HOW PATIENT CAN YOU BE?

Good morning everyone! I hope this crisp fall morning finds you well. Betcha didn't expect me back, huh? As my dear friend Cindy told me... It's been a great week!! Made it through without needing bail money or having any of those messy "hide the body" episodes... LOL. True I have been MIA but I wanted to come on here and thank everyone for the kind emails and comments and to let you know what's been going on. Yes, I'm choosing to air dirty laundry, vent, spill the beans... whatever you want to call it LOL! I am getting a divorce, got health issues, money woas, and lots more! But I want you to know that whatever you are going through, you CAN get through it... let my story serve as your proof. That's the reason I am sharing all my personal stuff with you now!

6-4-10: The young man I let move into my house and treated like a son decided that drugs, booze, and girls were more important than a loving safe home and a "family" who would help him get a good education and a better life. His attitude and actions became intolerable. Then he cowardly moved out the day I took my mom to the casino without even saying goodbye. I felt very used and "abused" both myself and for my family. My Best Friend Vicki (who is more like my sister) saw him in the store the other day and my "nephew" Josh kept asking why he wasn't at Aunt Nay's house, etc. He fessed up that leaving was the biggest mistake he ever made. GEE, YA THINK? Oh well... young, dumb, and full of... um STUPIDITY LOL!

My brother also breaks off relations with the young lady he was seeing and the baby I was watching quite frequently is no longer in my life now. I got attached yes, but didn't cry. I just hope she realizes how special he is...

8-25-10: Separated from husband... we've been having alot of problems for the past couple of years actually. I decided to "kill" the old me and change my life. Went through my boo-hoo's and why me's and then finally said OK, Bring it on! I am quite proud of myself for not trying to get him to come back home... standing my ground! After what all he did to me over the course of our marriage (I admit I enabled him quite a bit), I realized I could not hold on to the good to get through the bad because things had changed and been damaged too much. It would never be the same. So I used the last way I knew how to show him I love him... I let him go!



Time to work on me and my kids!

9-8-10: Went to the doctor. Got my release and rehab "instructions". SUPPOSED to be exercising 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week. Appointments every week for 6 weeks of what I think feels like "Fat camp". Goal is to lose weight put on by meds and bone disease, steriod meds, shots, and other health issues. Doc also wants to re-evaluate at 6 wks and see if we can lose the BP meds. Personal Weight goal is to lose 100 pounds by my birthday next year (Sept. 7, 2011). Left the doctor and the next day, started... ended up exercising for 3 hours cause it felt so dang good!

** Aside from the exercising, I am implementing alot of other changes. I have already quit smoking (May 27, 2009) and only have the social drinks (except right after kicking out husband LOL). I am not using any salt other than to cook with, I hardly eat sweets unless my blood sugars go too low, I won't eat hardly any red meat, increase my veggies and raw salads (didn't think it was possible as I LOVE fruits and veggies already LOL but I did it), and increasing my water intake (just to name a few LOL). **

9-16-10: First doctor visit. Got lectured a bit... but its ok. I lost 9 pounds, my BP was 171/102 and my pulse was 99. Doc said the first 5-7 pounds of that was probably water weight and I said THAT'S OK! It took 2-4 pounds of its fatty friend with it! LOL! She warned me to be careful and she wanted a goal of like 2 pounds a week... I cock an eyebrow and think "Uh yea ok" LOL.

STATS: -9 pounds, BP- 171/102, P- 99

** Am loving doing 2-3 hours a day of kickboxing! Met with an atty and he is going to do the divorce for me, so that paperwork has been filed! Hopefully I can be saying my thanks over my Thanksgiving turkey saying "Thank you for this divorce and pass the gravy!"**

9-23-10: Second visit to hell-o LOL! Doc starts really fussin' cuz I drop another 4.5 pounds! WOOHOO! I am excited, she's not so much. She asked if I was doing the 30/3's and I had to fess up that no, I'm doing 120-180/5's LOL! She started fussin that she thinks I am over-doing it and doesn't want me adding too much stress to the heart or problemed bones. I say :P LOL! She asked me if I was eating, etc. Fuss Fuss Fuss... gonna do what I want to do so hush LOL!

STATS: -4.5 pounds, BP- 147/93, P- 96

** Am finding that since working out, I have more energy and when I listen to music, I just wanna move LOL so I end up dancing my butt off for another hour or so some nights LMAO! **

9-30-10: What a wonderful way to end September! In fat camp! Ok, doc's getting P-turbed with me now LOL and has the nerve to ask me if A. I'm actually eating, and B. am I taking any kind of drugs because I am losing the weight too fast. I was like seriously offended and the b*tchy side comes out and tells her NO and go ahead and test me if ya want! I stressed to her that when you're doing more than the 30/3's, you're more likely gonna lose it faster DUH! Plus the dancing... but I know my body and I know when to stop or slow down. I feel great about myself and I can actually look in the mirror now and not be so disgusted! After going a couple of rounds (more like an hour or so LOL), all she could really say was "well just be careful PLEASE" LOL! Renee 1, Doc-0! Think I might need to dance and celebrate tonight! LOL

STATS: -6 pounds, BP- 135/94, P- 101

TOTAL LOSS FOR SEPTEMBER: 19.5 lbs.
REMAINING GOAL LOSS: 80.5 lbs.
REMAINING TIME: 11 MONTHS

10-7-10: Today really sucked! I felt a sort of dread yesterday and didn't want to go to the dr. today. Couldn't put my finger on why. But I had an overactive brain yesterday and today, so I had tons of things running through my head. So I grabbed an extra hour almost of kickboxing. Well I had found a picture of my STBX (Soon To Be Ex) in my son's room that I had removed and forgot to put away... still in a frame of course. Got very angry again and OOOPS!



There went some more glass. Got a few cuts on my hand, but it's ok... nothing too deep (Note to audience- do NOT box with pics of STBX around LOL... the adrenaline gets going and soon you think the pic is their face and there ya go! LOL). I woke up today with a really low feeling in my gut, but I went to the doctor anyway. Well she couldn't gripe at me too bad, cuz my numbers were "much safer" to her but very disappointing to me. I have some swelling in my legs for some reason, but other than that she is pleased with my visit. She says I have slimmed but apparently am building up more muscle mass. NOOOOO! I am so upset that I have been working so hard and this is what I end up with... uh no. Think I need to step it up some or change it somehow! We'll see what next week brings!

STATS: -0.5 pounds, BP- 130/92, P-104



So that in a nutshell is what I have been up to with myself. Of course October started DD's Marching Band season in full swing. (LOL Like the pic? Late night football marching followed by early next day marching = Sunday morning Marching Lag! LOL) The competition last weekend was great! They got lots of good pictures of her. We have comp's every weekend this month... plus football, etc. Busy... Busy... Busy. I finally did some more painting in the kitchen- just have 2 cabinet doors on the bottom and then applying the lemons and that project is done. Because of everything going on, the fabric challenge and the Christmas Challenge came to a screeching halt. Christmas will be rough this year because of finances, but also that Frank & I were married December 23rd... so yea... I would say I see some "special" eggnog this year, but I hate eggnog YUCK! LOL!



My little bunny Rescue I got at the flea market passed away. Mom thinks she may have been bred diseased but says I gave her a very good life. I got a new rabbit though... rescued him too in a way. He is a 3 yr old black rabbit named Midnight and he is fixed! YAY! LOL... also my landlord got stupid and said I had too many cats and that some had to go. SOOOO Miracle and Gizmo are now living out at my mom's house. I still have to get rid of 1 more (2 if he learns about the baby in Madison's room). He "graciously" said the bunny can stay since it's in a cage. Gee thanks dillhole! And then DD's friend needs to place 2 gerbils and they decided they should come here. UM NO! Anyone want 2 gerbils and all the goodies? LOL.



We had my little brother's birthday lunch a couple of weeks ago too... wow I feel so old, but I love my family so much! We had a great time, great food, and I even managed to get him to give me a great picture... one he is not shooting the finger in! WOW! LOL Love ya Michael! My other brother Mark is currently in TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) boot camp to start a new career as a Correctional Officer. We were discussing this as a possibility for me too. But I won't even consider applying until I lose at least 50 more pounds! Its just a thought right now... a vague thought. But my brother's doing great and I think this is gonna be a good thing for him! Way to go Mark!

As you can see, lots of things going on right now in my life. When I started this blog it was as a wife, mother, and basically a "June Cleaver" Kinda person. However I'm NOT that person anymore. I am still a mom and I love cooking, sewing, etc. and if you want to still hang around, I will continue to be here... maybe not so much right now (definitely not every day right now) til my life settles into a normal chaos. I will still do crafts, cooking, etc... if you'll have me- the NEW me?

