2 Get the Fruit In.....

It's a typical day at our house....the kiddies are outside playing, and they start to feel their tummy grumble. They ask for a snack. I offer, you know, the healthy stuff....strawberries, a banana, apple slices, an applesauce cup....and the list goes on naming every healthy option we currently have on hand. I get no takers on anything we have. So I begin to think.......time for a little creativity!!

Ah ha, I got it what about a smoothie? You know with the good, healthy stuff in it? Of, course I do not broadcast that to them...that part I keep to myself!! So I grab some frozen yogurt out of the freezer, 2 bananas, some blueberries, the gallon of milk and strawberries. I wash and rinse the fruit and slice them up, not the blueberries, of course there little already!!

I toss in 2 scoops of vanilla frozen yogurt, a few slices of banana, few strawberries pieces, couple blueberries, and a dash of milk all in my magic bullet. turn it on and WOW what a delicious healthy treat for the kiddies and hubby, and I to enjoy!! Yes, we love them just as much as Little Man and Little Miss!!

Little Man really got into helping make the smoothies too...partially why I think he enjoyed them so much!! We also make these for breakfast, but use yogurt in place of the frozen yogurt. I also mix up the fruit along with the flavors of frozen yogurt and regular yogurt too...just to mix things up a bit!!

Curious to see what works for other on this fine Wednesday? Head on over to We Are THAT Family to find out!!

Grab The Smaller One.....

Shortly after the birth of Little Miss I decided it was time to get back into shape and drop a few pounds. I knew exercising would be a big part of the process, but there were other things in my routine that needed to change as well. What can I say....I am a girl that loves food...especially yummy, tasty food!! I was well aware of my love for food.....so I knew that changes in the eating department had to be made to see weight lose results.

One of the first things I changed was the plates we eat off dinner off of. Our everyday dish set we use came with both large dinner plates and smaller lunch plates as well. It's very common to simply fill up a plate completely and then eat all of it. But what if I started using the smaller lunch-size plates for our dinner meals? Then there would be a limit of how much I could put on it to eat.....after all the plate is only big!! This way was even if it was full...I would be eating way less than before.

Larger Plate...Looks like barely enough food to cover it!!

Smaller Plate....Notice how full the plate looks of food!!

Well, Little Miss is a little over 2 years old now...and guess what the smaller plate trick has and is still working!! Of course, along the way I have learned much better portion control and the smaller plates made we quickly realize just little food I really needed to eat verses in the past!!

Yes, I made many eating lifestyle changes over the past 2 years...but the smaller plate trick was definitely a big help in the weight loss goal!! Now, when I see the larger plate in the cabinet I am amazed at how I used to eat a meal off of it...it seems like my whole family could eat dinner off of just that one plate...LOL LOL

Curious to see what works for others? Head on over to We are THAT Family to see!

Brand Loyalty....Is It Worth It???

This week over at We are THAT Family it's a theme week . It's all about my best frugal or money saving tip. Well, I must admit I have TONS, if you can belive that!!! LOL LOL I have been racking my brain for a few days now trying to think of the best one?? It's very hard!!

But, today while at Playgroup another Mom asked me a question regarding different brands and their pricing. It came to me.....If your looking to save a bit of money, the best advice I can give is to try to be less brand loyal on grocery items.

I know how it is, your putting together a sandwich for your lunch and you reach for the mayonnaise. You swear it is the only mayo you will ever use!! This is normal, I too have several items that I believe taste just right, and I would never consider changing....after trying other brands of the same product that is....LOL LOL But, there must be several items that you'd be willing to try to experiment with other brands.

How will this save you money, you ask?? Very easily!! It's all about the store sales!! Almost each and every grocery store puts out a weekly circular with lots of sale items in it. Say for instance that this week Jiffy Peanut Butter is on sale for $1.88 a jar. And you are more of a Peter Pan kind of girl/guy. Peter Pan is not on sale this week, it's $3.79. Would you be willing to give Jiffy a try...it's almost half the price, that means you would get 2 jars for the price of 1!!! Now, Jiffy is sounding a little better, isn't it?

