tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62804623894152403252024-03-13T11:15:05.420-07:00Scantilly ClladBe Scantilly Cllad - Shop smarter, eat better, live happier. Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-32191239526924986592013-07-23T09:00:00.001-07:002013-07-23T09:01:23.355-07:00The Challenge :: Random Acts of Kindness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last night, was just a normal night – I had a list longer than my arm, of things to do and I was wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of life. I decided to stop by Aldi and pick up some of my favorite produce to chop up for the week. Once I got to the checkout area up front, horror set in as a huge line with full carts were crammed into one lane, as the other two lanes were closed. After a long day and a long line, I let out a short sigh and was thankful. With a bag of produce hanging from one arm and a watermelon bigger than myself in the other, I was thankful that I lift weights – can you say first world problems? </div>
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Finally, another lane opened up as customers politely fight for the shortest spot in line. I figure there's no need to rush as I wasn't quite done with my watermelon workout anyway. In front of me was a cute little old man, who kept to himself and in front of him was a women (aka Mystery Woman). After being rung through, Mystery Woman made her quick exit and the old man's box of goodies rung up. Cheerfully, the cashier asked him if he knew that the lady in front of him had pre-paid $8 towards his grocery bill. He was stunned and said "but I didn't even say a word to her." The cashier went on to explain that she will apply the amount to his bill, as he continued to say "I didn't know there was still good people in this world." The older lady behind me then chimed in and said "there are a lot of good people, we just hear about the bad ones!" </div>
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After seeing the sparkle in his eye and the faith in the other women's heart – it made me happy. The cashier was smiling, the old man was contemplative and everyone else behind me looked like they had just witnessed a mini-miracle. I dashed out of the store and immediately felt the urge to do something, but what? I decided to take to social media and spread the good news, since the lady behind me said we only hear about the bad. It really bothered me to hear that the old man didn't know there were still good people in the world. What if the Mystery Lady had not been there, would I have made his or anyone else's day better? </div>
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This is what brings me to <b>random acts of kindness</b> and <b>paying it forward</b>. I want to challenge you today, to be that mystery man or woman – be that light to someone's day. Chances are, you will not only effect one person, but their cheer will spread and hopefully they will pay it forward. You can choose to do one a day for the next week or even do a whole month – it's up to you! I have decided that I am going to do 25 <b>random acts of kindness</b>. Why 25? My husband, who is the most wonderful person that I have ever known is 25 years old, so in honor of him I'm spreading the happiness that he gives me. Mushy gushy is over – now make your plan of action! </div>
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While the mystery lady at Aldi spent money on her act, not all acts of kindness need to include money! See below for a few ideas and share in the comments below some ideas of your own! You may also visit <a href="http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/"><span class="s1">http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/</span></a> for a ton more ideas and resources. </div>
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Bring a homemade treat into work.</div>
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Bring a treat into your local fire or police station (this may need to be prepackaged – safety rules).</div>
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Go to a drive through and pay for the person's order who's in the car behind you.</div>
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Open the door for people everywhere you go.</div>
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Donate lightly worn clothes to Goodwill (or if you know a family seeking need).</div>
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Purchase flowers and leave on the windshield of cars. </div>
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Help a neighbor with yard work for free.</div>
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Sit by someone who's alone at church.</div>
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Write a thank you letter to a service man or woman.</div>
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Donate extra to your church or an organization you support.</div>
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Leave a larger tip.</div>
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Compliment someone you don't know.</div>
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Connect with an old high school or college teacher.</div>
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Write a thank you letter to a politician or activist that you view as a role model.</div>
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Mail a small gift to someone you know without your return address or name attached (remember they will still be able to see what city the post office stamped the package at).</div>
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Volunteer at the animal shelter.</div>
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Show appreciation for your kid's teacher and/or principal. </div>
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If you experience great service at a store, speak to the manager and tell them the name of the helpful employee.</div>
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Smile at strangers.</div>
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Go to the toy section of a store and slightly hide a few dollar bills for kids to find.</div>
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Leave a sticky note with an inspirational messages in a public place. </div>
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Invite an acquaintance over for dinner.</div>
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<b><i>Shop smarter, eat better, live happier!</i></b></h3>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-5760357030847807472013-07-11T09:34:00.001-07:002013-07-11T09:35:27.707-07:00Follow SC on Bloglovin<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/9832261/?claim=f7376ubkmff%22%3EFollow%20my%20blog%20with%20Bloglovin%3C/a">Click Here!</a>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-35563534270885490132013-07-08T10:56:00.003-07:002013-07-23T09:02:09.896-07:00How to Save Money in the Kitchen | Part 2: Eating & Living Well<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I hope ya'll picked up some good tips from the <a href="http://scantillycllad.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-to-save-money-in-kitchen-part-1.html">Part I: Grocery Shopping</a> and from my post on <a href="http://scantillycllad.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-to-eat-healthy-at-affordable-price.html">eating healthy at an affordable price</a>. Today for Part II of saving money in the kitchen, I'm here to talk about eating and living well on a budget. One of the easiest ways to save money, is to use your kitchen! My dear friend (wishful thinking), Carrie, from Sex & The City not only eats out for every meal, but she uses her oven for storage – do not be Carrie Bradshaw in the kitchen! The last time I used an oven for "storage", I was a toddler and melted my brother's Hot Wheels car. Now that I'm an adult, I've discovered that kitchens aren't just for destroying toys and eating spoonfuls of sugar.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">EATING & LIVING WELL</span></h2>
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Have Quick Meals Ready to Go</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pZ4OIYBG-rO0BpSJwU8hz_3eGvGVy0qzv80pgydQwn-mPy_3ARoW8xt81_ZaB6ktEXXE7wpXdK8ZdE9nSWLv3T9WM7_rtOoaJ18G3L_pFbVfT_ppnfzI5WNYKZ0hPsZyzx39rgNH_5yu/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pZ4OIYBG-rO0BpSJwU8hz_3eGvGVy0qzv80pgydQwn-mPy_3ARoW8xt81_ZaB6ktEXXE7wpXdK8ZdE9nSWLv3T9WM7_rtOoaJ18G3L_pFbVfT_ppnfzI5WNYKZ0hPsZyzx39rgNH_5yu/s320/photo+(5).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I pack up fruit everyday!</td></tr>
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Saving money is super easy, when you have quick meals or snacks ready to go. There are temptations everywhere (vending machines, cafes, candy dispensers, gas stations, etc) to spend money on quick food; the $.75 cent bag of chips seems like no big deal or even the $5 footlong from Subway doesn't seem to impact the wallet much, but all of these really add up! Find the time at home, whenever it's most convenient to you to put something together. I usually cut up a ton of fruit after grocery shopping, so I have a selection of fruit-filled Tupperware to grab on the go during the week. My <a href="http://scantillycllad.blogspot.com/2013/01/recipe-no-bake-granola-energy-balls.html">no-bake granola energy balls</a> are also great for a quick fix - instead of buying a bag of chips, which leads me to my next point…</div>
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Put the Cheeto Down</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7sTAJI-F3-3l060PlsCrQyMSFoEjA6lSfw-5ns_3iJUzyx9vTVR6o2iFej6igZ0Xx22cAbhC3cNknBbz6aRQE5pG2Fcz3-6-gfPNqsIZkS4UrKd46hcOypH4gB4D6pPSVINmapDbgI01/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7sTAJI-F3-3l060PlsCrQyMSFoEjA6lSfw-5ns_3iJUzyx9vTVR6o2iFej6igZ0Xx22cAbhC3cNknBbz6aRQE5pG2Fcz3-6-gfPNqsIZkS4UrKd46hcOypH4gB4D6pPSVINmapDbgI01/s320/photo+(6).JPG" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aldi has inexpensive fruit - even berries!</td></tr>
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Like I said $.75 seems like no big deal for a bag of chips, but what if I told you that you can eat produce (fruits/veggies) for approx. $.28? Not only are you saving money, but you're eating way healthier. Chances are you will feel fuller longer too. Therefore…put the Cheeto down ;)</div>
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Bake in abundance & eat leftovers</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRTUkgD7FqQu6Vmt7oJcbtQeNkzHYOBERpumzY_Ko9WfoItTcKTYt5EMRKwhcNFuXTierQEnDcbzDtely9_Op8YuGVcx94hMaTbH3IDS6DiMT1-Z5xbXaMnSkV0oY9rNrTHaS8lZo2uej/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRTUkgD7FqQu6Vmt7oJcbtQeNkzHYOBERpumzY_Ko9WfoItTcKTYt5EMRKwhcNFuXTierQEnDcbzDtely9_Op8YuGVcx94hMaTbH3IDS6DiMT1-Z5xbXaMnSkV0oY9rNrTHaS8lZo2uej/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leftovers can be awesome.</td></tr>
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Leftovers are the best thing ever – not having to cook every night is awesome, you are not being wasteful and generally recipes are made for multiple servings anyway. If you usually eat lunch on the go, throw your leftovers in a whole wheat tortilla to make a wrap or into small glassware (<a href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bisphenol-a-47091707">steer clear of microwaving in plastics</a>). You would be surprised how many things make awesome wraps! Just this past weekend, I made a wrap with boneless pork rib and mozzarella cheese – threw it on the panini maker and voila, a delicious lunch! Not to mention much healthier than those frozen vacuum packed "meals." </div>
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Replace soda and juices</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1PgXHwQXa79O464ipXkO_eE7RXJsitDEKSQME9DacoVK4Odq_5Ln2JfDfdRobc0MAPM4eYWB5o4ktCCyRM2PRnx1pjzIAmV7NwaZAnyIZuuF1jdxuwBJM1ITh0gl6BWGtWOqTzOhvY_G/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1PgXHwQXa79O464ipXkO_eE7RXJsitDEKSQME9DacoVK4Odq_5Ln2JfDfdRobc0MAPM4eYWB5o4ktCCyRM2PRnx1pjzIAmV7NwaZAnyIZuuF1jdxuwBJM1ITh0gl6BWGtWOqTzOhvY_G/s320/photo+(4).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade lemon aid with fresh mint</td></tr>
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Everyone knows soda is not good for you (my weekend indulgence) and you'd be surprised how many "juices" are basically sodas without carbonation (<a href="http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/unhealthiest-juices-america">these top 4 have more sugar than a can of Mt. Dew!</a>) They're not cheap either! Instead opt for fruit-infused water, homemade lemon aid (minimal natural sweetener), tea (Whole Foods has an awesome selection) or just filtered, ice cold water!</div>
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There ya go folks! </div>
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<b><i>Shop smarter, eat better, live happier!</i></b></h3>
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Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-425906079012562352013-06-11T11:00:00.005-07:002013-06-11T17:22:02.039-07:00Father's Day Gifts for Every Budget!<div class="p1">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_t0k_CusL1HZms9JOyocgxBdxPq3wrzdElvlQN5da4bKyxMT2HWDVmlk3DddBLBr25VgrDu7HnDlxwJ0_uoX-MhP9tqHZeAWA6BvlIbBmLXaeMtzVE_t8LIP6WyRKllEtNxXavLTTCpOS/s1600/Fathersday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_t0k_CusL1HZms9JOyocgxBdxPq3wrzdElvlQN5da4bKyxMT2HWDVmlk3DddBLBr25VgrDu7HnDlxwJ0_uoX-MhP9tqHZeAWA6BvlIbBmLXaeMtzVE_t8LIP6WyRKllEtNxXavLTTCpOS/s640/Fathersday.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Father's Day is right around the corner and I'm wondering how it snuck up on me so fast. It seems the media makes a big flowery deal about Mother's Day and Father's Day falls to the wayside. Is it because men care less about the holiday or is it because women don't need the reminder to go shopping? No worries, Scantilly Cllad has got it covered! Check out my list of Father's Day gifts for every budget.<br />
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<i>*Click the titles to view product.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.chimay.com/en/en.html?IDC=27">Specialty Beer</a> $5-10</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwuxFwpqaz7UIyZuIJzVC2heVac7vdNtNVo3XBkjPyRHwZXtpiYs7BX2my6X-hV58py-uYvDKttWu1Aa1cIR6N-k2ZKW_e_xaboy4ku9EJvpWeKFKsF7kt0_TVp15QLwoYffT5aGFl0_G/s1600/3-verres+6-bouteilles-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwuxFwpqaz7UIyZuIJzVC2heVac7vdNtNVo3XBkjPyRHwZXtpiYs7BX2my6X-hV58py-uYvDKttWu1Aa1cIR6N-k2ZKW_e_xaboy4ku9EJvpWeKFKsF7kt0_TVp15QLwoYffT5aGFl0_G/s320/3-verres+6-bouteilles-copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If the father of your kids or your dad loves a good beer, check out the newest selection at your local liquor store. Instead of picking up his usual 6-pack, look for a new specialty beer. Ask for help if you don't know which kind to pick, a store clerk should be able to point out a few good choices. If you want to play it safe, stick with his preference of a dark or light beer – there will be plenty to choose from! This is my husband's favorite specialty beer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/6d98/">Utili-Key 6-in-1 Tool</a> 9.99</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUrBa70J0po_GvIKa1jMWQDjsl04hn2QeMTIIKzYCU_AspeVWZU6_Z9lRhoRn12KS8Llq-TI6DiA8Q9xhcxCk_FiSxYPKQahGuvJvQzOpAeuDFY9X0m7WtdcgLyF8PP7UeT8mIE-kmXET/s1600/utili-key.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUrBa70J0po_GvIKa1jMWQDjsl04hn2QeMTIIKzYCU_AspeVWZU6_Z9lRhoRn12KS8Llq-TI6DiA8Q9xhcxCk_FiSxYPKQahGuvJvQzOpAeuDFY9X0m7WtdcgLyF8PP7UeT8mIE-kmXET/s1600/utili-key.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This gadget is seriously cool! A 6-in-1 tool that fits on your keychain, shaped like a key. Whether he's a handy man or not, this tool's multi-use purpose is so versatile. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sipping-Stones-Chilling-Carrying-Soapstone/dp/B005D78RPU/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1370875646&sr=1-1">Sipping Stones</a> 14.95</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDqYJ_8S0eUgb7p2Z68462aIAI2o3-Cij_pghqcDK45vVOenDJG7wIkfak8p8w4CZXe017b-j80UDfWYYtUQiSEd3EGBCxeD0O5KZ9LD_RmQ77mwoJjK1_LT1F1QZs9fJlm1u26tbehx1/s1600/71NOguWa-fL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDqYJ_8S0eUgb7p2Z68462aIAI2o3-Cij_pghqcDK45vVOenDJG7wIkfak8p8w4CZXe017b-j80UDfWYYtUQiSEd3EGBCxeD0O5KZ9LD_RmQ77mwoJjK1_LT1F1QZs9fJlm1u26tbehx1/s320/71NOguWa-fL._SL1500_.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sipping stones are the perfect way to keep a drink cool without dilution. I am actually going to purchase a set of these for my dad and father-in-law! Their "on the rocks" experience will never be the same.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://corkcicle.com/store/chillsner/">Chillsner</a> $29.95</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPwzRlN23131EI3qWf_dKCTzM9Ud7VpS9iW1imxrxKT3PkPAyoPG7PvpJvH1s3HEgxlGL9q70JEuAyVxXsDH0vXEAZcnkasYwC-CXYPkfo6mw0-49_P0OERipi50zXjaqLQCYEhfSK0mL/s1600/slide2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPwzRlN23131EI3qWf_dKCTzM9Ud7VpS9iW1imxrxKT3PkPAyoPG7PvpJvH1s3HEgxlGL9q70JEuAyVxXsDH0vXEAZcnkasYwC-CXYPkfo6mw0-49_P0OERipi50zXjaqLQCYEhfSK0mL/s400/slide2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You know how guys (and girls) love an "ice cold beer?" With the Chillsner, they can take it to a whole new level. There is no beer better than one that stays ice cold. Oh and it comes in a 2 pack, so double fisting is welcome. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/monogram-forged-steak-brand/">Monogram Forged Steak Brand</a> $31.96</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfld4swnQDwVS4Jbnpnmhw96hhiOPW3Vwl0HtMVFqcS5rF2kcjbn_ZgXHxBNJXiSBDhb-psBbqIZm_sF6FkqCIDUOnuSFuTYZCN0vtRCJN8UrsG03nFWfXNrN_YOcGjGgFVAc-tkfuxNg/s1600/img61b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfld4swnQDwVS4Jbnpnmhw96hhiOPW3Vwl0HtMVFqcS5rF2kcjbn_ZgXHxBNJXiSBDhb-psBbqIZm_sF6FkqCIDUOnuSFuTYZCN0vtRCJN8UrsG03nFWfXNrN_YOcGjGgFVAc-tkfuxNg/s320/img61b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I may be from Iowa, but correct me if I'm wrong – men love steak. Let your man put his mark on the beef with this high quality, monogrammed steak brand. Perfect for dinner parties or simply for him to claim the biggest piece. Sweet! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.firecraft.com/product/green-bay-packers-grill-tool-set/low-dollar-accessoies?s=FCWEB___GSHP&gclid=CIz0-enc2bcCFY1DMgod3BcAKQ">NFL Grill Tool Set</a> $39.95</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-Drfh7S0paHDLjTlt0WYr1CQ21BI-zjOp1lKZBpl8xTCzTAchIDQxA18noKofBat8kzzr4nQlolQBQ1fl51YQFxtIS6-M80htotU857Hq4Y8QBQhi4oSVRTbIwl9t1gLkcm-ccvcXHmx/s1600/TEAM-GRILL-TOOLS-GREEN-BAY-PACKERS-LARGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-Drfh7S0paHDLjTlt0WYr1CQ21BI-zjOp1lKZBpl8xTCzTAchIDQxA18noKofBat8kzzr4nQlolQBQ1fl51YQFxtIS6-M80htotU857Hq4Y8QBQhi4oSVRTbIwl9t1gLkcm-ccvcXHmx/s1600/TEAM-GRILL-TOOLS-GREEN-BAY-PACKERS-LARGE.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Help your dad step up his grill skills with this ballin grill tool set. While I would highly suggest everyone buy a Packers set (Go Pack Go!), there's a place called the internet that has a wide variety of options for lesser teams (hehe).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.zappos.com/reef-reef-leather-smoothy-bronze-brown?ef_id=UNswBwAAUvYDPjab:20130610143537:s">Reef</a> $48</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiX0e7lT0cJCpI5CW-GvXEw8CeQSiaDUOaHRZhJq6w2WXRRo89gHf1-jme56SggCc7vsiFw-j3CVwkS2-2Imk5SYY6tDaW2dGVMdWueCOlxJBRCINo_dkWbWaE1IhBe6mv7eL7zKW8AqB/s1600/365699-p-MULTIVIEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiX0e7lT0cJCpI5CW-GvXEw8CeQSiaDUOaHRZhJq6w2WXRRo89gHf1-jme56SggCc7vsiFw-j3CVwkS2-2Imk5SYY6tDaW2dGVMdWueCOlxJBRCINo_dkWbWaE1IhBe6mv7eL7zKW8AqB/s320/365699-p-MULTIVIEW.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Summer is here and these "manly flip flops" will rock his socks off (ya'll know socks with sandals is not a good look). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://barnhappy.net/baskets.php?detail=1">Gift Basket</a> $64</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtd5i1Ro3CNtpqDNwWWAfIDCT-Kr3f2Om_OOt3apeGMBUx9lVbAeycn4QwuXsZ_NjPtnTrfGqMpYQ1fu8_LmnwL41lmzL1pm8t4MgXMrUBRr0gQC29BNouWo86ZYvhmZuDM_Q54LQcYUoc/s1600/1-1main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtd5i1Ro3CNtpqDNwWWAfIDCT-Kr3f2Om_OOt3apeGMBUx9lVbAeycn4QwuXsZ_NjPtnTrfGqMpYQ1fu8_LmnwL41lmzL1pm8t4MgXMrUBRr0gQC29BNouWo86ZYvhmZuDM_Q54LQcYUoc/s1600/1-1main.