Well I'm outta here. Time for "The Oldies Sweating To Hate Music" LOL! (No offense to anyone- especially the makers of "Sweatin to the Oldies" LMAO!) I want to hear your thoughts and comments, etc... so until next time... HUGS!!!!!!

POST PARTY OMG-NESS

Good morning guys and dolls! How are you doing this morning? I am so ragged out it's not funny! But OMG am I in such a great mood! I'm sitting here listening to the sound of young ladies giggling down my hallway. I've made them a filling breakfast of homemade French Toast and scrambled eggs... planned on bacon too but didn't know I was out of it LMAO! Oh I've got so much to talk to you about that I think I am just gonna get started... shall we?

First off I want to bring you some better pictures of the things I have talked about the last week or whatever. LOL... I also take pictures with my camera so they are better than the phone pics, but it's just harder to load. But since the party pictures are on the camera, I fought and got them on here today!



This first picture is that Cheez-it chops I told you about. You can see the colors much better in here. I'm tellin ya... its my homage au fromage! LOL I love cheese!



This is the Parmesan encrusted chicken breast over penne with homemade sauce and my fresh garden salad. It was super yummy! The actual chicken breasts also made awesome sandwiches the next day LMAO!



This is that kitchen set I made on the Christmas challenge as gift numer one. In this picture you can definitely see the colors MUCH better! I think it's so pretty and I hope the recipient likes it. I think they will...



Here's that purse I snuck and made for Madison's gift. She opened it and almost started crying which made me tear up and almost start crying LOL... shoot here I go again. She said that she loved it, and she said it in front of everyone... so that made me feel special! Some of the other girls wanted one too which I started giggling about.



Ah the lovely cake in all its glory! Now let me tell ya about this cake LMAO! I think I sprouted about 40 new gray hairs because of this thing LMAO! First off, I used the table to set DS's TV on at my mom's house so he would be content while we cooked, decorated, etc. This was the same table that we were "GOING" to put the cake on... but am I SOOOOOOOOOO glad we didn't! The table collapsed during the day, almost busting the DS's TV. THANK GOD IT WASN'T THE CAKE! LOL... OK so I assembled the cake and put it in the walk in pantry cooler LOL. I swore this thing was tilting and fixing to fall. I was so paranoid. So I "announce" the cake and all you hear is ooohhss and ahhhs LMAO. Come on now guys, it ain't THAT great I thought LMAO. But ya know what... Madison loved it, I saved LITERALLY hundreds of dollars by doing it myself, AND it tasted darn good... so that's ALL that mattered!



This is the main sitting area of the party. Decorated with the table clothes, the balloons, the centerpieces, and even the pennants I made up on the walls! The "room" where Madison and her friends sat was decorated the same way.



Here are some of the guests at the table with DD eating. Oh let me tell you, everyone was chowing down on some super yummy deliciousness... we even managed to cater to all the different food allergies that attended LOL... do you know how HARD that was? We had meatless, gluten free, cinnamon free, lactose free, and had to steer the diabetics in the opposite direction of the sugar LMAO... didn't quite work real well! But the food was great. Everyone enjoyed it and stuffed themselves silly! **I MUST OFFICIALLY THANK MY MOTHER FOR ALL THE HARD WORK SHE HELPED WITH THE FOOD PREPPING, HOUSE PREPPING, AND EVEN ALLOWING US TO HOST THERE. YOU'RE THE BEST MOM! LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH!**



Here is some more of the guests and family that attended. Both of my brothers, their young lady friends, and a cousin of one of the GF's. I had to have my mom sneak this picture because my lovely brothers feel inclined to flip the bird every chance I get to take a picture. So to avoid the finger, mom snuck pictures. It worked a few times but sadly they caught on LOL. I counted 8 pictures with one or both brother flipping the bird. Gee... ya gotta love'em!



Here are some of the kids that I call my kids... the band kids and friends of Madison that call me mom, etc. I got rather weepy yesterday (in the kitchen out of sight of course) because I was just so proud of my daughter. She is an awesome person! Good hearted, sweet, smart, stays out of trouble, and she will be a productive member of society! And she picks good people to be friends with. All the kids are great just like her! Guess I did something right, huh?

You must have patience with me as I am not bringing you a craft project today nor sewing on the Christmas Challenge, as I am still recovering from post-party-omg-ness LOL. I still have so much to clean and do today. Then tomorrow morning starts marching band season AND watching my "nephew" on a daily basis. So tomorrow starts the "busy-busy-omg-which-way-am-I-going" season LMAO! But rest assured I will get back to a bit of normalicy tomorrow... you have my word!

Now, this week, I have brought you only 7 of the more unusual flowers to eat, but there are lots more you may be surprised by! For instance Day lillies, Geraniums, Chrysanthemums, Gladiolus, Marigolds, Snapdragons, Sunflowers, Yucca, and many more all make it on the list. Make sure you check it out and read about it BEFORE consuming! I don't want any of you getting sick. There is a great website with a chart of some of the many edible treasures of the world. And then make sure to visit this site for tons of great information about edible flowers!



Today's little FANTASTIC EDIBLE FLOWER is the dandelion. You know, those little yellow WEEDS in your yard you just can't seem to get rid of? Yep- THOSE! LOL. How about eating them instead of mowing them? LOL. I hear many people using the greens in salad, and while that is great... I wanted to bring you something different... interesting even. So I'll dazzle you with some knowledge on what you are considering chowing down on and then give you the great recipes to try... Eat & Enjoy!

Dandelion* Taraxacum officinalis

Tastes like: very young buds fried in butter taste similar to mushrooms. Makes a potent wine.

Here are some interesting facts about the dandelion flower:

The dandelion is the only flower that represents the 3 celestial bodies of the sun, moon and stars. The yellow flower resembles the sun, the puff ball resembles the moon and the dispersing seeds resemble the stars.

The dandelion flower opens to greet the morning and closes in the evening to go to sleep.

Every part of the dandelion is useful: root, leaves, flower. It can be used for food, medicine and dye for coloring.

Up until the 1800s people would pull grass out of their lawns to make room for dandelions and other useful “weeds” like chickweed, malva, and chamomile.

The average American recognizes thousands of logos for commercial products, yet recognizes fewer than five plants that grow in his/her area. Dandelions are most likely one of those familiar plants.

The name dandelion is taken from the French word “dent de lion” meaning lion’s tooth, referring to the coarsely-toothed leaves.

Dandelions have one of the longest flowering seasons of any plant.

Seeds are often carried as many as 5 miles from their origin!

A not so fun fact: Every year Americans spend millions on lawn pesticides to have uniform lawns of non-native grasses, and we use 30% of the country’s water supply to keep them green.



Dandelion Soup

2 qt. dandelion greens, loosely packed
2 qt. chicken soup (any kind)
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
2 Tbsp. bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. minced parsley
1 Tbsp. minced onions
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
dash of nutmeg
3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. sour cream

Bring chicken soup to a boil.

Add dandelions.

Cook gently.

Rice or fine noodles can be added (1/2 cup rice or 1 cup noodles).

Make tiny meat balls out of remaining ingredients.

When greens are tender, add meatballs and cook gently 10 minutes or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked.

Serve hot with crusty French bread



Fried Dandelion Blossoms

new blossoms on short stems
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
hot cooking oil
1 egg
1 c. flour
pinch of pepper

Pick new dandelion blossoms, those on short stems, and rinse well in cool, lightly salted water.

Cut off the stem ends close to the flower heads, leaving only enough to hold the petals together, because the stems and greenery are bitter.

Roll the dandelion flowers in paper towels to blot up the excess moisture, then dip each one in a batter made of 1 egg, beaten, with 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper.

Drop the batter-coated blossoms into deep hot fat (375 degrees) and fry until lightly browned.

Drain on absorbent paper;

Sprinkle with more salt, if needed, and serve at once as a hot hors d'oeuvre.

Well Boys and girls... that's all for today. Its time for me to get my raggedy butt up and start cleaning and putting away the mountains of destruction we call party leftover crap LMAO! I hope you have enjoyed this week and all the great ideas, food, and adventures I was able to bring you! I will see you back here tomorrow for more great life and times of the Frugal Mom. Until then... HUGS!

PERFECT PARTYING

Good morning and welcome to this super Saturday edition of The Frugal Mom. How are you doing today? I'm tired, excited, nervous, you name it all wrapped into one! But it's a good thing! Today is Madison's Sweet 16 Party and it should be very fun!

Now since I am focusing on the Christmas challenge, I found an article with some tips concerning Frugalness and Christmas and figured I had to share.

10 Steps to Make Christmas Affordable and Fun
by DeAnn Curtis

1. Keep your focus on Christ. Spend time remembering why we have Christmas each day. Read scripture. Light a candle in honor of Christ. Put out a nativity scene for the whole family to enjoy. It can even be one that the children make.

