Fabulously Frugal

Accessorize it, Ladies!!!

2012-05-28T18:01:00.002-07:00

Hi All, I have been busy lately and haven't had much of a chance to "Blog". I probably shouldn't even be on here now, I have dinner on the stove, laundry to fold and a kid in the tub...and I am supposed to be studying. But, I just HAD to show some "Blog Love" to my good friend, Maleeka....She makes Fabulous earrings and I want you all to check them out and purchase some ASAP!

The name of her business is SoulMine Creations. I purchased 2 custom made earrings and let me tell you, I get compliments every where I go when I wear them. I don't know about you, but I just LOOOOVE wearing something original that no one else has. The quality is excellent and the shipping was super fast and best of all the prices are Fantastic!

Here is a link to her Facebook page and also a link to her Etsy store, along with just a few sample pics (which I hope she doesn't mind that I stole them from her page..lol).

The first two pictures are earrings that I purchased from her and let me tell you, the pictures do them no justice, they are even more gorgeous in person!

Once again, thanks for reading!

Review: Salon Style Nail Polish Strips

2012-03-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Today I am reviewing Salon Style Nail polish strips:

About a year ago I gave up one of my addictions....Acrylic nails. For years I was a slave to going to the nail salon every two weeks to go through the whole process of getting them filled, buffed, filed etc. One day I decided enough is enough, I can't keep spending money on this. All it was doing was damaging my own nails, on top of the fact I started to notice that not very many grown women are rocking acrylic nails, it's mostly the young girls. I also started to actually like the look of well manicured, natural nails. I took those bad girls off and haven't been back since. It took a very long time for my nails to outgrow the damage the acrylics caused. I get a manicures maybe once a month or so, but in between manicures I do my nails myself at home.

One day I was on Ebay looking around and saw these nail polish strips that I have heard alot about and decided to give them try. I ordered the animal print ones, just to be a little funky and have some fun with my nails, but they have a ton of different designs to choose from and they also have plain ones as well. I paid $2.99 for the pack, it came with 12 strips, a cuticle stick and a nail file. I was expecting it to be a disaster, with creases and crinkles all over the place, but I was pleasantly surprised. They were so simple and easy to put on, just stick on the one closest to your finger nail size and file off the excess. WOW! I loved it, it took me ten minutes to finish and no dry time! I also had two of the largest stickers left and used those on my big toes to make my toes match my nails. They look fabulous! One more thing, I added a clear top coat to my nails in the hopes that it will make them last longer. My husband is thrilled, not because they look so awesome (typical man, he could care less, lol) but because he said I look like I went to the nail salon and he didn't have to spend nail salon money (his nickname is Daddy Cheap-O, lol).

The seller I purchased them from on Ebay was great, they arrived in a good amount of time and he even included an extra nail file that wasn't in the package. If you are interested in trying these out...and I highly recommend you do, you can purchase them at almost all beauty supply stores or on Ebay, here is the link. I like them so much that have already ordered a few more designs :)

Here is my final result....

Thanks for reading!

Super Moist Banana Bread!

2012-03-07T05:02:00.004-08:00

I'm a huge fan of banana bread. It's a great way to use those overly ripe bananas that no one ever wants to eat in the house. My 6 year old always says "I don't like the brown bananas" and frankly who does? Unless.....Its made into some delicious banana bread or banana bread muffins, then EVERYONE loves the brown bananas!!!

My family absolutely loves this banana bread recipe, the sour cream makes it super moist. I also like to make it into muffins. They are usually all gone within the first few hours after making them, So good!
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2-3 very ripe bananas, mashed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan or muffin pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, walnuts (optional) and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf/muffins comes out clean. Cool loaf/muffins in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Next time your stuck with some "brown bananas", don't throw them out...Make some bread instead!

Enjoy and Thanks for reading!

You Better Go Handle Your Bizzness!

2012-03-01T11:52:00.001-08:00

Hi all! It's been a while since my last entry. I've had a few things keeping me busy but now, I'm baaaaaaack! LOL

Today's Blog is a review of these Herbal Pills I am taking, they are called Glucomannan Root or Konjac Root. Before I explain what they are and how they work let me give u a little back story (no pun intended)....

