Do You Stop By or Love Starbucks? Great Deal This Week.

Jan 30-Feb 4 you can get their breakfast sandwiches for $2 with the purchase of a beverage. No coupon needed. Check it out on their website here:

http://www.starbucks.com/promo/hot-breakfast?utm_source=promo-product&utm_medium=email&utm_content=hero&utm_campaign=breakfast-sandwich-us

Trying To Lose Weight?

So many people are trying to lose weight and keep to their weight loss goals. One cheap tool in helping with snacking is Ziploc snack bags. They are small and hold the appropriate snack sizes. Pre-measure a serving size of your snacks and put in a single snack bag. So, if you get snackish, grab 1 snack bag and that is your serving size already there for you to keep track of. I have found that generic stores carry these bags at a much cheaper price.

Make sure to fill them with healthy snacks like carrots, celery, berries, nuts, etc. Having healthy snacks on hand are a must. Also, are you a cheater? If you are a cheater, then make sure if you know you will crave a salty potato chip that you allow yourself two cheat bags a week and no more. Fill the bag with the 8 (or whatever the serving size is) potato chips and put in your naughty basket and keep your healthy snacks in the good basket.

Eating salads????? Don't put the dressing on the salad, instead before each bite dip your fork into the dressing and then put the lettuce on the fork. This will dramatically reduce the amount of dressing you use on your salads and it has just as much flavor.

Enjoy!

Economy And Crime

With the economy where it is, crime is increasing steadily and getting more deadly. Most burglars are kicking in front or back doors....so, why not reinforce your doors to your house? This site gives some easy solutions to helping secure your home better. Check out the other articles and how-to pages on this subject around the article.

All else fails, go to your local hardware company and ask for the kit that will secure your doors.

Enjoy!

http://www.ehow.com/slideshow_12217445_home-repairs.html#page=13

A Very Yummy Scrub

Salt and Honey Scrub with Grapefruit and RosemaryFills about 6 half-pint jars. Shelf life 4 months.

2 cups olive oil
2/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon grapefruit essential oil
1/4 teaspoon rosemary essential oil3 cups salt
sugar (optional)
red food coloring
Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl. Gradually mix in the salt 1/2 cup at a time. It's easiest to mix with your hands. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin.

Continue to mix until the oil is mostly absorbed into the grains. It will be very thick and mass together with a bit of oil seeping out. If it's not coming together after several minutes, add salt or sugar in half cup increments until it's a gritty oily paste (you will need more salt/sugar if using kosher salt and less if using a finer grain salt).

Add 2 drops red food coloring and mix well. Add additional essential oil at a rate of 1/4 teaspoon at a time for a stronger fragrance.

Scoop the scrub into little jars with holes large enough to dig the product out by hand. Wipe off the top of the jar before lidding as the salt can rust the metal lid.

To use, scoop a tablespoon of the scrub into damp hands and massage between your hands until you feel a gritty paste. Scrub your face and body in a circular motion until most of the salt crystals dissolve, then rinse.

http://daringbakerduluth.blogspot.com/2012/01/salt-and-honey-scrub-with-grapefruit.html

Hollandaise Sauce, Simple Fail-Proof Recipe

I just love hollandaise sauce! I found and use the most simple recipe that there is and here it is:

2 sticks of unsalted butter
4 egg yolks
juice of 1 lemon
cayenne pepper to taste

Take the yolks of the eggs and put them in the blender and blend well. Melt the butter but do not brown. Add the melted butter to the blender while running at a very slow pace (taking about 30 seconds to add it all). Then add lemon juice and cayenne pepper to the mixture and make sure it is all blended well. Serve while still hot.

Enjoy!!!!!

Superbowl Recipe Contest Time!

We are doing a Superbowl recipe contest! Yay! Here is how it works:

Below this post add your recipe under the comment section. Original, new, tasty recipes only please (in otherwords don't submit a worn out recipe that gets made by half of the U.S. lol). If we pick your recipe, YOU WIN!

Now, get to posting your recipes folks and let's get ready for the Superbowl weekend.

