Office door makeover

After I saw this idea on This Young House, I thought it would be totally-doable in our office.

We have this closet door that was standing bare.

I picked up a 4-pack of cork board. I cut it to size to fit perfectly in the door grooves. I used scrapbook paper to fill the space. It took 10 minutes and I think it looks great.

Perfect for the stray magazine clippings and notes that don't fit in any specific file.

I particularly like that it doesn't look messy because I can shut the door.

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Tweet tweet?

Do you tweet?

I just started. I figured with Ryan leaving today, I could busy myself with listing my mundane and crazy thoughts online for everyone (or no one) to see. Because sharing them with Ryan over the phone would be silly - and I'm not sharing enough on the blog (muffling laughter).

If you are on Twitter, I'd love to follow you. I'm newlywoodwards (original right?).

Thank heavens for Emily - who is the only person I knew on Twitter. I'm just going to see how she does it - she seems to have success with it. Thanks, Emily!

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Frugal & Fabulous: Necessities

So, I’ve never much paid attention to ads and coupons for groceries and necessities. It seemed like quite a hassle for little reward. But, as we eat at home more, our grocery bills are getting out of control. And, the little things like shampoo, soap, toilet paper and cleaning supplies are really starting to seem not so little.

It was on my mind when I stumbled upon Little People Wealth. She was talking about getting free things from Walgreens and CVS, just by clipping coupons and checking out the ads.

I was curious. So, I kept reading and linked to a few other sites (my favorites so far are St. Louis Mommy and Money Saving Mom – both of which are good for moms as well of those of us who are not moms).

It sounded a little too good to be true. Why wouldn’t more people do it? Turns out that a lot of people do do it. I just didn’t know it. If you want the actual low-down on how these gals get a lot of free things at CVS and Walgreens, click on the links above. All of the sites above do a great job explaining it.

So, I tried it this weekend. I looked at their lists of steals and deals and wrote down a few things that we could actually use in our lives (because there are some things - like Nicotine patches, that we don't need even if they ARE free).

The sites above do most of the work for you - listing the great deals and the coupons you can use. Since I don't clip coupons (yet), I only went with the deals that were instant savings or rebates in the store. It's wonderful because as a coupon beginner, I wouldn't know where to start. They can tell you.

Here's what I bought:
CVS

3 greeting cards @ .99/apiece = $2.97
1 Maybelline Foundation @ $9.99
1 Maybelline Concealer @ $8.49
2 packs of CVS brand allergy medicine @ $3.79 = 7.58
TOTAL SPENT: $31.06 including tax
RECEIVED: $20.58 in Extra Bucks (to be used as cash next time)

*** PS - The gals at our local CVS were so kind and explained the whole program to me. Their CVS card is so simple to sign up for and use and you get great deals. They even found me another coupon book with some other good deals.

Walgreens


3 Knee-highs @ 3/$1.00 = $1.00
2 pairs of pantyhose @ $.69/each = $1.38
Revlon eye shadow @ $2.49 = $2.49(half off)
Revlon eye liner @ $9.99 = $9.99
TOTAL SPENT: $15.90 including tax
RECEIVED: $10.98 rebate from Walgreens ($9.99 rebate for eye liner plus 10% bonus for putting the rebate on a gift card)

** PS - Pantyhose are for work dress code. Usually, the only other ladies in the pantyhose section are women who are wearing plastic hair nets and orthopedic shoes. Sometimes I fear that I may be one of the last 20-somethings who wears pantyhose. Except, I'm sure I'm not and I'm just paranoid. And, don't tell anyone - but I kinda like pantyhose.

So, essentially, I will have $20 to spend at CVS next time and $11 to spend at Walgreens. You can see that if I continue to buy things with rebates or extra bucks, I will not have to spend much out of pocket, while continuing to build up necessity reserves. It's a little confusing, but it really seems to work. It only takes a little more thought and research. Honestly - it's kind of fun for me. Seems like a challenge.

