammoth

Math Mammoth tests are meant to be taken at the end of the school year to test for mastery. They will also work as general math diagnostic tests. The tests group the questions by topic, so it is easy to find where the gaps are.

If you are still with me and wondering why people would test if it is not required, I often tell my kids that I’m having them take a test so I know what else I need to teach them. That takes the pressure off when they come to an unknown topic. I tell them to leave everything blank that they haven’t learned yet. If they leave a lot blank on things that I know they have learned, I will return the test with a reminder of when we learned that topic and sometimes they will have that “light bulb moment!”

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Leave a Comment Filed Under: Articles, Freebies, Front Page, How To Homeschool For FREE, Other Resources

Apr 21, 2012

SIGN UP For Savings Nation Dallas/Fort Worth Classes In Arlington, Fort Worth, Grapevine, & Garland + $5 Off Coupon Code!!

Apr

2012

Saturday

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Woohoo!!!! As many of you know, we are starting COUPONING & SAVINGS classes in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston areas!!!

Ryan and I have lined up FOUR different classes for May in the Dallas/Fort Worth area so that you guys won’t have to drive too far to get to one. :)

The classes for May will be in Arlington, Fort Worth, Garland, and Grapevine! We tried to spread them out as much as possible across the Metroplex so hopefully there will be one near YOU!

So… what will you learn in these classes? Everything that I wish I would’ve known when I started on my journey to “survive the stores” 4 years ago!

Shopping Psychology – including how to avoid common traps at the supermarket and the things that stores and product marketers DON’T want you to know!

Strategic Couponing – learn how to coupon in a REALISTIC (vs. Extreme) way to save at least 50% on your grocery bill each month! Learn the strategies to keep YOUR money in YOUR wallet, even with limited time!

Meal Planning With A Busy Schedule – learn how to plan out your menu to save the MOST money, in the LEAST amount of time, while still providing healthy meals for your family!

Sound fun? It will be!!! This will also be the perfect class to bring your friends to who don’t understand what you do or think that you are crazy for bringing your coupon binder to the store. AND, be sure to bring your husband along to get him on board too!

Keep an eye out on the site because we will be having some giveaways on Surviving The Stores for FREE TICKETS!! (And if you win and have already bought a ticket then you’ll get a refund!)

PLUS, use the coupon code “SHOPSMARTER” to get $5 off the cost of the class bringing it down to $15 instead of $20!

** Space is limited for each class, so sign up soon to reserve your spot! **

Here are the links for the sign up pages for each of the four classes in May:

:: ARLINGTON Grocery Savings Workshop ::
Thursday, May 17, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (Facebook event link)

:: FORT WORTH Grocery Savings Workshop ::
Saturday, May 19, 2012 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (Facebook event link)

:: GARLAND/DALLAS Grocery Savings Workshop ::
Thursday, May 24, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (Facebook event link)

:: GRAPEVINE Grocery Savings Workshop ::
Thursday, May 31, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (Facebook event link)

We will also be having tons of door prizes at each event… and of course lots of COUPONS!!

We can’t wait to meet you all!!

And don’t forget to “Like” our Surviving The Stores in DFW page on Facebook too!

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Leave a Comment Filed Under: Articles, Dallas, Fort Worth, Front Page, Local, Surviving The Stores Through Couponing

Apr 16, 2012

Our New Water Heater {Or… Why You Should Partly Drain Your Water Heater Every 6 Months}

Apr

2012

Monday

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Maybe I’m the only one. But I had NO idea you were supposed to drain your water heater for 5-10 minutes every six months to get out the sediment that settles at the bottom.

And so now, after 7 years of it building up, our gas water heater finally died. It’s funny to me that the warranty expires after 6 years. They must know that we don’t know we’re supposed to empty it and that it will very likely go out AFTER the six years of building up.

Oh, and guess when it broke? FRIDAY NIGHT! UGH! Yes, it seems to always happen that way, right? When our air conditioner went out a few years ago it was over the weekend. When Ryan’s wisdom teeth started coming in sideways it was on Friday night (and he was in major pain all weekend!) It always happens on the weekend.

So no surprise that our water heater waits until Friday night as well.

We’re getting a new one this afternoon, and it turns out that our neighbor knows how to install them and is giving us a super awesome deal on the installation too! Ryan is picking up the Whirlpool 50 gallon one right now (scroll down to the “Customers Also Viewed” and it’s the one that’s $347) at Lowe’s, since it seems to be the least expensive one with the best reviews.

Anyway, I thought I’d share what was going on with us right now and let you know to be sure to let your water heater drain (just hook up a hose to it) for 5-10 minutes every 6 months or so!

It turns out that draining it is super easy to do, but if you’d like step by step instructions you can find them here!

Do you have any other tips for extending the life of your water heater? I sure wish I would’ve known this one 5 years ago when we moved here!!

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Apr 13, 2012

In His Name {Etsy Store of the Week}

Apr

2012

Friday

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Thi and Lori, the owners of Etsy shop, In His Name, make adorable coupon organizers, mousepads, passport covers, retractable badge holders, and other cute items to spice up your organized life. They offer free shipping on their coupon organizers!

Take a look at some of my favorite items!

In His Name is offering a discount just for Surviving the Stores readers! Just head over to the In His Name Etsy Shop and enter the code SurvivingTheStores2 during checkout to get 10% off!

We will also be compiling all of the Etsy stores that we feature in a list before the holidays so that you can find some great and unique handmade gifts!

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Apr 11, 2012

UPDATE On Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston Couponing Classes {Starting In MAY!}

Apr

2012

Wednesday

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We have been working like crazy over here to get everything finalized for the Surviving The Stores Savings Nation Couponing Classes that will be starting in MAY! (Don’t forget to fill out the Texas couponing classes survey if you haven’t already!)

We have SIX locations lined up in various areas across the D/FW Metroplex as well as in Houston!!! Oh my goodness, I can’t wait (well, maybe I can wait a *little* bit since we still have a ton to do to get ready!)

If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area OR in the Houston, TX area then you’ll definitely want to join us for one of these 2 hour workshops as we cover topics like Shopping Psychology, Strategic Couponing, and Meal Planning On A Limited Budget!!

We will be announcing the actual locations VERY soon, but in the meantime you can make sure you stay updated on what’s going on by LIKING our brand new Houston or Dallas/Fort Worth Facebook pages and signing up to get updates!

Here’s how:

1. Click “Like” on the city below that you are closest to (or would be willing to drive to for a class). We’ve created these Facebook pages for our local readers so that we can share info about the classes as well as LOCAL coupons, deals and discounts that we find!

>> Surviving The Stores in Dallas/Fort Worth
>> Surviving The Stores in Houston

2. Fill out one of the forms below to get updates from us via email for your city!

3. Keep watching here on Surviving The Stores because we will be announcing the opening of registrations very soon!

Thanks a ton to our couponing classes sponsor Savings.com! If you don’t live in any of the above areas and would like to see if there’s a Savings Nation class in your area then be sure to check out all of the classes available!

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