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A gift basket full of delicious goodies is perfect for the dad at a distance from you. If you're states away, send him a bunch of local goods, that can't be bought elsewhere. This basket is great for Father's Day with salsa, dip, beef stick, popcorn, etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Versace-Dreamer-By-Versace-Men-Cologne-EDT-3-4-oz-Spray-Nib-Rare-/251105500141?pt=fragrance&hash=item3a770ddbed">Cologne</a> $69.99</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4e6CgwXkgWHH4V6k6S5HwKGrMglaC5UntAb57w2d0Ga04tBghCI7a5ShqaeoMlKxjsanzzX-wZmpPq9ej5HiHwLZWbXaCAqSFSWmdk6SbXwzwARXYQr5Q-FGPYmiUWapAj90lrL5kcWM8/s1600/$(KGrHqZHJ!wE+TtJCrnBBP+bp,54Lw~~60_35.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4e6CgwXkgWHH4V6k6S5HwKGrMglaC5UntAb57w2d0Ga04tBghCI7a5ShqaeoMlKxjsanzzX-wZmpPq9ej5HiHwLZWbXaCAqSFSWmdk6SbXwzwARXYQr5Q-FGPYmiUWapAj90lrL5kcWM8/s1600/$(KGrHqZHJ!wE+TtJCrnBBP+bp,54Lw~~60_35.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cologne is a great gift to give the father of your kids. Remember how good he used to smell before he had to change all those dirty diapers? Just kidding, we all know men don't change the diapers (jk jk!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rover-App-Controlled-Tank-Night-Vision/dp/B005OQYOB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370877939&sr=8-1&keywords=Rover+App-Controlled+Spy+Tank+with+Night+Vision">App Controlled Tank with Night Vision</a> $79.99</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatzz2fDZ4vqVDk47afZASl75Ezmbfr8FTxSkzGg5MKVwCPaDCmcnUlKd6153F9kdCul4ZrGlZ9-a84GS47a-UM4Hcvodt5fJX5UKY_1fKcAhyku9V315Cc2EHS6_6T_TgFrcERkBnSt_G/s1600/41XA4rfwROL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatzz2fDZ4vqVDk47afZASl75Ezmbfr8FTxSkzGg5MKVwCPaDCmcnUlKd6153F9kdCul4ZrGlZ9-a84GS47a-UM4Hcvodt5fJX5UKY_1fKcAhyku9V315Cc2EHS6_6T_TgFrcERkBnSt_G/s320/41XA4rfwROL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You will be the wife or daughter of the year if you bought this tank for him. I don't know a single guy who wouldn't want to play around with this man's toy – heck I want to play with this and Im not even interested in this kind of stuff! Definitely a solid buy for a man who's young at heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vifah-V274-W-Breeze-Hammock-Bed/dp/B001JEG582/ref=sr_1_11?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1370878119&sr=1-11&keywords=hammock">Hammock Bed</a> $91.24</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdSnF5SwhyphenhyphenHPpgJJ5KeHQHLHtlSLTLc6GYLYCqiEcGs-osa1DgmvDhF_P4v1qpAt-gkfA_5qXAeoKQWBx4QFdvhH4YFqbzlK3eBQhU0xoSyuSEagv5wIbTsQn-l4RWZJtXInu5vSOkNpq/s1600/61RoH2z1NJL._SL1373_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdSnF5SwhyphenhyphenHPpgJJ5KeHQHLHtlSLTLc6GYLYCqiEcGs-osa1DgmvDhF_P4v1qpAt-gkfA_5qXAeoKQWBx4QFdvhH4YFqbzlK3eBQhU0xoSyuSEagv5wIbTsQn-l4RWZJtXInu5vSOkNpq/s320/61RoH2z1NJL._SL1373_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Treat the dad in your life, with this relaxing hammock bed. Perfect for the man who works hard and deserves some relaxation (or if you're trying to move your couch potato outside?) Double points if you bring him a drink and snacks, when he's trying it out!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Weber-741001-Silver-One-Touch-2-Inch/dp/B00004RALU/ref=sr_1_3?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1370877252&sr=1-3&keywords=charcoal+grill">Charcoal Grill</a> $99</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysIqtEwP0bJluTOzlqS8LcslrdIFRQkR2WA8StJWEtYUGYFl3EvbisHbAThgEE_HL0U-QtmjHdmWUeOpzRAAdI_6qOv5I9CNqbKGi6rMKSmY_KvZqFVuB6EXefAc5lVhxpzAR6jXM78Wi/s1600/41MXBH52FVL._SY450_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysIqtEwP0bJluTOzlqS8LcslrdIFRQkR2WA8StJWEtYUGYFl3EvbisHbAThgEE_HL0U-QtmjHdmWUeOpzRAAdI_6qOv5I9CNqbKGi6rMKSmY_KvZqFVuB6EXefAc5lVhxpzAR6jXM78Wi/s320/41MXBH52FVL._SY450_.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My husband has said numerous times over the past year, that we should get a charcoal grill. While grilling with propane is fast and easy, there's just something about the pace and smell of charcoal grilling that drives men crazy, in a good way!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What are you getting the dad in your life, for father's day? There are so many great options for gifts, whether homemade, purchased or an experience together (ball game anybody?), your dad is sure to love anything that you put thought into!</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Be Scantilly Cllad - Shop smarter, eat better, live happier.</span></i></h3>
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Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-75272419790032671312013-05-30T14:54:00.001-07:002013-05-30T14:54:12.328-07:00How To: Save Money at the Movie Theater<div class="p1">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_e5sv6zyUYppaS6jOZ6AfOBKQAsEQj2t4VwIWg5PWD0E_Vq7z_xbasqvH36moV9uvLQhrsI0cDoNI7js5YykmAz7N4nwoHkRjR_MWWR581ubBbuy7cweobs_dBgktMOvGQwOG6DjcNGNi/s1600/coupon_b_20130530.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_e5sv6zyUYppaS6jOZ6AfOBKQAsEQj2t4VwIWg5PWD0E_Vq7z_xbasqvH36moV9uvLQhrsI0cDoNI7js5YykmAz7N4nwoHkRjR_MWWR581ubBbuy7cweobs_dBgktMOvGQwOG6DjcNGNi/s400/coupon_b_20130530.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You know that feeling you get when you see an awesome movie trailer that you've been dying to see?
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the heat of the moment, I dash online to check out the showtimes and before I know it, the hefty ticket prices smack me in the face, forfeiting my desire. Depending on how bad my husband and I want to see a movie, we "rate it's worth" on the "scale" of: redbox rental (est. $1.35), video store rental (est. $3) or movie theater (est. $9.50). While it's always cheaper to watch at home, it's fun to have a movie date night out every so often! In this post, you'll learn how to affordably go to the movies and get your popcorn too. And by that, I don't mean smuggling it in your purse…</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44e_4Psfb0_GS5CT0MMbtSD3fzZ9cHQSZ5E0-60TRwaqbm4UwCHZ1oPb0aEMonLw7cuzc2szuzAyWxUQzkLLH6Fiyf2saJ6r3PVASuSVZzBAvOEHrvx3LMSvO6zkN4FQlC_4gHj6a653X/s1600/email.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44e_4Psfb0_GS5CT0MMbtSD3fzZ9cHQSZ5E0-60TRwaqbm4UwCHZ1oPb0aEMonLw7cuzc2szuzAyWxUQzkLLH6Fiyf2saJ6r3PVASuSVZzBAvOEHrvx3LMSvO6zkN4FQlC_4gHj6a653X/s400/email.tiff" width="275" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Email I received this week</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We all get tons of junk email such as newsletters, special deals and updates that we tend ignore or mark as spam, but today I want to tell you about some "junk mail" that is actually beneficial! For a while now, I have been a member of my local movie theater's newsletter club. Each week I receive an email regarding new movies, weekly showtimes and news – BUT it also includes coupons (SCORE!) While saving 25 cents on an Icee isn't going to puff up your wallet, saving $4.50 on a movie will. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Check out your local movie theater's website and see if they offer a similar club that emails out <b>coupon savings</b> or <b>discounted nights</b>. Oh and with that $4.50 savings, go ahead and reward yourself – <i><b>movie and popcorn for the price of 1 regular ticket! </b></i></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shop smarter, eat better, live happier.</span></i></b></h3>
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Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-48785629578065248492013-05-15T13:15:00.002-07:002013-05-15T13:19:37.827-07:00How to: Eat Healthy at an Affordable Price<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Recently I went on my big grocery shopping trip to fill the kitchen with good food and to take advantage of sales. I always love loading up my cart with good deals, but I will tell ya, nothing will get you out of a grocery store faster than a 16 year old boy behind the meat counter hitting on ya. I'm sure my face turned as red as the raw meat and I ducked out of there so fast that I missed out on the $1.99/pound chicken breast sale. I would trade a compliment for a good deal any day. ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The chicken wasn't the only good sale that I missed out on that day though. My favorite BBQ Lays Kettle chips were also on sale for $2.50/bag and despite trying to eat healthy, I definitely love a good chip. I grabbed the bag and threw it in my cart, then it dawned on me. Why the hell am I buying a small bag of chips for $2.50 when about 60% of the bag is just filled with air? Back on the shelf it went. Sorry Lays, that "good deal" just wasn't good enough! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not only was a small bag spendy, but nutrition was almost non-existent! (Fooducate)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While $2.50 doesn't sound like a lot, it actually is a lot when you compare it to how much more food you can get for the same price. Not only more food, but healthier food! Healthy food for a low price, whaaat? If you shop smart, you can eat like a Whole Foods junkie, but for a fraction of the cost. Processed foods are not only bad on the wallet, they're bad on your body! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The other day, I unconsciously performed an experiment when I had to pick up a few items at the store. I always shop for fresh produce at a discount grocer (Aldi), while I go to a mid-range store (Hyvee or Fareway) for most processed goods and meats. Unintentionally, after purchasing everything off of my lists, <i>both bills rang up within $1 of each other</i>. Guess which store I got a better value at? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That's right, I was able to get a lot of fruits and vegetables (stigma of being "too expensive" to eat healthy) at Aldi. Compared to being able to purchase only a few processed items (stigma for being cheaper) at Hyvee for almost the same exact cost. <b>Not only can you eat healthier, but you get to spend less as well!</b> While all cities may not have an Aldi, look around because you are bound to find something more affordable. Even CBS said that discount grocery chains are "growing fast," also mentioning Aldi, Grocery Outlet and Save-a-Lot were the three largest chains (2011). Click to find the store nearest you: <a href="http://www.aldi.us/us/html/service/store_locator_ENU_HTML.htm">Aldi</a>, <a href="http://www.groceryoutlet.com/Default/StoreFinder.aspx">Grocery Outlet</a>, and <a href="http://save-a-lot.com/store-locator">Save-a-Lot</a>. Not only are there discount stores, but there are also salvage grocery stores to get goods at the cheapest cost. Look <a href="http://www.extremebargains.net/store/Independent_Discount_and_Salvage_Grocery_Store_Directory.html">here</a> for your closest salvage goods store.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting a bag of oranges for $1.99 & health benefits topping the charts! (Fooducate)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Choosing to eat healthy <b><i>or</i></b> eat affordable <i><b>does not have to be a choice</b></i>, it just takes a little searching and effort to have both, but no one said having the best of both worlds was easy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Please comment if you know of any other great discount stores or if you have any ideas of how to eat healthy affordably! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Shop smarter, eat better, live happier!</i></span></h3>
<br />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-52427552514211186082013-05-03T14:36:00.001-07:002013-05-08T10:05:42.113-07:00How To Save Money in the Kitchen | Part 1: Grocery Shopping<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Saving money in the kitchen can be one of the easiest ways to make room in your budget. I'm not going to just tell you to stop eating out all the time like most money saving articles, but I will tell you <b>how to save money each month by grocery shopping smart, cooking efficiently, while eating healthy and living well</b>. The things we do in the kitchen are so normal to our daily or weekly chores, it's oftentimes something that we don't even think about. Once you have "saving money in the kitchen" on your mind, you will realize how much money you can actually save every month just by making <i>conscious choices</i>! Personally as a bonus, I have started eating healthier as well – fruits and veggies are SO much cheaper than processed food. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While the cost of living varies wildly from area to area, every single one of these tips apply to anyone who's looking to save money in the kitchen each month. Soon enough, you'll be eating steak and asparagus <i>(insert your favorite meal)</i> on a rice and beans budget. Just because you can afford to spend $10+ per steak at the grocery store, doesn't mean you need to! Put your savings to good use elsewhere!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">PART 1: SHOPPING</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Create a Food Budget for Each Month</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First and foremost, creating a monthly food budget is the most important thing. A budget is more or less a target or a goal of what you're aiming to hit or achieve. If you don't set a budget or keep track of how much you're spending, it is so easy to blow hundreds of dollars every month. It may be tricky at first to figure out how much you should be spending. Personally, my husband and I started out at least $50 lower than we had been doing prior to the budget. I wanted to see exactly how little we could spend each month on groceries, yet still eat like kings and queens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Minimize Trips to the Store</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another huge decision my husband and I made, that has turned out to be really awesome, is to do one massive grocery shopping trip a month. Then I just go on a quick 5 min trip biweekly to pick up a few fresh goods at the discount grocer (Aldi). Before going on our big shopping trip, we go through our cupboards and fridge and make a list of everything we need. Having the list also prevents the questions like "hmmm do I already have brown sugar at home or am I almost out?" (At one point in time, prior to big trip lists, I think I had 3 brown sugars in my cupboard because I kept forgetting whether I had any at home!) By minimizing our trips to the grocery store, we see less things that we want or think we need – this rule is also super handy for trips to Walmart/Target as well. This seriously helps! It's also great for time's sake to do one big trip, versus a weekly shopping trip that takes forever. As a bonus, the newlywed in me enjoys the trip with my husband – it's nice to make small decisions together and to work as a team, otherwise the trip is just another chore.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Planning meals around sales, isn't new to the savvy shopper, so I'll be brief. If you plan your meals based upon what's on sale you can afford to eat literally whatever you want, you just have to wait until it goes on sale. There's nothing worse than spending $4 on a pound of strawberries, when Aldi has them on sale for 99 cents. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Comparing ads is important because sometimes when stores have really great sales, they can even beat out discount store sale prices. Remember, just because something is in an ad, it doesn't necessarily mean it's on sale. Every time we make our big shopping list, I write down the sale price by the item we need and if I see the same thing in a different ad significantly cheaper, we will get it there (see below)! Don't forget to take in account the distance it takes to get something on sale at a different store though, it's not worth driving across town to save 50 cents just on pasta sauce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The only thing better than saving a few bucks on strawberries, is when your preferred grocer will honor another store's sale prices. Check with your local grocer to see if they honor other store's sale prices and/or coupons– this will save you time and money. At first, I was a little embarrassed to whip out my ads at the cashier to get the price matching, but don't be because people do it all the time! Just don't forget your ads or coupons at home!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>There are a million ways to save money when shopping for food, you just have to work for it or in some cases put on the blinders. Here are a few other tips to remember:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• Store branded goods are usually cheaper than advertised brands and are the same or of similar quality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• Where you shop can play a big role in the cost of goods even at regular sale price. Search for a local discount store, versus mid-range or upscale stores.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Prepared & precut foods are almost always more expensive than when you prepare it yourself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• Fresh meat, cheese, bakery items, etc can be found often at a clearance price when the goods are nearing expiration dates - still safe and good to eat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't pickup any impulse buys at the checkout line.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't go up and down every aisle if you don't need to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Leave your child at home, if at all possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Skip the bottled water, soda, carbonated water, etc if at all possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't shop when you're hungry! We've all been there, done that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ask for a rain check, when sale items are all out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you can make it, bake it or grow it at home, most of the time it will be cheaper to do so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">• </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wait for produce to be in-season, it will be the most affordable then</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>What other grocery shopping saving tips do you have? Feel free to share below!</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Be on the lookout for Part 2 & 3 – happy shopping!</i></b></span></div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-44086189258313244562013-04-16T11:01:00.001-07:002013-04-16T11:01:07.681-07:0011 Reasons :: Why You Should Study Abroad!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhffR_xq9nPGu8Dysbfv2xw4yg5x_RYwroDV_jMA3Y_S6a65AcwgarMroWj517gjCU7nv13H7MyiKSIrHguB3idXHZqj0XfsW3s3Jo4jbsBwhY3Gs911ebIqrM-NsPmGkpdvItBSKKpZU/s1600/studyabroad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhffR_xq9nPGu8Dysbfv2xw4yg5x_RYwroDV_jMA3Y_S6a65AcwgarMroWj517gjCU7nv13H7MyiKSIrHguB3idXHZqj0XfsW3s3Jo4jbsBwhY3Gs911ebIqrM-NsPmGkpdvItBSKKpZU/s400/studyabroad.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few years ago, I had the dream of <b>studying abroad</b> on my <b>bucket list</b>, but I thought it was just that – a dream. I wanted to immerse myself in a different culture, but I knew that dreaming versus actually living it out is two totally different things. I knew that no one was going to help my dreams come true, unless I took the initial step towards them. This led me to the day I decided that I was not only going to study abroad, but I was also going to go on an international mission trip (more to come on this!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had no plan, I had no budget and I barely had any savings as a poor, college kid. I ended up going to the study abroad office and grabbing some material on the upcoming trips and found out that they had more options than I ever knew about. I decided that a semester long trip was a bit too long for me so I settled on a <b>2 week excursion to Paris and London</b>. While I am in love with different cultures and exotic places, I figured these two miraculous cities were a great start to international traveling, which I had <i>never</i> done before. Before even leaving the United States, my “class” met every week to complete coursework and to learn about the countries we would be visiting. Therefore, no coursework during the trip was involved!