Friday, October 29, 2010

Four Ways to Use up the Ro-Tel (From Debt Proof Living)

Four Ways to Use up the Ro-Tel

If TheCouponizer.com (a valued sponsor of this free daily email) is teaching you the ropes for how to become a money-saving couponer, chances are pretty good that you’ve amassed a collection of Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chilies. They’re cute little things that we can get for almost free by combining a coupon with the sale price. But what on earth should you do with them? Here are four recipes that are sure to amaze and delight and possibly send you in search of even more Ro-Tel coupons!

Read on here:Four Ways to Use up the Ro-Tel


Hungry Girl's 2010 Halloween Candy Guide

From our friends over at Hungry Girl

It's our 2010 Halloween Candy Guide... Read on to check out the calorie and fat counts on your favorite bite-sized treats BEFORE you chew. Happy Halloween!!!





Guilt-Free Classics!


Tootsie Caramel Apple Pop - 60 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Charms Blow Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Dum Dum Pop - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Lik-m-aid Fun Dip 0.5-oz. Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (3 Pieces), Original - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Jolly Rancher Lollipop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Laffy Taffy Miniature - 30 calories, 0.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Peeps Ghosts & Pumpkins (2 Pumpkins or 1 Ghost) - 28 - 37 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Pixy Stix (7 Straws) - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Smarties Candy Roll - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Pop Miniature (3 Pops) - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Roll Midgee (About 1-Inch Long) - 23 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Roll Snack Bar (0.5 oz., About 3-Inches Long) - 50 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Twizzlers Strawberry Individually Wrapped Twist - 40 - 47 calories, 0 - 0.3g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Read on here!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

How to Raise Girls with a Positive Self Image

Two articles from Blissfully Domestic caught my attention recently. Below are the links to both. Read them and let me know what you think in the comments section. . .

I would like to get a good discussion going about this.

Andrea

Self Esteem Building Activities for Girls

How to Raise Girls with Positive Self Esteem

Teaching Children Good Manners

From Blissfully Domestic:
September was National Children’s Good Manners Month

Parents are so busy these days. Busy trying earn money. Busy trying to shuffle kids to and from school. Busy helping with homework. Busy transporting everyone to practices, lessons and games. Busy preparing meals.

To read more, click here: Teaching Children Good Manners


Getting Organized with My Neat Receipts Scanner

From Blissfully Domestic:

In my quest to be more electronically organized I have come back to my trusty Neat Receipts Scanner. I am always trying to figure out how I can better organize my business information. That is when I came up with the idea to use my Neat Receipts scanner to input my clients paperwork. Then I found out that it is great for a whole lot of other things as well.


To read this article, click here: Getting Organized with My Neat Receipts Scanner

Giving Away, Not Selling, My Stuff

This post is from Get Rich Slowly staff writer April Dykman.

Ever since I cleaned out my closet, I’ve gotten more and more ruthless, editing more and adding less.

The result of deleting items from drawers and hangers is two large brown boxes taking up floor space in the closet, overflowing with castaways. The boxes have grown into mountains, and I can’t walk to the back of my closet anymore.

Read the rest of the article here:
Giving Away, Not Selling, My Stuff


Free Martha Stewart Custom Templates from Microsoft

These might come in handy for upcoming holiday parties. . .or just to make everyday feel a little more special!

Make Menus Great - Microsoft Office 2010 Custom Templates - Organized Home - MarthaStewart.com

Monday, October 18, 2010

The story behind the Chilean miners' Jesus T-Shirts

As miners were being pulled from Chile's San Jose mine Wednesday, most were wearing tan T-shirts over their coveralls. The Chilean government told reporters the green coveralls were designed to help absorb the sweat as they ascended to the top.

But Wes Little, a CNN editor/producer in Atlanta, wondered why the miners were wearing the T-shirt over their coveralls. He noticed a logo on the T-shirt's left sleeve for the Jesus Film Project.

Read more here!

Kicking the Soda Habit

Kicking the Soda Habit
By Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

Let's start off by talking about some of the benefits to drinking soda... (can you hear the crickets chirping in the background?) The silence is profound. I honestly cannot think of one benefit to your health that drinking a soda gives you. Now let's talk about the hazards to your health that soda brings to the table. How much time do you have? It is full of empty calories (we'll save diet soda for another day), fake sweeteners, harmful artificial additives, chemicals, and a whole lot of words I cannot even pronounce.

