Book Review – Traveling Mom

Product Review – Sweet Pea Baby Food

Frugal Friday – Homemade Bread

Mmmmm the smell of freshly baked bread. Is it any wonder that supermarkets pump the smell of freshly baked bread into the store and parking areas to entice us to buy.

Some may say – “Who has time to stand there and mix and knead the bread? Isn’t easier to just pick up a loaf at the store?”

I disagree.

Bread is a staple in our house. We go through a lot of it. Buying it at the bakery really adds up after awhile so why not make it at home? But there is no way I am going to stand there to mix and knead it! I don’t have time for that!

We were fortunate enough to get a bread machine for a gift. If you have to buy one, it may not seem like the most frugal option. If that is the case, you can try to find one at a garage sale or ask to receive on as a gift. Shop the sales for one. It will pay for itself in the long term.

 

Here is my new favourite bread recipe for my bread machine.

Whole Wheat Bread (2lb loaf)
1 egg white
Plus enough buttermilk to make 1 ½ cups
Oil or butter ¼ cup
Molasses or honey ¼ cup
Salt 2 tsp
Baking soda ¾ tsp
Whole wheat flour 4 cups
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast

Place ingredients in order in the bread machine. Set to the Grain setting and walk away! It’s that easy!

Personally, I don’t like the shape of the loaves that come out of my bread machine so I do one more step. Instead of using the Grain setting, I use the Dough setting, divide the dough into 2 and shape the loaves (learn how to shape the perfect loaf here), let rise. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Now, do you know how to slice bread? Here is a great tutorial.

Mmmmmmmmmm smells like the bread is just about ready! Enjoy!

Links I like

In keeping with the New Year – new attitude theme that January seems to bring out in most people, here is a round up of some helpful links to keep you on track with your New Year Resolutions.

1. Here is a great list of pre made home management printables for your home management notebook.
2. $10/ week grocery list – could you do it?
3. Find more time during the day to do the things you love.
4. How to make and achieve your resolutions this year.
5. If you are a blogger, find more balance with your blogging life.
6. Learn to maximize your mornings with the free ebook.

How are you doing on your resolutions? Are you sticking to them, changing them or giving them up all together? What is helping you achieve them?

Monday Musings

After a bit of tweaking (thanks to DH!), I finally have a ticker with our savings on groceries thanks to coupons and discounts. Last year, we averaged $450/ month to feed our family of 2 adults, a toddler and an infant. “Groceries” includes diapers, paper products – not just food. My goal this year is to cut our average monthly grocery by $50 – a yearly savings of $600.

I also went back to an earlier blog template. I find it is less “busy” than the last one. The colours are more relaxing and the layout is more reader friendly, I think. Do you like it?

I am also considering including a ticker (now that I know how to alter the code!) outlining my post baby weight goal. So far I am down 4 pounds from the beginning of the year with 20 more to go. Perhaps posting it up for the world to see will keep my accountable. If you are trying to make healthy changes, what are doing to stay motivated?

This weekend (again, thanks to DH), I started using a Photoshop alternative called Paint.net. It is a free photo editing software. I am inspired by the pictures taken by Dooce. I am sure she uses a much more advanced camera than my Canon A580 Powershot but I like it for what I use it for. I was incredibly impressed with what a little bit of editing can do for the look of my pictures! I doubt I will achieve the exact look of Dooce’s pic but you can see some examples here and here. I love the brightness in these photos and they way everyone’s eyes pop!

Here is the weekly plan:

• take a trip to our local greenhouse for a little adventure and dose of “spring” while looking at the plants and fish pond – great cheap adventure
• continue working on H’s pants by adding an elastic to her waist bands
• menu plan for the next two weeks

What are your plans this week?

Twitter!!!

You can now keep up to date with The Littles Rule the Roost family by following me on Twitter!

Stay tuned for more frugal tips, reviews and giveaways in the days to come!

Product Review – Stonz Wear

I love to introduce my readers to innovative products. When I came across Stonz Wear booties, I knew I had to share them with you!

Stonz  Wear booties are “designed with a wide opening to slip on easily over bare feet, socks, sleepers, shoes or Linerz. Stonz Wear booties have a durable coated nylon that is water and wind resistant to keep babies feet warm and dry. The booties have two toggles at the calf and ankle for a custom fit and ensuring the booties stay on.”

When we recieved our Polka Dot navy booties to review, we were having an unseasonbly warm fall so we didn’t get a chance to try them right away. This may have been the only year I was anxious for snow fall so that H could try out these cute booties!

When the weather finally did turn cold, we slipped on the booties and headed outside. I found that for walking, the booties needed a bit more support so we slipped the booties over a pair of H’s shoes. It was great to be able to extend the wear of her shoes into the cooler winter season without having to struggle with putting on heavy winter boots.

