Then the fine folks at Shopcatch sent me a Visa gift card and told me to go shopping, and to take the app along for the ride.  How could I say no, right?  My husband was in need of a new winter coat and we’d put it off because it had been pretty warm through October and November so we were casually looking but hadn’t buckled down to buy one.  We had to stop ‘looking’ and get to the ‘buying’ or I’d have a frozen hubby sooner than later.

We had been in SportCheck and he’d found a Columbia jacket that he liked but it was about $300 which was just way too much.  We never would have gone back in to look again if it hadn’t been for Shopcatch.  We hit up Cross Iron mills mall and as soon as we got there I loaded up the app.  Lo and behold, Shopcatch told me that SportCheck had a sale on outerwear – up to %50 off!  We ended up finding him a Columbia jacket (not exactly the same) on sale for only $99!  Now, that’s reasonable if you ask me and we saved big time!

me, dorkin about

What is Shopcatch?
Shopcatch is a FREE app, that allows you to catch the top in-store shopping deals offered by major retailers at your favourite shopping malls across Canada.

The Shopcatch app and mobile site give you access to exclusive shopping deals, mobile coupons and in-store promotions where you are.

5 reasons to download ShopCatch:

• Catch the hottest deals in major stores and malls located near you
• Score exclusive mobile coupons for quick and easy redemption at major retailers in Canada
• One app – multiple malls; Get stores, deals, maps and everything you need to know to navigate your favourite shopping mall with ShopCatch
• Get notifications when the retailers you ‘follow’ are giving away the goods
• Be in-the-know of the most lucrative in-store promotion

 

 

TO WIN

Shopcatch wants you to go shopping too so they have provided me with a $50 Visa Giftcard to giveaway to one lucky reader!!  You’ll be able to stretch that fifty bucks further by using the app on your smartphone as you shop.

To get the app check out the iPhone app store or Android market OR visit Shopcatch and view the mobile website.

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment HERE at the bottom of this post and tell me what deal the app showcases that most interests you.

EXTRA ENTRIES

1) Tweet about this contest and leave an additional comment with your tweets URL (no more than 5 tweets / day)

2) Share this on Facebook  and leave an additional comment stating you did so

3) Tweet the following (also up to 5 times / day and leave a comment with your tweets URL  )  -

“Let’s see your @Shopcatch receipt savings! Enter to win $250 #beatmyreceipt http://on.fb.me/iioLMl ”

Fine Print -

Winner will be notified winthin 72 hours from close of contest.  If winner does not provide a mailing address within 5 days of receiving notification another winner will be drawn.

Entrants must provide a valid email address so they can receive notificaiton.

Contest open to Canadian residents only.  Winner will be drawn by end of day Jan 6th 2012

This is the recipe we make most often with our ‘mother recipe’ of Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.  Everyone loves it, nobody goes hungry AND if you use part skim mozza, it’s about as healthy as pizza can get – it’s no worse calorie and fat wise than a ham and cheese sandwich but watch out, it’s hard not to eat and eat and eat and eat and then wake up at midnight and scarf a cold piece from the fridge.  Enjoy!

BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza

Ingredients (dough)

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 4 cups flour
• 2 tbsn olive oil
• 1tsp granulated garlic
• 1tsp sugar
• 2tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp yeast (quick rise or bread machine)

Ingredients (toppings)

• bbq sauce
• pizza sauce
• left over Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (you’ll need about a cup and a half but you can make a little go a long way – or pile it on if you have lots left)
• 1 red onion sliced thin
• 1 can pineapple tidbits
• (about 3 cups) Part Skim shredded mozzarella

Method:

Place all dough ingredients into your bread maker and run the pizza dough setting.  If making by hand, just mix well and knead for about 10-15 min until dough is smooth.  Let dough rise until doubled in size.  Remove dough from breadmaker and deflate.  Cut into two pieces and form into balls.  Let rest/rise on your counter under a wet towel (or in an oiled bowl) for at least a 1/2 hour.  Once dough has rested shape it into an oblong shape that fits onto a cookie sheet.  I always flour my cookie sheet first so it doesn’t stick.  I find a cookie sheet works much better than a tinfoil pizza pan.  Set dough aside while you get your toppings ready and preheat your oven to 425.

Top your pizza dough with a 50/50 mix of pizza sauce and bbq sauce or mix to your liking.  Spread pork, the onion, then pineapple over pizza.  Brush crust with a touch of olive oil (optional) Top with shredded cheese and bake for 15 min until edge of crust and cheese start to brown.  Let cool for 3 min before slicing.