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Only a few months later, in the Spring of 2010, my small class and I were off on a plane to the UK for an <i>experience of a lifetime</i>. I was a mixed bag of emotions, I was excited and I knew a few other people going, but I was nervous as well. I didn’t own a smart phone with a SIM card, I didn’t have any clue how to speak French and all I had was American money, etc. Needless to say, it was a life-changing experience - and I learned <i>a lot</i>. I think I learned as much about myself as I did about the UK and France. I believe that it's extremely important to <b>follow your dreams </b>and I wanted to create this post to let you know <b><i>why you should study abroad</i></b>! </span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_X0C-aeJCG8qhUj1NXohaYc75IxK4zIDepp-sJzCSTfv4nHeolGsrSqsiv_quQLV_F-prBguVhUeBfZBVOmpDp5ZgwIFO9WvyHT-SBS9pqklzmtxQbsd2IlW-fFjPpslz8T1bMosce6Q/s1600/photo_17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_X0C-aeJCG8qhUj1NXohaYc75IxK4zIDepp-sJzCSTfv4nHeolGsrSqsiv_quQLV_F-prBguVhUeBfZBVOmpDp5ZgwIFO9WvyHT-SBS9pqklzmtxQbsd2IlW-fFjPpslz8T1bMosce6Q/s320/photo_17.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Harass British Guard - Check!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Make a Dream Your Reality</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Like I mentioned, it was always my dream to study abroad, but I never thought it was a possibility. The problem wasn't that I wasn't able to, the problem was that I never looked into it or even tried. This time in your life, as a student, may be your only chance to live abroad for any period of time. Most traditional students don't have kids, full-time jobs, many bills (yet) or anyone else to depend on them. Once you graduate, welcome to the real world! Hopefully you'll find a"grown-up job" and along with that comes the grown-up bills and responsibilities. You're young and free now – make your dream a reality!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London mall, trying on hats!</td></tr>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Scholarships Available</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Little did I know that scholarships existed that I could utilize. The scholarship I applied for only needed an application and short essay, no FAFSA or interviewing required. While the scholarship I got was not large, $300 was better than nothing - especially when you have no money! By the time I heard about this scholarship, the application and essays were past due, but I tried anyway. Even without turning in the required essay, I still got some money! To get more money, obviously you need to be more prepared than I was. Don't just search for scholarships from your university, but also look online. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ladies from class at group dinner in Paris</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Saves Money in Big Picture</span></h3>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Studying abroad for a semester long can actually save you money versus vacationing for an extended period of time. Longer visits allow you to stay in the dorms or with a host family, which drastically cuts down costs that you'd be spending on hotels, hostels, restaurants, etc.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3_K1y6PJoDCA5iNO9jorWC1_BkEUBlUeeeKt9u5u9AYqNSp8GRUkJBBI19jNmzrvl8WU5zePZ4mtXxvlT9sNObKtO4K9AYUunUM_rlwmijCV8Tgg8Cx1jIpiQ9Bpqu24G39IUU8OPPic/s1600/photo_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3_K1y6PJoDCA5iNO9jorWC1_BkEUBlUeeeKt9u5u9AYqNSp8GRUkJBBI19jNmzrvl8WU5zePZ4mtXxvlT9sNObKtO4K9AYUunUM_rlwmijCV8Tgg8Cx1jIpiQ9Bpqu24G39IUU8OPPic/s1600/photo_5.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arc De Triomphe, Paris</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-WBwfMo049DBfhqVhFNDsv5kXVd6c1aU7puvVUiqvVEM9B-IN5iClgCMrg1td9gozg7TlQzXXOcXXOfCyMN0d8AnRceu3ND0HeZbh99UfG3_RJq6Ju2padbitjzQBiibJti-nsnkbZa2/s1600/photo_16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-WBwfMo049DBfhqVhFNDsv5kXVd6c1aU7puvVUiqvVEM9B-IN5iClgCMrg1td9gozg7TlQzXXOcXXOfCyMN0d8AnRceu3ND0HeZbh99UfG3_RJq6Ju2padbitjzQBiibJti-nsnkbZa2/s320/photo_16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden at the Palace of Versailles, Paris</td></tr>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Experience Other Cultures</span></h3>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No matter how many museums you see, books you read and websites you visit about another country, you will never have the same experience as you would in person. I was actually able to see Stonehenge and Roman Bath in person, visit the Palace of Versailles and walk through the French catacombs with thousands of skulls. Or something as silly as stepping in an old British phone booth and riding the double decker. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtza6d_ZrvS-eld_D_KJv0iXLZcAIovC-XuS3CyML9lrHKhGC6yDHfx9NiuuJAyih3xMd65jkdIYOuqQwjrHyHYuFclap0Fn2yRdPwxkfT1bf1WCRcD749R4f7leBQHkIsgJPmIqLThu7e/s1600/photo_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtza6d_ZrvS-eld_D_KJv0iXLZcAIovC-XuS3CyML9lrHKhGC6yDHfx9NiuuJAyih3xMd65jkdIYOuqQwjrHyHYuFclap0Fn2yRdPwxkfT1bf1WCRcD749R4f7leBQHkIsgJPmIqLThu7e/s320/photo_4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YSTcJLNsYmgu7N3sKrpk56nI0HR7Yoskp_TCI0V8GFo8nHj3KLfogm2HBc8vEBng6QycZbhNSlrfK-PlciDW0wKV3A0u-C-zG037CB722kmuNlatHMjkJL0MEORKT2CFWBHByvosPH6n/s1600/photo_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YSTcJLNsYmgu7N3sKrpk56nI0HR7Yoskp_TCI0V8GFo8nHj3KLfogm2HBc8vEBng6QycZbhNSlrfK-PlciDW0wKV3A0u-C-zG037CB722kmuNlatHMjkJL0MEORKT2CFWBHByvosPH6n/s320/photo_8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random order on a French menu. Seriously, YUM!</td></tr>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Authenticity</span></h3>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The longer you stay in a particular country or region, the more authentic your experience will become. You get past the cheap junk tourist shops, americanized versions of ethnic food and you get to know the natives on a deeper level. You will get to know what real "Chinese," "French," "German," etc. food actually tastes like, you will be able to find original hand-crafted trinkets and maybe even pick up on the language.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnZK0nwe0ZrBXN6SbeV9vBL0aBpBpM_sNqjhbLd5kOX45IBSMkAETwz7hwjo0H3WIUQucxScz0m1aFfEtJ8eevluA_K8Aso5ibU0SG6G_FAosb8YDcRA0AX-GhPKetE04T8EbMvbjEcY-/s1600/photo_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnZK0nwe0ZrBXN6SbeV9vBL0aBpBpM_sNqjhbLd5kOX45IBSMkAETwz7hwjo0H3WIUQucxScz0m1aFfEtJ8eevluA_K8Aso5ibU0SG6G_FAosb8YDcRA0AX-GhPKetE04T8EbMvbjEcY-/s320/photo_6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzULs5qD4zd3hCSeihY2cwY3vL4adqi_Tcuh7HSY4YLzQ5Aaukv76VMnrFT9oMg6yze139P7Z6GX1ELsWQs-uJyRFu8SWmC3-c9tePx_cw_x4Pm-eoexPMxbkLx6GHmIt3OuIunP86reBy/s1600/photo_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzULs5qD4zd3hCSeihY2cwY3vL4adqi_Tcuh7HSY4YLzQ5Aaukv76VMnrFT9oMg6yze139P7Z6GX1ELsWQs-uJyRFu8SWmC3-c9tePx_cw_x4Pm-eoexPMxbkLx6GHmIt3OuIunP86reBy/s320/photo_3.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Defense District</td></tr>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Learn a New Language</span></h3>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I first started looking for places to study abroad I wanted to go somewhere that would improve my Spanish. Living in another country for any period of time allows you to pick up on the language much faster than studying from a book! Why? Because you literally have no choice to speak English if no one knows it! You will also learn how the locals speak (slang), proper sentence structure, etc. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfw056uy0PpcmA4FJln6N4lBB1muOX1hW-Ivlx-Z2QqOZaL3_JkgS5NWKfOHkDPQlp9PlPjPobL9Mh-qXtkxB6S0ihoeRMxjGDcOvNIwnGnN_GS4DfaBXzhRnFqS9Ai6yVNlTG8HjHNRgg/s1600/photo_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfw056uy0PpcmA4FJln6N4lBB1muOX1hW-Ivlx-Z2QqOZaL3_JkgS5NWKfOHkDPQlp9PlPjPobL9Mh-qXtkxB6S0ihoeRMxjGDcOvNIwnGnN_GS4DfaBXzhRnFqS9Ai6yVNlTG8HjHNRgg/s320/photo_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palace of Versailles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cKCF3F3XEiTIIJ9nAK80RPWpsp1-m3P0jL9SY7VYNFnFOXihY1D-QB_BpTIXwLhPs62vSa7kITJ-DF72XHfj-tgNRsqtxbo6_qP4epu5MxXMXAd6YKeuYH6ez7XOFBAWyM3XxF1RN6z0/s1600/photo_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cKCF3F3XEiTIIJ9nAK80RPWpsp1-m3P0jL9SY7VYNFnFOXihY1D-QB_BpTIXwLhPs62vSa7kITJ-DF72XHfj-tgNRsqtxbo6_qP4epu5MxXMXAd6YKeuYH6ez7XOFBAWyM3XxF1RN6z0/s320/photo_12.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Tower AKA Big Ben</td></tr>
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<div class="p2">
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visit Historic Sites & Beautiful Views</span></h3>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Like I mentioned, experiencing something in real life is way better than merely seeing it online. The wonderful experience of not only seeing the Eiffel Tower, but going up in it and seeing the beautiful view of Paris from the tower. I would suggest to see historic sites, but also just appreciate the area you're in. The beauty of the markets, unfamiliar street signs and wildlife. When you go to visit famous landmarks and buildings, try different modes of transportation. Try the subway, taxi, ferry, double-decker bus, light-rail, boat or even walking there. It's important to see the city from different perspectives, for instance one of my favorite memories was taking a Seine River Cruise in France – we saw a whole different view of the city!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYrATtA42EYsYd4Sbl-Ox2ramrzV7435aqp6ZZNwxZIMec6epirjLrVM6ce_Ok4ocD_oSNfV0zLRx2eFM-Y59ODsq8uwqGDewx9zlzyQ6zGkS8Xyb7Q0d1ENuNiw8PNy1ZgYMPLdiyDkM/s1600/photo_15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYrATtA42EYsYd4Sbl-Ox2ramrzV7435aqp6ZZNwxZIMec6epirjLrVM6ce_Ok4ocD_oSNfV0zLRx2eFM-Y59ODsq8uwqGDewx9zlzyQ6zGkS8Xyb7Q0d1ENuNiw8PNy1ZgYMPLdiyDkM/s320/photo_15.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from on top of the Eiffel Tower, Paris!</td></tr>
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<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Learn to Adapt</span></h3>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a girl from a small town in the Midwest, I can tell you that Studying Abroad taught me how to adapt more than anything else ever has. While most of the trip was smooth sailing, I'm not gonna lie, at some points I was uncomfortable, anxious or even scared. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few adaptation things I either learned or practiced while overseas:</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- How to communicate without knowing the language</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- How to best protect yourself from theft</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- How to use a different currency</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- How to exchange currency</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Who to trust, travel with and cut ties from</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- How to navigate a subway system, airport, busses</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- How to be completely on your own, thousands of miles away from family/friends</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- How to pack for international trips (less is more)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Learn the art of bargaining</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Many more!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceZKFtpiCE9_1Ows5SXyYVWdsT-_HZdUfeh6AsAIp_TXqmts_Xjmu7iu8wll95GxeEFvBgUq_UOAZ215cTPvnYnEKflPnFUQD3328xiUWwF5jxNXCrPwdihMC6oyiOekqreNYS5DA9NjI/s1600/photo_1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceZKFtpiCE9_1Ows5SXyYVWdsT-_HZdUfeh6AsAIp_TXqmts_Xjmu7iu8wll95GxeEFvBgUq_UOAZ215cTPvnYnEKflPnFUQD3328xiUWwF5jxNXCrPwdihMC6oyiOekqreNYS5DA9NjI/s320/photo_1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Learn More About Yourself</span></h3>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One unexpected bonus about studying abroad is that you will learn so much about yourself. I realized how much my boyfriend meant to me (we're married now – YAY!), I also learned a lot about a friendship (cut ties), how much I hated clubs (went to Ministry of Sound) and how much I loved traveling.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdfVVIbyhw7lF2o9z4dDVPExbUSu8hsRxNGbgoCUXdM_HuoARidVQeQFVgeIRNNHN6uLwrdriu86E0eIPhu7KWCLiSgS_07DAAIbbB8MoKFWIhIEyGrfSxQRMzeejaAjCMnMfni0u3a76/s1600/photo_14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdfVVIbyhw7lF2o9z4dDVPExbUSu8hsRxNGbgoCUXdM_HuoARidVQeQFVgeIRNNHN6uLwrdriu86E0eIPhu7KWCLiSgS_07DAAIbbB8MoKFWIhIEyGrfSxQRMzeejaAjCMnMfni0u3a76/s320/photo_14.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman Bath in Bath, UK</td></tr>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Looks Great on a Resume</span></h3>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In today's world, diversity is extremely important. Having the study abroad experience on your resume will tell a potential employer that you have diverse cultural experiences (huge in customer service/relations), you can adapt and are potentially flexible to traveling/moving, potential language skills, etc. Personally I think that it shows you're open to new things, adventure and a heightened level of maturity.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7GN9DWdTBwFPsRlwlhqquwY8FMcQJ4TPKzpjHXAvfgxoECsI09FwrIHKv-MuwLIr0iaLofZbdBNU8xFw_dp0Wk5AMVM5PvH3wXPVpqWz-5luNVMisH5UOuVONZg81yoaUHSijOjtbGib/s1600/photo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7GN9DWdTBwFPsRlwlhqquwY8FMcQJ4TPKzpjHXAvfgxoECsI09FwrIHKv-MuwLIr0iaLofZbdBNU8xFw_dp0Wk5AMVM5PvH3wXPVpqWz-5luNVMisH5UOuVONZg81yoaUHSijOjtbGib/s1600/photo_2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eiffel Tower, Paris</td></tr>
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<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's Fun, Great Memories & Stories</span></h3>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Studying abroad can be awesome for meeting new friends, whether you travel in a group with them, stay with them or meet them at your new international university. I think that 1/3 of my memories are about the people I met/traveled with, 1/3 about all of the places I visited and things I learned and 1/3 about all of the funny or ridiculous things that happened while traveling! </span></div>
<div class="p2">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6aSjp4pFIdsoyrGZlFlH5qGJbBOjjOfXkl1AtSWDI4H87guS_TdsShNYKgh8WzSOCfsnFL9xmN2K2zImbVBoaQvvaqrjsMMcWFgF2puucehAlOnhMhoD-FmlnVdHSjaZL38ax9Qu7BVm6/s1600/photo_13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6aSjp4pFIdsoyrGZlFlH5qGJbBOjjOfXkl1AtSWDI4H87guS_TdsShNYKgh8WzSOCfsnFL9xmN2K2zImbVBoaQvvaqrjsMMcWFgF2puucehAlOnhMhoD-FmlnVdHSjaZL38ax9Qu7BVm6/s320/photo_13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stonehenge, UK</td></tr>
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<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few final suggestions:</span></h3>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Try new authentic foods. Try ordering off a menu and not knowing the language, that was fun.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Interact with the locals. The front desk guy at our UK hostel was the coolest! He gave us great travel suggestions told us about the local hot spots. </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Purchase quality things to bring back. Personally, I decided to spend money on things that would last for a long time. While I did not have a lot of money, I budgeted and was able to bring back some awesome things. Some of which are now my favorite possessions. I did not simply blow my money on a million tourist trinkets, expensive drinks or things that I could eat/see/do in America. </span><br />
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</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Now mark this off your bucket list and get to your college's study abroad office for some information!</i></b></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-62438983794803217152013-03-26T13:31:00.003-07:002013-06-06T15:17:09.068-07:00How to Save Money Post Wedding :: The 5 R's<div class="p1">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">REGISTRY, REBATE, RETURN, REWORK & REGIFT</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">REGISTRY</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Did you know that most stores offer a registration completion discount? All of the things you wanted or needed off your registry, that you did not receive as a gift – you can purchase with a discount! We found that the average discount was about 10% off everything. Beware though, some stores may offer this on only one transaction, so pile up everything you need and get it in one shot! (It's even more fun, when you get to pay for it in all gift cards.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">REBATE</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oftentimes pans set, knife set, Kitchen-Aid mixers and other pricey items offer great rebates. Don't forget to take advantage of these savings! Most times you will receive money back, but sometimes rebates will send you a free gift, such as a new pan or measuring set ($$$). In the image above, Williams-Sonoma offers $50 cash back and a free 2-year magazine subscription. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">RETURN</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Did you get a bunch of gifts that were not on your registry that you don't want or need? Don't feel bad about returning it, seriously. Most likely, whoever bought the gift had wonderful intentions, but just didn't know where you were registered and would not be upset if you returned it. In exchange you will be able to put that money towards something else you needed, instead of paying out of pocket. Much better than a gift never seeing the light of day!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: abeautifulmess.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">REWORK</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sometimes gifts you receive aren't exactly what they looked like online or just aren't something you registered for. Feel free to turn it into a craft! Personalized items also make for great gifts, with little or no impact to your wallet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For example, if you receive a cute set of mugs that don't match your set, take a <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2012/06/his-her-sharpie-mug-diy.html">Sharpie to it, bake it</a> (350 degrees for 30 min) and turn the design into something permanent! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: storiented.blogspot.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">REGIFT</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Regifting comes in handy when you don't have a return receipt or if you know someone who has been wanting this particular item (that you have no want/need for). I say regift, with an important disclaimer. Do NOT regift if it's used (rude!), useless (already owns one) or unwanted by the receiver (not to their taste). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For instance, if you received 2 panini grills and your newly engaged sister loves a good sandwich, feel free to rewrap it up! But if she already has a panini grill or has no space for extra kitchen appliances, then it's useless to her! Don't forget to keep in mind the needs and wants of the receiver.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope these tips will not only help you save money, but help you decide what to do with all of the wonderful gifts you have received!</span></div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-82003878841687624182013-02-25T08:14:00.001-08:002013-02-25T08:16:12.311-08:00Save Money :: Weekly Ad Coupon Match-Up<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGg9IilkMBr_l2Ixrf-fdRoLbmLUb9QQKOC1xWTObarOaPYdXVHVv0SaUcvQ_Mpn5wplZp0Lhn7byP5qJzjC6bEEuMMAxxlmE6AjCBUVQcUIl93f1HQQum15m4M_smHPJUN9YDDGvCpwPQ/s1600/couponmatchup.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGg9IilkMBr_l2Ixrf-fdRoLbmLUb9QQKOC1xWTObarOaPYdXVHVv0SaUcvQ_Mpn5wplZp0Lhn7byP5qJzjC6bEEuMMAxxlmE6AjCBUVQcUIl93f1HQQum15m4M_smHPJUN9YDDGvCpwPQ/s400/couponmatchup.tiff" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I unexpectedly came upon a handy page on the <b>Hy-Vee</b> website, called <b>Helpful Ideas</b>. I originally thought that perhaps it was something like a suggestion box or had meal plan ideas, but to my surprise it was something better. This "<b>Helpful Ideas</b>" page pairs their <b><i>weekly deals with current coupons</i></b> on the same product – how awesome! Who doesn't like <b>double savings</b>? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last night my husband and I stopped by a Hy-Vee on the way home from a friend's house to pick up a few things (one thing quickly turned into a basketful) and to our delight we found our favorite shampoo on clearance. Not only was our expensive (we're cheap) shampoo on clearance in LITER bottles for $4, but we had a <i>Buy 1, Get 1 FREE coupon</i>! We literally got <b>two, liter bottles of Pantene Pro V for only $4</b>, now that's a steal! (<i>Price comparison</i>: 22.8 oz bottles (10 oz LESS) of Pantene are regularly priced at $4.97)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Therefore, today I am simply sharing this wonderful little link with you. You will find Hy-Vee weekly ad coupon match-ups by the week and most products even have a link to the printable coupons. SCORE!!! (Damn, I'm getting old!)</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.hy-vee.com/helpful-ideas/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">http://www.hy-vee.com/helpful-ideas/</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What tricks do you use to save money at the grocery store?</span></div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-77962404256205929372013-02-24T09:33:00.002-08:002013-02-25T09:42:36.573-08:0070 Ways to Brighten Her Day!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENrMl_ixI0cKn1lrsZogIDLwI26DecLtD8G-RtuhnBSs5ORIxZ07MhLtx7Ug8yxX0p4NIc0TPz6xHORQq_544st5fc7qpB3sH3e4QoytXIoT08ptTeR3YEKyUvoK7V7wzyc9o4lCx233c/s1600/70ways.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENrMl_ixI0cKn1lrsZogIDLwI26DecLtD8G-RtuhnBSs5ORIxZ07MhLtx7Ug8yxX0p4NIc0TPz6xHORQq_544st5fc7qpB3sH3e4QoytXIoT08ptTeR3YEKyUvoK7V7wzyc9o4lCx233c/s640/70ways.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Ag-argentum, Flickr</td></tr>