Don't get me wrong there are many items that I am very brand loyal about!! I have tried the competitors and I do not care for them as much. And I am fine with that. But thinking about all the other items I am not so brand loyal on and all the great sales I am able to take advantage of really saves me alot of money!! Grocery store sales are a cycle...you have a much better chance of scoring a great deal on a specific item, if you can buy whatever brand is one sale for that specific week.

Be sure to head on over to We are THAT Family for lots more great frugal/money saving tips!!

A Different Way To Display Them.....

I am not sure exactly what it is about fresh flowers, but I just love them!! Not only in my garden, but sitting, looking Oh so pretty inside my home too!! They just brighten up the room they are placed in...instantly!!

So when my tulips started blooming outside (Yeah for nice weather!)...I quickly grabbed my scissors and headed outdoors!! I snipped a few tulips from my garden and arranged them ever so perfectly in my little ceramic flower holder.

And here they are sitting pretty in my bathroom....

Did you check out the cool little pot they are sitting in? It's a little ceramic pot with metal pegs in the center. You simply just place the flowers stems in the pegs and there they sit!!

This cool little pot was a generous gift given to me, being the flower lover and I am I was WAY excited to see that it makes the most beautiful display!! I had never seen such a thing before...BUT boy an I glad to have one!!

Wondering what works for other on this Wednesday? Head on over to We are THAT Family to find out!!

Jackpot On Easter!!!

Lots more Wordless Wednesday Pictures can be see over at 5 Minutes For Mom!!

To Get The Sauce Out....

I owe this little trick or tip if you will to one of my fabulous sister in law's. She was over one day helping me (showing me, actually) how to make her famous homemade meatballs for one of Little Man's birthday parties. We made the meatballs, placed them in the pot, and then it was time to add the sauce....yes jarred sauce my friends!! LOL LOL

So she dumped the sauce into the big pot of meatballs then grabbed each nearly empty jar and added a little water to the jar. She then placed the lid on the jar gave it a good shake and then dumped the water/sauce mix into the pot. Walla....an almost perfectly cleaned out jar. And too think of all the times I was struggling with a spatula to get all the sauce out of the sauce jar!!

Just in case you too were looking for a better way to get all the sauce out cleanly!!

Lots more Works For Me Wednesday posts can been seen over at We are THAT Family.

Not Digging The Swiss Cheese Look!!!

This weeks Works For Me Wednesday is all about backwards....so here it goes, my question to all of you that I am having trouble finding a solution to. How do I prevent my trash cans from looking like this?

You see I prefer my trash cans not look like Swiss cheese, rather all one piece, you know solid plastic all over. lol lol

All I have to say is we really must throw away some good stuff?? Because we cannot keep the squirrels away from them!! They've not only eaten the lids but through the sides of the cans as well!! I hate to keep buying them only to find them destroyed in no time at all!!

So have you had a squirrel problem? Or any advice as to how to keep them out. How do I keep them from wanting to get to my trash?? Really it's juts two of them....How Do I know, you ask? Oh I can tell by their bulging bellies!!

Thanks for any help!!

Lots more Works For Me Wednesday posts can be see over at We Are THAT Family.

Seriously, Who Would Want This Thing?

That is what I had been telling myself for almost 3 and a half years. You see we had moved into our current home then and the nice gentleman that sold us the place left us a few of his unwanted items behind for us to have........generous of him you say??


Where do I begin, the list a bit long.......
Big old wooden birdhouses scattered throughout the backyard
Patio pavers everywhere they should not be
Miscellaneous wooden rotted outdoor furniture
An old heater in the crawlspace(how they got it in there is beyond me?)
Oh and my favorite item, this...take a look at this beauty:

I have been calling it a BIG, heavy, cement rolly thing for the past 3 1/2 years...it's actual name...I haven't a clue!!

If I did not even know the name of it, along with about the 40 or so people I have asked over the years.....who would ever want it? It was just way too heavy for the trash men to take it....pick it up, that is!! What to do with it. It sat,

and sat,

and sat.......behind our shed for all this time, unused, and ugly...until.........