2. Spread your celebrating out over the whole season. We begin our Christmas celebrating before the begining of December and keep at it until Three King's Night on January 5. We make Advent calenders in November to use all during December. We put out stockings or boots the night before St. Nicholas Day. We celebrate Jesus' birthday on Christmas Eve with a birthday cake.

Then on Three King's Night we read stories about the three kings that came to visit Jesus. We also read about other people around the world and the ways that they celebrate. Spreading out the holiday spreads out the expense of celebrating, helps keep the focus on Christ and helps us to avoid the big let-down that some people feel when Christmas is over.

3. Give of yourself. By giving your time and energy at Christmas, you will help your family to take their focus off of themselves. It will also make it easier to feel grateful. No matter what you have or don't have, someone has less. Give to them. You could read to older people, go caroling, bake some cookies and visit with some lonely people. Donate some of your extra stuff cluttering up your house to a charity or volunteer in any other way that fits your family.

4. Remember your traditions. The warm feelings at Christmas come from being together and doing things together. Not just from the gifts that are hiding under the tree.

5. Feed your senses. Overeating at Christmas is easy to do. But by feeding all of your senses during the holiday, your diet doesn't have to suffer.

The sense of sight can be fed a menu of Christmas lights, snowy mountains, a freshly cleaned home, candles lit at night and smiling faces.

The sense of hearing should be fed a steady diet of Christmas hymns, children's laughter and pleasant conversation.

The sense of touch will be comforted with extra blanket throws on the couch, warm slippers and snuggly hugs from cheerful children. But don't forget to excite it with a good snowball fight too.

The sense of smell will feel right at home during the holidays if you remember it too. Light scented candles, simmer some potpouri, bring in some pine boughs for decoration and ok bake a few batches of cookies. But, if they are not on your diet you could always give them away.

6. Start a new tradition. Talk with your family and come up with some new traditions. Maybe you want to have a cookie exchange, a singing party, a decorating party for the grandparents or a neighbor, a walk through a snowy park or a maybe progressive dinner. Try to pick something that everyone can afford to do.

7. Use your community resources for free or low cost activities. Do your children belong to a scouting club? Be sure to take part in those activities. They are usually planned to be affordable. Go to your community parades. Play in a snowy park if you don't have a big yard. Visit the library for special books to read during the holidays. Attend school or church concerts or plays.

8. Cook up some memories. Even if you are on a diet, you can still enjoy special holiday food. Cook traditional foods that your mother and grandmothers cooked when you were a child. If you can't find a recipe, you will probably be able to find one on the internet, or in a cook book.

Bake several batches of cookies. Serve some hot cider or cocoa after a day of being out in the cold. You could also hold a tea party for your children, extended family, neighbors or anyone else. It feels so good to take a break and relax with a cup of tea and a cookie.

9. Play together. Spending time playing with your children will make the holiday so much brighter for the whole family. Gifts from last Christmas will still be cherished if you find the time to play together with them. Have a game night. Play as many games in a night as you can. Or you could have a tournament night. Play checkers until the champion is determined. Sit down with the kids and build a fantastic new creation with their Legos or play with their doll house with them.
10. Make gift giving count. Give gifts that you know people want. It is less costly to buy the right gift for someone that you know they will enjoy, than it is to just buy gifts to fill up your list. You can also save money on gifts by giving things that will really be used and are needed.

Think about stuffing stockings with school supplies, hair care items, small items of clothing, a tooth brush, a paperback book or a magazine. If you can't afford to give everything to everyone, consider getting your children started on a collection. Maybe your could buy them the first book in a series of books and buy more for them as gift giving holidays come up.

Or buy your children some group items. Perhaps you want to buy them a set of action figures and can't afford to give them each a big set of toys but you feel you have to be fair. Well, you could get them each one action figure and together they could receive a large part of the set. Of course this works with girls too. Together they could receive a doll house and separately they could each get an extra thing to go with it.

Remember, however things work out at your house this year, it is the love and the joy that the children will remember. Think back to how you enjoyed the pains your own parents took to make Christmas special. You probably don't remember what each gift under the tree was, but I bet you remember the wonderful feeling you had because you were loved at Christmas.

Well today is the day... its PARTY TIME! As you know, my DD turned 16 yesterday and we are having her party today at my mother's home. We spent alot of yesterday decorating and cooking and so today is time to finish up the fun this morning and HAVE the fun tonight! YAY! Sew... LOL... there won't be any Christmas Countdown sewing project today. However, I know that you need your daily craft "fix" LOL and I have just the thing for you. I think this would make a cute addition to a bath basket, etc.



Craft Idea of the Day: Handmade Soap Mitt

Materials:

2 pieces of 5 1/2 inch (14cms) of cotton fabric
5 1/2 inch (14cm) of cotton webbing
Soap flakes
Sewing machine
Scissors
Needle and thread

Directions:

Is your soap a little soggy in the shower? Then use a soap mitt it not only looks great but its handy as well.

Place the right sides of the fabric together with the webbing centered between the two pieces of fabric.

Stitch around the square leaving a small opening at the bottom.

Turn the fabric right side out and fill between the fabric squares with soap flakes until filled.

Then hand stitch the opening closed.

These make up quickly for experienced sewers and ideal for fundraiser stalls or school fete stalls.

OK its time for our FANTASTIC EDIBLE FLOWER of the day and I have picked a special one... the Hibiscus. It's special because as a small child, my DD could not say the name properly. She always said "Hibiscuit mommy... its a Hibiscuit" and I would laugh like crazy. And seeing how its my daughter's weekend per se, I have been thinking alot about her LOL. SO... enjoy todays flower! Now when you think of the colorful and attractive Hibiscus flowers, you tend to think of tropical plants ideal for landscaping and as plants meant for wet soils. They make ideal indoor plants too when the right conditions are provided. The Hibiscus plant needs a lot of sun and water. The more sun it gets the more flowers in the plant. The Hibiscus flowers come in all varieties , shapes,sizes and colors. They look very ornamental in any garden and are hardy, lasting a good many years. We have one at home that is no less than 40 years old. It is the common Bright dazzling Red, large petaled variety that has become a land mark in our garden. It has now grown very tall and flowers all through the year. We have used the flowers for every kind of use other than decorating the Gods photographs , beautifying the home by arranging them in a wide urn filled with water, hair care etc.. Hibiscus has many medicinal properties . According to Ayurveda it is good for increasing blood count among anemic people. The bright Red variety that is commonly found in tropical countries is supposed to be the best . The flowers are boiled in a little water and blended in a mixer with roasted cummin seeds and salt and consumed after diluting it to the required level ,for increasing the quantity of hemoglobin. In India certain varieties of Hibiscus flowers are used for cooking. Hibiscus is supposed to contain some vital nutrients that are essential for the body and in the southern parts of India it is regularly used in cooking. In most parts of India no garden is complete without at least one Hibiscus plant. Most home gardens and parks have a variety of Hibiscus plants with colorful flowers that adds a lot of color and cheer!



Hibiscus: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Tastes like: slightly acidic, boiled makes a nice beverage

Agua de jamaica (iced hibiscus flower tea)

Agua de jamaica is a spectacularly beautiful and intensely delicious flavored agua fresca that will leave a definite impression on your unsuspecting taste buds. When prepared properly, agua de jamaica leaves the parched pallet thirsty for more of the tart, cranberry-like flavor that makes your mouth water. Made from dried Hibiscus blossoms, this agua fresca entices even the most complacent skeptic with its amazingly rich ruby color. It’s deeply provocative hue is only matched in interest by its naturally tangy taste and fresh flowery aroma that lends itself perfectly to pairings with citrus of all varieties.

In addition to the altogether pleasing sensory experience of sight, taste, and smell; agua de jamaica is also chocked full of health benefits. Hibiscus tea has been known to lower blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and act as a natural diuretic just to name a few.

Any and every self-respecting Mexican restaurant in Chicago should serve agua de jamaica, although the quality of the tea will vary greatly. It is very possible to get a great glass of this elixir of the gods, just bear in mind that some dining establishments water it down considerably as a means of economizing. Only your own pallet can be the judge of how strong you prefer your agua de jamaica, but with this recipe you will be empowered to make your own at home and then you can decide for yourself.