Since I was on a serious sale-scoring high - I was also alert to another great steal at Menards. They had Palmolive Pure + Clear dishwashing soap for free after rebates. It seems to be a great product - no unnecessary chemicals, dyes, etc. Since we are trying to green up our cleaning supplies anyhow, the free product was totally an added bonus.


So, this is part of my new plan for saving money and stocking our pantry and linen closet shelves with things we need - for good prices. My next step is to begin saving coupons so I can get even better deals. I have found a few sites on the Web that compile coupons for my zip code. That is very useful and simple. I have just been keeping my coupons with my receipts until I build up a stash.

So - do you coupon clip?

Did you already know about the steals you can get at CVS and Walgreens (aka - am I the only one that was in the dark?)?

Would you like me to continue posting what deals I get each week as part of my CVS and Walgreens research?

I'm so sorry for my massively long posts lately. These just got longer than expected.

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Frugal & Fabulous: Easy-peasy lemon squeezy

There are definitely BIG things you can do to save money.

But, there are also a lot of little things. And let me tell you, the little things are easier. That's what I call "easy-peasy lemon squeezy."

In addition to cutting out non-essentials, we have also found ways to stretch our dollars in other ways. Here are a few:

Pets
Let's face it, animals are expensive. But, nothing gets more pricey than constantly buying food and toys. I've found a few ways to save some pennies on dog food and toys for the devils pugs, without depriving our babies.

Toys are easy. They don't need that many. I used to bring home toys and bones for the dogs all the time. However, when we looked at our spending, I realized that it wasn't necessary. The toys I bought were almost immediately destroyed, so to me, it's a waste of money.

Plus - they always grabbed the oldest toys out of the box. Or, they prefer the plastic coat hanger to any toy in the box. So, now the plastic coat hanger is in their toy box. When I do pick up a toy, I get it at the dollar tree. Then, it's not such a big deal when the stuffing and squeaker are pulled out within 35 seconds.

I have fed the dogs Science Diet since.... forever. I never switched from the free bag the vet gave us when we first brought Franco in (successful marketing to vet's office, check). The truth is, the stuff is good. And, the dogs love it (although they also like to lick each other's butts, but that's besides the point).

So, the 20lb bag at Pet Co is $37.99 (which is pretty ridiculous). But... if you keep your eye open, they often run a special for $5.00 off a bag. So, this is when I usually buy it. However, if you go to Science Diet's Web site, you can get another $5.00 off coupon. So, that's nothing to sneeze at. 

But, by far the BEST deal in my mind is Pet Co's rewards program. If you buy 10 bags of pet food in a year (which is normally exactly what I buy in a year), you can receive one bag for FREE. My free coupon came in the mail and I redeemed it over the weekend. I paid exactly $2.75 tax for a bag that will last our kiddos a month.

Speaking of loyalty programs...

Loyalty Programs
Sometimes, these are somewhat of a pain. Every store you go to has a punch card, a rewards card or a savings program. It's hard to keep them straight. But, I say - if you visit that store EVER during a year, sign up. I have rewards cards at Pet Co, Famous Footwear, NY&Co, Ace Hardware and CVS (and probably about 16,000 more, but I don't carry the cards. They all have the ability to look up my number when I get there.)

But, the best loyalty rewards program we have found is for Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. The Priority Club points are AMAZING. By staying in the hotels, you can earn points for future stays. If you travel at all, it's easy to build up points. And, since Ryan travels a lot for work, we always have tons of points available (which is the ultimate because his work travel is providing us a place to stay on vacations). He refuses to stay anywhere but Holiday Inn Express. Their rooms are nice, bedding is great and they have a good hot breakfast. We have had so much luck with HIE.

 
We used our points in San Francisco for our entire honeymoon. We used them when we were in Wisconsin, too. Plus, since we are platinum members, we often get free upgrades WITH our free points. When we were in Wisconsin they upgraded us to a suite and gave us some special snacks. Score!

