Photo reminders for Santa



Over the weeks, leading up to Christmas, my kids will see something in the store that they "just love" and think they have to have...we snap a pic to save or forward to Santa as a reminder, it satifies them, they put it back on the shelf and know that we can revisit it later to see if they really want it on their Santa list.  This ALSO help ME to find the correct item! lol!

 

"oh Mommy!!  I really hopes Santa brings me this exact
purple piggy" and thanks to this pic....he just may!

Fun Crafty Christmas Gifting!

This year, the kids are giving handmade gifts to the special people in their lives.  They love being creative and it's a great way to make a personalized gift! 

The kids and I had fun putting together a "guy gift basket" for their older sister's boyfriend.  We hadn't met him yet, so we didn't know what he might like...this was a way to still show that we cared.  We picked out guy-food and piled it in a microwave popcorn bowl.  The kids loved the way it turned out and they couldn't wait to give this gift!

They both enjoyed making photo ornaments.  I let them pick them out and then choose the self portrait that they wanted to make them with. Their sister got one ornament of each of them.

Another really cute one was the little angel necklace that we made out of beads and a pipe cleaner!  It was adorable and could be hung over the rear view mirror, a key chain, necklace, or just hang from a handbag, etc...

Our very favorite one is a special memory jar they are making for their dear Aunt Sissy.  It consists of a jar/container filled with 52 special memories, songs, jokes, pictures, etc that she can open weekly.  Every Monday morning, she can reach in and grab out a special surprise from one of the kids.  We took time over a couple family dinners to talk about Aunt Sissy and how special she is to us, I jotted them down and then the kids took little cards and created "memories" for her to open!  This is a gift that will keep giving ALL YEAR!  (can't show pics, because we will ruin the surprise! lol!)

Charter Rewards!!!

If you use Charter for your home phone, internet, or cable provider, chances are...you have Charter Rewards,  if you don't, you need to sign up for it.  They just posted all kinds of neat gifts on their shopping page.  I got a paddle ball set and a magic singing microphone for the kiddos for Christmas for FREE! 

SQUEEZING some fruit into breakfast!

My kiddos love waffles for breakfast, but I hate the fact that the syrup and carbs alone are NOT a healthy way to start the day!  I had been trying to serve sausage and fruit on the side, but guess what was always left on their plates...the fruit.  Even the tastiest fruit will seem sour if you've just licked maple syrup off your fork, so....

I decided to make my own blueberry syrup to cover their waffles with....ta-da!!!!  Fruit served "on" waffles was, obviously not my very own idea! lol!  But making my own "healthier" version is working to get the fruit into my kiddos with less syrup...

berries heated in syrup and left whole

I always have ample frozen wild bluberries around,  i use them in my smoothies everyday, so I just decided to blend some up with a tad of the normal maple syrup, heat for a few seconds in the microwave and pour atop the waffles.  Sometimes I leave the bluberries whole, and sometimes I puree them in my blender to make a smooth syrup...either way "squeezing or sneaking" good stuff into meals is always a challenge for parents, but this is easy and they LOVE IT now!

berries totally blended up with a tad of syrup

Food Deals

I am loving the deals that local supermarkets are running lately!  They are family meal deals!

Dierberg's is running their "Family Style Savings" this week.

You buy a rotisserie chicken and you get FREE mashed potatoes, side of gravy, 1lb green beans, and King's Hawaiian dinner rolls!  That's a super easy dinner for the family!

Schnuck's has a "MEAL DEAL" offer this week!

Purchase a package of Buddig lunchmeat and get FREE american cheese singles, loaf of bread, and a box of Mac n'cheese!

Schnuck's also has a "Dynamite Deal"...you buy a 12oz prepack of chili or soup and get a Torpedo sandwich for free!

Enter to win 25,000 BOX TOPS for your school!!!

Register at  BTFE.com/Hero for a chance to WIN 250,000 BOX TOPS for YOUR school!!!  Wouldn't that be so cool?!?!?!?

Food Deals and Box Tops!!!

Shop n' Save has an awesome deal going on right now...

Totino's pizzas and pizza bites are on sale for 10 for $10....but....you get $5 off your bill when you buy 10!!!  That's only 50 cents each!  PLUS you get double box tops on each box AND a bonus 25 electronic box tops with your receipt!!   Looks like we may have some pizza nights to line up!

btw...you do not have to buy 10 pizza items...there
is an entire page of products that qualify and you
CAN mix and match them!!!

