But, until then, I leave you with a quote about true friendships to mull over.
“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”
― William Shakespeare
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Quote of The Day
So I am going to visit my best friend tomorrow and I could NOT be more excited!!!! Every time we get together it's like my whole being just takes a giant sigh of relief. And, even though (quite thankfully) our friends are just a meager two hours away, a visit with the Doyle's is truly a vacation for my husband and I. I can't wait to blog about my adventures in Tampa.
But, until then, I leave you with a quote about true friendships to mull over.
“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”
― William Shakespeare
But, until then, I leave you with a quote about true friendships to mull over.
“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”
― William Shakespeare
Monday, September 24, 2012
Breakfast of Champions...and me :)
So on top of couponing, working, cleaning, date nights, and social entertaining, I also try to do some jump-start cooking. As two young people, who are newly-married AND on a budget, my husband and I can make some questionable dietary choices. FULL DISCLOSURE:I'm a little bit embarrassed to admit that Pizza can, quite often, substitute as a "main entree" for us at least once a month. To add, we are a big fan of the Stouffers family-sized frozen lasagna and it is usually within the reaches of our freezer.
Lately, though, I've really been trying to improve upon the Chapo dietary game. I began with correcting our breakfast habits.
Typically, in the morning, my husband and I sleep until about five minutes PRIOR to when we have to be at work. We don't cut it quiittee that close, but I'm not exaggerating by much. This leaves us looking like this:
It also leaves us grabbing something for breakfast and literally running out the door. I can't remember the last time I made myself a bowl or cereal or even prepared a bagel. When you put yourself in a morning time crunch, as we both inevitably do, breakfast typically consists of a flimsy granola bar, a banana, or nothing at all.
After three or four months of this horrible, morning pattern repeating itself...I wizened up. I realized I had to figure out something that could fill us more effectively than a granola bar or a banana, but that could still keep the nutritional value. Oh..and it had to be something we could eat--FAST. I'm talking Dale Ernhardt fast.
I did a little bit of research on the best foods to eat in the morning. The number one, reiterated consensus was that an egg is the absolute best food for you to eat in the morning. Really? I thought to myself a freakin egg? where am I gonna come up with the time for that? I didn't think it would be possible, in our hectic lifestyle, to eat eggs for breakfast every morning. I was proven wrong by my dear friend Pinterest (ahhh! What did we ever do before Pinterest?)
I simply typed in the word "eggs" and BAM! A virtual cornocopia of all egg possibilities presented itself to me. One recipe caught my eye and, since my initial trial, I have been making it every week since. I share it with you this week because:
1) It's a huge time-save for on-the-go people such as us.
2) It's a fun and healthy recipe.
3) It is an extremely interchangeable recipe that can be catered to any pallet.
4) AND THE BEST REASON IS....IT'S EASY!!!!
CHAPO TO-GO BAKED EGGS
INGREDIENTS
*Five eggs
*1 tsp Salt
*1 tsp Pepper
*1 tsp Garlic powder (optional)
*2 TBSP Milk
*6 TBSP Rotel(optional)
*1 slice Veggie cheese Mozzerella flavor (optional)
1)Pre-heat the toaster oven to 350 Degrees.
2) Spray a 6 cup muffin pan with cooking spray
3) Take five eggs into large mixing bowl. Whisk eggs, with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and milk until combined.
4) Evenly, poor egg mixture into muffin tin
5) Add toppings, of your choice, into each muffin tin. For this recipe, add 1 TBSP rotel in each cup with even bits veggie cheese. (TIP: for varied pallets, considering doing three meat eggs, three veggie. Other fun egg toppings could be: spinach, chicken sausage, cheddar cheese, salsa, etc.)
6) Bake at 350 Degrees for thirty minutes. Eggs will begin to puff like cupcakes.
7) Insert fork into eggs once cooked. If fork comes back clean, bag egg cups for a daily breakfast option.
TIP: If you have about five more minutes, consider incorporating an egg into a torilla with salsa for an excellent breakfast wrap. Another healthy option is to put the egg cup, slivered onto a bagel with one slice veggie cheese or fat free cream cheese and toast in on medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
Happy cooking and I hope this helps out with your morning rush as it has ours.
Lately, though, I've really been trying to improve upon the Chapo dietary game. I began with correcting our breakfast habits.
Typically, in the morning, my husband and I sleep until about five minutes PRIOR to when we have to be at work. We don't cut it quiittee that close, but I'm not exaggerating by much. This leaves us looking like this:
It also leaves us grabbing something for breakfast and literally running out the door. I can't remember the last time I made myself a bowl or cereal or even prepared a bagel. When you put yourself in a morning time crunch, as we both inevitably do, breakfast typically consists of a flimsy granola bar, a banana, or nothing at all.
After three or four months of this horrible, morning pattern repeating itself...I wizened up. I realized I had to figure out something that could fill us more effectively than a granola bar or a banana, but that could still keep the nutritional value. Oh..and it had to be something we could eat--FAST. I'm talking Dale Ernhardt fast.