We also have multitudes of punch cards to places like the local coffee shop, Happy Joes Pizza, sandwich shops, and local restaurants. If I'm somewhere that I will never return, I turn down the card. If not, what does it hurt to put it in a back pocket in my purse?? Some of those cards carry great deals. At one restaurant, we can get a free meal after 6 punches. Cha-ching. Plus, it's pushing us to support the locally-owned places instead of waiting in line at the national chain restaurants.

I've never understood why people do not use these loyalty programs. That's what they are there for.

Speaking of what I don't understand...

Rebates
Why don't people take the time to send in rebates? It's free money. Free money, I tell you.

If you don't want to send in your rebates, let me know and I will do it for you. We can split the rebate 70/30. =)

What bothers me most is that we already factor the rebate into our savings. When we buy paint at Menards and it has a $5 rebate, we take $5 off the price of the paint in our heads. In our minds, it's instant savings. That's what the marketers are counting on.

But, it's not. And, how many people don't send those rebates in? It's estimated at less than 50%, although no one really knows because the rebate people aren't talking.

I have forgotten to send in rebates before. It stinks. When we were roofing our house, there was a $50 rebate. You think that would be high on my radar? But, it got stuck in my purse with the best intentions. When I found it again, the rebate redemption period was expired. I was not happy and Ryan was less than thrilled.

So, now I have gotten into a habit. We get quite a few things with rebates, particularly at Menards. So, I have made it a habit to stick them in the mail IMMEDIATELY upon returning home. It takes less than 5 minutes and then I don't have to worry about forgetting.

What I'm saying is - stick it to the man! Redeem those rebates!

Speaking of sticking it to the man...

Find ways to earn money when you spend 
There are lots of ways to do this. Tons of cards have rewards. These are simple ways to earn some extra dollars. I have an aversion to credit cards because they can be dangerous (my history proves this). But, if you keep track of your spending and are able to have the will power to pay off your balance in full every month, there are some great deals to be had.

For example - we use the BP Mastercard for all gas purchases (and a few other select purchases as well). We earn 5% back on all purchases at the BP station and other rebates on various purchases. This is stellar. They send us a check in the mail when we've reached $25 in rewards, which happens more than you'd imagine.

We also have found a great checking account deal with a local credit union. Many banks across the nation are offering similar deals. It's checking plus. We earn 5% interest on our checking, with free checks, debit, billpay and online banking. We pay no fees and are reimbursed for ATM charges (the best part, in my humble opinion). The catches: we have to have direct deposit set up on the account (our paychecks) and we must use the debit card at least 12 times throughout the month (ummm..... did I just laugh out loud? I use it well beyond 12 times). So, this is the deal of all deals for us. We make a hefty sum every month from our checking accounts. It does have a $25,000 limit, so we can't use it forever to fund our nest egg, but it's definitely worth using.

Tomorrow, I will be posting about a new way I have been working to save money on groceries and essentials. I'm kinda diggin' it.

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Frugal & Fabulous: Evaluating non-essentials

Are your pennies pinched lately? Or, are you just looking for ways to save a little moo-lah for a rainy day (or in this economy, a downpour day).

Us too.

So, I'm going to share some of the things that have worked for us, in hopes that it will help you. (A hidden motive is that I also hope you will share with me what works for YOU - yeah, not completely selfless.) Those of us who are Frugal & Fabulous must stick together.

Key note: I don't consider us "cheap." We leave good tips to servers. We don't re-use ziploc baggies or trash bags. We don't mooch off people (except maybe our parents who are so generous with free meals). The point is - there is a major difference between being cheap and being frugal. To me, being cheap means depriving yourself or others when trying to save money. Frugal - being FABULOUS while saving money.

Because, let's face it: I'm really not the one to give lots of money advice. Go to Suze Orman or your local financial advisor for that. But, while people who know me are laughing at me giving money tips, the truth is that Ryan and I have managed to stow away money for short and long-term savings while paying off credit cards and paying down other debt (like our house and student loans) substantially. All while living a pretty dang good life, in our opinion.

Ryan has always been a saver, so he taught me. But, I have learned to do small things to make a big payoff. It's all about the little steps.

