~Under the Big Oak Tree~

Handmade Sesame Street Invitations inspired by Pinterest

2012-05-30T07:06:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I shared some photos from Grace's 3rd Birthday Party. Since Grace LOVES Sesame Street, we chose a Sesame Street theme for her party this year.

I was having trouble finding party items that I liked at the party supply stores. Mainly because it seemed that a lot of the decorations and supplies were designed for FIRST birthdays.

Since I was trying to keep costs as low as possible, I decided to check my craft supplies and see what I had to make our own invitations.

In addition to being low on funds, I was also short on time. I really got a late start on party planning this year and had to get the invitations made up and mailed on the same day!

To help me get motivated, I decided to check out Pinterest to look for some inspiration. That's when I found this handmade Elmo invitation. Our party wasn't focusing on any one particular character from the long-running kids' program, so I knew I wanted to do something similar but for a variety of furry characters.

After "borrowing" pack of Grace's stickers and searching my stash for coordinating bright colors, this is what I came up with:

They were pretty easy once I figured out the color combinations. It's been a long time since I purchased new craft supplies, so I had to improvise and switch up a couple of the color combos in order to make the needed number of invites.

Aside from choosing colors, the only other time-consuming aspect was choosing the fonts I wanted for the invitations. After downloading some FREE fonts from free font websites, I printed out the party information on white cardstock and was ready to assemble the invitations and get them mailed out!

I had just enough time to snap a couple of quick photos of them spread out over the kitchen table before having to address them to our guests. Since I was running out of time, I just used plain white envelopes that I had in my office supply cabinet, rather than the color coordinated ones in my inspiration photo.

Working on this little project reminded me how much I love and miss crafting. Hopefully, soon I'll be able to work on a few other projects I've been wanting to start.

You may notice that I used similar ribbon on the invitations I made for Grace's first birthday. I've gotten a lot of mileage from my ribbon stash and still have plenty more to use on future craft projects!

I've linked this post to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

Polish Cabbage Noodles ~ An Easy and Frugal Meal

2012-05-29T00:54:00.000-04:00

Last week, we tried a new recipe that I saw while browsing through Sarah's blog, Frugal By Choice, Cheap By Necessity. I don't quite remember how I happened to stumble across her blog, but the name intrigued me since I'm constantly searching for frugal tips and ideas. I certainly wasn't disappointed!

After reading her Polish Cabbage Noodles recipe, I knew I wanted to try it. After reading that it made a ton, I wanted to try it right away and added a head of cabbage to our shopping list!

Joe and I love cabbage, we just don't eat it as often as we should. As much as we enjoy it, I just tend to forget about it. I really need to find more cabbage recipes so we can enjoy it more often!

In addition to making a ton and being very tasty, this recipe is also frugal and super-easy to make! Also, it can be used as a side dish or even as a main dish! I followed the recipe almost completely, but just as I started to prepare dinner, I decided to add some turkey bacon to the pan! Mmmmm!

Polish Cabbage Noodles

Ingredients:

1/2 head cabbage, sliced into strips
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup butter, divided
1/2 of a 16 oz bag wide egg noodles, cooked
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pack of turkey bacon, diced

Directons:

Saute cabbage and onion in 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, salt & pepper to taste.
When the veggies are tender, add the diced turkey bacon and continue cooking until bacon is done.
Add in cooked noodles and 1/4 cup butter, stirring until well-combined and butter is melted.

Notes:

This made 4 main-dish servings, which for us is two nights' dinners!
While we enjoyed this a lot the first night, it tasted better the next night! The flavors were better combined after being stored in the fridge overnight!
suggests adding hot sauce and garlic salt and I agree. I forgot to grab the garlic salt from the pantry and decided to leave it out. The recipe was tasty without it, but since we love garlic, I'm sure it will be extra yummy with the addition! I'm thinking red pepper flakes would be a good addition as well.
I added turkey bacon since I had half of a package in the fridge. Ham or even kielbasa would be also be perfect added to this dish.

See? Easy right? Frugal right? Heck, it's down right CHEAP!!! I'll be preparing this again!

I've linked this recipe post to the following blog hops and linky carnivals:

Your Cozy Home Party #21 hosted by Cozy Home Scenes
Open Call Tuesdays! #6 hosted by Salt Tree

Menu Plan Monday 2012 ~ Week of May 28th

2012-05-28T16:35:00.000-04:00

I almost forgot that today is Monday (that usually happens on the weekends Joe works), so now I am scrambling to come up with a quick menu plan for this week! I'm keeping our menu simple this week, mainly because I'm exhausted but also because I'm working on the menu plan for next month.

With being outside with Grace so much during the summer, I think it will just be easier to plan a month's worth of meals. I plan on using my crock pot a lot this summer, too! I plan to just throw something in the crock in the morning (or even prep it the night before) and let it cook while we're out playing and gardening. That way, when I come in all tired, hot and sweaty, I won't have to worry about what's for dinner.

But for now, I just want to plan a few easy meals for this week, that way I can focus on my Summer Menu post and work on a shopping list, too!

Here's what's planned for this week:

Salmon Burgers, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, corn on the cob. Yummy barbecue food for what's left of our holiday weekend!

Rotisserie Chicken, Grilled Potatoes, garden salad. Grace will eat the leftovers from this chicken for most of the week, but we'll all enjoy it the first night with our favorite grilled potatoes (I'll be telling you all about them in a future post)!

French Toast, Turkey Bacon, Smoothies. Grace wasn't very interested in bananas last week and an entire bunch started getting spotty, so I chopped them up and popped them in the freezer for smoothies. Sadly, Grace won't try the smoothies, but Joe and I will really enjoy them with our Breakfast for Dinner!

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Oven Fries, salad. This is another of Grace's favorite meals. She eats almost an entire Grilled Cheese! Crusts and all!

So, there you have it. Our easy peasy menu plan for the week leading up to the month of June! I hope you check back later this week to see what I have planned for our Summer Menu Plan.

Now that you know what we're eating this week, please share your menu ideas in the comment section of this post!

Need more menu planning inspiration? Follow me over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie! Or, if you like what you see here, you can check out my past menu plans.

Wordless Wednesday: Nappy Time and Orange Flowers

2012-05-23T01:56:00.000-04:00

We had beautiful weather last weekend and we all spent the afternoon in the backyard after running errands on Sunday morning.

Grace loves playing outside and since it was warm, Joe filled up her small plastic pool. I wish I would have taken a few pictures of her splashing and playing, but my camera was in the house in my purse. Joe was busy working with power-tools (building our garden boxes and hanging a window box) so I didn't want to leave Miss Grace to go digging in my purse for my camera.

After about almost 2 hours, I figured Grace didn't have a drop of sunscreen left on her body, so I scooped her up and carried her into the house. Although, she protested very loudly about having to come in, she didn't waste any time climbing up onto the couch and asking for a pillow and blanket once I took her wet bathing suit off and had her in a dry diaper.

Within minutes, she was sound asleep! She must have been super-tired since she is only wearing a diaper. Normally, Grace insists on being dressed at all times. Also, she rarely falls asleep on the couch.

