Garden a Bloom

Tuber Roses
Approx 2 months ago, hubby graciously gave of his time & labor to begin 'wasteland renovation' in our back garden (I can actually say 'garden'...now!). With the help of our little gnome below, they got to digging, planting & mulching:)

Now, we're enjoying the fruits of their labor:









Mexican Petunias- thanks, Ma!
















Pink Roses, (not sure on the variety) another gift from my green mother:)








I now find myself looking at the back garden with a perpetual smile as I see blooms and vines thriving- what a difference a little work has made (pretty sure hubby wouldn't have classified this as a 'little work'!).

Take time to plant something, simply to enjoy- it feeds the soul (and hopefully not the deer!):)

Thanks,

Tiffany

Tumeric or Turmeric?

Potato, potato. No matter how you say 'Turmeric', I'm learning that it's a powerhouse of goodness. I've been reading up on some supplements- I should at this point state that I'm TERRIBLE about taking vitamins/supplements and so is hubby. I made it through pre-natals but can't seem to get 3 days in a row with a multi!

Speaking of, hubby & I just started taking Core Daily-1 multivitamins (found on sale at Sprouts). They differentiate for gender (we each have our own, specified for our bodies cause they are different, folks) and are 'whole food based' meaning absorption is much better. They also contain probiotics- score! Mine has ingredients like: "organic cranberry, wild blueberry, tart cherry, strawberry..." which makes me excited about 'eating it':) Hubby's includes: "organic red radish, beets, blackberry, pomegranate..." so he's happy too (important for compliance!).

Back to turmeric though... I read an amazing post here (scroll down past baking soda info) about the MANY health benefits (proven to fight against cancer, relieves pain etc...) of turmeric- be sure to at least take a quick glance. The writer explained that she did a 'trial run' (my kind of woman) to test the results of her taking turmeric daily. She was amazed at multiple things 'feeling better' so I was intrigued. The writer also commented that turmeric is receiving more press of late so it's a bit pricey to buy capsules but since she was conducting a trial she found some that were reasonable- I followed suit and found some at a great price here, of all places!

Hubby & I are about to start our 'trial' and if all goes well (which I anticipate it to!) I'll be looking at filling my own capsules with bulk turmeric to save some cash (another great idea from the post!).

Supplements are one of those things that I know I should be taking but don't discipline myself about- time for change. Hubby & I set out at the beginning of 2012 to be better stewards of...well, everything. Health matters so we're going pro-active.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions- will post our 'trial' results later on:)

Tiffany

Dinner Date

Hubby & I were privileged to have the opportunity of going to dinner Friday night, sans kids- grandparents rock! This was last minute and impromptu so no major plans had been established- potentially problematic for moi... breathe!

We're pretty hard core on only using groupons/coupons when going out- unfortunately, we didn't have one that we could conveniently use for this spur of the moment dinner date. We knew we needed to not spend much and I had just made a random comment, earlier in the day, that I could "kill some Pei Wei tofu"...plan hatched:)

We haven't been to Pei Wei in a long while (guessing close to a year) and were pleasantly surprised to discover their newish "Low Fare" dining options: approx 8 entree choices offered with a spring roll, soup or Asian slaw for just $6.25-$7.25 (depending on meat choice). The portion is slightly smaller than the regular dinner portion (which is enough for 2!) so we both went for this- Teriyaki Tofu & Veg with brown rice & Asian slaw for me, Low Mein with Steak & spring roll for hubby. We always order water (love Pei Wei's fresh orange slices!) so our bill came to a grand total of $14.07 with tax. That ladies & gentlemen is a cheap Friday dinner date! I can't remember the last time we went out without some sort of a coupon and was thrilled that we were able to 'splurge' so reasonably:) This was a wonderful treat for us:)

I only made it through half of my food (brought the leftovers to a grateful Granddaddy!) and hubby said his portion was just right, eliminating his tendency to overeat and then be miserable:) Score! As a bonus, they've installed the sweetest drink dispenser I've ever seen- worth going just for that...we're pretty low maintenance:)

So, all this to say, prioritize some time for you & your spouse to have a dinner out- it doesn't have to break the bank & it doesn't have to be a big planned production (did I just say that?). Time together (with your spouse ) can often be a precious commodity- enjoy it with some good food:)

Hugs,

Tiffany

Sneaky Broccoli

I haven't been able to completely win Olivia over on the broccoli front- I figure we still have time, but then, "there's no time like the present" either:)

Above you'll see Cheesy Rice & Broccoli, a creative solution- Livy loves it and eats all the broccoli, as long as it's in teeny florets:) Who wouldn't eat cheesy rice?:)

And I recently bought some organic rice to try out as it was on sale- who says you can't eat better for less?!