I'm going to share some of the ways that we have been able to save money. It's just a little here and there. But, it adds up... quicker than we ever think.

The most important way to save money - in our minds - is to evaluate non-essentials.

So, what are things that you that you don't use or don't use enough to justify paying for?

Be honest.

Here are some examples of items we have deemed non-essentials (this is continually evolving and won't be the same for everyone):

- This month, we cut my gym membership at $29.95/month. I used it 3 times in December. That's $10 per visit. It's not worth $10 for those hours of hell. I really despise going to the gym. I am more likely to work out at home. So, why have the membership?
(Saved: $359.40/year by eliminating a membership that I didn't use anyhow)
- I also cut out getting my nails "did." When I added up the fills and time spent driving and waiting at the salon, it wasn't worth it. Plus, I can type a lot better without falsies. (Saved: about $400/year by appreciating my real nails)

- We said ta-ta to bottled agua. Much of the reason was environmental, but it also saved us some cashola.
(Saved: totally guessing at $260/year or about $5.00/week for a sale case of water by not falling for the bottled water habit)

- I also started stretching out my cuts and colors. Originally, I got my hair cut and colored every 5 weeks. Now, it's 7 weeks. Two weeks doesn't make a difference with my hair (my stylist actually suggested it), and it means I pay the price less often. (Saved: about $360/year by eliminating the need for 3 stylist visits)

- We don't have cable or dish. (GASP!) Don't worry, I did the same thing when Ryan informed me that we weren't paying to get dish or DVR. (GASP!) However, it's been a year without cable, and I have to say that I survived just fine. If we had cable, there would be some channels and shows that I would tune into (like everything on Bravo and TLC), but not enough to justify the cost. About 95% of the shows I enjoy are on network television. If I'm itching for a TV fix and there's nothing on (like everything Saturday and Sunday), I pop in a movie from Redbox at $1. Or, better yet - I read a book or magazine. You wouldn't believe how much reading I have gotten done this year.

Not having cable has also made me realize that I used to just zone out in front of the television. It wasn't necessarily enjoyable. But, I did. Now, I do things that I want to do - blog, read, do things around the house, craft. Such a better use of my time.
(Saved: about $720/year by avoiding cable)
- Coffeehouses get to see me less. It's sad because I really adore the local java stops and Starbucks. But, come on - it's not necessary. I still go once in a while when the craving hits, but not nearly the frequency of the past. And, I don't just go because it's on the way.
(Saved: about $250/year by cutting back on the grande skim peppermint mochas)

- We don't eat out often. We still do, but it's definitely been cut back drastically. There were times where we ate out 5/7 nights during a week. But, let's face it - it's significantly less expensive to eat at home. And, we actually enjoy it. We've even started eating at homes on Saturdays, to avoid the rush at restaurants and crowds. When we do eat out, we often use coupons. This sounds almost cheap, but we have a coupon book that we purchased from the Rotary. Many local establishments have coupons for buy one get one FREE. Yeah.... I said free. Do you have those books? I bet you have them in the area, you just have to find them. The catch is, most of the coupons exclude weekends (tricky). So, we often go out on weeknights instead. It's actually kinda fun to get out on a "school night." Plus, we get to try out new places (many of which are locally-owned). And, since we don't go as often, it's much more of a treat.
(Saved: close to $1,000/year by staying in more often)

- Finally, and this is a big one - I have almost completely stopped shopping "for fun." My "fun" hobby cost me thousands of dollars. I still shop once and a while. I still go with friends and family members for fun. I still go out on the day after Thanksgiving. But, I don't go by myself just to kill time. I don't drop by the mall unless I have a purpose. Why?

Because I'm a recovering spendthrift. =) It would be like dropping off a woman on a diet at an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet or a recovering crack addict at a drug dealer's house.

Maybe not quite so serious... But the truth is, when I go to a mall, I buy things. It's that simple. I don't window shop. I don't browse. I go for the kill.