Enjoy!

No I Haven't Fallen Off The Planet, lol

Have had a moment of no ideas for y'all. I have some now and will get those up throughout the week.  :) Sorry folks.

Homemade Body Wash

You can make this WAY cheaper than purchasing body wash. You can fragrance this or not, depending on your skin sensetivity. I have the items and am going to make one for me and one that is a man fragrance for my husband. This is a wonderful open house gift, a nice welcome gift for visiting guests, etc. You name it, you will love it!

Enjoy!

http://proverbs2six.blogspot.com/2010/01/homemade-bodywash.html

An Interesting Site

http://www.diy-home-remedies.com/index.html

My Little Homemade Heating Pad/Warmer

All the time I am warming up my homemade warmer to keep my feet warm while on the couch or heading to bed. When my back or neck gets out of whack, I warm it up and slap it on.  :)

The easiest method of making one of these is to get a tall tube sock and fill with 1 1/2 cups of uncooked, white rice or buckwheat. Tie a knot at the end of it and pop it in the microwave for no more than 2 minutes. Remember different microwaves heat at different temps. so experiment first with one minute and check to see if that's hot enough for you. Creep it up 15-30 seconds at a time to get desired heat amount for your muscles.

This is one thing I use daily here at my house and my husband hijacks it all the time, lol.

Enjoy!

Natural Beauty Remedies

In the Feb. 2012 issue of Woman's Day were some great natural beauty remedies. I am going to list some here worth checking out.

Have a pimple? Take fresh mint leaves and pulsate them in a food processor with 1 tsp. of lemon juice. Cover for 15 minutes, then rinse, twice a day.

Cellulite?  2 Tbsp. used coffee grounds (not decaf) and 4 tsp olive oil. Combine them and make a paste and spread on your trouble areas in strokes upward. Massage in for 2 minutes and then rinse. Best to do this in the shower and be careful of the shower floor being slick after the oil washes off.

Yellowed nails? Pour some ginger ale into a bowl and soak your nails for 10 minutes twice a week and then rinse.

Dark circles under your eyes? One small handful of fresh parsley with 2 Tbsp. of plain yogurt and combine in a food processor. Pulse until a smooth paste. Apply mixture generously to your under eye areas for 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water.

Face scrub needed? Take 4 tsp. of baking soda and 1 Tbsp. of water and form a paste. Let sit for 2 minutes. Wet skin and then massage in a circular motions avoiding eye areas. Rinse after a couple of minutes with warm water and end with a splash of cold water to close your pores.

Dry skin patches? Cut a lemon in half and rub on the area and rinse afterwards. It doesn't give any precautions, but avoid your eyes pretty please :)

Are You Pregnant Like Me? Homemade Belly Butter.

Ahhhhh YES! Will be making some for me and my other friends who are pregnant at the same time I am.

Mama’s Belly Butter

This recipe is adapted from the Stretch Mark Cream in Natural Beauty at Home by Janice Cox (page 86).

To make 4 ounces (I usually divide this between a couple of 2 oz jars) you will need:
1/2 cup cocoa butter
2 tablespoons wheat germ oil
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
2 teaspoons apricot kernel oil
2 teaspoons vitamin E oil
4 teaspoons grated beeswax
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

Measure all ingredients, except vanilla, into a heavy saucepan.  Warm mixture over low heat until cocoa butter and beeswax have melted (two to five minutes). Stir well.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, if using. Another option would be to add a few drops of essential oil such as those mentioned in this post.

Cool briefly then pour into jar(s). Leave lid off and allow to cool completely (this should take about an hour). It will look very runny at first:

The butter will begin to thicken and harden immediately. It will look something like this after 10 minutes:

Once completely cool, place lid on tightly and add a label. Then “wow” your friends at the next baby shower with a gift of homemade belly butter!
To help skin remain soft, rub a small amount onto the stomach daily. Upon application, it may appear oily, but will quickly be absorbed.

