peanut butter granola

We love granola around here! Jon likes to eat it like cereal and I prefer it over yogurt. This stuff however, I can just eat straight from the jar... like candy! Unfortunately I have issues with taking pictures of food that I make... we always eat things before I think to take a picture! This time is no exception. But here's the recipe:
Peanut Butter Granola
Mix:
3 cups oats
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/2 cup coconut
2 Tbls. sesame seeds
Cook in sauce pan until smooth:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 Tbls. light corn syrup (I use honey)
1/4 tsp. salt
Stir both mixes together. Spread onto a lightly greased pan (I use jelly roll). Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring after 10 minutes. (Watch closely, mine was getting very dark at the end of 20 minutes).

who needs a pool

While we love going to various local pools with friends some of them cost, a membership would definitely cost, and it takes time, energy and gas to load up in the car to go somewhere.

Since we are in an apartment and don't have pool access I came up with this fun way for Baby Girl to splash around on a hot day:

1. Take a plastic storage bin and fill it with just enough water that it's not too heavy to carry outside.

2. Throw in a few toys.

3. Set it outside in the shade and put the baby in the tub!

We did this for a full hour!

She doesn't look too thrilled in the picture, so if you're not convinced that this is fun check out this video:

I know it looks very dangerous that she's standing up in this thing... I was holding on to it the whole time so she wouldn't knock it over!

For more fun and frugal tips head on over to Life as Mom.

best bib ever!

A friend at church recommended this bib to me, it's Parents brand and I found it at Wal-Mart for about $5. (Apparently her daughter dumped a whole bowl of soup in this thing and it caught every drop. We haven't gone so far in our testing but thus far it is worth every penny!

Here's how it works:

You snap the pocket together.

The pocket sticks out so it catches everything (except for bits of rice and peas and noodles that fly through the air in odd directions).

Once finished you unsnap the bib to wipe it clean without having to dig in the pocket!

Brilliant!

This certainly works for me. Check out We are THAT Family for more Works for Me tips!

P.S. I am not a fan of the pattern... they could have made this a little cuter especially since I really didn't like this movie.... but... this bib is so good I can overlook that!

blessings of frugal living

While there are many blessings to living frugally (less "stuff," more quiet, healthier eating, focused stewardship, etc.) here is a picture of how our errands today played out:

1st stop- Post Office= Martha Stewart Living magazine, Parents magazine (both free subscriptions found online)

2nd stop- CVS= razor for Jon and tylenol (we MADE $0.60)

3rd stop- Staples= two (500 count) reams of printer paper, pretty pens (yay!), 2 rolls scotch tape, photo paper (after rebate we will have MADE $0.06)

What a blessing that with a little time and forethought we came away from our errands with more in our pocket than when we left home. And all for things we need or can use!

Many thanks to www.southernsavers.com and www.moneysavingmom.com for making me aware of such great deals!

monday menu- eating from the freezer edition

We are trying to clean out the freezer and pantry... it's going to take while. Here's how we're starting:

Monday- soft tacos (with kit that was the penny item at Publix a while back) with taco meat (freezer), spanish rice (freezer)

Tuesday- $2 Moe's Burritos... Sorry... I think this a local thing :o(

Wednesday- Quesadillas with rice and beans(freezer) using up the leftovers from Monday (and yes I did check with my husband to make sure he was okay with Mexican three nights running... he was... he eats anything... I'm blessed)

Thursday- Homemade pizza (sauce in freezer) with peppers (freezer), onions, and fresh basil

Friday- Clean out the Fridge

Saturday- Broccoli Stir Fry (freezer) with rice and homemade bread (freezer)

Sunday- Jon has something with work... I'll probably have cereal :o)

Check out Organizing Junkie for more meal plans.

wedding gift idea

Tomorrow I am going to a shower for my future sister-in-law and had spent a while trying to think of a meaningful gift. Since we are in a bit of a budget pinch right now it needed to also be inexpensive.

I thought about the things I use in my home on a daily basis and (after asking the bride-to-be a few subtle questions to see if this would suit) I decided to create a recipe binder for her like the one I use every day.

I used to use a recipe box and that was... a disaster. My binder however is a joy to use! I hope it is for her as well!

Here's what you'll need:
- LARGE 3-ring binder (I think this one is 2.5-3 inches?)
- at least a 50 pack of page protectors
- sticky tab inserts for your categories
- a piece of cardstock for each category
- coordinating scrapbook paper for outside of notebook

I used the scrapbook paper and odds and ends of scrapbooking supplies that I had to create the cover, spine and back of the book.