Healthy and smelling good!

I have been on a search for a good deodorant that is aluminum-FREE.  I started out looking on the ingredient list of each and every deodorant at Walmart, Target, and Walgreen...each and every one of them had aluminum as the main ingredient. I figured there would be a really expensive, all natural choice somewhere local that I would splurge on...no find. I have even looked up recipes for making your own deodorant from arrowroot powder, coconut oil, and baking soda or cornstarch, just thought it would be easier to make that splurge of a purchase for the first try. 

Now, as silly as this sounds...I'm not even sure what has prompted this "all of a sudden" opposition to deodorant containing this ingredient.  I do know that in the past I have heard that it can cause breast cancer.  With freshly shaven skin and lymph nodes near...putting such an ingredient so near breast tissues and then harnessing ourselves (keeping the harmful chemicals that have been absorbed) right around the generalized area...I really have no data to back this up(although there are endless studies and Internet articles arguing it). I know that I will not want Taylor, when the time comes, to wear this type of deodorant near her newly forming little body.  Why not just make the change and be safe???

I finally stopped in an Organic Nutritional Shop and found an all-natural deodorant.  At first I liked it, but it was a bit sticky and smelled...weird.  Eventually I couldn't stand the scent.  Believe it or not, I found the perfect aluminum-Free deodorant.  TOM'S 24 hour odor protection natural deodorant.  This particular one is aluminum-free with no artificial colors, fragrance, or preservatives. The scent is "fresh apricot" and I do not like the smell of apricot, but this is light and I love it!  It goes on easily and smells good all day!  Even working in the yard and an all day outing to the zoo on a  near 100 degree day...I'd say it passed the test!  Wanna know the coolest part?!?!  It was at both Walmart and Target all along.  It was at the very top isle and regularly priced.  I believe it was around $4...that is why i missed it...who would think that a natural based product wouldn't cost and arm and a leg?!? 

cheap treats for my expensive dog

My great dane, Sophie has developed food allergies, possible food intolerance, and inflammatory condition.  YIKES!  This means that I spend a small fortune on her hypoallergenic venison and potato food.  It also means that I can't just give her snacks and treats...treats are hard to find and since she can only have venison..they are super expensive.  I was giving her ice cubes and then the vet told me the number of tooth extractions that take place weekly due to cracked molars...ugh!  My poor puppy has tummy trouble and then is deprived of snacks too.... 

I finally found something else that I can give her...frozen green beans. I found a huge bag of them at Costco...she loves them and looks forward to her snacks throughout the day!

Around the House

I loved an article in last month's All You magazine..Around the House.  It had all kinds of natural "make-it-yourself" ways to clean your house. 

I already mix vinegar and water in a "clearly marked" spray bottle to make an ALL PURPOSE spray to clean countertops, windows, and to spray my produce after washing, but there are lots of other uses for this cheap and safe ingredient...vinegar can be used as a stain remover, floor cleaner, and laundry softener.

To make DISHWASHER DETERGENT just mix 2 cups washing soda, 2 cups borax, and 25 drops of grapefruit oil in a large bowl.  Wear rubber gloves and use hands to mix well.  Store in a plastic container with lid.  Use 2 Tbs. per wash.  You can add 1 tsp vinegar to rinse cycle or use in your rinse aid container in dishwasher door to prevent spotting.

To make TOILET BOWL CLEANER just pour 1/2 cup baking soda directly into toilet bowl, then add 10 drops of tea-tree oil, then 1/2 cup vinegar (in that order) and let effervesce do it's work! Wait several minutes, then scrub bowl with brush, flush!  Yay, shiny clean toilet!

To make a FURNITURE POLISH just pour 2 Tbs. olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1/4 tsp. lemon oil or fresh lemon juice into a squirt bottle. Shake well before each use. Squirt onto microfiber cloth and rub onto wood surface.