About the ingredients:

Cocoa Butter, derived from the cocoa bean, has a mild chocolate scent. It is also rich in vitamin E, and is an excellent skin softener. Wonderful for adding a creamy, luxurious texture to personal care products, cocoa butter can also be used alone. It typically comes in solid form, but melts at body temperature, allowing it to be readily absorbed into the skin.
Wheat Germ Oil comes from the germ (or heart) of the wheat kernel. It is rich in vitamins A, D and E.  Vitamin E is especially helpful in this belly butter as it aids skin cell formation and reduces scars such as stretch marks.
Wheat germ oil breaks down quickly and has a shelf life of about eight months. If you buy some, use it; don’t let it sit waiting for a special occasion (as I did).  It can often be found in the refrigerated section at the health food store.
Wheat Germ oil should not be used by those with wheat or gluten allergies. Can be replaced in this recipe with sweet almond oil.
Sesame Seed Oil is naturally abundant in protein as well as vitamins A and E. It is a stable oil with a long shelf-life, making it a desirable addition to body care products. Sesame seed oil can be found in the cooking section of most grocery stores.  Just don’t use “toasted” sesame seed oil, or you’ll smell like a stir-fry dinner.
Apricot Kernel Oil is a wonderful skin softener. It moisturizes and tightens skin without leaving an oily residue. This oil is mild enough to use alone around the eyes. It can be found at most health food stores.
Vitamin E Oil is well known for its moisturizing properties and is often used to reduce or prevent scar tissue. It is also an antioxidant and acts as a preservative in lotions and creams, hindering fatty ingredients from going rancid.
Some suggest it is best to avoid using straight vitamin E on the face as it may cause eye irritation.
Beeswax is naturally hydrating and is found in many body care products. It often comes as a hard block and needs to be grated or melted for measuring. It is also available in small beads, which eliminates the need for grating, but is more expensive. Beeswax adds a lovely golden color to this belly butter and is the main thickening agent.

Vanilla is included in this recipe to add a pleasant aroma. Since vanilla is purported to balance mood and reduce stress, it is a perfect fit for the expecting mother.  If vanilla is not something you enjoy, omit it. You may leave the belly butter unscented or add a few drops of essential oil.

http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2010/09/homemade-belly-butter-all-natural-pampering-for-pregnant-mamas-2.html

Money Saving Tips For 2012

I have looked into my finances with a fine tooth comb and decided I had many outlets of wasted money. So, I thought I would list, in no order, the things that I modified or eliminated to save money for my family.

1.) Clip and print the coupons of the items you use or will try for you family, and put them in some sort of organized fashion & put them in your purse. Take advantage of those sales, B1G1 items, and free items. Print your coupons on paper that is going to get thrown away. Turn it over and use the backside, no one cares :)

2.) Shop your insurance rates! So many companies have either gone up on their rates or stayed the same. With businesses competing for business in this economy...you will be shocked at the money you will save with another company for the same details on a policy. Take the time and do it. Also, check to see if you have full coverage on an automobile that is not worth much. If you do, you may want to reconsider just liability. Most likely your car will get totalled by an insurance company if anything happens to it if it is not worth much.

3.) Cell phone companies are running deals right now on free texts, data usage, etc. Their monthly rates are a savings of sizable amounts every month. Take that and times it by 12 and you might drop your mouth on what that would do for you at the end of the year ( extra house payment, car payment, savings, etc)

4.) Start carrying cash! Stop charging and using that debit card. Fees from banks can add up over a year and interest rates from credit cards. If you don't have it to spend at that time in your wallet, don't buy it.

5.) If you do have a credit card and pay it off at the end of each month, check your card for online buying malls/tools that earn you points or money back. If it is an item you are gonna buy anyway, then buy it online and save yourself the gas money and earn money as well. So many companies have free shipping, so take advantage of it and make it a win/win situation.

6.) Eliminate the magazine subscriptions and look for the free ones or check out the magazine or newspaper out online. You are paying for the internet, so use it to your advantage once again in this way. Most magazines give some sort of free online magazine.

