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!!!!!!

CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE KICKOFF

Good morning my little bloggies! How are you doing this Tuesday morning? I'm good really... had some good experiences with my freecycling yesterday and I got some cleaning and sewing done too! Got a couple of new things to share with you... cats, crafts, etc...



(I snapped this picture of Miracle last night while he slept... isn't that too cute!?) First off I am proud to announce that the baby cats Miracle and Gizmo that have been exclusively in the bedroom are now free to roam the whole house.. and Rebel and Princess are totally ok with it! YAY! In fact Rebel is playing with them! No more hissing and fighting DOUBLE YAY! LOL...



We call Miracle Rebel's "mini me" cause he looks JUST like him... so its Dr. Evil and his Mini Me (for those of you who have seen Austin Powers LOL! DON'T MIND THE MESS IN THE BACK... I had a wild hair to pull everything out of the closet so that's what you see lol! The only one who has a bit of a problem with the babies is Pitts, but he'll get over it. Rebel actually stood up to Pitts like he was "defending" the babies yesterday when Pitts started hissing. It was pretty wild. Rebel wanted to start coming in the bedroom about a week ago (I think he just got tired of not being able to be with Mama... I mean he is my baby LOL), so I let him in under special watchful eye! He hissed a little bit a few times and was "redirected"... just like a kid. So the door gate was removed during the day only. At night he had to go. But a couple of nights ago I decided to leave the gate open and see how the night went. All was well so the gate is gone and the babies are beginning to venture into the rest of the house. But they are still coming back to the bedroom and sleeping on the bed with me at night LOL. Yes my cats are very spoiled! The itty bitty baby, Mittens, is doing well too. Her wounds have healed, I weaned her from the kitten milk and even from the wet food, and she is on dry food and water. She is completely box trained and she is relocated... to DD's room. There was a bit of an issue with Miracle and Mittens, so my DD asked if Mittens could live with her in her room. After an hour of discussing how important her care was and what all to do, we "baby proofed" her room and away she went. They are having fun being roomies LOL! So all is well in the land of the cats!

One of the freecycle "trades" I had was to pick up 2 mystery boxes. I kinda like mystery boxes because you are always surprised. Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you don't. Well in these boxes were some great items I will be able to use! I got a baby wipes warmer, baby monitor set, and some baby bottles! All these items will come in very handy when I start watching my little visitor on a regular basis! YAY! I also received some jeans in good condition, 3 very nice watches, some new packs of paper, and a few other things I think I can utilize. Once I took what I could use, I freecycled the rest. I also had another pickup of around 3-4 weeks worth of coupons from a lady right down the road. Freecycle is a great thing and I encourage you ALL to join your local groups! Visit Freecycle and find the group closest to you. Just be a courteous freecycler and people will be more willing to trade with you and recommend you to others. If you say you will pick up, then follow through promptly. Reputation means alot there.



Then I got to thinking that since I needed a sturdy diaper bag for when I take my little compadre out with me somewhere, why not just make one. (Sorry for the bad picture... taken with my bad phone LOL). I took a pair of old dark blue jeans I don't fit and made a booty bag and adorned it with "It's A Boy" ribbon! I have pockets on the outside for holding juice bottles, etc. and planty of room in my "big butt jeans" for diapers, wipes, food, toys, etc. I also made a couple of burp rags I normally make and sell as well. I think its cute and I filled it last night with all kinds of goodies! We are ready to hit the road jack! Sturdy denim and poly-webbing straps... oh yea, won't have any problems with this bag LOL! I plugged in the baby monitor I got on freecycle and it works great! I also sterilized the wipe warmer and the bottles (did not come with nipples though). I washed the bottles with soap and water and then sterilized them in a big soup pot of boiling water. (Remind me to get nipples and a bottle brush LOL) Wow has it been a long time since I had to do all that! But it's like riding a bike I suppose... You really never forget how. Its kind of exciting really... LOL.