Agua de Jamaica

3 oz dried jamaica/hibiscus blossoms (about 2 large handfuls)
6 cups water
¾ cups water (or to taste)
water to make up 2 quarts

Place 6 cups of water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add jamaica blossoms. Allow to boil for 1 minute, then cover and remove from heat. Let blossoms steep for approximately 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pour sugar into a 2 qt glass pitcher (jamaica can stain plastic). Place a fine-meshed sieve over the top of the pitcher and pour in jamaica tea so that the blossoms are strained out and only the garnet red liquid is used. It is a good idea to leave about 1/3 to ½ cup of liquid in the sauce pan when straining so that no small bits of grit or dirt accidentally get into the pitcher. Stir warm tea and sugar well so that all the sugar dissolves. Dilute with water to make up 2 quarts.

Note: This recipe makes a sweet strong tea that goes very well when served over crushed ice. This recipe will also make an agua de jamaica that is slightly stronger (and I think much tastier) than what is normally served in the local Mexican restaurants.

Well kids I'm gonna get off of here and go finish prepping for the party today. I've enjoyed our visit this morning and hope you join me again tomorrow for more fun and excitement... lots of party pics and more great ideas for everyday life! Until tomorrow... HUGS!

FRANTIC FRIDAY PREPPING

Good morning everyone out there in the real world! How are you doing this beaming Friday morning? I am wonderful actually! For once, I woke up and there was no rain. Plus it's my beautiful daughter's birthday! I feel super old LOL! Going to start all the cooking and major decorations today. Busy Busy Busy! Whiy, today already in the past hour I have taken out the trash, made DD her birthday omelets, washed all the dishes, fed all the animals, gave kids meds, and cleaned cat boxes LOL.

OK folks, I saw this article about frugal budgeting and I wanted to share it with you in case some of US needed some help LOL...

How To Create a Frugal Budget
By Erin Huffstetler

A well-planned budget can help you to achieve your frugal goals. Learn how to create your own frugal budget.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 1-3 hours

Here's How:

Assess your monthly expenses.

Make a list of all of your regular monthly expenses, including any money that you spend on fun things like eating out, entertainment and hobbies; and any minimum payments that you have to make towards your debts. You can use a budget form for this purpose if it makes the job easier.

Total your earnings.

Calculate how much you make per month, including any money that you receive from investments and other forms of residual income.
Subtract expenses from earnings.

Test out the effectiveness of your budget by subtracting your monthly expenses from your earnings. This will show you how much you can expect to have left at the end of the month.

Rework your budget.

If your budget comes out on the negative side, rework it until your numbers crunch. To do this, go back over each expense, and look for places to make cuts.

Build in money for debt reduction.

If you have debts, your budget should already include the minimum payments that you have to make each month. Now you need to find the money to pay down those debts. Look at your numbers again, and determine where you are willing to make sacrifices to get out of debt.

Build in your savings and investments.

Now it’s time to budget money for your financial goals. Do you want to have an emergency fund? Retirement investments? Vacation savings? Make a list of what you hope to achieve, and then survey your budget once more to find the money that you need to reach those goals. If you have a lot of debt, you may need to skip this step for a while, and that’s okay – debt reduction should be priority one.

Put your budget to work.

Once you’ve created a budget that covers all of your monthly expenses and financial goals, it’s time to put your budget to the test. Try to live within your budget, and see how it feels.

Assess your budget.

At the end of each month, look over your expenditures to see if they are matching up to your budget. If they aren’t, determine if you need to work harder to stick to your spending plan; or if you need to rework your budget to reflect your actual spending.

Assess and assess again.

A frugal budget is never finished. Continue to look over your budget every month to catch areas of overspending. Then, crunch the numbers again until you’ve made it right.

Tips:

Be honest about your spending habits, and you’ll end up with a much more realistic budget.

Don’t forget to budget for fun; budgeting isn’t about total deprivation.

Don’t be afraid to change your budget; a good budget is always evolving.



I didn't get much sewing done yesterday, as I had to take things over to my mom's for the party then we stayed and visited for a spell. I DID however get Madison a very cool gift made in the morning before she even woke up! Isn't that neat looking? She told me once that she would like a few different purses, and then at the end of the school year, the one she was using broke on her. So I took some squares of 2 different music note fabrics and made a "patchwork" purse. I also made a cell pouch to go with it using both the fabrics. It's really cool and I think she will love them! At least, I hope LOL!

Ok, so as you probably have figured, I am not going to be able to do any sewing on the Christmas Challenge either today or tomorrow... BUT I found you another neat little craft to consider making. I saw this and I thought about if I had any little girls I could make these for. But then I thought how even I would use them for like a night out to a holiday party or something where I didn't need to carry much more than my wallet. So check this out!



Craft Idea of the Day: Pot Holder Purse

I am always looking for those unique ideas for handmade gifts or personal items, or even sellable items. Combined with my obsession for purses and totes of all types, this is a surefire winner LOL!



Hold on to your knickers kittens cause its time for more FANTASTIC EDIBLE FLOWERS! Today's little beauty we will discuss is the Pansy... which happens to be my grandma's favorite flower. Pansies have a slightly sweet green or grassy flavor. If you eat only the petals, the flavor is extremely mild, but if you eat the whole flower, there is a wintergreen overtone. Use them as garnishes, in fruit salads, green salad, desserts or in soups. I've found a few various recipes that I am pretty sure you adventurous folks will like. So Eat & Enjoy my darlings!

Pansy: Viola X wittrockiana

Tastes like: very mild sweet to tart flavor



Crystallized/Candy Edible Flowers:

Candied flowers and petals can be used in a variety of imaginative ways - to decorate cakes large and small - all kinds of sweet things, such as ice cream, sherbet, crèmes and fruit salads, cocktails.

Ingredients:

1 egg white or powdered egg whites
Superfine granulated sugar (either purchased or made in a blender or food processor - just blend regular sugar until extra-fine)
Thin paintbrush
Violets, pansies, Johnny-jump-ups, rose petals, lilac, borage, pea, pinks, scented geraniums, etc.
Wire rack covered with wax paper

Directions:

Carefully clean and completely dry the flowers or petals.

Beat the egg white in the small bowl until slightly foamy, if necessary add a few drops of water to make the white easy to spread.

Paint each flower individually with beaten egg white using the small paintbrush.

When thoroughly coated with egg white, sprinkle with superfine sugar.

Place the coated flowers or petals on wax paper on a wire rack. Let dry at room temperature (this could take 12 to 36 hours). To test for dryness, check the base of the bloom and the heart of the flower to make sure they have no moisture. Flowers are completely dry when stiff and brittle to the touch.

NOTE: To hasten drying, you may place the candied flowers in an oven with a pilot light overnight, or in an oven set at 150 degrees to 200 degrees F with the door ajar for a few hours.

Store the flowers in layers, separated by tissue paper, in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.



Pansy Popsicles

These popsicles will amaze your kids. Don’t think they will be afraid to eat a flower, they might think it’s really interesting and cool.

Ingredients

Either regular or Pink Lemonade made from dry mix and water
Fresh pansies and/or violas

Directions:

Mix lemonade as per package instructions.

Pour into forms or paper cups about ¾ of the way full. (Use small paper cups like the ones used in bathroom dispensers) If using paper cups it is advisable to place cups on a baking sheet.

Place a few pansies or violas into the lemonade and place cups or forms in the freezer.

If using cups wait a few hours then when mixture is hard enough but still soft insert popsicle sticks and continue freezing until hard.

Pop out of form or cups and serve.



Melon Salad with Pansies or Violas

Serve this salad at a ladies luncheon or breakfast. It will certainly create a lot of talk.

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon sugar
dash of salt
dash of fresh ground pepper
3 cups assorted melon cut in ¾ inch pieces
2 small cucumbers, sliced thin
Salad greens
Pansy or viola flowers

Directions

In a tightly covered container combine vegetable oil, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.

Shake to combine well. In a bowl combine melon pieces, greens, cucumber, and pansies or violas.

Right before serving pour on dressing and toss to combine well.



Herb and Pansy Salad

This salad is so simple. The dressing is just lemon juice. Pansies and violas give it a great deal of color so it looks like you are eating a rainbow.

Ingredients

4 cups mixed salad greens
¼ cup fresh dill springs
¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup basil leaves, rolled and thinly sliced crosswise.
1 large lemon, halves
pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup toasted pecans
¾ cup feta, crumbled
1 cup pansies or violas

Directions

In a salad bowl combine greens and herbs.

Squeeze lemon juice (remove seeds) over and season with salt and pepper. Toss.

Right before serving add walnuts and feta and toss.

Sprinkle flowers on top and serve.



Spinach Pansy Quiche

Serve this colorful quiche and you’ll be the talk of the town.

Ingredients

1 deep 9” pastry shell
4 medium green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
½ stick butter
1 packet frozen spinach, thawed-drained-chopped
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
½ cup cottage cheese
2 medium eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ cup fresh pansies

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a skillet sauté onions in butter until tender.

Add spinach and toss until heated through.

Spread cottage cheese mixture over bottom of the unbaked pastry shell.