First I will warn you it will be embarrassing...to me mostly, so why not sit down and have a good chuckle at my expense, I don't mind.

Since I can remember I have always had a problem with....... drum roll please...... going to the bathroom or being "regular". It got worse when I had kids, (not sure why that is) but it did. Oh man, and when I was pregnant it was pure torture, I refused to take the prenatal vitamins because the Iron would mess me up completely. Without giving you too much info and grossing you out, I can go for days, sometimes I swear it will be over a week before I go to the bathroom and by then I am so uncomfortable and my stomach is swollen to the size of a basketball! I envy my husband who is like a well oil machined you can pretty much count on the fact that he will go at least twice in one day, at the same time everyday. I guess you could say I have "poop envy", lol. I blame my inability to lose weight solely on the fact that I can't use the bathroom (yeah, eating cake, ice cream and cookies may have something to do with it, but so what...that's my story and I'm sticking to it!).

Apparently, I am not the only one that suffers from this disorder, its quite common in Women. Some of the contributing factors are Stress, busy lifestyles, the fact that we tend to hold it in more than men (which I know I am certainly guilty of that one, I refuse to use public restrooms), lack of fiber and water in our diets etc. They even have a yogurt made just to help make us "regular". This is an Epidemic People, No Woman is safe! I mean we even have a Spokesperson for Constipation, Jamie Lee Curtis!

I have tried quite a few things to relieve my ailment. Laxatives, Activia: I can't eat yogurt every day, it's just not something I enjoy eating, so that didn't work for me. Fiber pills: They made me more bloated and uncomfortable. Oh, and this tea my aunt sent me, because my mom of course had to share my problem with the world and with anyone who would listen. Let me tell you about this tea.....First off it tastes like what I am trying to get out of my body and smells just as bad. But, I was desperate so I went ahead and drowned it with honey and down the hatch it went, nothing happened the first day so, I drank another one the second day and let me tell you I woke up at 3am sweating and with the worst stomach cramps ever. I swore I was gonna end up on the show "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" I ran to the bathroom thinking "OMG! I am going to give birth in the toilet to this baby that I didn't even know I was pregnant with!" (sorry if its TMI) Anyway, it wasn't a baby, but I will never EVER drink that tea again, it was just a terrible experience.

A few months ago I was watching some infomercial in the middle of the night talking about removing belly fat and what not. So, I googled the pills they were selling, just to see what it was all about. While doing that I stumbled upon a few people who said that those pills were a waste of money, paying $100 when the main ingredient was just an Herb that you could buy for under $15. I researched the Herb they were talking about and it turned out it was supposed to help with losing weight, feeling full, hypertension, hemorrhoids, digestion disorders and CONSTIPATION!

After further research, I sure did go on amazon.com and ordered me some. I have been taking them for over a month now and I can proudly say I am REGULAR! Yay! They aren't as harsh as laxatives at all and although I haven't lost any weight and they don't really make me feel full at all, they do make doing my business a regular every day sometimes even twice in one day thing!

I just placed my second order, and can't wait for it to arrive :)

Here is the link to the ones I ordered from Amazon.com.

Thanks for reading!

A~

Bronzed and FABULOUS!!!

2012-01-27T16:05:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!! Today I am going to discuss something that is near and dear to me....Bronzer/Self Tanner!

NO, I am not talking about the "I look like a Ooompa Loompa bronzer"

or the "OMG she looks like Linsey Lohan self tanner" (which by the way, is NOT a compliment).

I actually found one that I really like and use quite frequently...Well I used to use it quite frequently, till I moved to the good old sunshine state :)
Anyway, I really like this particular self tanning lotion, its made by Banana Boat and is called Summer Color Self Tanning Lotion. It's self adjusting, streak free and for ALL skin tones or so it says, I havent tried it on ALL skin tones, just my own and it seems to work just fine, lol.
I haven't been able to find it in any stores other than Walmart or online at amazon.com

Here is the link on Amazon, they have a package of 3 for under $20!!

