Monthly Archives: June 2011

Friendly Friday 7/1/11

Posted on by
1

Welcome to Friendly Friday!

Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog, too! Just get the InLinkz code and copy it directly into your post. The code is different every week, so be sure to get the new code when hosting Friendly Friday on your blog. Hosting the list is a great way to get even more traffic to your blog and make Friendly Friday more beneficial for everyone.

Thanks for joining the Friendly Friday celebration hosted by Christi at Frugal Novice, Xenia at Thanks, Mail Carrier and Charla at Healthy Home Blog! We invite you to join us every Friday to make more friends in blogville, get more blog followers and follow other great blogs out there.

To join in the Friendly Friday celebration, include your family-friendly link in our list, follow the hostesses in the first 3 spots and then start blog hopping! Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love. Then take a minute to follow them through Google Friend Connect – this is a good way to keep up with other blogs, but also lets us show support to each other! Please DO NOT list your giveaways here, links must be to either your homepage or your Friday posting with your blog title. All others will be deleted.

When people comment on your blog and let you know they’re a part of Friendly Friday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers out of participating, and it’s a win-win situation. We would love for you to also grab our Friendly Friday button and post it on your blog and/or in a post – the more bloggers that find out about Friendly Friday and participate, the better!
.

Spotlight on Friendly Friday Followers! We love your participation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we’ll select three blogs at random and will feature links and a write-up for those blogs in the content of next week’s Friendly Friday post. There are so many seriously wonderful blogs out there, and this will be a great way to highlight some of those each week. Say hello to the lucky chosen 3 for this week (and feel free to stop by and give them a little extra love):
.

Started as a way to document her journey to getting in shape, Let’s Talk About Me is a blog sharing Sara’s thoughts on everything from awesome posts she has read to her daily life to a Stumble Me Friday Blog Hop and much more. You’ll never know what you might find next, but the fun in visiting is wanting to find out!
.

Carrie’s description of her blog reads as “Carrie Actually is a purposefully nicheless personal blog about my quest for a rich and fulfilling life as I recover from young adult cancer.” An amazingly talented writer, Carrie writes about anything and everything that interests her and is going on in her life and makes you immediately feel her friendly nature and knowledge on a wide range of topics.
.

Isabelle at Life Through My Eyes is a self-proclaimed quirky, random, sarcastic 25-year-old with a dry sense of humor that comes through in her posts about her life, her work, and everything in between. Stop by to find out what working, studying, traveling, baking or more is up next!
.

Now that you know about these 3 wonderful blogs, it’s time for you to join in! Add your family-friendly link below and we’ll see you back here every Friday! And don’t forget, you can get the InLinkz code to share the link list on your blog, too.


Central Market Recipe: Grilled Portobello & Arugula Burgers

Posted on by
Reply

Here’s a recipe I would like to try:  Grilled Portobello and Arugula Burgers.  I haven’t tasted anything made from a Central Market recipe that I haven’t liked.  By the way, the best time to shop at CM is around noontime.  They have lots of samples, the best one being back in their meat market.  You can usually get a little plate with samples of some type of  beef, some type of fish, and a delicious salad.

 

Menu Plan Monday & Recipe for Cheese Spatzle

Posted on by
Reply

The summer is flying by! Here it is time to do another menu for the week. One thing we do want to have is a repeat of last week’s fresh vegetables with a fried okra, squash, & onion medley. I made a big skillet full last week, and there were no leftovers. This time, though, I think I’ll use yellow squash and zucchini. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
.
I just remembered something!  We bought some egg noodles imported from Germany at Aldi’s today. They have a recipe on the package that sounds so yummy. Our son especially liked the sound of it, and you moms know how it is when your children are home from college for the summer.  I fix his favorites when I can!
.
Monday: Skillet grilled chicken, Fried Veggie Medley (fresh okra, squash, zucchini, & onion in a light cornmeal batter fried in olive oil just until barely done), salad
.
Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli (a favorite of my husband and our son; must be made with butter), salad
.
Wednesday: “Cheese Spatzle” recipe on package of Aldi’s Spatzle Swabian Egg Noodles~Homemade (with Swiss Cheese, chopped onions and a little butter) with added chicken, salad