Spread onion/spinach mixture over top. Sprinkle on Swiss cheese.

In a bowl combine eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add pansies and pour over top of Swiss cheese.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until set.

Let cool slightly and serve with a few fresh pansies on the plate.

Surprise everyone by serving flowers on your lunch or dinner table.

Well folks, that's all I have time for today. I have to get off of here and get dressed so I can go pick up the rental chairs and then start cooking and prepping like crazy for the party tomorrow. Cakes, briskets, potato salad, you name it and I have to do it... but hey 16 is a big milestone and I have a super awesome daughter, so she deserves whatever I can do for her! I love her so much! Be safe in whatever you do today and remember to give someone the gift of a smile and/or a hug... you could really make a difference. Until tomorrow... HUGS!

HAPPY 4th OF JULY/BIRTHDAY

Good morning and hi there to all my friends! I must say Happy 4th of July to all and a HUGE HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Dad! Yes, he is an independence baby. And reading Dad’s comments from the other day when I posted the Why God Made mothers, well honestly, made me quite sad. Dad you are in NO WAY “inferior”! Aside from the fact that I love you very much, I sought out something very special for you… remember those cute kids with tons to say about moms? Well, they are back with just as much humor to highlight dads!



Why Did God Create Dads?

“God created dads so they could wrestle with their daughters or their sons or wife,” says Kaitlin, 8.

God created dads to wrestle, but also “to hug on,” says Taylor, 7.

“Sometimes dads like to show off, but the rest of the time, they’re playful,” says Kristen, 8. “They’re all big kids, and they always will be. Most of the time, they just want to be loved. You can tell they love you.”

Dads are a pushover, says Elizabeth, 9: “I think God created dads so they can fall for your little face. Also, they can buy you anything you want when you say ‘please daddy.’ They always fall for that!”

Lauren, 10, adds: “God created dads to tell you ‘yes’ when your mom says ‘no.’”

If it wasn’t for dads, most moms would never go camping and fishing, says Adrienne, 10: “Moms wouldn’t dare go without electricity, bait a hook or touch a dead fish.”

Actually, “God made daddies so that they can help mommies,” says Manasi, 7. “When mommies have babies, dad can help name them.”

Kayla, 12, “Without dad who would support the family? Who would go to work, cut the grass and do all the hard work? “

And when there are problems, “Dad will help you up when you fall. If you are bleeding, he will take care of it,” says Esther, 8.

Whether you fall on the playground or in life, a good dad is always there to pick you up, bandage the wounds and send you on your way.

“God created dads to help people build things for God and to have faith in God,” says Alex, 8. The greatest thing a dad can build is not a house, stock portfolio or business empire, but a relationship with God in the lives of his children.

“God made daddies so they could be brave, grateful and like Jesus,” says Alaura, 7.

Even dogs like dads, says Rebecca, 9: “Dad works so hard every day for my family, and he loves us all. He even loves my dog. And believe me, my dog loves him, too!”

Dad’s are awesome! I remember when my Dad picked me up from school cause I broke my arm, disciplined the dog when it snapped at me, taught me to check the oil in my car, and even was there when I woke up after surgery after my really bad car accident. I have one heck of a Dad… in my opinion… the Best! Don’t get me wrong, we have had our ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade him for the world! I LOVE YOU DAD! If every kid had a mom and dad like mine, the world would be full of happy kids!



OK, I got a picture for you… check this crazy garden out! I had lost the celery so I took that up and had put a roma tomato plant in place of the 4 sticks that died. OMG this rain and the good dirt and god knows what else made this plant go absolutely haywire! I went to Wal-Mart yesterday (yes in the rain LOL) to get a bigger tomato cage for it and needless to say, it already fills half the cage! The eggplants that you see on the left… well those leaves are as big as my head! I told you this garden was growing crazy!



Ok this is another cute photo I just absolutely have to share with you! Its the newest babies… both the girls. Rescue the Rabbit and Mittens the Cat. (Ignore the hidious double chin I got going on there!) Yes we have named her. She has the gray body with white feet… all 4 LOL! I was going to go with Socks but my DD suggested Mittens and I thought back to that old nursery rhyme my mother used to tell me about the Kittens who lost their mittens and the pie and I thought it was perfect! Ain’t it so cute how the rabbit is a dwarf and STILL bigger than the cat LMAO! I tell ya, these animals are getting smaller and smaller each time! What is next… dwarf hamsters? LMAO! Anyway, she is still drinking kitten milk, which means she was NOT weaned. I have been putting Neosporin on her cuts and then I noticed she only has whiskers on one side of her face… explains the wobbliness! She is eating maybe a half a can of wet food a day though, which is great! And I made a mini-litter box in the carrier I am keeping her in and she is going in the box every time! YAY! Needless to say, she has made some dramatic improvements the last few days! Sadly though, yesterday, I went out in the back yard and found the other baby… .her sibling. The baby was not alive and it was pretty mangled. So I cried and then was really glad I brought this one inside! So I am up to 6 inside cats and a rabbit… SO WHAT! LOL… I take very good care of my animals. I feed them, play with them, and clean up after them everyday! Some could say I care for them better than I do myself! And they would be right LMAO! I love all my babies so much! Yes, I am an animal lover… so sue me LOL! Matter of fact, my bunny is munching on some fresh alfalfa sprouts and apple slices while she sits on my chest right now LMAO!

Alright its time to get crafty! Now you always hear mom and I talking about thrift stores and resale stores, flea markets, and I boast about freecycle too. Well some times you can find pretty and dainty old-fashioned hankies (for those youngsters out there, a handkerchief was a cloth kleenex LMAO) and I saw this craft and thought it was the cutest thing! So I wanted to share with all of you!



Craft Idea of the Day: Vintage Handkerchief Apron

Materials:

Fabric of choice
Skirt Section 35"x22" (90x56cm)
Front Band 14x3.9" (38x10cm)
2x Straps 39" x 5" (1mtx 12cm)

Directions:

This free craft project shows you how to recycle and revamp vintage handkerchief's into a funky vintage up-cycled apron.

If you have a plain store bought apron you can add the handkerchiefs to that also.

Start by cutting out the skirt, front band and strap sections.

Follow the directions on the patterns below.

Sew the Handkerchiefs into place on your apron, these are the pockets.

Gather the skirt section, (pin to keep secure) so that it fits the front band and then sew into place.

Take straps and fold each strap in half length ways. Sew the edges together and across 1 end. Turn inside out and press flat.

Sew down the top fold of the skirt and sew the straps into place at the same time by tucking in to the waist band.

You can finish off the apron by adding decorative edging or lace around the apron.

Ok it’s the last day of Dollar Store Dining, and just as with Russian week, I figure that a whole meal would be the perfect end to a successful adventure. Have you enjoyed the theme this week? What would you like to see in the upcoming future as far as food? I was thinking maybe an “ingredient specific” week. Oh the possibilities are endless… but until then, lets end the week with a Dollar Store Feast fit for a king! Eat & Enjoy!



APPETIZER: Corn Fritters

Makes: about 20
Cost: about $3.99

These little delights remind me of succulent popcorn. Food Club diced green chilies mixed with Knudsen sour cream makes a great, creamy, “chili verde” dipping sauce.

3 (15oz.) cans of Libby’s whole kernel corn
2 country eggs
2 tablespoons Springfresh milk
1 large tablespoon Best Yet flour or Cinch pancake mix
¼ teaspoon Hearth Club-Clabber Girl baking powder
Pinch McCormick salt
Gold-N-Sweet vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together

2. Form into quarter sized shapes and fry in oil until golden brown.

3. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.



SOUP: Maryland Crab Soup

Makes: 4 servings
Costs: about $3.99

Red Wine has been substituted for whiskey in this recipe. I have not strayed from the guidelines of this book, but you can. If you have some whiskey sitting around, go for it! It adds a nice nuance to the soup.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Spice Box dried chopped onions (use fresh onions when available)
3 tablespoons Danish Creamery butter
2 (6oz.) cans Chicken of the Sea crabmeat, rinsed and picked over
½ teaspoon Baja Pacific sea salt
McCormick Pepper to taste
3 cups Springfresh Milk
½ cup Hyvee evaporated milk, or cream substitute
2 tablespoons red wine (use what is available)
Spice Box dried Parsley

Directions:

1. Soak the dried onions in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain.

2. Melt butter in a frying pan. Saute dried onions until transparent.

3. Stir in crabmeat, salt, and pepper and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Transfer to a double broiler or place saucepan over boiling water in a larger pot. Add milk and cook for 15 minutes.

