Tim and I are temporary parents- we've inherited a 10 year old little girl for 5 days.
I'm already learning tons of things- don't get me wrong, we've hung out with Deanna before, we've babysat her- but never for an extended period of time and certainly not overnight.
Lesson #1: Small kids don't eat very much at all. As in, don't make extra food for them, they can just eat what you would normally have as leftovers. In your over-eagerness to make sure they don't die of starvation, you will make enough extra food to feed a professional linebacker.
-Kristen
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Gone a week, gone a lifetime
We spent the past week in Florida with my in-laws. It was warm down there- some days drenching us in sweat, though by the last few days it was beautiful.
When we returned home, it felt like we had been gone more like a month! It's cool here- approaching cold at night. The trees, which had just begun to color their leaves when we left, are nearing their full Fall splendor. My poor in-laws live in the mountains and they came home to bare trees and dead tomato plants!
Our garden is mostly dead as well, time to pick the very last of it's produce.
My junior bunnies (those under 6 months old) have undergone a metamorphosis since I have last seen them- mostly for the better! Still, in just a single week my "babies" have turned in to mini adults! Time flies in earnest when you're gone.
We did have one mild heartattack when we came home- the chickens were all out and two were missing. I saw tons of feathers everywhere and assumed the worst, but luckily everyone is still alive. The other two girls were apparently off on a field trip somewhere. Note to self: fix the coop door.
-Kristen
When we returned home, it felt like we had been gone more like a month! It's cool here- approaching cold at night. The trees, which had just begun to color their leaves when we left, are nearing their full Fall splendor. My poor in-laws live in the mountains and they came home to bare trees and dead tomato plants!
Our garden is mostly dead as well, time to pick the very last of it's produce.
My junior bunnies (those under 6 months old) have undergone a metamorphosis since I have last seen them- mostly for the better! Still, in just a single week my "babies" have turned in to mini adults! Time flies in earnest when you're gone.
We did have one mild heartattack when we came home- the chickens were all out and two were missing. I saw tons of feathers everywhere and assumed the worst, but luckily everyone is still alive. The other two girls were apparently off on a field trip somewhere. Note to self: fix the coop door.
-Kristen
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Trick Yourself in to Saving Money Tip #5
Do you use coupons? Even if you are only a casual couponer, try moving that $3.00 you saved on your last grocery bill directly in to savings. It's not like you'll miss it and it will help bolster your savings account!
-Kristen
-Kristen
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Cutting Costs of Sporting Events and Concerts!
Ok, so you've read about having minor league experiences and you know all about the high cost of seeing a professional game, but you really want to go see those pros play.
I totally get that. That doesn't mean you have to pay full price for everything though.
Try StubHub to get your tickets! People get tickets or have season tickets and can't make it to all the games, so they post them (often deeply discounted) on this website. StubHub backs every order, so no worries about getting fakes and being cheated out of your money. We have used this site twice- once to get discounted Anaheim Angels tickets and once to get very discounted UNC-Chapel Hill men's basketball tickets. They even sell concert tickets, so don't despair if your concert is too expensive or is sold out- check out StubHub and see what you can find. It may save you a few bucks.
Eat before you go. It may sound appealing to have a ballpark hot dog and a box of popcorn while watching your favorite sports team, but when you get there and realize you just paid the equivalent of a steak dinner for a snack that doesn't even taste that good, you're going to be very disappointed.
Go easy on the drinks. Beer and alcoholic drinks are widely available at concerts, sporting events and other similar venues (like street fairs). They are also highly marked up. Do you want to miss the play of the game or your favorite song because you had to go to the bathroom? Do you want to be drunk through an event that probably cost you upwards of $100 to experience? Skip the $7 beers or just drink in moderation and you will really cut the money you spend on your night out. Plus you won't have those holes in your memory of the night before or that pesky hangover to deal with.
Carpool. Since paying for parking is unavoidable, see if any friends or family are interested in going to your event. You don't have to sit together, but splitting up the cost of parking is at least 50% savings! That $7.50 might just buy you a beer, hehe.
Easy on the souvenirs. I know that concert Tee looks totally awesome. I also know that the stuffed bear wearing a baseball uniform is super cute. Evaluate how much you need items before you buy them and don't do your shopping after you've tossed back a few drinks. Go with a budget- your wallet will thank me next year, when you sell that bear for $1 at a yardsale, or the donate the unworn Tee to Goodwill because the concert's idea of an XL and yours are two different things.
Hopefully these tips help ease the pain of trying to see a concert or a game.
I totally get that. That doesn't mean you have to pay full price for everything though.
Try StubHub to get your tickets! People get tickets or have season tickets and can't make it to all the games, so they post them (often deeply discounted) on this website. StubHub backs every order, so no worries about getting fakes and being cheated out of your money. We have used this site twice- once to get discounted Anaheim Angels tickets and once to get very discounted UNC-Chapel Hill men's basketball tickets. They even sell concert tickets, so don't despair if your concert is too expensive or is sold out- check out StubHub and see what you can find. It may save you a few bucks.