While she napped, I took the opportunity to fill the window box we picked up at Home Depot earlier that morning. It's hanging under my kitchen window (at the front of the house).

Grace picked out the marigolds and calls them her "orange flowers" and so far every day this week, we've had to go around front to see her "orange flowers".

Although, I worked at a flower shop for 15+ years, I don't have much of a green thumb. So, this is my first time planting anything. I don't think it turned out too bad! After getting the plants in the dirt, I realized that some sort of viney plant would look great in the front but we didn't get a chance to get back to the garden center so far this week. Hopefully, this weekend we can pick up either a vinca vine or sweet potato vine to add to the window box.

I've linked this post to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

Frozen Yogurt Tubes instead of Popsicles

2012-05-22T00:13:00.000-04:00

Today's tip comes from a long-time friend of mine. She also happens to be Joe's niece. We also share the same first name! Alison always seems to have some clever little tip or trick when it comes to kids and this one is my all-time favorite!

Last summer, Grace was obsessed with freeze-pops. You know, the clear plastic tubes filled with frozen juice? When I say obsessed, I mean it! She would wake up asking for a freeze pop. If I walked anywhere near the fridge, she asked for a freeze pop. Even after she ate one, she STILL asked for a freeze pop.

When the stores in our area sold out at the end of the season, it took many, many days of her ~~begging and screaming~~ asking, to convince her that we didn't have any more freeze pops! Once she finally forgot about them she was fine.

That is, until January when ordered some Chinese food and she found the tiny plastic packets of soy sauce, duck sauce and hot mustard. She was convinced they were freeze pops! Oh my! That started another week or so of her asking for freeze pops.

Anyway, in talking to Joe's niece about Grace's obsession with freeze pops, she told me that she freezes those tubes of drinkable yogurt. When her son asks for a freeze pop, she takes one of the tubes of yogurt from the freezer and cuts it in half. The perfect-sized "freeze pop" for toddlers! And a bit healthier than those sugary, juice-filled tubes!

This has come in handy in recent weeks and not only due to the warmer weather. Grace hasn't been eating much, but I can almost always convince her to eat a few of the yogurt "freeze pops" throughout the day. So, if nothing else, she's at least eating some yogurt (disguised as freeze pops!).

I've linked this tip to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

Kitchen Tip Tuesdays hosted by Tammy's Recipes

Chicken, Beans and Rice Casserole

2012-05-21T23:27:00.000-04:00

Don't forget! Tuesday is the last day to enter our current giveaways posted at the top of the page. Easy entries until 10pm Tuesday night!

Since we moved from the city almost 5 years ago, we've been living on a single income. Higher living expenses and less pay. One of the ways we've changed our spending is to only buy meats when they are on sale rather than just because we're in the mood for a particular meal.

Chicken is pretty much the only type of meat we have in the freezer at all times. Regardless of it being on sale or not, chicken is a must have item in our home since it's the only meat (and one of the handful of foods) Grace will eat.

The last two times our local market had boneless chicken breast on sale, Joe bought 2 packs each time. Last week, we still had 3 family-packs in the freezer. While I planned on poaching 2 of the chicken breasts for Grace, I wanted something a little different for us adults.

Joe and I both like dishes that contain rice and/or beans, so I knew I wanted to try the Chicken, Pinto Bean and Rice Casserole that I saw posted over at Family Balance Sheet. Since I wanted to keep the grocery bill low last week, I decided to make a few substitutions based on what I had in the pantry and what I was in the mood for.

My only concern for this dish was that the rice wouldn't turn out. Sometimes I'm rice-challenged, meaning it doesn't always turn out the way it should. But, in this case, the rice cooked perfectly!

The photo below is just of the rice and bean mixture. By the time I got dinner on the table, I was too hungry to worry about snapping a photo. When I finally remembered to snap a picture of the leftovers, the chicken had already been eaten for lunch earlier that day.

Chicken, Beans and Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast*
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
3 cups chicken broth
1 can (16 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (10 oz) can Rotel
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a 6-qt. dutch oven (or large, oven-safe pot), heat oil over medium heat.
Add chicken, cook for about 5 minutes per side.
Remove chicken from oil and set aside.
Add the diced pepper, onions and garlic to the hot oil and cook until tender. Stir often, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits of browned chicken.
Stir in the spices, broth, beans, Rotel, salsa and corn.
Bring to a simmer, then add rice.
Stir to combine.
Add the chicken back to the pot.
Cover and move pot to the oven to continue cooking for 20 minutes or until rice is tender, liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through.
Serve as is or topped with your choice of sour cream, shredded cheese or salsa.

Notes:

I loved the addition of the chili powder and corn to this recipe. Definitely one of our favorite combinations.
As stated in the original recipe, you can use whatever variety of beans you like. While I would have loved to prepare this with pinto beans, I didn't have them in my pantry. Black beans worked wonderfully, especially with the corn!
The original recipe called for chicken thighs, I used chicken breast since that's what we had in the freezer. I would definitely consider either using thighs as originally suggested or even possibly marinate the chicken breast overnight, to keep it from drying out. I even think cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces before cooking would be a great in stretching the chicken a bit further once it's stirred into the rice and bean mixture.

This recipe is a keeper and we'll be making this again keeping in mind the chicken suggestions stated above. We loved that this recipe made a lot! Also, suggested over at Family Balance Sheet: the rice and bean mixture makes a great filling for burritos!

I've linked this recipe to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

Open Call Tuesdays! hosted by Salt Tree
Delicious Dishes hosted by It's a Blog Party!
Your Cozy Home Party hosted by Cozy Home Scenes
Making a Home hosted by Linda's Lunacy

Menu Plan Monday 2012 ~ Week of May 21st

2012-05-21T13:55:00.000-04:00

Is it really Monday already? Seriously? I am sooo not ready for it to be Monday. It's going to be such a loooong week since Joe's schedule has him working 6 days this week. Sigh.

I know I shouldn't complain and that there are so many things that I should be thankful for, like the fact that we have a steady income and that I'm able to stay home with our daughter. But just for a moment today, I feel like whining about it being a dreary Monday. I think I was spoiled with all of the beautiful sunshine we had over the weekend. The grey skies already have me feeling deprived of vitamin d! (Or it could be a side-affect of not enough hours of sleep last night!)

Okay, I think I'm finished whining for a little while. At least maybe long enough to talk about menu planning.

I thought I was doing really well and even started to write this week's menu early last week. But, that was based on us preparing a turkey over the weekend. For two weeks in a row, I failed to dig that sucker out of the chest freezer. By the time I found room to thaw it in the fridge on Wednesday, Joe wan't convinced it would be thawed in time to be cooked on Sunday. Good thing! The few meals we prepared last week provided enough leftovers to get us through the entire week. We're even eating them for lunches this week.

We're probably breaking several rules on how long leftovers are safe to eat when stored in the fridge. Joe is usually the one to eat leftovers past the recommended time frame, but I'm giving in this week and finishing up the last of a couple of dishes. I am just so tired of wasting food. Sure, I could have frozen the leftovers, but then that would just be more stuff piled up on top of top of the turkey!