5. Add the evaporated milk. When soup is piping hot, stir in red wine. Serve immediately and sprinkle with parsley.



ENTRÉE: Steak Dianne

Makes: 2 servings
Costs: about $3.99

This is a rarer possibility, since steak is not always available. I wanted to include it to show how lavish one can be with good timing and an open mind.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons Savion dried sliced onions (use fresh onions when available)
2 (4oz.) American Companies beef rib-eye steaks (they DO have these at my local Dollar Tree YAY!)
½ teaspoon Spice Supreme Salt
½ teaspoon of Spice Supreme Pepper
6 tablespoons of Danish Creamery butter
1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Master’s lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons Heinz Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon Classic Crushed Garlic
¾ cup of water mixed with ¼ cup Aunt Nellie’s beef gravy
3 oz. Forrelli mushrooms, drained
¼ cup Christian Brothers white brandy or ½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons Encore dried parsley

Directions:

1. Soak the dried onions in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain.

2. Season steaks with salt and pepper and refrigerate for one hour.

3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a frying pan. Add the mustard and 2 tablespoons of the onions. Saute for 1 minute over medium-high heat.

4. Add the steaks and brown for about 3-4 minutes on each side (until medium rare). Remove steaks to a platter and keep warm.

5. Add remaining butter, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, garlic, remaining onions, and the watery gravy mixture to the pan drippings. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add mushrooms and brandy or wine.

6. Boil, stirring frequently, until gravy is reduced to about ½ cup. Pour over steaks, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.



DESSERT: Peach Crisp

Makes: 6 servings
Costs: about $3.99

This is a great recipe to whip up when on vacation. Commit it to memory- as long as you have a feel for the consistency of the topping, you don’t have to worry about being perfectly accurate with the measurements.

Ingredients:

4 cups of Early Garden peaches, rinsed and drained
1 cup Best Yet flour or 5 oz. Manischewitz cake meal
¾ cups Spreckels sugar
½ teaspoon Spice Supreme Cinnamon
1 stick of Danish Creamery butter or Imperial Margarine
1 cup Good ‘N’ Hearty quick Rolled oats

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Put peaches in a greased 9” x 13” Pyrex baking dish.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon.

4. With your fingers, blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

5. Add oats and sprinkle mixture on top of peaches.

6. Bake until top is browned and crisp, about 25 minutes.

Well folks, that’s about it for today. I think I am gonna go back to Petsmart and stock up on some of the great sales I found for litter and cat food. Maybe while I am there I will check out those dwarf hamsters LMAO! Kidding! Or am I? LMAO! So be safe in whatever you do today and I will see you back here tomorrow! HUGS!

TIRESOME TUESDAY

Aloha kãkou! (Hello Everyone) How are you this tiresome Tuesday morning? Me… well not real groovy actually, but like Gloria Gaynor “I will survive” LOL! Congrads to my mom on the new additions to the edible yard and to Tabitha, no I have actually never been to Hawaii. My grandmother and Uncle lived there for about 15 years I think though… that was the closest I got LOL! But it’s a lovely place I’ve been told.



I wasn’t feeling particularly great yesterday and that made me not feel so crafty. But I did manage to pump out a couple of things. The first was more Beer cap earrings. No my DH did not drink this beer, he went for a walk and found them in the parking lot around the corner! Nothing like free materials! I gave them a nice long soak & scrub in a bleach bath, and then wham… cute little earrings. LOL DH was so proud, he snapped a picture with his phone and sent it to everyone he knows and they are already wanting to buy some LOL!



This is the “master centerpiece” LOL. It will either go on Madison’s table (which is where SHE wants it LOL) or the gift table. I really never intended to make this, but looking at all the “spare parts” I started piddling LOL. DD says she loves it when I piddle because I come up with the coolest things LOL! She almost choked me with the bear hug around my neck when she saw it! I think it came out kinda cool, right?

Alright kids, you know I am always looking up (or thinking up LOL) some tips for you about Frugality. I was reading some of the yahoo headlines this morning and this one hit me on the head like a ton of bricks… particularly because I just got a new phone (but paid cash luckily). However, I actually thought this was a good article and wanted to feature it as your frugal news for today!

4 Things That Are More Expensive Than You Think
Mark Riddix
Friday, June 11, 2010

Have you ever given much thought to the real cost of an item, compared to the listed retail price? A perfect example is if you chose to buy a new computer on credit. The real cost of the computer would be the purchase price and the interest that you have to pay. The true cost of an item can often go unnoticed and consumers end up paying much more than they bargained for. Here are four things that are more expensive than you might think.

Active Trading

You might believe that it would be exciting to become a daytrader because you can get rich by aggressively buying and selling stocks. All you have to do is buy an investment and sell it for more than you paid. That sounds pretty easy! There are even television shows, software and blogs devoted to helping you with your daytrading. So, should you start actively trading your account in hopes of getting rich? Not if you want to hold onto your hard-earned money.

The only person who is guaranteed to get rich from your constant buying and selling is your stockbroker. Brokerage firms absolutely love customers that actively trade their account. The brokerage firm makes money regardless of whether a stock increases in value or decreases because they charge commissions on every buy and sell order. You could end up paying thousands of dollars a month in commissions, just for the privilege of trading stocks.

Once you see how quickly these commissions eat up your investment return, you won't be in such a rush to quit your day job. This is of course not to say that some don't realize significant profits through day trading, but commissions build up quickly.

Refinancing

Do you remember the refinancing boom of the 2000s? Lots of realtors and loan officers were advising clients to take money out of their homes by refinancing. The theory is that you can get some extra cash by taking the available equity out of your house by extending the years on your payments. Sounds great! Who couldn't use some extra cash to pay off credit card debt or refinish the basement?

Not so fast! Refinancing can cost you more than you think. Not only are you extending your mortgage obligation for more years; you are also draining the equity out of your home. As the recent financial crisis showed, housing prices are not guaranteed to increase. When housing prices drop precipitously as they have over the past few years, you could find yourself owing more money on your new loan than your house is even worth. There is nothing worse than paying a mortgage on a home that you are upside-down in.

Late Fees

Late fees are like little pests that drain your finances and rob you of financial freedom. Creditors are famous for adding late fees to any bill paid after the due date. Late fees may be added to a bill that is one hour late, one day late or one week late. Credit card companies can charge fees up to $35 for late payments, in addition to the interest. Most utility companies charge late fees of $5-10. Cell phone providers, internet carriers, cable and satellite providers will all hit you with at least $5 late fees. Too many people ignore the detrimental effects of late fees by thinking it is only $5 or $10 bucks. Add these little late charges together, and you could be losing hundreds of dollars a year. Over a 30-year time period, you could easily be losing thousands of dollars to late fees. Imagine what that money could be doing for you if you had placed it in your 401(k).

Credit Card Purchases

Credit card purchases should come with the following cautionary warning: This purchase will cost you more than the price advertised! Most credit card users end up paying way more than the stated purchase price. The only exceptions are people that pay their bill in full each month.

Let's say you bought a cell phone for $200 on your credit card and your annual interest rate is 18%. If you don't pay the balance off immediately than you are going to be paying interest on your cell phone purchase. Your $200 cell phone purchase can cost you well over $300 if payments are delayed. Most likely you will not even have the same cell phone a few years later. You could end up owing hundreds of dollars on a $200 item that you don't even use anymore.

The Bottom Line

Small purchases may not appear to be a big deal initially, but over time these little items will end up costing you a whole lot more than you think.

See… Just another tip to help you achieve financial freedom! Ok, as we switch gears now, I think about how you need a craft today… something interesting and fun. Something exciting and new… and of course something totally recycled! I found this instructional for a belt and thought it was pretty neat. You can also do different lengths and make bracelets and headbands and such. So check it out and I hope you like it!



Craft Idea of the Day: Soda Can Tab Belt

Materials:

Soda can tabs(112 makes a 35inch belt)
1cm wide Ribbon or cord

Directions:

Cut the cord into 2 lengths they should be about 10 ft long each. Tie the two cords together about 8 inch in from the ends.

Step 1:

Thread the cords through each hold of one tab.

Thread on a second tab so it overlaps the 1st tab.

Push the cord back through the holes of the second tab and the holds of the first tab. As shown in the picture below.

Step 2-3:

Turn it over and cross over the cords.

Thread the cords (now crossed over) through a third tab.

Push the cord back through the holes of the third tab and the holes in the second tab.

Keep using this pattern until you have a belt big enough for your waist and just knot it when you get to the end. Leave enough cord or ribbon to tie the belt and cut off any remaining cord.

Ok my precious peoples LOL… its time for some kaukau (food). Now I told you that I was going to bring you Luau foods this week. What is the first thing you thing of when you think of a Luau? Yep THE PIG! Now unless you are planning to dig a big hole in your backyard (I know my landlord would SO freak…) I would imagine you could try to do this on a grill or over an open campfire or something. BUT I also am bringing you a classic Hawaiian dessert commonly found at Luau’s! Eat & Enjoy!