I did a little bit of research on the best foods to eat in the morning. The number one, reiterated consensus was that an egg is the absolute best food for you to eat in the morning. Really? I thought to myself a freakin egg? where am I gonna come up with the time for that? I didn't think it would be possible, in our hectic lifestyle, to eat eggs for breakfast every morning. I was proven wrong by my dear friend Pinterest (ahhh! What did we ever do before Pinterest?)
I simply typed in the word "eggs" and BAM! A virtual cornocopia of all egg possibilities presented itself to me. One recipe caught my eye and, since my initial trial, I have been making it every week since. I share it with you this week because:
1) It's a huge time-save for on-the-go people such as us.
2) It's a fun and healthy recipe.
3) It is an extremely interchangeable recipe that can be catered to any pallet.
4) AND THE BEST REASON IS....IT'S EASY!!!!
CHAPO TO-GO BAKED EGGS
INGREDIENTS
*Five eggs
*1 tsp Salt
*1 tsp Pepper
*1 tsp Garlic powder (optional)
*2 TBSP Milk
*6 TBSP Rotel(optional)
*1 slice Veggie cheese Mozzerella flavor (optional)
1)Pre-heat the toaster oven to 350 Degrees.
2) Spray a 6 cup muffin pan with cooking spray
3) Take five eggs into large mixing bowl. Whisk eggs, with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and milk until combined.
4) Evenly, poor egg mixture into muffin tin
5) Add toppings, of your choice, into each muffin tin. For this recipe, add 1 TBSP rotel in each cup with even bits veggie cheese. (TIP: for varied pallets, considering doing three meat eggs, three veggie. Other fun egg toppings could be: spinach, chicken sausage, cheddar cheese, salsa, etc.)
6) Bake at 350 Degrees for thirty minutes. Eggs will begin to puff like cupcakes.
7) Insert fork into eggs once cooked. If fork comes back clean, bag egg cups for a daily breakfast option.
TIP: If you have about five more minutes, consider incorporating an egg into a torilla with salsa for an excellent breakfast wrap. Another healthy option is to put the egg cup, slivered onto a bagel with one slice veggie cheese or fat free cream cheese and toast in on medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
Happy cooking and I hope this helps out with your morning rush as it has ours.
Deal of the Day: Week 2
Hello readers!!! I hope you all had an incredibly amazing and relaxing weekend!!Quite thankfully, I still have one more precious day of leisure before I have to go back into the office.
Don't hate me though....I'll be working a ten hour day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Oh...and did I mention I'll be doing the same thing on Friday as well? Haha...silly ol'me...yahhhh Friday too..Friday too. I definitely love having Monday's off...but most other days, towards the end of my shifts at work,..I look a lil' something like this:
Definitely not complaining, though, because I used to POSITUDELY HATE waking up on Monday's with the passion of one thousand suns. This schedule,on the other hand, gives me the opportunity to: A:be available and helpful for more hours and at work and B)enjoy a day off to contribute to my blog and hunt those deals!!!
Today I will be enjoying a great deal I found at WalMart. Now, I know what you are thinking-"um helloooo...WalMart IS the place for deals...tell me something I DON'T already know please." We all know that WalMart has great prices on clothing, groceries, cosmetics, and even movies. But what about books?
Like most retailers, WalMart's typical sale price for most paperback novels is around the range of $7.99-$10.00 and up. For an avid reader, such as myself, that averages a cost of at least $32.00 per month. And don't even get me started on hard-back books. For those types of novels, you are looking closer to a cost a range of $15.00-$20.00 Most likely, back in my oblivious days, I spent closer to $50.00 per month (on rainy weekends, when the spirit struck, I could EASILY take down two books in two days ; )
Cutting down on costs had to begin in finding a cost-effective way to still pursue my hobby. So, I got creative and researched used bookstores in my area. Fortunately, I found an AWESOME one nearby that has TONS of different literary categories. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much from the store, but when I walked in, I was all:
This used book store even issues punch cards to their loyal customers. The punch card deal issues two free books per every eight purchases (I know this because I am on purchase number 6). If you are ever in the Orange City area, definitely worth checking out the used bookstore there!!
My only flub with that, particular used book store is that some of there more recent books can get a little pricey (even for a used store).
For example,when I was lost in the cold, cold world of full price, I had gotten into buying novels authored by a woman named. Elin Hilderbrand. Hilderbrand is fairly new to the literary game (her first novel premiered in 2000), and so her books are very "in" right now. What this means for me, as well as anyone who is looking to read her excellent writing is: CHA-Chiiinnngg.
Most of Hilderbrand's books are initially sold in hard-back copy. They normally retail, at a regular bookstore, for $24.00. To me, paying almost THIRTY DOLLARSis a ridiculous investment---especially seeing that it would take me less than three days to read on a weekend.
So I began looking for Hilderband books at the used book store I had located. I finally found one, that someone had donated, from 2002. The title of the book was Nantucket Nights. Sadly, it was only available for purchase at the bookstore in hard-back copy and retailed for $9.99. As I had missed reading this particular author, and had bought inexpensive books for several weeks prior, I treated myself and splurged on this purchase.
Afterward, I was somewhat disappointed in my purchase. After a meager 223 pages, and two days reading, the adventure of the book was concluded. At this point, I decided to only buy paperbacks from the used bookstore and call it a day--even if it meant segwaying from my favorite, stylish authors.
