HelpingMoms@Home

Save Money On Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Here's a couple ways to save money this summer while planning your vacation.

Souvenirs
Instead of heading for all the local shops for a souvenir here are a some inexpensive ideas. You've heard the saying "A picture's worth a thousand words" - well take lots of pics. If you must bring home a physical memento try a store that not in the heart of the city - they are usually cheaper than the local tourist traps.

Where to Stay
If possible rent a place that has a fully functional kitchen. That way you can cook you own meals instead of having to eat out every meal. Bring food with you or shop at a local grocery store. Don't forget breakfasts and snacks.

When and Where
Obviously the biggest money saver is when you go and where you stay. To save big go during non-peak weeks (usually mid-summer for beaches or mid-winter for sky areas). If you really want to go during peak weeks try staying a little bit further out of town. Most places charge more when they are closer to the main attractions.

Following these tips you can have still fun and save some money too. Remember the point is to have fun and make memories as a family.

Vacation Organization

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:08:00 +0000

With tomorrow starting a nice 3 day weekend for most of us here in the US, many people decide to go on vacation. Here are a couple helpful hints to keep your stuff organized while away from home.

First off, keep all dirty clothes separate. We bring a plastic grocery bag or trash bag for each person and when we take them off the dirty clothes each evening they go right into the bag. If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, you can always have them cleaned by the hotel or at a laundromat. It keeps clean clothes clean.

If you have young children try to keep all their toys contained to one room and stored in a bag or drawer when not being played with. We designate a draw for all their toys, because it's easier for them to see everything. Otherwise the bag gets dumped out often.

Lastly, to save time and headaches, pack up as much as possible the night before checkout. Pack away all clothes except what you need the next day. Clean up the rooms and through away leftover food that won't be eaten or taken with you. That way you aren't running around like crazy the morning trying to find everything and getting stuff packed away. To make sure nothing is left behind do a sweep of each room morning of checkout. You don't want to forget that special toy or blankie.

Just a couple quick little tips to help you stay organized during your trip.

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Mon, 30 May 2011 19:34:00 +0000

Happy Memorial Day!

I just wanted to express my thanks to all the ladies and gentlemen who served in the armed forces of the United States of America.

I hope everyone realizes that they are the reason we have so many freedoms. Please remember them and pray for their well-being on this day of celebration.

Kids Say the Darnest Things

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:30:00 +0000

I have 3 kids and work with a lot kids during my Recess Monitor job, so I hear a bunch of funny things in the course of a day. Here are a few I hear the past week.

- "There's a moron sale???" - My 10 yr old heard there was "more on sale" on the radio and misunderstood.

- "It's like winter in my mouth" - My 6 yr old said after eating an ice cream.

- Two girls were playing at recess. There were running around acting silly. One came up to me and said don't worry we're just playing. "I'm pretending to have a brain disease." The other girl said "Yea, we have issues."

- "You smell so good - just like bubble gum."

These were just a couple of the cute things kids say. They are so honest.

Just a note to the moms and dads out there - kids share all sorts of details with anyone who will listen. You may want to be careful because your kids are always listening and watching. I hear all kinds of stories from the kids where I work.

Food Lovin Friday - Pokemon Cake

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:31:00 +0000

My little guy is really and I mean REALLY into Pokemon, so when his birthday rolled around this year he asked for a Pokemon cake. Well, I thought for all of 2 seconds about making one of the actual figures like Pikachu, Charmander, or Dialga. Then I came back to my senses and decided I would just make a Pokeball.

This was make using a large 14" cake pan and colored icing. The black outlining is a little squeeze tube of icing/decorating gel. To make the cake I used a Devil's Food flavor boxed mix that was on sale for $1.

If you're not particularly crafty, want something quick and easy or just don't want to worry about it there are links to a couple really neat Pokemon cake decorations and even a kit below. Enjoy!

Food Lovin Friday - Be A Star Birthday Cake

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:54:00 +0000

My youngest had her birthday party last Saturday. Her party theme was Toy Story, so I decided to buy a Wilton star shaped cake pan.

I had intended to decorate the cake as a sheriff badge, like "Sheriff Woody" only "Sheriff Jenny". The only problem was the birthday girl insisted on having chocolate icing.

We ended up using a yellow confetti cake mix and chocolate icing with confetti sprinkles around the edges. It tasted delicious, but was a little awkward to cut. I also took a piece of cardboard the comes under pizzas, cleaned it and covered it with aluminum foil to put the cake on.

