Santa is Tightening His Belt This Year

As I prepare my gift list for this year's Christmas shopping, I am trying to keep our budget in mind. It's hard to stick to a certain dollar amount when you find the perfect gift that is over the limit, want to buy extras like jammies for the kids, baking ingredients for special treats and fun photo cards. It's no wonder most of us either go into debt during the holidays or dip into funds beyond our Christmas cash! Here's what I have in mind to stick to our budget this year- simplify, simplify, simplify!!
It really does make a difference when you streamline your shopping and put blinders on, avoiding potential spending on items you didn't want in the first place. For example, I was lured into the cosmetics section the other day at Kohl's because there were a TON of "buy-one, get-one" deals on items like body wash, lotion and perfume spray. The thing I failed to remember in that moment?? I didn't need those and nobody on my list was getting them so I moved on!! Here's how I'm keeping myself in check this year and maybe my tips will help you too!
- First, set a total spending limit then divide it by how many people you have to shop for...easy enough, right?? Don't be discouraged if you have a smaller budget this year. You can find some great gifts for under $10, believe it or not!! (more on that tomorrow...)
- Write down your ideas for people before you shop or you might end up in a Bermuda Triangle, circling the store and wandering aisles aimlessly..
- Keep gifts simple and useful. Also, consider a "theme". For example, if you know the women in your family or a group of girlfriends really will use bath and body products, then by all means, stock up and take advantage of the deals and give them all the same gift. Or give everyone pajamas, coffee gift cards or subscriptions to magazines.
- Instead of ordering expensive photo cards, print them yourself at Walgreen's, Target or Wal-Mart for as little as fifty cents each. Or, buy boxed cards (they even have them at the 99 Cent Store...) and let your kids decorate them.
- I'm going to forgo matching jammies for my kids this year. They have sooo many already and it's just not necessary!
- Host a clothing swap with friends and put together fun holiday outfits. There's no reason you have to buy new outfits for every Christmas party, photo session, dinner...etc.
How will you save this Christmas???

Zesty "Garbage" Soup

Normally, I'm not a fan of the garbage soup. Perhaps it's because it took on a new meaning growing up. My dad could make soup out of anything but it didn't always have the most appetizing end result. I could never be sure if there were leftovers from people's plates in there or perhaps leftovers gone bad...So I never partook (love ya, Dad!) But now that I'm an adult and not only cook the food but have to pay for it every week, I have a new appreciation for the saying "waste not, want not". The worst thing I can do in the kitchen is throw food away. I hate doing it!!
So as the leftovers from the other night's chicken and couscous sat for a day or two, I decided to turn them into a delicious soup. I started with an onion, garlic and green pepper, the veggies I had on hand and simmered on low with some olive oil. After letting them cook about ten minutes and soften, I added chicken broth (36 oz. box..), a can of tomatoes and the leftover chicken (diced) and threw the couscous in at the end, when the soup was boiling. I also threw in some random seasonings I had on hand, but most of the flavor comes from the broth. I topped it with some crushed tortilla chips and sour cream and turned something drab into something fab!! What will you (re) create tonight???

A Homemade Holiday

I know, I know...Halloween just passed and I'm already on to the next holiday...Christmas!! I know what you're thinking, "that's not the next holiday, Emily!" but really, it's the next big thing. Yes, we have Thanksgiving to contend with but it's just really the opening act for the main event. So out come the tubs of Christmas decorations and off I go planning, making lists, turning up my Christmas music, and most importantly, getting my DIY activities going. No, I don't do it all homemade and I take the help where I can, but part of the fun of Christmas is putting together a gingerbread house with the kids, making a Christmas wreath and baking homemade goodies for the neighbors. So with projects in mind, I have the perfect one to get you started!! It's super easy, requires very little effort but has a stunning outcome. Oh, and it's very inexpensive to make. Last year, I crafted the perfect wreath for my front door using some bulb ornaments, foam, tissue, and hot glue. That was it!!! Here's how it turned out!

First, cut your foam (or cardboard, or wood...) into the desired shape. I chose rectangle as it would look a little more modern and give my door some character. Next, hot glue tissue all over (cut tissue into squares and twist bottom to make little "puffs" to give dimension...) then glue bulbs in tissue, placing all over and creating a pattern so the bulbs are evenly distributed. Then hang!! It takes less than thirty minutes to create this one-of-a-kind Christmas decoration that you made yourself!
To get more ideas, I always check out Pinterest, the Martha Stewart website and am constantly scouring magazines for displays I want to copy. What are you going to make??

Santa Clause is Coming to Town...Rancho Cucamonga, to be Exact!!!