Here are my favourite uses for Stonz Wear booties:

1. They are great for travel – instead of having to sit in the car seat with heavy boots dangling on her feet, the Stonz Wear booties still kept her feet toasty warm during our road trips.
2. The booties can been worn over shoes and taken off easily when you arrive at your destination – H can now wear the Stonz Wear booties out in the cold when we go shopping then take them off once we get to the store. She can then walk around in her shoes instead of her hot boots. Because her shoes are dry, she doesn’t leave little puddles of melted snow everwhere. Great option for those who have kids in daycare instead of carrying an extra pair of shoes for them to wear inside!
3. They are easy to put on! Have you ever struggled to put boots on your young child because they haven’t figured out how to point their toes and push their feet into the boots? Stonz Wear booties don’t have that problem! No more “putting on boots” battles!
4. Stonz Wear are 100% Canadian made!

Stonz Wear booties have a fleecy liner that provides warmth although you can purchase Linerz to make them even cozier! They have also recently introduced a line of Mittz and Hatz to keep you littles warm from head to toe!

Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry’s children have been spotted dressed in Stonz Wear booties!

For my readers, Stonz Wear is offering 10% off an online order! Use promo code littlesrule This code is good from Jan. 12th to 19th.

Stonz Wear has a great sale on right now – 50% off selected booties.

Check out their online store to get your littles their own pair!

Monday Musings

As I mentioned in my Non-resolutions post, I am trying to make exercise a regular part of my life. After two of using EA Sports Active, I am happy to say that I am down 4 pounds!! Woohoo!! I am also trying to eat less after enjoying far too many Christmas treats.

I am doing the 30 day challenge that is built into the EA Sports Active. It has pre programmed workouts that introduce you to the different exercises offered. So far, boxing is my favourite – lunges and running are my least favourite. After the 30 day challenge, I will be creating my custom workouts of varying intensity and duration depending on my mood.

How are you doing with your resolutions?

Here is my weekly plan:

• grocery shopping – it will be a big one this week. Hoping to capitalize on some sales and coupons as well. I am putting together a list of recipes to freeze. Once I get those organized, I will be posting on my big cooking day!
• get extra Shoppers Drug Mart points – can get an extra 5000 points after spending $20 – if you need an invite to this friends and family event, please let me know!
• sew adjustable waist band into H’s pants – she is such a tall skinny mini – she needs the length in her pants but they are massive around her waist! I am going to be trying this tutorial out.

Other than that, we will be enjoying a Chinook blowing through for a couple of days. H wants to shovel snow with Daddy and make snow angels.

Frugal Friday – Price Guarantee

Don’t you hate when you buy something and then a few days later you see it at a better price? Do you fume and complain throw up your hands and say, “Oh well, better luck next time”? Sometimes you don’t have to!

A number of businesses offer a price guarantee which means they will give a refund/ credit for a difference in the purchase price and the current sale price with in a particular time frame. The time frame can vary. I have seen them from 7 days up to 90 days depending on the retailer.

Most recently, I booked airline tickets with West Jet for the four us for a trip to San Diego. At the time, I thought I was getting a pretty good price. Then a couple of days ago, West Jet offered an incredible seat sale! I called customer service and they gave me West Jet flight credits in the amount of $345! We are also planning a trip to Hawaii in the summer, so those credits will be put to good use.

One thing to keep in mind, if you do get store credit rather than a refund, find out if they credits have an expiry date. (In my case, I have to use the West Jet travel credit within a year).

I have also successfully gotten a refund for the difference in price from Canadian Tire and London Drugs. Check out your favourite store’s policy on price guarantee.

You can sometimes even price match a better price at a different store to get your refund. Again, check your store’s policy.

If the store doesn’t have a formal policy, it still doesn’t hurt to ask! (Nicely, of course.)

Just on more way to keep your money in your pocket!

Links I Like – Blogging goals edition

Since the calendar recently turned to a new decade, the blogosphere has been full of posts about New Year goals and resolutions. Mine are here.

Savvy Blogging is hosting a 2010 Blogging Goals Roundup.

Here are my blogging goals for 2010

1. Blog at least three times a week – Monday Musings and Frugal Fridays will be regular features with Liks I Like, reviews and giveaways thrown in to mix things up a bit.
2. Schedule computer time into my day – Part of my personal goals for 2010 include organizing my days better and I want to include blog time into that.
3. Pre write and pre plan posts - I don’t know if I will be as organized as Keeper of the Home who has her blog pre planned for the WHOLE MONTH! If I can posts planed and written a week ahead of time, I will be happy.
4. Post favourite recipes – I am in the process of gathering my family’s favourite go to recipes and I want to share them with you!
5. Updates my coupon savings -  I found a great post by The Coupon project. She has designed an Excel Savings Tracker! And you can download it for free! reta easy way to keep track of those savings! I plan on posting monthly updates on how much we are saving with coupons.

Here are other bloggers who have posted their blogging goals
Life as Mom
Mom Advice