Ok well it's that time. Its the first day of the Christmas Challenge YAY! I hope this is going to be so fun that I will want to keep going for the next year LMAO! Kidding! Ok, so I have decided that today I am going to do gift #1 which is a kitchen set. (I can't tell you WHO it's for, because most of my family members pop in and read from time to time. LMAO) I have a beautiful floral material that I will be using to make all the kitchen essentials of pot holders, oven mitts, etc. I am gonna pair that with a book made from all my recipes for soups... a custom cook book if you will. The cover will be printed on custom paper to match the fabric. Finally when I am done with all the sewing, I will go and purchase one or 2 larger cooking utensils... a ladle and maybe a wooden spoon... and tie that to the package with a color coordinated bow. Isn't that a neat gift? I know I would love to get something like that! (Oh shoot, I just realized that once you see the material, my family at least, will know who its for LOL! Man I didn't think about all of that LMAO! Will have to ask who all reads my blog... hmmm... I know mom and Dad do at the very least!) I'm rather excited!

Now aside from the gifts I am giving, I got baby on the brain, as you can probably tell... and I'm trying to prep to have a baby in the house again after over a decade! I was thinking about when my kids were babies and how my mother used to LOVE putting DD in those little Bonnets! OMG we couldn't go anywhere without her trying to put one on DD's head LMAO! Well I found on my thrifty fun site, an easy way to make some rather unique bonnets using bandanas! I started laughing uncontrollably and immediately thinking of my mother! Now you may want to make these as a gift, and that would be cool too... Make sure to visit the site page for great step-by-step photos too! So here it is, the



Craft Idea of the Day: Bandana Bonnets

Materials:

Bandana
thread
ribbon 59"
elastic 3" 1/4-1/2 wide
fuseable web
iron
sewing machine

Instructions:

Step 1: Iron Bandana to get out all store wrinkles. (You can also wash and dry to get out all the starchy stiffness if you desire)

Step 2: Open Bandana up wrong side facing up. Fold one edge toward the middle 6inches. Bring other edge to meet it. Iron in new creases.

Step 3: Apply fuseable web to the back of your ribbon

Step 4: Center Ribbon over seam where the two edges meet. Iron ribbon into place over the seam. Be sure to follow factory directions for your fuseable web. The smaller of the two sides is the front of the bonnet and the larger is the back of the bonnet.

Step 5. You are now going to make the casing for the elastic at the back. You will sew a straight line from one edge to the other about 1/2 and inch from the fold. At this time you can also use the machine to add a decorative stitch to your ribbon or you can hand embroider over the ribbon to make it more secure.

Step 6: And here is where it gets a bit tricky. Thread your 3 inches of ribbon into the casing. Gathering as evenly as you can. Secure your elastic together by sewing over the two ends a few times. Release the elastic and with needle and thread close the gap that remains over the elastic.

Finished!

By Hanane from Garland, TX

Alright, for today's FANTASTIC EDIBLE FLOWER I want to discuss the rose... my personal favorite flower! The rose is a beautiful focal piece that is also pleasing to the palate. Now I am sure many of us have heard of "FLAN", a very popular dessert of hispanic origins. Well, this recipe makes a fabulous flan, giving you the scent of roses with every bite.



Rose: Rosa rugosa or R. gallica officinalis

Tastes like: sweet, aromatic flavor, stronger fragrance produces a stronger flavor. Be sure to remove the bitter white portion of the petals. Rose hips are also edible.

Interesting Facts about Roses

The rose is the favorite flower of 85% of Americans.

In 1986, then President Ronald Reagan signed legislation making the rose the official National Flower of the United States.

George Washington bred roses at his home.

A fossilized rose, which was 35 million years old, was found in Florissant, Colorado.

Over 900 acres of greenhouse roses are harvested in the United States every year. 60% of these are grown in California.

Florists sell millions of roses each year in the United States. The two biggest days for sales are Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Christmas is the third highest day for rose sales.

Columbus’ crew picked a rose branch out of the ocean on October 11, 1492. This signaled the presence of land. The very next day, Columbus discovered America.

Rose hips contain more Vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable.

Ancient Romans believed that white roses grew where the tears of Venus fell when she was mourning Adonis.

Shakespeare referred to roses over fifty times in his works.

Mythology says that roses grew thorns when Cupid accidentally shot an arrow into a rose garden.

The oldest rose in the world has flourished for over 1,000 years on the wall of Hildeshiem Cathedral in Germany.



