Tuesday, November 30, 2010

TV stands

The Holiday season is upon us and Christmas is fast approaching! I look around and notice the kid's could use a new tv stand. One of my favorite places to look is through CSN stores.
CSN has over 200 stores with some super cool stuff... you can get shoes, dishes, cookware and even super chic tv tables! They have so many to choose from, the hardest part is making up your mind!

Looks like I'll be busy today looking at all the cool stuff over at csnstores.com!

Vicky

Holiday Weight Gain...


It's that time or year again, time for Turkey, dressing, ham and sweet potato casserole and rolls, and much more! I don't even want to start thinking about all the sweet treats in fear that I will gain weight just by thinking of them!
I have a Weight Watchers Meeting in 2 days and I have gained 2 lbs, not sure if it's just my scale and weight fluctuating, but I really need to get serious and get back focused on my weight loss effort. I've lost 22 pounds so far and I have a ton left to lose! If I quit WW's right now, by the first of the year I would in all seriousness, gain back the 22 lbs. It's so hard to get off and so easy to gain!
I'm so thankful that I have a treadmill to walk on with the cold weather here. I never thought I would be that thankful for my dust collector, LOL!
So I want to encourage you to get on the healthy bandwagon with me BEFORE the New Year so you can ward off those Holiday pounds! Weight Watchers just came out with a new program yesterday. I'll hear all about it at my meeting Thursday and fill you all in on it. There's an old saying, nothing tastes as good as thin feels. I guess they never ate chocolate cake before, LOL! Speaking of cake, I'm entering a bake off this weekend, gotta go plan things for the kids' to bake! Wish us all luck!!

Vicky

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone has plenty to eat and has some extra special time with their family, and remember those loved ones that can not be with you. Most importantly, remember to count your blessings and think of all the things you have to be thankful for this year! You won't imagine how many there are until you start writing them down!

Movie Review- Splice



I have to first say that Science Fiction movies are my least favorite out of all movies. Even saying that, I try to keep an open mind and watch different things. My husband had this sent to us from NetFlix. The preview looked interesting, they spliced genes from many different things, animals to a human and created this creature. I was fine with the movie up until the creature matured to an adult and the man (Adrian Brody) had sexual relations with it, ewwww. It was just so disgusting! It was just gross and sick! Definitely not a movie for me! I was just disappointed that I wasted almost 2 hours of my life on such a stupid gross movie! I would not recommend this movie to anyone!

vicky

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Product REVIEW and GIVEAWAY: Bondi Band

This is the headband I chose. It took me forever to pick out my favorite headband and after I saw the hearts I was in love :-)

My Review: I was excited to review this headband. I've recently started walking daily on my treadmill to help speed up my weight loss. I'm lucky in that I don't really sweat that much, but when I do, I absolutely hate it! This headband is totally lightweight and stretchy, which I loved! Most importantly, it actually does the job! No more yucky sweat beads on my forehead! Not only did it not slip and not drip, but it was soooo comfortable to wear! I don't think I will work out again without my Bondi Band on! They have many different bands to chose from, different patterns, colors and solids and some with sayings on them! They offer head bands according to your sweat level, from light to heavy. They even have them for men and children! They have so many incredible bands, that you really need to look at them for yourself, click here


The Bondiband Story:

The simple premise of Bondi Bands is to offer comfy, colorful, and creative headbands to fit every lifestyle and personality.

By using stretchy and breathable material, we allow Bondi Bands to fit virtually every head size comfortably and fashionably

All of our products are proudly Made In Maine!

*Now for the GIVEAWAY:
For one lucky reader, you will win one of these amazing headbands from Bondi Bond!

If you are interested, please follow the contest rules. Good Luck!
Contest ends on December 3, 2010

*US only please

*To Enter contest you MUST be a follower of this blog.

*Please leave all extra entries in separate comments to let me know.

*Winners will be notified by e-mail.

*Email Address must be visible in comment so that I can contact you.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

+1 for following me on Twitter here

+1 for following me on Facebook here

+5 for following my friend's blog Mom's Magical Apron here

+10 for sharing this contest on any social site and leaving the link in your comment

+50 for subscribing to this blog via email.

Good luck!

Vicky

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Sickness!