Kalua Pig

Ingredients:

1 dozen burlap bags
firewood
about 40-50 imu(round, porous) stones
kerosene
1 pig dressed
five handful Hawaiian(coarse)salt
4'by 4' piece of chicken wire
6-8 dozen ti leaves
4 banana trunks

Directions:

Imu or underground oven:

Dig oblong hole 4 1/2' long by 3'wide and 2 1/2' deep.

Make it larger if pig is larger size. Lay kindling in bottom. Put long stick upright in center of imu. Lay firewood around it using 3-4 bags of wood. Cover wood with imu(round, porous) stones, about 40-50, more if necessary. Make a lighter by wrapping rag around end of long stick. Dip in kerosene. Light. Remove center pole and light kindling through the hole. Burn till wood becomes glowing coals and stones are very hot.

The pig:

1 pig dressed.

Slit between shoulders and ribs to backbone and up to head, being careful not to cut through the skin.

Rub one handful Hawaiian(coarse)salt in slits. Rub 4 handfuls salt inside pig. Put hot stones in slits and opu(abdomen), as many as they will hold. Tie the 4 legs together.

Line 4'by 4' piece of chicken wire with ti leaves. Place pig on it. Then cover hot stones in imu(pit) with 4 banana trunks that have been cut 2' long and crushed with the blunt side of an ax. Lay netting containing pig on banana stalks. cover with 2 dozen banana leaves or 6-8 dozen ti leaves.
Completely cover this with:

1 dozen burlap bags. Cover bags with sand. Allow pig to cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours according to size. Remove sand, bags, leaves, and stones inside pig. Put pig in large container. Cut in generous servings. Serve at once



Haupia

This coconut pudding, haupia, is a staple desert at every Hawaiian luau.

Ingredients:

2 cups coconut milk
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 tsp vanilla (if desired)

Preparation:

Pour one cup of coconut milk into a saucepan. Combine sugar and cornstarch stirring into coconut milk. (Add vanilla is desired) Heat over low stirring consistently until thickened.

Add remainder of coconut milk and whole milk and continue to heat until thickened. Pour into 8 inch square pan and chill until firm.

The recipe can be easily modified for personal taste using more or less sugar and cornstarch.

LOL I hardly think the DD would want that monstrous beast at her Momona 'Umi Kumaono (Sweet 16 party) LMAO! But I think it’s cool! LMAO! Okie dokie everybody… time for me to skidaddle so that I can help mom get to therapy today! I hope you have had a blast and maybe a virtual island adventure LOL. And I hope you decide to come back for another visit tomorrow! Take care and see you then… HUGS!

WELCOME TO MY HUKILAU

Morning everybody! How are you doing this scorching beginning of the week? How many of you have those Garfield mugs out filled with Java that says “I hate Mondays”?? LMAO! (A Hukilau is a way of fishing invented by the ancient Hawaiians. A Hukilau is also known to local Hawaiians as a festive beach gathering... for those wondering about the title LOL).

OK so I was crafting my little self crazy yesterday… so much that I started to lose my mojo and had to switch gears to keep it flowing! Let’s get started so you can see some of the funky things I made.



Remember I said the DB and DH had some traditional BBQing man suds? LOL… well I managed to save a few of the bottle caps. TADA! Beer bottle Cap earrings (from the Bud Light Lime collection LMAO). Its actually a very pretty green on the cap and labels. I managed to save a few of the bottles too… which I am thinking some lime green (or whatever green I can find) gem rocks inside and a cool shade would make an awesome lamp! I might just have to scout around!



Now this is for the serious gamer LOL! I think these would be cute if you have a “game” room or a “library” in your home or as a gift for the Scrabble enthusiast… presenting the Scrabble tile drink coasters! Notice how all the words are “drink” related? Cool, isn’t it? This is a cool project if your precious little ones managed to run off with some of your tiles and render your game useless without them. Or maybe you lost some in a move or when you threw the box at your DH cause he was aggravating the tar out of you because he wanted to play the word AIN’T… LOL!



Then of course, the Scrabble “geek” is definitely gonna need a pair of monogram earrings to sport around during tournaments, game night, etc. LOL! I thought these were cool, even though I broke an awesome seam ripper trying to make the dang little holes in the tiles because I couldn’t find a small enough drill bit LOL! So after doing the coasters, these are the letters I had doubles of, so that’s the ones I started with. I am gonna make rounds to thrift stores, Freecycling, etc and see if anyone has some more scrabble parts that need a good home. I also took some of the tiles and hot glued them onto the backs of flat earring posts and made Scrabble push pins for cork board use!



Ever seen a keyboard disassembled like this before? Its quite easy really. This was a very old keyboard that I had packed in a box that didn’t work and had a few broken parts. So I took it apart and popped all the keys out of it. I have a few ideas for this little dinosaur… but first I have to get all the annoying tabs broken from the middles. And when you have CTS in both hands, it gets a little tiresome and painful! LOL but…



Before I got major cramps in my hands and wrists, I managed to whip out some “Computer Tech Savvy” Earrings from some of the keys. You have a pair that says Home & End, Delete & Insert, Page Up & Page Down. I think they are pretty funky!



Then from some more of the old keyboard parts, I made DD a magnet for her board… notice what the keys spell out? Yep… BAND! Hey I had to keep with the theme of her room LOL! She was loving it when she finally realized it was there LOL!



Speaking of magnets, do you have any of those old “used-up-but-to-cute-to-throw-away” gift cards? I do… I have tons. What better way to keep them without them becoming clutter than to make them into magnets! I simply mounted them on a sheet of magnet and trimmed around the edge. Now I know it is not Christmas time yet, but they were the first one I took out of the “junk box”. Yes I have a junk box LOL… it’s a box that I have been tossing things into that I think I can use in crafting… little figurines, ornaments, buttons, cards, game pieces, and etc. like these old GC’S! LOL! I have all kinds of treasures in my junk box! OMG I so just thought of a name for it MY TREASURE CHEST!!!!!! OMG LOVING IT! I have to decorate it real fancy like! OMG or get a wooden “chest” and paint and decorate it from the Hobby store! OH FUN FUN!



Here we have a small little pocket scratch book. I used key rings but I don’t like how big they are so I either need to add more paper or change the rings. However it would be a cute addition to the poker bag I started or the lotto bag I already made. Its very useful in multiple situations LOL!



OK, so I had the second Friskies bag to use right? Well I COULD have made another tote bag… but I opted for a shopping bag. I think this would be so cute to take like to Petsmart and have them look at it in awe as I request all my kitty goodies be put in there to save the environment from further plastic trash! I love seeing people's reactions to things that you don’t see everyday… especially things that I make! LMAO!

Ok, so I started to lose my mojo after the cat food shopping bag. I don’t know why. Maybe because I had been sitting at the table all day crafting and my brain hurt. Maybe because I was frustrated that I didn’t have a few parts to do some of the other crafts I wanted to do. Or just maybe I was tired of recycling and wanted something different. See, I told you, with my ADHD I have to jump around and NOT stay with the same thing for long or else I get very bored and only bad comes from boredom! SO I figured maybe if I tried changing what I was focusing on, I would get back in the groove…



Sure enough it worked! I saw some scraps laying on the table and I had inspiration! Remember, Madison’s Sweet 16 is coming up soon, so I need to get busy getting everything together for her party! White with black music notes and blue accents is the theme, remember? I saw blue bias tape and scrap triangles of the material I did her room in and am doing her party decorations in… IDEA!!! You know those plastic pennant banners that you can buy for like $8 at the store and they rip and fall apart because they are cheaply made? Well I cut out the triangles to be the same size and sewed them into the bias tape and Voila! A $2 fabric pennant banner matching the rest of the decorations that is less likely to tear and rip! And I saved about $6 EACH too! I like being frugal! I was quite proud of myself for this creation and DD was totally diggin’ it too!



These little blue bags I got as a 2 pack at the Dollar Tree. I have been kind of a freak buying stuff in party colors here and there and seeing what I can come up with LOL! So I saw these blue bags one day and said there has GOT to be something I can do with them for the party. So tonight I started playing with the scraps and folding them like homemade bias tape and I started thinking of how I embellish towels. Why couldn’t I do that to these bags??? I undid part of the side seam and fastened the fabric onto each side of the bag. Cute favor bags for all the guests were the result. Now I could either go buy a few more bags or save a few bucks and make some my own if I have some blue fabric. I don’t think I do though, so I will have to do some super digging to see. Either way I think they are cute!