I decided it was time to try and part ways with this fella! I put a post up about 2 weeks ago on Craiglsist...in the FREE section, of course! And in fact, if they had a I'll pay you to take it Section....I would of gladly paid anyone to take it out of here!! LOL LOL

So just last week...a nice fella emailed me and said he could use this BIG, heavy,cemet, rolly, thingy and would love to come by and pick it up that day!! Yippee!! I must tell you I was doing the Happy dance!!

He came taht day, and took it away....he was happy to have it, and I was so very happy to see it go...far....far......far away!!!

So just in case you have a heavy cement rolly thing in your backyard, or something similar to it...here is the motivation you may need to list it on Craigslist.......there just may be someone who would love to have it...even if you do not know's it's name!!

Curious to see what Works for others? Be sure to head over to We are THAT Family and find out!!

To Make Clippin' A Bit Easier...

I must admit...I heart saving money by using coupons!! But, clipping the coupons out of the inserts.....that is where the love starts to fade...lol lol About a month ago a dear, sweet friend of mind surprised me with a little gift only a crazy couponer like me would absolutely be so excited about receiving!! She brought me a little coupon clipper tool (as I call it, anyway) to make the task of clipping coupons a bit more enjoyable.

It's very easy to use.......you just simply glide it straight across the paper where you would like to cut the coupon out and walla the coupon is cut. Plus, unlike scissors....the blade can not cut you, the blade is actually ceramic!! It is very small and fits just perfectly in my coupon organizer when not in use. This way I have it on hand just in case a coupon needs to be clipped on the go in the midst of a shopping trip!!

I have only had this new tool for a month, but already I have a new kinda love for it!! Hey, can you blame me?? I am all for things that make life just that much easier!! Just in case you'd like to give it a try...it's from The Container Store, and for just under $5!!

Interested in seeing what works for others...Head on over to We Are THAT Family and take little a peek!!!

It's Written At The Top.....

I am a huge list writer...I have notepads everywhere...in my purse, in the kitchen cabinet, in my car......nothing would ever get done if it were not for all the lists I write. It helps keep me organized and helps me remember things wonderfully!! There is one area though where a list does me no good!

When it comes to writing down things needed at a store....I just had to find a better way!! I found that writing down what I plan to purchase that week on the weekly store circular is a much better, more organized fashion for me. I am a huge On Sale shopper....so for me I find it is easier to jot down at the top of each page the items I plan to purchase. This way the size of the product, variety on sale, and price are all right there if need be. If the Sale sign is absent from the store shelf location, no biggie. I have my circular right there with me to glance at.

Time and time again I have seen a shelf fully stocked in front of the Sale sign only to read the ounces on the bottle and it is different than the advertised size in the weekly ad. I have one to many times purchased the wrong sized product in the past. I am not a return fan...in the slightest! Plus, if they are out of an item....it is easy to show the courtesy desk associate the exact product and size you need a rain check for. No need for them to flip and search through the circular or computer themselves.

Here is the top of a page of my grocery circular.....

I also circle the item I plan to buy as well....this way making it quick and easy to spot when flipping through during my shopping trip.

And to keep all my coupon straight...I use a small binder clip and attach them to the front of my weekly store circular. This way there is no losing along the way...they are clipped on securely.

Curious to see what Works for Others this week....Head on over to Rocks In My Dryer to find out!!

Sharpie Will Remember!!

It happens to me all the time. I buy a bag of shredded cheese, use a little bit of it for a recipe and then toss the bag back into the fridge. Then the next time I am cooking and realize I need shredded cheese for the recipe I reach into the fridge and pull out all the bags of cheese that I have. Then I look at one of the bags and realize that it was already opened...and then I begin to try and remember when I opened it up. I try re-thinking about all the meals we have eaten in the last few days/nights and if cheese was used or not.


Well this was getting a bit of a pain for me. So now when I open up a bag of shredded cheese I grab my Sharpie and write the day I opened the bag on the front of the package. Now there is no more trying to remember, smelling it to see if it is still good...etc. It only takes a minute...and is well worth it!!



Here is a bag currently in my fridge. You can see the date on the left side of the bag.

Curious to see what works for others....head on over to Rocks In My Dryer to find out!!

Asking For Recipies....

