Looking for Christmas gift ideas for teachers, bus drivers, coaches, neighbors, etc.? I have a great idea today!

Christmas cookies are wonderful. I seriously love them. I hesitate to give tons of them as gifts though, because as much as I like my Christmas cookies, everyone else probably likes their Christmas cookies. Know what I mean?

Anyway … I thought it would be a fun idea to give granola as a gift and I got a cool idea for packaging it – spaghetti sauce jars. I love glass jars and think they would be much nicer packaging than plastic. So here’s what I did.

I completely washed and dried two jars and lids I had set aside. But of course, I was left with that icky glue from the label.

I mixed 1 tablespoon of oil with 1-1/2 tablespoons of baking soda, to make a paste. Then I lathered the paste all over the glue and let it set for 5 minutes or so to work its magic. Then I used the scrubby side of the sponge (the green side on those green and yellow ones) and scrubbed at it with a vengeance. It doesn’t come off easily but it’s not too bad. <– You could skip this whole process and just use Goo Gone, but I didn’t happen to have any in my house when this brilliant idea dawned on me.

then …

After you have goo-free jars, tackle the lids. I happened to have a nice off-white spray paint left over from something else. It took two coats to cover the lids and make them look all pretty.

I am so happy with how lovely they look. I love that they don’t have a weird logo embossed on them or anything, just nice, smooth glass.

These would also be great for those “cookies in a jar” gifts!

For more great ideas, check out 50+ Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas!

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe has been sick for two days. Yesterday as I walked in the room to bring her another drink, she said, “I feel so happy that you’re my mom.” ~sigh~ Happy Mama Moment

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I tried out a new frugal tool this week that I’m excited to share with you!

For a few years now I’ve been using my Menu Plan/Grocery List Calculator in Google Docs for my grocery list each week. I really love having an idea of how much I’m about to spend before I even go into the store. It helps me plan well and stick closely to my budget.

Well, recently my husband and I decided to join the world of smartphones (more on that soon). One of the first things I did was search for a grocery list app and that’s when I came across Out of Milk.

I’ve used it for one big trip and I’ve been toying with it since then. The Out of Milk site describes their app as “an easy-to-use and intuitive Shopping List, To-Do List and Pantry List app that can be as simple or as detailed as you’d like.” When I downloaded the app I began using it right away. I didn’t have to take time to figure it out. It was very intuitive. Here are some things I loved about it:

• It was easy to add items to the list and predictive text was spot on.
• You can add the unit price and then the coupon amount for each item.
• It has a bar code scanner so I could scan items in my kitchen and it added them!
• It keeps a running total of what you add to the list.
• As you shop, you can easily strike through items as you put them in the cart.
• As you strike through each item, it keeps a total of how much you’ve spent.
• The next time you make a list and add a previously added item, it remembers the unit price!
• I can share the list with my husband. It will text or email your shopping list to anyone, or if they sign up for the app you can just share the list with them that way.
• It’s free and can be used on iPhone, Android or your computer!

I am so excited about this new grocery shopping tool! I love when I find new ways to accomplish my goals. This app also has more features that I haven’t even tried yet – like a pantry list and a to-do list.

Please share – do you use this or another app that helps make mindful spending easier and maybe even fun?

This post is not sponsored or endorsed by Out Of Milk. This is an unpaid, unbiased review of a product I use and recommend.

Why I do what I do ~ 
Chloe: “Mom, do we need a new car?”
Me: “Yes.”
Chloe: “Then we should be going on ‘The Price Is Right.’”

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I’ve mentioned plenty about how I love to bake homemade bread. Homemade bread goes stale quicker than store-bought bread though, so we occasionally have stale bread on our hands. I’ve written before about saving it in the freezer for stuffing. Today, I have another idea for you – make some croutons!

Croutons aren’t expensive, but they are easy to make and why throw out old bread when you can use it for something else? So here’s what you do.

