Tuesday Tips - Meals?!

Here is a Tuesday tip that you can help us out with! What is your favorite meal to take to a friend in need? This is such a great way to be a blessing in so many ways. I think a lot of people just think this is reserved for when someone has a baby, but there are so many occasions you can be a blessing in this way.... whether it is a friend whose household is fighting sickness, a family moving, a loved one in the hospital or having surgery, or just a friend who is going through a particularly busy season in life and would enjoy a night off!

Since I am not Rachel Ray my list of meals that I would deliver on these occasions are short. If you have an easy go-to meal for these occasions, please email it to us! Just click our email link on the right sidebar or you can leave a comment on this post! Then we can share them in a post later!

One of my favorite's is the Baked Ziti I posted here! I always make sure to stock up on foil pans at the Dollar Tree when I am there so the recipient never has to return a dish!

Monday Munchies - Easy-Peasy Biscotti

So for whatever reason, I've been craving biscotti for a while. Last week, I finally made some! It was easier than I thought (especially when you have a KitchenAid) and it is WAY cheaper than buying it at the store. Now that I've "broken the ice" of making biscotti, I think I'm going to experiment with different flavors.

Here's the link to the recipe I used . . . but please note that it doesn't take 40 minutes to make! I think they forgot to include the time you have to put the slices back in the oven. I actually ended up putting them in for 6 minutes on each side and then I turned the oven off and left them in overnight because I didn't think they were dry/crunchy enough.

Here are the base ingredients, and the changes I made to the recipe (in red)

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour)
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon anise extract, or 3 drops anise oil (I used vanilla, or cinnamon)
• (I also ended up throwing in white chocolate chips, almonds, and dried cranberries)

Next time I'm going to use almond extract and put a bunch more almonds and cranberries. Or I might tweak it and use 2 eggs and some applesauce . . . or make it with cocoa and make them chocolatey. Mmmm, so yummy and so fun!

This week's coupon match-ups and deals

Here are links to this week's coupon match-ups and deals!

CVS (MoneySavingMom)
CVS (TheFrugalGirls)

Walgreens (MoneySavingMom)
Walgreens (The FrugalGirls)

Target (TotallyTarget)

Freelance Friday - Cauliflower Popcorn

Here is a fun and healthy Friday night snack for the kids! Cauliflower Popcorn - here is the recipe and a printable to go with it, from Super Healthy Kids.

Toddler Thursday - Make your own stamps

One thing my kids love is stamping. Usually I collect stamps when they are in the clearance section or yard sales etc. We keep them in a box with kid friendly stamp pads and break them out on a rainy day or when we want to create a card for someone . . you get the idea.

Well Vanessa's Values has a genius idea on how to create some of your own stamps! Love it!

Wacky Wednesday - Pinterest

Yup!

Source: Uploaded by user via Anouk on Pinterest

Tuesday Tip - Repurposing an old dresser

Some people are SO creative! I often will find an idea or project and say to myself: "Now why didn't I think of that?"

Here's a project I found not too long ago that I thought was pretty ingenious: turning a dresser into a storage bench!

This week's coupon match-ups and deals

Here are some links to this week's coupon match-ups and deals to 3 major stores:

CVS (MoneySavingMom)
CVS (The Frugal Girls)

Walgreens (MoneySavingMom)
Walgreens (The Frugal Girls)

Target (Totally Target)

Monday Munchies - Baked Kale Chips

Ok. . . seriously. . . you MUST try these baked kale chips. So extremely easy, inexpensive and healthy! Now my kids did not enjoy these but my husband and I did. It is a good snack alternative if you want something salty. Fresh out of the oven they are so warm and crispy!

Freebie - The Very Hungry Caterpillar Preschool Pack

My almost 10 month old already love Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar board books - she loves to poke her fingers through the holes!

Here is a great educational freebie: a printable preschool pack based on the book! I downloaded it and saved it to my "educational" folder for when my daughter is older. What fun!


Thanks MoneySavingMom!

Freelance Friday: Pre-schooler + shoes + genius idea!

If you have a child that is struggling to put the right shoes on the right foot ("no, your other right"), then you'll find this idea genius!

Go check it out here!

Toddler Thursday - Easy experiment

Check out this easy science experiment that requires 3 items you already have at home!

Milk
Dishsoap
Food coloring

This is the end result:

Wacky Wednesday - A Monday Funny

(Grrr! Sorry about this Wednesday post being a day late. For whatever reason this post saved as a draft instead of getting scheduled for Wednesday - enjoy the laugh!)
 