Rose Petal Flan

Ingredients

Topping

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp water
Custard
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rose water*

Special items needed

4 6-ounce ramekins

*Rose water can be found in Mediterranean markets and also Whole Foods in the baking department. According to the Doña Tomàs book you can also make your own by boiling a cup of rose petals (fresh from a garden, not store-bought, no pesticides, no fungicides) in a cup of water with a tablespoon of honey, for 10 minutes. Let steep overnight and then strain. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Method

1 Have your ramekins ready, near the stove. When you pour out the caramelized sugar you will want to work fast. Place the sugar and water in a small, thick-bottomed saucepan. Heat on medium heat. As the sugar beings to melt, gently stir with a wooden spoon to break up unmelted lumps. Once the sugar has melted it will begin to turn golden and then darker brown. As soon as it turns a strong shade of reddish brown, remove the pan from the heat, working quickly, evenly divide the sugar between the ramekins, coating the bottom of each ramekin. Place the ramekins in a 2-inch deep baking dish.

2 Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan, on medium high heat, mix sugar and milk until the milk is warm to the touch and the sugar has completely dissolved (about 120°F). Do not let the milk boil. Remove from heat. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and rose water. Temper the egg mixture with a little (about 1/4 cup) of the warm milk mixture, whisking as you add the milk. Add the egg mixture back into the pan of milk. Lower the heat to low and whisk the egg mixture in for a minute until the egg mixture is fully incorporated.

3 Pour custard mixture into the ramekins, up to about 1/4-inch from the top edge of the ramekins. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.

4 Bake on the middle rack until centers of flans are gently set, about 45 minutes. Transfer flans to rack and cool. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)

5 To serve, run small sharp knife around flan to loosen. Turn over onto plate. Shake gently to release flan. Carefully lift off ramekin allowing caramel syrup to run over flan. Repeat with remaining flans and serve. If you have refrigerated the flan over night and the flan won't easily release, you can heat it in the microwave for a few seconds (10-15) to loosen it.

Serves 4.

As an added bonus, I am bringing you ANOTHER recipe that is very popular to use roses with!

FLOWER JELLY

2 1/2 cups apple juice OR white wine

1 cup fresh rose petals or scented geranium flowers and leaves

4 cups sugar

1/4 lemon juice

1 - 2 drops food coloring (optional)

3 ounces of liquid pectin

fresh flower petals (optional)

Bring juice or wine to a boil and pour over petals. Cover and steep until liquid has cooled, then strain out flowers leaving only liquid. Combine 2 cups of this flower infusion with sugar, lemon juice and food coloring. Bring to a boil over high heat and as soon as the sugar has dissolved, stir in the pectin. Return to a rolling boil, stirring, and boiling for exactly 1 minute. Remove the jelly from the heat and skim off any foam. Let jelly cool slightly and add more flower petals (if desired), then pour into sterilized jars. If petals do not stay suspended, stir jelly as it cools until petals stay in place. Process in hot water bath or seal with paraffin. Yields: 4 - 5 half pints

Alright folks, I am gonna leave you for today. I want to hear how many of you are starting your Christmas Challenge today and what you are doing... let's have some fun with this! I am gonna go start sewing my little hands off, so you take care, be safe, and SMILE! See you tomorrow... HUGS!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

Good morning everyone and a HAPPY Father’s Day to all my male readers out there… especially MY DAD! Love you Daddy! So how is everyone doing this sultry Sunday morning? Me… can’t complain- I woke up with air in my lungs, a roof over my head, and my family all around… so I’m good! And I have lots to share with you today, so let's get started.

OK now, yesterday, I managed to get some crafting done. And boy let me tell ya…. I think you will like it!



Intriducing… the Monopoly money bags!! Aren’t they super spiffy?? I attached all the bills together and then covered them with vinyl and proceeded like normal totes. Although when it was just the sides covered in vinyl, I have to admit, they would have made really cool place mats too LOL! I am going to take one of them and make it into a “Monopoly package” with a matching makeup bag, etc. and make a notebook out of the cards, etc LOL. I think it will be cool! What do you think?



These are super jumbo puzzle pieces and I spray painted them. Once they were dry I drew around the edges with some special glue and then sprinkled different colored glitters on it. Pretty sparkly huh? I am thinking that I might make them into magnets or package tags or… well I just don’t know.



