VS Reward Card Shopping Trip

So today I decided to cash in my VS reward cards. I had two from prior purchases and 1 I earned free this morning from Facebook. Long story short I only ended up using two in the store and figured I'd use the 3rd another day but I came across a pretty good VS online deal. Here are my spending scenarios:
In-Store:
1st Transaction:

Sexy Little Things Noir Travel Size
Total after Rewards Card: $.60

2nd Transaction:

Very Voluptuous Lip Plumper in Baby Pink (This is my second one and I LOVE it. It doesn't really plump but it's a great gloss)
Total after Rewards Card: $9.??


















Online- 3rd Transaction:

I went through Ebates for 2% cash back. I purchased a sleepwear item for $25.99. This qualified me for a perfume set. There was also a promo for any purchase you got a free lip gloss set. Lastly free shipping on orders over $25.
Total after Rewards Card: $15.99 (Sleepwear, 3 full size lip glosses, and perfume set)

Favorite Couponing Sites

Here is a list of my favorite couponing sites. I follow all of these on Facebook as well as on my Google RSS feed. On  my Android device I use an app called Greed2 which shows me all the new posts from these websites. 


My Frugal Adventures
Money Saving  Mom
For the Mommas
Common Sense with Money
Passion for Savings
Mojo Savings


What I love about these sites is that they bring you the most up-to-date deals going on. Also, for specific stores they give you coupon scenarios so you can plan your coupon trip for the week. On a few of the sites you can search by store (i.e. Weis) and it will tell you the best deals and tell you what coupons to use and where you can find them. It makes couponing easy :)


In the near future I will be posting about coupong strategies. I have been slacking in the couponing area since I have been moving so much but I will be back at it in the new year!

Review: GVP Travel Flat Iron

As I mentioned in my Sally Beauty Haul I got a free GVP Travel Flat Iron . The GVP is supposed to be the knock off of the Chi flat iron. I had my doubts but this flat iron is AMAZING.
I used this flat iron on Ily's hair and not only did a great job at straightening her hair, it lasted into the next day. I have used the InStyler on her hair in the past but it didn't last and it was difficult to get around her face and ears. I don't own a good flat iron because I rarely need to use one. I am not going to buy one just for Ily's once a month need-to-have-straight-hair-or-I'm-going-to-die moment. So this FREE flat iron worked out great. A bonus is the travel size flat iron is the perfect size for Ily's little head :)

Consignment Store Haul

Let me start out by saying I was at my local consignment store for a total of 4 hours on Saturday. 4 hours is a long time but it was well worth it. I got rid of old stuff and replaced it with more sh*t :) On top of the great deals I got Ily made a new friend who just so happens to be going to her kindergarten next year. 

Total amount spent: $5 credit...yes I made money (this is with store credit and a $10 punch card filled)

Purchases:

1 pair of Express jeans

2 pairs of AE jeans

1 pair of Aeropostal jeans

1 pair of skinny jeans for Ily

5 kids toys

The jeans are in EXCELLENT quality. I now can get rid of some of the old jeans I don't wear anymore since I have replacements. 

The biggest steal was a Vtech Sit to Stand Alphabet Train. Currently on Amazon this item is priced at $39.99. My consignment store charged $14.95. 

I asked the Ily's new friend if he thought this toy was fun. He said "yeah but my mom says I don't use it." haha. That is how a lot of toys purchased at Danny's age are. So I just don't see the purpose in spending money on toys that don't see the light of day.

Earlier I had ordered the Vtech Interactive Zoo Learn & Dance from Walmart for $10. I purchased one from the consignment store for $2.95. So far I have spent $0 on Danny for Christmas and he has 6 "new" toys.

Midnight Pumpkin Pie

I made this for a mini-Thanksgiving I had and it turned out fantastic!


