This Frugal Family

Christmas Forest is a great Company.  I love them. Christmas Forest has the best Wreaths, and they get to you in perfect condition. All I had to do is tie the ribbon on.  They are fresh, and smell delightful.  The wreaths are perfectly priced, and so beautiful.  Even more beautiful, in person.  The wreath I got, is the wreath pictured above.  I love it, it’s so timeless.  It’s not your traditional red, but it stands out, on my door.  I love the scent, every time I open the door, as well.  And, I’ve received so many great opinions on it.  Even the UPS man said now amazing it looked. My mother in law is envious.  She said she had to get one too, so she picked the one above, and went ahead to order.  I gave her all the information she needed, and the wreath should be here any day.  I admit this wreath is gorgeous, as well, but I still love my wreath best. The wreath, directly above, is called Holiday Swag, and it perfect for any room, or door.  It’s 25 inches long and 20 inches across, and is absolutely beautiful, as are all wreaths from Christmas Forest,…

Thirty-One is amazing.  And, they will make sure your gift is personalized. I love the totes, lunch totes, and the Carry-All Caddies.  I do 13 Christmas Stockings a year, and I thought “what better way to do them this year, than with the Carry All Caddies.”  So that’s what I’m using.  Instead of a stocking, that no one can reuse, I have the Carry All Caddies, which can be reused for multiple uses.  This is fantastic.  I couldn’t have asked for a better product. Thirty-One has so many cool items to choose from.  They also have Aprons, Pillows, and Essential Money Clips.  These items would all make nice gifts for that someone special in your life.  With the Aprons, they have adult, and mini.  So you can bake together.  I’d love to get one of these for my son, who is 5, and loves to help in the kitchen.  I just might go ahead and order it, so that it’s here in time to make cookies with Grandma. The Utility Organizers are perfect, as well.  They will fit in your trunk, for your groceries, then you just carry the entire bag in, instead of all those plastic bags.  Score!  You…

On Life With Steph, there’s a post on Ultima Tree, and how to Save $100 on your own. Check it out.

The Perfect Diabetes Comfort Food Collection is great. I have my mom, mother in law, father in law, and husband’s aunt, all close to me with Diabetes.  So when I was offered to write a post for this wonderful cookbook, I took the offer. The Perfect Diabetes Comfort Food Collection, is a good book to have, even if you don’t have Diabetes.  It’ll help you eat right.  And, the foods in the cookbook are easy to make, and are delish. First, let’s go over some of the recipes in The Perfect Diabetes Comfort Food Collection: -Chickpea Patties with Mango Chutney -Fresh Tuna Burgers -Apple Cider Chicken -Scallion and Ginger Sauce with Seared Chicken -No Noodle Zucchini Lasagna -Lasagna Cupcakes -Shrimp and Fruit Tacos -Blackened Fish Tacos -Crispy Tofu Stir Fry -Master Asian Chicken Stir Fry These are all great comfort foods, and are delicious.  My daughter, age 19, made a recipe for my mom, and my mom loved it.  Here’s the recipe: SHRIMP AND FRUIT TACOS Serves: 4 | Serving size: 1 taco Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 5 minutes Both mangoes and avocados have the same indicator of ripeness; press the skin on each and it should give just…

I See Me! has been one of my favorite companies, for years. Their products give a personalized touch to any gift.  I love the way Jacob, age 5, lit up when he heard his Christmas CD yesterday.  And, though, he’s just learning to read, followed along in the sing a long book.  He loves I See Me! as much as I do. We’ve been getting Jacob products from I See Me! for at least 2 years now.  Every Holiday, we try to pick out something.  This gives a personal gift, because it is personalized with the date, his name, etc.  Take a look at the items they have.  I know you, too, will find something you love from I See Me! There are 12 songs on the CD, and everything is there from Up On The Rooftop, to Frosty The Snowman, and even We Wish You A Merry Christmas.  And, each song has a special place, where they say Jacob’s name.  He loved hearing his name in all the songs. You can see, in the above picture, his birthday is there, full name, and even Love Mom & Dad, 2016.  This will be a memory he will have forever.  And,…