And then yesterday, there I am at WalMart doing my shopping when I noticed they had the book cart out. Now, in case you are a reader and are unfamiliar with the book cart---GET FAMILIAR WITH THE BOOK CART : ) The book cart, deal-savvy readers, is your bff for life!
Typically, in most grocery stores, the book cart is a shopping cart or large box filled with discarded books that the retailer is trying to rid themselves of. The cart usually appears at the end of the month, or at the end of every other month at stores when they are trying to make room for new stock. I always go down the book aisle, when doing my shopping, because:
1)Wouldn't it be great to buy a book at the same time you do your grocery shopping?
2)The book cart, in my opinion, have some of the best prices on literature ever
3)Typically, there are some really good authors in the pile if you arent afraid to roll up your sleeves and dig through the non-desireables.
So I bebopped over to the book cart. I could not believe my eyes. There...sitting atop the pile, was a hard-back novel from Elin Hilerbrand.
I should preface this knowledge by saying that I had looked for this EXACT book at a traditional bookstore and found it retailing, in hard-back, for $24.00. Even in my clueless days...that had been a bit much.
So to re-cap: there is this book on top of the pile which written by one of my favorite authors. The book was entitled The Castaways and was authored in 2009, which typically drives up the price on novels. It was a hard-back novel and was 359 pages (lots of reading time!!!). Do you want to guess what the book cart at WalMart was selling this book for?
Oh you guess $10.00? You are wrong the price is lower. Now you guess $7.00? Sorry...warmer...but still lower. THE PRICE OF THE BOOK WAS 4.97!!!!!!
And, so, dear readers, it is my duty to inform you: the book cart is NOW OUT!!! Go to your local supermarket and make a book purchase if you are at all in the market for a new read. As previously mentioned, go prepared to do some digging for an author of your choice
But, for prices like the book cart offers, you won't be sorry that you did!
I RATE THE BOOK CART: A DEAL!!!!!!
Don't hate me though....I'll be working a ten hour day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Oh...and did I mention I'll be doing the same thing on Friday as well? Haha...silly ol'me...yahhhh Friday too..Friday too. I definitely love having Monday's off...but most other days, towards the end of my shifts at work,..I look a lil' something like this:
Definitely not complaining, though, because I used to POSITUDELY HATE waking up on Monday's with the passion of one thousand suns. This schedule,on the other hand, gives me the opportunity to: A:be available and helpful for more hours and at work and B)enjoy a day off to contribute to my blog and hunt those deals!!!
Today I will be enjoying a great deal I found at WalMart. Now, I know what you are thinking-"um helloooo...WalMart IS the place for deals...tell me something I DON'T already know please." We all know that WalMart has great prices on clothing, groceries, cosmetics, and even movies. But what about books?
Like most retailers, WalMart's typical sale price for most paperback novels is around the range of $7.99-$10.00 and up. For an avid reader, such as myself, that averages a cost of at least $32.00 per month. And don't even get me started on hard-back books. For those types of novels, you are looking closer to a cost a range of $15.00-$20.00 Most likely, back in my oblivious days, I spent closer to $50.00 per month (on rainy weekends, when the spirit struck, I could EASILY take down two books in two days ; )
Cutting down on costs had to begin in finding a cost-effective way to still pursue my hobby. So, I got creative and researched used bookstores in my area. Fortunately, I found an AWESOME one nearby that has TONS of different literary categories. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much from the store, but when I walked in, I was all:
This used book store even issues punch cards to their loyal customers. The punch card deal issues two free books per every eight purchases (I know this because I am on purchase number 6). If you are ever in the Orange City area, definitely worth checking out the used bookstore there!!
My only flub with that, particular used book store is that some of there more recent books can get a little pricey (even for a used store).
For example,when I was lost in the cold, cold world of full price, I had gotten into buying novels authored by a woman named. Elin Hilderbrand. Hilderbrand is fairly new to the literary game (her first novel premiered in 2000), and so her books are very "in" right now. What this means for me, as well as anyone who is looking to read her excellent writing is: CHA-Chiiinnngg.
Most of Hilderbrand's books are initially sold in hard-back copy. They normally retail, at a regular bookstore, for $24.00. To me, paying almost THIRTY DOLLARSis a ridiculous investment---especially seeing that it would take me less than three days to read on a weekend.
So I began looking for Hilderband books at the used book store I had located. I finally found one, that someone had donated, from 2002. The title of the book was Nantucket Nights. Sadly, it was only available for purchase at the bookstore in hard-back copy and retailed for $9.99. As I had missed reading this particular author, and had bought inexpensive books for several weeks prior, I treated myself and splurged on this purchase.
Afterward, I was somewhat disappointed in my purchase. After a meager 223 pages, and two days reading, the adventure of the book was concluded. At this point, I decided to only buy paperbacks from the used bookstore and call it a day--even if it meant segwaying from my favorite, stylish authors.
And then yesterday, there I am at WalMart doing my shopping when I noticed they had the book cart out. Now, in case you are a reader and are unfamiliar with the book cart---GET FAMILIAR WITH THE BOOK CART : ) The book cart, deal-savvy readers, is your bff for life!