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A few weeks ago, you may have caught my post <a href="http://scantillycllad.blogspot.com/2013/01/70-ways-to-brighten-his-day.html">70 Ways to Brighten His Day</a>. Today I'm giving you 70 Ways to Brighten Her Day! Now I know, you men who have actually clicked to read this post were probably A. Sent here by your wife, fiancé or girlfriend or B. feeling like you might lose a little bit of manhood by reading this. Well get over it and read the damn thing :)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Ag-argentum, Flickr</td></tr>
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1. Specifically praise her for a job well done, whether it's something big or small.</div>
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2. Surprise her with flowers at work, at home or anywhere! Not just any flowers, but actually figure out what kind of flowers she likes and order them ahead of time. (If they're in season they'll be cheaper!)</div>
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3. Remember the day when you would woo her by making her dinner? Whether you cook on the regular for her or not, make a nice dinner for her. (Go all out with music, wine, etc)</div>
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4. Arrange a manicure and/or pedicure day at the spa with her best girl friend. </div>
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5. If you have kids, spend some quality time with them and let her get some alone time! Whether she wants time with her girl friends or just an uninterrupted shower.</div>
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6. Tell her how amazing/hot/beautiful she looks in the jeans/top/dress that she's wearing. (Be aware of your tone when saying this!)</div>
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7. Take her car for maintenance, whether it's an oil change, trip to the mechanic or a simple wash. It will make her feel taken care of (and most likely not something she enjoys doing)!</div>
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8. If you want bonus points, go shopping for a new outfit for her to wear on the surprise date you're taking her on. It's not about whether the outfit is right, it's the principal that you cared enough to pick one out for her. Just make sure you know her sizes before you go! (Tip: sales ladies would probably LOVE to help you find the perfect outfit).</div>
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10. Take her with you to the batting cage, basketball courts, golf course, football game, etc. Whether it's teaching her how to play or to simply get some bonding time in, let her know that you wanted to do it with her, not just one of your buddies that you usually go with. Remember not to get too competitive, if she's just learning.</div>
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11. Tell her what she's done to help make you successful (does she stay at home with the kids so you can make a great salary, does she make you breakfast in the morning so you can go workout, is she your daily dose of positivity, etc)</div>
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12. Make her breakfast in bed. Not just microwaving a frozen breakfast sandwich, but cooking eggs, bacon and pancakes. Even if you're horrible at cooking, she is bound to love it. </div>
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13. Set a pre-paid massage appointment for her at the spa.</div>
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14. Carve "I love you" into a bar of soap, it'll be a nice little surprise for her in the morning</div>
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16. Get that hair cut, beard shaved or whatever she's been bugging you about!</div>
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17. Hold her hand.</div>
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18. Praise her! You can either do this in person or publicly (example: a Facebook status or her wall…don't be obnoxious though!)</div>
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19. Butter her toast, fill her glass, it's the little things.</div>
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20. Take her to a chic flick. Just do it, it'll last 2-3 hours tops. You. Will. Survive.</div>
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21. Pray for her and your relationship, aloud at your dinner prayer and/or during your silent daily prayers</div>
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22. Is there a chore that she hates to do? Washing the dog, weeding the garden, taking out the trash, do this for her. </div>
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23. Leave a sweet note on or in her car to discover in the morning</div>
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24. Listen to her. Don't just hear her, but listen and look at her as she speaks. (women speak face to face, men speak side to side)</div>
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25. Open the car door for her. Not just on date nights and not just when her hands are full.</div>
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26. Start her car early in the winter for her, so it's warm and toasty when it's time for her to go to work/class.</div>
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27. Turn off the tv, close your laptop, put away the game system and ask her what she wants to do. </div>
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29. Pick her up at work/class for a lunch date.</div>
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30. Hide post it love notes all throughout her belongings (hide in her drawers, clothes, book that she's reading, electronics etc) </div>
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31. Pre-toothpaste her toothbrush.</div>
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32. Carry her luggage for her. </div>
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33. Never discount the power of an apology. If you need to apologize for something in the past or present, make it genuine and show her love. This will definitely lift her spirit!</div>
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34. With genuine interest, ask her how her day was</div>
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35. Clean the house</div>
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36. Fill up her vehicle's gas tank</div>
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37. Blow dry her hair for her after a shower</div>
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38. Let her and her girl friends take over the house for a night</div>
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39. Spend the day with her family members and tell her how much you appreciate her (your) family</div>
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40. Send her a picture text from a favorite moment (wedding, vacation, out on the town, etc)</div>
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41. Make her laugh or laugh at her silly antics</div>
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42. Buy her that "thing" that she has been wanting</div>
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43. Keep in touch with her side of the family and be gracious to them</div>
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45. Rub her feet after a long day</div>
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46. Prepare for a romantic night in with candles lit and glasses of wine</div>
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47. Brag about her in front of your friends (occasionally)</div>
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48. Print a wallet sized picture of you two and put it on the dashboard of her car</div>
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49. Wear that shirt/sweater/pants that she loves on you, whether you hate it or not</div>
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50. Greet her at the door with a hug and a kiss</div>
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51. Email her a song, while she's at work, that reminded you of her</div>
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52. Surprise her with a trip to get ice cream</div>
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53. Has she been asking you to do something, that you've been putting off? Do it NOW!</div>
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54. Workout, enough said.</div>
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56. "Kidnap" her after work/class for a fun evening of dinner out and/or tickets to a show/concert</div>
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57. Make plans for something that she has been wanting to do together</div>
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58. Support her, whether it's attending her work functions, fundraisers, etc</div>
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59. Show her you trust in her by letting her control something that you normally do (monthly budget, driving, etc)</div>
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61. Buy her tickets to see her favorite music artist or show that she's been dying to see (whether you want to actually see it or not!)</div>
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62. Going on a road trip? Offer to drive, so she can relax</div>
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63. Befriend her friends and most likely they'll support you too</div>
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64. Be gracious to her friends and welcome them in your home</div>
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66. Wear the cologne that she loves on you</div>
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67. If she's feeling ill, go the full nine yards and take care of her</div>
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68. Go there with her. Whether it's to church, shopping, grocery store, wherever.</div>
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69. Remind her why you love her, why she's the one and why she makes you happy.</div>
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70. <b>Be Yourself! </b>She's not expecting you to be perfect or to quote love poems or to be doing every single thing from this list. The goal is to be the best version of yourself and to brighten your special woman's day. If she didn't deserve it, then you wouldn't be with her! </div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-52197068024593953522013-02-22T10:17:00.000-08:002013-02-22T10:17:15.749-08:00Recipe :: Lime & Red Pepper Chicken<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You know your life is busy when the only time you have to eat is when you're driving in the car, multitasking at work or after 8pm. That may or may not have been a quick synopsis of my eating habits. I also have a strong feeling that I'm not the only one who eats like this, considering Americans are known for always being on the go. The other night, my husband and I finally had a little time on our hands and decided to make something new and delicious for dinner – we just didn't know what. The only thing we knew was that we were starving and had chicken thawed out in the fridge. I almost made our typical herbed chicken with wild rice meal, but my husband pointed out that he wasn't trying to eat healthy like me (ha) and he wanted some pasta! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After a couple twirls of confusion in the kitchen, I threw the chicken in the skillet with some handy dandy olive oil and got my "<i>chef</i>" on. We had a <b>lime</b> and <b>red pepper</b> on hand, so I decided to make a dish that reminded me of a meal that we had in <b>Mexico</b> on our honeymoon. Unfortunately we didn't have any <b>tomatoes</b>, otherwise I would have added diced tomatoes too! After throwing a few ingredients together, I discovered that the dish actually turned out amazingly well and somehow we ended up eating all 3 <b>chicken breasts</b>, plus the <b>pasta</b> that we made (did I hear someone say "<i>fatty</i>"?) This dish ended up being <i><b>SO good</b></i>, I just had to share it! If you're on a diet, you can substitute the pasta for brown rice, whole wheat pasta or zucchini noodles. The best part? <b>It's quick enough to make even on your busiest day! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Lime & Red Pepper Sautéed Chicken</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Time: Approx 30 Mins</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Olive Oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Boneless Chicken Breasts (I used 3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Black Pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Parsley</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">White wine (About 2/3 Cup)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Minced Garlic (Heaping Tablespoon)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lime (About 1/2 of lime needed)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Red Pepper (As desired)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tomato (As desired)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*No strict measurement needed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directions</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan, just over medium and add a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic. You should add enough oil so it covers the entire bottom of your pan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Boil water and cook pasta or rice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Add boneless chicken breasts and sauté until cooked all the way through. Sprinkle with a dusting of black pepper and generously add parsley. (Parsley is mostly for color, it doesn't have strong flavor). As the chicken begins to turn white, I slice the chicken into pieces (it's easier to cut when cooked). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Once the chicken is completely cooked, add about 3/4 cup white wine and turn the burner down to medium-low. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Cut the 1/2 lime into about 3 pieces, squeeze the juice out over the chicken. Simmer the peels in the mixture (take out before serving).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. Add your sliced red pepper and diced tomato. You do not want to cook these through all the way because they will get soft, you basically just want them warmed and have a very slight crunch left. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Serve warm, spooning the white wine sauce over the pasta/rice and bed of chicken and vegetables.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Enjoy! </span></h3>
<br />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-11969131696963397972013-02-21T12:48:00.002-08:002013-02-21T14:25:22.752-08:007 Reasons Why You Should Love Shoveling!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Living in Iowa has its advantages and its disadvantages. I love the fact that living expenses are cheap, the air is clean and the fact that we get to enjoy 4 seasons! That also brings me to a disadvantage – <b>SNOW</b>! I think the only people in the world who love snow are children, teachers (snow days) and people from warm, southern states that get snow once every 5 years. Don't get me wrong, I love snowy days where you can look outside and see your beautiful snow covered neighborhood and frost on your windows. But…I mean <i>BUT</i>, with snow comes shoveling. Unless you're fancy smancy and have a blower or plow, but us newlyweds are definitely<i> not</i> keepin up with the Joneses. We do have a beautiful forest green, plastic shovel passed onto us by my old roommate. I think I took a few winters off of it's life last snow storm though by trying to push it with my foot and I broke off the top edge, poor shovel. It wasn't my fault that it "felt like –21 degrees" and my cheapo plastic had to bust! While I could go on and on, what I'm here to tell you is <b>why you should love shoveling</b>! Okay, maybe love is an <i>overstatement</i> and should only apply to <i>spouses and desserts, </i>but I am here to tell you <b>why shoveling is beneficial to you</b>! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In research for this post, I actually found an article that tells you "</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Step 1: Warm Up.</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">" Like really? I totally understand why anyone over 40 should do this, but the only warming up I'll be doing is drinking a cup of </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hot cocoa</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. We're not runnin a marathon here folks, we're just trying to get our car outta the drive. On to the content…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">7 Reasons Why You Should Love Shoveling</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">(AKA Why Shoveling is Beneficial to You)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. High-Intensity "Workout"</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shoveling is <i>hard work</i>, it's not only a job that needs done, but it's a high intensity "<i>work out</i>" that will help you shed those Valentine chocolates from your waistline. According to WebMd, exercise also helps reduce your stress, boost your self-esteem, improve sleep, etc. Keep in mind, we are <b>not</b> talking about merely shoveling off your back steps! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Calorie Burner</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With high-intensity workouts, comes calorie burn! According to TrueStar Health, a 200 lb man can <b>burn over 400 calories when shoveling for just a half hour</b>. Now that's awesome!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Great for Cardiovascular System</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While it's easy to get in the habit of more or less hibernating in the winter (don't tell me you haven't turned into a couch potato on cold wintery days), shoveling is great for your cardiovascular system. It gets your heart pumpin!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Muscle</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shoveling doesn't just get your heart rate up, but it also helps tone and develop new muscles, according to ehow.com. Every time you lift up your heavy, snow laden shovel, just think "<i>gotta impress the ladies, gotta impress the ladies.</i>" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Vitamin D</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While outdoors, you're getting yourself a dose of Vitamin D, which many lack during the winter months. Vitamin D also helps <i>prevent the cold and flu</i>, according to The Center for Unhindered Living. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. Endorphins</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shoveling for a half hour can give you the same feeling as you get from working out at the gym – thanks to <b>endorphins</b>! According to WebMD, endorphins diminish perceptions of pain and will make you end up feeling more positive or even "euphoric."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7. Satisfaction</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Congrats, <i>you</i> did it! You can see the work that your two hands have accomplished and nothing is more satisfying than knowing that it's finally done! And thanks to winter winds, you will be able to shovel again and again the following days and get your daily dose of satisfaction! ;) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While I joke about not warming up before going out to shovel, safety is obviously #1. Be careful not to overexert yourself, stay hydrated and warm. According to ehow.com, "<span class="s1">people with heart or other serious medical conditions should avoid the activity altogether."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stay warm, my friends!</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sources:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="s2"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.unhinderedliving.com/VitaminD.html">Unhindered Living</a>, </span></span><a href="http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">WebMd</a>, <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.truestarhealth.com/members/cm_archives11ML3P1A89.html">True Star Health</a>, </span><a href="http://www.ehow.com/info_8592862_physical-benefits-shoveling-snow.html#ixzz2JaitMbLf" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ehow</a></span></div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-69896111650816225782013-02-06T13:51:00.001-08:002013-02-22T06:34:41.127-08:00How to :: Save on Vehicle Maintenance! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcrOIbALZlZJNrKbO4YBeXfDK3M5IhE3upwCmCkvZ3d1MUZA8yC72vuBgAsWEmVGe6iCOz0XnVln5m-ebBiEjx1qVbEa6lcBx1rTZFaB1M_UmF7JclcwX9A4hjr2fm5F6w0Kegg2fqXKq/s1600/10off.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcrOIbALZlZJNrKbO4YBeXfDK3M5IhE3upwCmCkvZ3d1MUZA8yC72vuBgAsWEmVGe6iCOz0XnVln5m-ebBiEjx1qVbEa6lcBx1rTZFaB1M_UmF7JclcwX9A4hjr2fm5F6w0Kegg2fqXKq/s640/10off.tiff" width="640" /></a></div>
