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If you missed my other trip posts, read the Day #1 recap, the Day #2 recap, the Day #3 recap, the Day #4 recap, the Day #5 recap, the Day #6 recap, the Day #7 recap, and the Day #8 recap. Day #9 of our Epic Trip to Italy and Israel with the Museum of the Bible was a very exciting day — because it was our last full day in Israel. I was excited about what we had planned for the day… but mostly, if I’m being honest, I was excited about being home. I had missed my family so, so much! 
We started the day by going to Nazareth Village. While it didn’t seem impressive from the outset, I quickly fell in love with this place. Here’s more about what Nazareth Village is: A first-century farm and village presenting the life, times and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth for all the world. Two thousand years after the birth of Jesus, Nazareth Village opened its doors to visitors. Nazareth Village is located on a site that was remarkably untouched and unchanged since Jesus time. In fact, Nazareth Village preserves the last remaining fields worked by Jesus' friends, family and fellow villagers. The surrounding terraces and farm features did exist in Jesus' time. Today, Nazareth Village features a carefully researched re-creation of Jesus hometown. The original farm has been restored with olive trees, terraces, ancient wine press, irrigation system and stone quarry. Exact replicas of first century houses, synagogue, mikveh and olive presses have been carefully built using the same methods that would have been used by Joseph the carpenter. The scenes are brought to life as "Villagers" populate the farm and houses, living and working with the same type of clothing, pottery, tools and methods that Mary and Jesus would have used. Pilgrims to the Holy Land usually only see the dead stones of ancient ruins. And yet, the geographical and cultural nuances of Jesus' teaching are often crucial for understanding his full meaning. At Nazareth Village, visitors can experience how a first-century audience heard and was impacted by Jesus' words. Gifted and knowledgeable guides take visitors through a living representation of the parables. Visitors step into life as it was in the time of Jesus and learn from his parables in the context in which they were created.
I loved seeing the re-created olive press and hearing more about the three difference presses that olives went through to make olive oil. The oil was what was most valuable about olives, but it could only be obtained through putting immense pressure on the olives — splitting and breaking them so that they no longer resembled olives. Olives would be put through the press three different times. The first press was the best oil and that’s what they would give to God. The second press was what they would use themselves. The last press would be the oil they would use for lighting their lamps. It gave so much new significance to how we are to live our lives as Christians — completely poured out for God and others. 
After we went through Nazareth Village, they had tables set up with a fresh snack for us. And it was SO good! We had fresh fire-baked flat bread, Za'atar dip (ground hyssop, sesame seeds, and olive oil), Hummus dip, olives, and herbal tea. Yum! It was especially fun because they were making it in the traditional methods right there in front of us. I wanted to just sit there and watch them make it and keep eating it as the bread came off the fire! I have fallen fast in love with the Israeli food! In fact, as soon as I got back, we had to find a local Mediterranean restaurant so I could eat these foods regularly and introduce my family to them! 
Speaking of food, after we went to Nazareth Village, then we drove for a ways and stopped to get some Shawarma at a local restaurant. It reminded me of Subway… only Israeli style.  
After lunch, we drove to Caesarea and saw the Roman theater and all of the ruins there. It was amazing, overwhelming, beautiful, and c-o-l-d! 
Then we headed to a local school that is using really cool technology from Museum of the Bible to teach the students their Bible classes. The school was SO excited for us to visit… they had balloons, flowers, signs, a special music program, food, and even a guy serenading us on the accordion! 
I wanted to get a picture with him and he was trying to get me to dance with him. It was funny and memorable! 
And then we drove to Tel Aviv… and oh my! I was not prepared for how beautiful it would be here or how incredible our view from the hotel would be. It was breath-taking! 
