weekly lesson #7

I learned this week that some people know just what to say to make your day:)

I spent Thursday afternoon getting a way too expensive manicure and pedicure, and enjoying every minute of it! The mani & pedi was a special treat from my husband and kids, and it was practically magical:)

While the nice lady was giving me my pedicure she glanced up at one point and did a double take when she noticed my wedding rings. She asked me uncertainly if I was married. I told her that I was, and then she asked me for how long. I told her I had almost been married 7 years. Her eyes got pretty big, and she told me I looked like I should be in high school:)

After the pedicure was done, I moved over to a table for my manicure. Another nice lady worked on my hands. Once she had finished painting my nails, we started talking, and she mentioned that she couldn't believe it was almost 7 pm. She asked me if I had already had dinner, to which I responded no. Listen to this...she looked me dead in the eye, and asked me if my mother was going to have dinner waiting on me when I got home from the nail salon!!!!! I told her no, because I was married. She said she had thought I was a high school student. (side note: she never saw that I was wearing wedding rings. I took them off before she came to the table because of all the lotion and oil they put on you.)

I've always looked younger than my age. For as long as I can remember I've gotten comments when people find out how old I am. Even back in my teenage years. On up into my early 20s, it would make me mad that people thought I was younger than I was. Not sure why, it just did. In the last couple of years (since I became a mom), I've gotten these comments less. Maybe because I look old and tired all the time. Maybe just because I have two little ones tagging along everywhere I go. Now when people comment on how old I look, it's usually in a check-out line, and it sounds something like this: "You don't look old enough to have two kids."

When those two women at the nail salon told me I looked like a high school student they really made my day! Without even knowing it, they told me I looked 10 years younger than I am. I personally think they must not have great vision...there's no way I could seriously pass for 18 again, but it made me smile anyway! Just last week I celebrated 10 years of being out of high school, and according to these ladies, it looks like I never left:)

the wednesday dish

I found this recipe online last week. It sounded tasty and easy to make, so I thought I would give it a try. I always get nervous when I'm cooking something for the first time, but this turned out pretty well. I love cheese, and while this recipe called for 2 cups, I probably used around 4. The next time I make this, I think I'll stick to the 2 cups...4 cups made it almost too cheesy. Also, I may put some Tabasco in the recipe next time too. Just to give it a little more kick.

Pizza Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 can Pillsbury biscuits
• 1 16oz jar pizza sauce
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 green pepper, chopped*
• 1 onion, chopped*
• 1 2oz can sliced black olives*
• 4oz pepperoni*
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese

*optional ingredients - put in pizza toppings of your choice

Preparation:

Combine the pizza sauce and cream of mushroom soup in a large bowl. Mix in peppers, onions, and black olives. Cut pepperoni and biscuits into quarters and mix into bowl. Add 1 cup of mozzarella to mix. Pour into a 9x13 dish and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Top with remaining cup of mozzarella and return to oven until melted.

the family man

Over the weekend, I stayed up way too late watching this movie. It came on one of our cable channels, and I just couldn't resist (although the next morning, I questioned my sanity for staying up to watch tv when I have little ones who wake up with the sun).

For those of you who have not seen this Nicholas Cage movie ever or in a while, let me give you a very quick synopsis! At the beginning of the movie Cage's character is a wealthy businessman. Although rich and powerful, and in his opinion, happy, he is alone. Years before, he actually chose his career over a girlfriend, and as a result, never married or had children. In a sort of "It's A Wonderful Life" way, he is given a glimpse of what his life could have been had he chosen the girlfriend and not the job. He goes to bed on Christmas night by himself and wakes up the following morning with a wife and two kids. You get to watch him experience life in a completely different way; as a middle class family man. And you get to watch him fall in love with this new life.

Before this weekend, I had seen this movie once before. Nearly 10 years ago when it came out in theaters during the 2000 Christmas season. Patrick and I went on a date to the movies, and this is what we chose to watch. At the time, we had only been dating 3-4 months. No thoughts of marriage and certainly no thoughts of kids.