We had 8 cute little kids over last weekend and plan to have 5 little guys over this weekend. Stay tuned next week for my son's Pokemon Ball Cake.

Enjoy your weekend.

Strap Perfect Saved My Night

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:00:00 +0000

I've seen these on television and to be honest never actually considered buying them. I'm strickly a t-shirt kind of gal. The only time I ever dress up is each June when my hubby and I go to a graduation for his students. This year I found the most beautiful dress, but couldn't find a bra that fit and wouldn't show. I had picked out a Mock Halter dress from JCPennys like this one only black. I searched for about a month with no luck.

In talking with my sister one day, she happened to mention she had 2 packages of these that her friend had given her. She offered one set to me - which I gladly accepted. I didn't really think much of them at first. They are little plastic clips.

Boy was I surprised. I tried on my dress with one of my normal bras and the clear clip. It worked great. Plus I couldn't even tell it was there. I wore it all evening long (sitting and standing) and it stayed put and was pretty comfortable. I'm telling everyone because I like to share when something I buy works for me. Many people are skeptical buying off the television - I know I am.

So anyways, I have to say this is a really great invention. Congrats to the person who created them. I would definitely recommend buying the Strap Perfect. They are small, affordable, and they work.

* By the way, I was in no way compensated for my opinion or for purchasing this product or any other product. I freely share my own experiences to help others make better, more informed shopping decisions.

Ways Moms Can Volunteer

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:00:00 +0000

As a stay-at-home-mom living on one income I find it hard to help out my fellow man. I don't make any money to donate to my favorite charities. I don't have a lot of time free (without kids) to volunteer places. So here are a couple ways we as stay-at-home-moms can help out.

1. Volunteer at schools - this is of course once your kids are in school or preschool. You can help out coping forms, help the teacher with individual work, not to mention field trips.

2. Volunteer at church - I don't just mean in the nursery. Fundraisers, soup kitchens, etc.

3. Help out the elderly in your community - Run errands for them such as picking up items from the grocery store or pharmacy. Visiting with them is another way to help out by making sure they are healthy or just having someone to talk with can make all the difference.

4. Of course there is babysitting. This is something you can do with your children present. We call them playdates.

5. Pitch in at sporting events - agree to bring in the team snack or drinks, help with fundraising ideas, or even sign up to wash the uniforms.

There are lots of ways moms can help give back to a community. Can you think of any others?

Food Loving Fridays - Wanchai Ferry Orange Chicken Review

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

This week I fixed the new Wanchai Ferry Frozen Dinners for my family. We tried the Orange Chicken. I bought it because a.) I had a coupon and (b.) we love, love, love the boxed dinner version by Wanchai Ferry.

To start out with I have to say the package states it's a meal for 2 people. We are a family of 5 - two adults and three kids 10 and under.

Okay for the pros:
* It has the same great sauce as the boxed dinner kits. YUMMY!
* Chicken tastes really good.
* There are lots of great coupons out right now to bring the cost down.
* It is quite easy to prepare and only requires one pan. Bonus for the quick clean-up.

Now for the cons:
* The portions are very small.
* The chicken is breaded - which isn't the most healthy.
* It has quite a few calories - 610 calories prepared and 22 grams of fat prepared. 13WW points.

Overall, I'm not sure we would buy again. The reason is the serving sizes are too small - you get way more at any local Chinese restaurant. Plus, this is not a family friendly meal in that to feed our family of 5 we would need to buy 3 packages. Ouch - even with coupons that's pricey.

This would be perfect for a single person or two people who don't eat very much. Otherwise, skip the frozen section and visit your local Chinese restaurant for hot food your don't have to cook or clean up after. ;-)

* By the way - I was not paid or compensated in any way for this post.

Target Deals - Back to School Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

I ventured out to my local Target Store on Friday and found a great deal on my favorite pens.

They were on sale for $.60 a pack. That right there was awesome! Two packs of pens for $1.20, but I had a coupon for $1 off 2/Bic products. That brings to total for 2 packs of pens down to $0.20 Yeah :-) Here's the proof:

In addition to my great find on pens. I bought my kiddies lunch boxes. I bought 2 really cute boxes - one was a frog and one a ladybug. Here's the frog isn't it cute?!!

Well inside the boxes were a postcard saying with the purchase of the lunchbox I received a 6 month membership to Parents Magazine plus coupons. Then, if you don't want the membership you can fill out the postcard, send a copy of your receipt and get a refund for $4.97. Limit 1 per household.