These are some more cell pouches that I made, but since I am out of snaps, I used velcro. I think they are pretty neat really. All these materials were scraps from the green crate (as were the inside fabrics of those purses). I am slowing working my way through that crate LOL! I’m running out of time, so I better get cracking huh? Anyway, the roses and skulls material is the ones I used for making my DB’s bedroom set. He said he is waiting for more (bedroom sets) LOL! Might be an idea for the Christmas Countdown challenge… not sure yet. Gonna start my list probably next week. I’m sure that crate will diminish quickly once I start the Christmas Countdown LOL!



Seeing that I have a wretched landlord who has not yet done anything about my possessed stove, I am cooking meals that are either stovetop, crockpot, grill, or just eating the premade meals I froze in the freezer. I also made a couple of casseroles at mom’s and brought them home too, but those are already gone LOL! Anyway, I had a whole buzzard and I threw that in the crockpot yesterday morning with some Lipton’s vegetable soup mix and a can of Rotel. Seasoned the chicken with the normal S/P/G and then also used some cumin and allspice. Let that puppy cook on low for a few hours and it was falling apart moist LITERALLY! I paired that with some noodles with veggies in them (and I put some of the stewed Rotel on top the noodles) and then some buttered garlic Italian bread I had and voila! A mouthwatering no fuss super That everyone devoured!



What’s a dinner without dessert? Here is our colossal cookie! Super chocolate chunk and oh so… sweet!!! TOO SWEET for me actually. It was given to us the other day and it was the perfect treat… for THEM! I had one bite, it hurt my teeth, and I said oh no! LOL But I have no fear they will make it disappear LOL. Its cute though… very cute!



I ended my day with a rescue. Aren’t those the sweetest little faces you have ever seen? See, as many of you know, I am a member of several different yahoo groups for various things. Frugal Living, Cooking, freecycling, etc. Well I guess, on one group, I have been deemed the “cat lady” LOL. One of the members of my local freecycle group called me pleading for my help. She said the momma cat was hit by a car and these kittens were out on the side of the road (still with the momma) and she couldn’t catch them so they didn’t get hurt or die. So at 7:30 last night, I drove over there and was able to get the kittens to come to me. I started crying at the condition of these poor things. She couldn’t keep them as she owns pits and they would “not be pleased” let’s just say. I had no choice… so home with me they came. I know I know… crazy! They look maybe 2-3 months old, so malnourished, and COVERED in fleas! So the first thing was they got washed and sprayed with flea stuff (cause I am allergic to fleas to boot LOL. I know an animal owner/lover allergic to a common pet problem- go figure! Talk about irony!). They were really not digging that, but the fleas just started falling off, so that was good. I can’t get them to eat yet, and I am praying they were not still nursing! Otherwise, HEY MOM… I MIGHT need some of that kitten formula you have! My inside cats were NOT happy with me last night, and I am hoping things get a little better should these kittens stay. So I have been loving on my cats all morning to try to ease their “hurt feelings” LOL! We have named the kittens Gizmo (cause his ears are bigger than his head LOL) and Miracle (because it’s a miracle she is alive and quite frankly will be a miracle if she survives). Say hello everybody! DH just got all teary eyed and said that I was a good hearted person... cats and kids I rescue them all! LOL! He's just odd LOL!

Now I had found an article that, by reading the title, led me to believe it would be a great Frugal tips to share with you all here. BUT… after further reading (past the title and jibberish) I am not real impressed and have come to the conclusion that the author is not necessarily giving the best advice. I’m gonna share the article and then MY humble O’s… and lets test just how frugal she REALLY is…

5 Ways to Cut the Fat From Your Grocery Bill

Kerry K. Taylor
Friday, June 4, 2010

Eating is an expensive habit. And if you're anything like me, then food probably consumes a significant portion of your budget. On average, American families spend $9,478 a year on food alone -- that's 13.3 percent of their total household budgets, according to a recent survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

To help you get a grip on this tasty but often expensive cost-of-living, here are five ways to cut the fat from your grocery bill.

1. Make a grocery list and check it twice. Going through your kitchen before hitting the supermarket is free, and planning ahead can fatten your wallet by preventing expensive impulse buys. You might even save on gas by being organized because you won't need to make a second shopping trip to buy those forgotten items.- OK… not gonna argue her point here, because I do the same thing. I keep a running list of what I need, how much of it I need, etc. AND I take at LEAST 4-6 hours to plan a grocery shopping spree… planning DOES help!