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After dragging my feet for about 100 miles over the 3,000 mile marker, I finally took my car in for it's well-due oil change. While sitting there, bored, I was thinking that there's a bazillion more things that I would rather be doing than sitting in a dirty chair in a cold waiting room listening to country singers wail through the radio. Even worse, I knew they'd try to sell me on replacing every wiper, belt and filter in my car, but I understand business is business. And the only business I'm interested in is saving money!</div>
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While I already had a $5 off coupon from a mailer, I decided to try to find an even better deal while waiting. I whipped out my iPhone and opened my favorite app, retailmenot.com! Within seconds, about 10 deals popped up, some with higher success ratings than others. I of course went with the deal that saved me the most: $10 off a Signature Oil Change. While the site didn't give me an actual coupon to download, it did give me a promo code which I relayed to the dude ringing me up. And guess what? It worked, $10 off my bill! Now that's not chump change, I literally saved about 35% off the total bill! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6_-IWXz1TsE7o9xweejLntz0lfKQnDNcZei4HpbGRqnhc20h63enOEJv_HDadEJ71sh62fcoWDkEP9LA8X7H_YugTmeyDJxB1QkJdAxDDl8nt_iu74fGL3613xaeZKaXE5H51wU47mFz/s1600/valvoline.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6_-IWXz1TsE7o9xweejLntz0lfKQnDNcZei4HpbGRqnhc20h63enOEJv_HDadEJ71sh62fcoWDkEP9LA8X7H_YugTmeyDJxB1QkJdAxDDl8nt_iu74fGL3613xaeZKaXE5H51wU47mFz/s320/valvoline.tiff" width="320" /></a></div>
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Remember, you can do this too and it's so EASY! You can either download the retailmenot.com app or just go to that website to find savings. When making your purchase, just make sure you have proof of the offer just in case the actual promotion code isn't in your particular store's system. Do so by printing the coupon or just take a screenshot of the offer. Often times the sales person will honor the dollar or percentage off. If you get your oil changes or other car maintenance done at a local dealer, versus chain stores, just check their website for special offers. If they don't have anything posted online, ask if they will honor a coupon that you find from a competitor! </div>
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Happy Saving!</div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-81761216097224687132013-02-01T14:29:00.001-08:002013-02-22T06:29:55.418-08:00Super Bowl Party the EASY Way!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyUfIWA-coRjDpqI9-qNb3d9U3CgBC3ghUZp0lOlZ6lPv6KNunQDHljnE80prIzTGzIpzBfGd_fuHn15tfjHBbvjDW1IfhqkPbtUMAhEE81Di0v_IMv5BW-rbJQm-fuXfuVhFM2Q1cB1c/s1600/superbowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyUfIWA-coRjDpqI9-qNb3d9U3CgBC3ghUZp0lOlZ6lPv6KNunQDHljnE80prIzTGzIpzBfGd_fuHn15tfjHBbvjDW1IfhqkPbtUMAhEE81Di0v_IMv5BW-rbJQm-fuXfuVhFM2Q1cB1c/s400/superbowl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For about 95% of women in the US, the SuperBowl only means one thing – Party! Personally, I enjoy watching football, but considering my team didn't make the cut this year, my main priority for SuperBowl Sunday is good food! While Pinterest has a bazillion cute ideas for SuperBowl parties, that's not the route we're taking here folks. I'm talking bout plain, easy snacks that hack what Pinterest people take hours to make. We all know…"nobody ain't got time for that!" </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-r4NFAfdljyy7xdPqJQHZ30OyYFwiJ_al7_86g-hP6LcBOWGftHYS6cto875SL8KHBswuSNGIBmocH3mT98NaOFweqEcG6QKDf6xhctZFIQ90EIEmqm98InvkzeGyA2IWY-6AuUDDjGq/s1600/484772F_full-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-r4NFAfdljyy7xdPqJQHZ30OyYFwiJ_al7_86g-hP6LcBOWGftHYS6cto875SL8KHBswuSNGIBmocH3mT98NaOFweqEcG6QKDf6xhctZFIQ90EIEmqm98InvkzeGyA2IWY-6AuUDDjGq/s400/484772F_full-1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Party City supplies</td></tr>
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Before we get to snacks, lets talk tableware. Party City has a whole collection of <a href="http://www.partycity.com/product/super+bowl+party+supplies.do">SuperBowl XLVII oddities</a>. They have pre-packed "party kits" that include tableware and décor, but they also individually sell tablecloths, plates, napkins, cups, trays, centerpieces, etc. There's a ton of really cool stuff! The selection is way better than the mere solid colored plates that Walmart has. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi-nX_ECVuTnAt2U1SB-twV8TbJvrJ9owFn2X0UzyhL67o8-MPXZRrKF4aRo9B3kyah7mkp_DA4vhme0qNv3aFbmFX-9fYcRvrNFRL3PDicMzGpT8bMmY8d0VY2u307qHwXrmGl1cAmYE/s1600/footballcookies1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi-nX_ECVuTnAt2U1SB-twV8TbJvrJ9owFn2X0UzyhL67o8-MPXZRrKF4aRo9B3kyah7mkp_DA4vhme0qNv3aFbmFX-9fYcRvrNFRL3PDicMzGpT8bMmY8d0VY2u307qHwXrmGl1cAmYE/s400/footballcookies1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pinterest Cookies...overachiever. Image from <a href="http://www.shugarysweets.com/">Shugary Sweets</a></td></tr>
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Football Oatmeal Crème Pies</span></h2>
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Who doesn't love Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pies? Seriously if you don't, you might not be American. Here's the hack…</div>
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Materials Needed:</h4>
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Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème pies</div>
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Football Shaped Cookie Cutter</div>
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Readymade White Decorating Icing</div>
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EASY:</h4>
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Use the cookie cutter to cut out football shapes from the pre-made cookies. </div>
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You can save the scraps and eat as is OR mix and ball up the scraps, then drizzle melted chocolate over them for little truffles.</div>
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Use the readymade white decorating icing to create the laces on the football.</div>
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EAT.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhyphenhyphenqRwrnV3nODGEkchfeMM7WNCcZ_GWSpJ2ZryaCCY2vBcmnl5ffVgp2dJShctsGZpqPzqZ6E_8G0h3M5QEWqQj-VSVGXo9s1O8mrGsy0EV3RTGSpfwRL8qOhZkkOx9in8Cncqpl2bB4l/s1600/football-birthday-party.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhyphenhyphenqRwrnV3nODGEkchfeMM7WNCcZ_GWSpJ2ZryaCCY2vBcmnl5ffVgp2dJShctsGZpqPzqZ6E_8G0h3M5QEWqQj-VSVGXo9s1O8mrGsy0EV3RTGSpfwRL8qOhZkkOx9in8Cncqpl2bB4l/s400/football-birthday-party.jpeg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from Flickr, © cupcakechicutah</td></tr>
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Football Cupcakes</span></h2>
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While a cupcake or cake in the shape of a football would be glorious and pinterest worthy, we're not putting ourselves out on a limb here. So here's the hack…</div>
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Materials Needed:</h4>
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Cake Mix</div>
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Pre-Made Frosting</div>
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Peanut M&M's</div>
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Readymade White Decorating Icing (or if you have an icing bag and small circle tip, you don't need this)</div>
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Football Cupcake Papers</div>
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<h4>
EASY:</h4>
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Bake your cupcakes according to directions. Frost once cool.</div>
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Sort out 24 of the brown peanut M&Ms from the bag.</div>
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Place 1 brown M&M on top of frosting, then draw laces on football with readymade white decorating icing.</div>
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EAT.</div>
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EASY Meal:</span></h3>
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We all like to have multiple choices, but instead of making wings, tacos, sliders, etc as your main dish – try making Walking Tacos! While you can use about any kind of chip, my favorite is Spicy Nacho Doritos and don't forget to get all of your favorite fixings. </div>
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I hope you all have a fantastic SuperBowl party!</h4>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-21583326840036483012013-01-30T14:49:00.001-08:002013-02-22T06:31:05.315-08:0070 Ways to Brighten His Day!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W10gVtJCDT-vstAKM4Rgey363W_2fLvHekMn2TmTRAOCaDdnBqIWHx6Eh8n-6gn6b1uyJc5lcqMn_rnoO9bGWQiZPTrUssCmi0PgpKaAGvIfK1Ic9sFvx0lS1TwKis4UMAs2juwcezZS/s1600/403011_2874623742705_1173270044_33202181_182669071_n+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W10gVtJCDT-vstAKM4Rgey363W_2fLvHekMn2TmTRAOCaDdnBqIWHx6Eh8n-6gn6b1uyJc5lcqMn_rnoO9bGWQiZPTrUssCmi0PgpKaAGvIfK1Ic9sFvx0lS1TwKis4UMAs2juwcezZS/s400/403011_2874623742705_1173270044_33202181_182669071_n+copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© Sweet Light Studio</td></tr>
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Most people have probably heard the saying "<i>a happy wife is a happy life</i>," but what about the husbands? Does this mean that the husbands are supposed to put forth all of the effort to make the woman happy??? Know what makes me happy? -- Making my husband happy! I know, I might be just plain weird, but I <b>LOVE</b> doing things to make my husband happy. Whether it's something small like leaving his slippers by the door for him to put on after work or planning a big surprise. I know that my friends also love doing special things for their husbands/fiancés/boyfriends as well, therefore I have complied a list of <b>70 thoughtful things to do for your man to brighten his day</b>! And I promise, it'll brighten your day too!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">70 Ways to Brighten Your Man's Day</span></h2>
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1. Show appreciation for him, tell him specifically what you appreciate (bonus: he'll be more likely to repeat this action)</div>
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<span class="s1">2. Bake him his favorite <a href="http://scantillycllad.blogspot.com/2012/12/peanut-butter-pretzel-rice-krispie-bars.html">treat</a> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4tmn6Ry4qsSCEDB4GzQFnIMBKhVXrw_inFi6GFWnGoBt_vlhMJxTiHv98zO3jmylHmrmRItBdMV-1W_so23VerBEMcUag4ZoXAtFpMRtV0_QEW9FsQO0CRSHUVj48HxeYBPuhkSZnMrx/s1600/IMG_2371.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4tmn6Ry4qsSCEDB4GzQFnIMBKhVXrw_inFi6GFWnGoBt_vlhMJxTiHv98zO3jmylHmrmRItBdMV-1W_so23VerBEMcUag4ZoXAtFpMRtV0_QEW9FsQO0CRSHUVj48HxeYBPuhkSZnMrx/s320/IMG_2371.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peanut Butter Pretzel Rice Krispie Bars</td></tr>
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3. Bake something he enjoys, that he can bring to work/class with him to share</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No-Bake Granola Energy Bites</td></tr>
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4. When my husband travels for work, I make something he can munch on while on the road (trail mix, <a href="http://scantillycllad.blogspot.com/2013/01/recipe-no-bake-granola-energy-balls.html">no-bake granola energy bites</a>, etc)</div>
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5. If you have kids, spend some quality time with them and let him enjoy some man time with his buddies</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBh2iGKk0ouOWx8utsTwDjXwx0sKxZvIgrKsWwuJx5Jr7O82u2X9iqQE9lfM1GzypnUhViYRibFygBeTwZhmZK3j4AexMHIW45PI2pA-lzgXgw0Jlv20pAq2EyhtQ4anPdRwdldzzf76Z/s1600/3-verres+6-bouteilles-copy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBh2iGKk0ouOWx8utsTwDjXwx0sKxZvIgrKsWwuJx5Jr7O82u2X9iqQE9lfM1GzypnUhViYRibFygBeTwZhmZK3j4AexMHIW45PI2pA-lzgXgw0Jlv20pAq2EyhtQ4anPdRwdldzzf76Z/s320/3-verres+6-bouteilles-copy.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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6. Surprise him with his favorite beer! My husband's jaw dropped open one day after work when I surprised him with his new favorite specialty beer.</div>
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7. Surprise him with a freshly cleaned car, in and out – men love their vehicles</div>
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8. If you don't on the regular, iron his shirt and slacks for work or church</div>
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9. Make a scavenger hunt with clues and/or riddles, whether it takes him through the house or town – you can have small gifts along the way or one big gift along the way (I did this for my husband's birthday – it was so much fun!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmN06VtvXq-T3gyOJnrTX4jYido_VVkTEA3X7mfnfmorK4uT1cI1O7iaBSDyzO0VphAKY37zaiYwyR-dZGNOr931j31qZeEhMEo7Imy7Jwq-xjAbFNC4VHeN20LRTKjUz8_qQB60_iDeng/s1600/4005_3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmN06VtvXq-T3gyOJnrTX4jYido_VVkTEA3X7mfnfmorK4uT1cI1O7iaBSDyzO0VphAKY37zaiYwyR-dZGNOr931j31qZeEhMEo7Imy7Jwq-xjAbFNC4VHeN20LRTKjUz8_qQB60_iDeng/s200/4005_3.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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10. Let him have the remote for the entire night and watch his favorite shows with him (without complaint!)</div>
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11. Tell him how blessed you feel to be his </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EhAcijwHtYdHvQ-_LF9uoNG7SmSU1O3oKP28ob1PS0Q7j6vu6yOwcnmrZgoMLfVPIks6jBf_UMEPIo50J___rLW1LtoxOtKODHmghnPQ8zxkHQmbjFqofaS1LREKJxfuAnfN7dCnyyKn/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EhAcijwHtYdHvQ-_LF9uoNG7SmSU1O3oKP28ob1PS0Q7j6vu6yOwcnmrZgoMLfVPIks6jBf_UMEPIo50J___rLW1LtoxOtKODHmghnPQ8zxkHQmbjFqofaS1LREKJxfuAnfN7dCnyyKn/s320/photo+(5).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast in bed that I made!</td></tr>
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12. Make him breakfast in bed. Not just eggs, but the full-spread!</div>
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13. Buy some massage oil and give him a back rub OR go all out and set a pre-paid massage appointment for him at the spa (make sure the latter is something he'd feel comfortable with)</div>
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14. Carve "I love you" into a bar of soap, it'll be a nice little surprise for him in the morning</div>
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15. Wear something that he loves on you </div>
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16. Hand him a beer as he walks in the door at the end of the day</div>
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17. Pray for him and your relationship, aloud at your dinner prayer and/or during your silent daily prayers</div>
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18. Praise him! You can either do this in person or publicly (example: a Facebook status or his wall…don't be obnoxious though!)</div>
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19. Surprise him with his favorite meal</div>
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20. Send him a sweet/sexy text/picture message</div>
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21. Tell him he's handsome/hot/sexy/etc</div>
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22. Is there a chore that he hates to do? My husband hates doing the dishes and loves it when I do that chore. </div>
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23. Leave a sweet/sexy note in his car for him to discover in the morning</div>
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24. Don't nag or be negative for an entire day, instead compliment or listen to him</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minnetonka Men's Sheepskin Slipper</td></tr>
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25. Leave his slippers by the door to put on after work</div>
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26. Start his car early in the winter for him, so it's warm and toasty when it's time for him to go to work/class</div>
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27. Leave him a sweet note on a foggy bathroom mirror</div>
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28. Wake up cheery and surprise him with some love in the morning</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWhr_HCTsSz2U06aFgOUSqzMihjiktofnPTBsW2bK-RfTb-Vgx8Io7x5_yF2BhM8Po4nLle1hqoCJk8D_WygqAipo69yM_PftU1NuH5lDci3ZnIKGnjJcNdTQt6Gy4OGg0ZGEYHYKOXqQ/s1600/Subway_6_Sweet_Onion_Chicken_Teriyaki_Sandwich_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWhr_HCTsSz2U06aFgOUSqzMihjiktofnPTBsW2bK-RfTb-Vgx8Io7x5_yF2BhM8Po4nLle1hqoCJk8D_WygqAipo69yM_PftU1NuH5lDci3ZnIKGnjJcNdTQt6Gy4OGg0ZGEYHYKOXqQ/s200/Subway_6_Sweet_Onion_Chicken_Teriyaki_Sandwich_2.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Subway</td></tr>
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29. Surprise him at work with lunch (check any meeting schedules in advance)</div>
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30. Hide post it love notes all throughout his belongings (hide in his drawers, clothes, book, electronics etc) </div>