Eat before you go. It may sound appealing to have a ballpark hot dog and a box of popcorn while watching your favorite sports team, but when you get there and realize you just paid the equivalent of a steak dinner for a snack that doesn't even taste that good, you're going to be very disappointed.
Go easy on the drinks. Beer and alcoholic drinks are widely available at concerts, sporting events and other similar venues (like street fairs). They are also highly marked up. Do you want to miss the play of the game or your favorite song because you had to go to the bathroom? Do you want to be drunk through an event that probably cost you upwards of $100 to experience? Skip the $7 beers or just drink in moderation and you will really cut the money you spend on your night out. Plus you won't have those holes in your memory of the night before or that pesky hangover to deal with.
Carpool. Since paying for parking is unavoidable, see if any friends or family are interested in going to your event. You don't have to sit together, but splitting up the cost of parking is at least 50% savings! That $7.50 might just buy you a beer, hehe.
Easy on the souvenirs. I know that concert Tee looks totally awesome. I also know that the stuffed bear wearing a baseball uniform is super cute. Evaluate how much you need items before you buy them and don't do your shopping after you've tossed back a few drinks. Go with a budget- your wallet will thank me next year, when you sell that bear for $1 at a yardsale, or the donate the unworn Tee to Goodwill because the concert's idea of an XL and yours are two different things.
Hopefully these tips help ease the pain of trying to see a concert or a game.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
$5 Amazon MP3 Credit
You can earn a $5 Amazon MP3 Credit for very little work right now. Just go join Scott Rewards and they will send you the credit! You sign up (I used my survey email account and also unchecked the box about sending my info to 3rd parties), then you go to page 2 and tell them what Scott products you have in the house.
That's it! Enter the second security code and the code should arrive in your inbox in just a few minutes.
-Kristen
That's it! Enter the second security code and the code should arrive in your inbox in just a few minutes.
-Kristen
Monday, October 1, 2012
McCormick's Recipe Inspirations
I don't get paid or any kind of anything for telling you about these. Hi McCormick! Come pay me!
A friend of mine gave us a package of McCormick Recipe Inspirations recently. She had purchased it, but decided she probably wouldn't get around to using it, though she loves these little packages.
Basically, it's the spices you need for a particular recipe (recipe card is on the back of the package). They are pre-measured and actually really convenient. So if your spice cabinet is not as stuffed full as mine are, read on!
We made the Apple & Sage Pork Chops and they were incredible. I'm not a big fan of "sweet meat", but this recipe was much more savory than sweet. I didn't have Allspice or Rubbed Sage on hand, so it worked out well to have it in the package. Plus, now I have the recipe card so when inevitably I do get the Rubbed Sage and Allspice, I can make my own recipe, minus a little convenience. The ingredients I needed outside the spices were minimal- an apple, an onion, the pork chops, apple juice and a tbsp of flour. Not bad at all.
There are quite a few different flavor packets- I am thinking these would be perfect to take on vacation with you, if you know you'll be cooking in the room. I'm actually planning on getting at least one packet for the upcoming trip to Florida.
So, here is an easy way to spice up your cooking- learn a bit about flavors and how they interact while making a quick and easy meal. It'll impress anyone that eats it and you don't have have a Ph.D. in Cooking to pull off the recipe.
Overall- I'm a huge fan!
-Kristen
A friend of mine gave us a package of McCormick Recipe Inspirations recently. She had purchased it, but decided she probably wouldn't get around to using it, though she loves these little packages.
Basically, it's the spices you need for a particular recipe (recipe card is on the back of the package). They are pre-measured and actually really convenient. So if your spice cabinet is not as stuffed full as mine are, read on!
We made the Apple & Sage Pork Chops and they were incredible. I'm not a big fan of "sweet meat", but this recipe was much more savory than sweet. I didn't have Allspice or Rubbed Sage on hand, so it worked out well to have it in the package. Plus, now I have the recipe card so when inevitably I do get the Rubbed Sage and Allspice, I can make my own recipe, minus a little convenience. The ingredients I needed outside the spices were minimal- an apple, an onion, the pork chops, apple juice and a tbsp of flour. Not bad at all.
There are quite a few different flavor packets- I am thinking these would be perfect to take on vacation with you, if you know you'll be cooking in the room. I'm actually planning on getting at least one packet for the upcoming trip to Florida.
So, here is an easy way to spice up your cooking- learn a bit about flavors and how they interact while making a quick and easy meal. It'll impress anyone that eats it and you don't have have a Ph.D. in Cooking to pull off the recipe.
Overall- I'm a huge fan!
-Kristen
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