Typically, in most grocery stores, the book cart is a shopping cart or large box filled with discarded books that the retailer is trying to rid themselves of. The cart usually appears at the end of the month, or at the end of every other month at stores when they are trying to make room for new stock. I always go down the book aisle, when doing my shopping, because:
1)Wouldn't it be great to buy a book at the same time you do your grocery shopping?
2)The book cart, in my opinion, have some of the best prices on literature ever
3)Typically, there are some really good authors in the pile if you arent afraid to roll up your sleeves and dig through the non-desireables.
So I bebopped over to the book cart. I could not believe my eyes. There...sitting atop the pile, was a hard-back novel from Elin Hilerbrand.
I should preface this knowledge by saying that I had looked for this EXACT book at a traditional bookstore and found it retailing, in hard-back, for $24.00. Even in my clueless days...that had been a bit much.
So to re-cap: there is this book on top of the pile which written by one of my favorite authors. The book was entitled The Castaways and was authored in 2009, which typically drives up the price on novels. It was a hard-back novel and was 359 pages (lots of reading time!!!). Do you want to guess what the book cart at WalMart was selling this book for?
Oh you guess $10.00? You are wrong the price is lower. Now you guess $7.00? Sorry...warmer...but still lower. THE PRICE OF THE BOOK WAS 4.97!!!!!!
And, so, dear readers, it is my duty to inform you: the book cart is NOW OUT!!! Go to your local supermarket and make a book purchase if you are at all in the market for a new read. As previously mentioned, go prepared to do some digging for an author of your choice
But, for prices like the book cart offers, you won't be sorry that you did!
I RATE THE BOOK CART: A DEAL!!!!!!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
So today I had my girlfriend, Mary, over for a day-o-fun.
The thing about my friend Mary is....she's just so great. As a fellow English major and UCF alumni, Mary can seamlessly discuss with me the literary career of Fitzgerald and Hemingway. She can then, quite quickly, transition to conversing upon the horrid parking situation at the University we once incurred daily.
Since last year, my husband and I have moved from our cozy apartment near where Mary lived. We now live in a smaller suburb on the outskirts of Orlando.
Although I miss how close Mary and I once lived from each other,we are the type of friends that can always pick up right where we left off. That is what makes the times we get to spend together so neat! Today was one of those times.
This afternoon, before her arrival, I put together a home-cooked lunch for she and I.
FYI:I POSITIVELY LIVE for entertaining!!! I always vowed, growing up, that if I ever had a house-like residence and a "grown up" job I would have people over all the time. Fortunately for me, I do have a rental home and employment these days.
These days, I get super into having themed get-togethers. I love having the decor, centerpieces, and menu all match the occasion to which I'm catering. Why yes...I DO realize I'm a gigantic nerd.
For this, specific, lunch with Mary, I chose to go with bold, feminine colors in the flower arrangement. I took a long, slender vase and filled it with neutral colored rocks from our wedding centerpieces. From this point, I arranged inexpensive fresh flowers in the vase and filled it with water.
For the dinner-ware, I used red and white plates for another fun burst of color. I then partnered the plates with disposable, bright napkins and my Kate Spade cutlery (a gift from the wedding). All together, it looked something like this:
For the menu, I made:
APPETIZER: Pita chips & Hummus
MEAL: Small(er) serving of shrimp scampi, garlic knots, zucchini
DESSERT:Mini brownie a-la-mode for dessert.
All together the meal came out pretty good and I was so happy to spend time with my friend!
After lunch, Mary and I spent a little time exploring DeBary. My personal favorite stop, I think, was the tour around the Swamp House Grill. It was SO much fun to walk around the water-line with my buddy and laugh about life :)
The thing about my friend Mary is....she's just so great. As a fellow English major and UCF alumni, Mary can seamlessly discuss with me the literary career of Fitzgerald and Hemingway. She can then, quite quickly, transition to conversing upon the horrid parking situation at the University we once incurred daily.
Since last year, my husband and I have moved from our cozy apartment near where Mary lived. We now live in a smaller suburb on the outskirts of Orlando.
Although I miss how close Mary and I once lived from each other,we are the type of friends that can always pick up right where we left off. That is what makes the times we get to spend together so neat! Today was one of those times.
This afternoon, before her arrival, I put together a home-cooked lunch for she and I.
FYI:I POSITIVELY LIVE for entertaining!!! I always vowed, growing up, that if I ever had a house-like residence and a "grown up" job I would have people over all the time. Fortunately for me, I do have a rental home and employment these days.
These days, I get super into having themed get-togethers. I love having the decor, centerpieces, and menu all match the occasion to which I'm catering. Why yes...I DO realize I'm a gigantic nerd.
For this, specific, lunch with Mary, I chose to go with bold, feminine colors in the flower arrangement. I took a long, slender vase and filled it with neutral colored rocks from our wedding centerpieces. From this point, I arranged inexpensive fresh flowers in the vase and filled it with water.
For the dinner-ware, I used red and white plates for another fun burst of color. I then partnered the plates with disposable, bright napkins and my Kate Spade cutlery (a gift from the wedding). All together, it looked something like this:
For the menu, I made:
APPETIZER: Pita chips & Hummus
MEAL: Small(er) serving of shrimp scampi, garlic knots, zucchini
DESSERT:Mini brownie a-la-mode for dessert.