So, I only go there when I need to buy something. There are times when I need a pair of black heels or a certain article of clothing. But, since I don't go to the mall often, these needs pop us less frequently. I still have far too many clothes and shoes (and my bursting closet proves it). All of my credit cards from my spendthrift days are paid in full. So, why add insult to injury? (Saved: $2,000/year is probably a conservative estimate of what I save by keeping my hiney out of the shopping mall - I have past credit card bills to prove it)

These are several ways that we have made cuts to our spending without sacrificing anything, in our opinion. Everyone's version of essentials is different. I hope that you think about what is non-essential in your life. Simplifying is more than just cleaning out junk drawers (although that may be part of it). It's also cleaning out unnecessary things in your life (whoa - getting deep here).

So, tell me... is this helpful?

What have you cut or what could you cut to save a little extra?

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You Grow Girl

I'm starting to do research into our gardening, so I thought I would share my progress and book reviews as I go.

The first book I picked up from the library was You Grow Girl, which was a great beginner's guide to gardening. Here is my review from goodreads (btw: if you like to read, you should be on goodreads. It's a great way to track the books you have read and books you would like to read.)

You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening by Gayla Trail

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
As a new gardener, I was looking for a beginner's guide to learning about gardening. I liked this book because it went beyond creating a beautiful aesthetic to really enjoying the actual act of gardening. Some other gardening books I have come across are mostly concerned with the final result of having a beautiful, this author focuses on also enjoying the process, learning and growing plants you can eat and use in out of the ordinary way.

I loved the photos and the illustrations, along with the thrifty tips. She encourages you to find alternate means of getting seeds and plants, instead of just doling out tons of dough to get them. She gives great tips to fill out your garden during the first few years when perennials won't be amazing yet. She even shows you how to take clippings from plants to start your very own plants. Fabulous!

Part of what I liked about this book is that she encourages you to use whatever space you have to grow. I have had a hard time to find books about container gardens, but this goes into a lot of detail about this and how to choose containers and plants that will thrive.

I also liked her tutorials about DIY projects related to gardening - a gardening apron, seed packets and hand lotion are good examples. And, who would have known that you can grow loofahs in your garden???

I think that this book is a great start and will be a companion to a general gardening book with all the types of plants that I hope to plant, along with detailed instructions on planting, etc. I checked this out from the library, but hope to get a copy of my own. I think it is that useful.


View all my reviews.

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Weekend Recap

This weekend was wonderful because we had NOTHING planned. I love weekends like this most of all.

We ate dinner out on Friday with some friends at one of our favorite places (Texas Roadhouse).

Ryan and Kyle worked on the house Saturday and Sunday, so I had time to myself. I picked up the house a little and finished my book club book. I also organized the office and sorted through paperwork that had been accumulated. Wow..... a LOT of paperwork had accumulated. I'm still in the midst of getting it all straightened out and then I'll share how I organize it all. I have realized that my little filing cabinet hasn't been working so I'm trying something different.

I also fit in a few bargains this weekend. I've been researching ways to cut costs and get better deals when I shop, not out of necessity but out of practicality. It seems awfully wasteful to spend as much as we do on grocery and necessity items. I'm working on a post to share this week about the steals that I got. I hope you enjoy it.

Ryan leaves for Texas on Thursday. For three weeks.

I'm a little bummed and will certainly miss him. But, it's okay. It's been so wonderful to have him here most of the winter. Last year, he was in Texas for most of January-April. This will be his first trip over this winter. And, I just feel so lucky that it's only three weeks at a time.

So, instead of sulking (and being jealous of him enjoying 80 degree weather), I'm going to use the time to organize more, relax and read, spend time with friends and keep up with school work. I've got some other things up my sleeve, too. And, it's only three weeks..... =/

How was your weekend?

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DIY Gift Giving

I've been meaning to share a few of the gifts that Ryan and I collaborated on for Christmas. But, for some reason, it took a month for me to get my act together.

When we saw photo frames at a local craft show, Ryan and I decided these would make great gifts. Plus - we were sure we could make them ourselves.

