Boy did I have a great time the other night at this new little place called Sips n Strokes in Franklin! For $25 I spent two hours painting a picture with a couple of my girlfriends while sipping on a nice glass of Cabernet.
Now while that may seem like a lot of money, I assure you, given the fact that they provide all but the wine (i.e. canvas, paints, easel, brushes, smocks and instruction) I thought it was well worth the money. Participants need to BYOB, but there were just as many people sipping on water and lemonade as there were those of us sipping on wine so it doesn't have to be expensive. Several people in the group had never painted before and they had a great time while producing a beautiful piece of artwork that is indeed worthy of hanging in their home. It was really interesting to see how the pieces all were the same thing and yet as different as the personalities that painted them.
There are 9 locations in all. Franklin is the only Tennessee location with the other 8 in neighboring states Alabama and Georgia. They also offer franchises, which I think is a great opportunity for people in other Metropolitan areas. I can't tell you how fun it was to unleash my inner artist.
I plan on going back next month when there is a painting that will match the decor in my home perfectly. I hope to see some of my Savvy Supermom Nashville Friends there!
We LOVE Radnor Lake. Right in the heart of Williamson County, the Lake sits on almost 750 acres of land and is Tennessee's first protected eco-system. Up until recently we haven't gone regularly since the idea of hiking hadn't really struck the girls as something fun to do.
Us: We're going to Radnor Lake.
Them: YEAH! Can we bring snacks?
Us: Of course, what's a hike without snacks?
Them: What do you mean "hike"? We're just going to walk?
Thankfully at 4 & 7 they are starting to see that there is something pretty cool about looking at deer running through the trees, owls turning their heads all the way around and ants fighting to death on the stone wall.
The basic walk around the lake is about 2.3 miles, but there are smaller segments to be walked and still just as beautiful. This last time we saw several bucks & does as well as a few spotted fawns.
In the past we've seen egrets, turtles, fox, rabbits, squirrel, chipmunks and snakes (my Mother-in-Law actually calls Radnor Lake "Snake Lake"). If the animals are feeling shy, the Visitor's Center houses some live local snakes and "stuffed" life size animals that can be found around the lake.
When the kids get older we'll be able to do Canoe Floats and Astronomy Nights at the Lake or even a Junior Ranger Program where they can help out and earn a daily stipend.
So, if you're in Williamson County or some of the surrounding areas and looking for something fun and free to do, pack some snacks and head out to Lake Radnor. It's a beautiful place that makes for some great pictures and great memories.
Our family is not a health-nut family, though I do like to make sure we stay on the healthier side of the curve. We are conscious about the money we spend on food and I like to keep my budget around $50-100 a week for a family of 4 products that are healthy/organic/natural or less processed. I've not really found the coupon programs to work for me because there aren't many things that I need in the coupon section. We shop at Costco and do a bit of stock-piling on items like toilet paper and paper towels, but outside of chicken or fresh vegetables we don't do a lot of food stockpiling because I don't have an extra freezer or a lot of extra space in the house.
That said, I try to find bargains when I can, even in the most unlikely of places. Surprisingly, Big Lots has been a great source of healthy foods. This week I picked up the following:
1. Larabar Pistachio - $8 for a pack of 16/ARP $25 if bulk/ARP $2 a single bar
2. Larabar Jam Frakas box of 18 for $8/ARP $25, single bar/ARP $1.75
3. Naturade Soy Protein Shake - $4 for 2lbs/ARP $20
4. Kashi 3-boxes of cereal - $5 /ARP $3.75 a box
Grand Total: $25
Approximate Retail Price: $81 for bulk/$95 buying single items
Savvy Savings: $56 /$70
If anything this should be a testimony to buying things in bulk packages instead of a single bar here and there when you're on the run.
Now I realize that some adults and kids don't like this kind of stuff, but I've always used health bars as a snack item for my kids figuring that it was a quick easy thing to stuff into my pocket that would keep us from making bad choices when we were out and about and hungry. I also used bars like these when I was pregnant to keep my blood-sugar up and my nausea at bay. For now these are the bars that I stuff into my bag when we head to the gym so that we have something to snack on because they (and I) are always so hungry when we're finished playing!
Per the company - LARABAR is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits nuts and spices - energy in its purest form. Made from 100 raw whole food each flavor contains no more than six ingredients. Pure and simple just as nature intended. As a celiac, my mother in law eats a gluten-free diet and she loves these bars. If you do a Google search on it you may find that there was a recall earlier this year, but that was for the peanut butter versions of both brands.
