The Ultimate Reset--Saving Money and Time

Monday hubs and I started Beachbody's Ultimate Reset.  The Reset is a 21 day body detox and cleansing program. 

These are wrist bands to remind us of our commitment to the 21 day Reset.

 The Reset package includes menu plans, recipes and supplements to reestablish our body's Ph and metabolism.  We are currently beginning day 3 and I thought I would share a few of the yummie meals we have eaten and a few tips for saving time and money for healthy eating.

Day 1& 3 breakfast--toast, steamed kale with pine nuts and 2 eggs.

Lunch--spinach, shredded carrots, cucumber, tomato, red peppers and pumpkin seeds all topped with a creamy garlic dressing.

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Day 2 breakfast--steel cut oats with blueberries and a side of yogurt sweetened with maple syrup.

Now, lets talk about baby carrots, they are part of the Reset shopping list and a great snack with hummus or as a stand alone.  Our 2 littles are frequently found in the kitchen peeling and cutting their own carrots for a snack. So, save yourself some money and don't buy them, buy the giant 10 pound bag of carrots instead.  Yes, baby carrots are convenient but are they really the cute little babies we think they are?  I once read that baby carrots are really just regular carrots cut into their cute little shape by a machine.  Think about it, if you have ever grown carrots you know they do not come out of the ground all cute and perfectly shaped but rather very misshapen and narly.  A 10 pound bag of carrots is just under $5 and then put your children to work peeling, slicing and shredding. We keep containers for slice carrots and shredded carrots in the frig.  So whether it is a snack or a salad I am making, we are ready to go.

Our blender is the most used appliance in the house.  We make a lot of smoothies but we use it beyond that for pureeing soup, emulsifying salad dressing or making marinades.  Sure a dressing or marinade can be made in jar or bowl but put it in the blender and the whole texture changes to smooth and creamy.

We also have a food processor that gets a lot of use but the blender comes out more often because it is faster and easier to clean.

I hope to keep everyone updated on our Reset progress and give a few money saving and healthy eating tips along the way.

Thanks for visiting.

Slime Glorious Slime!

I remember getting green slime out of a grocery store vending machine when I was about 8 years old.  I played and played with that gross stuff until it was full of lent and debris. So when I say this recipe I knew we had to try it.

Mixing with a bit of trepidation.

"oh, this is weird!"

"Wow, fun!"

Watch it drip!

Add some trucks or trains.

"Look what I can do, Mom!"

Slime is a great playdough alternative, frugal and sensorial fun for all ages!

For more fun kid craft & concotions check out our Pinterest  board

Today is Montessori Monday and I'm linking up.

Celebrating Valentine's Day without Breaking the Bank.

Valentine's Day is quickly coming upon us as is the pressure to mark it in some fantabulous way for our dear ones.  Yes, I want to build memories of special celebrations but sometimes it is so hard to make a plan due to a lack of energy or finances but this year I think we have a winner.  I was able to get all the children something special at a consignment store or on amazon.  Bob the Builder for Brady, American Girl  books for Emry, Boz for Kensley and The Boys Doodle Book for Ayden.  I even bought candy at the dollar store but I put it in a really good spot and cannot find it.  I remember my mom doing this when I was young so I guess it is official,  I am turning into my mother.  I am still trying to think of some fun breakfast ideas, I'm leaning on trying these rolls by one of my favorite authors, Sally Clarkson.

So that is for the children but what about you and Jay?  Well, I am glad you asked.  We have some friends, who also have 4 children, volunteer to watch our four for the evening and we are going to take them up on the offer.

The Lopez Family from The Happenings of Jason and Jenn

So then we had to decide what to do, well stay home of course.  I don't think it is always necessary to feel like we have to eat out or leave the house to be on a date and honestly hubs and I are frequently disappointed when we eat dinner out because of the lack of quality meals.  On more than one occasion we have gone out to eat and left the restaurant disappointed because we spent our hard earned money on a bad meal.  So we are staying home on this date.  Jay and I discussed the menu and threw around filet and scallops, which we decided was not budget friendly for the pauper days we are in at the moment.  So chicken it is  but we will be splurging on mushrooms and marsala wine to make Grilled Marsala Chicken.  For dessert we will  be having French Silk Chocolate Pie.

Jay and I hiking Glacier Point @ Yosemite National Park--August 2011. Ignore the hair we were camping, sweating and not bathing.

So there you have it, our fantabulous Valentine's Day celebration on the cheap.

P.S. Pray I find the candy before Valentine's Day.