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RECIPE FOR CHEESE SPATZLE

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 bag Deutsche Kuche Spatzle, 17.6 ounce bag (skinny egg noodles from Aldi)
  • 7 ounces grated Swiss Cheese
  • 1-2 cups chopped onions  (These are a must!  The browned onions give this recipe a wonderful flavor!)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk (optional – this is not in the recipe but I would add a little milk next time to make it less dry)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cook the noodles according to directions on the bag.   Drain and put in casserole dish.  Layer noodles with cheese and butter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until browned.  While noodles are baking, saute onions in olive oil until browned a little.  Add to the top of the noodles after they come out of the oven.  Serve with salad.  Enjoy!  (This recipe was a hit with my husband and our son.)
.
Thursday: Salmon patties, corn, salad
.
Friday: Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole, black beans, fresh-made guacamole

Giveaway Coming Soon: NOVICA $35 Gift Code

Posted on by
2

Watch for a great giveaway, a gift code to NOVICA for $35, that I plan to be having soon.  Actually, it will be a review and giveaway. I chose some beautiful earrings to review that are made by an artisan in Thailand.
If you are not familiar with NOVICA (I wasn’t until just recently), then I recommend going to their site and looking around at all the many things they have made by artisans in other parts of the world.

Friendly Friday 6/24/11

Posted on by
3

Welcome to Friendly Friday!

Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog, too! Just get the InLinkz code and copy it directly into your post. The code is different every week, so be sure to get the new code when hosting Friendly Friday on your blog. Hosting the list is a great way to get even more traffic to your blog and make Friendly Friday more beneficial for everyone.

Thanks for joining the Friendly Friday celebration hosted by Christi at Frugal Novice, Xenia at Thanks, Mail Carrier and Charla at Healthy Home Blog! We invite you to join us every Friday to make more friends in blogville, get more blog followers and follow other great blogs out there.

To join in the Friendly Friday celebration, include your family-friendly link in our list, follow the hostesses in the first 3 spots and then start blog hopping! Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love. Then take a minute to follow them through Google Friend Connect – this is a good way to keep up with other blogs, but also lets us show support to each other! Please DO NOT list your giveaways here, links must be to either your homepage or your Friday posting with your blog title. All others will be deleted.

When people comment on your blog and let you know they’re a part of Friendly Friday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers out of participating, and it’s a win-win situation. We would love for you to also grab our Friendly Friday button and post it on your blog and/or in a post – the more bloggers that find out about Friendly Friday and participate, the better!
.

Spotlight on Friendly Friday Followers! We love your participation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we’ll select three blogs at random and will feature links and a write-up for those blogs in the content of next week’s Friendly Friday post. There are so many seriously wonderful blogs out there, and this will be a great way to highlight some of those each week. Say hello to the lucky chosen 3 for this week (and feel free to stop by and give them a little extra love):.

JR Frugal Mom @ The Aldi Spot is the go to site for the scoop on Aldi shopping tips, Aldi product reviews, the latest Aldi ad, and just about anything you would like to know about Aldi.   There are almost weekly Price Comparison posts where she compare prices with Target, Walmart, and Winn Dixie.   You see for yourself how much you can save.  Frugal Mom also has simple recipes using Aldi products, and one recipe caught my eye instantly:  Grilled Salmon with Raspberry Vinaigrette and Spinach Salad.  Sounds yummy!
.

Mommy of 1 and Counting is where Heather, who is a SAHM, writes about her four year old daughter, lots of frugal ideas, and giveaways.  She dearly loves her fiance and has his picture on her site along with her daughter and herself.  Heather makes her own laundry soap and bars of soap, her daughter’s clothing and hairbows,  and calls herself a “Kinda Crunchy mom.”    She’ll do just about anything so she can save pennies and uses coupons all the time.
.

Shawnee State University is where Hannah is majoring in photography. She shares some of her photos at Living Life: Hannah Style! as well as at her Etsy Shop where she sells her photographs.  She has some great photos with a mix of styles and effects, and it’s enjoyable looking through her work.  Hannah has giveaways on her blog as well, loves to laugh and have a good time, believes in God with all her heart, and loves life.  She loves to center her text, all of it.  She’s a creative gal!
.

Now that you know about these 3 wonderful blogs, it’s time for you to join in! Add your family-friendly link below and we’ll see you back here every Friday! And don’t forget, you can get the InLinkz code to share the link list on your blog, too.