Quilter's Convention in Kentucky

Last weekend, my husband, the kids and I took a trip to Kentucky to see my family.  While getting to see my brother, sister-in-law, and my adorable niece was wonderful, it wasn't the only reason for the trip.  We have gone into business together and have started promoting Visalus.  It's a healthy/weight loss product that all of us are loving!!  We are super excited to share this and got a great deal to set up at the local quilt convention.  It was the first time we had promoted at an event.  We got together some great visuals, brought the laptop to play videos, and set up an awesome booth.  We got to meet some amazing people, I love meeting and talking to new people!

I made this right before we left...i was proud of myself!

Regina's 1st $100 bonus from Visalus!!!

The  "quilt" convention was more like a treasure trove of people's passions.  Booths were set up with all kinds of products and crafts.  The quilt section was full of intricate pieces of hand-sewn artwork. Some of the wonderful people we met that had neighboring booths were...


This was the brightest collections of Tupperware i've ever seen! There are several things that I am gonna have to have!!

For all your Tupperware needs, contact:
Jerrie Freeman  (270)437-4791
jerrie@wk.net or www.my2.tupperware.com/jerriefreeman

We met Donna at her Avon booth, she had an extensive collection!  I especially liked the jewelry, I am starting to wear more accessories!

For all your beauty, fragrance, and avon needs, contact:
Donna Cullen (270)703-0272
hershey215@mchsi.com or www.youravon.com/donnacullen 

Another nearby booth had the most adorable hand-made crafts!  The windchimes were made with silverware!  They had the most creative ideas...we are going to purchase some more scarves...talk about talent!

This is Regina sporting the "visalus green" hand-made scarf!
This is made with fringe and the flower, all out of t-shirt
material!  She made some that were long scarfs with
twirls...I want a grey one for winter!

To check out all of the wonderful gift ideas, contact:
Vintage Creations
(270)205-5668
mick01@windstream.net

After the convention, we hosted a Challenge Party at Regina's house and got to share the Body by Vi Challenge with lots of people!  This was an awesome weekend to see the family that I love AND to get to share health and wealth with newly made friends...a total success! 

If anyone is interested in learning more about Visalus or getting healthy by joining us in the Challenge, visit:

www.ShakeMeUpVi.com

Loving the Challenge!!!

I am ready to start my second 90 day Challenge with Body by Vi and am so excited!!  I'm a bit slow posting, but that's because I've been so busy!  As of today, I have lost 29lbs and almost 3 pants sizes! I do have a couple of complaints about the Body By Vi Program...#1.  Wearing baggy clothes is miserable, maybe more so than tight ones! I hate pulling up my pants and I don't want to buy new ones, b/c they will be too big soon too!!!  #2. Even my wedding ring is too loose?!?!?  Ugh, those ring adjuster things pinch my finger, I don't think Billy will understand if I tell him that Visalus caused me to NOT wear my ring anymore! lol!  It literally fell off my finger in Walmart, so I'll have to have it resized.  #3. I am missing my tv shows...I have way too much energy to sit down and watch a show!  My dvr is full with things I want to see, but end up making use of my extra energy by doing things that are a bit more constructive! 

I am gonna rock this second challenge because I now have a system that is working for "me".  I absolutely love my vi shakes, they are a real "treat" for me to get to have.  I wake up each morning and have my cup of coffee (with honey & half and half), sometimes I have two cups.  Then, I make my morning shake...it usually consists of 8oz skim milk, 2 scoops vi mix, handful of spinach, 1/2 cup frozen bluberries, and 2 Tbs ground flax.  This is so yummy!  I sip that as I run around getting kids and husband off to work, or as I drive to gym.  I immediately start on my water.  I flavor them with raspberry neuros for the gym or an occassional Crystal Light packet, I am using a 32oz rubbermaid container (helps me measure my intake).  I usually have one container down before I even think about a snack, I eat big snacks that are around 200-300 calories, you can see some of them HERE!!!   I refill my water, and usually eat something when the kids have their lunch. My lunch is usually a salad with leftovers, grilled veggies, or turkey/cheese rollups. Sometimes I have breakfast food, cuz I love eggs! I have another shake around 2pm.  This shake is usually just the cake mix flavored regular one, i still just love it plain, it gets me through the afterschool routine and energy to cook dinner for everyone, I am usually not even hungry for dinner, but at least it makes me cook healthier, no big cravings to change my menu plans! lol!  Anyways, somedays I don't get my afternoon shake because we have dinner early or lunch late, whatever, then I just have my 2nd shake as a dessert with dark cocoa powder and mix ins from Kassi's Recipe FB Page!  I try to get 3-32oz containers of water down...it's getting easier and I feel full all the time too!