Here are a few tips when using Self-Tanning lotion:

1. There is such thing as too much, don't over do it, a little goes a long way.
2. Make sure you cover all areas or you will end up with the not so cute patches, spread it evenly.
3. The best time to apply the lotion is after you have taken a shower and have already dried off.
4. MAKE SURE YOU THOROUGHLY WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP or you will end up with tanned palms and that is NOT a cute look. (believe me, it has happened to me before)
5. Self tanning lotion also helps to hide stretch marks or scars. Now, it doesn't completely cover them but it does make them less noticeable.
6. Did you know that a tan makes you appear thinner? I kid you not, it is a known fact. I don't know about you but I love looking thinner!

So, for all of you that are unable to hit up the beach to acquire that sun kissed glow in Winter or just don't like to soak up those UV rays that are so bad for you, try a self tanner, you will look and feel Fabulous!

Thanks for reading!
A~

Crockpot Curry Chicken, so good it will have you saying "Lawd A Mercy!"

2012-01-17T05:32:00.000-08:00

I am not sure how "authentically" Caribbean this recipe is, but it certainly is delish and my family loved it.

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in cubes (or you can also use skinless chicken thighs, which I prefer because makes dish juicier)
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 Cloves garlic crushed
1 small onion chopped
4 tablespoon Curry powder
1 tablespoon Allspice
1 tsp ginger

1 1/2 - 2 cups fat free chicken broth

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 or 2 large Potatoes peeled and diced

salt and pepper to taste (I prefer to use adobo, but that's just out of habit, lol)

Directions:

1. Clean chicken with lime juice or vinegar. Rinse well.
2. Add all ingredients in Slow Cooker
3. Cover and cook on Low 8 hours or High for 6 hours

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

I "Crock" me up!

2012-01-03T17:49:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I received a fantastic slow cooker! Yeah I know, what is so fantastic and fabulous about a slow cooker? And why am I so excited about it?

Glad you asked, in this blog I will tell you, so keep on reading!! :)

For the past 7 months I have been a stay at home mom. For those of you who don't know me, we relocated from Boston to South Florida in June of 2011. I have been staying home with the kids while they adjust and let me tell you I have been bored out of my mind! I will be returning to work in a few months. I have always worked, since I was about 15, so this is new territory for me. Anyway, I took this opportunity to start being more creative in the kitchen. I'm sure all you working moms know its hard to be creative in the kitchen when you get home at 6pm and have to rush and make a meal so the kids can eat and go to bed at a decent hour.

I watch a ton of food shows and videos, the Food Network is my favorite channel. I finally decided one day I needed to build up my kitchen appliances collection and the first item on my list was a Slow Cooker or Crockpot, what exactly is the correct term for it, anyway? So, I told my hubby that I would like one for Christmas, which technically is a gift for everyone in the house not just me, so I don't think it counts as a Christmas present for mom, but whatever. lol

Christmas morning came and my brand new slow cooker was waiting for me under the tree, Yay!! I was so excited I couldn't wait to get in the kitchen to use it...crazy, I know. I am a very strange individual. I took to the Internet and started researching slow cooker recipes, I even asked friends to send me some of their favorite recipes (thanks for the recipes ladies!!!)

The first night, I made some slow cooked pork chops and let me tell you.... these pork chops were DELICIOUS!!!! and I have been cooking in my slow cooker everyday ever since. It is amazing the amount of things you can make in it. You can make anything from oatmeal, to lasagna! the sky is the limit.

I do admit, I have had some not so good recipes like the A-1 sauce, dijon mustard steak disaster...don't even get me started on that, but it wasn't the slow cookers fault, the steak was soft as can be, it was the ingredients in the recipe. I even made risotto the other day, I have been obsessed with trying risotto thanks to Chef Gordon Ramsay. It was very good....however my picky eaters weren't crazy about it.

I am already looking to purchase a smaller slow cooker to make side dishes in when I am using the big one for meats. If you don't own a slow cooker, what are u waiting for? get out there and buy one! you will not regret it, I promise. The one I got for Christmas was a 6qt Hamilton Beach programmable slow cooker and it is great, here is the link in case you want to get it on Amazon (have I mentioned, I LOVE Amazon?).