Midnight Pumpkin Pie
Start to finish: 1 hour (10 minutes active)
Servings: 8
1 cup heavy cream
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bits
15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1⁄2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground dry ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 prepared (raw) deep-dish pie crust
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a small saucepan over medium-high, heat
the cream until just bubbling. Remove from
the heat and add the chocolate bits. Stir
until completely melted and smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin,
brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves,
allspice, nutmeg, salt and the chocolatecream
mixture. Add the eggs, whisking until
everything is thoroughly combined.
If it isn’t already, fit the pie crust into a 9-inch
deep pie pan. Pour the pumpkin mixture into
the crust. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until
the center is set and no longer jiggles.

Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated
Press writer.

Nutritional information per serving
(values are rounded to the nearest whole
number): 390 calories; 210 calories from fat
(53 percent of total calories); 24 g fat (13 g
saturated; 0 g trans fats); 100 mg cholesterol;
43 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 3 g fi ber;
and 240 mg sodium.

Sally Beauty Haul

I have a hard time passing up a good sale. I try and ask myself, do I really need this? The answer is usually no. So I follow it up with, am I going to end up buying this and it won't be at this price? That usually is the deal breaker. 

I had a $5 off coupon I needed to use at Sally's before the end of the month. The coupon was from renewing my Sally Club Membership. I was going to just buy a clarifying shampoo and Ily needed a new leave-in conditioner but then I saw it...Hot Shot Tools had a special going on. The special was buy any specialty tool and you get a free curling iron. I had been wanting the Hot Shot Titanium 1 1/4" Curing Iron. I purchased the Hot Shot Tourmaline Ceramic 1" a few months ago and it is by far the best curling iron I have ever used. My favorite part is how fast it heats up. I recently saw a Youtube video on the Hot Shot Tools Deep Waver. My  hair doesn't hold enough wave just using sea salt sprays so I decided to purchase the Waver. 

Upon cashing out I found out I also get a free GVP Travel Flat Iron. It is supposed to be the generic version of the Chi Flat Iron. Who turns down free stuff? Not me! I left Sallys paying $57 for the deep waver, travel flat iron, curling iron, leave-in conditioner, and clarifying shampoo. Overall I saved $65 (Membership price).

Hot Shot Tools Curing Iron $36.99/$39.99

Clarifying Shampoo $5.99/$6.79

Deep Waver $48.99/$54.99 (Eh it's good, not great)

Travel Flat Iron $26.99/$29.99 (Works amazing on Ily's hair)

Leave-In Conditioner $3.79/$3.99 (Ily says she loves the smell)

So long Kinect- Hello LeapPad

I had my mind set that I was going to get the Xbox Kinect bundle for Ily. I really wanted to swash buckle Captain Hook like in the commercial. Walmart had been running an add for the bundle to be $199 with a $50 gift card. I ended up cominig across a LeapPad on sale for $99. To be honest I didn't know what it was until I did some research and found it to be a hot item. I scored mine from Amazon. Walmart has it listed for $120 but it was sold out and Toys R Us was sold out as well. 

I like to think that with 2 kids I'll just double dip the useage. I buy a lot of things in gender neutral colors :) Although the $99 is still pricey, and the LeapFrog Explorer was on sale for about half that price, I like the LeapPad's built in camera and my little Ilyana the artist will appreciate the paint-like app. Also, the newer the technology is now the less old it will be by the time Danny uses it. The age range is 4-9 so I hope to get good use out of this product.

Recognizing What Women Do: Favoloso Designs

Kaitlyn has created her own company called Favoloso Designs. Favoloso Designs are hand-crafted cards made with high quality paper, stamps, and embellishments. One of the things I really like about Kaitlyn's cards are the fun materials she uses and also the ability to customize the cards for any occasion. I like the option of being able to celebrate personal, unique events that Hallmark isn't going to have a card for. Kaitlyn is currently considering pursuing a second degree in Graphic Design so as she says, "I can create an unlimited amount of fabulous-ness!" Kaitlyn explains that she has always been a creative child and really enjoys the feeling of receiving snail mail over email.

For more information or to place an order, contact Kaitlyn at favolosodesigns@gmail.com. Payment is currently cash or checks.

