For an excellent compilation of Dr Seuss themed foods for today, check out this post from Rate the Plate Utah!! NICE!

If you have kids, teach kids or know kids (or are on FB) you probably know that today is Mr Geisel's birthday! That's right Dr Seuss was born on this day over 100 years ago. Though he is no longer on this earth, his work lives on and we honor him still in elementary schools all over on this day! I LOVE that! I love that we celebrate the day he came to this Earth, and I love that we celebrate it by honoring his work. I love that my kids have Cat in the Hat hats to wear, Green Eggs and Ham to eat, and wore crazy "Fox in Socks" socks to school today! What a great, imaginative celebration!!! We celebrate it each year at this house.

But I learned something new this year! My friend Hilary posted the following status on FB today:

My favorite Dr. Seuss story contains no sneetches or grinches or cats wearing hats. It's the story of Theodor Geisel, an unpublished manuscript, 27 publishers, and 27 rejections. In frustration, he decided to give up on writing for children and set off to burn the manuscript. Before he could reach his apartment, he chanced upon an old school friend. He told his story, and his friend told his own. He had just become the juvenile editor for Vanguard Press, and asked to see the manuscript.

What followed was the publishing of And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street and the birth of Dr Seuss.

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!"

WHAT? Why have i never heard this great story? I was able to verify this is true on a few websites. On this site writer Melissa Kaplan wrote:

Striding down the street after being rejected for the twenty-eighth time, crumpled Story manuscript jammed under his arm, he was on his way home to burn it when he bumped into an old Dartmouth classmate, Mike McClintock. Mike had, just three hours earlier, been appointed Children's Book Editor by Vanguard Press and was in a bind. Having sold himself to Vanguard as having many connections, he in fact had no manuscript to submit. They ran into each other, the manuscript changed hands, and several months later, U.S. children met a new doctor. (Ted was able to return the favor years later when, as one of Beginner Books' offerings in 1958, McClintock's A Fly Went By was published.)

Let me tell you what I love about this story. I love that he was so committed that he went to 27-28 publishers and got rejected over and over. Through all that-he persevered! He kept going and did not give up! Then, THEN, right at that moment, the moment of giving up, the right person was thrust back into his life at the right time! And Because of this "chance meeting" (which I do not think was by chance) we have been blessed with the amazing work of Mr Geisel as Dr Seuss! WONDERFUL!!

Don't give up! Keep going, and know that at your moment of weakness when you think you are ready to give up-and your breaking point, someone is watching out for you! LOVE!

Just had to share because I feel like it was a great "Deals" for us to have the works of Dr Seuss. Now, go put on some crazy socks, read a Dr Seuss book and have some Green Eggs and Ham for dinner!

Wow-what a great week-2 of my favorite freebies in one week!!! First we had the IHOP pancakes, and now, tomorrow is one of my FAVORITE treats. In the world. For FREE! I am glowing with excitement and happiness over this one! Tomorrow is FREE PRETZEL DAY at Auntie Anne's!!!

Can you see the image? If not, it says that tomorrow, Saturday, March 3 from 10 am - 3 pm is free pretzel day. Just head to your favorite Auntie Anne's location tomorrow to get your FREE pretzel!

See you tomorrow at Auntie Anne's!!!!

So, I signed up for this polling site, Pollbuzzer a while ago. Another blogger had posted about it, so I joined it through her referral link. Supposedly this site will send you a poll with one question, and if you answer that one question, they will give you $1 through PayPal. I was not sure it would really work, and I joined it a few weeks ago. Today I got my first email poll, and it really did credit me $1 Paypal. Seriously. It took 3 seconds to answer the poll (which I did right when the email came to me-you have to answer the poll "in time" whatever that means). Anyway, it is a fun little way to possible make a few bucks here and there. If you are interested in trying it out with me, please sign up using my referral link here. Then let me know when you start getting polls to answer! :)

Reading my ads today, I noticed that Papa Murphy's Pizza in Omaha area (Omaha, West Omaha, La Vista, Fremont, Council Bliffs, Bellevue) has a sweet Friday night deal. Every Friday you can get Pepperoni deLITE pizzas for only $4 (limit 3-NO COUPON NECESSARY). NICE!! I know what we are eating Friday...