I typed up the various categories and put those in the tab inserts. Going in order I stuck the tab inserts at varied intervals along the TOP of a piece of cardstock. Then I put the cardstock in a page protector (it doesn't work to use regular tab dividers because they won't stick out past the page protectors!). Lastly I printed out my own copies of recipes and added those to the binder.

Here are a few other tips for the binders:

- you can use page protectors with photo slots to hold recipe cards that you don't want to throw away. In my binder I have several of these because they are in the handwriting of someone special or were given to me at a special occasion.

- tear out recipes from magazines and slide them in a page protector

- make sure you give the bride some extra card stock and tab dividers if they want to adjust the categories

- keep it clean and organized

- make it pretty, you (or the recipient) will be more likely to use something that looks nice!

Read more frugal tips at Life as MOM.

staycationing is the thing

Vacation with...

NO travel

NO packing

NO unpacking

NO excessive laundry pile-up... wait that happens anyway...

LOTS of family time

LOTS of relaxing

LOTS of exploring where we live

This has got to be my new favorite thing!

We staycationed from last Friday through Tuesday and it was AMAZING! I have never felt so relaxed in my life! This is what we did/ didn't do:

1. Didn't put pressure on ourselves to "do." Friday we just vegged and didn't feel guilty as if we were missing out on a new experience or place to explore.

2. Did make our meals special. We went out to one nice dinner and cooked other foods that are special to us.

3. Didn't try to keep up with the house completely. While I kept up with laudry and dishes we didn't worry about vacumming or bathroom cleaning or dusting or the like. This was vacation after all!

4. Did do something fun each day! Saturday we had a family photo shoot (compliments of a friend who is starting a photography business). Sunday we went swimming. Monday we went swimming and blueberry picking. Tuesday we went on the lake with friends.

5. Didn't spend a lot of money. Our dinner out was with an 80% off Restaurant.com gift card. Swimming was free. Blueberry picking cost but works into our food budget.

6. Did enjoy just being together. While Baby Girl was sleeping we watched some movies, read out loud to each other and just enjoyed the calm and quiet.

And now I don't feel like I need a vacation from vacation!!

For other money saving tips check out Frugal Fridays over at Life as Mom.

monday menu- back in the saddle

Well... after skipping several weeks I'm finally back to more consistent and thorough meal planning. No excuses... I just wasn't on my game!

Here's this week's plan:

Monday- Steak quesadillas (using leftover london broil) and apples with peanut butter

Tuesday- BBQ chicken pizza and carrot sticks with ranch dressing

Wednesday- Eggs, sausage and grits

Thursday- Omlettes and muffins

Friday- Sunday- out of town for the 4th!

Is that lame to have two breakfast nights in a row?!? This was completely intentional as we don't want to have any leftovers hanging around over the long weekend and breakfast for dinner is one of the easiest ways to ensure that! It helps that we both really enjoy breakfast dinners :o) And hopefully is a great reminder that it doesn't always have to be fancy!

hoodie towel

Our pastor's wife made one these for a friend recently and I LOVED it! I went out the next week and made my own for a shower gift and am making another soon for Baby Girl's first birthday! I should have taken step by step pictures... I'll do that next time!

Basically though....

1. Buy a towel and washcloth (TJ Maxx and Ross have nice thick ones much cheaper than Wal-Mart or Target in my opinion).

2. Choose some sort of decoration. If it's a print towel this wouldn't be totally necessary. You could do a strip of grosgrain across the hood or, like I did, applique a strip of fabric across the hood and then applique initials on the back.

3. Sew! This is going to have to come in a separate post with pictures... I tried to type it out and it doesn't make much sense to me unless you can see it! If you're desperate leave me a message and we can have a quick lesson!

The thing I really love about this as a gift is that it can be used for a long time! Baby Girl isn't even a year and has already outgrown her baby towels. This will last her for years!

Sadly... Blogger is (yet again) making my pictures flip! GRRRRR!!! I wanted you to see the adorable dalmatian print monogram on the back of this fire engine red hoodie!

Sorry for the odd angle!

i make bows -- and they're for sale

After beginning by making hairbows for my daughter I decided to branch out into selling bows as well. Below are a few samples of types of bows that I make. I am happy to make custom bows to order as well.

All bows are attached to 1 and 3/4 inch alligator clips and are partially lined with ribbon which helps the bows stay in your little girl's hair. All ends are sealed to prevent fraying.

Please contact me at teamwylie (at) gmail (dot) com to place an order! Shipping is usually $1.00 per order.