So, we did. Here are a few of the outcomes (please forgive the terrible photographs)...
For brother and sister-in-law:
For a work friend, taken from her favorite movie:
For a good friend:
For mom and dad:


How we did it:Ryan cut out the frames and used a miter saw for the edges. He primed them in black. Then, I painted them black and ordered vinyl lettering from a friend. I attached the photos with photo corners, so they can be exchanged in the future.

It definiitely got us hooked on looking for gifts we can make ourselves. Not only did we save a little dough, the gift was something personal that we hope people enjoy as much as we enjoyed making them.

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2009's here: Outdoor Edition

While there are inside things to work on (see prior posts), recently - I've been spending lots of time researching outside projects, which is giving me MAJOR spring fever. Following up on my "resolutions" - gardening comes up in those and has been on my mind.



This leads us to the outdoor projects for this year and beyond (and way beyond).

Outside
- Plant a new garden in 2009 for veggies and herbs.
- Plant a rain garden along the garage. If we have it approved through the city, we get a free rain barrel, they pay us $4.00/square foot of landscaping and receive reduced water bills. No brainer.
- Paint or stain and seal the deck. First, we'll have to choose a color.
- Mount flower boxes to the front of the house and deck. Possibly use the flower boxes as containers for the herbs and veggies.



- And, finally - the big kahoona.... add a porch to the front of the house. The home originally had a full-length front porch. I'd like to bring this back. This will be a few years off (or sooner, if Ryan's feeling generous). A girl can dream.

Porch inspiratons by newlywoodwards

These are not projects for 2009 alone, but I think that we can get started with them slowly by surely. Luckily, I have my magic weapon…

and he’s getting back to work.

So, there it is. In black and white. Although Ryan knows these dreams exist, he is less than thrilled with putting them out there in print (type?). I think deep down he was hoping that I would just forget.

mwahahahaha.

No such luck.

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2009's here: Living Room Edition

I love our living room.

I'd love it even more with a fireplace.

In the corner. With a pretty mantle.

And, dear husband - could you please extend the crown molding into the living room?

Something like these, perhaps?

Living Room by newlywoodwards

Please and thank you.

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2009's here: Bedroom Edition

Even though I have a lot that I would like Ryan to work on in our home, I am also going to take on work myself.

Remember the pantry? Even though Ryan put it up, I had to paint it and organize it. So, it's fair.

In our bedroom, most of the work will be up to me. I got a good start with a tufted headboard.

Just a few other things to make our bedroom complete
- Add crown molding
- Paint base of bed and get rid of the bed skirt
- Re-think what I put above the bed. I am leaning towards the lettering that you all encouraged in the headboard post.

The bedroom is definitely one of my favorite rooms in the house. Let's keep it that way.

Edit: At someone's request, I decided to add photos of the room, for help visualizing.

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2009's here: Dining Room Edition

There are so many wonderful things that I envision for our home. While we have come a long way, there are still so many lovely things we’d like to do. Okay…. I’d like to do them. Ryan would be perfectly content living in this home, the way it is, until we croak.

But, just because Ryan had August - December off from major house projects doesn't mean that I haven't been thinking about it and planning for the next stages…. in 2009 and into the future.

Much to my husband’s dismay.

At some point, he’ll get tired of Grand Theft Auto and Madden 09 anyhow… right??? I just want to be ready for that moment.

So, I've decided to share and visually create the visions that have been dancing in my head. Mostly, for my own enjoyment.

Dining Room

Dining Room by newlywoodwards

I really love the wall color and curtains in the dining room, so I'd just like to add some things to enhance the beauty of the room.
- Install white chair rail and wainscoting below it. (Ryan is THRILLED about this one.)
- Add white crown molding. (Also Ryan's dream come true.)
- Re-think our dining room set. This could mean getting my dream dining room set (sigh....) or painting the existing table, chair and hutch black (ala Emily).
- Mount shelves in the Dining Room - 2-3 on each side of the window.

Here are Katie's beauties.

I love the style of these shelves. Don't her plates look divine there? After I stopped drooling, I decided that I needed these shelves in our own dining room. Ryan is convinced that he can make something similar, so we'll see.

