Matthew West in Wichita!

I got the privilege and blessing of attending the Matthew West concert last night at Central Christian Church.
Such an amazing performance with a message of hope for those who are less than perfect, (and aren't we all).  For Jesus came to save us from ourselves, we are all broken and need Him, and a community of believers in order to live in complete freedom from our mistakes and hurts.

Matthew told the stories behind the songs that they inspired, and ended the concert tearing up papers that represented the lists of wrongs we keep in our minds. Time to rip those up and hand it over to God.

Colton Dixon of American Idol fame made an appearance and played about 5 songs and joined Matthew West on a few of his.

Mr Talkbox opened the concert with a high energy performance that had the crowd jumping, dancing and singing! Mr Talkbox was a former member of Toby Mac's group, and has performed with many other famous musicians such as DC Talk, and even back in the day with Back Street Boys and INSync.

Matthew used his platform of music to also speak about his involvement with Compassion International. I have heard many Christian speakers talk about sponsoring a child, and he was by far the most persuasive and convincing on the need and life changing difference that sponsoring a child can make.  Please take a moment to look into Compassion International. This is something that my family is going to begin praying on personally.

Here's a few highlights from the show, and thanks to my friend (E.Hogan) for the photos captured of our fun evening!

If you get a chance to catch Matthew West on this latest "Live Forever" tour it is inspiring.  You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on his website.

Whole Foods Market Sales, and Strawberries

*the following is a post on behalf of my Whole Foods Market Blogging Ambassador duties for which I may receive compensation. 

Spring time is Strawberry time! Strawberries are at their peak season during the months of May and June.

Strawberries are super versatile and can be put in salads, made into chutney or salsas to top fish like tilapia, and of course all the various types of desserts you can sauce, dip and puree onto.

Need some recipe ideas for strawberries? There are some great links over at the Whole Foods Market Blog.  Find Smoothie recipes, Baked Salmon with Spinach and Strawberry Salsa, Cookies and Scones.

Pick the best, freshest, organic strawberries from locally grown farmers at Whole Foods Market. Look for red, firm berries with no soft spots and keep them in a cool, dry place. Don't wash them until you are ready to eat and strawberries are actual best served at room temperature to fully complement their flavor and fragrance.

Want to get the best buy on organic produce, cleaning products, supplements, and beauty products? Check out the monthly sales going on now at our local Whole Foods Market, including Strawberries!
Sale prices start April 14th - April 28th.
Click here to see the full list. 

*As a Whole Foods Market Blogging Ambassador I may receive compensation for posts. All opinions are my own. 

Lilly Pulitzer for Target Look Book is live!

*The links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.

The wait is almost over!  

Lilly Pulitzer for Target is launching in-stores and online on April 19th - Limited-Time Only!

With a collection of 250 resort-inspired pieces across multiple categories, including apparel, shoes and accessories for women and girls, home goods and cosmetics, Lilly Pulitzer is sure to sweep fashion lovers away with their fun summer prints. The best part? You won’t have to spend a fortune to look Palm Beach perfect. All items range from $2 to $250 and can easily take you from daytime chic to night-time glam.

This line is sure to sell out quickly (think Missoni last year), and is a great way to snag these lovely items by a big designer at prices most all of us can afford! 


Be fabulous in bright colors and bold patterns with Lilly Pulitzer for Target

Shoppers will need to act fast to get their hands on Lilly Pulitzer must-haves:

• Shimmering accessories: You’ve never seen so many ways to dress yourself in head-to-toe Lilly. Start with one of the essential lace-accented shift dresses, add espadrilles and finish with a chic headscarf or printed bobby pins to take your look all the way to the finish line.
• Glam barware: Swizzle sticks in silver and gold, tinted glass champagne coupes and the kickiest Collins glasses. Anyone for Mai Tais?
• Curated cosmetics: An assortment of exclusive L'Oreal lipsticks and Essie nail polishes, just for this collaboration, will help complete your look.

Check out the complete Lilly Pulitzer Look Book here.

Costco $20 Cash Card offer and $30 in coupons

The new Wichita Costco is not quite open yet, but you can sign up for a Costco membership now and get a bonus gift card to use in store.

Just look for the tent outside the warehouse!
Check out all the great benefits of having a Costco Membership at their website: www.costco.com

Cash in on your Birthday Month

My birthday month has come and gone but I was surprised on how many free and discount or cash offers I was sent.  I only used about a third of what I received as some expired by the end of the month, but got some awesome deals with these. Think about using some of them for a birthday lunch with a friend, or to stack with other coupons or sales if there are no restrictions to do so.

If you don't see your favorite place on this list - visit the webpages of the business or brand you love and look for email sign-ups, rewards clubs, or newsletters. Most will tell you if you get a gift on your birthday, (they do want you to sign up), and you're bound to get other offers throughout the year that if you frequent there anyway - you'll appreciate having. 

Feel free to share of any other high value offer your have gotten for your birthday in the comments below.