It was so weird to watch the movie together almost a decade later, and realize how much our lives have changed since we saw it last. We watched the movie this time in a completely new way, because we realized that our lives mirrored those of the characters. We are now the couple with the crazy but ordinary life. We now have our own two kids. Most importantly, seeing this movie made me realize that even though I may occasionally wonder how my life would be different had I made different decisions, I realize that my life is a success! It brought me to tears to think that what Cage's character learns to long for and love, I've had all along!

a tip for couponing at target

You may know this already...you may not. You can go to target.com and print Target coupons. While a few that you print will be manufacturer's coupons (meaning you can use them in any store), most of them will be Target Web coupons (for Target stores only). This is good news! I've found some excellent Target coupons. I've found coupons for Merona shoes, sunglasses, clothing, and even Circo or Cherokee kids clothes. The great news is that if you have a Target Web coupon for something and you also have a manufactures coupon for the same item, you can pair them up and get extra savings! Just this weekend I did this on some Energizer batteries. I had a $1/1 Target Web coupon and a $1/1 Manufacturer's Coupon, so I got a total of $2 off my batteries. I've been printing Target coupons for a while, but I just found out you can pair them with manufacturer's coupons, so I'm very excited with this new info.

Click here and you can view Target's official coupon policy. I keep a copy of this in my coupon organizer that I take in the store. If the cashier ever questions my pairing the two types of coupons on an item I can pull it out and show her that Target allows it! I know this sounds extreme, but you would be surprised at how little cashiers know about their employer's coupon policy. I've not had a run in at Target yet, but I have at other locations. Anyway, Happy Saving at Target:)

$2/1 coppertone coupon

This is the first sunscreen coupon I've seen all season! I am so excited! I've been hoping to see one before I had to buy for our beach trip. Click here to get to the coupon's website. Once there, just scroll through the pages for this awesome coupon. While I was there just now I also noticed that the Huggies $3/1 Snug & Dry Diapers had re-set (meaning you should be able to print it 2 more times). I also printed a $2/1 Ovaltine product...this is great, because I've only ever found $1/1 before.

something FREE from chick-fil-a

Chick-fil-A is about to debut their Spicy Chicken Sandwich! It's set to hit their menu on June 7, 2010. But, you can try the sandwich before then and for FREE!!! From May 31 to June 5 Chick-fil-A is giving a limited number of FREE Spicy Chicken Sandwiches to customers who make reservations. Reservations are easy to make...I've already made mine. Click here to get started. You will get to pick exactly what day and time you want to pick up your sandwich and which Chick-fil-A you want to visit. You will have to print out your reservation con

Remember there is a limited number of reservations available, so hurry up and make yours!

weekly lesson #6

I guess you could say that I've re-learned a lesson this week. It's something I've known all along, but really saw put into action lately. It is the fact that I have an extremely hard working husband. Seriously. He worked 84 hours last week, and will be pushing 90 by this week's end. I cannot even imagine working those kind of hours! I know as a stay-at-home-mom I feel like my job never ends, but at least the kids and I get to come and go as we please and do all sorts of fun stuff during the day.
I miss my husband when he works so much. When he gets home at night after the kids are in bed, and just eats and goes to bed himself. But I am so very thankful that I have a husband who WILL work so hard. There's not a lazy bone in his body!!! He makes me proud!!!

the wednesday dish

These are really good...and healthy too! You really need to try these for yourself!

Chicken Pita Pizzas

Ingredients:

• Package of Pitas


• 1 small can of tomato sauce


• 2 cup bag mozzarella cheese


• green bell pepper, diced


• small zucchini squash, diced


• small onion, diced


• 2 mushroom, sliced (optional)


• 2 oz. chicken breast, cooked and diced

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In a small pan saute the peppers, mushrooms, onions and zucchini until tender. Place the pitas on a pizza pan, bottom side up. Spread the tomato sauce over the pita. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with sauteed veggies and cooked chicken. Place in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pitas are golden brown on the bottom.

*I also put black olives on mine.

i ♥ freebies

Look at the nice surprise I pulled out of my mailbox today! If I remember correctly I requested this box of goodies on Kraft's Facebook page. I had completely forgotten about it until it arrived! I received 3 Maxwell House Vanilla Caramel Latte packets and 4 individual bags of Sundried Tomato & Basil Wheat Thins. Even better is that I received a coupon for a FREE package of Kraft Cheesy Explosion Macaroni and Cheese, and another coupon for a FREE package of Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Angus Beef Bologna or Turkey Pastrami!
The next time I come across a freebie like this, I'll get a post up, so you can take part too!

to be tan

Once upon a time there lived a girl who kept a tan from the months of May through September. This girl was extremely busy working and going to college, so her beautiful tan came compliments of the local tanning salon. There was no time for a good old fashioned tan from the actual sun. Besides, that kind of tan comes with tan lines...yuck!