Makes 2 large pizzas (serves 6-8)

Prep time 1.5 hours

cook time 15 min

Ford of Canada is providing us with a new Ford Explorer for a couple weeks so we’re getting out of Cow Town and heading for the West Coast!  I’m so excited to see the ocean.  It’s been a while.  Plus, I hope to hit up a few wineries and snap a lot of photos.

We’re going to show the baby off to our families (and Little H too…but for some, it will be the first time meeting Baby N.)

Also, Naot shoes has sent me a pair of sandles so I’ll write a bit about where they take me and yes, there will be more pictures!

If you’re not yet on my Facebook page please hit the ol ‘like’ button to keep up with me and to avoid overloading my blog with photos, I’ve started a flikr stream too. 

View Leaving Home Summer Roadtrip in a larger map

new baby N

blog meme definition

Problogger has started a meme called the ‘7 Link Challenge‘.  What’s a meme?

Meme Definition: An idea that is spread from blog to blog.  Often a group of bloggers will start a topic and pass it around from site to site thus extending the conversation.

So according to this meme definition and the 7 link challenge :

The main aim of doing this challenge is to create a list post that highlights some of the posts in your archives to new readers.

Sounds like fun to me!!  So let’s get started

#1 – My First Post – this is the first post I wrote on my mom blog Maternal Spark.  The first one I wrote as a mother. Oh the good ole days!

#2 – A post you enjoyed writing the most – I guess that’s the one  where I declared the end of Maternal Spark and announced the beginning of Home To Heather.

#3 – A post which had a great discussion – That’s easy…it’s gotta be the one I wrote about the Neilsen Power Moms debacle of 2009.

#4 – A post on someone else’s blog that you wish you’d written – That’s easy.  It’s Trisha from MomDot’s PR blackout post.  Not that I would have wanted the shit storm it created centered around me, but her post literally threw our community into a tailspin that only resulted in us all thinking for ourselves and ending up smarter.

#5 – Your most helpful post – Hmmmm this one is hard!  Maybe the one I wrote about my Hostgator Transfer.

#6 – A post with a title that you are proud of – that’s easy…it’s gotta be:  I’m confused about the wiener.  Andy the Creative Junkie even gave me a fake nomination for that one!

#7 – A post that you wish more people had read – Oh definitely this one about a simple life lesson.

~click here for the next 7 link challenge on a mom blog.

image credit to DeclanTM

Thought I’d share a few new (to me) finds!

Websites for Writers – a new site that lists resources for writers.  If you publish articles about writing you can submit your site to the listings.  Go check it out. Oh, and Maternal Spark is newly listed there….if you have a moment to rate me, that would be much appreciated

Zakka Life – posts crafts and life hacks for creative types. I love the Rock key hider

Crochet Me – I love love love love love these sea stones with crochet jackets.  I’ve always wanted to collect stones at the beach but never know what to do with them.  Problem solved.

Carina’s Craft Blog – This blog has some fantastic tutorials – I especially love the carved eraser stamps!  I can see myself obsessivly carving a collection of stamps and hiding them away for special occasions.

EduChoices – this site has a list of 50 sites for writers.  Looking for info on finding an agent?  How about getting a paying gig?  You’ll find some help on this list!

Time is running out to enter to win a custom Hand Stamped Silver necklace with Swarovski charm from the Pretty Peacock. Here are the links to all the contests so if you haven’t entered yet you better get to it!

An Island Life

Custom Hand Stamped necklace

MomDot

Ohana Mama

Feels Like Home

Sweet N Sassy Girls

The Dirty Shirt

3 Kids and Us

What’s That Smell

Custom Hand Stamped necklace

Do you like this necklace?  You do?  Of course, it’s super pretty.  And it should be because it’s made by Ana of The Pretty Peacock. She is celebrating the opening of her new web boutique and to mark the occasion, Maternal Spark is hosting a wwWhip Up!

We’re whipping up the web with 9 blog giveaways on 9 blogs between April 15th and 30th.  Go and visit these blogs to enter to win.  Each blog also has a coupon code for FREE shipping!

Here are links to all participating bloggers contests.  Go, surf, enter and win!

An Island Life

MomDot

The Mom Buzz

Ohana Mama

Feels Like Home

Sweet N Sassy Girls

The Dirty Shirt

3 Kids and Us

What’s That Smell

More about Ana – She started out on Etsy and has just expanded to her own boutique website at http://www.theprettypeacock.com She runs her hand stamped jewelry business from her home studio in Seattle, WA.  Ana has also pledged to support C.O.L.E.’s Foundation by creating the pieces you see here and donating the proceeds to the families that have been affected by childhood cancer.