So, you see...I do not miss a meal, I am just happy that my mind is on something other than FOOD!!  I am busy being healthy, getting stuff done, and being involved with the best company ever!  It feels so good to hear how great a friend or family member is feeling, their health is so important!  If I stopped losing weight on Visalus, I would continue my shakes just for the healhty way it makes me feel, the weight loss is just a mega bonus for me!!  I'm getting ready to start this next challenge, so come one and join it with me!  Contact me for a free sample...100% money back guarantee, what do you have to lose, but inches!

Weekly Grocery Shopping 4 Less

I had this weeks menu planned and had Wal-Mart on my errand list to get everything I needed in one place..you know...the way Wal-Mart always sucks me in!  My gym is very close to our local Aldi's store so I glanced at my list and decided that most of what I needed could be gotten there, maybe I'd save a buck or two, why not?!? 

I strolled through, getting what was on my list (mostly dairy and produce) along with a few extras.  I even picked up a spiral cut ham in place of smoked ham for sandwiches.  My cart was overflowing, I always spend $100 on a weeks worth of groceries, but guess what?  I only spent $66.70 and since I even bought a whole ham and extras.....WOW!!!  I guess the pennies really do add up, back to shopping different stores for different deals!  I will not have to go to a store for an entire week, so I am thrilled! 

GO ALDI'S!!!!

Veggie Beef Soup

THIS is one of my all time favorite meals from growing up!  Mom would make this soup on a cool autumn day, or when we were sick.  So, this is what's for dinner at my house tonight, because we all have our first colds of the year.  This recipe is simple, and very inexpensive.

Beef stew meat, cut into 1" chunks. (I buy roasts in bulk and use the ends for soups)
Beef stock (optional, the meat cooking creates juice and flavor) or water
Onion soup packet (also optional, I rately use this...it has enough flavor without)
1-2 cans each of:  corn, green beans, carrots, stewed tomatoes with juice, peas, and any veggie or bean you love. You can even add small pasta if you wish.
Potatoes diced

I cut my beef roast into chunks, heat a crock on high with 1 Tbs. vegetable oil, sear the meat for a couple minutes, add beef broth or water, tomatoes with juice, potatoes,and seasoning if desired.  Simmer for 20 minututes, then add all the other canned veggies!  Heat well...  DONE!!  Easy and "oh so yummy" !!!!

Snacks under 200 calories!!!!

Since I started a 90 day "get healthy" challenge with Body by Vi, I have my shake for breakfast and lunch, but healthy snacks are needed and super important!  I found these yummy snacks on the Dr.Oz show and am so excited to share them! While they may not save you money, they will certainly save you some calories...that's important too!  are all 200 calories or less!  They are also put together with their health benefits in mind!  These snacks keep me from feeling deprived or hungry....so yummy!

Antipasto Power Plate
This easy-to-assemble snack packs a protein punch with the proscuitto, and there's plenty of fiber in the chickpeas and zucchini.

Ingredients
1 thin slice prosciutto or thin sliced ham
One 2% mozzarella string cheese
2 olives
1 cup grilled zucchini/squash
1/4 cup chickpeas (feel free to season with herbs..yum!)

Directions
Wrap the prosciutto around the string cheese. Enjoy with the olives and veggies on the side.

Mini Pizza Pocket
The vegetables bulk this snack up, without adding any extra fat. The lycopene in the tomato sauce is fat soluble, so the cheese helps with the absorption of this nutrient.

Ingredients
1 mini 100% whole wheat pita pocket or wheat sandwich thin
1 oz of 2% reduced fat mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp pasta sauce
1 cup spinach
2 onion slices plus any additional veggies
Directions
Assemble and place in toaster oven until cheese is melted.

Skinny Dip & Chips
The black pepper and hot sauce kick your metabolism up a notch. The Greek yogurt and walnuts are full of protein that'll help you stay fuller for longer.