Homemade Croutons

You’ll need:

• 4 tbsp. butter
• 3 or 4 slices of stale bread, cubed
• Italian seasoning
• Garlic powder or 1 clove

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the garlic or garlic powder and the Italian seasoning. I don’t measure – sorry. Probably a 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning and a little less than that of the garlic powder. Add the bread cubes and toss them around to coat them sort of evenly. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Put the bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake them for about 15 minutes – until they are hard but not over-browned.

That’s it! Serve them with a salad and enjoy. They are delicious.

Why I do what I do ~ Being funny, I handed Chloe her fork and said, “Here’s your weapon!” She replied, “Is that how you say ‘fork’ in Spanish?”

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In the northeast, the nights are getting cold and the mornings are cool and crisp. Fall is here! Weather like this makes me want to pull out some soup recipes.

I love a really good tomato soup. I’ve tried a few times in the past to make it from scratch with little success. There was always something wrong with the flavor or texture.

Then I tried this recipe. It was really delicious. It’s more of a bisque-like soup, rather than a chunky, hearty soup. It was so velvety smooth and filling. A great supper soup. We had a Caesar salad with it and it was plenty. Cuddle up and enjoy!

Homemade Tomato Soup

You’ll need:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil or butter
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes <– find the fire roasted. It’s worth it.
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. sugar (to taste)
• Basil, dried or fresh – start with 2 tsp. dried or 1 tbsp. fresh

What to do:

In a big pot (the one you want to make the soup in), saute the garlic, celery, carrots and onion in the oil/butter until soft. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, basil and broth. When it’s good and hot, add the cream cheese. Simmer 20 minutes or so. Give it a good stir and taste it. Add sugar, more basil, salt … whatever. Go wild. Now, if you’re more awesome than me and you have an immersion blender (why, oh WHY do I still not have one??), go ahead and blend this soup right in the pot until it’s creamy and smooth. If you ARE like me and you don’t have one, then pull out your food processor and have a nice time pouring hot soup into it without burning yourself. Puree it until you think it’s done, and then go a little longer. Taste for smoothness. Once it’s good, pour it back into the pot and reheat a few minutes. Serve immediately.

Why I do what I do ~ Getting out of the shower, Chloe says, “I’m Coldilocks!”

The photo above is not my soup, but it looks exactly like it with that lighter color and smooth, thick consistency. Oh man … I want to go in the kitchen and whip it up just writing about it …

photo credit: stevendepolo

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Each summer, we like to take a little time off for a family vacation. We’ve never been able to take an extravagant one, but we always have plenty of fun. We plan ahead, set aside some money (no credit card vacations for us) and have some fun within our means. It feels wonderful to enjoy what you can afford and with some careful planning and scouting for deals – you can do just that, even on a tight budget!

This year, we’ve been having a great time planning our vacation using Group Buying Sites (Groupon, Living Social, Deal Chicken, etc.).

Not familiar with them? These sites basically offer you one or more amazing deals each day, usually at least 50% off. For instance, a green’s fee at a golf course: regularly $50 – you pay $25. The only real “catch” is that the promotional value generally expires within a certain time frame of 6 months to one year. The paid value does not expire.

So here’s what we’ve been doing:

We chose a place to go

Seems pretty basic, but you have to start somewhere. If you buy deals for all over the place then there really isn’t any rhyme or reason to what you’re doing. We’re going camping and visiting family on the coast of Maine so that’s where we’re focusing our attention.

We subscribed to deals for that area

On these sites, you can subscribe to a certain location and follow a certain type of deals. You may want to follow restaurants and dining, entertainment,  lodging – you get the idea. Once you subscribe, you can have the deals sent to you each day so you don’t have to go searching for them.

We also searched for newspapers and local channels in the area that we will be traveling – often they will have a partnership with a lesser-known or independent group-buying site.  We have found that some of the deals offered by these smaller sites are for places that may not be as well known, but are still awesome!