2. Stop clipping worthless coupons. Take a good look at the grocery coupons you're clipping before getting excited about the deal. Many coupons offer deals on highly packaged foods low in nutrition and high in unpronounceable ingredients. Skipping the worthless coupons and opting to pay a little bit more for whole foods may be a better deal for your health in the long run.- OK… BIG NO NO here! While I agree that whole foods ARE better for you, not everyone has a ton of money to eat just whole organic foods… some do depend on some prepackaged items. PLUS you can also find coupons for produce and such… they are usually called wine tags. AND you can also take that package of whatever you got for just 19 cents after your “worthless” coupon and turn it into maybe a part/component to a very healthy meal! It just calls for a little creativity! IMHO, NO coupon is WORTHLESS!!

3. Watch the price scanner. Mistakes on price scans are common at the grocery store and can cost you additional dollars. A Consumer Reports survey found that 6 percent of respondents were overcharged at the grocery checkout, and no particular chain stood out as more or less accurate. Watching while your grocery prices scan and verifying their accuracy at check-out can save you money and may even score you free food -- many grocery chains will give you the item for free if it scans at the wrong price, but it's up to you to spy the error.- Another good point here… and also be aware of the store’s price scan policies! Some have it where you get the item free if it scans wrong, some give you the item free AND cash back on your order…. SOOOO it can pay to be super-hyper vigilant on your register!

4. Buy generic items over big brand names. Save a huge 10 to 50 percent on every shopping trip by switching your brand name buys for generic items. It costs big bucks to market brand name products, and you're paying for that expense when you buy a food item with a recognizable label. Compare many generic items to the brand name equivalent and you'll find that the brands are not necessarily better than their less-advertised alternatives.- Ok I really dislike when people write like this! They try to make it sound like you can ONLY buy generics in order to save money, which is SO not true! UGH! Sometimes, if you Clip those coupons and compare prices (especially if your stores double or triple coupons like mine does), its actually far cheaper to buy BRAND NAME items!!!! About 75% of the stuff I buy is brand name… and ya know why? Cause I’m a SMART COUPON SHOPPER! (Oh it frustrates me so bad! Sorry… was about to go all soap-boxie!)

5. Skip the cans, buy dried beans in bulk. Why are you buying beans canned in captivity? Buying dried beans in bulk and soaking them overnight is a frugal way to add protein to your diet without paying for the high cost of meat. Besides, dried beans are extremely cheap and expand when soaked, so your family gets more meal for every dining dollar spent by forgoing the canned variety.- Again, this is a SEMI-good point. A lot of times, the bulk dry beans ARE cheaper… again UNLESS YOU HAVE A COUPON! If you can get your Gebhart pinto beans at 79 cents a bag or 19 cents a can… which one will you pick??

Finding simple ways to cut your everyday food expenses takes a bit of practice, but the payoff can be huge. Keeping track of your budget can also help you save money on all your other living expenses.

This author has a few valid points, but I think that a vital key to her article is missing. COMMON SENSE. A truly frugal person will know to cut the coupons, which can add up to some serious savings. A truly frugal person will know that by planning/preparation and paying attention, you can score some major bargains. A truly frugal person will know that repurposing items, when possible, will help to save money, reduce clutter, and be unique. So who do you think is the truly frugal one here?

Ok let’s get crafty! Now my mom called me the bag lady once in once of her comments after a day of tote making, and since I made more yesterday… well maybe it should be a “specialty” of mine. So I am gonna show you how to make another bag! “Gift bags are often the last step when giving a gift for Father's Day or a birthday. But they also add a significant cost to what you have already spent. Would it not be a relief save those extra dollars on paper or a bag that will be crumpled and tossed aside in seconds? Now you can make your own reusable gift bag for free. All you need are common items you already have, like the Sunday comics and an empty cereal box. Here's how:



Craft Idea of the Day: Cereal Box Gift Bags

What You Need:

Cereal box, or other box, into which the gift(s) will fit
Sunday comics section from the newspaper
Glue stick
School Glue
Scissors
Plastic grocery bag
Colored straws or leftover ribbon

Instructions:

1. Choose an empty cereal box (or any box) and cut off the top flaps. Trim the box shorter if desired, leaving it at least 2 inches higher than the gift will be inside.