Ingredients
For the dip:
1/2 cup of 2% Greek yogurt
1 tsp walnuts
Garlic
Black pepper
1 tsp hot sauce

What to dip:
1/2 oz blue potato chips (8 chips)
1 cup cherry tomatoes or favorite vegetable

Directions
Mix all dip components. Enjoy the dip with 8 blue potato chips and the cherry tomatoes

Cheesy Apple Sandwich
The apples are full of water and keep you feeling full, while the lemon juice regulates your metabolism and regulates your body's sugar absorption.

Ingredients
4 apple slices (these act as the "bread")
3 tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese (sometimes I use almond butter)
10 almonds
Lemon juice

Directions
Core apple and slice in thick pieces. Spread cheese and almonds on top of the apple slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Peanut Butter & Banana Quesadilla

Ingredients
whole wheat tortilla
1 Tbs peanut butter
banana
cinnamon
Directions:  Spread pb on tortilla, top with sliced banana, sprinkle with cinnamon...you can even grill if you want it warm...so satisfying and delicious!! 

No Bake Truffles

Ingredients
5 dry dates
11 dry apricots
1/3 cup cacoa powder
1/2 Tbs. vanilla
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 Tbs. agave or honey
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:  place in food processor, pulse, form into small 1 inch balls, then roll in chopped nuts or additional cocoa powder...you have a yummy chocolate snack!

Pizza Popcorn
This will make 8 cups of popcorn for only 200 calories.

3 Tbsp of un-popped kernels
1 Tbsp of grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of paprika
1 tsp of oregano
1 tsp of salt
1tsp of chives

Directions:  place in small brown paper lunch sack, fold opening over twice to close, microwave for 2-3 minutes on high, listen for the popping to slow down!  YUM, cheap, easy!!!!

My FAVES were the antipasto plate, apples with ricotta, and the pb banana quesadilla!!!!

WhoNu? Now, I do!!!

I have seen the commercials for WhoNu? Cookies...I didn't pay much attention, because I figured that if we are going to have a special snack or dessert...may as well forget nutrition...but, when I saw these on sale yesterday, we picked some up.  Suprisingly, they were just as delicious if not more so, then an actual Oreo cookie! They were $2.50 for a package, comparable to Oreos.  They are in a sealed package inside of a reclosable box.  The inner package has a tear off stip that seals back with a sticky strip to keep cookies fresh.

3 cookies claim to have:

As much Fiber as a bowl of oatmeal
As much Calcium & Vitamin D as an 8oz glass of milk
As much Vitamin C as a cup of blueberries
As much Iron as a cup of spinach
As much Vitamin E as 2 cups of carrot juice
As much Vitamin B12 as a cup of cottage cheese with fruit
As much Vitamin A as 8oz glass of tomato juice


As you can see, this cookie is enhanced with
vitamins and minerals, but is in no way a low-calorie
food.  Nor should it be considered a "diet" food.
It is however, healhtier than regular packaged cookies,
therefore, I WILL purchase these again, the next time
I want to treat the kids to a special treat!



Healthcare Coverages YOU may not know about!

I am blogging about this again, because I feel like many people may not realize that under the "Affordable Care Act" there are preventative services that your health insurance company HAS to pay at 100%!!  No copay or deductible required! 

Some of these services include:  immunizations, weight loss counseling, well-woman screenings, tobacco sesation, children's eye exams, and sooo many others!

Check out the link to see all benefits, then make your appointments, no longer put them off because of the out-of-pocket expenses!

Preventative Services Covered under the Affordable Care Act

Snowflake decor

After Christmas, my house looks bare...no tree, no garland, no colorful decorations...empty feeling.  I immediately decorate with snowflakes for the rest of winter.  I tape paper snowflakes that the kids have made on my front windows.  I love to see their creative works!  We cut snowflakes out of coffee filters, cupcake wrappers, and paper doilies.  They were all beautiful!  Ours are decorated with blue and silver glitter!  Some of the doilies were so pretty that we just left them uncut.

In my FamilyFun Magazine, I saw a wonderful idea for my fireplace mantle...plastic bottle snowmen, paper trees, and shiny silver garland...I am crafting this...

Reading for Life- It takes time

This is a story for "inspiration" that I got at our school's literacy meeting....why we need to build on language EVERYDAY!!! -Mrs. Kelly Smith

Reading for Life

"Reading is the greatest single effort that the human mind undertakes, and one must do it as a child."