Our house has been hit full force with Strep! I will try to be on here by the weekend if everyone feels better. I have many reviews and giveaways to add, so stay tuned!
Vicky

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Cocoa Banana Muffins

I thought I had posted this recipe before, but I can't find it on here, so I guess I didn't. This is the most fixed muffin's at our house. The main reason is because I can't stand to eat ripe bananas and hate even worse to waste food so this is how I use old bananas up! The kids' prefer these muffins to banana bread.

RECIPE:
-1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 Tbls cocoa powder
-3 bananas, mashed
-3/4 cup white sugar
-1 egg, lightly beaten
-1/4 cup butter, melted
-1/4 tsp vanilla extract
-1/4 to 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
-1 Tbls flax seed (optional)
-sprinkle cinnamon on top before baking

*Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
* In large bowl, mix dry ingredients. In another bowl beat bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter.
*Stir in the banana mixture into the flour mixture, just till moistened.
*Bake in pre-heated oven for 16-18 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing.

(Weight Watchers Points = 4)

NOTE: You may have extra batter depending on how many bananas you actually throw in there, I usually do mini muffins also. For some reason anything miniature gets eaten a lot faster around here!



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Chicken Caesar Wraps


My kids' just love these! I have to admit it was my husband who actually fixed it the very first time. I wouldn't have thought the kids would ever even try these, let alone love 'em! But they did and now it's a favorite! The best part of this is that is super quick and easy and it's basically a chicken salad, wrapped in a tortilla shell. Did I mention it's quick and easy, my most favorite recipe :-)
RECIPE:
-1/2 cup cooked chicken, cubed (I buy Shortcuts on sale and freeze it, so I always have seasoned, cooked chicken in the freezer!)
-1/2 cup Salad dressing (I have used Caesar, Ranch, Creamy Italian)
-1/2 cup Croutons
-1/4 to 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
-Lettuce (depends on how many people you have)
-Tortilla shells

Just mix it all up in a big bowl and roll up in tortilla shell, burrito style.



Vicky

Thursday, November 4, 2010

My grass is totally greener...


Weird title for my post, don't ya think? How many times have you heard that old expression the grass is greener on the other side? Well I've been thinking the grass is pretty green on my side of the fence and I like it here :-) I've had a lot of free time to be thinking (well maybe just 30 extra minutes, but that's a lot for me!) since my husband has been out of town on a business trip. I started missing him even before he left! Now I REALLY miss him, just the little things that he does for me that I take for granted. Like when I've been typing my homework on the computer and my neck and back starts hurting, he's always there to give me a massage. Always there to run a quick errand for me. He'll buy anything at the store, except for maxi pads, he does have limits, LOL! Whenever I have some silly idea of some sorts, he's always there to support me even if it's the most ignorant thing I've ever said! I may not say it a lot, but I'm truly a lucky woman!

He may not know that tomorrow he'll be coming home to a special meal with his favorite dessert, but he knows that he'll be coming home to a messy, disorganized house full of screaming kids and a thankful wife, who think he's the most important man in the world!
So you see, the grass is totally greener from my side of the fence...

Vicky

Fried Apples...

I think my Nicholas could eat these by the buckets! I've never seen a kid eat fried apples like him before :) Saturday morning I got up really sick, I had been sick the entire week with stomach issues (think it's from changing my diet) and Saturday morning I spent the entire morning in the bathroom. There I was sitting thinking I could just die in here and no one would notice, LOL! So a little dramatic on my part, but I got over it! No more stomach cramps and issues anymore!!
Anyway, I came in here and fixed the kids a big breakfast, scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon (substituted turkey and they didn't even notice,shhh!!), and hash rounds. I just knew I should've fixed apples, well I put everything on the table and sure enough Nicholas said, "You didn't fix any fried apples??". Ahhh, you would think he wouldn't notice, but he did, so I fixed them the very next morning and all was well in his little world once again, oh to be 7 again...

I had fried apples growing up at my house frequently, but I didn't care that much for them. My Mom had 2 seasonings in her kitchen, salt and pepper, beyond pulling out sage for dressing, nothing else was ever there! So cinnamon wasn't a frequent visitor there and here I put cinnamon in just about every thing I can think of!

RECIPE:
-4 or 5 apples (whichever kind you have on hand, I use any, red or green; peeled,quartered
-6 Tbls butter, or you can use the whole stick!
-1 cup sugar (more or less, depending on the sweetness/sourness of your apples)
-1 tsp cinnamon (please don't leave out!)

Melt butter and add cinnamon in skillet. Add your apples. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir and then add white sugar, cover and cook another 15-20 minutes. Depending on how soft you like your apples. Stir occasionally.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Holiday Cards...

