Thursday, January 31, 2013

FREE Download of Cyberlink PhotoDirector 3 Software for PC only - $149.95 value!

 
 
Head over here to snag a FREE download of Cyberlink PhotoDirector 3 from CNET. Make sure you click on the Green Get it Now button at the top. This works for PC only & is valued at $149.95!

This offer is exclusively available on CNET for 48 hours only or whenever we run out. Offer ends at 11:59pm PT on Friday, February 1, 2013.
 
Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

How to make Pure Vanilla Extract


You see, I bake quite often, therefore I use ALOT of vanilla extract. And if you bake too, you know that stuff aint cheap! I'm talking about the pure extract, not the el cheapo imitation junk. So last month I decided to do some research and learn how to make homemade vanilla extract. It sounded & looked super easy, but truthfully I was really intimidated. I had wondered if it was really even worth it? So I did a price comparison.

I went to my local bulk foods store to check out their pure vanilla extract. The largest size they carried was 16 oz. for around $7 plus tax. Now to break that down even farther, it will end up costing around .44 cents per ounce. Not too shabby, but I knew I could beat that by making my own. 

I looked around & was able to find 1/4 pound (it equaled about 36 vanilla beans) of Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans Here on Ebay for $11.95 (shipping included). I then purchased a 1.75 liter bottle of the cheapest Vodka I could find at my local grocery store. It ended up costing $6.88. My total is now $18.83 for 1/4 lb organic vanilla beans & 1.75 liters of vodka. This will end up making half a gallon of pure organic vanilla extract & will end up costing just .29 cents per ounce! For ORGANIC Pure Vanilla Extract! Let me show you how I did it :)


 
You will need:
  1. 1 half gallon size mason jar.
  2. A pair of sharp kitchen scissors.
  3. About a 1/4 lb of vanilla beans.
  4. 1  1.75 liter bottle of vodka.


Now you need to grab a vanilla bean & make sure you're holding it so the curvy end is at the top. Next you will need to carefully start at the bottom & cut the vanilla beans up the middle till you get about an inch from the top, leaving that portion uncut. Drop it in the mason jar & repeat till you've got all the vanilla beans split.


Now that you've got a jar full of split vanilla beans, grab your bottle of vodka & start pouring over the beans.


Put a lid on it & there you have it, the almost finished product! I say almost because you will need to let this sit in a dark space for 6 months. Yes, that's right, 6 months. I put mine in a paper bag & put it in the back of one of my cabinets. Make sure to take it out and give it a good shake every now & then. I would say a couple times a month would work.


Here is the same bottle as pictured above, & it's been sitting for 1 month exactly. Look at how beautiful and dark brown its gotten in just a month! I can't wait till June to strain it out & start using it. When that time comes, I will make sure to write a post showing you exactly how I do that.
 

Friday, January 25, 2013

Today, I am thankful...


Its a bone chilling 17 degrees outside, several inches of snow on the ground & yet, I am thankful.
Today I am thankful for a warm house in the midst of this BEAUTIFUL mess outside.  I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to homeschool my children and not have to get them out in this weather. I'm also thankful for a hard working husband who willingly goes to work everyday to provide for his family. We are truly blessed beyond measure. ♥ 

What are you thankful for today?

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Homemade "Goo Gone"


This past year, I started a new journey & began to phase out chemical products in our home to better the health of our family. While we aren't completely chemical free yet, I can say that I do clean my home without any chemicals whatsoever. All thanks to tea tree oil, vinegar, baking soda & peroxide just to name a few.

I LOVE repurposing glass jars that once held spaghetti sauce, coconut oil or many other things but most will have a paper covering that has been glued on. Here's how it goes, you try to peel it off, it leaves a pesky sticky residue behind, you try to rub it off & end up having to use a chemical to remove it. Not anymore! This homemade goo gone works wonders on any sticky residue!

All you need to have is equal parts Baking Soda (Yes, thats a big ole bag, I have to buy it in bulk since we use it almost daily) & coconut oil. Yep, that's it! 
 
Just mix equal parts in a small bowl, rub it on the stickiness & let it sit for a few. Then you just use a scouring pad or a small brush to scrub it, rinse it off with warm water & voila, sticky gunk is gone!

Sunday, December 23, 2012

What's He Really Thinking? by Paula Rinehart

Let's be honest, we've all wanted to take a step into our husbands heads for just a little while to see what he's really thinking, how he's truly feeling or why he does things the way he does. I've finally finished reading What's He Really Thinking? by Paula Rinehart & although it took me some time to fully get into the book and grasp some of the concepts, I'm glad I stuck with it and finished it.
I, like many other women out there, am always in search of ways to bring out the best in my husband. In "What's He Really Thinking : How to be a Relational Genius with the Man in Your Life",  Paula uses multiple stories and offers great insights on how to become a relational genius with all the men in your life. Her book is broken down into 2 parts. The first part aids in understanding the man you love, touching on subjects like what men do, why they hurt and how they change. The second part of the book dives in a bit deeper and teaches you how to love the man you now understand. It touches on subjects like expectations, respect, conflict, intimacy and so on. One passage from the book that really caught my attention is, "Our expectations of a man must be grounded in the way God made him." & I couldn't agree more. There is also a relational genius guide in the back of the book that offers some practical yet Biblical guidelines to help you apply what you've learned from this book. I was also very pleased to see that Paula provided a section called Praying For The Man In Your Life. She states, "What you want most to see happen in a man's life, only God can do. This section helped me, yet again, realize how important it is to pray for not only my husband but for all the men in my life. I would recommend this book to any woman out there that's been longing to finally understand, What's He Really Thinking?
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com http://BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”