Also, I have had a few friends ask me to post my successful recipes, below are 4. I will continue to post new recipes as I try them out. I have so many to choose from this will be an ongoing thing

1. Lasagna - This is a great recipe to have waiting for you when you walk through the door from work, who doesn't love lasagna? I have my own ingredients that I like to use when I make lasagna, I just took the basic idea and instructions on how to get the lasagna to cook properly in the slow cooker. If you don't know how to make lasagna here is a simple recipe.

2. Vaca Frita - Vaca Frita (Fried Cow) is a Cuban dish that can be found in every Cuban restaurant, here is a great recipe I found, that tastes Delicioso!

3. Pollo Guisado - This is another recipe in which I have my own ingredients and way of making it because I have been making it for so many years and it gets made in my house at least once a week. It was really nice to make it in the slow cooker and not have to watch the stove. I found this recipe online which is similar to mine. It's hard for me to post my own recipe because I don't measure anything and most times I throw whatever we happen to have in the house into the pot. This recipe is the traditional stove top way to make it, just do the same except throw it into the slow cooker minus the potatoes, onions and green peppers, add those in about the last hour or else they will be too mushy. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours and go about your business for the day. Also, I didn't brown the chicken. I just washed, cleaned it and put it in the pot, didn't have to pre-marinate it either.

4. Pork Chops - Here is the first recipe I made in the slow cooker. I made it with some garlic and rosemary roasted potatoes. I also added some flour to the left over broth and made a delicious tasting gravy.

In conclusion the Slow Cooker Rocks! and it frees up my time to do other more important and fabulous things like my hair, make up and go shopping...So there you have it, that is why the Slow Cooker is Fabulous!

I would love to hear any feedback or any new recipes you might like to share.

Thanks for reading!

Rapunzel ain't got nothin' on me!

2011-12-27T16:19:00.000-08:00

I was always under the impression that extensions were for people without hair or with unmanageable hair. Then a few months ago while watching one of the many many realities shows I watch, I realized everyone was wearing clip on extensions. That's when I started to notice people who you would never think needed them were wearing them. I told myself to file this in my mind for when I go bald (see previous blog entry "I think I'm going bald") and I went about my business. I thought my hair is too long for me to need those.

Fast Forward to November 2011, I wanted to get layers so I asked my mother-in-law to give me a cut and to cut my ends, well my ends were really bad, so to make the long story short she cut about 6 inches off my hair. Not her fault at all, my hair needed it, but it was still a shock. My hair, although thinning in certain spots has always been long and fabulous. I feel naked without my hair, sad but true. That's when I remembered HAIR EXTENSIONS! what better time to try it?? So, I did some research and found a website which had good reviews, PLUS, the best part.... they have FREE overnight shipping, yes people I said FREE OVERNIGHT shipping!!! BOOYAH! sorry, I love free stuff....so anyway, I looked through the options, who knew hair was so darn expensive? sheesh! I went ahead and placed an order for 20 inch jet black human hair extensions, they cost me $99, I nearly cried while entering my credit card info.

The next morning at about 9am the UPS man was at my door with my new hair!!! Yay! I couldn't wait to try them on. I opened that package and was extremely impressed with the quality of the hair. I watched video upon video of how to style them, wash them, put them on...So, I went to town, I even bought myself a new curling iron.

Let me tell you, I was an addict from the first moment I wore them. Not only did my hair look FABULOUS, they felt so real and my hair looked so full. OMG, I am an Extension Fanatic now. Even when my hair grows back to its previous length I will continue to wear them because I just love the look and feel of them especially when you are going out and want sexy Kim Kardashian type hair. I also love the option of wearing them or not wearing them whenever I feel like it.

Since I purchased them I have gotten so many compliments on my hair and I have told a few people about how fabulous they are, including my mom, who also happens to be my BFF and she went out and bought some the next day, lol. However, she went to a beauty supply and got some there, I do not recommend doing this, even though they are less expensive, a lot of times the hair quality isn't very good. My mom had to trim the ends of the ones she got because they looked a little frizzy and dry. Another thing I noticed about beauty supply extensions is that a lot of times it is hard to find anything longer than 18 inches.

I've received a ton of discount coupons via email from the company I purchased them from and you better believe I will be making another purchase very soon, I think I may go for the 24 inch extensions next time... Woohoo!

The website where I ordered my Fabulous hair from is proextensions.com

And here are 2 helpful hair extension videos...

