Archives for 2014

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts: Daylight Savings – March 9, 2014

March 7, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Getting ready to adjust our clocks this Saturday night for the Sunday morning time change, we are also scheduling a visit to a participating Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.

Understanding the tiredness of losing an hour of sleep, participating Krispy Kreme Doughnuts stores will spike sugar levels by granting each guest a FREE original glazed doughnut on Sunday, March 9, 2014.

With no purchase necessary or coupon required, you and your family can yawn over a sweet treat together.

This offer is valid all day long at participating locations in honor of Daylight Savings Time.

If you still have Valentine’s Day coupons to redeem, then note that those coupons expire on Saturday, March 15. Those coupons are good for a FREE doughnut of your choice. 🙂

Set those clocks forward, lose your hour of sleep, and gain a FREE original glazed doughnut from Krispy Kreme Doughnuts this Sunday, March 9, 2014. Yum!

APlus Sunoco: FREE Oreo Cookies – March 5-7

March 6, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: APlus Sunoco

Available through tomorrow, Friday, March 7, APlus Sunoco locations will grant a FREE 2 oz. single-serve pack of Oreo cookies to those who redeem this coupon.

This deal is limited to APlus Sunoco stations. Please check this store and gas station locator to find a participating APlus Sunoco near you. Just select APlus under “refine search by” to find the right location.

If you have an APlus Sunoco nearby and plan to visit, then print this coupon for your FREE Oreo cookies. The limit is one per customer, while supplies last.

Since there is not an APlus Sunoco location close to us, we will continuing baking cookies in our new oven. I love having my kitchen back to normal. It’s the little things like cookies and ovens that make me happy. 🙂 Enjoy your weekend!

Special thanks to Christina for sharing this deal via e-mail!

Question: If you know of other deals, please let me know via Facebook or e-mail (usingtimewisely (at) gmail (dot) com).

Enjoying National Pancake Day

March 5, 2014 by Tracy

My youngest was cracking me up this morning. As we were out grocery shopping, she is quoting the Hump Day Geiko Advertisement.

I’m finding this funny because it is not yet Wednesday, so when she asks, “What day is it?” I’m answering, “National Pancake Day.”

This evening, my children and I met up with Paul at our local IHOP for some FREE pancakes. Our waitress was really nice as she kept checking on us and bringing us butter. She also liked our little system as we piled the pancakes in one big stack and ate them one at a time.

You see, IHOP has four different syrup flavors: blueberry, butter pecan, old fashioned maple, and strawberry. Not wanting to mix the different flavors, we only kept one pancake on our plate at a time.

This way, we could each cut up our pancake, pour on the syrup, eat it, and then have a clean plate for the next pancake and a different flavor.

This system also prevented us from wasting food. Our youngest daughter only ate one pancake while my son and older daughter ate two pancakes with one to spare.

By the end of the meal, we had 3 pancakes remaining or one short stack. We packaged them up and brought them home.

Hanging out at our local IHOP, we met two beauty pageant contestants. One of the “princesses” (as my daughters call them) gave each of my girls her autographed picture.

These princesses were visiting each table explaining IHOP’s affiliation with the Children’s Miracle Network and asking for patrons to make donations as they exited the restaurant.

Our family enjoyed celebrating National Pancake Day at IHOP. The pancakes were delicious, and money was raised for a charitable organization. What a great ending to a Tuesday as we enjoyed National Pancake Day!

Question: Did you venture out to your local IHOP for FREE pancakes?

Preparing for Daylight Savings Time

March 4, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Checking my calendar for the week, I found a followup notation to check our supply for 9-volt batteries. With Daylight Savings Time arriving this coming Sunday morning, March 9, 2014, we will change out the batteries in our smoke detectors.

By changing the batteries twice a year, we avoid being awakened in the middle of the night with chirping sounds from a low battery in our smoke detectors.

We did have a carbon monoxide detector that squeaked at us early one morning because we did not realize there was a battery backup.

If you are seeking 9-volt batteries, then check out this search results page from Southern Savers, listing all the battery deals this week. With both CVS and Walgreens offering buy one, get one free sales, we can purchase any remaining batteries needed without paying full price.

For those of you who participate in Daylight Savings Time, you might want to start preparing now. I know some children really struggle with the change. If you have such a one, then try scaling your schedule back a little at a time throughout the week.

Losing an hour of sleep is not pleasant for most, but going to bed 10-15 minutes earlier each night for 4-5 nights is an easier adjustment than one hour earlier on one day. This is just a suggestion for those who struggle as we prepare for Daylight Savings Time. Happy preparing!

Question: Do you change the batteries in your smoke detectors at both Daylight Savings Times, at one of them, or do you wait until you hear the chirp?

Early Teacher Appreciation Week

March 3, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Officially scheduled for the week of May 5 – 9, Teacher Appreciation Week came early for us due to Miss 6’s teacher’s early retirement.

Her teacher is expecting her first child in April, and Friday was her last school day. Therefore, we celebrated an early Teacher Appreciation Week, Monday through Friday.

Making our teachers feel special is not as difficult as it sounds. By listening and paying attention to their likes and hobbies, we can put together a mini-celebration each day of the week to show our appreciation for the hours invested into their students.

Our early Teacher Appreciation Week centered around our teacher’s upcoming delivery and her previous requests:

Monday: Homemade card, actually a booklet, made by Miss 6

Tuesday: Wrapped baby outfit, size 3-6 months, with a thank you card from me

Wednesday: Wrapped board book about shapes to start her child’s library

Thursday: Lunch from one of her favorite restaurants picked up and delivered to school by Paul

Friday: Homemade chocolate chip cookies with the recipe that she requested from a previously delivered batch of cookies

We tailored our gifts toward our teacher’s needs and wants. Other options could have included favorite candy, a gift card, a collectible, watching the class for a lunch period, scheduling a field trip, or any other task that would give her a break.

Even though Miss 6’s teacher missed the official Teacher Appreciation Week, we made sure she received the same attention she would have gotten had she remained at school.

Teachers have a difficult job balancing educating the children, partnering with parents, and staying within the bounds of the administration.

When you get a great teacher, it is easy to take them for granted. Love on those excellent teachers as they are jewels and need your encouragement.

If you have Teacher Appreciation Week coming up in May and are unsure about how to celebrate, start noticing your teacher’s hobbies and interests. In using time wisely, you will discover more about these special people.

Once you get some ideas, you will soon find your own way to showing your appreciation. Happy observing!

Question: When is your Teacher Appreciation Week?

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