Yeah, buy the lunchbox for $9 on sale and get $4.97 back.

Find more great deals at Target by clicking below :-)

Target's Printable Coupons

UPS Cheating Customers

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:51:00 +0000

I don't usually do rant posts, but this one has really got me upset. I occasionally sell on eBay and every once in a while I ship them out via my local UPS.

Last time I was at my local store I noticed the size was off. The box was 14" X 14" X 14" and they said the package was 15" X 15" X 15". I figured I didn't close it enough and they rounded it up an inch.

Well today I had another package so prior to going to UPS bought a box at my local office supply store. The box had printed on it 14" X 14" X 14". I even sealed it and measured it at home with 2 tape measures. It was 14" X 14" X 14". I got to my local UPS store and they charged me as 15" X 15" X 15". I called them on it. The young man working there showed how he measured it with his tape measure. I noticed that the end piece was bent in. There was no way they could start measuring at 0 because the bent piece pushed it away from the edge a good 1/4". They are cheating their customers - charging them for a larger box than they actually have.

Now in my case it was only a couple cents or a dollar, but those who ship out items more frequently could be out significantly more.

Just a word of warning to those who use UPS. Make sure you aren't getting scammed. Watch them when they are measuring your boxes. Ask them to measure starting at 1" and deduct 1" from the end number. Otherwise, you could be charged more than you should. I hope for everyone's sake this is only happening at my local shop.

They even had past issues with problems such as this. UPS was accused of cheating their franchise, now it appears the franchise owners could be cheating us. See below:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lawsuit-accuses-ups-of-cheating-franchise-owners-57870252.html

Tidy Tuesdays - Clean in a Snap

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:58:00 +0000

As a stay at home mom, my focus is on taking care of my family. I'm always looking for ways to save time doing what I HAVE to do, so I can have more time doing what I WANT to do. Spend more time with my family. I've mentioned it before, but the way I keep my house clean is by using a schedule. To show you what I mean here is what I do each week:

Mondays
Clean the kitchen - besides the usual tidying up after meals like doing the dishes, taking out the trash, wipe down the appliances, and cleaning up any spills.
* clean and disinfect the counter tops
* wipe down the cabinets
* mop the floor - scrub if necessary
* clean the oven

Tuesdays
Bathrooms
* Clean the toilet
* Scrub the bathtub and shower walls
* Scrub the tile floor
* Clean the vanity and mirror
* Empty the trash can
Wednesdays
Bedrooms
* Change the bed linens
* Tidy up/de-clutter/put stuff away - the kids can help with this one
* Dust
* Vacuum floors
* Wipe down walls (usually once a month)

Thursdays
Living Room/Dining Room/Halls
* Vacuum floors
* Mop floors
* Dust
* Wipe down walls of finger prints, etc.
Pet Areas
* Change kitty litter - scooping daily
* Wash pet bedding

Fridays
Laundry
* Wash all clothing
* Wash bed linens
Outside
* Cut the grass

Saturdays/Sundays
* Weed the flowerbeds
* Tend the garden

My tasks each day only take me 15-30 minutes. By doing these things each week it makes it much quicker and easier. For example, weeding the flowerbeds each week only takes 5 minutes because it's only a week's worth of weeds and not 2 months worth.

My schedule isn't set in stone either. If I have time, I can vacuum the whole house and not just one room while I've already got the machine out. Same goes for wiping down the walls. Some weeks I really don't have time or the energy to wipe down the walls.

So there you have my weekly cleaning schedule. Feel free to share yours.

Mom, It's Too Hot Outside!

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:40:00 +0000

On days like these, when the temperature is pushing 100 degrees, you're likely to hear "It's too hot!" or "I'm all sweaty!" or "I'm dying!". To help keep mom from going crazy here are a couple fun kids activities you can do.

* Fill a bucket with cold water and put it in the middle of your yard. Then arm your kids with squirt guns and let them have a blast squirting each other. They can use the bucket of water to refill their squirt guns.

* Turn on a sprinkler. While I don't care for this because it wastes water and makes your yard (and kids) muddy. It is really fun to run through the sprinkler for a couple minutes.

* Movie theater - no I don't mean go to an actual theater. I mean close all your curtains, turn off the lights and pretend you're at the movies. Break out the flashlights to see where you're going and pop some popcorn. For an added bonus, this will help keep your home cooler, by blocking out some of the sun.

* Have a picnic in your living room. Pack a basket lunch. Spread a blanket on the floor and eat your lunch right there.