Here are my favorite deals in Omaha grocery this week:

Hyvee

• 50% off Kellogg's Cereal and Bars
• Hy Vee Fruit Snacks 10/$10 (can I mention these are by far the favored fruit snacks in this house-really yummy!!)
• Red Rip Strawberries 16 oz pkg $1.68
• Dole Classic iceberg 12 oz bag or cole slaw 14 oz bag $.99
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (Hy Vee 100% natural) $1.99/lb

In addition to their regular week long special, HyVee also has a 3 Day Sale Thursday 3/1-Saturday 3/3 that includes the following:

• Ocean Spray Mixed Cranberry juice Cocktails 64 fl oz bottles BOGO (Buy one for $2.98, get one free)
• Hunt's Ketchup 24 oz $.68
• Charmin Bath Tissue Ultra Strong or Ultra Soft 9 large roll pkg $3.99

No Frills Fresh

• Digiorno Pizza 12 inch $3.98
• Frito Lay Potaote chips 10-10.5 oz $1.99
• Farmland Assorted Pork Chops $1.99
• Kellog's Pop Tarts or Kellogg's Cereal 14 oz Frosted Flakes, 16.5 Oz Cocoa Krispies, 18 oz Corn Flakes, 12-12.5 oz Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, or Rice Krispies $1.75

Bag N Save

• Our Family Grade A Large Eggs 18 pack $1.39
• El Monterey Taquitos or Tamales 21-24 oz $4.99

In addition to their regular week long special, Bag N Save also has a 4 Day Sale Thursday 3/1-Sunday 3/4 that includes the following:

• Half Price Kellogg's Cereal
• Chicken Drums or Thighs (frozen family pack) $.79/lb
• Bset Buy Bacon 16 oz $1.99

Baker's (Remember their sales are almost always WITH card)

• Fresh tender asparagus $.99/lb
• Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks 6-10 count select varieties $1.99
• Iceberg Lettuce $.88 each
• Bananas $.44/lb
• White Mushrooms whole or sliced 8 oz 2/$4
• Cucumbers $.58 each
• Red Tomatoes on the Vine $1.48/lb
• Fresh Selections Garden Salad 12 oz $.98

Aldi

• Avocados $.19 each
• Roma Tomatoes $.79 (for 20 oz tray)
• Broccoli Crowns $.99 (for 16 oz tray)
• Navel Oranges $.37/lb (sold in 4 lb bag for $1.48)
• Red or Green Grapes $.79/lb (sold in 2 lb clamshell for $1.58)
• Happy Farms Shredded mild cheddar or mozzarella cheese 16 oz $2.99
• Happy Family Block Cheese 8 oz assorted varieties $1.79
• TODAY ONLY (Wednesday 2/29) Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Jumbo packs $1.69/lb)

Super Saver

• Farmland All Natural Whole Boneless Pork Loin $1.86/lb
• Boneless Angus Beef Whole tUntrimmed Brisket $2.48/lb (10-14 lb average)
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast value Pack $1.77/lb
• Bulls Eye BBQ Sauce assorted 17.5-18 oz $.86
• Fresh Yellow Onions 3 lb bag $.86
• Kraft Cheese shredded, chunks, cracker cuts, or cubes 4.5-8 oz $1.68

Fareway

• Pepsi Product 1/2 liter 6 pack bottles 5/$10
• Rotella Sandwich Bread 4 loaves/$5 ($1.25 each)
• Fareway Shredded Cheese 8 oz bag 3/$5 ($1.67 ish each)
• All Natural Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $1.88/lb
• Fareway Cottage Cheese 1% or 4% variety 24 oz tub $1.49 (with in ad coupon, limit 1)
• Anderson Erickson Greek Yogurt 6 oz 5/$4 ($.80 each)
• Roma Tomatoes $.88/lb

***Remember that I generally just price match at Walmart as much as I can rather than go to all the stores separately! I LOVE being able to do that. You can also pricematch at Target, but I find it easier to pricematch at Walmart.

My fabulous, VERY LOW entry giveaways ends TONIGHT, Wednesday 2/29 (Leap Day) at 11pm Central time so make sure to go enter it!
You could win a fantastic Naptime Nanny CD!! Enter here.

Oh how I LOVE free Pancake day!!! This is seriously one of my favorite freebies when it comes up! Today is FREE pancake day at IHOP!! Just pop in to your local participating IHOP and each person can get a free short stack. AWESOME! They ask that you consider donating to the Children's Miracle Network or local charities with the money you save for getting FREE pancakes.

Here is what IHOP says about today on their website:

Flip for Free Pancakes! February 28, 2012

Since beginning its National Pancake Day celebration in 2006, IHOP has raised nearly $8 million to support charities in the communities in which it operates. On February 28, 2012, guests from around the country are invited to celebrate National Pancake Day at IHOP and enjoy a free short stack of Buttermilk pancakes.* In return for the free pancakes, guests are asked to consider leaving a donation for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals© and other designated local charities.

Make sure to call your local IHOP to make sure they are participating then go enjoy some free pancakes! I know my family and I will be!

I have a fabulous, VERY LOW entry giveaways (less than 20 entries as I write this) going on. It ends Wednesday 2/29 (Leap Day) at 11pm Central time so make sure to go enter it!
You could win a fantastic Naptime Nanny CD!! Enter here.