Inexpensive Candles

Walmart carries their own 3 wick jar candles. I purchased a few a couple months back on sale for $4 and found them to be very fragrant! Now they are running $4.97 a piece and they put out their Christmas scents. I know people say Bath & Body Works candles are the but I find these equally good and at s quarter of the cost. I use the lid to sit the candle on, depending the surface. I have these candles in

Fresh Baked Cookies

Peppermint Twist

Gingerbread

Lemon Pound Cake

Apple Spice

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Ms. Diva

I do believe that someone placed a 15 year olds soul in a 4 year olds body. Ily is so bright but does her memory have to be so good? Its like, "sure Ily I'll take you to see that movie" (three months later) Ily says "mommy remember that day you promised to take me to see this movie and it was sunny,and I had a pink dress on, and I was eating apple sauce." Smh... but yet there's no memory when I say Ily don't color on furniture...

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Oh Danny Boy

Danny is such a messy eater! Haha For some reason I always fed Ily but Danny wants to do everything himself. He actually gets insulted if i try to feed him. He does this dramatic head flop with a whine.Although Danny eats a TON, if I consider the amount of food on the floor, on his clothes, in his hair, and in all over his entire face...he probably only eats as much as a small horse.

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Recognizing What Women Do: Pixels & Pumps

Recognizing What Women Do

Leah Woland

Blogger 

Pixels & Pumps

Pixels & Pumps is a blog about fashion, beauty, food, and home decor. Leah brings the reader into her home as she tries new recipes, shares decorating ideas, and takes the reader on her shopping adventures. Leah captures her beauty and fashion sense with how-to posts and style advice. One of my favorite things about Pixels and Pumps are the beautiful photographs that bring her blog to life.

...............................................................................................................................................

What I do: 

Student at American University (in DC), Government Intern, Blogger (fashion, photography, interior design, beauty & food)

How I got started:

For the past year I had been thinking about starting a blog but with my hectic school schedule I kept putting off, but I always wrote down ideas and inspiration in case I ever got it started. I've always loved fashion, art, and interior decorating and I've really invested time and energy into my photography the past two years. This is my last semester in school so I decided this fall, after collecting all my ideas, that I would start blogging. I really wanted to share my ideas with friends and anyone about things that inspire me or where I like to shop, how I like to decorate, what I like to cook etc. I've gotten a lot of great responses and I'm glad people enjoy reading what I write about it. 

It's been a lot of hard work starting my blog (as you know too!) and I'm constantly trying to make improvements, but I think it's a great way to show people the "real life" aspect of whatever your interests are. I love that you can read another person's perspective and relate to an experience, get ideas, or learn something that you might not have know about that person before. 

From Leah's Green Living  post

Leah's Happy Friday post

Mmm Read Leah's Pumpkin Muffin recipe

Days 8, 9 & 10

Well...I am extending the first part of the detox until Sunday. I had a few cheating moments last night and today. Last night I had a glass of wine and today I ate skittles and pumpkin pie. I don't know if it's the guilt or the extra high fructose corn syrup but I feel like poop. I got to squeeze in some yoga tonight and I look forward to journaling. Hopefully when I wake up tomorrow I feel better. 


I was on Pinterest (one of my favorite websites) and found this picture which I think pretty much sums up my detox.

I especially am fond of the Less Alcohol. More Tea., Less Words, More Action, and Less Worry, More sleep.

Day 6 & 7

It has been a hectic weekend but I have had a lot more energy than usual. This could be in part to the time change or the sunshine but I haven't felt this productive in a while. I got a lot of errands done and squeezed in yoga TWICE. Here is what I have been eating this weekend:

Breakfast:

Ham & cheesy eggs with Arnolds Oat Nut Bread

Lunch:

Left over chicken and rice

Deli ham and cheese mini croissants

Dinner:

Tilapia and rice with steamed carrots

Turkey meatloaf with rice and acorn squash

Yes I know I have been eating rice for days. I like to make sides in bulk so I don't have to worry about them later. Check out my meal plan for the next two days (I am making a ton of mash potatoes):

Monday:

Breakfast- Chobani

Lunch- Tilapia, carrots, and rice

Dinner- Crock pot chicken, celery, carrots with mash potatoes

Tuesday:

Breakfast- Chobani

Lunch- Meatloaf sandwich with left over acorn squash

Dinner- Left over chicken and mash potatoes

I have not been to the grocery store since last Sunday. I need to make a trip for more milk, GT Kombucha tea, and fresh produce. I like to only go twice a month but this gives me an opportunity to earn some gas points :)

Consignment Stores v.s. Department Stores

This is a follow-up to my JCPenny post. I love my local consignment stores. If you aren't familiar with what a consignment store is, you take items there you no longer need or use, the store offers you money and/or store credit, and then they sell your items. Check with each store because they usually have set drop off dates. 
Locally, I have been to B.Green Loft and Repeat After Me. B. Green Loft is specifically for women's clothing. They typically look for name-brand items. I have taken shoes, purses, jeans, etc. there and received a good price. My FAVORITE is Repeat After Me which sells baby-teen items. I  have taken toys, a bassinet, clothing, etc. The price at consignment stores usually is the best but it is not ALWAYS the best option. 


Here are a few things to consider when you are shopping:


Consider the Item You Are Shopping For
Clothing is great for consignment stores. Consignment stores are especially great for kids clothing because our little jolly green giants grow out of things so quickly that you can get slightly worn clothing. I do not recommend buying car seats or items that could be a safety risk if not fully inspected. Many times there are recalls on products a year after and so if you do purchase i.e. a baby sling go to the website and check if there have been any recalls. 


Watch the Price
Department stores can have some great sales and maybe for an extra $3-$4 you can get the item new. Here is an example, let's say you see an Old Navy long sleeve shirt at a consignment store for $3. That's awesome BUT Old Navy could be running a sale that brings their graphic tees to $4. So in this case, "Watch the Quality." What is great about consignment stores is that they may have a more expensive brand and be selling at a much lower cost than a department store sale price would ever match. Being familiar with what the standard department store sales run helps in deciding if the consignment store price is competitive.


Watch the Quality
As I mentioned in the JCPennys post, I had two items purchased at the department store that had defects and so I asked the cashier for a discount. Typically we expect department stores to have good quality clothing  because it's new. It never hurts to do a once over. At consignment stores I do a 4-5 time once over. Here are some little things to really look for:

• Glitter and sequins- Are they all there? Does it still look nice?
• Buttons- Same thing as above
• Tiny holes- Look at the armpits
• Slight stains- Especially when buying baby clothes (spit-up stains etc.)
• Fading- Considering "Watch the Price," does the item look washed 30 times?
• Snags- Especially in sweaters, tights, some scarf material
• Scratches/Scuffs- Look closely at sun glasses and shoes, even purses

Detox Day 5

Oh shame...I have to start out by admitting I had 1 alcoholic drink, vodka water, and it was horrible and so not worth it, AND a cup of coffee. On a brighter not I am half way through day 6 and I feel great (this could also be in part to the sunshine). 


Breakfast:
1 cup of coffee- I had a presentation at 7:15 a.m. and the guy offered me a cup of coffee and I just gave in


Lunch:
Salad with turkey, cheese, chickpeas, green pepper, and a dab of ranch


Dinner:
Marinated chicken and whole grain rice, black beans sauteed in garlic with onion


Dessert:
Apples & peanut butter

JCPenny Fall Shopping Trip

For those of you who know where I live the mall here doesn't have much of a selection for stories. So that makes JCPenny my go-to-store. I have found they have pretty good sales on kid's items and women's on a weekly basis but today they had their "Biggest of All Sale" (which isn't all that big). They had available $10 off $25 purchase coupons. What was nice is that it took it off immediately. I printed 2 out, I had sent to my cell phone, and had one on my mobile browser. When I walked into the store they also had a flyer with the coupon on it as well. That is a total of 5 coupons. My couponing experience has taught me that it does not always work to expect to use the same coupon multiple times. Always read the small print! 


Overall I had a pretty good shopping trip. I saved $318.56. I used 5 $10 off $25 purchase coupons. I also went between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. when they had special sales. 