* Make a fort. Using blankets, sofa cushions or even a table. Create a fun play fort where kids can play board games or pretend to defend their fort against evil invaders.

* Get crafty - Try your hand at painting a bowl of fruit or your fave vacation spot. Make a t-shirt pillow out of an old t-shirt. You can also, create bowls, people, or animals with clay. There are tons to fun and interesting crafts to do.

As you can see there are loads of fun kids activities to do when it's too hot outside.

Check out these great games and books containing games and activities for kids.

Food Lovin' Friday - Sweet Corn Tomalito

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Sweet Corn Tomalito Recipe

Each time my family is in the mood for mexican food we visit Chevy's Tex Mex Restaurant which is a couple times a year. Each time we go there I love getting the Sweet Corn Tomalito on the side. It's a little bit like corn bread.

Just a note - I had trouble figuring out what Masa Harina was so I used masa flour from my grocery store's Mexican food section. It turned out great.

Well I found this recipe online for it and it tastes almost identical to the one at Chevy's.

Ingredients:
5 Tbl. margarine, softened
1/4 cup masa harina
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen, thawed, divided
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbl. plus 1 tsp. milk

In a small bowl mix the margarine, masa harina and sugar using an electric mixer for about 1 minute until it is light and fluffy.

In a blender, blend half the corn kernels and the water until smooth.

Combine the corn mixture and the margarine mixture, stirring well. Add the rest of the corn kernels, corn meal, baking powder, salt, and milk and mix well.

Pour the mixture into a 8" square baking pan.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Beware if you use plastic wrap to keep it away from the bottom pan as it will melt.

Steam by placing the square baking pan on top of a medium sauce pan of water on top of the stove.

Bring water to a boil and steam corn mixture for 50 minutes to one hour or until a toothpick comes out dry. Make sure to add water to the saucepan if the pan boils dry.

Makes 9-12 portions.

Enjoy

Crafts - Avoid the Chaos

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 22:15:00 +0000

I'm a craft supplies lover. I love buying yarn, scrapbooking paper, fabric, you name it. The only problem, well one of the problems is that I can't remember what I bought. I go into my room and find that I have 3 of the exact same thing. Do you have the same problem?

The first thing to do is to take an inventory of all the craft supplies you have on hand. Then look it over prior to going into a craft or fabric store.

Next, organize all the different items - by project or with like items. Whichever is easiest for you.

Well I do both and that's what works for me. I like seeing all the possible projects that got me inspired enough to buy the items in the first place. I store fabric projects together. For example: quilts, purses, pillows, etc.

As for scrapbooking I store all my supplies together. There are just too many bits and pieces to sort into projects. Too many projects that use the same items for example scissors and brads.

My point is to figure out what works for you. You need a solution that will help you find and remember what you have on hand and also inspire you to create.

The Easiest Way to Save Money

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:18:00 +0000

Being frugal and saving money is very popular right now. There is talk about using coupons when items are on sale and stockpiling and while there are good ways to save money you still are putting out money. The problem is not many people are talking about the easiest way to save money which is to stop or cut back on spending. Spending needlessly.

Cut spending. Yes it's simple in concept, but it's not easy for everyone to actually do.

There are many reasons why people shop and spend money. Some are perfectly legitimate reasons such as groceries, bills, housing, auto payments and maintenance. We're talking about the trips through the drive thru, the coffee shops, all the extras that end up in the shopping cart during routine trips for groceries, and food delivery when you're too tired or busy to cook.

Simple things you can cut from your spending.
* Movies - Rent for free from library instead of rental places or expensive pay-per-view fees
* Cut Premium Channels - speaking of movies if you happen to have cable or satellite choose a package without the premium channels. Those channels are usually full of older movies and they play the same ones over and over again. If there is a movie you really want to watch - rent it for a RedBox for $1 plus tax a night.
* Gym Memberships - Take up walking or running, use free weights and do calisthenics such as sit ups, push ups, and jumping jacks.
* Shop with a list - Plan ahead and buy only what's on your list. Look at your week ahead and plan meals, activities, etc. to avoid eating on the run, trips to the stores for 1-2 things and impulse purchases.
* Organize a carpool - Gasoline is constantly rising so split the cost between everyone in the carpool.
* Bag Lunches - Pack lunches for yourself and your family to avoid buying lunch at school or fast food restaurants. This could save you a lot over the course of a month.