Yo, check it...every year since my daughter was born, we've taken her (and now my son..) to Bass Pro Shops to visit Santa. It is the best Santa by far, we have ever experienced. Being that my hubby is keen on all things for an outdoorsman, off to Bass Pro we would go on any given weekend...to browse, to eat, to window shop..but the year we had our daughter, our eyes perked at the sight of the Santa display. Actually, a display doesn't do it justice. It's a wonderland. They have a working carousel, a kid's area with activities that include coloring, games, and a shooting gallery and most importantly, visits with the big man, including a picture, absolutely free. Oh, and they usually have coupons for free kids meals at the restaurant, the Islamorada Fish Company, which has great food and is the perfect way to end the day. This year, Santa will be arriving Saturday evening, Nov. 10th at 5:00 and stay until 8:00. It sounds like it will be amazing, complete with cookies and hot chocolate for the kids, free giveaways and carolers on top of everything else I mentioned. Don't miss this first night with Santa!! If you can't make it, fear not for Santa will be there until Christmas eve. I highly recommend going, even if you have to drive a little to get there. If you plan to take your kids to see Santa this Christmas season, this will not disappoint. Oh, and there are plenty of photo ops for your Christmas cards!! We plan on going this weekend so I'll keep you posted!! Here are some pics from last year:

                                                                  At Santa's village

                                                          Getting in on the drawing!!

Photo op out front..

For more info, check out basspro.com

My Son Sleeps in My Bed...Wanna Make Something of it??

No, I'm not trying to pick a fight!! We all have our weaknesses, the chinks in our armor as moms. Maybe you give your kids sweets before breakfast, fail to follow through on punishments or in my case, allow your baby in your bed long past their infant days. Actually, I may do all three...but I don't think I'm the only one. Despite our best efforts as moms to feed our kids healthy, balanced meals, take them outside to play, dress them nicely and teach them manners, we all fall flat at one point or another. Some days I am just way too tired for another stinkin' craft, don't have the energy to walk to the park and don't always get the bath in at the end of the day. So when my son cries at 2:30 a.m. because he wants mommy, I'm not fighting it. I know at some point, he's gotta outgrow it and I pray daily that he will sooner than later 'cause mommy is tired but I'm not ready to face that battle just yet.
All too often us moms are hesitant to disclose our weaknesses and it's no wonder. With Pinterest crafting projects, Facebook posts with pictures of perfection and bloggers boasting their kids latest accomplishments (cough, cough)...it's no wonder it looks like we have it all together!! But that's just on paper. The day to day?? Forget about it! My floors are always sticky, my kids seem to have perpetually dirty faces and clothes, and I never, I mean never seem to have enough time in the day to do it all. Scrapbooking?? Color-coordinating outfits on Sunday with a perfect homemade lunch to follow? Forget about it!! I do my best to keep it together and I'm betting you do too. So let's go easy on each other, sisters. And go easy on ourselves!!

My Menu

This week I was a little unprepared for grocery shopping. I didn't have time to compile recipes and make the usual 7-day menu but have a few meals in mind...

Saturday: Chicken salad on croissants
Sunday: Pesto pasta with garlic bread
Monday: Chicken with couscous and broccoli
Tuesday: Grilled cheese w/fruit
Wednesday: Dinner out!
Thursday: ???
Friday: Shopping day, thank God!!
What's your meal plan?? Any good recipes? Share them here!

Supermarket Savings...How I Did!!!

So last month after facing the music and reconciling our bank account, I was SHOCKED to see that my hubby and I had spent a whopping $776.49 on...food for the month. Just food. I'll let that sink in for a moment. Of course, we have to eat but not to this excess! Half was spent just on fast food alone and the other was on groceries but also included things like soda, unhealthy snacks, odds and ends for the house and indulgences like ice cream and sweets...things that we certainly did not need (also..our Jack-In-The-Box shakes...sigh.) So I sat my hubby down and gave him the cold, hard facts. We were overspending.
We decided for the month of October we would set some parameters: spend no more than $100 a week on groceries and limit our eating out to once a week each and once a week as a family, which kept things realistic. We were also very conscious of frivolous spending. No trips to Target just because (I would end up spending money on nonsense, naturally) no more random drive-thru stops for cookies and a soda (did we need either?? don't think so!!) and most importantly, less eating out altogether! Eating more at home would naturally cause us to eat healthier, or so we hoped. So how did we do??? Drum roll please....we spent $453.88 on food in October. That gave us a savings of $322.12 in one month, not bad if I do say so myself!!
Over the course of a year, that's over $3600!!!! That's A LOT of money! In just a year, we'd have enough for a family vacation, a new car, a huge chunk o' change toward debt or hello, money in our  savings...not eaten. So how can you save money too????
- Make a list and menu for the week with a meatless night or two thrown in. It's amazing how much food is wasted when you don't have a plan and meat every night can be pricey.
- Rethink dinner out. If you need a break from cooking, (who doesn't??) hit places with coupons or where kids eat free.
- Pack lunches for work. This is huge!! Lunches cost at least $4 so that's $20 in just one week!
So, are you up for the challenge??? How will you save?