The Naturade shake mix is for my husband and what I use to make him a quick breakfast to go. We use frozen fruit from Costco (or whatever fruit is getting overripe in our house), water and a scoop of dahi yogurt (Indian yogurt) from our local Indian market or Kefir when it's on sale. We usually spent the $19 for a months supply of protein powder at Whole Foods, so this was a change for us, but at $4 I was willing to try it. Our oldest loves protein shakes and though our youngest doesn't as much, she seems to like this Strawberry Creme flavor.
The Kashi cereal is for me, and while the kids may eat it from time to time, it's a good way to grab a quick breakfast and or midday snack.
Overall I do love finding deals like this at Big Lots, which happens more often than not, and while I may save a lot doing this, I realize that people who like specific brands may not be able to find these type of savings consistently. I have found for us, the flexibility of trying a new product from time to time does help the bottom line for our family.
A Note to My Local Savvy Shoppers - This deal was found at the Franklin Big Lots store.
Here's another fun Summertime Deal for my fellow Middle Tennesseeans. JayMar Family Entertainment Centers is currently running an Incredabowl deal. Sign up on their website and they will send you an email card good for one free game a day for each child under the age of 18 from now till August 31. The cards are good for their Franklin location, Cumberland Lanes and Tusculum Lanes.
While the game itself is free you still need to pay for shoe rental if you don't have your own shoes but you do get $1 off shoe rental meaning you're paying $2.25. If your kids are like mine and prefer the Hwy 66 bowling where the lanes are 2/3 the size of the standard lanes AND they have guards on both alleys then you end up getting half-off your first game. JayMar will also periodically will send you a coupon for a discount on food. They also have other deals online like a coupon for a buy-one-game-get-one-free coupon.
The Superstars and I went this week and for a game that lasted about 20 minutes we paid $3 total. It was fun little way to mix things up without having to spend a lot of money. There are also arcade games and a food court inside, all very nice and clean so it would be easy to spend an afternoon there and with the help of coupons you wouldn't be out a lot of cash.
Stay Savvy Y'all!
This posting is primarily for all my local Williamson County Savvy Friends...BUT for my Savvy Friends not in the 'hood, make sure you check your local cinema for free movies, Regal Cinema offers free movies during the summer so there may be others doing the same!
FREE family movies start THIS Wednesday (June 3rd) at 10 a.m. at Harpeth Community Church in Franklin, TN. The family movie series called "Mom, I'm Bored Family Movies" will continue every Wednesday and Thursdays at 10 a.m. through June and July at the church's Youth Center. They only have seating for about 150 movie-goers each day, so you'll want to get there early to make sure you get a seat.
Families are encouraged to brown bag a snack, or enjoy free popcorn and 50-cent juice boxes during the movie. In addition, Chick-fil-A of Thoroughbred Square in Cool Springs will provide $2 Chick-fil-A kids’ meals (6 nuggets, chips and a cookie) for purchase each day. A soda machine is also available on site.
Door prizes from Chick-fil-A, Big Idea’s VeggieTales and 3-2-1 Penguins!, and other local companies and restaurants will be given away each day. The Chick-fil-A cow will be on hand for photos and to greet kids during the series.
Two of the weeks are reserved as dress-up events: on July 8 & 9, kids can don their super-suits and come as their favorite super hero, and on July 15 and 16, kids are encouraged to dress up as their favorite princess or prince. More information on dress-up days can be found at www.harpethcc.com.
The series will wrap up with a three-day grand finale on July 29, 30 and 31st and the premiere of the new VeggieTales movie Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Noah’s Umbrella, a lesson in confidence. Big Idea will give away prizes and coupons to celebrate the August 1st release of Minnesota Cuke on DVD at retail stores nationwide.
A full schedule of the summer’s movies can be found at www.harpethcc.com or by calling the church’s movie line at 790-0104, extension 15.
We'll be there - hope you to see you!
Boy did I have a great time the other night at this new little place called Sips n Strokes in Franklin! For $25 I spent two hours painting a picture with a couple of my girlfriends while sipping on a nice glass of Cabernet.
There are 9 locations in all. Franklin is the only Tennessee location with the other 8 in neighboring states Alabama and Georgia. They also offer franchises, which I think is a great opportunity for people in other Metropolitan areas. I can't tell you how fun it was to unleash my inner artist.