*all offers are subject to change and are meant to be a representation of the type of offers you may receive on your birthday. Make sure to read all fine print and subscription or email frequency disclosures. I did not receive compensation for this post and no links are affiliate related. Enjoy!

a couple of birthday freebies in my mailbox

$5 off $5 coupon for Famous Footwear - (by email) [rewards club signup]
$5 to spend at Gordman's -  (post card ) [gRewards signup]
On The Border - I got a free pick two with entree purchase in a mailer for my local OTB. (May vary by location)  [eclub sign-up]
Sephora - as part of the email newsletter subscription I received a coupon for a choice of  set of 2 mini lip pencils by NARS, or a mini anti-aging cleansing gel and cucumber gel mask. [create a Beauty Insider Profile]
McAlister's Deli - $5 off my next meal (email)[sign up for DeliGrams]
P&G Everyday - Free downloads
Ulta - 2X bonus points and free Ulta eyeshadow palette [Rewards Club Membership]
Aveda - free gift with purchase of $35 or more [email signup and rewards member]
Red Robin - Sign up for a Royalty card and get a free burger on your birthday. Collect points on visits to get other discounts and free offers.
Starbucks - Sign up for a Rewards card or app and get a free drink sent to you for your birthday! [my Starbucks rewards]
Pie 5 Pizza - Sign up to be a Circle of Crust member and get a free pie on your half birthday.[membership signup]
Old Navy - Discount with purchase -sent in email. [email signup]
Toys R' Us - special treat and fun for your kids, and savings for you. Your child will receive a $3 off $3 coupon to use in store. [Geoffrey's birthday club]
West Elm - 15% off for your birthday. [Birthday Club]
SnapFish - Free credit for your birthday. [email signup]
Applebee's - Free dessert with coupon. [join the eclub]
Wendy's - $1 off premium combo. [Wendy Mail signup]
Jason's Deli - $5 coupon on your birthday. [birthday club signup]

Skate into more Tickets for Chuck E Cheese prizes - from home

*the following is a sponsored post, in which I may have received compensation.


My kids enjoy time on their touch screen devices and there are some good benefits to playing games on a hand held device.

We also love to visit Chuck E. Cheese - whether for a birthday, grade card celebration or just some fun family time.

We just tried out the new update of the "Skate Universe" App, a game very similar to “Temple Run.” Kids guide Chuck E. through a skate park, making him hop, duck and dodge obstacles along the way.

The great part is that kids can win up to 50 tickets per Skate Park (1000 total) that are then valid in-store. Tickets earned through the app can be printed out via e-mail coupon to the parent or
account holder and are redeemable at Chuck E. Cheese’s locations for physical prizes.


The new update includes a new Skate Park called the "Yeti River Run" that gives the player a new level and more boards, helmets and armor to choose from.

My 7 year old is quite the gamer and is loving this game!

The app can be downloaded on the Apple App store and Google Play and is optimized for
use on Apple iOS and Android mobile devices.

Another way to win even more fun at Chuck E. Cheese!

*sponsored post

McDonald's, An Experiment, and Health

*the following is a post in which I was compensated. All opinions and content are original and my own.

When you think of dieting and loosing weight, fast food, and especially McDonald's, is probably the last thing that may come to mind. Particularly after all of the backlash that fast food, and McDonald's has received over the past ten years.

John Cisna

Teacher John Cisna, set out to try a little experiment. A High school Biology teacher from Iowa, wanted to see what would happen if he tried to create the opposite of "Super Size Me". Many health and science teachers in our school system are now showing "Super Size Me" as part of their lessons in health and diet. "Super Size Me", a documentary that aired in 2004, followed American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock over a 30 day period in which he ate only McDonald's food. The documentary focuses on how Spurlock's psychological and physical well-being were affected and depicts the McDonald's corporation as greedy and encouraging poor nutrition for their own profits.

Morgan Spurlock did his test in 30 days, with three meals per day. He was to eat everything on the menu at least once, which he did in 9 days, Super Size any meal that he was asked to, and fully exist only on McDonald's products:  including any water he drank. He walked approximately two miles per day.

In 2013/14, John Cisna picked 3 students who were to plan what he was to eat and only pick items off of the menu that fulfilled a 2000 calorie diet per day. Cisna began walking 45 minutes per day 4-5 days per week, and drank tea and water in between meals. His project went for 3 months and in total he consumed 540 meals.

Target and that card

*The links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.


Target is one of my favorite places to shop for my family, as is for you I'm sure. One reason is the many different ways you can save on top of their already great prices on items you need and love. 

In addition to clipping manufacturer's coupons,pharmacy rewards, using text message coupons, and the Cartwheel app, Target has their REDcard that can save you even more on your total purchase each time you shop.

Here is why you NEED a Target REDcard:

• 5% off every day
• Free shipping at Target.com (no minimum purchase)
• Extended returns -- 30 extra days
• Up to 1% of purchases go to school of your choice
• The online application process for debit and credit has immediate approval (except for some debit applications that require a few days to confirm a bank account)
• REDcard holders can easily check their credit card account balance, make a payment, review past statements, check their debit card transaction history and manage their PIN. They also get to enjoy exclusive offers available only to REDcard holders.

You can find full details on the REDcard and it's benefits at the Target website,  here. 

The great thing is, if you can't get another credit card, or don't want one, you can get the REDcard as a debit card that you use like your bank card to pay for your purchases instead. Then you automatically get all of those benefits listed above, but without the hassle, & interest rates of a credit card. I have had my card for four years and my debit card for a year of so, and don't ever pay for anything at Target unless I use it! Every penny pinched in my house matters.

You can sign up online quick and easy, get your card in the mail, and start saving. Click here to apply now!

*The links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link. Thanks for supporting my page!