Buying a New Home

Posted on by
2

When people are looking at new homes, there are a lot of important factors to consider.  They need to research and check out the schools in the area if they have school age children, the shopping facilities in the area, and the safety aspect of the neighborhood in which they are considering buying a home.

Another important aspect to consider is the company who is building the home.  Are they a reputable company?  How many years have they been building homes and what is the quality of the homes they build?  Some companies have been in business for over thirty or forty years and have established long-term reputations as quality builders. Companies like Standard Pacific, for example, have built homes for over 110,000 families during the past forty-plus years which illustrates their commitment to building homes.   Companies such as this demonstrate the quality of their homes by continued sales throughout the years. As you can see, people should do their research and make sure the company is reliable and one with a proven track record of quality and service.

When people make a decision to buy a new home, other aspects to consider are: will the home be ready for move-in, or will it be partially built which allows the buyer to choose colors, lighting, flooring, countertops, cabinetry, and other features. Or will they start with the floor plan and be involved in choosing the majority of the features in their new home, letting their own personal style be reflected in their home whether it’s traditional or contemporary?

With all these factors to consider, people should take time, do their research, and plan for their new home. With a quality builder, they can have a home that will bring them many years of enjoyment and satisfaction.

Note:  I was compensated monetarily for this article.  However, all opinions are mine.

Need a Shoe Fit Guide?

Posted on by
1

Here’s a great shoe fit guide for those of you who aren’t sure which shoe size to get.  Maybe you have it narrowed down to two sizes but don’t know which to buy.  I found this site and thought it very helpful!  Here’s some of the info:

  • 5 parts of a shoe
  • How a shoe is built
  • How to determine your best shoe size using a Brannock Foot-Measuring Device® like you find in shoe stores  (found out I’ve been using 2/3 of it correctly and leaving out an important part)
  • “Breaking in shoes” myth
  • Fit tips
  • Lace-up techniques

This would be good to review before buying any pair of shoes.

Menu Plan Monday & Strawberry Shortcake

Posted on by
3

Hope all the dads out there had a nice Father’s Day yesterday.  After church, we (my husband, our son, and I) went to Qdobas to eat lunch after church. I received a coupon by email from them on Friday saying, “Bring this coupon AND Dad in to Qdobas for a free entree for Dad with the purchase of another entree.”  That is such a good deal, and since we really like Qdobas, that’s where we went.  By the way, if you would like to sign up to get freebies and discounts ever so often by email then here’s where you can sign up for a Qdobas Reward Card.

Later after we got home, we had an easy-to-make dessert.  The presentation is what makes something simple look fancy.  (remember my Fancy S’mores?)   Here’s our fancy strawberry shortcake that we put together in less than 10 minutes total:

INGREDIENTS:

  • Pre-made shortcake cups (or sliced pound cake or angel food cake)
  • Sliced strawberries (We try to use organic!  Be sure and wash non-organic strawberries extra well because they are high in pesticide residue!)
  • Dreyer’s Slow Churned Rich & Creamy Vanilla Yogurt Blends or your favorite frozen yogurt or ice cream
  • Whipped Cream (we like the extra creamy)
  • Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Syrup to drizzle on the very top
  • (Paper doilies from Dollar Tree)

Place shortcake cup on a pretty plate.  Cut strawberries in half and place around base of shortcake.  Top with frozen yogurt and top with whipped cream.  Drizzle chocolate syrup on top.  Place plate on top of a paper doilie for a fancy looking dessert that’s so simple.

We have several good coupons for freebies this week, so I don’t plan to cook every day:

Monday: A new pizza place, Pie Five, has opened up and we have coupons for free personal size pizzas  (update: Pie Five is so good!)

Tuesday: Fried Okra & yellow squash & onions, chicken

Wednesday: Chicken Alfredo Pasta with Broccoli

Thursday: Use coupons for free Panda Express

Friday: Homemade Pizza, salad

Tomorrow is the Last Day for Grilling Set Giveaway

Posted on by
Reply

For those interested, Saturday night at 12:00 CST is the deadline for the NSF Certified Safe Grilling Set giveaway.  I received a set this week as well, and the tongs from Crate & Barrel are great.  The meat thermometer is a nicer one than the one we have, so our old one will be given away.  The Chef’s Apron is cool looking and will make me feel like I’m on Food Network, and the Rubbermaid container will probably be used very often (it would also be good to take salads in for lunch at work).