We had money ready and purchased deals

When a deal comes up, it is usually only available for a limited time or there are only a limited number of them. Once you see one you like – buy it. We have a Vacation envelope where we’re putting our deals and I’m really looking forward to using them!

Here are 3 reasons why I love this:

1. It’s like paying for your vacation a little at a time

Because you’ve pre-paid for your vouchers, you’ll need less cash on hand than you might ordinarily need and you also won’t have to come up with the money all at once – very budget friendly!

2. It’s an inexpensive way to try something new 

There may be something your family has always wanted to do but has been out of your price range then this may make it possible! Surprise your family with something they’ve been dying to do – at a deep discount!

3. It’s a great way to be purposeful with your vacation time and spending

Instead of heading out to a vacation spot with a pocket full of money and no plans, then running out of money before your vaca is up – have a plan! With two or three already-planned trips or events you’ll be well on your way to a fun and budget-friendly vacation!

We love the summer and do our best to enjoy every minute of it. I hope you’re doing the same! Don’t get too busy that you miss out on catching fireflies, roasting marshmallows and sticking your feet into a river, a lake or an ocean!

Why I do what I do ~ After eating some blackberries, Chloe told me that she had a seed in her mouth. I told her it was fine to swallow it. She said, “No, I think I’ll keep it in my mouth and plant it later.”

 {photo by anja_johnson}

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Maybe I’m weird. I don’t know. I’ve always washed my hair every day. I shower at least once per day and every time I take a shower I wash my hair. I always have.

(As I type this, it occurs to me what a weird topic this is …)

I’ve heard many times that it isn’t good for your hair to be washed every day – but I imagined my hair would be greasy and pasted to my head if I didn’t wash it daily. I have oily skin and it makes my hair, especially around my face, also oily.

Well, I was in the Dominican Republic a couple months ago (that’s a post for another day) and while I was there my hair felt like it was really getting dried out so I started only washing my hair every other day. To my complete shock – it was fine and I’ve kept it up since. Actually, I’ve been having some stellar hair-days on the second day.

My initial reason for the skip-a-day hair washing was for my hair, but a really wonderful side benefit has been that I am literally using HALF as much shampoo and conditioner! I have pretty thick hair and I go through it quickly, so this has been a pretty cool perk.

Am I the last person in America to realize that super-clean isn’t always super great? Do any of you wash your hair less than daily?

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe is learning to read and picking it up really quickly. From another room, Chloe yells to me, “What does chilleds mean?” I yell, “Chilled?” She corrects me with an exaggerated pronunciation, “ChilleDS.” I think she’s saying it wrong and I tell her that chilled means something is cooled. She makes an adorable annoyed sound and says, “Will you just come look?” I go to where she is and she points to a word in a book – child’s.

photo credit: Dale M Moore

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I was at the grocery store last week and one of the items on my list was “1 packet of Fajita seasoning.” I was in the aisle, standing in front of the packets and thought, I’ve made taco seasoning – I can probably make this too. So I didn’t buy it.

On the day we were supposed to have fajitas I did a quick search online and found what I needed. I tweaked it a bit for our personal taste and it was great. I was very pleased with the outcome. So here it is:

Homemade Fajita Seasoning

• 3 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 3 tsp. chicken bouillon
• 1-1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. chipotle seasoning

Combine all the ingredients together. This recipe yields 3 “packets” worth of seasoning, approximately 1/4 cup of seasoning each.

To make fajitas with your seasoning, add 1/4 cup seasoning and 2-3 tbsp. of water to cooked chicken (shredded, cubed or in strips) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green pepper, red pepper and onion strips. Cook until veggies are tender and serve in warm tortillas. We like ours with sour cream and salsa.

Why I do what I do ~ One day I was feeling particularly disheveled and said, mostly to myself, “I feel like a wreck.” Chloe overheard me and replied, “I feel like a regular person.”

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This year, for Christmas, I made a gift for David and Chloe. We take many, many pictures but rarely print them – the curse of the digital camera. So I decided to make a 2011 album as a gift from me to them.