7.) Buy yourself the coffee from the grocery store and quit buying it from the coffee shop! Think about it folks a coffee at $2.00 or a latte for $4.50 two times a week, and take that and times it by 52!!! That's a lot of money you are spending on something that is a luxury that can easily be done at home. Don't know how to make your favorite cup of coffee???? Look it up online, so many tools on making your cup of goodness in the morning.

8.) Ladies....manicures and pedicures. Yes, I love them, too...but, in between maintenance and polish can be done at home.  You don't have to weed them out completely, but try to push yourself to buff and polish yourself while you are in the shower/tub already.

9.) Garage sale time! Clean out all those items you don't use and put them in a garage sale. Make the items that are cluttering up your home and that you don't use to work for you in the form of extra cash. Take that cash and pay it toward a credit card with a balance, car payment, or house payment. Spend it where it will work the most for you in the long run.

10.) Consignment sales for kids shoes and clothing. Face it, they don't wear them long and usually stay in really good shape. Sell the items your kids have outgrown, work the consignment sale to save on the fee associated with it, and purchase your kids new clothes from the sale as well. So much money is wasted on kids clothing that might get worn just a hand full of times...if that.

11.) I have looked online and found so many DIY home recipes for household cleaners that are also much safer and less toxic to use in your home. I have tried them all, and I have my favorites. You don't have to replace all your items you use, but try to replace some. The savings will add up!

12.) Put a sweatshirt and socks on and turn the thermostat down a degree or two to save money. So many times we run around in few clothes in the house when we can put an extra layer on and save some money. It is also a great time to snuggle up on the couch with a blanket :)

13.) Hot water heaters use an abundance of our energy usage. Turn them down a bit and use cold water when able to.

14.) This brings me to my next one, use cold water when washing your clothes ( when you don't need the hot) and reserve the hot for towels and sheets where it counts most.

15.) Contact your energy provider and find out when is the cheapest time of day to use your energy/electricity in your home. If you have timers on your dishwasher, washing machine, etc., set the timer and wash them while you are asleep if the usage cost is less while you are sleeping :)

16.) Hair cuts, now don't get mad yet, hear me out....lol....if your kids need just a trim on the bangs or the ends of their hair, whoop out the shears and get to it yourself. If your husband tends to have a buzz cut or short hair cut all year or part of the year, use his trimmers to cut his hair. I do my husband's hair during the summer since he works outside and usually wants as little as possible up there :) Now for the ladies, hair cuts and colors can be extremely expensive. I have found that I can push getting my hair cut from 5/6 weeks to approximately 8 weeks or so. I eliminated my highlights and just opted for color since it was cheaper. Then, I took that one step further and found a color that was store bought that I really like. Ask your hairdresser what their opinion is on the best store bought variety (ex. permanent/ washout color and brand) and color they think would be closest to your color. If you have to buy the ones you think will work and take them with you to your next haircut. Everyone knows people are trying to save as much money as possible and I am sure they would like to keep you as a customer and at least keep cutting your hair for you :) Let them help guide you to the appropriate color for your hair color needs.

17.) Eating out is one of American families biggest expenditures. Start by counting how many meals per day, per person in your family, are purchased away from home. Then total them up at the end of the week or 7 days, and total up the receipts. You will be furious at the amount of money you see being wasted, especially if you are not bringing your leftovers home with you. If you can avoid eating out and take something from home, then do it by all means! Start checking out the Crock Pot recipes that can be cooking while you are at work or away from your home and look up those great casserole recipes that can typically feed a family for a couple of days. Folks purchase some gift certificates from your local grocery store if it benefits you in gas points, etc. Also, check out restaurant.com for any local restaurants that you enjoy. Most gift certificates run $2-$5 dollars for $25 worth of food. Just check for their coupon codes to get the extra money off at checkout. They run them allllll the time :)