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31. Pre-toothpaste his toothbrush :)</div>
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32. If you know you'll be home late, have a crock pot meal on and ready for when he gets home</div>
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33. Shop for him, pick out a new outfit (my husband loves when I clothes shop for him)</div>
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34. With genuine interest, ask him how his day was</div>
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35. Clean the house without asking for any help</div>
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36. Fill up your man's gas tank</div>
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37. If there's a particular chore that he normally does, like shoveling, do it for him</div>
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38. Let him and his buddies take over the house for a night</div>
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39. Spend the day with his mother/sister/grandmother and tell him how much you appreciate his (your) family</div>
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40. Send him a picture text from a favorite vacation moment </div>
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41. Make him laugh or laugh at his silly antics</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EPfiLay9cLzQMDajSXM3rzJXfruH2vQsow032aoOC8DFrclZb4JyyI0ljuOxrIRJSXh3Em6Py9L5ikX900JiLXATzA4_rkD3ObnkYa8cmHm5ZQS-1qfrciZSNF4Og01y8PtB9oOsdmtB/s1600/Titleist-Pro-V1-Golf-Balls_Default_ALT1_550.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EPfiLay9cLzQMDajSXM3rzJXfruH2vQsow032aoOC8DFrclZb4JyyI0ljuOxrIRJSXh3Em6Py9L5ikX900JiLXATzA4_rkD3ObnkYa8cmHm5ZQS-1qfrciZSNF4Og01y8PtB9oOsdmtB/s200/Titleist-Pro-V1-Golf-Balls_Default_ALT1_550.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avid golfer?</td></tr>
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42. Buy him the ______ that he has been wanting (new golf club, shoes, etc)</div>
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43. Let him be the "man of the house" - ask him what he wants for dinner, serve him, etc</div>
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44. Fulfill any promises you may have made previously</div>
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45. Rub his feet after a long day</div>
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46. Prepare for a romantic night in with candles lit, glasses of wine and something new from VS</div>
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47. Brag about him in front of his friends on occasion</div>
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48. Print a wallet sized picture of you two and put it on the dashboard of his car</div>
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49. If he's feeling ill, go the full nine yards and take care of him</div>
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50. Greet him at the door with a hug and a kiss</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHj6hONYoNIUaqXkOyi5sg-8jZfiCfNYiUIBtzBT2sd2EALQQyCp8lk5MeSLqdw6gIWPBbjfuJi8dm-5q0mvdjG2LxOUEj5FxcIurSv46tw_EgXi8_7xNZtXBy0TPjyWK6EEA9_ix0g8pL/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHj6hONYoNIUaqXkOyi5sg-8jZfiCfNYiUIBtzBT2sd2EALQQyCp8lk5MeSLqdw6gIWPBbjfuJi8dm-5q0mvdjG2LxOUEj5FxcIurSv46tw_EgXi8_7xNZtXBy0TPjyWK6EEA9_ix0g8pL/s200/unnamed.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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51. Email him a song, while he's at work, that reminded you of him</div>
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52. Surprise him with a trip to get ice cream</div>
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53. Take extra time on yourself getting ready in the morning, look good for him</div>
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54. Wear lingerie he loves on you</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5hcYEQ1EneBXh4TjPOL7tXPDpTS_25elYNxGHDVbsbOZfVZGwgZs1o2zHWLbXbkKff5S1qnq5WqNyeV8WxcCulVIuHrY7OyFU0Mw1k-fiW8zmpOecVOBKIwSIynx3E9wrVRZ5piemc_l/s1600/s0434157_sc7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5hcYEQ1EneBXh4TjPOL7tXPDpTS_25elYNxGHDVbsbOZfVZGwgZs1o2zHWLbXbkKff5S1qnq5WqNyeV8WxcCulVIuHrY7OyFU0Mw1k-fiW8zmpOecVOBKIwSIynx3E9wrVRZ5piemc_l/s200/s0434157_sc7.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm..</td></tr>
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55. Make your house homey for him to come home to. No man will admit it, but I know my hubby loves it when I have candles lit – ambiance! </div>
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56. Kidnap him after work for a fun evening of dinner out and/or tickets to a sporting event</div>
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57. Make plans for something that he has been wanting to do together, such as a camping trip or road trip to a friend's place out of town</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxR9GZNhRljUrQmuo9B6jLKUxXStIOjZFYHYfkB-wWBHbp44pX_q46vqwS2zvMC9Qe54QYaGNLHnlQtB5cTLbff9ASfkzurFFM3BiYogevpmMGMTGuW8QQEjbywt3z6qug7dsq1BTCfrD/s1600/style_114_yoga_pants-_black.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxR9GZNhRljUrQmuo9B6jLKUxXStIOjZFYHYfkB-wWBHbp44pX_q46vqwS2zvMC9Qe54QYaGNLHnlQtB5cTLbff9ASfkzurFFM3BiYogevpmMGMTGuW8QQEjbywt3z6qug7dsq1BTCfrD/s200/style_114_yoga_pants-_black.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>
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58. Buy yoga pants & wear them instead of sweats. Enough said. </div>
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59. Show him you trust in him, whether it's by overcoming a fear with him by your side or trusting him to control the budget for next month</div>
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60. Make him a homemade card or gift</div>
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61. Frame a favorite picture of his for him to bring to work</div>
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62. Going on a road trip? Offer to drive, so he can relax</div>
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63. Befriend his friends, then if his friend's have wives/gfs then you all can do date nights</div>
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64. Support him, whether it's attending his work functions, sports league games, etc</div>
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65. Control your emotions. Whether it's PMS, jealousy or you're just having a bad day – don't take it out on him!</div>
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66. Be gracious to his friends and welcome them in your home</div>
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67. Buy him tickets to a game of his favorite sport</div>
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68. Keep in touch with his side of the family and be gracious to them</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_IvLtwSbXZPyHpXLDcAKTe3x47slWZDgrmS3BKLVE4n_RNuVh3dNmAGJHGP_erRiUnhdyz8QLYrKGXhRw7tlnT-pItG727FPlb9k803w8zQl9qEv1TPZR79h6bi6EW1Cs49AvxRxZNCi/s1600/kitkat.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_IvLtwSbXZPyHpXLDcAKTe3x47slWZDgrmS3BKLVE4n_RNuVh3dNmAGJHGP_erRiUnhdyz8QLYrKGXhRw7tlnT-pItG727FPlb9k803w8zQl9qEv1TPZR79h6bi6EW1Cs49AvxRxZNCi/s200/kitkat.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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69. When grocery shopping, pick up his favorite treat and let him discover it in the cupboards/fridge</div>
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70. <b>Be Yourself! </b>Sometimes, the easiest way to love your man is to just be the woman he fell in love with. You don't need to be a supermodel, top chef or Pinterest fein, just be you.</div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-68157324669799530072013-01-28T12:55:00.001-08:002013-02-22T06:31:34.097-08:00Recipe :: No-Bake Granola Energy Balls<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLA5Kx3DK6b1JG83E83jqrwBdKGLY6WEdevSSGoru39NbcP69ifCSMP9ZTPmNftB9obCEMtTJN52hWVIJWb268qcp-uvrhpqGsnmYcCLIse5JdzSTEirM5CPvHZS-pjbi8RiBK36wvagqY/s400/energyballs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="No-Bake Granola Energy Balls" width="395" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No-Bake Granola Energy Balls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLA5Kx3DK6b1JG83E83jqrwBdKGLY6WEdevSSGoru39NbcP69ifCSMP9ZTPmNftB9obCEMtTJN52hWVIJWb268qcp-uvrhpqGsnmYcCLIse5JdzSTEirM5CPvHZS-pjbi8RiBK36wvagqY/s1600/energyballs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last week, a friend and I took the step to devote the next few months to the workout program <b>p90x</b> so we can get ripped! Just kidding, these wimpy noodle arms aren't going to be "swoll" anytime soon. Growing up my childhood best friend actually nicknamed me "Noodle," if that gives you any indication towards my body type. Regardless, after 90 days of <b>p90x</b> workouts, I guarantee you that I will be able to do a <i>real</i> pushup! Considering this intense workout program, I have also started to alter the food I eat in order to stay energized throughout the process. I've always been a hearty eater and I actually enjoy healthy foods like spinach, but I have one major problem…I have a terrible sweet tooth! I asked the dentist to remove it, but he said I have too many to pull. Therefore, a habit must be changed and the easiest way to change a bad habit is to find a <i>healthier alternative</i>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I altered an "<b>energy ball</b>" recipe, of which most of us have heard of by now, thanks Pinterest. My variation provides the sweet munch, without a sugary punch (some other recipes have a ton more sugar). The best part about them? They're <b>DELICIOUS</b>! Seriously they can work as a <i>pre-workout snack</i> or as a <i>substitute for a cookie-craving</i>! The taste reminds me of the beloved no-bake cookie, but a much healthier version! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">No-Bake Granola Energy Balls</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 cup Regular or Oatmeal</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 cup Unsalted Peanuts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/3 cup Milled Flaxseed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/3 cup Honey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 cup Mini Dark Chocolate Chips</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 tsp Vanilla</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directions</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mix all ingredients well, press into balls. Enjoy at room temperature or freeze (I like frozen). </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Makes about 10 medium sized balls.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Enjoy!</span></h3>
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<br />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-11853407984857727702012-12-12T14:52:00.004-08:002013-02-22T06:32:02.957-08:00Peanut Butter Pretzel Rice Krispie Bars<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsc_f-ZGw6nAq62VHjW4ena4HI8SxzTXJlbAQTh3tcgtQcpvlkWBClRsndUla3Dv1PGb2HrlPAqi4H56ayc3Wti8qaXhMnPDG79CNHKapsMu2ngzTVJhgkXwbFe-MpmfQepVHv05RM0PFd/s1600/IMG_2371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsc_f-ZGw6nAq62VHjW4ena4HI8SxzTXJlbAQTh3tcgtQcpvlkWBClRsndUla3Dv1PGb2HrlPAqi4H56ayc3Wti8qaXhMnPDG79CNHKapsMu2ngzTVJhgkXwbFe-MpmfQepVHv05RM0PFd/s640/IMG_2371.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The other day my husband put in a special request for some rice krispie treats, but I figured – why not put a spin on the original recipe? I remembered seeing a <a href="http://cookingclassy.blogspot.com/2012/02/peanut-butter-pretzel-rice-krispie.html">recipe</a> a while back that seemed like the perfect combination of salty and sweet, but of course I had to alter it to complete perfection! These ended up being so good that I had to share them with friends and coworkers. I should have nabbed a picture right when they were done, but until next time…you get this lone ranger. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Peanut Butter Pretzel Rice Krispie Bars</span></b></h2>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1/4 cup butter</div>
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1 (10.5 oz) package miniature marshmallows</div>
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1/2 cup creamy peanut butter</div>
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1 Tbsp vanilla extract</div>
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4 cups Rice Krispies Cereal</div>
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1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed pretzel pieces</div>
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Topping:</div>
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1 cup milk chocolate chips</div>
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2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter </div>
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1/2 cup coarsely crushed pretzel pieces</div>
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Directions:</div>
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1. Spray a 9x13 dish, set aside. Melt butter in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in marshmallows and cook, stirring constantly until marshmallows have melted.<br />
2. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter and vanilla.<br />
3. Pour Rice Krispies Cereal and 1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed pretzel pieces into melted marshmallow mixture and gently fold mixture until cereal and pretzels are evenly coated.<br />
4. Spread mixture evenly into prepared 9x13 dish.</div>
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5. Melt chocolate chips with 2 Tbsp peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl, in 30 second intervals stirring after each interval until melted and smooth.<br />
6. Drizzle mixture evenly over Rice Krispie Treats with a spoon while still warm.<br />
7. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup coarsely crushed pretzel pieces, enjoy immediately with melted chocolate topping or cover and refrigerate until set for a set chocolate topping.</div>
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Enjoy! </div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-56892546029524011892012-12-06T11:06:00.000-08:002012-12-06T11:06:35.795-08:00How to Personalize Your Christmas Card<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaU9jxJaAp7o8Hd9EBNlO2qyiXIaJTVN1v-ibjQtu7dD_j_J4bJSWQ_TkMMELl0IyrV4tHpR36vhDHjWi85NO3QAT8uZr-kHCeUZK7hfV3URjFe_0pNsqo1jPoONmJ0waniBG8tzbir0TT/s1600/218495019393171842_Met86zxv_c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaU9jxJaAp7o8Hd9EBNlO2qyiXIaJTVN1v-ibjQtu7dD_j_J4bJSWQ_TkMMELl0IyrV4tHpR36vhDHjWi85NO3QAT8uZr-kHCeUZK7hfV3URjFe_0pNsqo1jPoONmJ0waniBG8tzbir0TT/s400/218495019393171842_Met86zxv_c.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When my brother, sister and I were younger, we would instantaneously call out "I get the mail!" when we heard the metal lid of our mailbox slam close as soon as the mailman made the delivery. For some reason, I still find it fun when I beat my husband to the mailbox on our lunch break…I guess some kids never grow up, ehm. But who can blame me, it's Christmas time and there's nothing more fun than a Christmas card! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So here I am, a lover of Christmas cards, to help you add a personal touch to your cards this year! I would love to show you the cards that I'm currently working on for my household, but you'll just have to wait until they get mailed out (I know, real cliffhanger!) So instead I've collected some ideas and images for inspiration if you haven't started on your own cards yet! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">FAITH</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-LObwWjAuHagT85dFpCjFLTJfPRV9PDLDKnEOndXB7OQqw1OCbtRyZbNizX7ReTTWqdMGP3vg71T1JpS4IT9Sb5DZWdS_OjDYpHwsANFPX6Wm1RJl26pjt5iCGmYRIEhacKxmxiT0kna/s1600/The-Nativity-Star.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-LObwWjAuHagT85dFpCjFLTJfPRV9PDLDKnEOndXB7OQqw1OCbtRyZbNizX7ReTTWqdMGP3vg71T1JpS4IT9Sb5DZWdS_OjDYpHwsANFPX6Wm1RJl26pjt5iCGmYRIEhacKxmxiT0kna/s320/The-Nativity-Star.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Include your religious affiliation, if applicable. Personally, I think it's important to keep the "reason for the season" in your cards – whether it's a big or small touch. You can include your faith in the wording of the card, the picture or even something as small as the stamp.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PHOTOGRAPHY</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pretty much everyone has pictures and including them on your Christmas card has been a huge trend for a long time now, but what if you took it a step further and staged a fun picture? You don't need to be a professional photographer, but it definitely helps having a camera with a self-timer or a friend who can snap a few for you. Here are a few cool ideas and popular trends. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvjjojgKpLKIDXa7OvU22lcARImwBNoaNEd6glempfxaAgqvi9V82ECMU71TtBUApG2gliYjoTxKJXAAQyslhg89Qu4BCQSgXMa2weWqPeOK97YpLE3SDa3aazvMMG9XQHkZE_rfPZ_h2/s1600/6517777161_f415191e39_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvjjojgKpLKIDXa7OvU22lcARImwBNoaNEd6glempfxaAgqvi9V82ECMU71TtBUApG2gliYjoTxKJXAAQyslhg89Qu4BCQSgXMa2weWqPeOK97YpLE3SDa3aazvMMG9XQHkZE_rfPZ_h2/s640/6517777161_f415191e39_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add this to your lens and set your aperture low!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCQrwN71nKy_z7BEdKvoq6v266MjoutLfgViq4UEwURhF0GmrK4WJEk27Mxnb_-VPk_NoNRHH90Fvk8TH_qsnuwfHhI5eXhDbzta9IX6VwfPg_z08BlAn0fcaKEVHyNG2HWBGQ3R0lqaS/s1600/Idea+for+Christmas+Photo+Card+Pose+-+reflected+in+a+metallic+ornament!.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCQrwN71nKy_z7BEdKvoq6v266MjoutLfgViq4UEwURhF0GmrK4WJEk27Mxnb_-VPk_NoNRHH90Fvk8TH_qsnuwfHhI5eXhDbzta9IX6VwfPg_z08BlAn0fcaKEVHyNG2HWBGQ3R0lqaS/s400/Idea+for+Christmas+Photo+Card+Pose+-+reflected+in+a+metallic+ornament!.jpeg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously love this!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NzPnl6Xh61J6SBcA5F7xu2CKJtJDduqsq4JHHOavzY-L-seSURqVfdqKf-AxAKkG7EFMUbvb_wjnZhS0gWfop7UBB7E1utJKFbwmIbdrdLzihiks8OQ5kS9eFz64tjqTUdTr0aLrmu_6/s1600/bale2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NzPnl6Xh61J6SBcA5F7xu2CKJtJDduqsq4JHHOavzY-L-seSURqVfdqKf-AxAKkG7EFMUbvb_wjnZhS0gWfop7UBB7E1utJKFbwmIbdrdLzihiks8OQ5kS9eFz64tjqTUdTr0aLrmu_6/s320/bale2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_wNC2sZsQdhP2R8nmzXYpCSPC_HiCvchDL6bKygbzwuYRd766Wyim1lSWSPTz1Dm_JnWiP5hGtTQhSlgh3KRuOcYpvy8-CPCOb9-ygLCrxrZPm70THtuPdKoWncag9m_qJF2FrOoeOQO/s1600/imgres.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_wNC2sZsQdhP2R8nmzXYpCSPC_HiCvchDL6bKygbzwuYRd766Wyim1lSWSPTz1Dm_JnWiP5hGtTQhSlgh3KRuOcYpvy8-CPCOb9-ygLCrxrZPm70THtuPdKoWncag9m_qJF2FrOoeOQO/s320/imgres.jpeg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNItuqMFj-RGGbTQKEITnYCYL8R5sdc78oBw1Zvswfzkh-M3-CvQxW14IxeazO3yAFuK4HaB0mwm8aRqiG-58s4z0WW5xd_ZyrshgkNNiEUj5a4MyKJ5ha1cRh1pmfBjRfMxY_ILUdfVQ/s1600/pinterest+silent+night.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNItuqMFj-RGGbTQKEITnYCYL8R5sdc78oBw1Zvswfzkh-M3-CvQxW14IxeazO3yAFuK4HaB0mwm8aRqiG-58s4z0WW5xd_ZyrshgkNNiEUj5a4MyKJ5ha1cRh1pmfBjRfMxY_ILUdfVQ/s320/pinterest+silent+night.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silent Night..hehe</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's also a great idea to reuse recent professional pictures (make sure you have permission to print these!) Professional pictures don't come cheap, so why not use them as much as you can right? For instance, my husband and I took engagement pictures a year ago so we decided to use a winter one, that we haven't used for anything prior, for the photo on our cards. It's also a great time to show off any new baby or kids pictures you may have, just try to pick one that will fit with the theme of the card or winter season. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-ZomT1h8J8mwRpnEJAxGC2feGsVkPDM6o9iwnI4jC1SqWvZoEjaTrlWoQ8fopJtxBN4IVbwDi7prgBJVnSwxW1NpkEMOCFxiff_Rx7eOoi2cC3SHUykaJAt4SsgRTySkO9sbTnuBHjL8/s1600/2011-11-28_0341.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-ZomT1h8J8mwRpnEJAxGC2feGsVkPDM6o9iwnI4jC1SqWvZoEjaTrlWoQ8fopJtxBN4IVbwDi7prgBJVnSwxW1NpkEMOCFxiff_Rx7eOoi2cC3SHUykaJAt4SsgRTySkO9sbTnuBHjL8/s400/2011-11-28_0341.jpeg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too cute...