Over the weekend, I had a chance to browse a few blogs looking for both healthy and budget friendly meals and decided that we'll give 2 new recipes a try this week. After several dinners consisting of leftovers last week, the new recipes will be a refreshing change!

Here's what I'm planning to serve this week:

Barbecue Chicken Salad Wraps. Using chicken we picked up at a Chicken Barbecue held in our town over the weekend, I'll put together this yummy chicken salad and serve on wraps. I think I'll add black beans to it this time! We have some potato salad and cole slaw left, too.

Escarole and Beans. I want to start including beans to our weekly menu plans. A lot of times I do this without even trying since we tend to eat a lot of baked beans or chili. But, since we don't eat those meals every week, I want to prepare other recipes to get more beans into our meals. There are so many great recipes available online that it shoudn't be too difficult. Plus, we really like beans. I found this recipe last week and since I have most of the ingredients on hand, I figured we'd give it a try this week. I'll need a bunch of excarole, but depending on the price, I might take the writer's suggestion and substitute with spinach.

Tuna Salad Club Sandwiches, fries, green salad. Since I have a bunch of celery, carrots and onions on hand, I think it would be a good time to mix up some tuna salad. I'll cook up some Turkey Bacon to stack in our club sandwiches.

Breakfast for Dinner. Since we'll surely have leftover turkey bacon, we might as well have some eggs and fried potatoes to serve along with it! It helps that I have 2 dozen eggs in the fridge, too! I'll also serve some fruit and yogurt.

Polish Cabbage Noodles. Here's another new recipe that I'm looking forward to trying. We love cabbage and Grace loves noodles, so I think this will be a perfect match for us. Of course, I'll have to set aside some plain noodles before I add anything like cabbage or onion to it. But it's a compromise I'm willing to make so it won't be like I'm preparing 2 completely different meals in one night!

Memorial Day Weekend. Since Joe is working part of the weekend and on-call for the rest of it, we haven't fully decided what we're going to do yet. We'll probably just wing it for meals for the weekend. Burgers, dogs, wings...something like that!

Menu Plan Monday

I'm an Organizing Junkie

my past menu plans

Wordless Wednesday ~ Play Like a Pirate! Argh!

2012-05-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

Grace has loved all things pirate for about a year and a half now. So much so, that Argh! was one of her first words! She could tell us what sound an elephant makes, what does a doggy say, and what does a pirate say?!

While I'm thrilled that Grace is a girly-girl, I am very pleased that she doesn't always have to be a "princess"!

My parents were stumped as to what to get Grace for her birthday this year and asked for some ideas. Remembering how much Grace enjoyed her first water table from a couple of years ago and adding in her love of pirates, I knew that a larger water table, shaped like a pirate ship would be the perfect gift for my parents to give her.

It was really chilly the weekend (and week following) her birthday, so we first set it up in the living room. Without water. :) She enjoyed playing with it a lot, so I knew she would be really thrilled once it was outside and filled with water!

I wasn't wrong! She loves it! Thanks, Mommom and Pop!

The photo I'm sharing with you today, is from Friday. The weather was finally warm enough for splashing in some water! This is before she really started getting soaked...and the first of three DRY outfits that day!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

I've linked this post to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

Outdoor Wednesday hosted by A Southern Daydreamer
Wordless Wednesday hosted by 5 Minutes For Mom
Wordless Wednesday at Wordless Wednesday
Wordful Wednesday at Parenting By Dummies

Reuse Take-Out Containers

2012-05-15T01:30:00.000-04:00

If you are a regular here, Under the Big Oak Tree, you probably know that Joe and I enjoy ordering Chinese Food to celebrate special occasions. Rather than going out to dinner (something we don't do much since Grace was born) or cooking an elaborate meal (who wants to clean up that mess on Valentine's Day?), we choose a few things that we like from the menu and Joe will pick it up on his way home from work.

We love Chinese Food and could eat it every day if our budget allowed for it. Sometimes we splurge and order just because we're in the mood, but we try not to over-do it. But as far as take-out goes, it's the most frugal of our choices since there are ALWAYS leftovers! And since we always get appetizers in addition to our entrees, we can usually get 2 nights' dinners and at least one day of lunch (sometimes 2 days' worth) from our one take-out order.

Then, after all of the leftovers are finished, we're left with some really handy storage bowls!

While Chinese Food wouldn't be the same without those traditonal cardboard boxes filled with different rices or noodles, I loved it when most Chinese Restaurants replaced those foil take-out containers that are always a pain in the butt to get the lid back on, with these re-usable, plastic containers.

I love these containers and use them for everything!

During the winter months, when I'm making a bunch of soups, stews or chilis, I tend to use a lot of the same ingredients. Rather than have to chop vegetables each day for each new recipe, I like to check my recipes and chop what I need for each recipe. Same goes for summer months when I'm making potato salads or macaroni salads.

I then separate the vegetables by recipe. Putting all the veggies I need for the soup recipe in one container, the veggies for stew in the second, and so on.

I then take out my dry-erase marker and write the name of the recipe on the lid making it easy for me to just grab the container I need on the night I'm making each meal.

Sometimes I only have a small window of opportunity to get dinner started. And if Grace is fussy, I just don't have the patience for chopping and measuring vegetables in addition to measuring out spices and other ingredients. This method makes preparing meals much easier for me.

And since I use dry-erase markers, the containers can continue being re-used in a bunch of other ways, making me feel slightly better about splurging on take-out!

Store leftovers in the fridge. These are one of the few containers that will fit on the shelf under my deli meat bin.
Send leftovers home with family and friends. Since they aren't "part of a set," I don't mind that I won't get them back.
Use for packed lunches. They are the perfect size for Joe's lunch. Sometimes Joe forgets to take a used lunch bowl out of the truck for a few days. In the winter, it's not so bad. But in the summer, some of those containers can get pretty gross from sitting in the hot truck all day with bits of food still inside. With these containers, I don't mind tossing them if they're just a bit too funky for me to want to deal with.
They are also great for gift giving. Small batches of Christmas cookies fit perfectly in these containers. Put a simple bow on top to give it a more festive look! A few years ago, I made chocolate covered strawberries for Easter. I gave some to a few friends in these take-out containers.

I've linked this post to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

Open Call Tuesdays hosted by Salt Tree
Kitchen Tip Tuesdays hosted by Tammy's Recipes
Works for Me Wednesday hosted by We Are That Family

Menu Plan Monday 2012 ~ Week of May 14th

2012-05-14T16:39:00.002-04:00

Hello!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday.

Personally, I had mixed feelings about yesterday! Mainly, because I only had about 2 hours of sleep the night before. Grace occasionally wakes up in wee hours of the night looking for Joe. He gets up early to leave for work and she likes to see him before he leaves. But, she internal alarm clock was way off on Sunday morning...not to mention the fact that Joe wasn't going to work. Usually when this happens, she falls back to sleep after he sits and talks with her for a few minutes. Not this time. As much as we tried to get her to sleep or play quietly while we slept, she just got louder and louder. Finally, I gave in at 5:00 and turned on the TV in the living room and hung out on the couch while she watched Disney Junior.

