New on DVD and FF Rec

The newest Transformer movie, Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon, is being released this Friday, Sept. 30th.  I have to say, when I saw this movie in the theater I was really impressed.  I know it is not very girly to say but the effects were stellar and the new female lead is much better than the old one.  Here is a list of places and prices where you can get the movie on Friday:

                          Amazon.com:   2-Disc B-ray+DVD = $19.99

                                                                        DVD = $16.99

                                    Target:   2-Disc B-ray+DVD = $20.00

                                                                        DVD = $16.00

                                Walmart:    2-Disc B-ray+DVD = $19.96

                                                                        DVD = $16.96

                                Safeway:    2 Disc B-ray+DVD = $23.99

                                                                        DVD = $16.99

                   Safeway is offering (1) 2-liter of Pepsi

                   when you buy the movie between 9/30/11-10/7/11

Fan-Fiction Rec of the Week:     Work in Progress by araeo

This is a Twilight fic and is all-human, alternate universe.  Bella, Edward and the usual suspects are adults living in Seattle.  They hit it off after a klutzy accident and E awakens B's ovaries, who never hesitate to voice their pervy opinion in B's head.  Rated M for language and lemons.

This story is hilarious as Bella is in constant conversation with her ovaries in regards to the sexy, Dr. Edward.    

Read this one for a good laugh and some sexy times remember lemons = sex so if you are not 18 or into that sort of thing please do not read!      

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!  Do something nice for yourself :)                                          

Household Uses For Lemons

Lemons are common place in my household especially when the tree in our backyard is ready to be picked.   While there are many uses for lemons in cooking and baking there are also many ways to use lemons to help keep your kitchen clean and smelling fresh.  So the next time you use a lemon to flavor your favorite dish don't throw the rind away try these lemony fresh tips.

Tea Kettle: fill your teakettle with water and add a handful of lemon rinds.  Bring to a boil then turn of the heat.  Let it sit for about an hour, drain, and rinse well.  This will get rid of those mineral deposits.

Coffee Pot:  (not the machine but the carafe)  add ice, salt, and lemon rinds to the empty pot.  Swirl the carafe for a minute or two, then drain and rinse well.  This will leave your pot nice and sparkly.

Garbage Disposal:  when I am done with a lemon whether I have used it for cooking or cleaning I never throw them in the trash can.  I chop them up and throw them in the garbage disposal.  This cleans the disposal and makes the kitchen smell great.  I also do this with orange peels.

Microwave:  I always feel really weird about using chemical cleaners for the inside of the microwave...it just doesn't seem right.  Try this instead;  fill a microwave safe bowl half full with water and add  some lemon rinds. Heat on high for about 5 minutes until the water is boiling and condensation has accumulated on the side, top, and bottom of the microwave.  Very carefully remove the hot bowl and use a cloth to wipe away the splatters.

I hope these tips are useful to you, let me know how they worked!  Have a HAPPY TUESDAY!

Great Deals and Coupon Tip

There are some great deals happening this week on groceries.  Safeway is having a huge stock up sale.  If you purchase at least 8 of the 3,000 items included in the sale you will receive an additional $.50 off each item.  Some of those items have coupons available for additional savings.  Here are some of the deals I took advantage of (only valid through 9/27):

Philidelphia Cream Cheese (2 sm. tubs):   Reg. price: 6.98

                                                               Card Svgs:   .40 -

                                                               J4U eCpn: 3.29 -

                                                               Store Cpn: 3.29 -

                                                               Mfg. Cpn : 1.00 -

So, I ended up making $1.00 on this but I am not sure I was suppose to. I am not all that knowledgeable on the J4U eCoupons and how they interact with other coupons but I was watching when the cashier scanned all of my coupons and he did not have to manually enter anything.  Essentially I had 2 B1G1F coupons and a $1/2 coupon. 

Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Golden Grahams (1box ea.):   Reg. price:    $12.57

                                                                                                         Card Svgs:        6.90 -

                                                                                                         Mfg. Cpn :        1.00 -

That is three boxes of cereal for $4.67 or $1.55 each!