We had dinner on the roof that night and said goodbye to the people who had headed up the tour. And then I packed for the long flight home and went to bed. The next morning, we headed to the airport and got on a 12-hour flight from Tel Aviv to Newark and then from Newark to Nashville. After 10 days of being gone, I was so, so, so ready to be home, to hug my husband and kiddos, and to sleep in my own bed! I’m SO thankful for the opportunity I had to go on this trip… I will cherish so many of the lessons and memories for years and years to come! Have Any Questions About the Trip? Tomorrow, I’ll be sharing how I packed for 10 days in a carry-on. And then the rest of this week, I’ll be sharing some of the deeper lessons I took away from this trip. If you have any questions you’d love for me to answer about the trip, you are more than welcome to ask them and I’ll either answer them here or try to answer them in a post. Thanks so much for joining me on this journey! It was fun to “bring you along” with me!  
Walgreens is running the Be Your Own Beautiful campaign right now to help men and women discover the beauty of healthy skin and #SimplifySkincare routines. During the month of April, you can stop by the beauty counter at your local Walgreens to test out select skin care products and grab some great savings. Here are some samples and coupons to be on the lookout for: - Free samples of Dove Revitalize Body Wash
- Display testers of Simple Micellar Wipes
- Display testers of Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Lotion
- Tearpad coupon on display good for $1.50/1 Dove, Vaseline, or Simple skin care products
- Ask your beauty advisor at the Walgreens beauty counter for the beauty advisor coupon good for $1/1 Dove, Dove Men+Care, Vaseline, or Simple skin care products
Through April 30, you can also get 2,000 Balance Rewards points when you purchase any 2 participating Dove Personal Wash, Dove Men+Care Personal Wash, Simple, or Vaseline products. Stack the above coupon savings with this deal to get some really nice discounts on products for your skin care routine! Here are some of the products included in the in-store promotion: - Dove Men+Care Clean Comfort Body Wash: "Hydration for healthier, stronger skin.” Ultra-light formula rinses easily and cleanly, and is clinically proven to fight skin dryness.
- Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash: "Provides softer, smoother skin after one shower." This formula is hypoallergenic, unscented, and is #1 dermatologist recommended.
- Vaseline Advanced Repair Pump: "Clinically proven to heal very dry skin in 5 days." It is appropriate for sensitive skin, absorbs fast for a non-greasy feel, and relieves even stubborn dry patches.
- Simple Micellar Water: Their “most advanced yet gentle cleanser" instantly boosts skin hydration by 90%, removes makeup, unclogs pores, and doesn’t require rinsing. It is skin care’s most awarded product.
- Simple Micellar Makeup Remover Wipes: These are great "for makeup free, instantly hydrated skin." The smart cleansing bubbles attract and gently lift impurities and makeup out with no leftover residue.
- Vaseline Deep Moisture Jelly: "Instantly increases skin's moisture by 250%.” Infused with Vitamin E, it keeps skin moisturized for 18 hours, and is perfect for dry areas like hands, elbows and heels. This product has been accepted by the National Eczema Association.
Would you like to win a $50 Walgreens gift card? I've got a $50 Walgreens gift cards to give away this week! To enter to win, just head over to the Be Your Own Beautiful Walgreens page, read their helpful skin care tips and advice from dermatologists, and come back here to this blog post to leave a comment sharing which skin care tip you found most important to your skin. I'll choose a winner from the comments below to win a $50 Walgreens gift card! {This post was underwritten by Lunchbox. Read my disclosure policy here. See the giveaway rules here.}  
Yay, in case you missed this deal last time, it’s back! This one is always a favorite and might be a great magazine to order in time for summer reading!
Order a one-year subscription to Boys’ Life magazine for only $5.99 with coupon code MONEYSAVING at checkout. You can order up to 3 years at this price. My kids get this magazine and they really enjoy it (yes, the girls do, too!). 
This coupon code is valid through April 5th, 2016.  
Guest post from Jane of JanesDish.com I'm ready to come clean. I've wasted thousands of dollars in food over the years. According to research, I'm not alone. A major study by the National Resources Defense Council claims that the average American tosses about 25 percent of food and beverages purchased. For a family spending $500 a month on groceries, that's $1,500 a year in the trash can. Ouch! Late last year, as I threw away rotten tomatoes, shriveled cucumbers, and slimy lettuce, I knew something had to change. The fresh produce drawer was not going to be a place salad went to die ever again. I pulled everything out of my fridge and found a simple solution that cut down our family's food waste to almost nothing.