18.) Stop wasting money on groceries that are getting thrown out due to spoilage, etc. Start making a list once a week of the items you are going to cook or need that week and buy only those things that are on the list. Force yourself to make that meal on that day. Most people stock up a pantry and end up not using most of the items in it and then end up going out of date (this is much more so in the refrigerator). If you are one of those people, start using up what you have and buy less. Get your pantry down to a skinny, non-cluttered look and start a shelf with bins/box with Monday through Sunday on it. Put the items needed for that meal in the bin along with the recipe, if needed, and pull it out when it is time to cook. You will find it a much more organized way and much less stress/ frustration when trying to figure out what to cook that night.  :)

19.) Plant a garden when able, even if you don't have any space to put one..use pots. There are so many things that can be planted at home that can add up real quick at a grocery store. Tomatoes are expensive folks! Plant a couple in a pot or two and keep them watered. Do you have a neighbor who has a garden? Trade out time in their garden for some produce. Even so much as you purchase the seeds, use their land, and work the garden together. Work something out, because where there is a will there definitely is a way.

20.) Cable! Whew is it expensive. Eliminate the channels/packages that you don't use very often. Also, eliminate tv boxes that you are renting in rooms that don't get used much. Designate a tv room and if necessary a movie room. Rent your movies from the $1 rental boxes and return them on time. It is much cheaper to purchase the movies you WANT to see than pay for all the ones you don't. You might even want to try a subscription to a movie rental network, such as Netflix and Blockbuster online.

I really hope this helps each of you. This is really just things that I have done here at my house and have seen an increase in our extra cash. Don't feel the need to do all of these at once. Just incorporate a few and then maybe add another one. Hope 2012 finds you all happy and healthy. Enjoy!

Heather

More DIY Baby Products and Solutions

Lots of suggestions, recipes, and items here for the baby and it's all natural....Enjoy

http://simpleorganic.net/natural-homemade-baby-care-recipe-baby-massage-oil/

Non-Petroleum Jelly

So, petroleum jelly is getting a second look because it is made from petroleum. So many items are made with petroleum jelly that we use, such as vapor rub, vaseline, diaper rash rub, lip gloss, and more. So my question is...why not use a better variety? Well, here you go courtesy of:  http://adelightfulhome.com/day-2-make-your-own-non-petroleum-jelly/   Enjoy!

How to Make Non-Petroleum Jelly

Ingredients
1/8 cup grated beeswax (about 1 ounce)
1/2 cup olive oil
Method
Combine beeswax and oil in a small saucepan. Melt over very low heat or in the top of a double boiler.
Pour into a jar to cool.

Kids will enjoy watching the mixture harden from the bottom up (I know I did).
Once completely cool, add lid and close tightly.
If you want a soften consistency, add more beeswax. It’s okay to remelt the jelly after it has hardened. Just keep working on it until you are happy.
Some ways to use your homemade, non-petroleum jelly:

• To smooth dry patches of skin
• To provide a protective layer or barrier
• Around your hairline when coloring your hair so the color doesn’t get on your skin.
• As a lip gloss
• Any way in which you might use a petroleum based jelly, like Vaseline.

Homemade Vicks Vapor Rub

Still dealing with the little ones illness and started looking even more in depth. As always, consult a physician first.

Pour 2 ounces of almond or olive oil into a small bowl or cup.
Add 20 drops of essential oil – choose eucalyptus, hyssop, thyme, peppermint,  basil, or rosemary.
This recipe comes from An Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants, by Mary Bove, N.D. page 286.

Voila! So easy and simple. Enjoy!

Homemade Pedialyte

As with anytime something comes up in my house I start looking for a solution or a way to do it myself. So with that said, we have a sick child right now, and I was floored at the cost of Pedialyte. A little research shows several variations of this recipe, but for the most part it stays the same. As with anything that deals with your child, consult your doctor prior to giving to your child.

Homemade Pedialyte

1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. potassium salt
3 tsp. sugar (or flavored kool-aid, NOT sugar free)
Mix it all with 1 liter water

Version #2

4 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon Jello gelatin powder

Mix it all together.

Hope these help in your healing process of the sick little ones. Enjoy!

Happy 2012 And We Are Back!

What a great year for 2011 and what an exciting one in 2012. Lots of great topics coming up. First post starts today so stay tuned while I type it up :)