I also got all the remaining glasses for the centerpieces stickered up and filled with the black and white gem rocks.I got the ones with the blue birthday garland and the blue roses completed and only need 2 of the silver cascades and music notes to finish those and then all of the centerpieces will be complete. I stopped crafting because the DD wanted to study her driver’s education book and ask me questions, so instead I was jotting down party notes and things I wanted to do relating to the party (like decorations, food preps, etc. ) while she studied. I was actually feeling quite proud of myself because, remember that list I said I made Saturday and didn’t touch…. Well I got everything but 2 things done on it AND I actually got 3 extra things done that weren’t even ON the list! A very productive day in my mind!

So, has all this commotion made you even the least bit crafty? Yea? COOL! Well let me tell you, I have a neat little project I am bringing you today! Now if you know me, you know I am a big “cause” supporter… well I am focusing today on the Breast Cancer cause. Now the first time I saw this I was taken aback… BUT when you really think about the reason behind this project, its really cool! SO I am gonna bring you this nifty recycling cause related craft AND some of the comments off the CraftBits website so you can see…



Craft Idea of the Day: Bra Purse

Materials:

Old bra
Ribbons fringing
Hot glue or craft glue
Scissors

Directions:

These bags have been made famous by their use to promote awareness of Breast Cancer.

And to carry on with that awareness I have used my mothers bra's to make the bra projects on this site.

This bra purse is made with a lightweight Lycra bra a padded bra would provide you with more stability, obviously the bigger the bra cup the bigger the purse.

Start by removing the straps from the cups.

You can keep the cups together with most bras, but it will depend on the bra you are using. If you separate the cups you will simply glue them back together along the wire line.

Glue the cups together to form the pouch part of the purse. This bra was slightly open cupped (deep plunge line) so I just glued up the side to form a deeper pouch.

Glue the straps back on to form the handles, these can be short or long depending on your bag style. I used the actual bra straps to keep the purse "Bra Looking" but you could swap this for a cord or ribbon. Just attach them to the top of the bra where the straps would normally sit.

If you are using a Strapless bra then just glue the handles into the inside edge of the cup.

Embellish the handbag by gluing on trims, ribbons and sequins to your desired style.

You can add a little or a lot.

And remember Breast Cancer is important so check each lump and each bump no matter how old or young you are and get a mammogram regularly. Early detection is the key to survival.

Comments:

I've made a couple of these already ~ a white one and a royal blue one, both of which have pink lace and ribbons and the pink BC awareness ribbon on them. I think they are adorable and the person who came up with the idea is a genius! People shouldn't be anymore offended by these than by the naked women or peeing Calvin bumper stickers on cars. Hooray for BC awareness!!

This has got to be one of the most awesome ways I have ever seen to honor or remember a loved one who has been impacted by breast cancer. I'm going to share this with all my RFL buddies.

Look out Thrift stores and yard sales, I am bra purse hunting.=) clever idea!

ok yes first look i thought oh my goodness why would anyone want to do this. then i read the reason behind it and some comments from quests and one said it write "who hasn't seen a bra" now a days they are everywhere, on TV in almost any store we go into. out on display for everyone to see. so why not on are arm? it is a wonderful idea. i have never know anyone that has had breast cancer but i have seem some ladies out and about that made me want to cry. i support awarness 100% and anything that will help these ladies battle a little easier. i also think its a great idea to make and sell these and giving the money made to the cause. You go girls!

What a fantastic idea. I love finding new & interesting things to make & this place is just full of them. Thankyou for your idea. Gives me all sorts of ideas to raise money for the breast cancer assoc. here in Australia. Thanks again

LOVE THIS!!! I'm going to make a hot pink bra purse. I'll add pink tassels & am thinking of using little pink fabric letters to add the phrase, "Save the ta-tas!" to the purse. Where's my Bedazzler????

WOW..I just started sewing again...been about 20 years...and in fact I just made a couple of purses and this is going to be the next one I make..AWESOME..my mom was a breast cancer survivor..although she is passed now..I love the idea..and will pass along to my sewing friends....

My mom is going through this, but making a bra out of it isn't called mocking? It seems kinda "in-your-face" as if saying, "Hey, I made you this because you know, you have..."
It's cute idea but I wouldn't consider this as a gift option.

Cool Idea, but I would need at least a DD sized bra to hold all my crap! LOL. And I am only an A...Also I can't see myself explaining to my kids, all their friends, and my husband why I am carrying around an embellished bra. No we don't live in the Victorian ages but somethings do need to be kept private. Sorry girls there are lots of ways to show your support for breast cancer awareness and this isn't one I would like my daughter to participate in. Like another guest said, would people really see the bra purse and think oh breast cancer awareness! I think not. You are better off wearing a T-Shirt with your message in plain english stating your cause.

lol I have to tell u I have seen quite a few of these purses. They are great! My aunt is a breast cancer survior. lol Even those of u who think this is tacky or wierd, It served its purpose. It made u think of Breast Cancer. The whole purpose of the bag. GOOD JOB!

I think this is absolutely full of good humor, while supporting (no pun intended) a very good cause! I don't know if I'm gutsy enough to make one and be caught with it out in town, but I can see this making a huge statement in the hands of a confident, fun woman. :)

I think it's a great idea. I can't wait to get some done for the boutique I'm selling things from. Until I read some of the comments on here I was foolishly under the impression that we had gone beyond Victorian times.

LOL!!(= love the idea. for those of you who think its gross, dont worry. its not even a bra any more, its been cleaned, cut and sewed. its just like making a shirt into a stuffed animal.

I love this idea, I think that people should lighten up... its only a bra... who hasnt seen one before?! People who say "eww" and "gross" are obviously too up tight to raise breast cancer awareness, very irritating, just my opinion

I'm a male directed here by a female, neither one of us feels it's inappropriate in anyway for males to see. We seen the X UR heart ads on TV for years and past the store unavoidable displays, so it's nothing we haven't seen before. Lighten up world.

Anyway, you get the idea… mixed emotions for a very “taboo” project could you say? If you want to read the TONS more comments or see the step by step photos, take a gander at it on CraftBits. Either way, I personally think its great!

Okie dokie my friends… its time to eat! I love food and boy does my waistline rat on me for it! But ya know what… I don’t care! Just more of me to love I say LMAO! I have had great fun bringing you “themed foods” weeks, that I think I am gonna keep it going! There are so many great themes we could do… its just so hard to choose! After sitting and jotting down a list of over 100 themes just off the top of my head, I have decided that this week’s theme will be… LUAU FOODS! Yes, with summer in our midst, I will be bringing you some flavor from Hawaii and some of the more popular foods you might find at a Luau (as a Luau is also a popular party theme for the summer, so why not have some authentic food right?). Now, when visiting Hawaii, you will encounter many foods names and terms that may seem quite foreign to you. This is due to the fact that Hawaii is such a melting pot of cultures from around the world, with influences from the Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Puerto Rican, Samoan, Thai, Vietnamese and others. But I will be trying to focus on the dishes more native to the Hawaiian people. So I hope you enjoy this upcoming week of tasty tropical treats!



Chicken Lu’au

Chicken luau won't win any prizes for presentation. It has all the visual appeal of pig slop (or worse), but you'll also notice it's one of the first pots to be scraped clean at a pa'ina. The sweetness of coconut and taro, combined with savory chicken make this one a local favorite. The dish takes its name from the Hawaiian word lū'au, describing the young taro leaves that make the bulk of the recipe.

3 lbs. taro leaves
8 c. water
1 t. sea salt
3 T. unsalted butter
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
2 c. coconut milk
1 c. chicken broth

Remove the taro stems and any tough veins. Hold your hand in front of you. If your taro leaves are larger than your outstretched fingers, chop them into smaller pieces. Bring the salt and water to boil, then add the chopped taro leaves and cook for one hour, stirring occasionally. Don't rush this step! Taro contains calcium oxalate crystals which can cause a fiberglass like irritation in the mouth and throat unless cooked adequately. Drain the taro and lightly squeeze to remove excess water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the chopped onion until translucent but not browned, about five minutes. Add the chicken and cook another three to four minutes to lightly brown. Finally, add the coconut milk, chicken broth and cooked taro. Simmer gently for fifteen minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Salt to taste, although in my experience you may not need more. Serve over rice.

Substitutions: You can use spinach in place of the taro, although this changes the flavor somewhat. If you use spinach, don't precook, but instead add it fresh when you add the coconut milk and broth. Another very popular option is to use squid or octopus in place of the chicken.

Serves eight to ten as a hearty side dish.

Well folks, I think that about wraps things up for today! I am gonna wander on over to the “craft station” and see what kind of trouble I can conjure up over there LOL! I hope you liked my adventures in crafting and are excited about the food theme of this week. I hope you will join me tomorrow morning for another cup of craziness and fun! Until tomorrow… HUGS!