All together the meal came out pretty good and I was so happy to spend time with my friend!
After lunch, Mary and I spent a little time exploring DeBary. My personal favorite stop, I think, was the tour around the Swamp House Grill. It was SO much fun to walk around the water-line with my buddy and laugh about life :)
Friday, September 21, 2012
Deal of the Day: Thursday
Ever since I can remember, I have been a girl who LOVES a good bargain. I like to chalk my budget savvy up to having a mother who could finance a trip better than any travel agent and a father who did diy projects all over our house looonngg before it was considered "cool." In essence, I never had a chance.
However, in a struggling economy, a truly good bargain can be incredibly hard to come by. Far too often, prefaces of a coupon make it hardly worth using (i.e. buy three of this name-brand product, get the fourth one free.) As a result, it can be pretty disheartening to sift through the mound of proclaimed "deals" out there as a consumer these days.
I kept thinking to myself there have to be SOME deals worth finding out there! Where are they? This thought brought me to my ultimate quest to find those delightful deals and share them with you, my readers. Which brings me to the:
DEAL OF THE DAY
Last night, the hubs and I decided to go out for dinner. Typically, we save our "date night" for Saturday. However, this Saturday, hubby already HAS an ocean-view date with the hard-to-get type---he is going fishing with his buddies from work.
So there we were, Thursday, at 9:00 P.M. looking for a place to dine (hey....I work ten hour days). We headed over to the local Chilli's---knowing that they would be open late. After a long, hard day's work...I had ALMOST forgotten that Chilli's offered this awesome deal to it's patrons.
It's the opportunity to get an appetizers and two FULL SIZED meals for TWENTY DOLLARS!!!!! Holy guacamole!!! And, my co-worker even furthered this amazement when she let me in on another little secret. "Did you know," she asked "that if you sit at the bar you get free chips and salsa on TOP of the 2/20 appetizer?"
MY REACTION: MIND = BLOWN!!!!
So, as a re-cap, you get chips and salsa (FREE IF YOU SIT AT THE BAR), a smaller portion of an appetizers, and TWO meals for twenty dollars. That is truly an amazing deal! Not to mention, if you prefer to add on an "adult beverage" as Jon and I did last night, the draft beers are two for one.
In the years past, I have to admit, I was a huge Chilli's skeptic. At the time, I didn't enjoy the experience I would have whenever I dined there, nor did I like the food. However, in the past year, Chilli's has really stepped up there dining game. There are several choices on the menu that are really, REALLY tasty (my personal favorite is the margarita chicken).
The two for twenty deal provides very fair portion sizes as well. For the appetizer portion of the menu, we ordered the texas cheese fries and were provided a petite, but very full skillet of well-seasoned fries. The entrees, on the other hand, were an exceptional deal for the twenty dollar deal. My husband's two-for-twenty fajitas took up an entire skillet and were decorated beyond BELIEF with lettuce, onion straws, cheese, and so forth. On my side of the table, my santa cruz 6oz steak was served atop a mounding bed of corn and tomatos...and even came with a large side of jalapeno mashed potatoes (which were delicious). As a whole, you won't believe how much they give you for such a small amount of money.
Also, upon at least our last three visits, the service has been EXCELLENT. Our servers really took the time to make sure we were taken care of and to be upbeat and friendly--even though it was 9:30 by the time we got there. I would go so far to say that Chilli's has probably become my favorite chain restaurant in town. It is also, in my opinion, one of the best dining deals in town.
OVERALL RESEARCH: Even if you didn't like Chilli's before, my advice would be to give it another shot. For twenty dollars, you wouldn't be out much money and I think you will be in for a nice surprise. A Chilli's visit is well-worth the twenty dollar deal!
I RATE THIS VISIT: A DEAL!!!!
However, in a struggling economy, a truly good bargain can be incredibly hard to come by. Far too often, prefaces of a coupon make it hardly worth using (i.e. buy three of this name-brand product, get the fourth one free.) As a result, it can be pretty disheartening to sift through the mound of proclaimed "deals" out there as a consumer these days.
I kept thinking to myself there have to be SOME deals worth finding out there! Where are they? This thought brought me to my ultimate quest to find those delightful deals and share them with you, my readers. Which brings me to the:
DEAL OF THE DAY
Last night, the hubs and I decided to go out for dinner. Typically, we save our "date night" for Saturday. However, this Saturday, hubby already HAS an ocean-view date with the hard-to-get type---he is going fishing with his buddies from work.
So there we were, Thursday, at 9:00 P.M. looking for a place to dine (hey....I work ten hour days). We headed over to the local Chilli's---knowing that they would be open late. After a long, hard day's work...I had ALMOST forgotten that Chilli's offered this awesome deal to it's patrons.
It's the opportunity to get an appetizers and two FULL SIZED meals for TWENTY DOLLARS!!!!! Holy guacamole!!! And, my co-worker even furthered this amazement when she let me in on another little secret. "Did you know," she asked "that if you sit at the bar you get free chips and salsa on TOP of the 2/20 appetizer?"
MY REACTION: MIND = BLOWN!!!!