Happi Snappi is so cute.  And, when you buy a hat from them, they donate another to a Children’s Hospital.  This is so cool. Happi Snappi was the perfect gift for my daughter’s friend, who is having a baby.  It is such cute stuff, and I couldn’t resist getting it for her.  The baby will be born in December, but mama already loves Happi Snappi, and says she will be purchasing from them a lot. Happi Snappi is so easy to figure out.  You just snap whichever flower you want, onto the snap, and bam, beauty.  Yes, you can change the flower on the hat.  All you have to do is order the extra flowers.  And, they also have headbands, and jewelry.  This is my new go to shop, for little ladies. Here’s a video, to show you how it works.   There are featured products, on the home page, and they are so cutesy.  Check them out, you can get a hat, with 3 flowers, for one price. Happi Snappi is for your girls, of all ages.  My 19 year old was super stoked to give these to her friend, who is having a baby, to start her out…

Downy Wrinkle Release Plus is Crazy Cool. It works so well.  I have always hated ironing, now I can literally throw the iron out the window.  My wife loves how her clothes smell, once sprayed, as well.  She can’t get over how there are no wrinkles. You hang, on a hanger, pull down gently, spray, and pull down gently again.  Let dry, and presto, no ironing.  And, wrinkle free. I’ve been using Wrinkle Release for a while now, and I haven’t ironed since. Downy Wrinkle Release is fantastic for taking on trips.  You know, they always have hangers in hotel rooms, and you can hang, and spray.  That easy.  No more wrinkles. I don’t know if this was meant to be my cure all for no ironing, but it is.  I can’t wait to go to the store to buy more.  I shared with my mother in law, and mother.  We’ve all had the same results, we love Downy Wrinkle Release Plus.  As long as you use it right, the wrinkles come right out. Get a $1.00 off coupon, here, and you too, can try Downy Wrinkle Release Plus, at a discount. I just read a little cartoon on the…

Soupman is the ultimate soup.  We eat it everyday in our home. My dad loves it, especially the Lobster Bisque.  We buy this for him, by the case, because it’s his favorite.  He will be 70, so when he needs something quick, he can pour it out of the box, and into a bowl.  Then, heat.  It’s delicious, I’ve tried it, but I’m more of a Chicken girl.  My mom likes the Chicken Gumbo, and my daughter likes the Crab Soup. Here’s something cool.  You can find the closest supermarket to you, and go there to try Soupman.   Here’s some fun Soup Facts: Soup Facts  What is a Bisque? A rich cream based soup, usually seafood and usually finished with sherry. What is a Chowder? A rich, usually seafood, soup made with broth, potatoes and usually cream. What is a Goulash? Rich Central European stew, usually with beef or veal and usually flavored with paprika. What is a Gumbo? Of Louisiana origin with African influence it is a rich stew usually with meat, poultry or seafood thickened with okra. What is a Chili? Of Tex-Mex origin it is a rich stew usually with beef or poultry simmered with onions,…

Newman’s Own is a great brand, with great foods. We received a nice box from Newman’s Own, including Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Organic Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cups, Organic Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, and more.  These items, though, would be perfect little stocking stuffers. My 19 year old, daughter, sucked down the Dark Chocolate.  She loves dark chocolate, and said this was terrific.  My 5 year old, son, ate the Organic Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, and he says, “yummy”.  You know 5 year olds, they are honest.  And, he loved them. Newman’s Own has an entire line of foods, including cookies, snacks, candies and mints, etc.  You will love the products from Newman’s Own. My favorite is pictured above.  I love the Organic Espresso Dark Chocolate Bar.   I, personally, also love the Fig Newmans (Strawberry).  But, the Espresso Dark Chocolate is the ultimate.  You should try both of these items. Another great product is Organic Newman’s Special Blend – 18ct K-Cups.  I love the K cups from Newman’s Own, especially Special Blend.  This is wonderful.  I am an avid coffee drinker, and this is my go to brand.  With all the brands out there, Newman’s Own is, and…

Halo has you ready for any situation with the Halo SleepSack. Halo has been a favorite brand of mine for a long time.  Ever since my son was born, 5 1/2 years ago, anyway.  And, my wife has used Halo before that, when her daughter was born, in 1997.  She’s always used Halo, and so times won’t change. My daughter has a pregnant friend, and she is receiving a Halo SleepSack from us, as her baby gift.  This will keep the baby swaddled, and nice and cuddly warm.  The new Cotton Muslin is breathable, cotton, and adorable.  It’s so soft.  We got it the other day, and can’t wait to give it to Samantha, for a gift.  Sam is having a girl, so of course, she is getting the pink and gray Muslin. Let’s talk about SIDS Awareness Month: 3500 babies die every year from SIDS or SUIDS There’s only 1 way to put baby to bed, that’s on his/her back, away from soft bedding, etc. A 2013 Study found that bed sharing increased the risk of SIDS by 5 times. 68-72 is the recommended temperature to keep the baby’s room. The AAP recommends the use of a wearable blanket,…