This first one is about how to clip on your extensions...

This next one is on how to curl them, the girl is highly annoying but her hair looks totally Fab!

Thanks for reading!

Who doesn't Love Coupons?!

2011-12-25T20:39:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!!! Hope Everyone had a Fabulous Holiday! Today's blog is going to be a quick one. I know as long winded as I am, it will be a miracle if I can get this done in less than 800 words.

Today I am going to share a little online shopping tip I picked up while on one of my many online shopping trips. Before I finalize any purchase from any website, be it Old Navy, JC Penney, Kmart, Victoria's Secret...Well, you get it ANY website. I always open up another tab and Google the name of the store and the word "coupons" or "coupon code" or some other variation of that phrase, for example, if I am at the check out for Sears, I type, "Sears discount coupons" into Google and Voila! You get a list of websites with a bunch of coupons.

The first site that pops up on Google that I have always had luck with is retailmenot.com. I have gotten some pretty darn good discounts typing in coupon codes that I have obtained from that website and saved some serious cash. Sometimes, they may not have a code for what your buying or the code may be expired. But, its worth checking it out, if it could potentially save you some money. If that website doesn't work just work your way on down the Google results.

Remember Coupons are Fabulous and Frugal!! So, before you Check Out make sure you Check for some coupons!

Thanks for reading!
A~

Delicious Cookie Recipes...Yummm!!!

2011-12-23T16:43:00.000-08:00

With Christmas being in two days, I decided to post 2 of my favorite cookie recipes, for when the fat man shows up.

Soft and Delicious Oatmeal Cookies.

This right here is one of my kids favorites, they are so delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 cups quick cooking oats

raisins, semi sweet chocolate chips or nuts (optional)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, cream together white sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda,and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. If you are using nuts or raisins, mix into dough, combining well. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes approx. 36-60 cookies, depending on how large or small you make them, you can also freeze the leftover mix for another day.

Yummy Pumpkin Cookies with Icing

Cookie Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze Ingredients
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.

To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Enjoy!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Thanks for reading!

Make Me Up before I go go.....

2011-12-22T20:47:00.000-08:00

Make up!!!

I Love me some make up....Recently I have been Obsessed and I mean Obsessed with watching random YouTube videos about the fine art of applying make up and I realized all these years I have been doing it all wrong!! They talk about primer, contouring, highlighting I was like WTF does any of that mean??? Am I working on painting my face or a school art project?

Is this how I have been walking around all these years??? Why didn't someone tell me????

After watching a few videos I was like, I need to buy me some real make up none of this Walgreen's Wet n Wild, NYC crap. I need to contour and highlight my face to make it look skinny. See, I have a fat face and no matter how much weight I lose I look like a big round tomato, I remember when I was little people used to always pinch my cheeks I hated it. I also need to bronze up and I want a smokey eye without looking like a raccoon Damn it!

I looked into buying MAC because MAC make up is the best right??? Well let me tell you they can keep their MAC make up, in my house MAC is wack (not really, I just like how it sounds).The prices on those are ridiculous though!!! Sephora can join MAC.... There is no way my husband will fall for me saying I need to spend $100 on tube of mascara and some lip gloss. He will revoke all my shopping privileges immediately Forever!!!

So, I took to the Internet searching and stumbled upon E.L.F (stands for eyes, lips, face) and let me tell you their make up is all under $10 with most items costing $1.00-$5.00!!! Now, I know what your thinking, will it make my face break out, or worse yet will it make my face melt off??? Ok, it is no MAC make up not that I have ever tried MAC, and if it were to be on sale somewhere you better believe I will be right on the MAC boat having a big ol' MAC attack...(sorry, I'll try to keep the MAC jokes under control...lol). No, it will not make your face melt off and as far as breaking out, I haven't had any issues with mine they say its hypoallergenic and I did some research on it and it has very good reviews from the very trustworthy people on YouTube.

I ordered, some make up brushes from E.L.F, blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, false eyelashes and of course a contouring set just to start me off. The brushes are great, love them, the bronzer is good, only problem I have with it is that its a bit shimmery not to crazy about that, love the little eyeshadow palate I got, it has quite a bit of colors and I think it was only $6 or something like that. The one thing I had a problem with was the false eyelashes, the glue sucked! I am not sure if it was just the one I got but the glue was dried up... I was so disappointed I was so looking forward to finally trying out some falsies, good thing I only paid $1 for them.