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">MATERIALS</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Materials can completely take a regular card from normal to outstanding! You can either start from scratch or you can even take an existing store holiday card or photo card and alter it. For example, instead of sending out a flat photo card, you could mount it on colored card stock for a more finished look (paper materials found at craft or art stores, such as Hobby Lobby). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-YihXKq01GPkvJmkvlxdGOMfTAk9UF_sq_U0ihzmAFxIMoN57_Adz909T9BqVa6mGhFPHvfklQI10sr4rF6_gUZJuhluMWIsA5tFHUuJelniq8trriRcrH73MEZqN-DQIme9h4mi5Qfm/s1600/merry-christmas-tree.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-YihXKq01GPkvJmkvlxdGOMfTAk9UF_sq_U0ihzmAFxIMoN57_Adz909T9BqVa6mGhFPHvfklQI10sr4rF6_gUZJuhluMWIsA5tFHUuJelniq8trriRcrH73MEZqN-DQIme9h4mi5Qfm/s320/merry-christmas-tree.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Few ideas for layering a regular photo on a blank card:</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• Cut 4 small slits into the card to hold the photo's corners in place</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• Punch small holes and tie the photo on with ribbon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">• Trim the photo's border with edged scissors then mount with tape or glue</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another fun way to make your card to stand out is by the shape of the card and envelope, I have always been fond of square cards.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Nr_siDOB9MgofSNyoxI_sBkLq3l6cW7KcAtdfJugaa6c6aoHgZBc2ReTdfxHnQq4HsryAMbHrG4jgCEBTb-tAKF1r2bUEqx-Gr6VdfziiDdOzI4gTeUo_bd1tKmrzr1Ux56LLb6e_f3c/s1600/christmas-cards-set-of-6-christmas-tree.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Nr_siDOB9MgofSNyoxI_sBkLq3l6cW7KcAtdfJugaa6c6aoHgZBc2ReTdfxHnQq4HsryAMbHrG4jgCEBTb-tAKF1r2bUEqx-Gr6VdfziiDdOzI4gTeUo_bd1tKmrzr1Ux56LLb6e_f3c/s320/christmas-cards-set-of-6-christmas-tree.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Also, think about how often ribbon is incorporated in wedding stationary, what if you incorporated fun flourishes like this in your card? For example, you could tie a folded card shut with a flat bow. Learn how to tie a flat bow <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dNjNeg36vc">here</a>. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Also, craft stores have plenty of holiday themed cut outs, stationary paper and stamps. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPgdF_G-6W24NJXmNUZ6ux89BH02umvfk3okcI4YGRLuXmp-I-ujY7RleV9oMTWCj8DH1xBOl2i-otyqKptm_olUIbiYPvb9V3cgFoYFSeBxz8Ood56l0EsD9qhoA4J9aimHot4dLgea7/s1600/559823.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPgdF_G-6W24NJXmNUZ6ux89BH02umvfk3okcI4YGRLuXmp-I-ujY7RleV9oMTWCj8DH1xBOl2i-otyqKptm_olUIbiYPvb9V3cgFoYFSeBxz8Ood56l0EsD9qhoA4J9aimHot4dLgea7/s1600/559823.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hobby Lobby Stamp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">ENVELOPE</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now we can't forget about the envelope – why can't this be just as much fun as the card? Envelopes come in all different colors and sizes, so why not step outside of the box and have a fun envelope? If your cards already come with envelopes then consider sprucing it up with a fun, handwritten address in a colored pen or marker. If you have all the time in the world, you can even cut out liners for the inside of your card for a pop of color, like in the photo below. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnl9U2Dam5UyuOHAzeM8kHXxKqVmFcQ1ohtWPDLvosmlm01GLvY1Mm4hif_dvAQ7yzzg2hXIm3aw7r5w16WChtcbY7lZRJCZ2WLItBEgsUQ1dO4tbig-xiwnn6SUzBET3uF5iZiMWAFDv/s1600/1407443603034027_gkEz3dyc_c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnl9U2Dam5UyuOHAzeM8kHXxKqVmFcQ1ohtWPDLvosmlm01GLvY1Mm4hif_dvAQ7yzzg2hXIm3aw7r5w16WChtcbY7lZRJCZ2WLItBEgsUQ1dO4tbig-xiwnn6SUzBET3uF5iZiMWAFDv/s320/1407443603034027_gkEz3dyc_c.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHN8wDI78v5EPi1JZKZih5Lxt23Zo6Adg5sGP5NnvfiLuPIMxmV5Qx3qe7wk0gsxY4H3ZqGNsa1srDvx3lTcDpQF9pxmPfQhMSVAPoYnLc_pM4GsLxR2xpwdMy_Qm9a-EOJPtee2GkQuU/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHN8wDI78v5EPi1JZKZih5Lxt23Zo6Adg5sGP5NnvfiLuPIMxmV5Qx3qe7wk0gsxY4H3ZqGNsa1srDvx3lTcDpQF9pxmPfQhMSVAPoYnLc_pM4GsLxR2xpwdMy_Qm9a-EOJPtee2GkQuU/s1600/images.jpeg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lastly, don't forget about postage stamps – those red, white and blue flag stamps just won't cut it! The US Post Office carries religious and secular holiday stamps! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_v_Jk5Fb1j1JCHaeX16MlUeLYBM5HdnaKya8bg5X0ylmgG23WGoghE_Mm8rJBXZACyyuDmzzi8q9JoetLS92QHpoEBgfYam8eIqWLPDDi9kz8q-3JQsNKXZZlUT_OmSss7O51ckcwQGQ-/s1600/usstamps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_v_Jk5Fb1j1JCHaeX16MlUeLYBM5HdnaKya8bg5X0ylmgG23WGoghE_Mm8rJBXZACyyuDmzzi8q9JoetLS92QHpoEBgfYam8eIqWLPDDi9kz8q-3JQsNKXZZlUT_OmSss7O51ckcwQGQ-/s400/usstamps.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope some of these ideas will help transform your cards into attention getting cards that will make it to the top of everybody's card holders! Please comment below and let us know if you have any other great holiday card ideas! </span></div>
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<br />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-54844505289628429442012-12-04T14:15:00.002-08:002012-12-04T14:15:44.978-08:00Cracker Crumb Chicken Delight
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbnMHVvZKW441TTKQ_3_2R5uUxG2KtnxkC_9FrsNyxEnWiW56ASTR5aUvyk7eECCi7lrLFyngVnx-fyE0iP1OjDhfQKZi4j6BEfgWXcdPvHgw3yf4SQBRo45Tzt1DygJEZzmAsl1zYBQr/s1600/IMG_2367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbnMHVvZKW441TTKQ_3_2R5uUxG2KtnxkC_9FrsNyxEnWiW56ASTR5aUvyk7eECCi7lrLFyngVnx-fyE0iP1OjDhfQKZi4j6BEfgWXcdPvHgw3yf4SQBRo45Tzt1DygJEZzmAsl1zYBQr/s640/IMG_2367.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cracker crumb chicken with sautéed garlic red potatoes and seasoned wild rice </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The other night, my husband and I had some
friends over for dinner and while pondering what to make, I remembered
something <b>Paula Deen</b> once said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>"You
know it's a good recipe if it starts with a stick of butter."</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well…there I was, in the kitchen, on a Saturday
night with a stick of butter, just trying to make a delicious meal for some
friends. I wasn't about to serve a diabetes dish though, so I <i>cut the
stick in half </i>– sorry, Paula. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I promise you though, cutting the butter in half
didn’t compromise the chicken – it’s so delicious! I first made
<b>cracker crumb chicken</b> a few years ago, when I was learning how to cook - scared
to death of under-baking chicken and accidentally poisoning my boyfriend that I was
head over heels for. Well…that boyfriend is now my husband, so apparently this
chicken performs miracles too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another miracle is the fact that I love cooking –
this is coming from the girl who would be perfectly content with a frozen pizza
every night. The <b>MRS. Degree</b> may have a tiny factor in it, but I think the
biggest factor (besides not being afraid of chicken anymore) is the fact that I
have great “go-to” recipes AKA <b>non-recipe meals</b>. And I will tell you, this
cracker crumb chicken recipe is so <i>easy</i>, it can become a non-recipe meal for
you too! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While I would love to slave over a hot stove for
hours for our dear friends, quick and easy gets the job done.</span></div>
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</div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></h4>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cracker Crumb Chicken Recipe</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-4CSV_7x8D_t5_6xvNM2iTSnjpHhzWjMlS-532Y-yrg1uUYAO5gHUChpT0LYgUrkK4Q4TFpya1yNCRaHI6BvaVlJmUcyDSdgTsK0GLA42ubBEoxyiWMsANNNo89JHC3mJG0ed22CWSp6/s1600/IMG_2363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-4CSV_7x8D_t5_6xvNM2iTSnjpHhzWjMlS-532Y-yrg1uUYAO5gHUChpT0LYgUrkK4Q4TFpya1yNCRaHI6BvaVlJmUcyDSdgTsK0GLA42ubBEoxyiWMsANNNo89JHC3mJG0ed22CWSp6/s200/IMG_2363.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients:</span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8 Boneless Chicken Breasts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 ¼ Sleeve of Town House Crackers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">½ Stick Butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Garlic Salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Onion Powder</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></h4>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directions:</span></span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Prepare
the boneless chicken breasts by trimming off any fat. Melt ½ stick of butter in the microwave. Crush
all of the crackers, leave some coarsely crushed for topping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Dip chicken breasts, one by
one, into the melted butter. Follow by sprinkling garlic salt and onion powder
on each side of chicken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Press chicken breasts into
cracker crumbs on each side, then place into ungreased 9x13 pan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Sprinkle remaining cracker
crumbs on the top of the chicken in the pan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Evenly drizzle remaining
butter over crusted chicken breasts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. Bake at 360 degrees for about
35 minutes or until top is golden brown and chicken is cooked thoroughly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Enjoy!</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-58018067875964009342012-12-03T15:07:00.003-08:002012-12-04T14:15:55.886-08:00Homemade Kettle Corn Recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4p4HR4eftg-RHnY9Td7viueu4OqLQjYBIM3Yvl0UoSntfD1wdNGHTXkpM-LWGh2LdsEU0bcIQNY3zfT1WRDQPKYyEYgLYmnoYiXdPcFWKwyBanCaLz2t5jWdMITUSusSxYCVEB5AopZ2I/s1600/IMG_2345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4p4HR4eftg-RHnY9Td7viueu4OqLQjYBIM3Yvl0UoSntfD1wdNGHTXkpM-LWGh2LdsEU0bcIQNY3zfT1WRDQPKYyEYgLYmnoYiXdPcFWKwyBanCaLz2t5jWdMITUSusSxYCVEB5AopZ2I/s640/IMG_2345.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="p1">
Every time I go to the state fair I always have to get myself a big bag of kettle corn, trying to ignore the fact that I'm paying $6 for about 10 cents of popcorn. The other night I got a craving for some good ole kettle corn and I figure, why not just make some at home? Better yet, it's practically free. </div>
<div class="p2">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rcIAW3zvmr-vZx-PhsS78hq3zhE1KK8SKbj8gKA7MFhY87_d79AXFDfv5shTbuo-LMeKWvg6q5QZxlxcyPlfGcmvTU9aqYPXpaoAQ1h1bSBdIhqknzLffdmsXewcwpLgc2laR5JdqCdZ/s1600/IMG_2351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rcIAW3zvmr-vZx-PhsS78hq3zhE1KK8SKbj8gKA7MFhY87_d79AXFDfv5shTbuo-LMeKWvg6q5QZxlxcyPlfGcmvTU9aqYPXpaoAQ1h1bSBdIhqknzLffdmsXewcwpLgc2laR5JdqCdZ/s400/IMG_2351.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Now, I don't have a fancy, big, black kettle like they use at the fair, but I do have a saucepan! All it takes is 4 ingredients – that's it! While I don't use exact measurements, you can measure just by the pan you're using. For instance, if you're making popcorn for a whole family – use your big saucepan. I used a medium saucepan, which was plenty for my husband and I. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<h4>
Ingredients:</h4>
<div class="p1">
Uncooked popcorn kernels</div>
<div class="p1">
Vegetable oil</div>
<div class="p1">
White cane sugar</div>
<div class="p1">
Salt</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<h4>
Directions</h4>
<div class="p1">
1. Put one kernel of popcorn in your pan, then pour enough oil in the pan so the kernel is halfway covered. Do not use more or your popcorn will be oily. </div>
<div class="p1">
2. Heat your burner to medium (about a 5 or 6 on electric), with the lid closed (<i>hot oil = not safe!</i>) Once the kernel pops, a minute or two later, you'll know the oil is hot enough to pour the rest in. </div>
<div class="p1">
3. Pour popcorn in your pan so there is just one layer of kernels covering the bottom – immediately after, shake your desired amount of sugar into the pan with the kernels and oil (for medium saucepan I used about 1/3 cup)</div>
<div class="p1">
4. It is important to continuously shake the pan back and forth, <b><i>while on the burner, with the lid on</i></b>. This is so the oil and sugar is distributed among the kernels, but most importantly so the sugar doesn't burn the popcorn! </div>
<div class="p1">
5. You'll know the batch is done cooking when the popping slows and your pan is full</div>
<div class="p3">
6. Pour your popcorn into a large bowl and salt it to taste preference (do not pour directly from the salt bottle), then shake or stir in bowl</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
…before you know it – you will have a delicious bowl of homemade kettle corn! It only takes about 5 minutes and is WAY better than microwave popcorn! Let me know if you like it - enjoy!</div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-89899204476840809072012-11-16T12:57:00.001-08:002012-11-16T12:57:43.185-08:0010 Black Friday Shopping Tips<br />
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0pLLt6pGJLgU3H2efNst8uIrMPEF_wmoV1QbaqVyupILrm6P81Gqwj7vm5aI9mP8FWoH-mDltpOyxNIf3lmQgf6TlcNAiw7-9mkbFSRc2Er6F4O94fRuA4vvXaa1MmctguK-VpdllDG3/s1600/Macys-on-Black-Friday.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0pLLt6pGJLgU3H2efNst8uIrMPEF_wmoV1QbaqVyupILrm6P81Gqwj7vm5aI9mP8FWoH-mDltpOyxNIf3lmQgf6TlcNAiw7-9mkbFSRc2Er6F4O94fRuA4vvXaa1MmctguK-VpdllDG3/s640/Macys-on-Black-Friday.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
You know you're a grown adult when vacuum sales excite you. Why do I want a Dyson Vac sooo bad? Seriously you'd think that someone who is in the advertising industry, wouldn't be so taken by marketing techniques, on vacuums, of all things. I saw one in an ad and started to get giddy at the thought that I'll be <b>Black Friday</b> shopping in a week. It's not my fault I love it so much, it's practically in my family's genetic code. Every year, my mom, sister, aunt, cousin and I all make the trek to the "<i>big city</i>" to do some damage on the wallet. Oddly enough, we find it fun running through crowds, fighting for parking spots and waiting in line for 20 minutes to get a humungo slice of pizza – totally worth it. Like the Doomsday Preppers, you must prepare for this day and with my 15+ years of experience, <b>I will lead you to the light at the end of the tunnel…aka the checkout line</b>.</div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<div class="p1">
While the day is called <b>Black Friday</b>, most sales actually start on Thanksgiving day now, while us normal people are sitting around our dinner tables stuffing our faces with turkey. Meanwhile, the crazies, are trampling each other in line trying to be the first into Best Buy to save $20 on an Xbox. That's not what we're talkin' bout here folks, I'm talkin bout smart shopping. <b>WARNING</b>: if you look like Santa – avoid shopping at all during Black Friday, children are rampant.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYH_zgVr0Ot9fTqv1BoN5cxux6ggfx5GU3mgRMwLrZG9Cvi9Sx30hnkPolxhIJn2fQ_IJcFuHqXXViLDs9Uvnx7EW7mdn-MaYhvsMBP8iLUgqVYLsV9gY3jl-TVYUwrY0f9Lp3h2yTgx2/s1600/20111125_best-buy-line_33.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYH_zgVr0Ot9fTqv1BoN5cxux6ggfx5GU3mgRMwLrZG9Cvi9Sx30hnkPolxhIJn2fQ_IJcFuHqXXViLDs9Uvnx7EW7mdn-MaYhvsMBP8iLUgqVYLsV9gY3jl-TVYUwrY0f9Lp3h2yTgx2/s400/20111125_best-buy-line_33.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b>Tip #1: Budget</b>. Before you even start to consider what items you want to purchase for Christmas (or general shopping), you must figure out how much money you are able to spend. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<b>Tip #2: Make a List</b>. Now that you know how much money you are able to blow, it's time to make the list of what you want - BUT make the list <i>before</i> looking at ads. Why? Top priority purchases should be what you need or really want, versus what you find in an ad to be simply a good deal. At the end of the day, you don't want a bag full of impulse buys that you really didn't want! Keep the list in your phone, so you easily have it on the go.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6TwMD00qZGvm5yKA-YGW3yaeEiqPcyDwfJNY3rg5emszhgrcRrD1bSOWTjzyc3Gg6VGUacmdKvPhD3oXsM81qBu3NHfjP-h9w6KZY7oW2KWTntmk8672tpGWwA-QKdZFmi9zzXC0K4ib/s1600/mzl.ranxspud.320x480-75.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6TwMD00qZGvm5yKA-YGW3yaeEiqPcyDwfJNY3rg5emszhgrcRrD1bSOWTjzyc3Gg6VGUacmdKvPhD3oXsM81qBu3NHfjP-h9w6KZY7oW2KWTntmk8672tpGWwA-QKdZFmi9zzXC0K4ib/s320/mzl.ranxspud.320x480-75.jpeg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shopping Calculator App</td></tr>
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<b>Tip #3: Use your Smartphone</b>. According to <a href="http://marketingland.com/pew-and-nielsen-say-smartphones-now-50-percent-when-will-comscore-join-the-club-8979">Marketing Land</a>, 53% of the US population owns a smartphone and I bet that number is way higher in the spec of my readers! Therefore, use your smartphone to your advantage on Black Friday. Cash purchasing prevents overspending, but it can be dangerous to carry a bunch of cash on such a busy shopping day. BUT – you cannot simply guess how much you're spending as you go from store to store. Download a free <b>shopping calculator app</b>, there are tons to choose from; some apps have the feature to calculate (price, tax & discounts) the price <i>before</i> going through the checkout line. </div>
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I have two more favorite apps that are super handy! <b>BFads.net</b> has a complete list of stores and the current sales, no more printed ads needed. <b>RetailMeNot Coupons</b> has been a favorite of mine for a while now! The app is SO handy on the go, it has tons of coupons that you can pull up on your phone for checkout. </div>
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<b>Tip #4: Clip Coupons</b>. If you don't have a smartphone, don't want to fool around with apps or the coupons simply aren't found online – <i>cut them out</i>! If you don't use coupons, you're literally throwing your money down the drain. It's also a great idea to research ahead of time and see which stores <i>honor competitor's coupons</i> or <i>match sale prices</i>. Some stores even have <b>freebee coupons</b> – no joke! I have a "free panty" from Victoria's Secret in my purse right now, well the coupon anyway! Don't let things like Kohl's Cash trick you into spending more money than originally planned though. (Example: If you didn't originally want anything from Kohls, but have $20 Kohl's Cash to spend, the disclaimer says your purchase must be at least $20 pre-tax. Most items for sale have a price like $18.99; Therefore, in order to meet the $20 minimum you'd have to buy something else in order to get the savings. Otherwise, buy something over $20 and spend the difference. Either way – you're spending more than you planned on in the beginning!)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shopping buddy!</td></tr>
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<b>Tip #5: Shop with a Buddy.</b> While darting in and out of stores solo seems faster, on Black Friday it's important to shop with a buddy! Not only to hold each other's bags, while the other tries clothes on, but to hold the place in line for them – it's handy using the buddy system! </div>
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<b>Tip #6: Dress wisely.</b> One year I wasn't thinking and wore lace up boots – took forever to take them off and on when trying on clothes. It's also a good idea to leave your winter coat in the car, otherwise you'll end up carrying it around all day. I also always wear a neutral tank top or cami under my shirt – then I don't need to go into the changing room to try on tops (beats waiting in line behind 20 girls right?) Another great idea is to wear a cross body purse, this way you don't have to carry one around or accidentally forget somewhere it in the madness. It also helps prevent pick pocketing, as the purse is closer to your body and is never set down. Lastly, wear comfy shoes – shopping is a workout!</div>
