Simple Snack (Part 1)

Caramel Apples

It's not just for the holidays anymore. Believe it or not you can buy all the ingredients year round for pretty much the same price year round (unless they go on sale or you have a coupon or your favorite apples are in season resulting in a temporary price reduction.) 

You will need:

1. Your favorite apples 

2. Caramel sauce (usually sold with the apples but in a pinch you can use the stuff from the ice cream topping section) 

3. Peanuts (salted preferred) 

Cut apples into slices and dip in caramel, promptly dip in peanuts and eat one at a time :) 

So easy and yummy and kind of healthy ;) 

You don't have to wait until October to satisfy your caramel apple craving :) 

Baby Shower Gifter's Do's and Don't's

When I was pregnant with my first baby I had just gotten married and moved away from all my family and friends. I was blessed to have a good relationship with my in-laws and even more blessed when they decided to have a baby shower for me even though the people they were inviting were from their work and I had only met them all once. They didn't know me or anything about me except that I was their co-worker's daughter/sister-in-law. 

25 people came to this baby shower for a young girl that was giving their well loved and appreciated co-worker her first grandchild.

They came for her more so than for me but everyone that came was more than generous with their gifts. 

I did not register anywhere and we were not finding out the gender of the baby. I understand this can make it "difficult" for some people when it comes to buying a gift for the lucky couple but all we needed was diapers, wipes, baby blankets and a couple other things I hadn't thought of until I opened the gifts. 

This post is in no way slandering or dissing all the women who were generous with their money and time and kindness towards a young soon-to-be mother who had no family or friends around to celebrate with. 

This is simply an "instructional" guideline/ things to consider when shopping for that pregnant friend of yours. :)

The following is a list of good, safe things to get for the parents/baby:

The most helpful thing (in my opinion) was diapers. "You can never have too many diapers" could not be any more true of a statement. We had so many that we returned a lot and saved that money to buy bigger sizes later (due to lack of storage space at the house.) 

But diapers are the BEST baby shower gift. 

Baby wipes are the next best thing (for obvious reasons) In my opinion, the Walmart brand of wipes in bulk are not only the cheapest but thy work just as good as huggies and/or pampers or whatever other name brand. And the bulk pack lasts for months (and is under $20)

The next best thing that I received were gift cards. Also for obvious reasons such as being able to customize rather than get stuck with the wrong color or gender or whatever. You would also be surprised how great these are for mom-to-be's cravings and groceries or thank you cards or the little things for baby after his or her arrival. 

The next best things are large items that mom and dad have been trying to think about how much they will have to go without in order to afford them. (Unless they already thought about it and have found these things in thrift stores... Which is an amazing idea if I do say so myself) but if someone wants to pay for brand new big items like the ones listed below then by all means... ;) just be sure to include a gift receipt or consult with the new parents as to whether they could use whatever you decide you want to get them.

Car seat

Stroller

Crib/basket/bassinet/pack n play (our baby slept in a basket because we didn't have room for a crib until later, now she sleeps in a pack n play)

Moby/sleepy wrap/ sling- for wearing baby. They are expensive but check to see if momma even wants to wear her baby or has a color preference etc.

Baby monitor-some parents done need one (believe it or not) 

Baby thermometer- probably one of my better gifts but make sure they don't already have one. (If they don't but still don't sound like they want one... Get it for them, they will thank you later)

Bouncy seat/ swing- the controversy parents have about those things can be ridiculous but the bouncy seat was a life saver for me personally... Some parents may not have the room.

Breast pump- mom might want/need one. Find out what she is looking at. After all, she's the one using it.... Just gonna leave it at that.

Nursing pads- I didn't know I would need or even WANT these but they were MY best friend for the first 5-7 months. 

Just be sure momma is planning to breast feed or simply include a gift receipt. Also keep in mind that this may be an awkward gift for a first time mom. :P (maybe give it to her later when there aren't a bunch of people around.)

The following is a list of things that if one MUST get these for new parents then they should include a gift receipt for exchanging or returning purposes. 

Don't get offended if you come to find that your gift was the wrong color or pattern or not usable. Trust me, the money that a new parent can get from returning an unnecessary item is way more helpful than an unnecessary item they can't return:

Receiving blankets- some people think you CAN have too many of these but I liked mine. Unfortunately they are not all created equal and some of them were too small and some were wrong gender. :P

Swaddle wraps- receiving blankets worked just fine and I wasn't able to return $30 worth of these because I had no receipt and they were apparently out of season or something because NO ONE would take them back. :P

Bath items- i.e. baby tub, baby soap, baby powder, wash cloths, baby towels, baby lotion etc.