 -John Steinbeck

So, THIS MAN decides to plant a special type of bamboo.  He goes to his yard and measures an area 20 ft by 20 ft.  Over several days, he digs down two feet to break up the clay earth, sifts the dirt, adds manure to fertilize the soil, carefully plants the bamboo, covers it, and marks off the boundaries.  Every morning, before breakfast, he carries water from the stream to his plot.  He weeds and waters and waits. Every day.

After a year, no shoots have appeared. A neighbor who has observed the man's daily efforts stops as the man worked away and asks, "Why are you working so hard for nothing?"

"It takes time," the man replies.

The next year, the man does exactly the same thing.  Every day, he walks to the stream at dawn, carries the water, carefully soaks and weeks his plot. At the end of that year, still nothing has broken the surface. The same neighbor walks by, "Why are you wasting your time?" he asks.  "I have some good seeds I'd give you."

"It takes time,"the man replies.

The third year, the man builds a small fence around the plot to keep out animals.  Each morning he walks to the stream and carries water to his plot. He continues to tend it with care. At the end  of the third year, when still no shoots have appeared, his neighbor asks, "Are you crazy? Why do you keep doing that?"

"It takes time," the man replies.

Three weeks later, the first small, green shoots push through the soil.  They grow. And grow, And grow! Six weeks later, the man's bamboo towers over 60 feet high.

It takes time.  This phrase has little credence in our fast-forward, sound-bite world, where a moment's silence on TV is referred to as "dead air" and multitasking is a way of life.  But during those years when it seemed the bamboo was doing nothing, critically important things were happening:  The roots of the bamboo were spreading, branching, thickening, developing the strength and vigor to support the bamboo's future phenomenal growth and size.  Only with watering and careful nurturing could the plant develop the root structure to support the towering stalks of bamboo.  Every bit of the man's effort, every ounce of water, was needed.

For your child to become a great reader, his/her mind needs similar watering.  You water your child with words-talking and reading.  It doesn't take a lot of time, but you must never forget to water, a little bit every day, day after day, week after week, year after year.

-taken from 1st pages of the book:  7 Keys to Comprehend by Susan Zimmermann

Less is More for Valentine's Day!!!

I was reading the most recent issue of All You mag and realized that we save money around Valentine's Day too, and really get to enjoy it at the same time...

Instead of Going out to Dinner....plan a special dinner at home with or without the kiddos.  Heart-shaped grilled cheese with tomato soup, picnic style by the fire, s'mores over the fire, etc...be creative!

Instead of giving Boxed Candy...make your own together with your love or invite the kids to help and make it a fun and creative family occasion.  Cut an assortment of fresh yummy fruit and dip in melted dark chocolate or white chocolate, add pink/red sprinkles to make it special.  Dip pretzels, popcorn, crackers, or fingers!!!! YUM!!

Instead of spending a small fortune at the Florist...consider this:  Personally, I am not a "flower loving" type of gal...seems like a waste of money because they die...I prefer a live plant...I have dropped the hint that I'd love some small herbs for my kitchen window, something that can be used for a long time.  Flowers or decorations can be added to a live plant to make it seasonal and pretty! 

Instead of spending money on a card....write your own...it's soooo much more special and you don't have to dig through the card section, reading tons of cards, trying to find "the one" that says what you feel...nothing is better than your own words!  OR, better yet, we have the same two cards that we gave to eachother 10 years ago, we dig them out and write a special addition to it each year, it's fun to read the previous year's comments to see how we have changed and what has stayed the same....our love!  lol!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Healthy Kid Friendly Snacks

I found some yummy kid-friendly recipes over at Kid Ventures!  The first one is:

Banana in a Blanket

whole wheat tortilla
1 Tbs. peanut butter
1 banana
1 tsp honey or syrup (optional)
1 Tbs of granola or other small cereal crunchies

Lay tortilla on plate, spread with peanut butter, sprinkle granola, then place banana on top.  Roll up.  Drizzle with honey or syrup and garnish with more granola.  I skip the last two steps, the roll up alone is awesome! 

Fruity Sweet Cones

sliced banana
cubed mandarin oranges
1/4 cup miniature marshmallows or chocolate chips
pineapple chunks
sliced strawberries
3/4 cup low-fat lemon yogurt

Instructions: Chop, slice, and prepare the fruit. Toss together with marshmallows or chocolate chips. Spoon mixed ingredients into the empty cone and drizzle with lemon yogurt.