Did you ever attend a party or gathering and you tasted something that someone made and it was absolutely so delicious you wish you could make it yourself? Well this happens to me all the time! Years ago I would simply eat that delicious tasting item at the party then go home and dream about it. (Or at least think about it!!) LOL LOL

Then I started thinking....why didn't I just ask the for the recipe? Not necessarily at the party or gathering....but maybe afterwards. Why not, right? In fact it would be a compliment for the chef who made it, wouldn't it? I would be flattered if someone asked me the recipe for a dish or appetizer that I had made.

So over the years I have asked many, many times for great recipes I have tasted and liked....and guess what I must admit that most of my great dishes are from friends and family members recipes I have tried in the past. Yes, I may alter then a bit...or sometimes leave them as is. But at least I have then now to enjoy time and time again!!


Here is one of the many great recipies I have asked for over the years:

Bread Pudding

You Will Need:

A Loaf of Day Old French or Italian Bread (8-10 slices)

3 tablespoons of melted butter

1/2 cup raisins (can omit)

4 eggs (beaten)

2 cups cold milk

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Simply slice bread into 8-10 thick slices. Then cut each slice into smaller cubes. Place all bread cubes in a baking pan(square). Sprinkle with raisins.

In separate bowl beat eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar. Then pour this mixture over bread. With a fork make sure to push all bread into egg mixture so it coats it.

Bake for 40 minutes at a temperature of 350 degrees.

Enjoy!!

Would you like to see what works for others...Head on over to Rocks In My Dryer to find out!!

Great For the Stove.....

Do not ask me what I was thinking when I was so excited to get a black stove in my kitchen a little while back. I had previously had a white stove and it was very hard to keep clean....especially being gas and all!! So I thought black was the way to go!!

We use our stove daily for meals so it can really get a bit dirty in no time at all!! I hate to use a green pad on the stove, in fear that it may scratch the stove top.....(As per the owners manual...and I am too chicken to try one on it!!) So I needed to find another alternative way to keep my stove top clean.

So now I buy a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser....cut it into about 5 even pieces and use that to clean off any goop left on my stove after meals. It works great!!! And not a scratch at all is ever left on my stove!! The magic eraser is so soft. Plus, there is no need for chemicals either!!


Here is a before picture of my stove top burner:


And here is the after shot: Shiny and Clean!!



Here is the piece of Magic Eraser that I used to clean the stove off with.......Yuck!!




Lots more Works For Me Wednesday's can be seen over at Rocks In My Dryer!!

Eating Before We Attend......

It's part of all parties you attend....eating delicious food!! Here is how most parties usually unfold (with kiddies in-tow).....You arrive at the party, the kiddies start playing with their friends, start having a great time.....then the food is ready to be served...This is where the real fun begins, for the parents, at least.

You ask your little ones what they would like to eat....and they reply "I'm not that hungry". So you yourself eat, give them a few more minutes of playtime...then ask them again if they are ready to eat. And again they reply "No Thanks". So then your try getting creative....and remind them about the birthday cake, or sweets that will soon be served, and that they need to eat some lunch/dinner to be able to enjoy some treats along with their friends. After a little while, you the parent get a bit frazzled about your little one not eating lunch/dinner. You stress yourself a bit and then find yourself not having such a good time at the party.

Well if this sounds like how it usually plays out for you at parties and gatherings in regards to the kiddies eating, here's what we do before we head out the door. About a 1/2 hour before we get on our way to the gathering we feed the kiddies at home before we go. As Mom and Dad, we know just what they (our kiddies) like to eat, they are not distracted from eating in their own home, and their bellies get filled up as to not have to tackle the whole "You Must Eat" episode while attending the party. They are more than welcome to grab anything they would to eat at the party...but just in case they are so busy playing and having a great time it is not necessary for them or us to have to worry about them eating. They can have the time of their life all while Mom and Dad enjoy themselves with no worries!!

And guess what at most parties we attend these days...the kiddies are eating (sometimes, alot) while there. Ironic, right?? It's like they know they do not have to eat so they gobble up what they like!! LOL LOL

Lots more Works For Me Wednesday's can be viewed here!!