Here are a couple easy ways to use what you have.
* Instead of renting a new movie watch one of your all time favorites - that's why you bought it, right?
* Go through your cabinets and refrigerator and make your meals from those foods. Search online for recipes containing the foods you have on hand.
* Cut out extra trips to the store for missing ingredients, try to find substitutions or make another recipe.

The best way to save money is to not spend at all. Try to find little ways to cut costs that won't make much of an impact on your day-to-day life.

Broaden Your Horizons

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Have some fun this summer and broaden your horizons. Just like the movie "The Bucket List" create a list of all the things you want to do before you die (or at least over the summer). Be adventurous! Get out of your comfort zone.

There are millions of things you can add to your list. Here are a couple suggestions:
* Go para-sailing.
* Learn a new language
* Swim with the dolphins
* Ride in a boat
* Travel outside the county

Just think, if you were to die tomorrow or in say six month - what would you do in that time? Be bold and have a blast. Live life to the fullest!

Here are just 5 of my Bucket List item

Write a book and publish it
Get down to my ideal weight
Wear a 2 piece bathing suit again and look great in it.
Visit each of the 50 states in the USA.
Visit another country.

What are your's?

Summers Almost Here - Need Kids Activities?

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:58:00 +0000

Well summer is almost here and you know what that means. Kids will be home on summer vacation. Then you'll hear those dreaded words "Mom, I'm bored" or "There's nothing to do."

It's all about planning ahead. Make a list of all the things you want to do this summer and then plug them into a calendar. For example: visit a different playground each week on Thursday or go watch a free kids movie on Wednesday morning.

If you don't have time to plan or just don't have the patience then I can help. I've just started another blog called "12 Weeks of Summer Fun" at http://www.12WeeksofSummerFun.com. This site is a day-by-day journal covering 12 weeks of activities that I'm doing with my kids. It includes printables, crafts, sites to visit, activities and more. I've done all the work for you, so feel free to follow along and use some or all the activities with your kids.

Have a great, fun, adventurous summer. Thanks for reading :)

Thrifty Thursday - It's All In Who You Know

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:28:00 +0000

It really does matter who you know. My hubby and I know a lot of people and we try to help out as many people as we can. We always try to find out what our friends and family want and need. Then we keep an ear open for someone giving away or selling what they are looking for.

Well, two months ago, a good friend of my hubby knew someone who was selling his boat. The gentleman was trying to downsize because him and his wife were getting up their in age. This boat had been sitting in his yard for a couple years unused and uncared for. The engine was started each year, but other than that it was untouched.

My hubby is a boat lover and started saving up for it. He worked overtime and took on extra teaching opportunities to earn enough money to pay cash for it. It took a couple months, but he diligently kept savings to reach his goal.

Well, last weekend he brought the boat home. Boy was it dirty. Apparently one of the side windows was left cracked open and let moisture get inside. All the fabric inside will need to be replace because of mildew. Yuck. However, after it's cleaned, he will be able to take his friends and family out fishing. His dream.

Is there something you've always wanted or something you need? Is there something you're trying to sell or giveaway? Mention it briefly to those you know. You never know who may be able to help.

Food Lovin Friday - Bring on Summer Foods

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:50:00 +0000

On the east coast of the US we've been very blessed to have nice warm weather lately. When the weather is warm my family starts craving "summer time foods".

We can't wait to start cooking on the grill and eating hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, BBQ chicken, fresh fruits and lots more. Foods just seem to taste better when it's cooked on the grill.

What's your favorite summer time food? Feel free to share it by leaving a comment below.

Sorry for My Absense

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:43:00 +0000

Sorry I didn't post anything for a couple weeks. I really felt I was getting out of balance. My family were starting to feel forgotten and home were becoming neglected. I spent some time getting unfinished projects done around my home, spending lots of quality time with my family and worked out a schedule so I can balance all my responsibilities. It's a dilemma many people face - balancing work and home.

Some really fun things that happened when I slowed my life down the past couple weeks was I found a 4-leaf clover patch in my yard. Just look at all the clovers I found - all the same day. Then I found a 5-leaf clover in another spot in my yard. I told my hubby that we were going to fertilize that area so they keep growing back.

These haven't been altered in any way - they are REAL clovers.

On another note, I mentioned in previous posts that I am trying to lose weight and I just wanted to update my progress. I started Weight Watchers on 1/21/10 and as of yesterday I'm down 31 lb. That's the most I've ever lost and I'm not done yet.