So, as a re-cap, you get chips and salsa (FREE IF YOU SIT AT THE BAR), a smaller portion of an appetizers, and TWO meals for twenty dollars. That is truly an amazing deal! Not to mention, if you prefer to add on an "adult beverage" as Jon and I did last night, the draft beers are two for one.
In the years past, I have to admit, I was a huge Chilli's skeptic. At the time, I didn't enjoy the experience I would have whenever I dined there, nor did I like the food. However, in the past year, Chilli's has really stepped up there dining game. There are several choices on the menu that are really, REALLY tasty (my personal favorite is the margarita chicken).
The two for twenty deal provides very fair portion sizes as well. For the appetizer portion of the menu, we ordered the texas cheese fries and were provided a petite, but very full skillet of well-seasoned fries. The entrees, on the other hand, were an exceptional deal for the twenty dollar deal. My husband's two-for-twenty fajitas took up an entire skillet and were decorated beyond BELIEF with lettuce, onion straws, cheese, and so forth. On my side of the table, my santa cruz 6oz steak was served atop a mounding bed of corn and tomatos...and even came with a large side of jalapeno mashed potatoes (which were delicious). As a whole, you won't believe how much they give you for such a small amount of money.
Also, upon at least our last three visits, the service has been EXCELLENT. Our servers really took the time to make sure we were taken care of and to be upbeat and friendly--even though it was 9:30 by the time we got there. I would go so far to say that Chilli's has probably become my favorite chain restaurant in town. It is also, in my opinion, one of the best dining deals in town.
OVERALL RESEARCH: Even if you didn't like Chilli's before, my advice would be to give it another shot. For twenty dollars, you wouldn't be out much money and I think you will be in for a nice surprise. A Chilli's visit is well-worth the twenty dollar deal!
I RATE THIS VISIT: A DEAL!!!!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Pinterest: PROVE IT! Experiment #1
My name is Elizabeth Chapo and I have a problem. Liken to a sold 50% of our nation, I, too am addicted to Pinterest. The first step is admitting you have a problem right?
....If you would call spending mindless hours aboard my laptop scrolling through crafting ideas I'll never actually DO a "problem," then I have a major one. I mean, seriously, what's NOT to love about an online virtual pin board listing all kinds of fashion trends, diy crafting activities, creative recipes, and humorous quotes? ASIDE from the eons of time you will undoubtedly spend whiling away browsing the site, and the googly eyes you will inevitably have as a result later on...I would have to say Pinterest is pretty much the best invention since a pair of shoes. (Haha...you were totally expecting me to say sliced bread there. But, I mean, yelloooo? our poor ancestors! Walking gosh KNOWS how many miles in all kindsa terrible weather conditions...shoeless! I mean geez!)
The thing with pinterest that gets me though is that sometimes there are just TOO many darned ideas. Any pinterest reader can just pin anything willy-nilly style and loyal readers can have a pretty difficult time deciphering fact from opinion/guestimate. There are tons of things listed on the board and it can get pretty overwhelming. So, I decided to begin a portion of my blog where I would really put these pinterest theories to the test....which brings me to:
EXPERIMENT ONE
I recently read an article on Pinterest that suggested a way in which to attain the perfect mani/pedi. As previously mentioned, I am consistently trying to cut down on costs. However, I won't lie and say I don't miss my weekly fix-ups at the nail salons and the beautiful hands and feet that always accompanied the visits. So....I had to give this theory a try.
1) Assembling supplies. SUPPLIES: generic brand vasoline($2.09),q-tips(already had), five-sided nail file (2.05) and nail polish ($.99).
Worst picture ever
2) I then shaped my nails with the file and applied vasoline around the edges, as suggested in the blog.
3) I went to town painting...doing my best to avoid the edges but getting some splattered anyways (inevitable).
4) Took a q-tip and finished wiping the excess polish from the skin around the nail.
And here was the overall result:
Overall, I have to say, the vasoline DID do a pretty good job keeping the polish OFF the skin. Also, my right had finally did look okay and it was pretty easy to just wipe the polish right off the skin. With that being said, it was VERY DIFFICULT to avoid keeping the vasoline OFF THE NAIL when applying with a q-tip and so there are certain sections that don't look so great--even when I took the time to try to paint it properly.
I rate this theory a: 6 out of 10. Definitely worth trying but, in my opinion, not worth repeating : )
ENJOY!!!
....If you would call spending mindless hours aboard my laptop scrolling through crafting ideas I'll never actually DO a "problem," then I have a major one. I mean, seriously, what's NOT to love about an online virtual pin board listing all kinds of fashion trends, diy crafting activities, creative recipes, and humorous quotes? ASIDE from the eons of time you will undoubtedly spend whiling away browsing the site, and the googly eyes you will inevitably have as a result later on...I would have to say Pinterest is pretty much the best invention since a pair of shoes. (Haha...you were totally expecting me to say sliced bread there. But, I mean, yelloooo? our poor ancestors! Walking gosh KNOWS how many miles in all kindsa terrible weather conditions...shoeless! I mean geez!)
