Favorite Things #4

Although I didn't really have anything officially scheduled on my calendar this week, it is turning-out to be another killer of a week.  Today I spent several hours making "rough-drafts" of wedding invitations for a good friend & trying to recover from Peacock's birthday party this past weekend.

So ... back to some of my faves.

I am a girly-girl.  I love wearing make-up and feeling pretty.  If I were going to get myself stuck on a deserted island and could only take a limited number of items, mascara would rank high on my list.  I've tried lots of tubes of mascara in my life, but I'd have to say my favorite, especially for the price, is Loreal's Voluminous Mascara.  It's usually about $7 and can be found at all those regular places we shop ... Target, Wal-Mart.... 

The Voluminous mascara lengthens your lashes, but also adds lots of volume.  Before symphony concerts, our conductors ask us ladies to wear lots of make-up ... more than what we usually wear.  I usually put on about 3 layers of mascara before a concert and I always get lots of compliments on my eyes.  Mascara is always a favorite stocking-stuffer!!

Favorite Things #3

For the chef/baker in your life or someone who would like to aspire to be one, I highly recommend Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook, Around My French Table.  Check out French Fridays with Dorie to learn more about all the delicious recipes.

Favorite Things #2

For someone who loves sewing and other crafts that involve fabric, I love my Gingher scissors.  These are special scissors that you hide from husbands and little kids.  I prefer a medium-sized scissor ... something that's not too big and heavy but that still gets the job done.  I'm fairly positive that you can use your 40% off coupons to buy these scissors at Jo-Anns.

My Favorite Things #1

I think I've bitten off more than I can chew for this coming week.  Too many things going on!  If I turn-up MIA for a few days, I'm just running around with my head chopped off!!

Instead of regular blogging, I thought I might share some of my favorite things.  I know that I'm no Oprah, but hopefully my faves are a bit more practical for us regular people.  Maybe you'd like to do the same by sharing some of your favorites.  I thought it might help spark some ideas for the approaching gift-giving time of year.  So, if you are also up for sharing some of your favorite items in life, please leave your blog link in my comments so we can all check-out your faves.

Today for Monday I'm gonna have to say some of my favorite things are the Ikea plastic dishes for kids.  The fun, bright colors initially caught my attention several years ago while shopping in Ikea.  We have now collected a few sets of their cups, bowls, plates, and utensils.  I keep most of mine at kid-level in the kitchen so the kids can grab what they need and help set their spots at the dinner table.  I love that they wash well and that they can go in the microwave ... great for lunchtime leftovers!!

P.S.  They're cheap too ... each set of 6 (6 bowls, 6 plates, etc) are only $1.99!



Green Bee Produce Co-Op

I've recently started using a local co-op that, so far, I've been happy with, so I thought I'd share their information in case it is something that you might like to try as well.  I've been using Green Bee Produce.  They have pick-up days Monday through Friday at various times, but mostly in the afternoon/evening hours ... perfect for Mom's who are playing taxi driver in the afternoons.  The majority of their pick-up locations are in Gilbert, Mesa, & Chandler, but you can view their locations & possibly find one close to you. (Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Tempe, etc are also available.)

I order the Bee Box Classic for my family and it lasts about a week ... sometimes 10 days.  As an example of what comes in a Classic box ... one time I got a large head of romaine lettuce, 4-5 Roma tomatoes, head of cabbage, head of cauliflower, celery, 5 bananas, about 4 apples, 2 mangos, 2 pomegranates, a couple bunches of green onions, a couple zucchini squash, 4 large navel oranges ... and I might be forgetting another item or two.  You can also order and pick up your fresh bread for the week ... Green Bee gets their bread from the Whole Grain Natural Bread Co in Mesa, AZ.  This week you can choose from white or whole wheat rolls, a couple different kinds of whole wheat breads, as well as pumpkin & banana breads.  Another item I like to get from Green Bee is their fresh salsa pac.  It's not something that I need to order every week, but I get all the fresh ingredients that I need to make salsa plus yummy tortillas.  Dog food, granola and other rotating items are also available.

One of my favorite perks of the co-op ... I drive into the parking lot and open my van door and they put everything into my car for me.  I don't have to get out of my car ... I don't have to bribe children to be good while I'm grocery shopping ... and I don't have to touch a grimy cart!