Green and Rainbow are the Classic Bow- $2.50 each
Lavender is the Looped Bow style- $2.50 each

Black Polka Dot and Aqua and Pink Strip are other examples of the Classic Bow.
Hot Pink Ladybug Bow- $3.50

Dragonfly/Butterlfy Bow- $3.50

Flat Ribbon Clip- $2.00

Custom Creative Bow/Clip- price varies
If you have a particular dress or outfit you wish to match and want something truly unique I would be happy to create something. This clip is made of dusty pink leather and an off-white rosette.

Please contact me at teamwylie (at) gmail (dot) com to place an order!

favorite blogs: The Green Baby Guide

I think I'm somewhat teal... not quite green yet but not blue either... I'm sort of a green wannabe...

The Green Baby Guide has been a great inspiration to me in this quest of greening.

Joy and Rebecca regularly post about relevant and doable ideas related to having a baby and living more environmentally friendly. I think I went back and read every post in their archives before Baby Girl was born and learned so much. They are super down-to-earth and really focus on living simply and not just on green for green's sake.

Typically they host a blog carnival every Thursday called, Thrifty Green Thursday where readers share tips for saving money and living green but this carnival is on break for the summer.

I highly recommend that you take a peek at their fabulous blog!!

kids don't need fancy toys

Shiny. Easy to hold. Make noise when you hit it... what is there not to love?!
If you need more proof:

*** Please note that if torn metal pie plates can have sharp edges! It took Baby Girl several weeks to damage this one enough that I felt like it needed to be thrown out.***

For more Frugal Friday tips check out Life as Mom!

ribbons, barettes and bows... oh my!

Baby Girl finally has enough hair to put bows in it and I am quickly becoming one of those moms who puts a bow in her daughters hair all the time... I mean ALL the time... like occasionally even when she's in her PJs. Shhh... don't tell!

She's just so cute I can't stand it!

First I taught myself how to make the bows. After many attempts I've finally got the hang of it.

Then I started losing bows... multiple bows... gone... sad.

I needed a way to keep them all in one place. I took a cute scrapbooking tag, an extra bit of ribbon and some double sided tape. I added Baby Girl's intials with stickers and that was it!

It turned out cute, but more importantly, it's practical and hanging in her closet it's easy for the bows to make their way home.

*** On a side note.... I am selling baby hairbows for $2.50 each if you're interested.***

baby "splat mat"

In our apartment our baby's high chair sits on carpet... not good! Since Baby Girl is now tackling finger foods this is really not good! I started searching online for a mat to put under her high chair to make clean-up easier.

$44

$26

$35

WHAT??! For a piece of plastic or oilcloth!! I was in shock.

While shopping one day my Mom ran across this vinyl tablecloth for $4.99.

It was cute, not the typical red and white check or floral patterns that you usually see.

It was cheap.

It was HUGE... I could cover the whole dining area floor if I wanted to with this thing.

Instead I cut it down to an appropriate size.

Then I hemmed it with a zigzag stitch all the way around.

Done... that was it! It works great! It isn't quite as heavy-duty as oilcloth would be... but I have so much table cloth left that whenever this mat wears out I can make another one very quickly and easily!

On a side note... I also made a bib to match! (Though it's way too big and probably won't really fit Baby Girl until she's 5... or 9... oh well!

For more Works for Me tips check out... We are THAT Family!

black beans and rice

Yum! We love this recipe. It's great all by itself with cornbread or as a side to a Mexican feast with friends!

1 onion, chopped

1 T. oil

1/2 tsp. oregano

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can black beans

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 cup rice

In large saucepan saute onions in oil until soft. Drain tomatoes and beans reserving liquid! Add water to this liquid to equal 2 cups. Add this liquid and all other ingredients to pan. Bring to a boil and then let mixture simmer about 20 minutes or until rice is done. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

We love topping our rice and beans with sour cream and/or grated cheese.

over 250 pieces of fruit

What do you do with over 250 pieces of fruit?

Especially when you have two days to get rid of it before you leave town!

My husband works on a college campus. At the end of each semester parents can pay (big bucks) to send an "exam care pack" to their student. An outside company takes these orders, sends the boxes to the university and a student organization my husband works with is responsible for distributing them. Here's the rub... many students never come to pick up their box.

First of all this makes me sad for the parents who send the boxes.

Secondly this makes me sad because of the extravagant waste!

Thankfully much of the prepackaged candy, cookies, chips, etc. can be saved and given out to student workers and kids at camps this summer.

But the fruit... the fruit!!! It makes me cringe.

I willingly took on the task of doing something about it all. There were over 250 green and red apples and oranges. Some were already going bad. I had to act fast.... what to do?

1. Give it- this is obvious but harder than you might think. Because we live on a college campus and all the students are gone, we have no neighbors... I've been passing as much as I can off to the housekeeping staff. I've also called several friends who are swinging by on their way home from work to pick some up. And we made a few special deliveries earlier today.

