Since I last posted a victory shot, I hadn’t had the best weeks at rummage. Until today. I went to a handful of sales this morning, but then around 2pm one of the babies was fussy and the rest were asleep, so my husband suggested that I take R out and hit some garage sales. Who was I to argue?

I noticed some late posts on craigslist in a neighborhood adjoining ours so I headed out that way. I stumbled across a few signs for a sale on my way home so I decided to stop. I was so tentative, based on what I could see from the car, that I left baby R in his infant seat with the minivan door open, assuming I would take a peek and then come right back (he was about six feet away from me, don’t worry). I was so very wrong…

The family having the sale has one child, a boy. They were parting with his perfect condition size 4-7 clothes for $3/bag. I grabbed the infant seat from the car and started making piles. I took about half of the clothes! I got 7 pairs of pants, 2 button down shirts, 3 pairs of pajamas, 2 long sleeve t-shirts, 2 pairs of cargo shorts, 1 sweat suit, and a pile of underwear, for $7, or less than a quarter a piece. All brand names: Gap, TCP, Gymboree, Ralph Lauren. I spent another $1 on a much-needed twin Ralph Lauren Home sheet set that will fill out the used Pottery Barn Kids odds and ends we use in our older son P’s room. They threw in some vintage fabric, of the type I collect, on top of everything.

Also inbound this week was the first of our 4 Halloween costumes. Our precocious P decided he should be the big bad wolf and his brothers could be the little pigs. I’ve won 2 on eBay, one which arrived yesterday.

Baby Gap, size 6-12m. If you happen to have one laying around, or a wolf in 3T, I’ll take them off your hands

Since I started reading the coupon and freebie blogs recently, I am just beginning to see items show up in my mailbox that I requested. The biggest thing I learned from the huge number of give-aways out there is that companies love to give their stuff away. Also, it is just as rare to encounter a helpful customer service person when you need one as it is for those on the other end to deal with someone who isn’t irate and complaining. Because of that, I’ve found that if you ask, you may get coupons, samples, or even free items that aren’t generally available.

For example, I emailed Seventh Generation when the triplets were born, inquiring as to whether they had a multiples discount program like some of the big diaper companies. They don’t, but they very cheerfully responded to my message and sent me a huge envelope of coupons including 4 or 5 free packs of diapers and lots of $1/off other products.

When I new we would be starting solids soon, I did the same thing over at Earth’s Best, letting them know we use their formula (Similac Organic is out, long story for another time) and all of their baby food products. I didn’t receive an email back, so I didn’t think much of it. Fast forward to opening the mailbox yesterday and I had a nice letter from their customer service, three $5/off formula coupons, six FREE jar of baby food coupons, and three FREE other food item (up to $2.99)! That’s about $35 in savings for sending an email.

Granted, I have triplets, so your mileage with a singleton may vary, but that’s not really the point. I got $25 in store credit from drugstore.com when my BOGO order of Sassy products got all wonky earlier this week, and I never mentioned that I’m a triplet mama. Basically, I find that it’s worth asking, it’s worth dealing with customer service (especially virtually… all of these intances happened solely over email and totaled more than $100 in free stuff), because so few people do, and do so politely, that good things might happen to you. And when it’s a matter of sending a few emails, what have you got to lose?

Two things I’m very excited about today:

1. Sign up for a free sample of Horizon Organic milk. You’ll receive a single serve flavored milk (and have to take a quick follow up survey).
2. Freebies 4 Mom led me to a free year subscription to Kiwi magazine. All you need is one Annie’s product. I didn’t even have to leave the room to find mine because organic Cheddar Bunnies have a prominent place in our 3 year old’s diet.

Do you get the Kids Craft Weekly newsletter? It’s free and full of really great ideas. The website is loaded with archived newsletters, articles of interest, and printable projects. It’s a real find. Frugonomics 101 lists some great toddler activity links today, too. And not martha is giving away a copy of Amy Butler’s Little Stitches for Little Ones. It’s a good time to be a creative mama

Great Green Baby has a piece up about eco-babies. They’ll use fabric you send them to make stuffed animals, and otherwise their materials are all recycled and organic. Very cute!

I’m still imagining my closet-cum-mudroom. I need the perfect wallpaper. Green Mom Finds details the new Eco-Collection at the fabulous Graham & Brown. Even the rolls are packaged in compostable materials! I’m going to order some samples to see what they look like in person.

Another Walgreens coupon! This one is for $10 off $40 and good tomorrow and Saturday. We’re trying a new formula with one of the triplets to see if it clears up his eczema (before switching all 3), so this will certainly help me stock up. That’s the great thing about identical triplets, you can always have a control group.

I am itching to try Tastybaby frozen organic baby food. Before I order mass quantities from Amazon, I’m going to check it out locally (we happen to have one of the few national retailers near us) and will report back.

Freebies 4 Mom is talking laundry and links to Ecover’s coupon page, where there is $0.75 any product and $1 off laundry items.