Mom and dad probably have a preference as to what they feel  comfortable using on their baby. Some parents don't care if it's S.C. Johnson or Burt's Bees or "all organic, no human has touched it until you use it" stuff. 

But there are the parents who may have a problem using non all natural bath products on their baby. This stuff is pretty inexpensive anyway but just the same if you feel compelled to provide the cleanliness for the parents to be's child, perhaps a gift card with a note as to what you are specifically giving it to them for. (Or a gift receipt with your gift.)

Clothes- *THIS IS IMPORTANT!*

Yes, it is true that baby clothes are a joy to look at and buy for any expecting mother no matter how well or little you know them BUT mom and dad to be don't need 31 newborn size onsies for their munchkin (gender specified or not) chances are they will not get to wear even half of them. Also babies vary in size when they are born and some babies never fit into newborn size clothes. 0-3 months is a safer size but still 31 is too many unless mommy isn't doing laundry for months at a time. (Which i suppose is possible.) 3-6 months; even that size, one can have too many. Besides, if everyone is buying clothes for baby, mom doesn't get to find the clothes SHE wants for her baby. 

Just a courteous thing to do... Always include a gift receipt with clothes! And seriously, don't be offended if your item gets returned because baby had too many or because mommy needed the money for diapers or a bigger sized outfit or maybe even the outfit mommy wanted for her child. 

Bottles and/or pacifiers- parents have opinions about these things. Some parents have a preference to a particular brand they would like too use. It may be a little thing but this would be a good place for a gift card insert. ;)

Burp rags- (cloth diapers worked best for us but some people may prefer something else)

The following is a list of "unnecessary" items that my husband and I preferred to get on our own because of parental preference. 

Tummy time mat- my baby never even had a "tummy time" and I'm still not quite sure what the benefit is of a baby being cranky for an hour because he or she is uncomfortable but to each his own.

Toys- new parents have enough clutter to go through at the beginning of parenthood as it is. Baby isn't even ready for toys yet. And trust me when I say mom and dad would rather pick out the toys they will be annoyed with for the next 2-3 years. It's also more of a grandma and grandpa thing anyway. 

Butt loads of diaper rash cream- (notice the pun) one tube will last forever...the end.

Baby medicines- I.e. fever reducer, vapor rub, teething jel, teething tablets etc.

Parents will want to pick this out themselves so they can read the labels and know what their options are.

The following is a list of My personal favorite things ever that helped ME after I had my baby:

A soft towel- after having sore cracked nipples, showering wasn't the bad part, it was trying to dry off with a regular bath towel. It was painful and made the shower pointless (almost) as far as feeling good afterwords.

Olive oil- this is perfect for using on baby's bottom when they are first born and have the tar poop that you literally have to scrub off their butt. It works as the non-stick agent that it is and also helped prevent diaper rash for my baby. 

 Not only that but olive oil works amazing for an all natural, safe nipple renewal salve. Simply amazing. I wish more nursing mothers knew.

A good chiropractor- for momma and baby. I had an amazing chiropractor throughout my pregnancy. She helped with morning sickness and an easy delivery and finally getting my body back into place after pushing a baby out of my body. Chiropractics is also great for baby to help with upset stomach, earaches, fevers, immune system etc. and baby just did a lot of work too. 

Of course this compilement isn't complete by any means but the bottom line is this: 

If you are getting a gift for a baby shower, 

1. Consult with mamma about what she needs.

2. Take her word for it when she tells you "diapers and wipes."

3. If you are one of those people who MUST get something else suggest it to the new momma and then *include a gift receipt.* 

4. Remember to include a gift receipt.

5. **see #4** 

The End 

Study Buddies

My brother in law is going to college right now so when I saw these "chill pill" LED wobble lights in blue (also come in silver, black an red) they reminded me of minions and therefore I had to get all the blue ones that Lowes had... All 3. (For $3 a piece) 

I decided to call them "Study Buddies."

So far I have only used permanent marker on them but I plan to actually paint it on to actually make it permanent (as marker just rubs off so easily)

UPDATE: paint job done:

ASSEMBLE THE MINIONS!!

Hehe ;)

They wobble but stand upright and they don't get hot. They take 2 standard 2032's (watch batteries). And they are simply adorable. 