Kleenex Tissues (2 boxes):   Reg. Price: $3.98

                                            Store Cpn:  2.00 -

                                            Mfg. Cpn :    .50-

Two boxes of Kleenex for $1.48 or $.75 each!

Here is my coupon tip of the week:  When sitting down to clip your coupons make it easier by making the double paged inserts into single paged ones.  The pages will separate easily if you tear down the center fold. This gives you a small piece of paper to deal with while cutting.

HAPPY MONDAY!

Fall is in the air...why is it still in the 90s?

The kids are back in school and all is quiet on the home-front...for a couple of hours at least.  Fall is my favorite time of year for a number of reasons.  I LOVE fall decorations, baking cookies and other treats, the generosity that tends to flow in people during this time of year, trips to the pumpkin patch, the fall leaves, the cooling weather, I could go on and on. Right now though I am a bit frustrated...do you want to know why? I am frustrated because I am fully ready to bake, decorate, collect fall leaves and right about now it is 95 degrees outside!  If fall is my favorite season Indian summer is my least favorite! It is that time of year when mother nature teases us into a week's worth of cooler weather and then BAM! it is hotter than Hades again.  So since the weather is warm and the growing season for summer vegetables is coming to an end, my family and I will be clearing the garden from the deteriorating cucumber, tomato, and green bean plants to prepare it for some fall spinach, lettuce, and snap peas this weekend. 

Our back yard garden has been the source of much family bonding.  Gardening provides so many learning opportunities including learning about the environment, sustainability, growth cycles, good bugs/bad bugs, health and nutrition, working together and so much more.  We have a small back yard so we use the square foot gardening method.  If you have not heard of this you need to check it out!  We have been able to grow so many fruits and veggies in a VERY small area.  You can learn more about square foot gardening in Mel Bartholomew's book All New Square Foot Gardening or on the SFG website .  Square foot gardening can be used year round (yes, even in a snowy winter!) so go take a look! 

What to do with those berries?

When I was at the grocery store the other day they had raspberries on sale buy 1 get 2 free.  I bought them of course but I knew I wouldn't be able to use them all before they went bad.  Then my amazing sister reminded me that I could freeze them!  This will work with most berries, peaches, grapes, melons, and more.  All you have to do is cut up your fruit to the desired size,  line a cookie sheet with plastic wrap, arrange the fruit in a single layer, and put in the freezer.  Once the fruit is frozen you can transfer it to freezer bags for later use.  This method ensures you don't end up with a giant blob of frozen fruit!

This is my favorite buttermilk raspberry muffin recipe from AllRecipes.com :

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries*

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and buttermilk; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in berries. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes or until browned.

Footnotes

• *Editor's Note: Frozen berries may be used if thawed and well drained.
  
  
  This recipe is super easy to make and you can substitute other fruit and berries for the raspberries and add small chunks of cream cheese for a different flavor.  I also like to add a crumb topping before baking by mixing 1/3 cup packed brown sugar and 1 tablespoon flour, then add 1 tablespoon of cold butter and mix with a fork or you hands until crumbly.
  
  
  Give it a try!!  HAPPY THURSDAY!

Nail Polish and Reading

I don't go and get pedicures very often...usually only in the late spring when I start wearing sandals and flip flops again, but I do like to keep my toes polished.  Every season the cosmetic companies come out with new colors so I like to pick up a couple.  This weekend at Walgreen's I picked up a few new shades of Revlon's Top Speed nail polish and got a pretty good deal.  They have Revlon on sale 40% off and if you spend $10 or more you get $3 back in register rewards.  There are also some $1 off coupons available out there (my Wags had a tear pad in the store at the cosmetics counter) so after sale price, coupons and register rewards you could potentially pay $1.89 each when you buy three.  That is a pretty good deal for some good quality polish yeah? At the very least go and check out the new shades for Fall!

