I love reading blogs and could spend hours each day doing nothing but. Here are a few of my favorite blogs....
mucho mucho bueno bueno
Sisters with a BAD sense of style. My favorite series is the Jenny Lee makeup series. As someone who hates makeup, this has been lifesaver figuring out how to enhance my looks without caking on the makeup!
simplyvonne
A lover of interior design and fashion, this blog has great graphic design tips. However, my favorite thing about this blog is the pictures of her beautiful baby girl! I love Asian babies.
Money Saving Mom
After having several heart attacks at the beginning of our marriage after each trip to the grocery store, I knew I had to find ways to trim our budget. Money Saving Mom has taught me how to make my own hand soap, taught me how to use coupons effectively, and plan meals out ahead of time in order to get the most bang for my buck! I visit the sight several times a day.
The Pioneer Woman
Probably one of the most popular blogs on the internet, Ree Drummond aka the Pioneer Woman, has easy recipes that I use for my family. I do however have to modify most of them because she uses TONS of butter and cream which is not so good for my waist line.
Life's Spices
My friend is one of the best writers I've ever encountered. I just wish she would do more of it! A fellow lover of dogs and only child, Peggy shares her adventures of moving from Texas to Seattle, trying to navigate graduate school, becoming a new puppy parent to the cutest Westie ever, and adventures in dating.
Green Wedding Shoes
Rachel DeBell Photography
Lindsey Shea Photography
Even though our wedding is over, I still read lots of wedding and photography blogs. These three are the ones I used the most for my own wedding. Since I plan events for a living, I often peruse these sites for ideas that I can incorporate into my own events such as table displays, flower arrangements, and unique decor.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
$30,000 in 30 days
Today, the Tran Family begins a new campaign to raise $30,000 in 30 days to cover uninsured transplant costs for our husband and father who needs a kidney transplant. For the past year, Cuong Tran, has been battling kidney disease which has left his body unable to properly filter blood, regulate blood pressure, and maintain the proper balance of nutrients needed for a healthy body.
This past December, Cuong was placed on the kidney transplant list at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, Texas. We are thrilled the surgeons at Baylor Hospital believe Cuong is an excellent candidate for a kidney transplant.
If everyone we know gives $5, then we will have met a third of our goal. If everyone YOU know gives $5, then we will meet our full campaign goal! Won't you consider sacrificing 1 magazine, 1 Starbucks coffee, 1 McDonald's Value Meal, or 1 movie ticket to give someone else 10 or more years of life?
Help us get the word out by forwarding this message to your circle of influence!! The first six months of medication alone cost over $9,000!
All donations are tax-deductible. You can donate online at www.ntafund.org and enter patient name CUONG TRAN.
Email Udtran@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to consider becoming a living donor!
Best Wishes,
The Tran Family
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Happy Birthday, Bella!
My dear, Bella. Happy 6th Birthday! You are 42 in dog years. Does this mean you're entering pre-menopause? In honor of your birthday, here are my 6 favorite things about you:
1. Your beautiful coat of fur...super soft and gorgeous color!
2. Your inside out ears...your ears are so long that sometimes that turn inside out. Then it looks like you have no ears and that's hilarious.
3. Your long snoot...used for nudging people into petting you and getting under the stove for lost food
4. Your snaggle tooth...because it peeps out from under your lip and is oh so cute!
5. Your hiding place... underneath the bottom row of clothes in my closet. I love coming in to find you laying on your back under the clothes just chilaxin'
6. And finally... your bow legs... they give you swagger!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Try it Tuesday: Loco Cafe
I'm in love... with Denton's new Loco Cafe! Located directly across the street from The Greenhouse Restaurant at 603 N. Locust, this newly remodeled restaurant space offers a bright and relaxed atmosphere perfect for family breakfast, brunch dates with your spouse, or lunch with your colleagues. The menu is short and not extensive, but offers great choices such as red snapper tacos, huevos rancheros, cinnamon rolls, fresh biscuits, and some of the best bacon in town! Loco Cafe also offers some of the best coffee in town, which I hear is purchased from a grower in Austin. I plan on visiting this new establishment weekly! They still have a few kinks to work out, but for a restaurant that has been open less than a week they've already surpassed my expectations.
Check out their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/supercouponlady?sk=wall#!/pages/Loco-Cafe/197709363605936?sk=info. Stop by this weekend and give them some love!
Check out their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/supercouponlady?sk=wall#!/pages/Loco-Cafe/197709363605936?sk=info. Stop by this weekend and give them some love!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Try It Tuesday: Batch Cooking
Taking advice from my friend Brit and one of my fav bloggers, the Money Saving Mom, I decided to try out batch cooking. I found that just planning a weeks worth of meals was not enough. After a long day at work, I hate having to think about cooking dinner. This past Sunday, I tried out batch cooking and completed four meals.