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<b>Tip #7: Save your Receipts.</b> No matter how much you love something when you buy it – save the receipt! If you're buying gifts for friends and family, remember to get them a gift receipt as well (ask cashier for this before ringing the items up!) Remember to save all the receipts in one location, such as a zip pocket in your purse or in your wallet. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mall of America</td></tr>
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<b>Tip #8: Be Friendly!</b> Don't only be courteous to employees working on this hectic day, but be nice to your fellow shoppers! History proves that shopper's claws come out on <b>Black Friday</b> – don't be that person! While it's fun to beat someone to a parking spot or get the last sweater in your size, it's also nice to open doors for people and to say thank you. </div>
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<b>Tip #9: Leave the Kids at Home.</b> Now I'm not saying this because I dislike kids – I love them! But for your sake, leave the young ones at home. Bathroom and food lines are long, aisles are crowded, people stampede, nursing areas are severely limited and so on.</div>
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<b>Tip #10: Don't forget Cyber Monday.</b> Last of all, you're not doomed if you don't find everybody's gifts on Black Friday – there's still Cyber Monday! Woohoo! </div>
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<br />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-59308469412509395952012-11-10T14:54:00.002-08:002012-11-12T11:11:43.266-08:00Recipe :: Irresistible Chicken Pot Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKu8gwSgQRPamTyKy7yKg4svGsI6TJ1oB3gHPRRX7njh6l-YF7q7BpmZyB2FNZkx-iLE16aDfWYieEbicCLNfzJrgOZ2lQCfceEITGu6PAxpTnleuyOQ17GE1KJ79V98dNNW3mhvxvsi87/s1600/chickenpotpie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKu8gwSgQRPamTyKy7yKg4svGsI6TJ1oB3gHPRRX7njh6l-YF7q7BpmZyB2FNZkx-iLE16aDfWYieEbicCLNfzJrgOZ2lQCfceEITGu6PAxpTnleuyOQ17GE1KJ79V98dNNW3mhvxvsi87/s400/chickenpotpie.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Before throwing my <b>chicken pot pie</b> into the oven, I decided to get creative - forgetting that I suffer from dull-kitchen-knives syndrome. Aren't my leaves just awesome? Laugh all ya want, but do not underestimate the deliciousness of this! Just talking about it makes me hungry (or the fact that i'm in Panera and am a bread addict).<br />
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Earlier in the week, I decided to take on the task of crock-potting (real word) a whole chicken and daaayyyum it turned out delicious. I had planned to make chicken noodle soup with the leftovers, but after chatting with a friend it dawned upon me - why not make chicken pot pie? Why not be a little adventurous and spice up a Thursday night! Enjoy - you will love it!<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Whole Chicken in Crock Pot</span></b></h2>
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Ingredients:<br />
1 (3 lb Chicken)<br />
1/4 Cup Honey<br />
1/2 Cup Chicken Broth<br />
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce<br />
1/3 Olive Oil<br />
2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic<br />
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Directions:<br />
1. Rise the chicken (thawed) and remove the skin. Set aside.<br />
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2. In bowl combine all ingredients, stir, then add whole chicken.<br />
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3. I let my chicken marinade for a few hours, then I flipped it and let it sit overnight, before setting it to cook in the morning.<br />
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4. Cook for 8 hours on low setting or 4 hours on high.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Chicken Pot Pie Recipe</span></h2>
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Crust</h3>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Cups All-purpose Flour<br />1/2 Teaspoon Salt<br />2/3 Cup Shortening<br />6-7 Tablespoons Cold Water</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Directions:</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size. (I don't own a pastry blender, so I blended in small chunks of shortening into my mixing bowl)<br /><br />2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push<br />moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, until all dough is moistened. Divide in half. Form each half into a ball.<br /><br />3. On lightly floured surface, flatten 1 dough ball. Roll from center to edges into 12-inch circle.<br /><br />4. To transfer pastry, wrap it around rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch it. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Roll out second dough ball and wait until filling (below) is ready to use this portion on top.</span></div>
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Filling:</h3>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1/3 Cup Butter</div>
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1/2 Cup Chopped Onion</div>
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1/3 Cup All-purpose Flour</div>
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1/2 Teaspoon Salt</div>
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1/2 Teaspoon Pepper</div>
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1 3/4 Cups Chicken Broth</div>
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1/2 Cup Milk</div>
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2 1/2 Cups Shredded Cooked Chicken (Recipe Above)</div>
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2 Cups Frozen Vegetables (for more of a crunch, use fresh)</div>
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Directions:</div>
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1. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 mins, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring frequently until bubbly and thickened.</div>
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2. Stir in mixed vegetables and chicken, then remove from heat. Spoon mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second portion of crust, seal. Cut slits in top of crust.</div>
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3. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.</div>
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ENJOY!!! </div>
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*Filling recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/classic-chicken-pot-pie/1401d418-ac0b-4b50-ad09-c6f1243fb992">here</a>.</div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-2312335000811815552012-11-07T15:03:00.000-08:002012-11-07T15:03:46.710-08:00Thanksgiving :: Giving - Thanks!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2v297REpD_dwSDinKbnPGH2sppu5f8Zbv0Sjhu5yAtDKtWULquF1eCaH1Fl9vJF5ov23z-YxIeYhW6YZzWBYT14nyDO2ZOHfI8tqkEuMZp_wxYEiQ4CYtJQ537qluJtqs8OZak8pb3-T/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2v297REpD_dwSDinKbnPGH2sppu5f8Zbv0Sjhu5yAtDKtWULquF1eCaH1Fl9vJF5ov23z-YxIeYhW6YZzWBYT14nyDO2ZOHfI8tqkEuMZp_wxYEiQ4CYtJQ537qluJtqs8OZak8pb3-T/s640/image.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Light Studio</td></tr>
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It's November 7th and as I look at my calendar I'm shocked at how time flies. Summer pretty much breezed by and I feel like I still haven't gotten enough of fall yet! Even though, it's probably my fault winter is coming. I've been listening to Kenny G Holiday on Pandora for about a month now, practically serenading snow to fall.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Friday Shopping!</td></tr>
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Even though I hate the cold, the snow and the dark sky by 5, there are two things I LOVE about November: <b>BLACK FRIDAY</b> and <b>Thanksgiving</b>! Last night, I prepared for Black Friday by carrying 7 grocery bags into the house in one trip – ya know, gotta build up those arm muscles for hardcore shopping. But what am I doing to prepare for Thanksgiving? What are we all doing? I'm not talking about finding the holiday perfect outfit, cleaning the house for company or finding delicious recipes…but about preparing our hearts to<b> <i>give</i> thanks</b>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrHxtOOFJ_Ced3IN2O3d9RfkAgdejuDu30YTTwCNEGLD7ND2v9vfIe8Rs8xpfa8UdQ6Lk7_d6j0_yLSUZ38-mmxCXSgqsq5reJGA_a0veLUf0E2mLy1rDNqZZJK1xPxXBXMVUUfL-h57h/s1600/thanksgiving+giving+thanks+copy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrHxtOOFJ_Ced3IN2O3d9RfkAgdejuDu30YTTwCNEGLD7ND2v9vfIe8Rs8xpfa8UdQ6Lk7_d6j0_yLSUZ38-mmxCXSgqsq5reJGA_a0veLUf0E2mLy1rDNqZZJK1xPxXBXMVUUfL-h57h/s400/thanksgiving+giving+thanks+copy.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>"Thanks"</i> can be such an empty word, as it is used all the time without thought behind it. What if <i>"thanks"</i> wasn't really meant to be<b> just a word</b>? What if, this holiday season, we could <i>show </i>that we are thankful for all that God has blessed us with, by blessing others in return. When I think of things that I'm thankful for, I instantly think of my husband, my family, my job and my freedom. "Thanks" is only the first half of thanksgiving though – what about "giving?" What if, this Thanksgiving, we gave back to all the people/places/things that we're thankful for?</div>
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<b>Here are a few ideas of how to GIVE – THANKS:</b></div>
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• Have friends and family over for <i>dinner</i></div>
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• Do your significant others/roommates <i>chores</i> (everyone hates doing dishes!)</div>
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• Bring<i> treats</i> into work </div>
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• <i>Visit</i> family or friends that you haven't seen in a while</div>
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• Mail a <i>homemade card </i>(my mom sent me one on Halloween and made my bad day turn right around!)</div>
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• Write a l<i>etter</i> or an email to a politician and tell them how they <i>positively</i> impacted your life </div>
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• <i>Volunteer</i> for an organization you believe in</div>
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• Donate or organize a <i>food drive</i></div>
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• <i>Serve</i> your family the Thanksgiving meal</div>
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• Surprise someone with a small <i>gift</i></div>
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• <i>Pray</i> for others</div>
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• <i>Hug</i> your parents (really…when was the last time you gave them a real good hug?)</div>
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• <i>Facebook blast</i> a huge thanks to someone who makes a difference!</div>
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• Surprise your significant other with a <i>date </i></div>
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• Bring <i>flowers</i> to an elder at the nursing home and spend <i>time</i> with them</div>
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• <i>Forgive</i> someone (thankful that Jesus forgives you!)</div>
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• <i>Praise</i> someone for the hard work that they do</div>
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• Write a <i>letter</i> to a service organization that always gives you great customer service</div>
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• Give someone less fortunate a<i> gift card </i>(or to anyone you're thankful for)</div>
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• Tell your friends a <i>quality</i> you admire and appreciate about them</div>
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• <i>Donate</i> clothes to a family in need or Goodwill</div>
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• <i>Help</i> an elder or handicapped person</div>
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After all is said and done, not only will you make others feel good, but you will also feel amazing, I promise!</div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280462389415240325.post-44715646433887612422012-11-06T15:20:00.000-08:002012-11-06T15:20:55.694-08:00How to Bargain for Your Wedding
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After a summer full of friends, gaining the sophisticated title of "fiancé" and the shiny new ring to prove it, the initial excitement is settling down and it is time to get to work! By "get to work," I do not mean, "get in a Pinterest-coma and re-pin everything that sparkles." The work I'm talking about is, learning <b>how to get the biggest bang for your buck and how to bargain with vendors </b>- Rosie knows what I'm talkin' bout! Oh yea and grab your man for this one, because this is where he will want to get involved! </div>
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Still not convinced your fiancé would be interested in reading a blog about wedding planning? Make him a sandwich because food (aka beer) opens up all sorts of realms with men – marriage advice #1. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKirz6F6zAzHS-BGSr7zMyp7w0H3Nu1_48_qviWgtjNYhTRglGlMoOnLATZO8eOmcDxiFGsy8L0bhTCTUjgWgiNlnLhQcQbadXF1LZW51A3n7-7j2K17FKJIc5p4VYhFVHlZrVkgdAmoEb/s1600/friday-wedding-date.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKirz6F6zAzHS-BGSr7zMyp7w0H3Nu1_48_qviWgtjNYhTRglGlMoOnLATZO8eOmcDxiFGsy8L0bhTCTUjgWgiNlnLhQcQbadXF1LZW51A3n7-7j2K17FKJIc5p4VYhFVHlZrVkgdAmoEb/s400/friday-wedding-date.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The obvious first step, is to set your wedding date. In reality, this seemingly easy task was actually the most stressful part of my entire wedding planning process. Why? Because there are crazy, single chicks out there booking their wedding years before they're engaged and steal all of the dates you wanted. Just kidding…..but seriously. Therefore, you're left with all of these random dates to choose from, but guess what? No matter what day you pick – your wedding day will be <b>perfect</b> AND I know how to make the date work <i>to your advantage</i>. </div>
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All venues have different policies, whether they have a <b>rental fee, minimum charge, both or none</b>. A minimum is the lowest amount that you must have charged to your bill for an event, for example a Saturday night minimum may be $15,000. If you do not reach 15K, you will be charged a fee/rental fee. These costs will let you know right off the bat, whether you can afford the venue or not. Saturdays usually have the highest rates and are booked earlier, since it's the most convenient time. <i>Convenient doesn't translate to most affordable</i> though. Weekday weddings (HELLO Friday!), Sundays and holidays usually have cheaper rates! If not, you need to negotiate a lower price with the vendor <i>before</i> you sign the contract. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79qD0EIVcq72839WE2magvqbFGfciAQZAqZgQSdluL0obMsW7VL01o4CAwwJWKc8R1-uhl5Vv7HHxlkdXTx1VYuiVmw4Skbg6wo_kpcKaNPrXhfzJosvV9wOxii7Ls2oMhwx7ZEDBZ79B/s1600/photobooth.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79qD0EIVcq72839WE2magvqbFGfciAQZAqZgQSdluL0obMsW7VL01o4CAwwJWKc8R1-uhl5Vv7HHxlkdXTx1VYuiVmw4Skbg6wo_kpcKaNPrXhfzJosvV9wOxii7Ls2oMhwx7ZEDBZ79B/s320/photobooth.png" width="261" /></a></div>
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Rentals, such as a Photo Booth, may also have fluctuating daily or seasonal rates, ask for a specific discount if they don't have any listed. Do internet searching (I spent hours searching the web for the best rates) and find the most inexpensive rate, then <i>ask your preferred vendor to honor that rate</i> (state the source). While it is easy to call up a vendor and speak to them on the phone, I did most of my price negotiation via email for 1 reason: <b>proof </b>(see second image below). Any price that a sales person or vendor throws out to you – you will want proof of it. Whether you actually plan to purchase/rent something from them or simply to have proof in negotiation with another vendor for a cheaper price. It is also helpful knowing the salesperson or vendor's <b>contact name</b>, write it down for future reference. From my experience, when I was getting transportation quotes, one salesman misquoted the price and later the company ended up honoring that lower price because I had <i>proof</i> of who I talked to and what time we spoke. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously it works.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet savings huh?</td></tr>
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This leads to <b>quotes</b> from in-house suppliers, their restrictions and outrageous prices. Have you met with a vendor that wanted to charge you $750 just for playing a slideshow at your reception? I have. I didn't even want to bargain with them because that was such a ridiculous price. Needless to say, we did not choose that venue. Most venues have preferred suppliers, where you have to rent or purchase through them or you will be charged an additional fee (example: DJ, ceiling draping, cake, etc). What I found to be the most effective, in this situation, was to find the best deal (keep quality in mind), find out how much the in-house charge would be for bringing something in from an outside vendor*, then compare the two costs. Is it more inexpensive to pay the in-house price or is it cheaper to rent/buy from an outside vendor and pay the fee? You also have to keep in mind where you're at as far as reaching a minimum.</div>
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<b>*Bargain with vendors to lower fees!</b> Example: instead of being charged $2/pp for cake cutting fee, request a lower price! Give them a low number and most likely they'll give you a number back that's in-between the two. <i>This is a great opportunity for the men to step in!</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always an exception to the rule.</td></tr>
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On the other hand, sometimes it is a better option to <b>rent/purchase specialty things through your in-house vendor</b> – even if the cost is higher. For example, we purchased roses for place settings through our reception venue, instead of our florist. The main reason we bought through our venue was because we wanted to <i>make sure we reached the minimum</i>, but we also thought it would be <i>best for convenience sake</i> since we were using fresh flowers that would be sitting out of water.</div>
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As far as getting the biggest bang for your buck with décor, there are tons of resources available to anyone. There are websites such as <a href="http://www.recycledbride.com/"><span class="s1">Recycled Bride</span></a>, <a href="http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites/">Craigslist</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/">Etsy</a> (hand-crafted items), etc where you can find all sorts of things. While I didn't purchase anything used, I found <b>Hobby Lobby</b> to be <i>extremely resourceful</i> as well as the <b>Dollar Tree</b> (who would have known right?) Hobby Lobby is awesome because they oftentimes have <b>50% off sales</b> in the wedding aisles! In my <a href="http://scantillycllad.blogspot.com/2012/02/king-of-coupons.html">King of Coupons</a> article, I talked about how I ordered 288 votive candles and googled a promo code for them and instantly <b>saved $15</b> – <b>do not forget to use promo codes when shopping online</b>, it can end up saving you a fortune. Also, remember to think outside of the box - decor does not have to be expensive flowers!</div>
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Achieving the wedding of your dreams is not impossible and I hope some of my ideas and techniques will help you! Please leave a comment if you have any other bargaining or money stretching techniques for weddings!</div>
Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12713082096222708069noreply@blogger.com0