It took many carefully planned hours of sneaking around to finish it. In those hours, with photos spread all over my kitchen … I got to relive 2011. More than once, tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered the many small moments of the past year. I saw beautiful moments between my daughter and husband and remembered the fancy dresses and wild tights Chloe insisted on wearing all last winter. I saw pictures of Chloe’s big haircut and her first day of school. There were pictures of us camping with friends and Chloe at swimming lessons. There were many smiles and silly faces. 2011 was a good year.

I get lost in the moment, in the “what’s next” and planning for things ahead. It’s not bad to do those things – but those things are uncertain, they are guesses. Thinking ahead can cause stress or worry because of the unknown and always living in that mindset is dangerous – keeping your mind on what could be.

Taking a moment to reflect on the past year is good for my soul. Looking back, I can see how blessed I am. There were things I feared that never happened and there were wonderful surprises that I never expected. There were milestones and victories where we celebrated and tearful moments that strengthened my faith. When I look back, all I can feel is grateful and gratitude leads to contentment – a perfectly wonderful way to begin a new year.

Happy New Year, friends! I’m feeling blessed by this past year and looking forward in anticipation to the next. Have you taken time to reflect on 2011?

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe heard dogs howling in the distance and told me they were saying all their vowels.

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I am right in the holiday spirit. I love decorating and I’m already thinking about what I’d like to do this year. Two new ideas I’m looking forward to trying out: Popcorn-Cranberry Garland and a Balsam Door Swag. They aren’t new ideas but they are new for our family because we haven’t tried them yet. I’m excited to!

As far as frugal goes – the popcorn-cranberry garland is only frugal if you don’t care that it is perishable, which I don’t. I have a hot air popcorn popper, so I can make lots of popcorn on the cheap. Cranberries are on sale for $2.50 per bag in the produce section right now. I’m thinking I could make my garland for under $10.

The swag is a great alternative to a wreath. I made a wreath a couple years ago. It came  out nice but it was quite a lot of work. I’m excited to try the easier-looking swag. I’m going to model it after this one from LLBean.

So, do you have any frugal holiday decorating ideas? Share them!

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe was just asking me if we had any pickles in the refrigerator. I told her we had some but they were almost gone. She exclaimed, “We have to get more pickles because we always have them for our feast-es!”

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When Fall rolls around I fall back in love with sweatpants, cuddle blankets, hot tea … and everything else cozy. I gladly set aside my flip flops for my cozy slippers as the floors begin to feel cold in the morning.

All of the snuggling starts to get me in the mood for some knitting and crocheting. I don’t typically do either one during the Spring and Summer months. It’s not a rule or anything, I just usually don’t feel like it. But when Fall rolls around I start searching for my needles and hooks and scrounging whatever yarn is leftover from last winter.

So I did just that last week – found some needles, found some yarn and found a pattern. I wanted to knit a cup cozy, like this one:

Don’t you love it? I had some red yarn and small needles. I tried this pattern. I cuddled under a blanket and was so excited to knit myself a little cozy. I thought I was having a brilliant idea and I would knit a whole bunch for Christmas. Imagine my disappointment when it came out terrible. It was too big and almost stretchy – so it didn’t stay put on the cup. There’s no way I’m showing you a picture of the one I made. I was SO bummed.

Thankfully, it was a small, quick project so I didn’t have too much time invested. It looks like it should have been pretty simple. I’m not really sure what I did wrong. Can anyone help? I’d love to try it again and get it right!

Also, I’m dying to make a cute hat for myself – not a warm winter-y one – a cute one. I stumbled across this one and I think I might try it. It’s a little outside of my realm of comfort but I’m willing to try! What do you think?

Are you working on any projects? Have any tips for me or good patterns? Please share! I can use all the help I can get

Why I do what I do ~ One night we were driving down the road and Chloe spotted something far away. She said, “Do you know why I can see that far? It’s because I ate carrots today.”

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