Monday night - Crock-pot Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Tuesday Night - Sour Cream Noodle Bake (extra large batch)
Wednesday Night - Sweet and Sour Tofu
Thursday Night - Dinner out to help support the UNT Asian Student Association at Applebee's. Yay Asians!
Friday Night - Veggie Lasagna
Saturday Night - Stuffed Peppers
From start to finish, it took me 2.5 to 3 hours to complete the cooking. The pot roast was the easiest since all I had to do was throw the ingredients into the crock-pot and it cooked itself for 8 hours. I threw in 4 cups of rice into the rice cooker and used 1/4 of it in the Stuffed Peppers and saved the other 3/4 for the Sweet and Sour Tofu. I browned 3 pounds of ground beef with diced onions and divided it between the Sour Cream Noodle Bake and Stuffed Peppers. The lasagna only required me to slice and saute squash, zucchini, red peppers, and spinach. I used no-cook lasagna noodles and left out the ricotta to make it healthier. The Stuffed Peppers and Lasagna went into the freezer and we simply will take it out the night before we plan to eat it. I didn't cook the Sweet and Sour Tofu Stirfry ahead of time because I thought it might taste better fresh off the stove, but really I could have done it ahead of time with no problem.
All in all, I'd say batch cooking was a success. The clean up afterward was not bad. So far this week, we've had dinner by 6:30 every night and finished by 7 pm meaning I have several hours in the evening to do whatever I want. What a wonderful change from maybe eating dinner at 7 pm and finishing by 8 pm, if we're lucky. The most I have to do when I come home is steam some vegetables and/or bake some rolls - Easy and takes all of 6 minutes to complete! The best thing is we've had almost no leftovers. We hate leftovers (unless it's chili) and I hate seeing food go to waste. A gold star week, I'd say!
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| From Observations from the Second Floor... |
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| From Observations from the Second Floor... |
Monday night - Crock-pot Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Tuesday Night - Sour Cream Noodle Bake (extra large batch)
Wednesday Night - Sweet and Sour Tofu
Thursday Night - Dinner out to help support the UNT Asian Student Association at Applebee's. Yay Asians!
Friday Night - Veggie Lasagna
Saturday Night - Stuffed Peppers
From start to finish, it took me 2.5 to 3 hours to complete the cooking. The pot roast was the easiest since all I had to do was throw the ingredients into the crock-pot and it cooked itself for 8 hours. I threw in 4 cups of rice into the rice cooker and used 1/4 of it in the Stuffed Peppers and saved the other 3/4 for the Sweet and Sour Tofu. I browned 3 pounds of ground beef with diced onions and divided it between the Sour Cream Noodle Bake and Stuffed Peppers. The lasagna only required me to slice and saute squash, zucchini, red peppers, and spinach. I used no-cook lasagna noodles and left out the ricotta to make it healthier. The Stuffed Peppers and Lasagna went into the freezer and we simply will take it out the night before we plan to eat it. I didn't cook the Sweet and Sour Tofu Stirfry ahead of time because I thought it might taste better fresh off the stove, but really I could have done it ahead of time with no problem.
All in all, I'd say batch cooking was a success. The clean up afterward was not bad. So far this week, we've had dinner by 6:30 every night and finished by 7 pm meaning I have several hours in the evening to do whatever I want. What a wonderful change from maybe eating dinner at 7 pm and finishing by 8 pm, if we're lucky. The most I have to do when I come home is steam some vegetables and/or bake some rolls - Easy and takes all of 6 minutes to complete! The best thing is we've had almost no leftovers. We hate leftovers (unless it's chili) and I hate seeing food go to waste. A gold star week, I'd say!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
The Stigma of Stepfamilies
As a new stepmother, I often find myself overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that come with being a parent. The learning curve is huge for someone who has never been married, does not have children of their own, and is an only child. Imagine the shock of being a single thirty-something woman who is now living with three grown men. However, the hardest thing I have found about being a stepmother is dealing with other people and their assumptions about your life.
What words come to mind when you hear the word "stepmother"? Wicked? Evil? Do you automatically think of Cinderella and her evil stepmother? Truthfully, I never thought about these perceptions until I was actually about to marry a man with children. While I am by no means perfect, I certainly don't think my stepkids would describe me as wicked (here's hoping).
Because I'm the stepparent, society seems to think that I should automatically hate my husbands ex-wife. I've been asked, "How bad is the ex? She must be a real B****." and, "How do you put up with all that crap"? Now, I won't lie. It has taken a little bit of time for me to get used to having a third party involved in all our decisions, but the reality is that the ex is a good mom. She's an active parent who knows their teachers, attends their sporting events, always knows how they're doing in school, and provides a very structured lifestyle for her children. These are all attributes this somewhat OCD stepparent appreciates! And when we are struggling to see eye to eye, I can stop myself and see how the kids are the ones who will suffer if we can't get along. That alone cures a lot of issues because I love my stepkids and want nothing but the best for them.