What do you think of my dining room inspiration?


Edit: At someone's request, I'm going to add photos of the room for visualization purposes.

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Tired of soups yet? Santa Fe Pork Chili

Too bad. Here's another soup coming at you from our wonderful cooking demonstration. And, since it's our blog, we can post whatever we want. =) But, even so - we hope you are still yearning for more soup recipes to keep you warm.

This Santa Fe Pork Chili is HOTTTTT (with five Ts hot). That adobo sauce is definitely spicy. But, it's got really good flavor. I toned it down with sour cream and cheddar cheese. Ryan just ate it 'til the hair fell out of his head. And the pork was really divine.

Santa Fe Pork Chili
1 tbsp olive oil
2 white onions, cut into 1/4 inch wedges
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 lb boneless pork loin roast, cut into 1-inch pieces (*Helpful hint: The meat counter at the local grocery should cut it up for you, if you ask. Just tell them that you want it for stew, and they will be happy to chop it up for you to your specifications. An added bonus is that my favorite meat man trimmed off all the fat too.)
2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, finely chopped (in the Mexican food area of the grocery)
less than 1 tsp adobo sauce from the chilis can (it is super spicy, so you can add more if you like it hotter)
3 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1-8.5 oz can corn, drained
1-15 oz can black beans, drained

Heat oil over medium heat.
Cook onions and garlic in oil, stirring occasionally until onions are softened.
Stir in salt, cumin, pepper and pork.
Cook 6-8 minutes until pork is lightly brown (*Helpful hint: Don't cook too long. It doesn't need to be completely cooked yet and if you cook too long, it won't be as tender. Err on the side of pinkness.)
Stir in chipotle chilies, sauce, tomatoes, corn and black beans. Heat to boil and then reduce heat to low.
Cover and cook 30-35 minutes on low, stirring occasionally until pork is no longer pink in the center.

Ole!

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Spaghetti in a soup

I've become a soupaholic lately. How can I not be?

It was negative 20 degrees outside last week - BEFORE WIND CHILL. What in the world is going on? When the world is crazy (and cold), people need soup.

So, I thought we'd try out a recipe from the cooking demonstration - Spaghetti Soup. Essentially, it is a spaghetti recipe with beef broth added. It was quite yummy. I think we actually prefer it to regular spaghetti because the sauce completely covers the noodles.

Spaghetti Soup

1/2 lb. ground beef
1 large can tomato sauce
1 small onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
4 roma tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can mushrooms (I used fresh mushrooms instead)
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 box whole wheat spaghetti noodles, broken in half

Brown ground beef with onions. Break pasta in half and cook. Mix in sauce, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, tomatoes, mushrooms and broth with ground beef and onions. Heat in sauce pan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Add cooked pasta and serve with garlic bread.

It made plenty for 2-3 meals for us.

It's quite delicious and easily fulfills your NEED for warm soups in this cold weather.

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Weekend Update: Obsession

Hello, gorgeous.


I never knew I could feel this much for a vacuum. But, I do. I really do.

I spent my Friday night prancing around the house screaming, "OH MY LORD, It's like it's practically vacuuming itself." Or, "OH MY LORD, look at how much it's picked up." I forced Ryan to look at the carpets before and after. It was really exciting for both of us (or at least me).

I vacuumed with the vacuum that will not be named on Thursday. When I got my new beauty, who I have named Nancy (the Navigator), I had to empty two cannisters of hair and soot on the dining room rug alone. Others would be disturbed or disgusted. I was on cloud nine. It was like taking on the dirty world and WINNING.

I spent Saturday testing out the cool attachments. I cleaned out the dust around the entertainment unit with the brush attachment. I used the extension handle on the couch. OH.MY.LORD.

If there is such a thing to a vacuum addiction, I have it.

Note: I was planning to purchase the Bissell. But, when I was scouting options at Bed Bath and Beyond, I saw Nancy. She was lighter and has similar technology to the Dyson. It also had all the pet hair attachments. And a five year warranty. The sweet sales associate also calmed my vacuum fears by telling me that if I don't like it, I can return it to them. They have a no-hassle return policy. Heaven.

