Search Results for: blog putting your goodies to use

Get Your Egg On

With Easter just a few weeks away, now is the time to start thinking about eggs, bunnies and Peeps. Many stores that have been stocking Easter merchandise since the day after Valentine’s Day are offering discounts to early birds. This is great if you are looking to snag money-saving deals on Easter goodies for your spring fling. If you don’t have the funds to go hog wild on Easter Bunny decor, then simply get creative with items you may have around the house. For example: Ice Bunny: Use a bunny-shaped cake pan to create a unique ice sculpture centerpiece to … Continue reading →

Adjusting Your Home Based Business to Meet Your Needs

One of the benefits of working from home is that as your needs change, you can change your work to fit them. The changes can be large or small, gradual or sudden, but the point is that you are in control of what you do when and for whom. This means that you have the power to make changes if you realize that doing things differently will be beneficial for you and for your family. During the time that I have been a home-based professional, I have made some changes to my work. Some things have remained constant, but some … Continue reading →

Tips for Getting Your Holiday Baking Done Easily

Yesterday began our season of holiday baking. I must admit, this year is a little different because I am catering a few things between now and Christmas and so my cookies, fudges and quick breads are taking a back seat. Nonetheless, some holiday baking will get done. . .eventually. Many people think the idea of presenting people with nice holiday trays of cookies or homemade goodies sounds great but the “putting it all together” aspect of it is a little tricky. The trick is to set aside time to complete all the steps of holiday baking. There needs to be … Continue reading →

Putting Your Goodies to Use

Posted on by

Last week, we talked a little bit about some downloads available at the LDS website. The simplest and most obvious uses include saving them onto your computer, playing them on your MP3 player, or burning them onto a CD in your car. However, I’d like to suggest a couple of alternate uses. Traveling magazines on CDs for your kids – Recently, with all of the traveling we do, I’ve been getting books on CD for my children to listen to in the car. I was amazed last week to realize that the Friend was downloadable. Since we already subscribe to … Continue reading →

How to Put Your Shopping Dollars to Work Helping Animals

‘Tis the season for spending, yes, but ‘tis also the season for giving. (And not just gifts to loved ones.) If you’d like to help a worthy cause of the animal variety, but dread putting even more of a pinch on your pocketbook, fear not! Here’s how to put those dollars you’re spending anyway towards both gifts and a worthy cause: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Chase Credit Cards: Platinum Visa Cards are available in four designs (Kitty Kard, Best Friends, ASPCA, and HLE). These are also Flexible Rewards cards, so you can earn points … Continue reading →

Creating a Kid-Friendly Lunch Shelf

So it’s back to school. This year, I’d really like my seven-year-old to start making her lunches. While she can come home for lunch sometimes, packed lunches are the way of things most days. I’m no fan of making lunches, and I’ve been known to be notoriously un-creative at times. In grade three, when I made my own lunch, I ate peanut butter sandwiches for an entire year. I still can’t eat a plain peanut butter sandwich without gagging. Enough said. Children have their own ideas about what makes a good lunch. If you’re aiming to have them make a nutritious … Continue reading →

Gearing Up for Halloween Scrapping

Within 72 hours of Labor Day officially ending, our local Wal-Mart began removing back-to-school supplies and filling the empty shelves with Halloween paraphernalia. No, I still can’t get over it. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right? Today, I started sorting through my Halloween scrapping supplies, hoping that I had enough leftovers from last year to get me through 2010’s Nightmare on Candy Street. Fortunately, I have a variety of stickers, rub-ons, rubber stamps, charms, and die-cuts to make several decent Halloween-themed layouts. However, I will need to purchase additional decorative patterned papers, given that the ones I bought … Continue reading →

Technology at Church

Posted on by

I have a love-hate relationship with technology at church. There are some amazing things out there, but they can be abused quite easily. Perhaps this love-hate relationship stems from the fact that I work with the youth and I see how often they turn to technology for myriad purposes—both the good and the not-so-reverent. But the youth definitely aren’t the only ones using technology in church. Have you ever looked down the pew and seen an adult playing a game on their phone? What about texting during church. I’ve seen that one a lot too. I have to admit it … Continue reading →

Single Parents and Birthday Party Budgeting

Having a birthday party can take a chunk out of your wallet. Having more than a couple of kids to give a party for can lead us to the poorhouse if we are not careful. This is true for parents everywhere, but a single parent or families with one income can feel the pinch that much worse. With the faltering economy being what it is most of us are leery about spending money unnecessarily. Just about every kid’s place in town now offers to “host” your child’s birthday party. This is great because that leaves the parents with one very … Continue reading →

The Best Nachos Ever

Posted on by

Someone recently asked me if I could share a nacho recipe since I love Mexican food. I can share a Nacho recipe, but it has nothing to with loving Mexican food. Nachos are a distinctively Tex-Mex dish; a blending of southwestern style American food and Mexican food. While in Mexico, you might find fried tortillas to use as chips for dip. . .you’d find them paired with pico de gallo, mashed avocado, or salsa fresco–not layered under tons of gunk. With that said, it doesn’t mean that piling up tons of gunk on your Nachos doesn’t make them delicious! This … Continue reading →