Which brings me to the other reocurring question, "Do you get along with your stepkids"? My stepkids are amazing young men. They have two very different personalities, but I love seeing how similar they are to their dad. They have his good looks, sense of humor, and are so so smart. I've been reading parenting books and billions of mommy blogs and feel so lucky that I don't encounter even a tenth of the horror stories of bad stepparent/child relationships. We do not argue and I can only think of one time the kids have argued with their dad in the past four years. They don't treat me like the horrible stranger that stole their dad away. They genuinely want their dad to be happy. They don't play heinous pranks on me or use that dreadful phrase, "You're not my real mom" (I shutter every time I read that statement somewhere). I attribute our peaceful relationship to their parents and how they have created an amicable relationship despite a painful divorce.
I think for the most part, we all get a long. I have definitely struggled finding my place in this already established family. There are inside jokes I don't understand and things men do, well.... because their men, that puzzle me. I'm still constantly surprised by how much food my stepkids consume (i.e. 4 1/2 gallons of milk and six boxes of cereal in 2 weeks) which poses a shopping challenge each week. But when I really reflect on the past six months, I feel as though I'm pretty lucky. If you are a struggling stepmom, please find hope in knowing that it doesn't have to be that way and in time things do get better. Don't buy into the stigmas and negative assumptions. Dare to be better.
What words come to mind when you hear the word "stepmother"? Wicked? Evil? Do you automatically think of Cinderella and her evil stepmother? Truthfully, I never thought about these perceptions until I was actually about to marry a man with children. While I am by no means perfect, I certainly don't think my stepkids would describe me as wicked (here's hoping).
Because I'm the stepparent, society seems to think that I should automatically hate my husbands ex-wife. I've been asked, "How bad is the ex? She must be a real B****." and, "How do you put up with all that crap"? Now, I won't lie. It has taken a little bit of time for me to get used to having a third party involved in all our decisions, but the reality is that the ex is a good mom. She's an active parent who knows their teachers, attends their sporting events, always knows how they're doing in school, and provides a very structured lifestyle for her children. These are all attributes this somewhat OCD stepparent appreciates! And when we are struggling to see eye to eye, I can stop myself and see how the kids are the ones who will suffer if we can't get along. That alone cures a lot of issues because I love my stepkids and want nothing but the best for them.
Which brings me to the other reocurring question, "Do you get along with your stepkids"? My stepkids are amazing young men. They have two very different personalities, but I love seeing how similar they are to their dad. They have his good looks, sense of humor, and are so so smart. I've been reading parenting books and billions of mommy blogs and feel so lucky that I don't encounter even a tenth of the horror stories of bad stepparent/child relationships. We do not argue and I can only think of one time the kids have argued with their dad in the past four years. They don't treat me like the horrible stranger that stole their dad away. They genuinely want their dad to be happy. They don't play heinous pranks on me or use that dreadful phrase, "You're not my real mom" (I shutter every time I read that statement somewhere). I attribute our peaceful relationship to their parents and how they have created an amicable relationship despite a painful divorce.
I think for the most part, we all get a long. I have definitely struggled finding my place in this already established family. There are inside jokes I don't understand and things men do, well.... because their men, that puzzle me. I'm still constantly surprised by how much food my stepkids consume (i.e. 4 1/2 gallons of milk and six boxes of cereal in 2 weeks) which poses a shopping challenge each week. But when I really reflect on the past six months, I feel as though I'm pretty lucky. If you are a struggling stepmom, please find hope in knowing that it doesn't have to be that way and in time things do get better. Don't buy into the stigmas and negative assumptions. Dare to be better.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Deals of the Week
Saturday is my big shopping day to prepare for the next week. I'm super excited about the deals I found!
Kroger -
Garnier fructise shampoo on clearance for $1.24(originally almost $3). Coupled with a $1 off coupon = $.24
Old Spice deodorant for $1.99. Coupled with 2 coupons Buy One Deodorant Get a Free Body Wash (priced at $3.99)= 4 Old Spice items for $1 each.
Secret Deodorant for $1.49. Coupled with a $.50 off coupon = $.99
Walgreens -
Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergent (96 loads) on clearance for $2.49 (originally almost $10). Coupled with a $1.25 off coupon = so freakin' cheap for detergent!
I also noticed a slew of stores closing such as Fashion Bug. Although I don't shop there, it might be worth checking it out just to see what's on sale.
Kroger -
Garnier fructise shampoo on clearance for $1.24(originally almost $3). Coupled with a $1 off coupon = $.24
Old Spice deodorant for $1.99. Coupled with 2 coupons Buy One Deodorant Get a Free Body Wash (priced at $3.99)= 4 Old Spice items for $1 each.
Secret Deodorant for $1.49. Coupled with a $.50 off coupon = $.99
Walgreens -
Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergent (96 loads) on clearance for $2.49 (originally almost $10). Coupled with a $1.25 off coupon = so freakin' cheap for detergent!
I also noticed a slew of stores closing such as Fashion Bug. Although I don't shop there, it might be worth checking it out just to see what's on sale.
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