The thing with pinterest that gets me though is that sometimes there are just TOO many darned ideas. Any pinterest reader can just pin anything willy-nilly style and loyal readers can have a pretty difficult time deciphering fact from opinion/guestimate. There are tons of things listed on the board and it can get pretty overwhelming. So, I decided to begin a portion of my blog where I would really put these pinterest theories to the test....which brings me to:
EXPERIMENT ONE
I recently read an article on Pinterest that suggested a way in which to attain the perfect mani/pedi. As previously mentioned, I am consistently trying to cut down on costs. However, I won't lie and say I don't miss my weekly fix-ups at the nail salons and the beautiful hands and feet that always accompanied the visits. So....I had to give this theory a try.
1) Assembling supplies. SUPPLIES: generic brand vasoline($2.09),q-tips(already had), five-sided nail file (2.05) and nail polish ($.99).
2) I then shaped my nails with the file and applied vasoline around the edges, as suggested in the blog.
3) I went to town painting...doing my best to avoid the edges but getting some splattered anyways (inevitable).
4) Took a q-tip and finished wiping the excess polish from the skin around the nail.
And here was the overall result:
Overall, I have to say, the vasoline DID do a pretty good job keeping the polish OFF the skin. Also, my right had finally did look okay and it was pretty easy to just wipe the polish right off the skin. With that being said, it was VERY DIFFICULT to avoid keeping the vasoline OFF THE NAIL when applying with a q-tip and so there are certain sections that don't look so great--even when I took the time to try to paint it properly.
I rate this theory a: 6 out of 10. Definitely worth trying but, in my opinion, not worth repeating : )
ENJOY!!!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Coupon Quuueeeennnnnnn
As mentioned previously, I am a twenty-something newly-wed just beginning my career. What this translates to is:
Life=AWESOME!!!!
Love=AMAZING!!!!
Finances=Hahaha (*insert sarcastic sneer here)
The formula above is prreettyyy clear as to what needs to change. You see...just like every other starter family, the hubs and I have some life goals we'd like to accomplish in the future. These goals may or may not include the sounds of little feet scampering on the floors of a home we eventually own.
So, one fateful night, Jono and I stopped making empty promises and actually got down to financing business. I'm talking pen out, furrowed brow, burning up the calculator business. We skipped right over the good and the bad when we got to grocery expenses. The monthly alotted amount for that was just plain ugly!!
And so it was....that I began my weekly sojourn to a place I will keep anonymous. I will call this particular warehouse of delightful deal's *Joe's to protect it's identity. Now, I know what you are thinking, *Joes...alright! A one stop shop.' And to this affect, dear readers, you'd be right. There is no denying that *Joe's has everything you'd need and more. Not to mention the prices!!!! Holy insanity does it GET any better??!! I love *Joe's in oh-so-many uncountable ways---perhaps on a bi-monthly basis. On a weekly basis...oh hoooo...on a weekly basis *Joe's became quuiiteee perplexing!!!! While attempting to save costs, and braving *Joe's every Monday I came across a few questions which still plague me regarding this store.They are to follow:
1) Why is it that no matter what time you go to *Joe's...it's already BUSY??!! I once tried it at 7:00 AM, then again and 10:00 PM and I swear to you on those terrific *Joe's deals,readers, that the very same amount of clientele was in shopping route at each time.
2)How come no matter HOW many people are doing their respective shopping there are only TWO lines open---maximum?
3) Is it realistically possible that no matter which *Joe's you attend, and no matter the time, you till get stuck behind a crying baby in line? And if so...how is that possible?
4) Can a *Joe's shopper ever hope to get through a shopping trip without getting hit or narrowly being missed by someone else's cart or are these constant frightening interchanges all part of gaining that exceptional discount at the end? (I swear sometimes I feel like I'm gearing up for battle circa spartan soldier as I get ready to go in ;)
I kept telling my best friend, each week when we would speak on the phone, "every week I tell myself I'm not doing this again next week. And then, the next week comes, and here I am again. But--five weeks in....I had had it. I spent thirty minutes in line behind a woman with at least 130 items to purchase while I held my meager 15 patiently waiting. At any other time in my life, I could have chalked this up to one bad run and go on my merry way. But, after the past four weeks with similar experiences, I realized that my time is also valuable and considered this the last straw for my WEEKLY shopping (*Joe's doll...I still love ya'..I just can't manage every week. It's not you...it's me ;)
And so it was that I started segwaying towards another local supermarket nearer to my home in DeBary. In order to make this financially feesible, I began clipping coupons fairly frequently from the Sunday paper and organizing them in my trusty coupon binder.
Let the good times rolodex ;)
Sometimes you can find some EXCELLENT coupons that make your purchases completely worth-while and inexpensive. For example, chicken breasts can get pretttyyy pricey at a regular retailer like the place I do most of my regular shopping. The important thing is to keep track of the store's circulars which come out every Sunday with the paper. So I knew the deal for chicken this week would be:
Pretty great right? Not so fast, I also needed lunch supplies like mustard and mayo and clipped some of those from the paper. One of them just happened to be all:
So to recap, I ended up getting two dollars off eight breasts of chicken (not four) and still getting a condiment I needed for lunches!!!!! It does not get much better than that!