Healthier Meatball Subs

Here at Money Saving Momma, I'm all about saving money, but if I can save calories too....that's a bonus!

For these yummy meatball subs, I hollowed out the hoagie rolls to cut some carbs/calories. ($2.00 @ aldi's)  I saved the crumbs that I dug out, drizzled them with olive oil & garlic salt to save for a salad...homemade crunchy croutons! 

I bought turkey meatballs from Aldis for $3...healthier than the alternative and inexpensive!  I put them in a saucepan with Aldi's all natural spaghetti sauce (no high fructose corn syrup and cost $1.20).  Let it simmer.

I toasted the buns, added the meatballs and sauce, topped with mozz cheese, then popped them back in the broiler for 2 minutes...nice and melty!  YUM!  I sliced some green bell pepper & white onion for added veggies on top.

This recipe is kid approved...my son ate 1 1/2 sammies...that's huge for him.  My 3 year old asked for more and more meatballs.  I served this with a simple spinach salad, drizzled with evoo & lemon juice...love it!  PLUS, there is plenty leftover to make some pasta and have spaghetti tomorrow! If I add in the price of tomorrow's pasta, I will have spent a total of $10.50 for two complete dinners for all four of us!  That's pretty good!

Visalus Body by Vi !!!!!

So..this is a post from my Family Blog...I held off posting on this blog because I try to keep it dedicated to SAVING MONEY...now this product fits the bill!!  I am saving money and adding years to my life..i think it's time to blog about that!!  I am blogging about VISALUS or Body By Vi !!!


"My sister and I have been going to the gym for 13 months, pretty regularly, like 2-5 times per week.  We even hired a trainer to kick our butts.  We altered our diet to reduce fast food, increase veggies, and even started juicing!  We journaled what we ate, tried to cut carbs out after 4pm and definitely felt better, more healthy, though a bit deprived of evening snacks!  Anyways, I am so glad that we started this journey, but to be honest...I lost some weight, gained some back and kinda did the roller coaster thing...at the end of an entire year of being conscious and exercising, I have lost 13lbs. 

I went to the doctor for a check-up, maybe there is something else going on that is making weight loss so difficult, but nope, thyroid, blood pressure, cholesterol...all great!  I'm glad, but was kinda hoping that there was a "reason" that all my effort wasn't enough. 

Around that same time, my sister kept telling my about one of her friends on Facebook...claiming she was losing weight, getting her health back and really changing her life with a product called Visalus.  I didn't have much interest...I doubted it would help "us", plus I didn't know this friend of hers...my sister was so amazed at the transformation of her friend that she bought us some shake mix to share.  We loved the taste, especially since we were trying out different protein powders in our smoothies...yuck!  This stuff tasted delicious, I figured I could at least try it.  We loved the energy we felt, the way it kicked my carb/sweets cravings, and we started to see the scale inch it's way DOWN!!!  Really?!?!  I thought it might be "in my head"...still trying to doubt this product!  We refused to tell anyone about it until we had proof!  We started our official 90 Day Challenge on November 30th....and the numbers are in!!

I have lost 11 lbs and 5.5inches, I keep thinking that I could have done better, but let's face it....it was over the holidays and the numbers moved in the right direction!!  I should be thankful that I didn't gain, I doubt there has EVER been a holiday season that I didn't gain!!  I feel great and can't wait to get back into the routine of working out and continuing my Visalus Challenge!  First month down and 2 more to go!!!" 


I will blog more about this because we have decided to become promoters and are already getting checks in the mail!  YES, we are actually getting paid to help people get healthy...this is like a dream come true for me!!!

Workout for Cheap!

I was at Costco today and noticed tons of workout videos, including...Tai-bo, zumba, yoga, pilates, biggest loser, jillian micheals, etc...all for $7.99!  I thought that was pretty cheap, but then I started thinking about how I've bought them before and not liked them and then it's not cheap, it's a WASTE of money...so...you can go to the library and check them out for FREE...or you can rent them at your local video store!  At Family Video, they are only 99 cents for 3 nights...that's plenty of time to see if you like it enough to buy it!!  Happy working out!!!