Here is what I got:


For Ily:
Total GIrl-velour sparkle sweat suit
Total GIrl- hoodie
Arizona-Pink jeans *eye roll* (but she really liked them)
Arizona-Pink sparkle sweater


For Danny:
(2) Carters 2-piece outfits (these had a shirt & pants)- 1 fleece, 1 cotton

These scarves are vibrant in color, beautiful quality, and are nice and long for versatile wear

For Me: :)
a.n.a light purple sweater
a.n.a tan cardigan with belt (I had an extra 10% taken off because it had a tiny snag in the knit)
St. John's Bay tan cardigan 
a.n.a. riding boots in taupe (I had an extra 10% taken off as well because they had a tiny scuff on the sole)
(2) twill scarfs in magenta and emerald green (I have this scarf in blue and I LOVE it so I had to stock up)
*I love cardigans and scarves so stocking up on these items (on sale) allow me to dress up and spend less on plain t-shirts and tanks.


I spent less than $150 on these 11 items and 3 of them (Ily and Danny) had outfits that included a top and bottom). I think this worked out really well considering I even got a pair of boots.

I LOVE my teas

So a friend just asked me to explain my teas a little further. I sent him this big message and at the end of it I thought this is a pretty good explanation and I know many of you are thinking the same thing. SO lazy me, I really am just adjusting my message for this post.

GT Kombucha in Gingerade

The GT Kombucha tea is a life changer. This is a raw kombucha tea and I am not sure all the information on it but I have provided a link for you to check it out. http://www.synergydrinks.com/enlightened/home.aspx .


Before this detox I would drink approximately 2-3 bottles a month. Sometimes I drink a whole one but usually only a half at a time. Your body will tell you when it has had enough! I know that sounds ridicualous but after you drink it you will understand. My body actually tells me when it needs one. If you are really attuned to your body you will start to feel off-balance. This tea has a vinager taste. There are strawberry and mango flavors but I am not that big of a fan. I really like the cranberry and the triology. Around me Bloom Natural sells this tea for about $3.99 a bottle and Giant has it for $3.49. WARNING DO NOT SHAKE THIS TEA! It has natural carbonation and it will explode. This can happen just from it riding in the car or being in the shopping bag.

The Yogi Detox tea is an organic tea. I order this tea by the case from Amazon. I believe it is around $3.50 a box at Giant. This detox tea is mild enough that you can drink 3 cups a day and have no upset stomach. I have been drinking this tea for almost a year and I swear by it. I have my friends who this is their Sunday post-funday drink :)

Detox Days 1-4

Welp it's the end of Day 4. I am really proud of myself for not giving in to Ily's Halloween candy :) I did have to eat lunch at Applebees on Tuesday. I went with the crusted chicken pecan salad with the dressing on the side. I had that to two meals and made sure to drink lots of water. Other than that I have continued to make a conscious effort to drink water before and after I eat. I have been drinking my FAVORITE GT Kombucha Tea and my shipment of Yogi Detox tea just came today! 
I am really proud of myself for not eating out or eating the food at my work. My co-worker made snicker-doodles the other day and every time I walked by my mouth would water BUT no extra sugar. The only thing I am really struggling with is no alcohol. I miss coming home to a glass of wine but I am sure my body appreciates the break. 
I know many of you commented about the lack of coffee in this detox. I still have caffeine in my green tea but it isn't as much. I was drinking coffee all throughout the day and becoming dehydrated. On a side note, if you do drink tea it has more acidity than coffee so make sure you brush your teeth in the a.m. and p.m. 
Here is what I've been eating the past 4 days:
Breakfast:
Chobani Yogurt
Banana
100 calorie almonds
Lunch:
Applebees salad (boo)
Turkey and cheese sandwich on Arnolds Oat Nut  bread
Dinner:
Whole wheat pasta with home-made ground turkey sauce with steamed broccoli
Meatless Boca burger on an english muffin
*Some meals I ate as left overs 
In between I am drinking a ton of water and teas. I need to increase my raw fruits and vegetable intake, my friend recommended this during the detox. I actually have only done yoga once...which I am a little ashamed of BUT I will make up for it this weekend. I have some great meals planned :)

Pre-Detox Grocery List

I love to grocery shop! This is probably because I love to shop and if I am buying groceries I justify it as spending out of necessity. I didn't really have a list but I knew what foods I wanted and I needed to see what was on sale. I used to be into couponing but after going back to work and moving I sort of got off-track, but that will be a whole new segment.