Fast forward a few years. The girl is now married, and has a husband who likes keeping a tan too. So much so that it did not take much twisting of his arm, to get him to buy them their very own tanning bed. How heavenly...to be able to come home from work or school and simply go into a room, in your own house, to work on your tan! This tanning bed was open 24/7, and it was truly a prized possession.

Fast forward another few years. The girl and her husband go through a whirlwind of changes. College graduation. New jobs. The selling of a house and the buying of a new one. And the biggest one of all, a baby is on the way. There is no room in the new house for the tanning bed. That's ok though, because a pregnant girl is beautiful even without a tan. The tanning bed goes into storage, in the basement of the girl's in-laws.

Three years later and the tanning bed remains in storage. The girl and her husband had the baby, and wouldn't you know, 17 months later they had another one. Life is busier for them than ever before. The girl is a stay-at-home mom whose job has no set hours, and the husband works 80+ hours some weeks. Life is crazy, but at the same time sweet.

There's a beach trip coming up for this little family in a matter of weeks. For some reason, the girl and her husband start reminiscing about life with a tan, and how nice it would be to go to the beach golden instead of pasty! Fate (aka the GPS) reveals a tanning salon only 5 minutes from where they live, and they happily sign up for a tanning package. In between cooking dinner, bathing kids, brushing teeth, putting on PJ's, and rocking kids to sleep, the parents take turns slipping away to work on their tan. Oh how this little piece of yesteryear makes them happy, makes them feel young again, makes them golden:)

$3 off diaper coupons

I just happened on some excellent Huggies brand diaper & wipes coupons. These were the ones I found available:

$3 off on one Huggies Little Movers or Little Snugglers Diapers
$3 off on one Huggies Smooth & Dry Diapers
$2 off any two packages of Huggies Baby Wipes 64 ct. or larger
$2 off any package of Huggies 64 ct box and refill package

Click here to get the coupon site, and make sure 06776 is the zip entered (it's the zip the coupons were under on my computer).

*Remember you can print these coupons twice on each printer! You guys in AL, watch your Publix sale papers, because when they have a Huggies coupon in their paper, that is a Publix coupon, so you can combine it and one of these you print, and get the diapers for CHEAP! I've done it a few times:)

weekly lesson #5

My AAA membership is awesome!

Patrick has had us enrolled in the program for several years now, and each year I happily place my new AAA card in my wallet. Before this week, the card has just sat in my wallet...I didn't realize I actually had a reason to show it off.

That all changed when I was shopping at New York & Co. They had an awesome sale going, 50% off of EVERYTHING! We're having professional beach pictures taken at the beginning of June, so I've been on a mission to find cute clothes for the entire family to wear during the shoot. Well, I stopped in here to see if they had anything for me, and they did. We're going with khaki and white clothes for our pictures, and I found a really cute pair of khaki dress Capri pants. They were $34.50, but with 50% off, I thought $17.25 was a steal. Plus, I found another cute top that I had to have.

When I went to the checkout, the cashier asked me if I had a AAA card. I'm sure I looked at her weird, but told her I did and dug it out of my wallet. She looked at it for a brief second, and told me that the card would score me another 15% off my purchase!

I've been on www.AAA.com a few times since then trying to find out where else I can shop and receive the AAA discount. You know me, I love coupons, and getting a deal, so I'll probably just start asking anywhere I go if they offer a AAA discount. The worst they can tell me is no.

american idol anyone?

It's down to the top 3.

Casey James. Crystal Bowersox. Lee Dewyze.

Who is your favorite? Who do you think will win?

I'll admit it. I'm one of those people who religiously watches the show. Well, I religiously watch it once it gets dwindled down to the top 12, and then I usually only watch the Tuesday night show. I prefer to skip the results show, or if I'm lucky, happen upon the last 5 minutes. Typically, my mom fills me in on who was sent packing. Also, I'm not one of those viewers who actually votes for a contestant (unless that contestant is from Alabama).

This season I've watched, but haven't really had a favorite. Now that it's down to these three, I would have to say that Lee would get my votes (if I actually voted:)) However, my prediction is that Crystal will win in the end.