Overall I like their products, and I placed a second order. They also have mineral make up which I am dying to try, it costs more, but it is still under $10.

Here is the link to the E.L.F website

Below is a handy video on how to contour and highlight your face for those of you with plump cheeks like me!

Thanks for reading and stay Fabulous!

A~

You lost your glasses, Again?????!!!!!

2011-12-22T13:02:00.000-08:00

My 11 year old son is going to drive me completely insane one of these days!!

If I start to list all of the things he loses or misplaces we will be here for a few days. Today, I am going to discuss one of the items that he loses or breaks without fail every 1-3 months....His glasses! But, before I get into the whole story, let me fill you in a little bit on my son's personality and behavior so you can better understand where I am coming from and maybe even feel my pain....

My son Junior.....oh boy, where do I start??? Here goes, Junior is........He is extremely smart, sometimes I think he may be too smart for his own good, teachers tend to agree with me on that. His mind is constantly going in 10 different directions at the same time. Which I find hilarious and frustrating because if you ask him to do something in the middle of him doing something else it completely throws him for a loop and he just gets totally confused. For example, if he is on his way to pour himself a cup of juice and you say "Hey, can you shut off that light on your way and pick up that shoe?", he just loses it and looks like he is a deer in headlights. No multi tasking for this kid....ever, no way! The reason why he is this way, I have discovered is because his gears are always grinding. What we don't realize is he may be on his way to pour himself a cup of juice but in his mind he is thinking of that book he is in the middle of reading or how to finish that level he is on in his game or even some useless new factoid he discovered (we call him the king of useless facts...and let me tell you he has millions of them).

I find it incredibly entertaining that 2 children with the same parents raised exactly the same way can be so completely different. Junior is always thinking and rushing through things so that he can move on to the next thing, Speedy Gonzalez. His 6 year old brother couldn't be any more different, he has trouble finishing his class work because his letters have to be perfect, so he takes FOOOREVER to finish his work and gets highly upset when he makes mistakes, he is a true perfectionist.

OK, so with that said lets get back to the topic; Junior and his glasses....it is the bain of my existence!!! He shoves them in his pants pocket without a case and these aren't just any pants NO WAY these are extremely tight skinny jeans, so those poor glasses have no choice but to break from the tightness, they are suffocated in those tight jeans. He leaves them everywhere and its not just glasses, its everything...the other day I got a call from the YMCA saying they found his phone....again, UGH!!! But lets talk about one thing at a time, back to the glasses...

About a year ago I put my foot down and decided that I will no longer spend an arm and a leg for glasses that will be lost or broken before I know it. That is when I started searching the Internet and stumbled upon one of my very best finds to date! A website that offers very inexpensive glasses, some under $10! All you have to do is have your prescription handy, you pick out the glasses you want and enter in your prescription information and Voila, in a few weeks you have new glasses! I tend to order 2 or 3 pairs at a time just because we always need a back up pair with this kid. They are really stylish too, Junior gets compliments all the time on his glasses. Best of all they have glasses for the whole family! So why not grab yourself a cute pair of glasses while your there?? I know I sure do! They even have a neat feature where you can upload a picture of yourself and try the glasses on yourself to see how they look! LOVE IT!!

I almost forgot if you pay a little extra they will make them into transition lenses or you can also just have them make some tinted for you and have a really cute pair of prescription sunglasses without paying designer prices!!!

Here is the link for the website, it's called Zenni Optical...

Here are some samples of some of their really cute women's glasses:

Thanks for reading and remember there is nothing wrong with being on a budget as long as you do it Fabulously!

Mi Mami's Coquito Recipe....Buen Provecho!

2011-12-22T05:35:00.000-08:00

For us Latinos nothing says Holiday's like some good old fashion Puerto Rican Coquito!!

Here is my mom's Coquito recipe, I have modified it a little bit to my taste. Also, this recipe makes about 2 liters. I know that's a whole lotta Coquito right?! I like it because before I add the rum I put some into a separate bottle for my boys, and stick it in the fridge, they absolutely love it. I also like to make one batch that will last me a few days. The thing with Coquito is the longer it is in the fridge the better it tastes.