I also appreciate that there is no commitment.  I can choose when I want to place an order ... so I can place an order every week, once a month, or whatever suits my needs.  I can also choose different pick-up days, locations, etc each time I place an order.

Check out THIS BLOG ... she estimates how much money she saves by using Green Bee Co-op.

Anyone tried any other co-ops? Opinions? Thoughts?

Conference: Fun Printables

Check out Sugardoodle's website for packets ... they come in a few varieties for all ages of kids.  I think I'll be printing a couple copies of the nursery packet for my youngest 2 kiddies as well as the Sr. & Jr. primary packets for Penguin.  If you have a few minutes, follow some of Sugardoodle's links for Conference activities ... there are endless ideas for games, activities, worksheets, family fun, etc.

My mother-in-law sent me this packet (which I believe is also available on Sugardoodle's website):

Ultimate General Conference Packet Oct 2010

I found this page of "stickers" to go with the above packet.  You can print them on a sticker paper or I'm sure most kids won't be opposed to being allowed to use some scissors and a glue stick.

Stickers Prophet Apostles Oct 2010
Finally, good food is a must for conference.  I haven't even thought about what I'd like to make, but I've usually made crepes or cinnamon rolls in the past.  Maybe an apple tart or something that's somewhat acceptable for breakfast. What are your favorite conference yummies?

Free Photo Book

Do you love photo books or would you like to try making your first one?  If so, Shutterfly is offering a *FREE* hardcover photobook right now ... that is a $30 value!

This promotion ends September 1, 2010 & the promo code is: 8PBA91

It also looks like they are offering free shipping for orders of $30 or more with this code: SHIP 30

I tried Shutterfly on one occastion to make a book of my son's first year of life.  I was very pleased with how the book turned out.  I think I added about 20 extra pages that I had to pay for, but it was well worth it!!  The colors were nice and it was easy to just insert photos into Shutterfly's already-made pages.

Summer Sale

This past weekend, I spent way too much of my husband's hard earned money at Williams-Sonoma.  That place is a death trap for me!!  Or my husband.   But I found some fun treasures and now I just need an excuse to use some of them!

If you like to do some vegetarian cooking, their awesome  Food Made Fast Vegetarian cookbook is on sale for $3.35!!!  (Marked prices may not reflect what you actually pay)  It's a beautiful book that usually sells for $18.  It's loaded with photos & tips.

Other cookbooks from the Food Made Fast series are also on sale for under $10.  I also picked-up the Asian & Pasta editions for about $6 & $9.  If the Food Made Fast series doesn't strike your fancy, there are a variety of other books on sale as well, including a Martha Stewart Cooking School book ... usually about $45, but you can find it for under $10 if you hurry to your nearest WS store.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Or should I say ... Feliz Cinco de Mayo.  After living in Arizona most of my life, I can't even tell ya why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo other than it's an excuse to make way more Mexican food that we could ever eat & then stuff ourselves silly!  I was out the door by 8:30 this morning doing some final grocery shopping and then I spent the rest of the day cooking ... with some homeschooling & numberous potty breaks squeezed in there ... somewhere.  Oh, we were also naughty and stopped at Del Taco at 9:00 AM for FIFTEEN $0.39 tacos.  :)  Turkey ate 3-4 tacos of those tacos!

I also found myself a cute Cinco de Mayo prize at Target.  When I saw this caddy, it made me happy.  Bright & colorful ... perfect for a day like today, summer picnics & birthday parties.

Finds on iTunes

On iTunes you can get a free "From Pole to Pole" episode of Planet Earth produced by BBC. It's a 48-minute HD TV download from Series 1 of Planet Earth. Other episodes of this length cost $1.99 to $2.99.

Also available on iTunes is "That Easter Morn".  Just search "That Easter Morn" & it should pop right up.  You can buy the whole CD or individual songs. The music is absolutely beautiful!!  We have a copy of this CD in both our cars & it's what the kids always want to listen to while we're on the road.

Tickets go on sale this week for EVMCO's next concert, "O' America".  We will be performing on Friday, May 21 7:30pm  @ Gammage!  Tickets are $15 & $25.  Our previous concert was sold-out, so don't delay in buying your tickets!!

Eclipse

Did you know that Stephenie Meyer is releasing a short novel on June 5th?  You can pre-order it now through your favorite bookstore or website.  Or you can get the book for free online from June 7th-July5th.

Read more about the release of  The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella HERE.

Looking forward to June 30th!