OK, so you HAVE to go check out it's just Laine's post from this Monday. It made me laugh quite heartily! I can't give you the whole picture without ruining the "punch line" so I'll give you a teaser part of the picture.

Tuesday Tips - Mommy Manners

Jill Savage from Keeping Hearts at Home had a great reminder post on Mommy Manners. Read it here.

P.S. Make sure that you read the comments on her post too . . . there are some more great reminders!

Monday Munchies - Gluten Free Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

Oh Yum! Check out Divine Baking's Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies. They look soooo good! I'm going to have to try them out to see if they are good enough to make to give out to my gluten-free friends. I mean, I wouldn't want to give them something I haven't tasted first to make sure it tastes good, right? :-)

This weeks coupon match-ups and deals

Here are this week's coupon match-ups for three major stores:

CVS Deals (by Common Sense with Money)

Walgreens Deals (by Common Sense with Money)

Target Deals (by Totally Target)

Freelance Friday - School Days Memory Kit

With the new year . . . 2012 . . upon us . . one item on my to do list is organize the kids school papers and projects that I would like to keep. Erica from Confessions of a Homeschooler is offering this perfect download to get me started.

Toddler Thursday - Make your own bouncing ball

I don't know a child that doesn't have a collection of bouncy balls. When the dr's offices', dentists, VBS, etc. etc. hand them out they seem to multiply. However, why not try to make your own bouncing balls and learn some science in the process!

Obviously, make sure you child is old enough to try this experiment and not insert the ball in their mouth!

Gluten-Free Deals and Coupons

Go here to see Money Saving Mom's post this week on Gluten-Free Coupons and Deals.

Wednesday Wisdom - Perfect Conditions?

Source: tumblr.com via B.J. on Pinterest

Tuesday Tip - Monthly Free Audio Book Download

Have you signed up with christianaudio.com yet? There is no cost, and every month they offer a free download. I've downloaded lots of books for free with them - it's a nice way to "read" (listen to) a book while doing housework!

This month's free audio book is J.I. Packer's "Knowing God" - a great book! I've read it before, but would like to read it again. Since I've got a list of books I want to read this year and this one didn't make the list, I'm thinking the audio version will be great - I'll be "reading" it while I do housework or run errands!

Monday Munchies - Buffalo Chicken Rolls

This is a delicious quick and healthy recipe that we really enjoyed! Buffalo Chicken Rolls. Thanks to Can you Stay for Dinner for the detailed instructions!

This week's coupon match-ups and deals

Here are this week's coupon match-ups for three major stores:

CVS Deals (by TheFrugalGirls)

Walgreens Deals (by TheFrugalGirls)

Target Deals (by TotallyTarget)

Freelance Friday: Goals and Organization Tips & Printables

Wow! There are so many resources on the web for help with goal setting and organization for the new year. Here are a few from two of my favorite websites:

Money Saving Mom

Whip Your House Into Shape In 2 Hours

Q&A Tuesday: How Do You Decide Your Yearly Goals?

Customizable Printable Reading List 

Customizable Goal Planning Worksheets

6 Free Resources to Help You Get Organized in 2012

4 Free Resources to Help You Get Organized in 2012

4 More Free Resources to Help You Get Organized in 2012

Free Printable Half-Pages 2012 Calendar


Baby Cheapskate

28 Easy and Cheap Ways to Organize and Store Toys

Toddler Thursday - Shapes

Since I am not a "teacher" by profession, I find blogs by teachers to be very helpful. This is a great article found on The School Sparks Blog about helping your child learn shapes and the importance of that skill.

The blog also has LOTS of worksheets to help you teach your child this important skill. Go here to download the worksheets.

Free Dave Ramsey Audio Lesson: Dumping Debt

Go here to get a free Dave Ramsey Audio Lesson: Dumping Debt

Wacky Wednesday - Please excuse the mess

Love this!

2012 Weekly Coupon Insert Preview

Thanks to Stretching a Buck for posting this helpful 2012 Coupon Insert Preview. This is helpful to know when to purchase extra papers or when to put your paper on hold if you just get the paper for the coupons.

Tuesday Tips - Homemade Chalkboard Paint

The idea room has a recipe for homemade chalkboard paint. I have seen chalkboard paint used in many ways! In nursery's at churches, schools, on kitchen cabinets and check out her idea for chalk rocks! How fun . . . how will you or have you used your chalkboard paint?

Monday Munchies - Breakfast Pizza

Eek! It's the new year and I'm already behind on my post for this morning. Not a good way to start the year :0)

I saw this on Super Healthy Kids this morning and thought it was a great idea to take a plain idea (pancakes) and make something fun out of it (breakfast pizza)! Head on over to read her ideas!