Why do we want to put this in our bodies? And why are we willing to pay around $10.66 a gallon for this stuff (assuming you pay $1 for a 12oz. can)? We would never spend that on milk, gasoline, or water so why are we willing to pay it for soda? I'll tell you why. Because we're addicted. Whether it's the sugar, the caffeine, the flavor or the fizz you're hooked. So you know it's unhealthy, expensive, and addictive and you want to stop. Let me help. Here's a few tips to get you on the path to soda freedom.

1. You can't drink what you don't buy - Believe it or not, it all starts at the checkout stand. When you're at the grocery store, the game, the restaurant, or the amusement part there are other options for beverages available. Make a plan and put water at the top of the list.

2. Toss it - Most people will feel guilty for throwing away perfectly good soda, but it's necessary to get the soda out of the house if you are serious about living a healthier lifestyle. Just get rid of it! Honestly, do not even save it for your spouse, and especially not your kids. If it's not good enough for you then it's not good enough for those you love.

3. Make the Switch - Soda isn't the only delicious tasting beverage out there. Try unsweetened iced tea with a lemon wedge or cucumber slice. Orange juice that is freshly squeezed has lots of vitamins and fiber that will fuel your body but it is loaded with too much natural sugar; try mixing it with some mineral water for a soda-like treat! Mix up a tasty combination of berries, oranges, pineapple, and carrots for a super healthy and tasty beverage. The fact is, the best beverage choice is always water. No added sodium, no added salt, no added artificial yuck.

4. Step On The Scale - If you need a little motivation step on the scale. A can of soda has about 150 calories in one single serving. If you drink one can of soda a day that is 4,500 calories in a single month. Just by cutting out soda alone from your diet, you will lose over 1 pound a month especially if you replace the soda consumption with water.

5. Get The Whole Family Involved - Trying to quit a bad habit can be much easier when the family is involved. Talk with your family and let them know you are trying to make a healthy lifestyle change for all of you. Explain to them that soda is unhealthy and you won't be purchasing it anymore. This won't just benefit the quality of your life, but theirs as well. By having your entire family give up soda you might just save your children from a life of diabetes and obesity.

6. Get Moving - Studies show people that are more active make better choices in their diet. By replacing your soda addiction with a walking addiction you will become even more healthy.

Just a few minor changes with your daily choices can help your body and your wallet. So go grab a nice tall glass of water. Cheers!


www.SavingDinner.com with Leanne Ely
Copyright (C) 2010 www.savingdinner.com Leanne Ely, CNC All rights reserved.

After School Snack Ideas

After School Snack Ideas
By Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

Dear Friends,

They walk in the door and before you can even say "Hi, how was your day?" they're saying "I'm hungry!". It's easy to grab a bag of chips, a cookie, or a can of pop but you want to offer them something different. You're looking for quick and easy but healthy too. Is there such a thing? You bet there is and I'm here to help you fill their empty bellies with after school snacks you can give your children with confidence. And don't forget, preparing these snacks with your kids is a great time for some of the best conversations. You can find out a lot about your kids and their lives while talking and working in the kitchen together.

Here's just a few ideas to get you thinking:

Mini Pizza - English muffin pizzas offer a healthy dose of calcium and are quick and easy to create. All that is needed are whole wheat English muffins, pizza sauce, and shredded cheese. Apply a bit of sauce to each muffin, and sprinkle with the cheese. Heat in the oven just until the cheese is melted. You can engage your kids in conversation as you prepare this snack together.

Fruit - A common after school snack, but you can spice it up by adding some a healthy fruit dip. Simply mix some plain low-fat yogurt, lemon juice and honey. You can experiment with this dip and change it up by adding some cocoa instead of lemon juice or molasses and cinnamon instead of honey. Use your creativity and your cupboards to their full potential. Your kids can help you by washing the fruits while you prepare the dip.

Mix It Up - Tossing together a variety of ingredients can make for a special blend of trail mix. Items such as almonds, popcorn, dried fruit, cashews, and pretzels, can be added to make a unique yet tasty snack. Consider the preferences of your children when combining the foods for this snack. Trail mix will last for days, so you can make up a big Rubbermaid bowl full over the weekend for a quick snack that requires no preparation.

