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Minnesota Renaissance Festival PLAYMOBIL Exhibit August 29 – 30 & TOY Giveaway!

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playmobilcastle
Royal Lion Knight’s Castle

 

PLAYMOBIL’s knights are taking a little time off from defending the kingdom to visit the 2015 Minnesota Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, MN (click here for a $5.00 off Coupon!).

THIS weekend, August 29th to 30th, PLAYMOBIL—one of the top global toy manufacturers— will be providing visitors with one of the very first looks at their new Royal Lion Knight’s Castle playset.

Kids will have the opportunity to enjoy the brand new castle just hitting stores this month and one lucky raffle winner will have the opportunity to take a castle playset home.  In addition, PLAYMOBIL fans will have the chance to take their photo with a life-size PLAYMOBIL knight figurine.

playmobilroyallion
Royal Lion Knights – Enter to Win!

 

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the PLAYMOBIL exhibit, one lucky Twin Cities Frugal Mom reader will win:

ROYAL LION KNIGHTS

Protect the king with the Royal Lion Knights. Set includes three armored knights, one horse, shields, royal banner, swords, and other accessories. Suggested retail price: $14.99.

To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below by Saturday, August 29th at 11:00pm! Winner will be randomly selected on Sunday, August 30th and contacted by email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#LINDORworld Event at Lindt Chocolate Stores – Friday, August 28th

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lindorworld

Love chocolate? Take your taste buds on a tour of irresistible LINDOR truffle flavors in Lindt Chocolate Shops nationwide on Friday, Aug. 28, from 12 p.m. – 9 p.m. RSVP via their Facebook page for this one-day truffle treat.

Just go in and show this event on your smart phone or tablet (or printed out) to participate.

DEAL: Spend just $5 on your tried-and-true faves and try (or take home) TEN more truffles of your choice FREE. Expand your LINDOR repertoire with lesser known recipes like Coconut, Citrus, Cappuccino and more – you can choose from more than 20 recipes in Lindt Chocolate Shops!

In-Store Locations:
Mall of America – Bloomington, MN
Twin Cities Premium Outlets – Eagan, MN
Albertville Premium Outlets – Albertville, MN

Share your favorites back here on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, using the #LINDORworld hashtag.

Free Admission to National Parks on Tuesday, August 25th

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99waysnationalpark

This Tuesday, August 25th is the National Park Service’s 99th Birthday, which also marks fee-free day so you and your family can visit any national park for free!

With 7 national parks in Minnesota, here is a list of 99 ways to enjoy the national parks on the 99th birthday of NPS (see below!). Parks are so much more than the majestic landscapes you might think of; they also protect and preserve our culture and history in urban areas and offer endless ways for families to get involved.

To celebrate the upcoming centennial of NPS in 2016, the National Park Foundation (NPF) launched their Find Your Park campaign to encourage everyone to get up, get out there and #FindYourPark.

Share your favorite park with your family and friends on social media with #FindYourPark and get more info at FindYourPark.com. There’s something for everyone!