Want Not has a code for $25 when you open an ING checking account. I’m going to count the pennies I make (post-nanny paycheck) when I go back to work very carefully and I definitely want my own account and debit card for that money, since I am going to try to contain certain expenditures (read: eBay) to that account. Perhaps this would be a good way to do it.

I had a lot in the queu, but then I downloaded the Upromise toolbar and Firefox got all wonky on me… Still having some issues, but I have a lot of kids to send to college, so I’m going to leave it for awhile and see if it gets straightened out.

My husband shared with me Lifehacker’s write up of the Real Simple guide to cleaning household surfaces. Do you think that’s a hint??? Meanwhile, simple.green.organic.happy reposts the invaluable Green Cleaning 101.

To file under “when I have a little more time”, Crafting a Green World reminds me, again, that I want to join Ravelry ASAP. The Crafty Crow reminds me that in addition to cloth napkins, I can use my vintage linens for pillowcase dresses (via mayamade) for the little girls in my life.

Baby food in the slow cooker. It’s just one of those sentences where every word makes me happy.

Finally, a write-up of eco-friendly vacationing at Re-Nest (full NYT article as well). We’re already thinking about a big trip for our next wedding anniversary, so I will be checking out some of these spots.

I haven’t been blogging here too long yet, but friends, I need you to promise me that if you are going to buy ribbon (and who doesn’t need some lovely ribbon now and then?) you do so from the affordably gorgeous and biodegradable Cream City Ribbon. In fact, just go and order the Holiday Kit for a Cause right now, because you know you’ll use it all by January…

Have any cats? “Deal”icious Mom points out that Purina has a coupon up for Yesterday’s News, a recycled newspaper litter product. Get a free bag (up to $6.99)! Seems worth trying to me, especially at that price

Baby Cheapskate shares another $5 off $25 Babies R Us coupon good for this weekend. The one in our area is way too far away for this to be worthwhile (I think I would use at least $5 worth of gas!), but if you are headed there anyhow, enjoy the savings!

More kudos to Baby Cheapskate for pointing out the drugstore.com sale that includes BOGO on Sassy items. We use Sassy Mam BPA free bottles for the triplets, so we’re going to buy the next size nipples right now and save a bundle. Lots of things on sale (including green cleaners EFP and Biokleen), as well as an additional discount for new customers!

Also way too far away from us is IKEA. They’re offering free breakfast this weekend at their stores. Yum!

“Deal”ectible Mommies shares a link to an Aveeno reusable bag giveaway (and the bag is cute!). All you need is 2 UPCs. I know I had 2 of their products in house, so I’m guessing many other people do, too.

How did I miss the chance to host an organic baby food house party (and get free stuff)?!?

Maybe as we exit the summer and enter the must-buy season of the fall, we’ll start to see some more natural parenting deals out there!

I just found Almost Frugal and now need to read everything she’s ever written!

My mommy envy (and a little bit of mommy guilt ) flares up when I find wonderful sites like No time for flash cards and her amazing naptime creations, including this car play mat. Maybe in a world where my triplets all napped at the same time…

I’ve always wanted a dual flush toilet, but Re-nest points out the ability to do a dual flush retrofit. That quickly jumps to the short list of things we really need (versus *want*) to do around the house, for sure. Re-nest also points out kitchen towels now available in Target’s organic cotton line, in stores only. We have a few pairs of bedsheets from the collection and they are very nice.

Leaving Excess has a handy tutorial for frozen chopped onion. With sweet onions so plentiful at the farmers market right now, this is a great idea for this coming weekend.

Plastic shower curtain liners in the washing machine! Who knew?

The combination of continued food storage bankruptcy and my imminent return to the (part time) workplace makes it a good time to start meal planning again.

Monday: Masala simmer in the slow cooker — Trader Joe’s simmer sauce, farmers market cauliflower and potatoes (diced), a can of garbanzos (rinsed), and a handful each of frozen peas and unsalted cashews, served with Trader Joe’s naan and samosas, all available in the freezer section and taking up lots of room in ours!

Tuesday: Not your momma’s tuna casserole and string beans (from our garden) — It involves eggs noodles and boursin cheese and no canned soups with crazy ingredients. And it tastes awesome. I’ll post the recipe if there is interest.

Wednesday: Quinoa and Black Beans — A favorite in our house, and I have about 6 cans of black beans to show for it. Time to pare them down a bit.

Thursday: Cheese and crackers chicken, glazed farmers market carrots, and Whole Foods tater tots — Combine 1/2 cup cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup cheese in a small bowl and toss. Dip chicken in melted 1/3 cup butter and place in a lightly greased baking dish. Sprinkle cracker crumb mixture and salt and pepper over chicken. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Every 3 year old’s favorite!

Friday: Pizza night — Friday was always pizza night in the co-op dining halls we ate at in college. Keeping the tradition alive makes for a really simply and fun dinner to end of a hectic week and invariably keeps us for reaching for the take-out menus. This time of the year, we make at least one pesto pie with basil picked right outside our side door.

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Dinner at the in-laws

Not only will this use up all of the fresh produce we currently have but it makes a nice dent in the pantry cabinet/freezer as well.