For more snack ideas check out my Snack Series here:
http://savingdinner.com/articles/snack-series/

Copyright (C) 2010 www.savingdinner.com Leanne Ely, CNC All rights reserved.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Target: Free Curel Lotion, Glade Candles for $0.20, Purina Beggin’ Strips for $0.34 + more from MoneySavingMom.com

Here are some more great deals at Target this week (these may not be
available nationwide, so make sure to check the shelf tag or price
scanner before purchasing):


Target: Free Curel Lotion, Glade Candles for $0.20, Purina Beggin’ Strips for $0.34 + more

Prayer Request Update

This is an update from my Prayer Request post from yesterday. You can read more about it here.

The family called back yesterday (Tuesday) morning and asked to see the house at 5:00 p.m. The whole family showed up, the couple and both sets of parents and according to dad, they all LOVE the house.

They told dad that they would let him know something, one way or the other, in a few days.

Please continue to pray that this is the time for the house to be sold.

Thank you for praying.

Restaurant High Chairs Carry More Bacteria Than Toilet Seats

EWWW. On a scale of 1 - 10 this is a 15! Read on, if you dare. . .

The Daily Mail has reported on a new and disturbing study. According to swabs taken at 30 different restaurants, the amount of bacteria found on high chairs was significantly greater than the amounts found on public toilets. Toilets had an average of eight bacteria per square centimeter. High chairs had 147. Ready for the kicker? The study was done in the United States, not England.

Continue reading the article here . . .

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Would you please pray with me. . .

This is a note from my mom, Sharlene.

Long story short, they have purchased a home in Asheboro, NC near my sister where they plan to retire. They need to sell their house in WV by February 2011, when my dad retires from the coal mines after 39 years. Although they have shown the house several times, it is still on the market. Please pray that their house will sell soon. It would be a huge financial burden lifted from them as they enter this next phase of their lives.

Thanks in advance for your prayers,
Andrea


Just wanted you to know that dad showed the house this morning. The wife and the two mothers were very excited, took pictures. She said she definitely wants it pending what her husband has to say. He couldn't come because he was hurt last Tuesday in the mines but will probably be able to come over by the end of the week. She wants to bring the fathers also. They have their down payment and a bank prepared to finance for them. They lost out on a house before their financing went through but are ready now. Please, please pray hard that this is THE one.
Love you very much,
Momma

Monday, October 11, 2010

Fast Food is NOT Food

Fast Food is NOT Food
By Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

Dear Friends,

Everyone knows that fast food isn't the healthiest option out there. However, with increasingly hurried lifestyles, it's easy to give in to the temptation to head to your local drive-through and pick up a quick meal. Complicating matters even further, brightly painted playgrounds and characters with friendly faces lure your children to fast food restaurants. And let's not forget those tempting plastic toys.

But just how bad is this food? Can you even call it food? In one famous experiment, a New York City artist purchased a happy meal from McDonald's and took photos of it every day. By day 137, the plain hamburger and fries looked nearly identical to the way they looked on the first day. How many preservatives do you think are in that food so that it shows no signs of decay after more than four months? Are you putting all those chemicals in your body or your children's bodies? Of course, you can do as one popular fast food chain says and "have it your way". But is that really your way?

Real food has a short lifespan. Natural food will not look the same even one day later, much less 137 days later. It if was once living it will decay.

If you think you're safe from the chemical overload when you order from the light menu, think again. Even the so-called healthier meals at these places are loaded with salt, sugar, and fat. Certain menu items may indeed be lower in fat but they are still pumped with preservatives to help prolong their shelf life and reduce the company's overhead. Fast food is indeed cheaper than buying fresh food at the store. That's because the food they sell bears little resemblance to what you would buy in the grocery store. If you're often in a hurry, look into meal planning like our Menu-Mailers and freezer cooking. If you're on a budget, clip coupons and scour sales flyers.

Think about it: one fast food meal usually contains more sodium, fat, and calories than you should consume throughout an entire day. YIKES! It's also full of unnatural chemicals that your body doesn't recognize and doesn't know what to do with. DOUBLE YIKES! Is it really worth saving a little bit of time and money tonight if it means shortening your life in the long run? You still "lovin' it"?

Love,
Leanne, Your Dinner Diva Saving Your Dinner since 2001, http://savingdinner.com

Copyright (C) 2010 www.savingdinner.com Leanne Ely, CNC All rights reserved.

Diagnosis and Moving Forward

A wonderful blog post from Cary Schmidt from Lancaster Baptist Church

Diagnosis and Moving Forward

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