So, what's the trick? I moved all the fruits and vegetables to the top shelf of the fridge! More specifically, I organized my fridge shelves from MOST perishable to LEAST perishable. The top shelves are reserved for produce, the middle shelves are for leftovers and the bottom "Crisp Produce" drawers are for beverages, condiments and all other items that can withstand a nuclear bomb. By placing fruits and vegetables in clear view, I'm able to check their state of freshness every time I open the fridge. If an item appears on the verge of a rotten ruin, I'll make arrangements to eat or freeze it ASAP. 
Almost immediately, I noticed that I wasn't throwing away rotten onions and potatoes by the bagful on trash day. But something else happened. Something fantastic. My family and I grabbed vegetables and fruit to eat more often when they were at eye level. Any fridge arrangement that also encourages healthy eating habits is a winner in my book. Other tips for reducing food waste: 1. Your freezer is your friend. We all know there's an entire aisle in the freezer section dedicated to fruits and vegetables. That's because produce freezes great! When you rearrange your fridge with produce at eye level, you'll have a chance to freeze produce before it spoils. Fruits and veggies will be in your face telling you "FREEZE ME." 2. Only buy what you need for your menu plan. Purchasing produce in bulk packaging is often cheaper than buying per pound. Of course, the exception to that rule is when you buy a large quantity of vegetables because it is a "better deal" then toss half in the trash because you forget to use it. For ingredients I don't use frequently, I will buy the exact quantity for several pennies more. 3. Be creative with leftovers. Our family is not thrilled about eating leftover food. Expect Pizza. (Isn't pizza the exception to every food rule?) We used to waste food at every single meal. Now, I'm very strategic about freezing leftovers immediately or planning two-part meals that use leftovers in a different way the following night, such as grilled chicken on Sunday and chicken pasta salad on Monday. So, what are you waiting for? Save your produce today! Jane is a wife and mother of two who recently left the public relations profession to blog at JanesDish.com. She's passionate about growing and preparing good food for her hungry family as well as writing about everything from motherhood to frugal living.
 
Office Depot/Max has this Brother P-Touch Personal Handheld Labeler for just $8 when you use coupon code 34350746 at checkout. This labeler is regularly priced at $29.99, so this is a really great deal! Choose in-store pickup to avoid shipping costs. Label makers are great for organizing office supplies, pantry items, kids' school supplies, and so much more! Thanks, SwagGrabber!  
You can get a great deal on Gain dryer sheets at Walmart right now: Buy 3 Gain Dryer Sheets 34 ct. at $1.97 each
Use $5/3 coupon from the 4/3 P&G insert
$0.30 each after coupon
Thanks, For The Mommas!  
Sam's Club is once again offering free health screenings on Saturday, April 9, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. The health screening tests being offered include: glucose, total cholesterol, HDL, risk ratio, blood pressure, body fat percentage, vision screening/testing, and hearing. Membership is not required. Thanks, Freebies 4 Mom!  