2. Eat it- this is obvious too. We're having some folks over for lunch between graduation ceremonies tomorrow... guess what we'll be serving?

3. Juice it- I'm planning to take a lot of the oranges home to my parents' house this weekend and will borrow their juicer.

4. Puree it- Applesauce anyone? Baby Girl LOVES applesauce... this might be enough to make her never want to see the stuff again! I'll be making this at my parents' since they have an apple corer/peeler/slicer thing and I am not about to tackle this by hand!

5. Freeze it- I never knew you could freeze apples! I'm going to slice and freeze most of the green apples to use in pies, for baked apples, apple cake, etc. down the road. I'm looking forward to giving some of these goodies away as well when I'll be in town to bake.

While I hate that the students didn't get these boxes I'm very thankful this fruit isn't going to be left to rot and then chunked in a dumpster!

We may not all have 250 pieces of fruit dumped in our laps, but we can all do our part to not let food go to waste!

For other frugal tips check out Frugal Fridays over at Life as Mom!

WFMW- baby scrapbook

My aunt, a talented and creative scrapbooker made this book for us before Baby Girl was born. Knowing that I'm not altogether a "traditional" person, she created a scrapbook for us in non-traditional colors with a double-page spread for each month of the first year of our Baby-to-be's life.

It has turned out to be one of my favorite things ever!

Each double page spread has a decorated page on the left (minimal decorations) and the right side has a calendar for that particular month.

All I have to do is jot little notes on the calendar about things that happen and throw a few favorite pictures from the month on the facing page and we have a beautiful album of Baby Girl's first year!

This book is so liberating for me as I can easily find time to jot down little things that happen each day. I include momentous milestones, like her first tooth, as well as everyday happenings (i.e. we played outside today in the beautiful weather, or took a walk to visit Daddy at work).

Also, I've realized that as long as I keep up with writing in the calendar, the pictures can fall into place later (I'm really behind on printing my pictures!).

This method of keeping track of Baby Girl's first year definitely works for me! It would make a great gift to an expecting mom, or you could make one up for yourself before baby is born.

For other works for me tips check out We are THAT Family.

favorite blogs: Southern Savers

Southern Savers is THE blog for great grocery and pharmacy deals if you live in the south. Which we do.

Jenny does an amazing job listing deals at local stores and matching coupons. I appreciate this blog so much because I don't waste my time skimming posts to find deals relevant to me. Typically, all of her posts (except for a few grocery stores we don't have nearby) are helpful.

There is also a link to the 2009 Coupon Inserts Schedule, as well as previews of coupons for each week. This is very helpful to me as someone who just buys the Sunday paper for the coupons!

The website is super organized, easy to follow and easy to use. I highly recommend!

monday menu

We're on a mission to really use the food in our freezer and pantry instead of just continually stocking and still just eating what we want.... yes, we're cheats like that. So... here's the plan:

Monday- BBQ sandwiches (BBQ and buns from freezer), au gratin potatoes (mix from the Sav Mor sale)

Tuesday- Stir fry with london broil meat (from freezer) over rice

Wednesday- Black beans and rice and homemade bread (I think I have more cans of black beans than I will ever be able to cook in my pantry!)

Thursday- Refrigerator Magic

Friday- Our to dinner to celebrate my little sister's college graduation!

Saturday and Sunday- Out of town

Check out Organizing Junkie for more meal plans that are way more helpful than this and actually include recipes... maybe I'll get to that one of these days!

freezing chicken stock

I recently learned about the merits of chicken stock. And have made batches twice in the last few months. I love the idea of not wasting the chicken carcass and boiling out all the nutrients possible!

Here's what I do:

- boil the chicken then take it out of the pot and take the meat off the bone

- put the bones back in the pot

- add a whole onion, quartered, skin and all

- add carrots and celery (I save the ends of these in the freezer until I make stock that way I am not wasting a perfectly good carrot)

- add some whole peppercorns

- add a little salt (I know, I know... not super healthy but I love it)

- add some bay leaves

Then just let it all boil... and boil and boil.

Drain well using a wire mesh strainer.

Pour the stock into pitchers and put in the fridge overnight.

Next day, skim the fat off the top.

Then... here's the best part... I pour approximately 1 cup of stock into plastic cups on a cookie sheet. Then I put the cookie sheet in the freezer. Once frozen I pop out the stock and store the chunks in freezer bags.

It's so helpful to not have to use a freezer bag for every cup of stock I want to freeze and it's very easy to just take out however many "cups" I need for a recipe.

Check out Life as Mom for more Frugal Friday tips!!