1                     Go climbing

2                     Write poetry

3                     Be an urban hiker

4                     Visit a National Heritage Area

5                     Dance

6                     Learn about climate change

7                     Discover a culture new to you

8                     Experience silence

9                     Walk through a doorway of a historic house

10                 Find inspiration in the story of a civil rights leader

11                 Go on a ranger-led tour #rangerspointingatthings

12                 Hug a tree

13                 Make a memory

14                 Earn a Jr. Ranger badge

15                 Relax on the banks of a scenic river

16                 Celebrate innovation

17                 Find life in a desert

18                 Get inspired by a First Lady

19                 Stand on a mountaintop

20                 Bring a kid to a park

21                 Paddle a water trail

22                 Take a photo that matches a historic one #retrogram

23                 Try something new

24                 Channel your inner Bill Nye—become a citizen scientist

25                 Walk a historic main street

26                 Find your park in Spanish #encuentratuparque

27                 Explore a cave

28                 Go green

29                 Brush up your national park trivia skills

30                 Scout a park, boys and girls!

31                 Make art in a park

32                 Celebrate Native American heritage

33                 Come sail away

34                 Take a picnic and dine al fresco

35                 Be bear aware

36                 Hit the road

37                 Enlighten yourself at a historic lighthouse

38                 Go biking

39                 Explore Asian American and Pacific Islander culture in America

40                 Feel the sand between your toes

41                 Share your story

42                 Learn about endangered species

43                 Join us

44                 Follow NPS on social media

45                 Follow the footsteps of a woman who made history

46                 Get in the know about H2O

47                 Bee pollinator friendly

48                 Get VIP status

49                 Catch a wave

50                 Immerse yourself in a living history program

51                 Hit record

52                 Get prehistoric

53                 Improve your health—get a park Rx

54                 Use your free active military pass

55                 Get reel—Visit a park featured in your favorite movie

56                 Join a trail clean-up

57                 See the sea

58                 Discover a traditional tribal cultural practice

59                 Let Elmo and Murray be your guides

60                 Mail a postcard

61                 Discover history around you

62                 Make new friends

63                 Raft down a river

64                 Pay your respects at a national cemetery

65                 Pick a POTUS

66                 Take a mini-cruise

67                 Plan ahead and prepare

68                 Walk nature’s treadmill

69                 Pose for a family photo in a park

70                 Recognize women who made history

71                 Reflect on our most difficult stories

72                 Stamp your park passport

73                 Ride on a historic carousel

74                 Run

75                 See history from a different perspective

76                 Renew your spirit

77                 See how NPS helps transform your community

78                 Go fish

79                 See the starry, starry night

80                 Make a splash

81                 Share a #tbt park photo

82                 Discover the beauty of our nation’s other public lands

83                 Sleep outside

84                 Spread the love—thank a park volunteer

85                 Plan the best field trip ever

86                 Visit our international sisters

87                 Trash Your Trash

88                 Find a monument and decode history

89                 Travel the Underground Railroad

90                 Use the buddy system!

91                 Visit for free on our 99th birthday

92                 Wander an American battlefield

93                 Watch wildlife

94                 Take a deep breath

95                 Go wild: Experience wilderness

96                 Use a national park lesson plan

97                 Play

98                 Take a sunrise selfie

99                 Get ready to celebrate with us in 2016!

99 Ways to Find Your Park for NPS’ 99th Birthday list provided courtesy of the National Park Foundation.

Visit the Valspar booth at the Mill City Farmers Market for Giveaways and Fun this Saturday, August 22nd

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millcityfm

Visit the Valspar booth at the Mill City Farmers Market from 8:00am – 1:00pm this Saturday, August 22nd for some freebies and fun!

The Valspar booth will feature a number of fun and colorful giveaways for kids and adults. Stop by to meet the Valspar team and pick up a free zippered tote bag, coupons for free Valspar paint samples from Ace Hardware stores, and more! Kids can enjoy free face painting, crayons and coloring sheets.

Plus, all day at the Mill City Farmers Market, Power of Produce! Kids ages 5-12 get a free $2 Token to be spent on a fruit or veggie of their choosing! Stop by the Info Booth for more information.

Valspar

Valspar is a global paints and coatings leader supporting their HQ community in the Mill District. Stop by their booth on Saturday and learn about their commitment to the environment and their national and local partnerships with Habitat for Humanity.

Exclusive End of Summer Coupon Sale from Expedia

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expedia

The end of summer may be coming soon, but there’s still time to plan a trip before all the busyness of school and other fall activities begins! Here Expedia is offering a special flash coupon sale for 24 hours only on FRIDAY, AUGUST 21st.

Expedia.com has released valuable Labor Day travel data that includes most popular destinations and where to score the best deals for the last major travel moment of the summer. Expedia data revealed that Las Vegas, New York City and Cancun are trending destinations to celebrate Labor Day weekend this year.

Top Destinations for Labor Day 2015*

Expedia flight booking data suggests that many travelers are skipping the beach this year and opting to escape to more urban locales across North America.

Rank      Destination                        

1)              Las Vegas

2)              New York City – average flight prices down 7%

3)              Cancun – average flight prices down more than 10%      

4)              Orlando – average flight prices down 5%

5)              Chicago

6)              Los Angeles – average flight prices down 9%      

7)              San Francisco

8)              Miami – average flight prices down more than 10%

9)              Seattle

10)          Washington, D.C. – average flight prices down 9%

Great Deals For Labor Day

Expedia data also revealed flight deals for travelers looking to trek across the globe:

Top Deals Destinations for Labor Day 2015

Rank      Destination                         Average Ticket Price (ATP): 2015 from 2014

1)            Toronto                                -27%

2)            Mexico City                        -25%

3)            Cleveland                            -22%

4)            Houston

5)            Paris

Standout hotel deals for Labor Day weekend in these international cities include: Hotel Victoria in Toronto for $124 per night; Zocalo Central Mexico City for $106 per night in downtown Mexico City; the DoubleTree by Hilton Cleveland Downtown – Lakeside in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, for $154 per night; Club Quarters in Houston, Texas for $89 per night; and Hôtel Concorde Montparnasse in Paris for a mere $166 per night.