Here are some of the best educational deals and freebies available right now from Katie who writes at Cincinnati Cents: Little Golden Books for $3 & Under: Amazon has several of their Little Golden Books on sale, with prices starting at just $2.25 each. Choose from classics such as the Poky Little Puppy, Scuffy the Tugboat, Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, and more. You can find all the books on sale here. American Girl Mini Doll & Book Sets for $14.81: Amazon has several of their American Girl Mini Doll & Book Sets on sale for $14.81. The following sets are included in this sale – Grace, Kit, Maryellen, Julie, Josefina, Kaya, and Addy. Free Basketball Tournament Word Problems: Evan-Moor has a free set of basketball tournament word problems available for download. These problems are geared towards students in the sixth grade. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Lunchbox for $9.30: Amazon has their Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Lunchbox on sale for $9.30. Regularly priced at $17.99, this toy includes 25+ learning songs, tunes & phrases and two modes of play. Little ones can press the ABC cookie or sort food pieces to unlock music, sing-along songs & phrases. The set includes one lunch box (featuring Puppy & Sis) and four food pieces (apple, cheese, orange juice & 3-piece sandwich) that teach letters, shapes, colors, opposites & more. 50% Off Uniforms & Kids Clothing: The Children's Place is featuring 50% off sitewide plus free shipping when you enter the promotional code SPRINGTIME50 at checkout. This is an inexpensive way to stock up on spring and summer essentials as well as school uniforms. This offer is valid through April 10th. 10 Free Graduation Announcements: Tiny Prints is offering customers 10 free graduation announcements when you enter the promotional code FREEBIE at checkout. Plus, you'll also receive 25% off all additional cards. This offer is valid through April 5th. Appletters Game for $7.99: Amazon has their Appletters Game on sale for $7.99. Appletters features three levels of play for both children and adults. The free-standing tiles are easy to handle and can be used to play three different games. Plus, the set includes an apple bag for easy clean up and storage. Expo 12-Piece Dry Erase Set for $12.49 Shipped: That Daily Deal has their Expo 12-Piece Dry Erase Set on sale for $12.49. This set includes 3 Ultra Fine Tip Precise Writing Markers, 3 Fine Tip Markers, 5 Chisel Tip Markers, and 1 Eraser. Plus, this set includes free shipping as well. Free ABC Playdough Mats: All About Learning has a free set of ABC Playdough Mats available for download. This set includes mats for uppercase and lowercase letters along with tips for ways to use this activity with kids. Pairsinpears Game for $4.99: Amazon has their Pairsinpears Game on sale for $4.99. With this game, players race to make pairs of connecting words in matching patterns, helping children with the alphabet, pattern recognition, vocabulary, rhyming, and more. The pear-shaped pouch contains four full alphabet sets in four distinct patterns.
Katie is a wife and homeschooling mother of four who writes at Cincinnati Cents about saving money and having fun as a family without breaking the bank. She enjoys sharing new recipes, ideas for frugal family fun, and tips for spending less at the grocery store.  
1. Office Decor That Makes Me Happy In my office right now and making me so happy… Bargain flowers that I picked up for $1.25 and a canvas from our new line of products. 
2. Homeschool on the Trampoline It was SUCH a beautiful day one day this week that we did our morning homeschool on the trampoline and the kids thought I was the Best. Mom. Ever. It’s often the simplest things that can make such a difference. {Also, see that Carry On, Mr. Bowditch book? We are still just loving it! I scoped about it on Friday here.} 
3. A Box of Goodies From Grandma My mom sent the kids a box of goodies last week, including these pencils and Pencil Drawing book. They had so much fun drawing during our Read Aloud time during our morning homeschooling. I love seeing them exercise their creativity in different ways — whether through building with LEGOs, writing stories, singing drawing, crafts, cooking in the kitchen, coloring, hand-lettering, or ice-skating. I love how each child is so unique and different and yet they are each creative in their own way. 
4. Friends Who Make Me Laugh I love it that my friends are so supportive of me. Brent Hodge is at the top of that list. And this text from him is clear proof of that.  (Tip: Learn to laugh at yourself and then surround yourself with people who will join in with you. It makes life a whole lot more fun!) 
5. Cheering Our Figure Skater On So proud of this girl! Even though she didn’t place as high as she would have wanted to in three of her four events at the Knoxville Figure Skating Competition this weekend, she went out there and gave it everything she had, congratulated those who placed higher than her, and kept a smile on her face — even when feeling discouraged. (You can watch a clip of her skating program here.) This makes it worth all the sacrifices and time and $$ we’ve invested. Because the character Kaitlynn is learning through all her practices and, now, through competing is priceless… And will impact her for the rest of her life. What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!  
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