Fan-fiction has become an obsession of mine in the last two years and while I wish I had a knack for creative writing I really don't so I stick to reading. There is fan-fiction for everything from books to movies to TV shows.  I am particular to Twilight fan-fiction myself and would like to use this venue to recommend/review whatever I happen to be reading.  While there are fics available for every age group I tend to gravitate towards the more "mature" selections.  Saying that, most of my rec's and reviews will be in that category. Right now I am currently reading A Simple Twist of Fate by WellMadeMistake over at Fanfiction.net .  It is a short and sweet, all-human, love story between college-age Edward and Bella. Here is the summary from the website:

AU, All Human Edward has moved cross country from Washington to Florida to attend school after ending a nasty relationship, only to find himself instantly attracted to a beautiful brunette he sees in traffic. Rated M for language and lemons.

FYI: AU=alternate universe; lemons=sex scenes

Check out A Simple Twist of Fate here.

Have a HAPPY WEDNESDAY and do at least one thing to indulge yourself!

Shiny Sinks?

Ahhhh.....cleaning my favorite task.  Yeah, not really.  As I've said before cleaning is not my favorite thing.  I try to avoid it at all cost.  The problem is that I can't stand to live in a dirty house.  I came across a website one day that kinda changed my life: www.flylady.net .  This woman has amazing ideas on how to keep your home clean and clutter free without spending all of your time cleaning.  Her method is based in the concept of spending 15-30 minutes at a time on a task whether it is cleaning the kitchen, organizing your bills, or scrubbing your toilets.  I found that if I set a timer and know that I am only going to spend 20 minutes going through my sons' room, it doesn't seem like such an overwhelming task.  The Flylady has a daily email you can subscribe to that presents a task for the day which is great to get you started.  After several weeks of doing this I learned a lot and was able to create a schedule that fit my family's needs.  Flylady also has a section called baby steps that really helped to get the ball rolling for me and I would like to share the first baby-step with you.  This is something I now do once a month....here is an excerpt from FlyLady.net :

Shiny Sink 101

Note: Follow this procedure the first time you shine your sink. You do NOT need to follow this method everyday. Just keep up the shine with a little window cleaner.
Dear Friends,
I want you to smile from ear to ear when you gaze upon your shiny sink.
I have heard every excuse in the world. Even old sinks can look new again with a little elbow grease.
Here is how you do it:
BE SURE AND RINSE WELL BETWEEN EACH STEP OF THE WAY!

1. Take all the dishes out of the sink.
2. Run some very hot water into the sink. Fill to the rim. Only do one side at a time. Then, pour a cup of household bleach into the hot water. Let it sit for 1 hour. Now, pull the plug with a pair of tongs. If you don't have tongs, then scoop some of the water out of the sink into the other sink and use your hand to pull the plug (wear gloves and don't get the bleach-water on your clothes).
3. Rinse your sink well.
4. Use some cleanser (Comet, Ajax, or Baking Soda) and scrub your sink. Ensure you rinse ALL of the cleanser from the sink.
5. Take a sharp edge and clean around the rim of the sink, just like you would clean dirt out from under your fingernails.
6. Clean around the faucets too. You may need an old toothbrush or dental floss.
7. Now, get out your window cleaner, I use Windex, and give it a good shine.
8. If you still don't like the way it looks, then you could try some car wax. Just know in your heart that you have cleaned it very well now and it doesn't have to be perfect. Our perfectionism is what got us in this situation in the first place.
9. Every time you run water in your sink, take your clean dishtowel and dry it out (I lay out a clean one, every night with my before bedtime routine). Before you know it, you will be doing this everytime you leave your kitchen. The rest of the family will too. No more water spots. You will have a clean and shiny sink.
10. Don't have a fit if someone doesn't take as much pride in your sink as you do. It is very easy to fix. You have already done the hard part. You will never have to go through this process again. Daily maintenance will keep it looking this way all the time. Nasty hurtful word are not as easy to repair. Just be sure and tell your family what you are trying to do. They will think you have gone crazy.
11. If you don't have a dishwasher, don't worry. A dishwasher is just a dirty dish disposal. Clean out a place under your sink and put a dishpan in there. Teach your family, that instead of putting their dirty dishes and glasses in the sink, place them into the dish pan. Get into the habit of putting your dishes away as soon as they have been washed and are dry. No more leaving the dish drying rack on the counter or in the sink. Put it away under the sink when you have finished. If your old one is nasty, you may want to soak it in the sink full of bleach water at the same time you soak the sink or go buy a new set.
12. To insure that your family remembers this, put a note in the sink. It will get their attention and remind them where to put the dishes. Be patient! They have never been taught either. It is going to take some practice.