These are great items to have in your kitchen!   Come by and leave a comment if you would like to enter for a chance to win.

Friendly Friday 6/17/11

Posted on by
8

 

 

.

Welcome to Friendly Friday!

Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog, too! Just get the InLinkz code and copy it directly into your post. The code is different every week, so be sure to get the new code when hosting Friendly Friday on your blog. Hosting the list is a great way to get even more traffic to your blog and make Friendly Friday more beneficial for everyone.

Thanks for joining the Friendly Friday celebration hosted by Christi at Frugal Novice, Xenia at Thanks, Mail Carrier and Charla at Healthy Home Blog! We invite you to join us every Friday to make more friends in blogville, get more blog followers and follow other great blogs out there.

To join in the Friendly Friday celebration, include your family-friendly link in our list, follow the hostesses in the first 3 spots and then start blog hopping! Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love. Then take a minute to follow them through Google Friend Connect – this is a good way to keep up with other blogs, but also lets us show support to each other! Please DO NOT list your giveaways here, links must be to either your homepage or your Friday posting with your blog title. All others will be deleted.

When people comment on your blog and let you know they’re a part of Friendly Friday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers out of participating, and it’s a win-win situation. We would love for you to also grab our Friendly Friday button and post it on your blog and/or in a post – the more bloggers that find out about Friendly Friday and participate, the better!
.

Spotlight on Friendly Friday Followers! We love your participation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we’ll select three blogs at random and will feature links and a write-up for those blogs in the content of next week’s Friendly Friday post. There are so many seriously wonderful blogs out there, and this will be a great way to highlight some of those each week. Say hello to the lucky chosen 3 for this week (and feel free to stop by and give them a little extra love):.


Helicopter Mom is a thirty-something, stay-at-home-mom living in the South. She’s been married for almost 8 years and has 3 beautiful children with her husband. Herr oldest daughter just started Kindergarten, her younger daughter just started pre-school and her baby boy is learning to walk. When you visit her blog, you’ll find photos of her cute kids, recipes, and lots of great reviews and giveaways!
.

Amanda at Life With Rats… And More is a fun-loving, vivacious person and you can tell it right away when you read her blog! In visiting her “Look at Life” page, you can learn a lot about her. For instance, she’s in love with a man named Aaron, she has rats as pets and wants you to know why they’re great to have as pets (who knew they could be trained? amazing!). She shares her day-to-day life and craft ideas along with product reviews and giveaways. You may never look at rats the same way again after visiting this blog!
.

Kathryn at Crystal Jigsaw is an author, having recently launched a paranormal romance novel on the market. Between writing, she runs a sheep and arable farm in Northumberland. Her daughter, Amy, is eleven years old and autistic; Kathryn says Amy is her reason for living which is why she loves her life so very much. She loves to interact with her readers, and writes in-depth posts that really make you want to comment – and read more.
.
Now that you know about these 3 wonderful blogs, it’s time for you to join in! Add your family-friendly link below and we’ll see you back here every Friday! And don’t forget, you can get the InLinkz code to share the link list on your blog, too.


Modest Clothing Can Be Stylish & Trendy

Posted on by
Reply

One thing I like about today’s fashion styles is the fact that summer clothes can still be trendy and stylish, and they can still be considered modest clothing at the same time.  There are so many different ways to do this:

  • Long dresses are very fashionable and so cool and comfortable during the hot summer months.  You can wear them with a cute pair of sandals or dressy flip flops for a great combination that’s both stylish and summer-friendly.
  • Skirts are a big time favorite because of the mix and match option with whatever style of top you’re in the mood to wear.  You can wear them with a feminine blouse, layered tanks and tees, or a button up shirt.
  • Cute tops can be layered with coordinating colors that accent colors in a trendy skirt, or they can be worn with jeans or dressier pants, whatever the occasion requires.
  • Camisoles are another way to add a color coordinating layer to a cute dress or top, at the same time offering a more modest aspect to a trendy outfit.

There are an endless number of combinations using layering, tops, dresses, and skirts to make a fashionable and stylish summer wardrobe that is stylish, cool, and modest!

* Note: I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog and was compensated monetarily. However, the views and opinions are my own.