congrats! target winner

Congrats to all of the entrants to my first giveaway for a $10 gift card to Target. I am very excited to have hosted this. Thank you for all of the suggestions! I received a lot of requests for crafts and coupons, so I will see what I can do to write more posts on those subjects. Now, on to the winner!

The winner is....#20 Toesthattwinkle! She said
"Id like to see more crafts and giveaways! :) toesthattwinkleblog@gmail.com"


Toesthattwinkle, I'll email you so I can send off the GC. If she doesn't respond in 48 hours, I'll select a new winner. Thank you to all of you who commented! It means the world to me!!!

yay! what a lucky day

I found out today that I won a Dinosaur Train Match Game from Making Time For Mommy. I am so very excited! We looove Dinosaur Train in my house, and this will be a welcome distraction from cabin fever. Thank you very much, MTFM!!

Recipe Saturday: Crock-pots

I recently got a new crock-pot from a friend and I've been cooking up a storm at Casa de Costa! I have a confession: I'm actually a terrible cook. I can't help peeking under the lid, stirring and stirring, or taking the tray out of the oven. I have a classic case of "is-it-done-yet?"-itis. I can't help myself! I end up tweaking the recipe or taking the pan off the stove before it's fully done. DH is a terrific sport, though, since he is pretty handy in the kitchen. That's why I love slowcooking, because it's easy and pretty goof-free.

Some of my favorite sites for slow cook recipes:
A Year of Slowcooking/Crockpot365- I found this site several years ago and it turned me on to slowcooking. Most of her recipes are gluten free and/or vegetarian. I also love that she uses her crockpots for unconventional things (mud masks, kids crafts, desserts). I love Tamale Pie and Indian Curry.

Slow and Simple- This site organizes its recipes into key categories, including diabetic-friendly and beverages (and wild game, what?). I like Autumn Chicken and Pizza Beans.

The Recipe Mom- I just stumbled on this site, which is featuring several crock pot recipes this week. There's also a guide to picking out a crockpot. My guide: Go to Target. Pick one out. Done.  I like her recipe for easy psghetti.

I did a Kroger run today to pick up some extra chicken stock, veggies and chicken to whip up some larger batches of stuff this weekend to freeze. It's been a rough week of temper tantrums, repairs, and craziness. Looking forward to some quiet days but I'm not sure when they will be here!!

long week

It's been a long week here. I haven't had a chance to do much couponing (didn't even get any inserts in last week's paper!) or enter very many giveaways, so nothing new to post here. But I am so glad so many people have found my website and are entering my Target giveaway! I am just so excited by some of the ideas and comments left. I'm looking at a new background and trying to figure out how to make my own button. Hopefully I will have some new things to show you in the next few weeks!

Giveaway: $10 Target Gift Card from LeftCostaMom

Well, I missed Recipe Saturday because of a plumbing emergency that was repaired and yet not 100% fixed, as I found out late last night when I went to take a shower. Most of my Saturday was filled with trips to Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. to buy supplies so the oh-so-handy DH could work on the bathroom. With all the hubbub around the house, I've been living on sandwiches. Which brings us in a not-so-subtle segue into a brand new giveaway: from me!!!

I'd like to give away a $10 gift card to my favorite store, Target. I'm paying for this out of my own pocket so I can grow readership of my new blog and join the amazing community out there!

Giveaway: one $10 Target gift card.  Giveaway will be open for one week and close next Sunday, February 27, 2011.

How to win:
Mandatory:
1. Friend me on Google Friend Connect (sidebar!) and leave me a comment with your email address (ie Leftcostamom at gmail)

Bonus Entries: Please leave a separate comment for each one.
1. Follow me on Twitter @LeftCostaMom. Leave a comment with your Twitter name. (One entry)

2. Tweet about this giveaway - once a day, please. Leave a comment with your tweet's link. Sample tweet:
{ @LeftCostaMom is giving away a $10 Target giftcard. #Win at http://bit.ly/g2kzpQ Ends 2/27} (One entry per day)

3. Leave me a comment with the types of posts you'd like to see here. Recipes? Crafts? Coupons? Please also include your email address. (One entry).

4. Submit my giveaway to a linky. Leave a comment with the link and your email.  (One entry).

5. Blog about this on your blog. Leave a comment with the link to your blog. (Two entries- please leave a separate comment for each entry)

6. I don't have a button yet to grab, so if you can leave me a link to where I can create one online or a new blog template that has some included, that would be great! (Two entries - please leave a separate comment for each entry)

I'm providing this Target gift card with my own money. Target has nothing to do with this, except being an awesome place to shop. Giveaway ends midnight EST on February 27, 2011. I will use Random.org to select from all of the comments, and will email the winner the next day. The winner has 48 hours to respond before I pick another winner. Thanks and Good luck!

Giveaway: Method Cleaning products

While surfing the internet late last night after putting the kiddo to bed and instead of doing homework (story of my life!) I found MommySalad's website. I wish I knew how I found it to give them credit, but I don't!!! She is giving away a FOUR Method cleaning kits. Do you know Method?  I love their products! I get mine at Target, but I think they are also at Amazon and other brick and mortar stores. Here are my faves:

Lavender Gel Hand Wash Refill: I have a fancy little soap dispenser so I buy the large refill. It is cheaper (the site says 6.49 but I'm sure I paid less at TGT), and saves a LOT of plastic. That bag up there folds up and fits nicely in your trash/recycling instead of a ton of little plastic containers. Plus, it lasts forever. I just emptied mine yesterday and I have no idea when I bought it. A year ago? And we wash our hands a lot. 

Spearmint Antibac Bathroom Cleaner: I actually use this in the kitchen b/c I like the scent better than the kitchen version. I think it cleans really well and smells good too!

Mint Best in Glass Cleaner: I think it cleans just as well or better than Windex.

Head on over to MommySalad until 2/23 to enter to win some great Method products. Several ways to enter!

Giveaway: CSN Stores Round Up

I've seen a lot of CSN Storesgiveaways around lately so I thought I'd round them up!

$30 at Dreams and Speculation: Ends 2/19. One way to enter- fill out a form. Pretty easy!

$40 at Frugality is Free: Ends 2/28. 20+ possible entries, plus can tweet daily. Also has a large CSN giveaway linky!

$45 at Little YaYa's: Ends 2/18. 22 possible entries, plus can tweet 3x daily.

$45 at The Style Md: Ends 2/15. 11 possible entries, plus can tweet daily.

$45 at The Knit Wit: Ends 2/28. 6 possible ways to enter.

$50 at The Thrifty Things: Ends 2/19. 6 possible entries, plus can tweet daily.

$65 at Of Mice and Ramen: Ends 2/28. 17 possible entries, plus unlimited tweets daily.

$65 at Inspiration CAN be Found Everywhere: Ends 2/16. Three ways to enter.

$75 at Audrey's Give Aways: Ends 3/4. 6 possible entries, plus can tweet daily.