2. Take the Sunday comics and neatly wrap the bottom and sides of the box. Secure with glue or tape.

3. Trim the top edge of comic paper so that it is about one inch higher than the top opening of the box.

4. Carefully fold the comic paper over the edge of the box so that the cardboard is neatly covered. Secure inside with glue.

5. To make handles for the gift bag, you have two options:

Option A: Plastic Straws
Cut two lengths of about 6 inches from plastic grocery bag handles. Cut colored drinking straws (wash and dry if you are reusing them) into shorter pieces. Thread the straw piece onto the plastic handles. Cut two small, index card sized pieces of scrap cardboard. Staple each end of the handle to the cardboard. Using school glue or strong tape, fix the cardboard to the inside of the top edge of the box, so that the handle is up.

Option B: Ribbon
Cut two lengths of about 6 inches of leftover ribbon. Punch holes in the sides of the box. Thread the ribbon through the holes and knot the ends of the ribbon to secure handles. If knots are too small to keep handles secure, staple ends of ribbon scrap cardboard and glue inside as described in option A.

6. Cut one long rectangle of comic paper that is slightly smaller than the area of the bottom plus two larger sides of the box. Use this sheet to line the inside of the box. Use a glue stick to secure the top edges with glue.

7. To make mock tissue paper, cut one or two large plain squares of plastic from grocery bags, avoiding the printed areas. Note: White plastic usually looks more like tissue paper than plastic from colored bags.

The advantages of these reusable gift bags are many. They better for your wallet and the environment. You can be relieved to avoid the cost of disposable wrapping and perhaps have more money to spend on the gift itself. Even if you haven't bought the gift yet, you can make this gift bag ahead of time if you know the size of gift you will get or make. And if you keep the bag in the family, whether it is a birthday, Father's Day, or other holiday, you have a gift bag for your next occasion that is ready to go.”

Time to talk some food! I hope you have enjoyed our journey to Hawaii this week. I hope that I have represented the people’s food the best I can based on the information I could find. I am gonna close this week with some bread. You normally see flavored breads around the holidays, but it is very commonplace to see flavored breads at Luaus at any time of year. Banana bread is very often served at Luaus. But another bread also served is this tasty treat, made with the freshest island ingredients, is Mango bread. What a “sweet” way to wrap up this food week, eh?



Mangoes are one of the best sources of Betacarotene, Quercetin and Astragalin. These are powerful antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals can damage cells and lead to heart disease, cancer, premature aging and degenerative diseases. One small mango provides a quarter of your recommended daily allowance for vitamin C, nearly two thirds of your daily quota for vitamin A, good amounts of vitamin E and fiber. They also contain vitamin K, phosphorus and magnesium. Mangoes are particularly rich in potassium which can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

Mangoes also contain pectin, a soluble dietary fiber, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. Recently, scientists at The Institute for Food Research, discovered that a fragment released from pectin binds to, and inhibits galectin 3, a protein that plays a role in all stages of cancer progression. Other population studies, including the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer, have identified a strong link between eating lots of fiber and a lower risk of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Mangoes are a considered a ‘high volume’ food which means you get a lot of food for a relatively small amount of calories – one mango contains around 135 calories. However, they are quite high in natural sugar with one mango containing around 30g. So keep that in mind when you try this tasty loaf of golden goodness!



Mango Bread

A recipe for mango bread using fresh mangos and macadamia nuts.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups sugar
3 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup melted butter
2 cups partly mashed, partly diced mangos
½ cup chopped macadamia nuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Combine all dry ingredients.

Beat eggs.

Add oil and butter and beat for approximately 2 minutes. Add dry ingredients and mangoes. Add nuts.

Bake 45-55 minutes.

Alright everyone, I am gonna get off of here and find something to do to occupy my mind- which obviously has too much time to think sometimes LOL! I will probably go check on the kittens and see if I can get them to eat, and then maybe do some crafts after I call my Dad (I doubt he is awake yet LOL). I hope all the dad’s out there have a GREAT day and I will see you again in the morning! Until tomorrow… HUGS!