This year, to help travelers secure outstanding deals on top of already great offerings, Expedia will be launching a limited time End of Summer Flash Coupon Sale, for 24 hours only, offering deep discounts in Las Vegas, New York City, Cancun, Chicago, Orlando and Paris. Travelers should log on to Expedia.com on August 21 to score a coupon to use on the Expediamobile app for an additional 50% on select 4 and 5 star hotels in these cities. You can access the sale by visiting this link on Expedia.com on August 21.

Gordmans Exclusive Friends & Family Days 20% Off Printable Coupon! Valid August 20 – 23

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gordmansfriendsfamily

Just in time for back to school shopping, Gordmans is offering Twin Cities Frugal Mom readers exclusive access to one of its best Friends & Family Days coupons which offers 20% off an entire purchase starting this Thursday, August 20 through Sunday, August 23!

The coupon is valid in stores and on Gordmans’ brand new online store at gordmans.com where you can shop 24/7—enter promotional code FAMILY to redeem the coupon online.

Click here for the coupon!

 

Sneak Peek! New FOODS at the Minnesota State Fair 2015!

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Recently I had the opportunity to head to the state fairgrounds to attend a blogger preview of this year’s Minnesota State Fair, and it was so much fun! I got to sample NEW foods at the fair this year and learn all about some new, fun activities being offered for families this year.

In this post I’m sharing the foods I got to try that I’m SURE you’ll love like I did!

The food just kept coming to our tables with new foods to try – here are just a FEW of them:

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The first thing I tried were the SWEETS. Oh my gosh – if you want a taste of indulgence, you have to try the Salted Caramel Puff ice cream from Midwest Dairy Association. The Salted Caramel Puff flavor was the winner of the Midwest Dairy Association’s online “Flavor of the Fair” contest this year, and it’s made with Minnesota dairy farmers’ State Fair recipe vanilla ice cream or malt, topped with creamy caramel sauce and Old Dutch puffcorn. The puffcorn was crunchy, the ice cream was creamy, and the caramel sauce was gooey. I ate Every. Last. Bite!

Same with the Grandma Deb’s Snicker Bar Salad, located at Blue Barn. It was snickers bars, chopped green apples, vanilla pudding, whipped cream and caramel sauce. I loved that they called it a salad – I could say I was eating something good for me! It was SO yummy.

fairfoodscollage2

Now that I had my dessert, I had to have something hearty and meal-worthy. Along came the Meatloaf-on-a-Stick from Green Mill. It’s Italian meatloaf stuffed with Mozzarella and pepperoni, topped with marinara sauce and a Parmesan herb blend and served on-a-stick. It had a little more spice than my usual meatloaf, but that made it super flavorful and very satisfying!

meatloaf on a stick

foodtable

Of course I had to try the Maple Bacon Funnel Cake, located in the Food Building, East Wall. It’s a funnel cake infused with bacon pieces, then topped with sweet maple glaze and sprinkled with more bacon (can you ever have enough bacon?). I LOVED it – and wish I hadn’t filled up on the other desserts because I could barely finish it.

But I did taste the Grilled Venetian-Style Margherita Pizza from Mancini’s Al Fresco. As you can see looking at it, it’s literally grilled over an open flame and topped with oven-roasted tomatoes, cheese and basil. I really liked the grilled taste, though I had it when it had already sat out a bit – I think it’s best when fresh.

fairfoodscollage1

Last but not least were the Totchos, available at Boulevard Grill. A great gluten-free option, Totchos are tater tots smothered in cheddar cheese sauce with seasoned sour cream, bacon bits and green onions (chicken or taco-style beef optional). These were great – warm, crunchy and gooey at the same time.

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I had to much fun with the restaurant owners and chefs and fellow bloggers at the Minnesota State Fair Blogger Preview event!

midwestdairy

For more information about new food offerings at the fair this year, visit their website!

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