So after an hour and a half at the grocery store with Ily I got about 3-4 weeks worth of groceries. Keep in mind there is only 1 adult in my house (me) and Ily who doesn't really eat that much, and Danny who eats like an adult. So my grocery bill typically isn't too high.


Here is what I came home with:
2 lbs ground turkey
2 packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts
Sunflower seeds
3 acorn squash
2 bags of salad
A bunch of fresh broccoli
5 bottles of GT Kombucha tea
10 Chobani yogurts
1 box of 6 100 calorie almonds
2 packs of Apple & Eve fruitables juice boxes (I had 2 $.35 off coupons)
2 jugs of Apple & Eve fruitable juice (I had 2 $.35 off coupons)
A half gallon of skim milk
A half gallon of whole milk
Fresh garlic
Onion
4 cans of chick peas
4 cans of black beans
4 cans of kidney beans
2 cans of crushed tomatoes
4 apples
1/2 lb of turkey, ham, and cheese
2 blocks of cheese
2 loafs of Arnolds Oatnut bread
2 packs  of english muffins
1 jar roasted red peppers
Bananas
1 dozen eggs
Bag of potatoes


That is about it...my primary goal is to stop ordering out and snack on healthy things. Sometimes at work  I am there for lunch and dinner so I find myself spending a lot of extra money on take-out or snacking on unhealthy food.


Note: This is the largest shopping trip I have made in probably 5 months...I used to always buy groceries  like this but lately found myself throwing in those frozen chicken nuggets or going out to eat all the time. Positive step forward :)

20 Day Detox...Yes, 20 Days!

A 20 day detox sounds pretty intense but I promise you it's easier than it sounds! I created this detox specifically to fit what I feel I need in my life which is balance. I have 2 goals. The first is to have my body and mind be balanced. The second is to have a good habit of healthy living. 
For me the last six months have been extremely stressful. I developed a lot of bad eating habits and lost a lot of routine in my life. Lately I have noticed my skin is breaking out, my hair is unhealthy, I don't exercise, I eat out all the time...all of this made me feel like I was not in "good space" as my friend Kristen would say. Identifying the areas of my life which could be improved on in combination with what I know about healthy living I came up with a detox tailored to my life and goals. 


The First 10 Days 
Here are my rules and objectives:

• No extra sugar 
• i.e. ice cream, Halloween candy
• No coffee 
• I consume more coffee than I do h2o
• No alcohol
• Again between that and coffee I do believe that is 99.9% of my daily fluid intake
• No restaurant food
• Save some money ladies, even the salads are not that healthy
• No junk food
• Rule: If you have second thoughts about feeding it to your young toddler don't feed it to yourself. This includes Tyson chicken nuggets, Ellios pizza, and Doritos
• Increase non-processed food
• Increase h2o intake 
• Rule: For everything I eat I have two glasses of water before and after
• GT Kombucha Tea every other day 
• This will need it's own post because I LIVE for this tea
• Yogi Detox Tea twice a day
• This is an amazing tea! (I love it almost as much as the GT Kombucha)
• Yoga 3-5x a week
• Me and Jillian Michaels used to be best friends ;) 
• Journal before bed
• The purpose of this is to do some self-reflection and venting

The Second 10 Days

• Limited alcohol 
• Hallelujah! But no sugary drinks, no heavy beers. I predict vodka water with lemon will be on the menu
• Limit the teas
• GT Kombucha can be had every 5 days and the detox every other day
• Limit the h2o
• The first 10 days had a lot of water, continue the upkeep but it doesn't need to be as much
• Everything else stays the same

This detox is not set in stone. It probably shouldn't really be called a detox, but I feel that this is my 150% attempt to get ME re-balanced so I can be a better mother, daughter, friend, co-worker, etc. I'll keep you posted as I venture on the next 20 days!