Looking for paper products? I discovered that the retailer I shop at has this brand that is super generic. The paper plates and toilet paper actually cost me LESS than at the DOLLAR STORE by thirty cents a piece. Did you ever think you would see the day where you get products for about THIRTY CENTS LESS THAN A DOLLAR! If you're ever in my area..definitely keep your eyes peeled for these:
I also got a really neat nail-file and a buy one get one FREE nail polish and a cheapo 2.09 bottle of vaseline to try this "perfect pedicure" trick I saw on Pinterest. With me...you can guarantee it won't be anywhere near perfect but I'll post pictures/reviews to follow if it's at all worth it!
So....as an instant recap...we have cut our grocery bills with the coupons and started taking our lunches to work in order to get where we want to be. It won't be easy, but it encourages creativity and ingenuity on both of our parts. I'm so happy you'll be reading up on where this takes us next ; ) Until then, readers, I bid you a wonderful day!
Life=AWESOME!!!!
Love=AMAZING!!!!
Finances=Hahaha (*insert sarcastic sneer here)
The formula above is prreettyyy clear as to what needs to change. You see...just like every other starter family, the hubs and I have some life goals we'd like to accomplish in the future. These goals may or may not include the sounds of little feet scampering on the floors of a home we eventually own.
So, one fateful night, Jono and I stopped making empty promises and actually got down to financing business. I'm talking pen out, furrowed brow, burning up the calculator business. We skipped right over the good and the bad when we got to grocery expenses. The monthly alotted amount for that was just plain ugly!!
And so it was....that I began my weekly sojourn to a place I will keep anonymous. I will call this particular warehouse of delightful deal's *Joe's to protect it's identity. Now, I know what you are thinking, *Joes...alright! A one stop shop.' And to this affect, dear readers, you'd be right. There is no denying that *Joe's has everything you'd need and more. Not to mention the prices!!!! Holy insanity does it GET any better??!! I love *Joe's in oh-so-many uncountable ways---perhaps on a bi-monthly basis. On a weekly basis...oh hoooo...on a weekly basis *Joe's became quuiiteee perplexing!!!! While attempting to save costs, and braving *Joe's every Monday I came across a few questions which still plague me regarding this store.They are to follow:
1) Why is it that no matter what time you go to *Joe's...it's already BUSY??!! I once tried it at 7:00 AM, then again and 10:00 PM and I swear to you on those terrific *Joe's deals,readers, that the very same amount of clientele was in shopping route at each time.
2)How come no matter HOW many people are doing their respective shopping there are only TWO lines open---maximum?
3) Is it realistically possible that no matter which *Joe's you attend, and no matter the time, you till get stuck behind a crying baby in line? And if so...how is that possible?
4) Can a *Joe's shopper ever hope to get through a shopping trip without getting hit or narrowly being missed by someone else's cart or are these constant frightening interchanges all part of gaining that exceptional discount at the end? (I swear sometimes I feel like I'm gearing up for battle circa spartan soldier as I get ready to go in ;)
I kept telling my best friend, each week when we would speak on the phone, "every week I tell myself I'm not doing this again next week. And then, the next week comes, and here I am again. But--five weeks in....I had had it. I spent thirty minutes in line behind a woman with at least 130 items to purchase while I held my meager 15 patiently waiting. At any other time in my life, I could have chalked this up to one bad run and go on my merry way. But, after the past four weeks with similar experiences, I realized that my time is also valuable and considered this the last straw for my WEEKLY shopping (*Joe's doll...I still love ya'..I just can't manage every week. It's not you...it's me ;)
And so it was that I started segwaying towards another local supermarket nearer to my home in DeBary. In order to make this financially feesible, I began clipping coupons fairly frequently from the Sunday paper and organizing them in my trusty coupon binder.
Let the good times rolodex ;)
Sometimes you can find some EXCELLENT coupons that make your purchases completely worth-while and inexpensive. For example, chicken breasts can get pretttyyy pricey at a regular retailer like the place I do most of my regular shopping. The important thing is to keep track of the store's circulars which come out every Sunday with the paper. So I knew the deal for chicken this week would be:
Pretty great right? Not so fast, I also needed lunch supplies like mustard and mayo and clipped some of those from the paper. One of them just happened to be all:
So to recap, I ended up getting two dollars off eight breasts of chicken (not four) and still getting a condiment I needed for lunches!!!!! It does not get much better than that!
Looking for paper products? I discovered that the retailer I shop at has this brand that is super generic. The paper plates and toilet paper actually cost me LESS than at the DOLLAR STORE by thirty cents a piece. Did you ever think you would see the day where you get products for about THIRTY CENTS LESS THAN A DOLLAR! If you're ever in my area..definitely keep your eyes peeled for these:
I also got a really neat nail-file and a buy one get one FREE nail polish and a cheapo 2.09 bottle of vaseline to try this "perfect pedicure" trick I saw on Pinterest. With me...you can guarantee it won't be anywhere near perfect but I'll post pictures/reviews to follow if it's at all worth it!
So....as an instant recap...we have cut our grocery bills with the coupons and started taking our lunches to work in order to get where we want to be. It won't be easy, but it encourages creativity and ingenuity on both of our parts. I'm so happy you'll be reading up on where this takes us next ; ) Until then, readers, I bid you a wonderful day!
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