Just a little note to update everyone - if anyone's even listening :(

Thrifty Thursday - This Week's Find

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:31:00 +0000

Thanks to the one of my favorite magazines "All You" I got a coupon for a free Rimmel London product valued $5 or less for fre*e from Wal-Mart. I could choose from eye shadow, lip stick, mascara or one other product (I forgot what). I chose the eye shadow only because I was about to run out of my current one. I love the All You magazine because it always has lots of useful coupons throughout each month's copy. This coupon was included in April's copy I believe. Don't quote me on that.

By the way, I was not paid to publish this post. I just wanted to share my cool coupon deal and my fave magazine.

Feel free to share your thrifty finds. I'd love to celebrate your success with you.

Food Lovin Friday - Sticking to Your Planned Meals

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 22:34:00 +0000

I'm a big fan of meal planning or planning your meals ahead of time. Normally people plan a week ahead of time. This helps you figure out what to buy at the grocery store and saves you money. AS LONG AS YOU STICK TO THE PLAN.

That's the hard part for our family - sticking to the plan. To help us stick to our plan we usually build in a take-out day. That's a day when we're too tired/too busy/too whatever to cook, so we go out to eat or order delivery. We also mix and match our meals. What I mean by that is we come up with 6 meals and they are fixed on whatever day we want. Let's face it you may not feel like eating spaghetti on Tuesday but you're craving it on Thursday.

Sticking to the menu planned is important because everyone knows what happens when you go to the grocery store to get a week's worth of meals and then order take out or eat out a lot that week. You waste a lot of food and spend more money than you probably planned.

To make our lives a little easier we almost always have pizza on Fridays. That's our Pizza and a movie night. It's a little tradition and it helps to make meal planning and grocery shopping easier. Try to automate as much as you can. Come up with a couple meals that your family really likes and rotate them over the course of a month.

Be flexible when planning the daily meals. Automate as much as you can. Remember, by sticking to the meals you have planned you will save time and money.

Tidy Tuesday - Cleaning Up the Yard

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:30:00 +0000

This winter was a bear! There's no disputing that one.

Here on the East Coast we had A LOT of snow. All that snow piled on top of everything - trees, shrubs, bushes, cars, houses, everything. It left a lot of mess long after the snow was gone. There were gutters to be repaired. There were fallen trees that need to be cut up and taken away. Plus landscaping to repair all the damage done by the much needed snowplows.

This is all on top of the normal landscaping like cutting the grass, weeding flowerbeds, planting flowers and planning a garden.

Tackling one project at a time is the easiest way to get it all done. Create a list and break projects into smaller chunks is helpful. Then when you have a little free time, like on the weekends, work on one of the smaller chunk projects at a time.

Here is an example. This is part of my list:

* Move landscaping rocks back into place in front flowerbed (moved by snowplow) - ask hubby to help

* Plan and start planting my garden - buy seeds, turn over dirt, plant seeds, water garden

* Rake up our yard - front and back, bag and take to dump

* Plant gladiolus bulbs on side of house

* Remove remaining dead tree branches - cut them up and take to dump

Some quick and easy tricks to clean up your yard in a hurry.

Rake leaves and twigs into piles all around your yard. Bag up. It's saves a lot of energy as opposed to raking from one edge to the other - dragging the leaves over the entire yard.
Enlist the help of others - kids and hubby, siblings or neighbor kids.
Rent a chipper, mulcher, cultivator, etc. from your local hardware store or rental shop.

Hopefully these little tips will help you finish your yardwork quickly so you can enjoy the warmer weather of Spring.

Mommytime Monday - Cool Uses for Plastic Bags

noreply@blogger.com (KimberlyShavatt) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:36:00 +0000

What do you do with all those plastic grocery and shopping bags? Do you reuse them? What about recycle them? Why not make something out of them?

Here's a fun craft project!

Photo Provided by Etsy.com

Learn how to make a really cool recycled bag. Here is one really incredible tutorial on Etsy.com

http://etsylabs.blogspot.com/2007/05/long-overdue-fusing-plastic-bag.html

Here's another great tutorial using plastic bags from an amazing blogger. She shows you how to make iron-on decals for t-shirts, bags, etc. all from plastic bags. The possibilities are endless.
http://www.filthwizardry.com/2010/03/iron-on-decals-from-plastic-shopping.html

There are lots of ways to use this project. Here are just a few ideas:
* Mother's Day
* Party favors (goody bags or t-shirts)
* Green Recycled shopping bag
* Cute decals for everyday clothes
* Decorations for curtains in children's rooms or for the holidays