Who knows though! I think last year's winner was a complete surprise, so who knows what will happen until it happens!

the wednesday dish

This week I'm sharing the meatloaf recipe I mentioned last Wednesday. Shame on me because I do not have a meatloaf picture to share. I did make it in the last week, but things have been wild around here, and we ate it, before it even entered my mind to photograph it! So, you'll just have to use your imagination this week:)

This is the only meatloaf recipe I've ever used, and to be honest, I made my first meatloaf only about 2 months ago. I always assumed preparing a meatloaf would be difficult and time consuming, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. If you have a delicious meatloaf recipe of your own, please share it with me!

By the way, what makes preparing a meatloaf worth all the effort is enjoying meatloaf sandwiches the rest of the week!

Kristen's Meatloaf Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground turkey or beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup uncooked oats (I add more oats in the end to get the meatloaf the consistency it needs to be)
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 medium tomato, pureed
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 small can green chili peppers, undrained
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Mexican blend seasoning (I use Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime)
• Non-stick cooking spray

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into a loaf and place in a baking pan that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for one hour.

*BOOK REVIEW* The Money Answer Book by Dave Ramsey

This book offers concise financial advice. Dave Ramsey uses a question and answer format in this book in an effort to address some of the questions he is most frequently asked. There are chapters on topics such as bankruptcy, investing, saving for college, retirement planning, and good ole budgeting. There are easily 100+ questions presented in the book, and each question is accompanied by an easy to read answer.

I liked this book. It was the first Dave Ramsey book I've had the chance to read, and because I enjoyed it, I'm sure it will not be my last. Some of the chapters were irrelevant to my specific financial situation (bankruptcy), other were a little over my head (investing and retirement), but others hit home (how to save for college and budgeting advice). Overall, I think this book is a good resource to add to your library. I definitely know I will hang on to it just in case I need to consult it further in the future.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not asked to write a positive review, but simply, an honest one.

weekly lesson #4

This week I have learned that no matter how much I may want to blog, I do not always have the time!
There are several reasons I have not blogged much this week:

1. writer's block-I hate when this happens, but every now and then it does! I have a book review that needs to be finished and published, but every night this week that I've tried to work on it, I've just come up blank. Hopefully, it will get published by Monday, so stay tuned:)

2. exhaustion-I hate it when this happens too, but with two small kids using up all my energy and then some, I'm finding myself exhausted more and more. This past weekend, Griff (my 19 month old) came down with conjuntivitus. Thankfully, the drops our pediatrician's office called in have worked, and worked quickly. They have definitely been miracle drops! However, my little guy has not slept well all week, and so, neither has mama!

3. blog reading - I get so caught up catching up on some of my favorite blogs that time gets away from me. Sometimes, it is just easier to read other blog posts instead of creating posts of my own! Plus, I'm always finding new blogs to read...so many blogs...so little time!

So there is my lesson - or should I say confession - of the week!!!

top 3 thursday

This week's Top 3 Thursday question is:

Where are the Top 3 places that you would most like to visit?

#3 Alaska - To cruise here is something my husband and I both want to do! Maybe, someday we'll get to.

#2 New York City - I've been there once, but it was almost 15 years ago. It's high time I go back:) While there I definitely want to go to the Regis & Kelly Show and ice skate in Rockefeller Center.

#1 Hawaii - We went to Oahu on our honeymoon - it was beautiful. I would love to be able to visit each of the other islands too.

Where would you like to go?

the wednesday dish

This is a recipe I've made a handful of times. I found it in a magazine, thought it sounded simple enough, and gave it a shot. One of these days I plan to substitute the frozen meatballs for homemade ones. This meal is pretty good with the frozen ones, so I'm sure it will be out of this world if I take the extra step and prepare homemade meatballs! I actually have a tasty meatloaf recipe (that I plan to share next week) that I think will be perfect for the job!

Italian Meatball Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 jar (26 ounces) marinara sauce

1 pound frozen pre-cooked Italian-style meatballs

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/3 cup sliced ripe black olives

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

6 hoagie buns

6 slices mozzarella cheese

3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients (except hoagie buns, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese) in a large saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat about 15 minutes or until meatballs are hot. Place two pieces of cheese on the bottom of each bun. Spoon meatball mixture into buns and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.