Besides being so incredibly tired, Mother's Day was very nice. Joe surprised me with a flower delivery on Friday. Two dozen beautiful roses from my little Grace! They are so pretty and have are beautifully fragrant!

In addition to the roses from Grace (and Joe), my Mom and my niece came over and planted some plants in my garden! You see, I have no clue when it comes to gardening. Plus, after moving here 5 years ago, we haven't had extra money for plants and landscaping. Mom helped out by bringing some plants from her beautiful gardens and planting them in our empty flower bed! Thanks, Mom! They are beautiful! (Don't worry friends, I'll share photos here soon!)

Such a wonderful day, even though I felt like crawling back into bed for most of the day!

Now onto the reason we're here today: Menu Planning!

We didn't follow last week's menu to the letter last week, but didn't do too badly considering I've been away from menu planning lately!

This week, I'll be making a few of our own tried and true meals in addition to trying a new recipe. It's been a long time since I've tried anything new and since I've been feeling like we're in a dinner-time rut, I think it's about time!

Here's what I'm planning for this week:

Hot dogs, Baked Beans and baked potatoes. We've been in the mood for baked beans lately. I threw a quick batch together and let it cook overnight in the crock pot. I used some of the leftover turkey bacon from last week's BLTs in place of the bacon crumbles that I normally use in my beans. Since hot dogs are on sale this week, Joe picked up a pack to go with the crock of beans. Some baked potatoes will go nicely with this comfort food meal!

Spaghetti with All Day Crock Pot Meat Sauce, garlic bread, salad. Grace has been in a meal-time rut lately, too. Poor kid is getting bored with the handful of foods that she will actually eat. I think it's time for a pot of spaghetti! She really enjoys it and it seems like it's been a while since we've had it for dinner.

Chicken, Pinto Beans & Rice Casserole. I want to start cooking with more rice and more beans. This recipe is perfect since it uses both! Plus, we always have chicken in the freezer! I really can't wait to try this recipe from Family Balance Sheet!

BBQ Chicken. A local organization is hosting their annual Chicken Barbecue this weekend. This is THE BEST barbecue chicken ever! Mainly because I don't have to cook! haha! Seriously, it's very tasty! Instead of eating there, we usually order ours to-go. We usually pick up some potato salad and coleslaw, too.

Cheesey Spanish Rice Bake, Steamed Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots, leftover BBQ Chicken. Since I know we'll have leftover chicken, I'll make this rice casserole to serve with the leftovers. I've made this casserole a few times and love how easy it is to make! I'll probably add some black beans to it to bulk it up a bit!

Turkey, Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus. Since I never did find the time to dig that turkey out of the chest freezer, we never got around to having our turkey dinner. We didn't really end up having the time to cook it anyway, so I guess it's a good thing I didn't thaw it. Since I need the room in the freezer, I'm determined to get it out of there this week!

So, now you know what we're eating this week! Please share your menu ideas in the comment section of this post!

Need more menu planning inspiration? Follow me over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie! Or, if you like what you see here, you can check out my past menu plans.

Grace Turns 3

2012-05-10T01:08:00.002-04:00

Earlier while editing a few photos from Grace's 3rd birthday, I realized that I haven't posted anything about her 2nd birthday. I'll have to share them with you soon.

But for now, let's talk about Grace's Sesame Street 3rd Birthday Party!

This was our first character party. You might remember that we threw a Sweet Shoppe party for Grace's 1st Birthday. We went with a similar "generic" theme for her 2nd Birthday (I'll share the details about that party soon!)
I chose a Sesame Street theme this year since there aren't too many years left where she will ADORE the characters the way she does now. I also figured that this will be my last year choosing the theme of Grace's party. That doesn't mean I won't try to steer her towards themes that I'd prefer!

Like Grace's Sweet Shoppe Party, I hand-made the invitations using supplies I already had in my craft room.

I was really pleased with the way they turned out, especially since I was running late and had to get them finished in just a few hours!

Since the party was outside, I didn't want to spend too much on decorations that would just blow around in the breeze. Instead, I picked up a really cool Sesame Street scene setter that we hung our back patio. And since Grace loves to watch Elmo's World, I decided to use her easel to write a birthday message for her on the white board side. But in the end, she liked "Gracie's World" better.

I then filled Grace's wagon with the favors for the guests. For the toddlers, we filled Sesame Street tote bags with sidewalk chalk, cookies, ring pops and assorted Sesame Street favors including rubber duckies. For the tweens and teens, we made smaller favor bags using paper lunch sacks that I tied using ribbon that coordinated with the invitations.

Deciding on a cake was the most difficult part of planning this party. A year ago, I saw that one of my cousins made the most adorable Elmo cake and character cupcakes, but it turned out she was out of town the weekend of the party. So, I looked and looked and really had a tough time finding a cake that I liked.

Joe and I went to our local supermarket and after I described what I was looking for, they came up with this:

We were really pleased with how it turned out and Grace really enjoyed seeing her favorite characters on her birthday cake!

Every year, for Grace's party, I dress her in something festive. The birthday t-shirts on the Carter's website are great paired with a colorful tutu!

This year, I found the perfect dress for Grace from Annalie's Baby Boutique on Etsy and knew right away that I wanted her to wear it for her Sesame Street party!

Here, Grace is posing for a picture in her wagon. The front of her dress is a bit scrunched up, hopefully my sister-in-law managed to get a better photo of her in her dress!

In the past, the weather has always been warm for her party. I planned on running around barefoot with a pair of white shorts under her dress. But, it turned out being chillier than I anticipated. Luckily, I had a pair of white leggings for her to wear under her dress. And instead of shoes, she wore slippers so she could keep them on in the bouncy house. I wish I would have thought ahead and purchased Elmo slippers!

Grace had a wonderful time with her family and friends! Joe and I really enjoyed watching her play and interact with everyone!

While she's always enjoyed herself at her other parties, this was the first year that she knew that this party was ALL ABOUT HER!

I've linked this post to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

The Weekly Round-Up, week 10 hosted by It's a Blog Party
Open Call Tuesdays hosted by Salt Tree

Giveaway: V8 V-Fusion Sparkling Prize Pack Giveaway Closed

2012-05-07T16:29:00.001-04:00

In my constant quest to live a healthier lifestyle, I'm always looking for healthier options for the not-so-healthy foods I love! The same goes for beverages.

I've mentioned before that Diet Pepsi is most often my drink of choice. Waters and juices just don't cut it for me. I think it's because they lack that carbonation that I love so much!

Recently, I was asked if I wanted to try the new V8 V-Fusion Sparkling Juice Drinks! Of course, I said "Yes!" right away! I love trying new products and I thought this just might be a wonderful, healthy alternative to all of those diet sodas I drink!

The new addition to the V8 V-Fusion product line is available in 3 flavors:

Black Cherry Pomegranate
Strawberry Lemonade
Tangerine Raspberry

I was especially excited to try the Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade and just as I thought, this was my favorite of the 2 flavors I tried! Perfectly refreshing for a warm day, with just the right amount of carbonation to make me think I'm drinking a soda, and all for just 60 calories! Plus each 8-ounce can provides a combined serving of fruits and vegetables!