General Conference for Kids

In a few days, we will have the privledge of watching our prophet and apostles speak to us during our semi-annual General Conference.

I thought I'd share a few fun things I found in my search to find some activities to keep my children happy & busy during conference.

First ... did you know that http://www.lds.org/ has a whole page dedicated to activities for children?  I didn't until today.  Go HERE to find online games and printable packets for kids of all ages.

More fun games & flashcards can be found HERE.

And then there is always the traditional packet ... HERE you can find the updated 2010 version.

I think Conference traditions are always fun and, like other traditions, give us a something special to look forward to.  Brunch and yummy breakfast foods are always fun.   We've done cinnamon rolls several times as well as crepes with pudding & fruit fillings.  I also enjoy something to keep my hands busy ... like a simple craft that I can quiety work on in the family room.  I feel like we've gotten out of the habit of conference traditions the past year or two though.  What are some of your favorite conference traditions?

Qdoba - Kids Eat Free

Qdoba became a regular hang-out for our family while living in Pittsburgh.  Qdoba is very similar to Chipotle.  So, if you're out & about this weekend and need an inexpensive food stop, grab a bite at your local Qdoba!  I recommend their gumbo!

Bit of Spring

I have a bit of spring in my home that I'm totally loving ....

These flowers bring back memories of Pittsburgh & our home there.  Each April, we had oodles of daffodils pop up in our yard.  Now I have to go to Trader Joe's to find my spring time pleasures.  :)  (10 stems are about $1.60)

"Daffodils"

I wander'd lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretch'd in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Free Book & More

If you're an educator (aka Mom!), click HERE to get a free idea book.

**Update:  HERE's another freebie ... ziploc bags & cleaning supplies!

the Princess & the Frog

We used to buy tons of DVD's.  After being "poor students" for so many years, we're more picky about what we buy now.  We haven't see Disney's Princess & the Frog yet ... not for a lack of trying though! ... but this is a movie that is definitely going to be added to our collection!!  We will be making a special trip to the store on Tuesday, March 16th just to buy this DVD.  If you'd like to add this movie to your collection, CLICK HERE for a $10 off coupon.  Coupon is only good until March 21.

Ashley Hall Music

About once a month, I play my violin in church.  I always play arrangements by Ashley Hall, who is in my ward.  He has a website where you can go to listen to & download his arrangements for choirs, instrumentalists, duets, etc.  All his music is free and he even has a link to other free sheet music websites ... great resource!  If you're looking for a nice musical number, take a peek at his site.

PS Ashley's arrangements are very simple & easy to put together which is nice because they can be used by a variety of people and you don't have to spend countless hours practicing.

Conversation Cards

In my search for communication lesson ideas, I came across these conversation cards.  I will be printing them & putting them in a cute container for my dinner table.  If you have a coupon for 50 free prints at Costco, you can get these conversation cards for FREE! 

Here are some examples of some of the conversation cards:

Ocean Blue has Competition

If you're like my dad who visits Ocean Blue at least weekly, you have to try a new spot for your self-serve frozen yogurt ... Swirl It.  We went there last night with my dad & I liked it so much better than Ocean Blue.  They had 10 flavors of frozen yogurt & sorbet last night (but it looks like they have many more flavors that they rotate) and at least 2-3 times more toppings to choose from.  Their yogurt flavors are SO much better ... richer & more flavorful.  I'm not typically a fruity frozen yogurt girl, but I tried a little bit of their orange & mango ... very delish!  The pistachio was outstanding, the cable car chocolate was very chocolately & the Reeses had a much stronger peanut butter taste than the Ocean Blue peanut butter.

Give them a try and use this COUPON for a buy one get one free until May 1, 2010!

Swirl It is located on Williams Field Rd just west of Val Vista in Gilbert, AZ.

Fondue

There's something about walking into a Williams-Sonoma store that speaks to my soul.  I love the smells, displays, gadgets, unique baking supplies, and FOOD!  Usually when I stop into a WS store, I like to make my way to the back where most stores have a sale table set-up.  I found a couple new treasures during my last visit to WS ...  one of which was a cherry-red, trendy fondue pot ... normally $30 marked down to $10.  If you've been desiring another fondue pot to add to your collection, hurry to your nearest store.  I looked online and do not see this particular model on the WS website.  FYI: I bought mine from the Scottsdale Fashion Square store & they had several left when I was there.