2 or 3 cans of cream of coconut (coco lopez)
6 egg yolks
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 12oz cans of evaporated milk
1 14 oz can of condensed milk
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
Bacardi White Rum to taste

Mix together in a blender, chill overnight or longer.

*add some water to this if it seems to be too thick or too sweet for your taste

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!!

A~

I admit it... I am a Shoe Whore!

2011-12-21T13:39:00.001-08:00

SHOES!!!!

There was no way I could have a blog and not mention the one thing that always makes me happy! (well besides my kids and husband and all that other stuff) SHOES!!!! Just the word alone is enough to make me smile from ear to ear and send shivers down my spine. There is something about the way heels make a woman's leg and calf look, oh so sexy! and your walk instantly changes, you exude confidence and sexiness. The most romantic and sexy thing my husband can ever say to me is "Baby, lets take you shoe shopping today" and that's enough to guarantee him some nookie everyday for a month no questions asked, (you hear that babe??? that's all it takes!). I guess some people may call me a shoe whore, although the word "whore" implies something dirty or wrong or illegal and my love for shoes is anything but wrong, it is.... Oh soooo right! So I am going to call myself a "Shoe Enthusiast" instead.

From the minute I walk into a shoe store its like I can hear the angels sing and all is right in the world. I walk around till I find that one pair that makes my heart beat a little faster, my palms get sweaty and my mouth salivate and I think to myself "where have you been all my life?" I don't care what the price is, I NEED them, I will starve for the next month just to justify this one purchase. Then comes the best part, time to try them on. I open the box and take the first shoe out and remove the paper from the inside and put my foot in it, sometimes I am so excited and dying to stand up and look in the mirror that my hands are shaking and I have trouble putting them on. I'm like a drug addict about to get their fix. Finally, once I have them on I stand up and walk carefully to the mirror and there it is the most beautiful site, I'll take them! My heart screams and dances for joy! I want to dance all the way to the register, its so hard to pick just one pair sometimes, its like all the pretty shoes are begging me to give them a good home. I sometimes leave the shoe store feeling sad for all of the other shoes and I pray they will be loved by the person who buys them, just as much as I love them.

Now that you get the depth of my shoe addiction, lets face it, I am NOT Sarah Jessica Parker and I do NOT have Christian Louboutin or Jimmy Choo money...sadly. I have real bills and the children and husband can't eat shoes for dinner or can they.......hmmmmm??? and no matter how many times I call the bank and explain to them that I can't make my car payment on time this month because I desperately needed another pair of open toe black platform shoes, that heffer on the phone will never understand. I bet she wears boat shoes or loafers or some other practical unattractive grandma looking shoe, no offense to anyone who does where practical shoes, I am just one of those people that is willing to sacrifice comfort any day for style. I will walk in 5 inch heels with a blister the size of Rhode Island all day long if I have to, I know its a disease.... Anyway, back to the topic at hand, I tend to get sidetracked when I discuss my one true love.

I have found ways here and there to keep my pockets happy, my family fed and best of all my shoe addiction going.

here are some sites that all you fellow Shoe Whores or should I say fellow Shoe Enthusiasts on a budget might enjoy ;)

First is: shoedazzle.com
A lot of you have probably already heard of them they are all over Facebook. I love them because every month you get your very own list of shoes to choose from based on your style preference, (you fill out a short survey when you first sign up.) You can pick from the shoes they send you or you can pass and they send you a new list or you can also choose to skip that month if there isn't anything you like or your pockets just aren't right that month. The cost is $39.95 per month for a pair of shoes. It's pretty cool because you get a nice little package every month just for you.

Next is: 10dollarmall.com
This site is cool everything is $10 bucks or less, you can't beat that with a bat! Although not all the shoes are fabulous they do have some cute ones to choose from and the selection isn't very big, you just have to keep checking in for new styles. They also sell clothes, $10 bucks or less!

3rd is an obvious site: EBAY
yes, Ebay! A while back I bought a great pair of boots for just a penny on Ebay. I got so many compliments on those boots, I wore them to the ground.

