Is It Monday Already?

Well today you are in for a scary treat! I will show you my desk be forewarned this is not for the faint of heart nor the tidy perfectionist!

No this is the work area of a mom who has no space of her own! The work area of a mom struggling to make something for herself, a name. The space of a mom screaming to work while conflicted in the motherly role.

This my friends is my scary scary place. The place I do all my creating, bill paying, surfing, goofing off err I mean work.

Please don't think negatively once you see the utter chaos that is my area. My desk has become the catch all. The place where all the forbidden contraband that my children try to smuggle. The black hole of my universe!

OK are you ready? Here ya go.



You can see in this pic... On the left I try to organize I really do, but the receipts, coupons, check book,bills just wind up all over the place. lets see in the middle wow my sunglasses that's where they went, random school papers from my daughter. Both pairs of my glasses (yeah I wear them for computer work only) and since I cant get used to the arms of my new pair I keep the old ones on stand by. Umm dvd player remote because anything with batteries is fair game around here! My Coffee cup (always there sometime 2-3 cups)




Here is the right side of my desk,another attempt at being organized gone wrong! Shelves full of important papers that have no home, my Pencil/pen cup that never has a damn pen when I need it, Nail Polishes That I have reclaimed from my daughter, a recipe box that holds stamps and mailing labels. Broken crayons well not just broken but half eaten, paper clips , various USB cords because every stinkin think I own has one!



And here is underneath where my crappy Fill in printer is! Its a Cannon and it has stood the test of time but the two previous Cannon Pixma printers were junk and cost 3 times more hmm go figure! Umm my fat girl note book, this is where I write down everything I put in my face so I feel accountable! Hey its worked I have lost 20.5 lbs! Random coupons, scratch paper for the kids, my camcorder in the bag, tripod, and computer paper, books, ink refill kit,blank DVDs. cds,and god knows what else is really under there. I just shove it all back in when it falls.



Her is the last one! You can see on bad days the crap spills to the top as well (hangs head in shame) but you can also see the reason I purchased a computer hutch instead of a desk, I can close the doors and no one will see my mess!

I love doing Crafts and my kids do too. I was thinking last night that I never really touched on this subject in being frugal!

To me the best gifts are those with a lot of thought and love put in them and what has more of that then handmade gifts?

Valentines day is coming up right around the corner! For me I would rather have something hand made from hubby because then I know that he put thought into it!

Crafts are an easy way to be frugal a piece of red construction paper can be converted into a ton of Valentines, or two really nice size cards! Look around at thrift stores next time your there. I always find a ton of cards and other items that can be re-used and re-purposed into great gifts. buy them when you find them for dirt cheap prices.

After the holidays have past buy supplies dirt cheap and store them. Great example is after Christmas buy red decorations, glitter, sprinkles and anything you normal use with your crafts because in less then two months you can use them again for your Valentines day ideas!

Let me give you a craft that you can do alone or with you kids. I used this from Christmas ornaments last year but this would be perfect for Valentines Day as well.


Cinnamon Dough Ornaments

1 C. Applesauce

1 1/2 C. (6oz) Cinnamon

1/3 C. White Craft Glue

Large cutting Board,Rolling Pin, Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter,

Plastic Straw

Fancy Ribbon


Mix Applesauce, Cinnamon, and glue forming a ball. Refrigerate fro about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle more cinnamon onto your cutting board and rolling pin.

Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and use the cookie cutter to cut out heart shapes.

While dough is still pliable use straw to poke two holes int the top of the curved part of the heart.

At this point you can also write a nice message,or date into the hearts as well as add fancy charms or beads to your heart. Once you are done with them put them in a safe place on a cooling rack to dry for a couple days.

When the color changes to a light color they are done! Put your ribbon through the holes you poked out and gift!

I have also dried mine in the over at a very low temperature. It speed it along and makes you house smell yummy! These last for years!

You can also check out the banners above for more free craft ideas! Enjoy being frugal!

I wanted to share my recipe for the most delicious replacement for pizza.

I have seen recipes that are similar with say English muffins but not Pita Pockets.
Because my husband and I are on South Beach Diet we cant have any white flour products but we can enjoy whole grains!

I found some Pitas at Sunflower Market that are way more SB friendly then other brands because they have Nothing but Whole Wheat flour,Salt,water and not Sugar added nor any other additives!

Whoo hooo another yummy treat to enjoy. Honestly the more I stick with this way of life the better meals I prepare! You are forced to become creative unless you want to get stuck in a rut with food and nothing can sabotage healthy habits like that.

My family including the kids just ate these up and really enjoyed them! Pizza is one meal that we miss and now we have a substitute that is as good as the original and so much more healthy!



Recipe: Preheat oven to 325


Whole Wheat Pita Bread (1 whole Pita per person to allow for extra)

Tomato Sauce I used No sugar added Hunts

Mozzarella Cheese

Mushrooms

Pepperoni (I used Turkey)

Bell Peppers

You can add any toping that you like on a Pizza

Directions:

Separate the pita apart around the edges to leave two round halves

place halves rough side up on baking sheet and place in oven for about 5 minutes to toast up.

Remove from oven and spread tomato sauce on each half

Add some Cheese and toppings in alternating layers and finish with a bit more cheese.

Pop in the oven for 15 or so minutes, until cheese is melted and the edges are crisp.

I cut them in quarters with a pizza cutter and each get out own personal size pizza!



Serve with a fresh salad for a complete meal! Enjoy! Do you have a any South Beach Friendly recipes? I would love to try them!

I reallllly do!I get so depressed when they are over because I am able to get such great deals with my coupons and the deal combined.