As always, V8 has put together a wonderful prize package to send along with their V8 V-Fusion Sparkling Juice Drinks and I get to share one with one lucky Under the Big Oak Tree reader!

Prize Information: ***giveaway is now closed***

~~One lucky reader will receive a V8 V-Fusion Sparlking Prize Pack which includes the following:~~

~~V8 V-Fusion Sparkling~~

~~Gaiam Yoga/Gym Tote~~

~~Philosophy Raspberry Bubble Bath~~

~~$25 Sephora Gift Card~~

~~Esse Nail Polish~~

~~a vesatile to-go cup~~

Entry Information: ***giveaway is now closed***

~~This entry is mandatory. After completing this entry, you can continue on to earn additional entries.~~

~~Leave a comment on this post, telling my your favorite V8 product. Or if V8 is new to you, let me know what V8 product you'd most like to try.~~

Additional Entries: ***giveaway is now closed***

After completing the mandatory entry above, you can then earn additional entries. Be sure to leave a comment for each completed task below, as your comment is your entry. Also, don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

~~Like~~ ~~V8 V-Fusion~~ ~~on Facebook~~

~~Like~~ ~~Under the Big Oak Tree~~ ~~on Facebook~~

~~Enter the~~ ~~Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ~~ ~~giveaway currently running on this blog~~

Givaway Rules and Reminders:

This giveaway ends Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 10:00 pm EST.
Giveaway open to US residents only.
Mandatory Entry must be completed first before earning additional entries.
Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be contacted by email. Winner will then have 48 hours to provide contact information or another winner will be selected.
Don't forget to leave a seperate comment for each entry, since each (qualifiying) comment counts as a seperate entry.
Don't forget to provide your email address in order for us to contact you if you win!

Disclosure:

I was not financially compensated for this review. The sponsor provided me with a non-returnable prize pack including samples of the product mentioned in this review. The sponsor is also providing the same prize pack for the lucky winner of this giveaway. All opinions and thoughts mentioned in this post are honest and my own.

Giveaway: Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ ~ Let's Get Grilling!

2012-05-07T16:29:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you, but I sure am looking forward to Memorial Day Weekend! For me, the holiday weekend always means the start of summer. Especially, when I was a kid. After the holiday weekend, the last few weeks of school were always fun-filled and full of excitement as we looked forward to summer vacation!

Now, as an adult, I look forward to Memorial Day because it's the weekend that all of the family cook-outs start and run every weekend throughout the summer!

Sure, we grill all year long but not the big, family-filled barbecues like during the summer! I'm really looking forward to filling my freezer with burgers, hotdogs, chicken and steaks! I also need to place an order with Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ and restock my pantry in order for it to be ready for the grilling season!

If you're a regular here, you probably remember me telling you about my family's favorite barbecue sauces and dry rubs!

Well, in honor of Memorial Day and the start of grilling season, the kind people at Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ are allowing me to share their great products with one lucky winner!

Prize Information:

One lucky reader will receive a bottle of Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ Sauce and a jar of dry rub in the flavors of their choice!

Entry Information:
This entry is mandatory. After completing this entry, you may continue on to earn additional entries.

Visit Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ and tell me in a comment on this post which flavor barbecue sauce and dry rub you would like to win.

Additional Entries:
After completing the mandatory entry above, you can then earn additional entries. Be sure to leave a comment for each completed task below, as your comment is your entry. Also, don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Like Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ on Facebook.
Like Under the Big Oak Tree on Facebook.
Enter the V8 V-Fusion Sparkling Giveaway currently running on this blog.

Giveaway Rules and Reminders:

This giveaway ends Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 10:00 pm EST.
Giveaway open to residents of the US and Canada only.
Mandatory Entry must be completed first before earning additional entries.
Winner will be chosen via random.org and will be contacted by email. Winner will then have 48 hours to provide contact information or another winner will be selected.
Don't forget to leave a seperate comment for each entry, since each (qualifiying) comment counts as a seperate entry.
Don't forget to provide your email address in order for us to contact you if you win!

Disclosure:

I was not financially compensated for providing this giveaway. The sponsor was kind enough to provide the products that are the prize for this giveaway. Any opinions or thoughts mentioned in this post are honest and my own.

Menu Plan Monday 2012 ~ Week of May 7th

2012-05-07T10:45:00.001-04:00

Menu planning has been put on the back burner these days, along with blogging. We've been doing a lot of winging it when it comes to meal-time. For the most part, we've been eating soups and stews from freezer, preparing quick meals or sandwiches, and using up leftovers.

On the days that we ran errands, we found ourselves indulging in a lot of fast food. As much as Grace loves her Chicken McNuggets and Fries, I think even she was getting tired of grabbing drive-thru while we were out!

I think some things will be calming down around here a bit. So, I really want to focus on cooking at home more. I also really want to get into the habit of serving more veggies with meals.
Here's what I'm serving up this week:

Zesty Crock Pot Chicken with Vegetables. Sunday night, we just had a quick dinner of sandwiches. Since I didn't have much to clean up, I found myself with a small window of spare time. I decided to use that time wisely and prep my veggies and chicken for this recipe. All I have to do now is add all of the ingredients into the crock pot for a really easy, home-cooked meal! I'll serve this with a salad and some dinner rolls.

Pancakes, turkey bacon, watermelon. It seems like forever since we've enjoyed breakfast for dinner. It's been even longer since we enjoyed breakfast for breakfast! Grace gobbled up pancakes the last time I made them, so I'm really hoping she will eat them again! I'm getting bored preparing her the same handful of foods over and over again.

Hamburger Macaroni. Last week, I purchased a large package of ground beef. After making Mini BBQ Meatloaves, I have little over a pound of the meat left in the freezer. Perfect for this recipe! I'll serve this with a green salad and some dinner rolls.

BLTs, Oven Fries, salad. Turkey bacon is great for BLT's! During the winter, we ate several of these sandwiches alongside hot bowls of soup. Since the weather is getting warmer, I think we'll skip the soup this time and serve with a nice salad and some fries!

Turkey, Mashed Potatoes with Cauliflower, green beans. We have a FREE turkey in our freezer. You know, the ones you get from the supermarket around the holidays when you spend a certain dollar amount? Well, it's been in there since Thanksgiving, so I think it's time to cook it and free up some space in the freezer for burgers and hot dogs!

Leftovers! With all of that great food, I'm sure we'll have plenty of leftovers for lunches and for a couple of no-cooking days!

So, now that you know what we're eating this week, why not share your ideas in the comments!

If you're looking for more menu planning inspiration and recipes, follow me over to Menu Plan Monday hosted by I'm an Organized Junkie!

If you like what you see here, you can also check out my past menus.

~~Also, I'm working on 2 giveaway posts that should be posted sometime today! So, be sure to check back so you can enter!~~ You can enter the V8 V-Fusion Sparkling Prize Pack Giveaway and also the Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQ Giveaway!