I did a side by side test with the cooked store brand long grain white rice and found the flavor/integrity of the organic to be much nicer. I've been hunting for rice bargains ever since and scored some great deals on higher quality rices at Big Lots & close out sales at HEB.

Rice is a great addition to your pantry- gluten free, filling and economical.

Share your favorite rice dish below & thanks for stopping by:)

Tiffany

DIY Shell Frame

The shell frame above is another of my DIY home decor efforts- this one fits the nautical theme in Jonah's room perfectly. I saw a pricey shell frame at Pottery Barn, similar to the one I made, which inspired this piece- I believe my rendition actually fits Jonah's room better than the 'original' and for a fraction of the price:)

I started with an inexpensive white frame, removed the glass and pinned a nice piece of navy linen (from Joann's) to the base of the frame- I did iron it first as it was wrinkled from being on the bolt. I next collected shells- I found these in a set at Big Lots and they were perfect! My 'handy dandy glue gun' went to work attaching these to the linen- I did spend a few minutes prior to attaching, matching the shells to form my design.

Lastly, I cut lengths of lovely 3/8 inch navy taffeta ribbon trimmed with white (from Stampin' Up!) and attached with my 'handy dandy glue gun'. The silver stars are actually jumbo brads (also Stampin' Up!)- I snipped the tails off with scissors and glued in place.

* If you're in a hurry like I was & choose to cut metal tails off jumbo brads with plain ol' scissors, be sure to do so in a contained area or over a container as they will fly once snipped!

Hang & you're done! If you look closely on my frame you can see little bits of glue that leaked around my ribbon (I was desperately trying to complete this with both kids awake and bouncing off the walls!) but that just makes it homemade, as my mother would say, and she's right:)

Your turn! Share your latest DIY home decor project below & thanks for looking:)

Tiffany

New Dolly

I was in Big Lots this week and took a few moments to check out the clearance shelves- one of the employees was making further reductions...aaahhh...moth to the flame....

We got chatting and I found myself digging for unbeknown treasures as the sweet Big Lots lady was marking things down another 75% off!

This doll was a real score: $3 and originally
retailed for $30! Livy was thrilled:) It's ironic that Livy was so enthralled with the doll's tidy hair though as I can hardly keep a hair clip on our little tornado's head!

This past week I had been ruminating that Livy needed some new diverting amusement- another great bargain find & right on time!!!

"Keep your friends close..." and the clearance rack closer:)

BTW, we're currently trying to name this new inhabitant- any ideas? We already have a "Dolly":)

Hugs,

Tiffany

Handy Dandy Conditioner

The above pic is from a great 'Lucy' episode: 'Ricky Thinks He's Getting Bald'. When Ricky develops a phobia about going bald, Lucy resorts to a grueling series of hair treatments in an effort to snap him out of his new found fear...of course it back fires but it made for a hilarious scene:)

I recently discovered that Lucille Ball dabbled as a hairdresser and even had a mini beauty parlor built in their ranch home- she frequently treated friends to permanents and the latest "egg washes".

I'll skip the egg washes but I have been intrigued recently with some all natural hair care regimens- here's what I've started using to replace commercial conditioner:

'Handy Dandy Vinegar'

That's right. Plain ol' distilled white vinegar, although apple cider works well too, just more expensive.

My Mom mentioned that her mother used vinegar as their conditioner when growing up so we're not reinventing the wheel here...just getting back to basics that work...and save money!

The compounds in vinegar will make your hair really shine, I promise & you won't need to use it everyday either!

I recommend experimenting with the ratio of vinegar to water to find what works best for you; 1 tbsp-1/2 cup vinegar per 1 cup water should do the trick nicely! Dedicate a container in your shower to fill with desired amount of vinegar and then fill with 1 cup of water as you shower; apply to hair, let sit for a few seconds (or a minute) and rinse away- easy:)

*While conditioning, you may feel like you're caught in a pickle factory but never fear- once your hair dries, there will be no lingering vinegar smell:)


As a treat, you can substitute 1 cup brewed chamomile tea for the cup of water- your hair will smell lovely and the chamomile will naturally bring out blonde highlights (so only use if you're wanting some blonde).


Ready to join me in ditching those toxic bottles cluttering your shower and try going all natural with this 'Handy Dandy Conditioner'? Your hair & pocket book will thank you:)

Tiffany