I do wish they had them more often, like year before last.I swear they used to have them every few months but now we are lucky to have them a couple times a year.

One huge promotion that they used to run in Arizona about 8-9 years ago was double dollar coupons. WOW baby I would stock pile all my $1.00 coupons for that event because they were worth $2.00! With as bad as the economy is it sure couldn't hurt to run one of those sales again!

Kroger/Fry's are you listening? What a way to get more customers into your store! I never just purchased what I had coupons for with those sales, nor do I do that with Mega Sales either.

Times are tough and I am ALWAYS looking to get the most bang for my buck!

I was able to get a TON of food even for my Kitties/Puppies and Guinea pig for about $150.00 these past two weeks with Mega deals alone.

I did spend a bit more from 1/10/10 until today then I wanted BUT it was still a great deal considering its for 4 people and 5 furries! I spent $432.87 and with the exception of milk and other necessities I should not have to shop for at least a month! This also includes Pull ups for my toddler!

I am determined to be under $500.00 a month for our food and personal needs per month. I used be able to spend less but with South Beach hubby and I need tons of fresh lean meat and Veggies which really add up quickly!

So have you been hitting the Mega Sale? How have you done?

I was offered the opportunity to review My Baby First Steps for the Wii from Game Review Network.

This is a different type of game. Instead of playing a game you are raising a virtual baby. Your baby is fifteen months old when you start the game and your job continues until they are two and a half.

You do everything that a parent does for a baby in this game including changing diapers, bathing and playing with your baby! You even name them. You can chose a boy or a girl and customize their appearance or if you want the game will pick for you.

Here are my daughters words on the game.

" You train your baby to things just like a real mom. You can talk to your baby, play games,and teach her. I really like this game its fun but not like most games out there, it makes me feel responsible "




Baby first steps has already been released and is available at Amazon.com as well as other major retailers.





My daughter really enjoyed My Baby First Steps for the Wii, In fact she bought the DS version with her own money so she can take the fun with her! I would say this game would be a good choice for the young female gamer in your life.



Head over to Game Review Network for a chance to win your own copy!!!

Yes I am looking for some great broccoli recipes because I am going to have a ton soon!

If you have read my blog for a while then you know I enjoy gardening especially vegetable gardening. I wanted to try my hand at something different this winter because last year I tried Garlic and Onions but our land is super duper hard clay that doesn't allow root veggies to grow.

Im thinking it was about October when I planted my winter garden and included Cabbage, Leaf Lettuce, and Broccoli. I was hoping some would survive so that we could enjoy it.

Wow the Cabbage is big but no heads yet, The lettuce I have been picking and eating for a while now. Our Artichoke plant seems to be coming back and my oh my the Broccoli is big and the little trees are sprouting and getting bigger!

You can see the main stalks in one shot and the teeny tiny little ones that will grow too!

We eat a ton of Veggies being on South Beach, and Broccoli is always a favorite so I cant wait to taste the fruits of my labor, but I need some good recipes to use it all up! Can you can it? I figure a lot of it will be blanched and frozen but I would love to cook with it too! The only thing is the recipes cannot contain Sugar, White Flour, Cream and a few other things but if you have any to suggest I would love to see them!

What do you think of when you hear Jovan? Me good ol perfume line I still love Jovan White musk! I always have a bottle its one of those favorites that never go out of style.

Well Jovan is coming out with a brand new scent for both Men and Woman! I was luck enough to be able to sample these prior to their release and I love them both.

Jovan Satisfaction is 100% Guaranteed to improve your love life, now hows that for backing your product hahaha,. no really if it doesn't live up to its "Improve your love life" claim they will refund your money! Love it I don't know how you would really gauge if it has improved your love life but it did improve my mood! I am a Major scent person, I must wear perfume, scented lotions, powder something usually layers of scent.

To me scent has a major impact on my emotions! Here is what the creators say about the scents in the woman's Perfume and the men's Cologne.

Jovan Satisfaction for Women - Fragrance Profile
Top notes: Sweet Mango, Pear, Peach
Heart Notes: Exotic Frangipane, Ylang Ylang, Lotus Flower
Bottom Notes: Sultry Musk, Sandalwood, Warm Vanilla


Jovan Satisfaction for Men - Fragrance Profile
Top notes: Grapefruit, Basil, Quince
Heart Notes: Rosemary, Cardamom, Cedarwood
Bottom Notes: Tonka Beans, Labdanum, Amber

OK here is my impression the perfume is a very sweet fruity scent, I can defiantly smell the musk and I love it. Nothing Like any of the other Jovan perfume scents extremely different!

The men's Cologne is a very masculine scent that is lighter then most colognes, very clean and fresh mmmmm great smelling man there!

The suggested retail for these will be
0.5 oz Eau de toilette Spray: $12.00 SRP
1.0 oz Eau de toilette Spray: $18.00 SRP

Well worth the money to smell delicious!

Visit Jovan for the Satisfaction Guarantee and to find out more

I was sent a bottle of Jovan Satisfaction Perfume, and Jovan Satisfaction Cologne for the purpose of writing this review. No other monetary compensation was received. My opinions are my own and honest, your opinions may differ.

Would you like to win some? Well one of my luck readers will win their very own!!! You will receive BOTH the Perfume and the Cologne!!! This giveaway is open to the US only. The giveaway will run until 2/11/10 at 8AM MT. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.

All you need to do to enter is tell me in a comment have you ever worn a Jovan Perfume or Cologne? That's it! All off topic and generic count me in type comments will be deleted and any additional entries will be void as well.

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