 

If only it lit up kinda glow stick yellow-green lol like in the movie. Oh well. ;)

Christmas gifts? The normal flashlight Christmas gifts just got an upgrade ;) 

The Art of Snail Mail

If an object is under 13 ounces, one can easily send the object(s) without an envelope/box. All you need is enough postage. (Usually 4 stamps) 

For objects that a stamp (or 4) can easily be pulled off (such as flip flops) use mod podge as an adhesive and sealer. The stamps will still e able to e "cancelled" when going through the post mark machine but without the worry of whether or not the stamps will stay attached long enough to reach their destination without additional charge. 

Another tip is to make sure your object has plenty of room for address and return address and stamps. Objects much smaller than a jello box are extremely likely to get lost in the mail rather than delivered safely. 

This link will give you some more ideas as to what you can send in the mail along with a link to postage details should you need them. :) http://www.giverslog.com/?tag=13-ounces-or-less

Happy mailing!

Mocha Frappe

Homemade Mocha Frappe: 

Ingredients: 

2 C.  of brewed coffee fixed the way you like it (Cream, sugar etc.) and frozen in an ice cup tray. 

(For the recipe you will only need 8 cubes of the 16)

1 heaping Spoonful of cocoa

2 tsp. vanilla (more or less) 

A generous drizzle of chocolate syrup (and/or caramel: optional)

A few dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips (optional)

A sprinkle of coconut (I do this for the texture it is totally optional and not at all necessary)

Enough milk to cover the cubes a little more than 1/2 way

Topping;

Whipped cream and chocolate syrup: (optional)

Using a blender (or magic bullet) fill with above ingredients (minus the topping) starting with the coffee cubes and finishing with the milk. 

Blend until smooth and slushy-like. 

Top with whipped cream and syrup. Stick it with a straw and enjoy. :)

You will notice the measurements are not exact as I have never really measured. I have just made enough if these to have found my preference in taste and it will vary according to each individual. 

Altercations can easily be made as long as you follow the basic ingredients (coffee cubes, cocoa, vanilla, chocolate syrup and milk)

You can add extracts (coconut, mint (gross) or whatever appeals to you.) 

Add candy pieces (butterfingers, Heath bar, etc.)

And change the coffee to your favorite flavored coffee if you like :)

Super easy and definitely a money saver if you drink frappes on a daily basis. 

This recipe makes a McDonald medium size which, where I come from, costs about $3...which is insane.

Over the course of a week I have saved $21.

In a month, $93. 

(Crazy how a small addiction adds up! Granted, that is if you drink one every day... And lately I have been) :P

It may look like a lot of work but its really not that hard. 

Vitamin B Complex: The Simple Vitamin

Vitamin B Complex: What does it do?

It's a great source of energy, yes, but it doesn't  stop there. 

B complex (in gummy form) is an amazing, natural, simple, easy way for one to maintain healthy skin, hair and nails. 

Don't have time for the coconut hair mask techniques? Or for green tea nail treatments? Or face scrubs that often require more time than they are worth?

Far be it from me to dis something that's been working for you or something you've been doing for years. 

But if you're one of those people on a tight  budget and a tight schedule and do not have time to do 15 minutes hair masks 10 minute face scrubs or 3 weeks of waiting for your nails to grow or just want to see quicker results for your efforts (that always takes way longer than said) then I highly recommend vitamin B complex (in gummy form.) 

Walmart sells these bottles for about $5 for 70 gummies. That will last you for at LEAST a month (if you take 2 a day) but the bottle directions say you only need one a day so that'll last 70 days if my math is correct. ;) 

Your energy levels will rise the first time you use it. If not the first day then give it at least 3. Everybody is different and some people's body's take longer to absorb certain vitamins than others. 

You should notice a change in your hair; thicker, shinier, healthier (results may vary per person.)

You should also find that in about a week (sometimes just a couple days) your finger nails will need a trim...

Your complexion should become cleaner too but this may vary hugely depending on diet as well as vitamin intake. Some facial outburst are just incurable. :(  

Aren't hair, skin and nails the "big thing" these days? That's what everybody wants. Longer healthier hair. Longer healthier nails. Healthier glowing skin. 

MORE ENERGY. 

It only takes about 20 seconds to open the bottle, pop a gummy and chew it. 20 seconds a day and results within a week.

$2 a month.

 How much simpler could it get?