Giveaway: UPrinting Rolled Canvas giveaway closed

2012-04-16T00:37:00.000-04:00

***Update: Giveaway Winner: Lisa Whitaker chosen via random.org***

Like most bloggers I take a lot of photos. Photos of recipes, my latest projects or even great thrift shop finds. But like any mom, family photos are the most important photos to me. For all the pictures I take, I have to admit that our walls are very bare! I've yet to hang a single snapshot of my adorable, little girl!

I feel so guilty!

Well, that's about to change! I'm looking into having a photo printed (possibly the one above) on a rolled canvas from UPrinting.com. I've checked out their website and they make it very easy to place your order...I have a feeling the hard part will be choosing which image of Grace to have printed!

In addition to canvas printing, UPrinting also has other great products for all of your printing needs. Products like magnets, brochures, calendars, etc.

The nice people at UPrinting are allowing me to giveaway a 16” x 20” Rolled Canvas Print (with or without a 2-inch border) to one lucky Under the Big Oak Tree reader! All you have to do is enter for your chance to win!

Prize Information

16” x 20” Rolled Canvas Print for one winner
with 2-inch border or no border
1 Business Days Turnaround time
Free US shipping only

~~Here's how to enter:~~

Note: Please be sure to include your email address so I may contact you should you win!

~~Like UPrinting on~~ ~~Facebook. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you did.~~

~~Follow UPrinting on~~ ~~Twitter. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you did.~~

~~Add UPrinting to your~~ ~~Google Plus Circle. Leave a comment on this post letting me know you did.~~

~~Of course, I'd also love for you to like Under the Big Oak Tree on~~ ~~Facebook! Please leave a comment here letting me know you did! (There may be bonus entries mentioned on our Facebook page from time to time...you'll only know if you LIKE the page!)~~

There you have it! 4 ways to enter to win this great giveaway!

This giveaway will run until 10:00pm on May 2, 2012 at which time I will choose a winner via random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Restrictions:

1.       This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.
2.       No prize substitutions allowed.
3.       Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.
4.       Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.

Disclaimer:

You should assume that the owner of this blog will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Visiting the Easter Bunny

2012-04-04T03:20:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, we took Grace to the mall to visit the Easter Bunny. It was a Monday morning and the mall was empty.

Grace spotted Mr. Bunny right away and couldn't get out of her stroller fast enough! Luckily, there wasn't a line. As soon as she was free, she ran right up and started chattering away. I've never seen her so animated before!

The entire time that Mr. Bunny's helper was positioning her on the bunny's lap, Grace just kept chattering away. She was talking so fast that I couldn't understand a word she was saying.

Somehow, she they were able to get her to stop talking long enough to get a good smile out of her for the pictures!

Baby Swiss Monte Cristo Panini Recipe

2012-03-29T10:55:00.000-04:00

This is a guest post by Elana Birnbaum.

If you’re looking for a unique sandwich that’s sure to be a delicious delight, consider making a Baby Swiss Monte Cristo Panini with Black Pepper Strawberry Jam.

Yes, it’s a mouthful and a yummy one at that.

To make this tasty Panini you will need 12 slices of either egg or challah bread and some deli meats and cheeses including 12 slices of Baby Swiss Cheese (it has a milder flavor than standard Swiss), 12 ounces of sliced maple or honey glazed turkey breast and 12 ounces of sliced black forest ham.

You will also need 2 cups of sliced fresh strawberries, ½ a cup of sugar, 1 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar, ½ a tsp. of freshly ground black pepper, 2 large eggs and ¼ cup of milk. You can also choose to add powdered sugar.

This interesting, sweet deli style sandwich is especially special due to the strawberry jam.

To make the jam, combine your strawberries, sugar, vinegar and pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring this mix to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer your mixture uncovered until it is thickened. This will take about 15 minutes. Remove the mix from the heat and transfer it to a small bowl and refrigerate it for 30 minutes or until serving time. This will give your jam its jelly-like consistency.

To make the sandwiches, place 6 slices of cheese over 6 slices of bread and top with turkey, ham and the remaining cheese.

Finally, close the sandwiches with your remaining bread.

To make your bread panini perfect, beat together eggs and milk in a pie plate. Dip each sandwich lightly in your egg mixture and turn the sandwich to coat each side. Make sure this is just a thin coat, do not soak the sandwiches in this mixture. Cook your sandwiches in a preheated nonstick panini maker for about three minutes or until your bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

To complete the dish, just serve with your black pepper strawberry jam and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Enjoy your deliciously sweet panini!

Menu Plan Monday 2012 ~ Week of March 26th

2012-03-26T15:36:00.001-04:00

Wow! I cannot believe this is the last week of March already! I've really been a bad menu planner and even worse blogger this entire month!

The nice weather is to blame! Really, it is! I have Spring Fever! Grace and I have been spending a lot of time outside enjoying the warm sun and of course playing with all of her outdoor toys that have been neglected all winter long!

LOL! I just looked back at those 2 paragraphs. That's a whole lot of exclaimation marks! Can you tell we're excited that Spring is here? Maybe, just a little?

In the moments that weren't outside, I've been working on my Spring Cleaning Decluttering Challenge. If you read my blog, then you already know that I've challenged myself to removing 500 items from my home during the month of March. So far, I'm doing pretty good! (You can read the original post here, and also Update #1 and Update #2. Update #3 coming up soon!)

Although, I've been away from the blog and menu planning, I have been feeding my family. It's mostly been quick meals from the freezer or I've cooked one meal and we ate it for almost a week. Not very impressive, but sometimes I just need a break.

This week, I'm ready to be put back on a schedule. Although, I'll be sticking to some tried-and-true recipes rather than attempting something new. I'm not quite ready for something new! I feel like it's the first day back to work after a long vacation!

So, here's my tried-and-true menu for this week:

Chili and rice. A couple of weeks ago, I made a big pot of chili and froze 1/2 of the batch. Perfect for a quick meal. We love our chili served over white rice. It's not only tasty, but also helps stretch a pot of chili for several meals! (With how often we have chili, I can't believe I never took a photo!)

Chicken Pot Pie. Even though Spring is here, I'm not entirely ready to give up my winter comfort foods! I figure we'll still be eating soups, stews and pot pies for several more weeks! After that, we'll be into summer barbecue type meals.

Easy Beef Stew. This stew can be made in either the oven or the crock pot. Both are slow-cooking methods and will need to be started early in the day. Depending on how I feel in the morning will determine how this stew will be prepared.

Tuna Noodle Casserole. Fridays during lent mean no meat for my family. Sometimes that means pizza, sometimes the vegetarian options from our local Chinese take-out. But more often than not, it means either grilled cheese sandwiches or Tuna Noodle Casserole. I'm a little tired of sandwiches and it's been a few weeks since we've enjoyed the casserole...so the casserole wins out for this week's menu!

Porcupine Meatballs. I've been wanting to make these meatballs again ever since making them for the first time several weeks ago. I'm pretty sure I have all of the ingredients on hand for this meal. I even have ground beef in the freezer!

Leftovers. If our weekend is anything like the past several weekends, I won't have much time for cooking. I'll be very thankful for leftovers after running errands this weekend!