And, with my 20% off coupon, I saved about $20. Totally worth it in my opinion. The honeymoon is definitely not over.

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The vacuum debacle

Also known as: sales techniques for marriage

Set-up: I hate our vacuum. We got the least expensive one at the store ("We could buy ten of these vacuums for the cost of one Dyson, Kim," says Ryan.)

It sucks.

Or, should I say, it doesn't suck. At all. (I'm cracking myself up!)

I spend more time trying to pick up the stuff it misses than vacuuming should take. I cringe to think of the dirt underneath the surface that I cannot spot with my naked eye.

So, this was our conversation last night, after my last battle with the dreaded vacuum. (Stay with me here... it's a little lengthy.)

Kim: I'm getting a new vaccuum this weekend.
Ryan: Okay. Where does it fit in the budget?
Kim: I think it fits in the house section. I'd like a Dyson.

Ryan: Hmmm...
Kim: What?
Ryan: I think that's a little irresponsible.
Kim: Well, I have a coupon to Bed Bath and Beyond for 20% off.
Ryan: So, how much would it be?
Kim: $100 off
Ryan: (Choking on his drink) WHAT???? How much is it?
Kim: About $500
Ryan: That's RIDICULOUS! That is a week of work, for a VACCUUM?
Kim: Well I thought you'd say that... so I'm actually considering getting a Bissell Pet Hair vaccuum for $100-$200 plus the coupon.

Ryan: SOLD!
(A few moments go by)

Ryan: Did you just use a sales tip on me by starting with the $500 vacuum?
Kim: Perhaps....

So, this is my proven technique. If you need to make a purchase and you have an inkling your husband may not go for it. Start with an item that is approximately 4 times the cost of the item you are considering.

Then, the item you ACTUALLY want sounds much more reasonable.

And, don't think this is deceitful. I was open and I didn't sneak a purchase or motive.

So..... after that tip, any tips for the perfect vacuum for pet hair?

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Instead of ending up in a landfill...

Jessica at How About Orange did this with her paint swatches...

Brilliant, don't you think?

This is officially on my to-do list. I am getting tired of using my business card or an edge of a magazine page as a bookmark.

And, no one will think any less of me if I have to go to the hardware store to pick out a brighter and more exciting swatch, right? I mean, our browns and tans from our house projects won't be fun enough. Although... this kind of negates the "green-ness" of the project.

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The diary of a headboard

I've been wanting an upholstered headboard since.... well.... forever (or at least the last year). Since then, upholstered headboards have BLOWN UP. They were in magazines, on television, in catalogs and all over blog-land.

But, for some reason, I just never took the step to make one myself.

So, our bed has been sans-headboard since moving into our room in August.

It looks lonely, doesn't it?

I saw G&Ds twin bed headboards a while ago. I was smitten (as I am with everything that woman does in her home). Then, Emily took it to a new level with burlap and nailboard trim last week. Talk about swoon-worthy.

So, finally I got off my keyster and decided to make a headboard for myself. I went out to get the board and materials. The fabric store was (clearly) closed and the board wouldn't fit in my car. It wasn't my day.

But, I made it fit. I drove home with my car looking like this.

The temperature outside was 5 degrees according to my thermostat in the car. Cold was an understatement. The next day, I went and got the rest of the materials.

It was a budget project - here's the cost breakdown of the headboard I made:
$7.99 OSB plywood (cut to size at Lowe's)
$9.00 faux suede taupe fabric (3 yards clearance)
$13.00 queen sized quilters batting (sale)
$9.00 covered buttons (3 packs of 2)
TOTAL: $38.99 for a brand new headboard (and custom sized at that)

And here's how it turned out:





For instructions, follow the great instructions by G&D (particularly for tufting, which was more difficult than it seemed).

I'm pretty thrilled about having a headboard. Now, I'm deciding whether to leave up the tiles above or put a W, ala this photo from ratemyspace.

Thoughts?

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