Since it's November now, it's time to start thinking about the perfect holiday card! Every single year I want to have an incredible picture of the kids' and put it on a greeting card and send that with my Christmas cards. But usually I never get around to it, I have big plans though! This year I've made my mind up to get on top of this and just do it! Sounds like a cliche, I know, but I love the Folded Greeting Cards from Shutterfly. There are so many designs to choose from it's going to be hard to pick the right one! Here's a selection of their Christmas Cards.
I have a dilemma because I'm totally in love with their Story Cards too! That would be so amazing to get those!

I think I will start picking out matching clothes for the boys and take a wintery picture and pick out a card! I'm really gonna do it this year :-)

While I'm on there looking, I found you can even personalize thank you cards with your very own pictures! How cool would that be?

Be on the look out for that special Christmas card with 4 gorgeous little faces on it!!

Vicky

Business Cards!

Since I have officially been bitten by the "blogging bug", I've been thinking about getting some cards made up and putting my blog name on them. Just something that would get my blog name out there and maybe get some more followers to sign up. A good way to get traffic drummed up for any business is by having business cards. There's so many on-line places to create cards like craft business cards. It will be a hard choice! I'm so happy to start this process! Many of you may not realize that I created my own badge for my blog. I saw a cute idea on the internet somewhere and being the frugal person I am (cheapo!) I decided to do it myself with my own personal touch on it (the heart shape)! So I laid out all the stuff and took my own picture. So naturally I want my own picture on my business cards!! I still can't believe how far I have come with my blog. For those of you that don't know me, before this blog, all I could do was turn on the computer and surf the internet. Now I'm uploading, writing computer codes, doing all kinds of weird stuff, LOL!!
Look out, you may see a card coming your way, very soon...

Vicky

Some of my favorite appliances...

I can't begin to tell you how much I love having a big freezer! Thankfully it's getting stocked back up now! If you read my earlier post about the marinade going every where from the cheap bags, you know I was making a marinade to pour over chicken and throw it in the freezer! I LOVE marinated chicken, but refuse to pay high price for the ones already made from the store! If you're still on the fence about getting a freezer, they really do pay for themselves, check out some of these freezers.

I also love having a grill! Grill + My husband = Me not having to cook!! We are pretty traditional around here, my sweet husband does all the grilling and it's sooo tasty! I love chicken and pork chops on the grill along with the favorites hamburgers and hot dogs! He even does corn on the cob and we've had hobo packets on their. You know, you just throw in a meat with some potatoes and veggies and wrap it up and cook it! Having a grill means more enjoyment for me :) Remember, you can even use your gas grill in the winter time! Every time we went to visit my Grandparents they would grill out for us in the dead of winter!! You can find some amazing prices right now, just look at these grills.

I would LOVE to have a new kitchen range! Unfortunately since we rent this house due to my husband's job (we pay very low rent) that also means that I never get a say so in what's inside my home, as far as major appliances go. So if you want to dream right along with me, check out some of these amazing kitchen ranges.

Monday, November 1, 2010

You get what you pay for...


This old saying applies to anything in life! This hit me like a ton of bricks last night, or should I say splattered! I made a homemade marinade and cut up 3 packages of chicken breasts (on manager's special from Kroger!) and I was putting it in a plastic bag to freeze. The freezer bags were the dollar special from the Dollar Tree. What was I thinking buying bags from the Dollar Tree? To my defense, I always double bag, so I assumed they would be okay, WRONG! I had 4 (1 gallon size) bags and happily put the chicken pieces in them and pour the marinade, one by one, then one bag starts to leak, then another, then another, well you get the point! UGH! I was so mad at myself for buying such cheap bags. Scott said by the time I had to double and triple bag the meats it would cost as much as Ziploc! Now I know that! Oh, the splatter came when the flimsy bag fell over and the marinade splattered out before I could grab it. It was a big 'ole mess at 11:30 at night! Don't ask me why it was that late! I get easily sidetracked during the day and have to do stuff when the kids are in bed! So after cleaning the floor up several times and still having to mop again today, I will no longer buy cheap freezer bags at the Dollar Tree :)

The baby has a well baby check up today and it's in the same town that has a Dollar Tree, and yes it has already crossed my mind that I need more bags, AHHHHHHHHHH! The insanity never ends, LOL! But I just won't use them for liquids :-)

Vicky