That's what we're eating this week. I'd love to hear what you'll be serving your family...let me know in the comments!

If you're looking for more menu planning ideas, you can check out my past menus or follow me over to Menu Plan Monday to see many more menu plans and dinner ideas!

Spring Cleaning Decluttering Challenge: Update #2

2012-03-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

I wanted to get this post written up earlier today, but I had a bit of a mishap this morning. While carrying my 35 lb Boston Terrier, I tripped while climbing over a baby gate. Me, the dog and the gate went toppling over and hit the floor. The way I landed, I'm really surprised I didn't break any bones, but I sure was sore and my leg a bit swollen.

I spent most of the day with my leg propped up trying to keep the swelling down! After getting Grace down for a nap, I decided that I'd better get some cleaning done, because I know that tomorrow I will feel much worse and be pretty much useless around the house!

So, both my body and my pride are hurting right now and as soon as I'm finished with this post, I'll be heading to bed with a heating pad!

Here's Update #2 of my Spring Cleaning Decluttering Challenge!

Last week, I boxed up another 100 items to donate to the local thrift shop! Although, we had a very busy schedule last weekend so the box is still in the garage waiting to be packed into the truck to be dropped off along with the stuff from this week. I'm not quite finished packing up that box, but more on that in next week's update!

I will admit, that it's getting more difficult to part with things. I find it much easier to spend an hour or two in the basement sorting through boxes and piles of clutter and gathering my donation items all at once.

I noticed that if I grab a few items here and there and place them into the box throughout the week, that I second-guess myself. I'll notice something in the donate pile and wonder if I really want to get rid of it. Like a true hoarder, I try to convince myself that I'll need it some day. Yeah, that's why it's been un-used and un-wanted for the past 4 years.

Last week, I worked on my sale listings utilizing the local ONLINE yard sale groups on Facebook. I've been doing really gathering some of Grace's outgrown clothing and selling them to other moms. This will help me pay for Grace's spring/summer wardrobe.

The tricky part to these online sales is to not spend more than you are earning! :) Right now, I'm about breaking even! More about that on another post!

I hope you are all having a great week!

Leave a comment and let me know what you are doing to declutter your home this spring!

My Spring Cleaning Decluttering Challenge: Update #1

2012-03-08T00:17:00.000-05:00

Last week, I told you all about my spring cleaning decluttering challenge. Since that post, my main focus has been ridding my house of 100 items that are no longer used, needed or even wanted. It has become an obsession!

The first week of my challenge went really well! I started by setting up a series of boxes. One for donating, one for keeping and one for selling. I also made sure to keep a large trash can handy!

I'm pleased to say that I was able to box up 100 items to be donated to the local thrift shop! Two boxes worth of items! It felt so good to load those boxes into the back of the truck on Monday morning!

I also managed to sell a bunch of stuff online. If you haven't heard about Facebook Yard Sales yet, I suggest you check them out! My friend Lisa told me about Facebook Yard Sales in her area and recommended that I try to find local ONLINE yard sales in my area. I'm so glad I did! After staying up late a few nights last week, listing a few things each night, I was able to sell 15 items and have several sales pending. It's a lot of work, but the extra cash will go towards some of our summer activities.

I must say, this is a big project! Bigger than I thought it would be! 115 items really didn't make a dent in the mess that is called my basement.

Be sure to check back next week for another update on my spring cleaning decluttering challenge!

giveaway closedJust a few hours left to enter the V8 V-Fusion Giveaway!

2012-03-02T14:53:00.002-05:00

Hello, everyone!

I have a confession to make. I screwed up the deadline date for entries for the V8 V-Fusion Smoothie Giveaway. I stated that the deadline was FRIDAY, March 1st. But that can't be, since yesterday was March 1st. Because of the mix-up with the dates, I'm allowing entries up until 11:59 tonight.

So, if you didn't enter yet...there's still a little time! ~~Just head over to~~ ~~THE GIVEAWAY POST, to find out how to enter!~~

Psst! Just in case you didn't know, the prize pack includes a Vera Bradley tote bag!

Spring Cleaning Decluttering Challenge

2012-03-01T09:09:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't mentioned weightloss in a while. Well, that's because I haven't been doing much to in the way of trying to lose weight. It's been an on-going battle within myself to behave myself by eating right, exercising and getting enough sleep. Since it's been such a struggle, I've been moody and depressed because I feel as if I'm failing....well, because that's what's happening. I'm failing. So, I put the entire concept on the back burner for a bit so I can focus on other things with a positive outlook!

Other things, like decluttering this house!

I recently read about this a "100 Things" Decluttering Challenge. The author of the article shares how they declutter their home from time to time, using a "100 things" method. By spending a weekend sorting through some stuff around the house and vowing to get 100 items out of the house in some way!

I LOVE this idea!

With spring on the way, I've been feeling antsy to do some spring cleaning. We have a variety of problem areas that seem to attract the most junk and I am challenging myself to work on 2 of those clutter magnets!

Our basement is the black hole for clutter. Stuff gets tossed down to the basement to be dealt with at a later time and since it's out of sight, it's usually out of mind. That is, until every time I do a load of laundry (our washer and dryer are in our un-finished basement) and I have to climb over some neglected pile of junk that was left there.

The second problem spot that I want to tackle is our spare bedroom. I want to move Grace's bed into that room and use her current bedroom as her playroom. But none of that is going to happen as long as the room is full of junk (piles books, paperwork waiting to be filed, off season clothing, or clothing that no longer fits). The room needs to be cleared out so we can paint, install shelves to the closet and get her bed set up in there.

To rid our home of 100 things, I'll be sorting through items in both of those problem spots. I've set up a box to place all items we wish to donate to our local charity shop, a box for items that I'd like to sell, and another box for items I'll pass along to other family members. I've also got a large trash can just waiting to be filled to the brim of items not worthy of passing along to anyone else.

So, for the entire month of March, I plan on eliminating clutter from our lives. 100 items per week for 5 weeks or until the clutter is gone...whichever comes first!

500 items in a month might sound like a lot, but I've already started sorting through some items to sell (more about that in another post) and already have 32 items in my "sell pile"! I've also started a donate pile but haven't counted those items yet.

Someone once told me that a cluttered life can contribute to weight problems, so I'm hoping that decluttering my house will help me wrap my brain around this whole weight loss issue once and for all.

Since I'm currently not driving, Joe is going to have to help out with getting this stuff out of the house. We'll plan to drop off items to the charity shop on his days off. Some weeks, the items may not actually get to the shop, but will at least be boxed up and ready to be on their way!

Check back next Thursday to see how the first week of my challenge has gone! Or if you like, join me in the "100 Things Challenge"!

I'll be linking this post to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

The Weekly Round Up

Menu Plan Monday 2012 ~ Week of February 27th

2012-02-27T10:10:00.000-05:00

Wow! It sure has been a while since I posted. We had a really busy couple of weeks making blogging a little difficult.

I want to remind you to enter the V8 V-Fusion Smoothie Prize Pack (including a Vera Bradley tote!) Giveaway. There are just a few days left to enter and the entries are easy!