4th is Amazon.com
Amazon has a EVERYTHING you could ever want or need including shoes. You have to do a bit of searching and weeding out but its worth it. I love amazon.com.

And last but not least: Three of my favorite sites for both sexy clothes and shoes
amiclubwear.com, flirtcatalog.com and hotmiamistyles.com I especially love hot Miami styles clothes and accessories as well.

Thanks for reading and Happy Frugal Shopping!

A~

OMG, I think I'm going bald!!!!

2011-12-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

It all started after I gave birth to my first son, who is now almost 12. Anyone who has kids can relate, your hormones are crazy after you give birth and you start noticing your hair, which was looking fabulous while you were pregnant is now thin and falling out. I nearly died the first time I looked at my hair brush. But, I had read enough pregnancy books to know this is normal. I didn't worry and eventually it slowed down, it never really stopped, just slowed down. Then, I gave birth to my 2nd son who is now 6, and OMG! my hair was coming out in clumps! I cried so hard one day in the bathroom, I thought this is it I'm gonna be bald and I don't even know what my head looks like underneath all this hair! Is it deformed? do I have some hideous birthmark? I am cute but, I don't have a face that can pull off a bald head!!!! (I'm a bit of a drama queen, you think? lol). Anyway, that time it took longer to slow down but it eventually did, but it never stopped. I just learned to deal with having thining hair, which I later found out is called female pattern baldness! I stopped going to the hair salon, because I was so embarrased the hairdressers would always point out how thin my hair was on the top. It is a very embarrasing thing to talk about or deal with as a woman, you don't want to tell anyone your losing your hair, atleast for me thats how I felt, I was even embarrased to tell my husband, to whom I tell Everything.

A year ago I was on the Blue Line in Boston on my way to work when I saw a lady who was in her late 40's who was obviously balding, this scared the crap out of me, you could clearly see her scalp. I felt so terrible for her. That day I decided enough was enough, I can't just accept that my once beautiful mane was just going to continue to thin out and one day I would be.....bald! I can't pull off a comeover, no way! Thats when I started to look around and do as much research as possible, I tried almost everything, my mom sent me 5 little jars of this thing called espiritu de canela (cinnamon spirit) which smells extremely strong and is supposed to help thinning hair, but burns like crazy when you rub it on your head. I thought hey, that must mean its working right? wrong! after going to bed smelling like Big Red bubble gum for a few months, nothing happened.....then I tried Rogain for women, got it on amazon on sale, woohoo! I saw the commercials all those balding men with full head of hair, this just has to work! Wrong again, after some time and the fact that it said it may take 6 months to work, I gave up. I just couldn't do it, wait 6 whole months and possibly have to continue to use this everyday for the rest of my life???!!!!!

I had lost all hope, I was already looking to see how much I would spend on wigs, I was ready to add it to the family budget. Then one day my mom calls me and she says "Aris I found it!!!!, I found the cure to your thinning hair!" sure, I thought. She said she was at the pharmacy one day looking at the vitamins and hair care and a lady stood next to her and they started discussing my thinning hair. Why would my mother discuss my thinning hair with a total stranger you may ask?? I have no idea its just how she is, lol. Anyway, this lady told her to try these vitamins, she said she had been taking them after she went through chemo-therapy and they made her hair grow back fast and fuller than ever! So, my mom bought herself a jar because she figured she would test it out, she is at the age where she noticed her hair was also a little bit thinner then it used to be. Well, the day she called me to tell me about the vitamins she had already been taking them for a month, and she told me her hair was growing back! she had babyhairs...Ha! I went ahead and looked online and ordered it as soon as we got off the phone and tried not to get my hopes up.

It has been about a month now since I started taking these vitamins and hallelujah my hair is slowly growing!!!!! I couldn't believe it myself!!! They are called Biotin 5000mcg and are sold on Amazon for under $15 for 100 capsules.

I am going to continue to take these and hope that they continue to work, if not I can always go back to plan B, sign up for the wig of the month club!

Here is what the pills look like:

Here is the link for the Biotin pills on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OQ4ACO/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000BY2N7S&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0G26Q7ME8RPXCTZXJMYG

Thanks for reading my first blog post!