I skipped menu planning completely last week. It was such a hectic week, I knew I wouldn't really have the chance to cook or stick to a plan. I also knew that I had some pre-made meals in the freezer that I could just pop into the oven or microwave. It was like a week-long Leftover Buffet! It was great!

We're not doing anything really fancy here this week. We're going to cook from the freezer and pantry again this week. We had a couple unexpected expenses the past couple of weeks, so I won't be stocking up on sale items or making any impulse purchases. We'll need bread, milk and eggs this week, but other than that, we'll be using what we have here....and that's plenty!

Here's a look at what I'll be serving this week:

Corn Dog Casserole, baked potatoes. A couple of weeks ago, I diced up a ham steak and used it in place of the hot dogs in this yummy baked bean casserole. We really enjoyed it, so since I have another ham steak in the freezer, I'm going to make it again! This will be a perfect way to use up some of the leftovers of the Easter Ham we'll be dealing with in a few weeks!

Packer Country Soup. We didn't get to this when I included it in our menu plan a couple of weeks ago. I plan on making it this week. I think we're supposed to have a wintry day this week, so I'll double check the weather again try to coordinate with that day!

Porcupine Meatballs. Although, we just had this recipe a few weeks ago, we enjoyed it so much, that I think it's a good idea to make it again! A few weeks ago, I found some ground beef on "manager's special" so I bought up a few packs to keep in the freezer! We always have rice in the pantry, so this will be a great meal for this freezer and pantry week!

Tuna Noodle Casserole. Lent is here, so that mean meatless Fridays. But really, we don't need that as an excuse to make this easy, comfort food casserole!

Lentil Soup with Beef. This is another recipe I didn't get to from a few weeks ago. To be honest, I'm slightly worried about this one. Joe isn't really fond of lentil soup. I'm hoping that the addition of beef will change his mind about lentil soup! Again, we have all of the ingredients for this meal in our freezer and pantry.

Crunchy Tuna Salad with Egg. I'm thinking of making a bowl of this yummy tuna salad to eat for lunches this week. Either as a sandwich or with crackers.

So, now that you know what we'll be eating this week, please share your menu ideas with us! You can tell us in the comment section!

Like what you see here? You can check out our past menu plans by clicking the MENUS tab at the top of the page!

Need more menu planning inspiration? Follow me over to Menu Plan Monday for more menus and recipes!

Join Ebates Today: start earing your BIG FAT CHECK!

2012-02-18T12:47:00.002-05:00

I know that I've shared my love for Ebates with y'all before, but since I just received a BIG FAT CHECK from them today!
This check was cash back for online purchases that I made over the holidays. Gotta love getting a little something back after the holidays, huh?!

Last spring, I shared with you how I helped my mom save $40.20 by looking for the lowest price, then logging into Ebates before placing her order!

Over the holidays, I was at the mall with a friend. I only left the house with a small amount of cash and didn't bring my debit card either. In the Disney Store, I saw a few things ON SALE that I knew we wanted to get Grace for Christmas. My friend knew I didn't have enough cash with me and offered to buy the wanted items and I could pay her back later. That was tempting, but instead, I bought one item while we were at the mall and decided that I would check online when I returned home.

I was so glad I waited. The online sale was better than the in-store sale! I logged-in on Ebates to check out the percentage and at the time it was double Disney.com's normal percentage! To top it off, Disney.com was offering free shipping that weekend! I was so pleased with myself!

Next week, we're driving into the city to get our taxes done. Thankfully, we're expecting a return! As with past years, we'll be making some purchases for items for the house. I plan on using Ebates as much as I can!

For instance, I saw lamps at Lowe's that I want for my living room. Sure, I could just walk into Lowe's and purchase the lamps. But here's what I plan on doing: I'll visit ebates.com, log-in, then click on Lowe's in list of participating retailers. Then, I will place my order for the lamps, using the FREE in-store pick up option. Not only will I save on shipping, but I'll receive a percentage of my purchase from Ebates! (the current percentage for Lowe's is 2.5 %...not a lot, but more than I would have saved if I just walked in and made my purchase)

These days, every little bit of savings helps! And that is why I want to invite you to join Ebates today and start earning your BIG FAT CHECK!

If you sign up using my referral link, I'll earn a bonus only after you make your first qualified purchase.

Frugal Toy Storage

2012-02-17T12:00:00.003-05:00

Before I start today's post, I want to remind you to enter my current giveaway! Click here to find out how to win a V8 V-Fusion Smoothie Prize Pack including a Vera Bradley Tote Bag!

Last week, I guest posted over at Mess For Less. For those of you that may have missed my post, I wanted to share it here too!

I've probably mentioned more than once that Grace's toys have taken over the house. Grace likes to dump all her toys out onto the floor. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's what she thinks is the purpose of toys.

Just the other night, I heard her singing "clean up, clean up" and was thrilled to see that watching me clean up has finally caught on. That thrill was short-lived. As soon as she cleaned up the last piece, she dumped it all back out!

Sigh.

I realized that all of Grace's toys, books and stuffed animals are stored in toy boxes, bins and baskets in which she has full access. No lids. A year and a half ago, I was convinced that this 12-bin storage unit would be the perfect solution to our toy problem.

As soon as naptime is over, this:

Turns to this:

It's beyond frustrating. Some days, I don't even see the point in picking it all up.

Since the time that these photos were taken, the amount of toys in our home has more than tripled; and so has my frustration.

Over the summer, I decided to put some of Grace's favorite mess making toys into recycled containers with lids. These clear tubs, that once held bulk sized portions of cheese balls or pretzel rods, now hold Grace's pretend food and dishes for her toy kitchen.

These tubs fit nicely on the top shelf of the closet in Grace's room. Even if they weren't stored so high in her closet, Grace would still need help with removing the lids. She can play with them when she asks, not just every time she feels like dumping them on the floor.

Since then, I've started adding other small toys to similar snack tubs. We've asked family and friends to save their tubs for us, so we've had a pretty regular supply of them coming in over the months.

Usually, I peel off the labels, but sometimes, when I'm really desperate, I don't even bother removing them!

Smaller plastic containers work well, too. For Christmas, Santa put a cute little set of plastic bugs in Grace's stocking. I wanted to get her a plastic bug box from the dollar store for her new little buggie friends to live in, but they are more of a seasonal (spring/summer) item. As I was about to throw away an empty mayonnaise jar, I remembered catching fireflies and putting them into empty jars!

I washed out the jar and peeled off the label and gave her buggies a new home! Perfect!

Some labels are easier to remove than others. After picking and peeling and scraping for a while, I asked Joe to pick up a bottle of Goo Gone. I won't deny that it worked, but I wasn't thrilled with the smell. I had a headache and sore throat from breathing in the fumes.

I knew there had to be a better way to remove the sticky labels, so I looked online and found that a hair dryer is a great, chemical-free solution for removing the labels! So easy and no chemical odors!

Now, don't get me wrong. We still have issues with toy storage and we're still trying to teach Grace that she should treat her toys nicely and put them away when she's finished playing with them, but for now, we've gained a little control of the smaller and sometimes more annoying items.

I'll be linking this post to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

Frugal Friday