Now if you have a stainless steel sink, I recommend all of the above directions with one extra instruction added: after you soak your sink, rinse well, and use SOS pads to scrub it. This will buff the finish. It will look like new.
If you still can't get it to shine after the Windex, put a light coat of lemon oil or olive oil on it. I mean just a tiny bit on a cloth and rub it. This will make you smile. Some people have had very good results from Bar Keepers Friend.
Go Shine Your Sink!
FlyLadyLast note: ensure you don't mix cleansers like Comet, etc. with Windex (or other ammonia based cleaners), you can create dangerous gases! It is worth repeating: rinse well between each step.

  Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed!  The FlyLady also has a book called Sink Reflections that can be purchased HERE.  Next week:  homemade household cleaners....do they work?  HAPPY TUESDAY!

Coupons....Worth it?

All of my adult life I have debated whether it is worth the time and effort to scour store ads and coupon books trying to find the best price on cheese.  I've wondered if I drive the fifteen minutes it takes to get to Wal-Mart to save a few bucks am I really saving more than I'm spending in gas when Safeway is just two minutes up the street.  Do I really want to change my 15 year standard of buying Prego brand marinara to Barilla just because it is on sale and I have a coupon for it?  Now that I have a family of five to feed, which is getting more and more expensive as my toddlers have turned into growing boys and a preteen girl who are always hungry I have had to reevaluate my views on coupons and sales. 

A few weeks ago after seeing the results of my sister's almost obsession with coupons I decided to give it a go.  She turned me onto a few websites and I took it from there.  I visited a website called Wild for Wags (Wags=Walgreen's) and discovered that not only does this woman post all kinds of great deals and links to coupons that can be printed on the web, every Saturday she posts a buying scenario.  Her scenarios are very detailed and even include links to certain coupons, prices, and which issue of the coupon booklets you can find certain coupons in.  She also runs a site very similar site that deals with Target. This was a great way to dip my toe into the world of coupons.  I was so excited when I walked out of Walgreen's that first time and I had a box of Estroven that I actually made $2 on.  I kept looking over my shoulder thinking someone was going to follow me outside and tell me I had done something wrong...either because I left the store with essentially more money than I came in with or because I'm not old enough to even need Estroven.  As I said earlier, I was excited...so excited I had to tell my husband, who looked at me like I was nuts and asked if maybe I could find deals like that on stuff we actually needed, my mother, who wanted the Estroven, and my sister, who I think might have shed a tear at my succumbing to her corruption.

So is it worth it?  I think if you can stay organized and sane, spending time scouring the sales ads and coupons for good deals are worth it.  Driving the fifteen minutes to Wal-Mart? Well, if I am going to buy a large amount and will be saving at least $10 buying the same items from a closer store, then yes it's worth it.  Ditching Prego for Barilla?  Jury is still out on that one ;P 

Next Week:  Tips on how to get started with coupons including organization and time management.  HAPPY MONDAY!

Betty Crocker Back to School Giveaway

OutnumberedMama has a great giveaway over on The Guide  provided by BoxTops for Education and Betty Crocker.  Go check it out and enter to win a great little baking kit form Betty Crocker!  GOOD LUCK!

Family Fridays Intro

Family time is so important, whether spending time at home playing games or heading out for a vacation, we need that connection to one another in order to thrive.  We don't have a lot of extra money so it is important for me to find things to do that are as cheap as they are fun.  Amazingly enough there are tons of things to do that cost little or no money.  I know my main goal as a parent is to raise children who are confident and not afraid to go after the things they want in life.  There are so many things working against us, especially the media.  It is important to stay involved in our childrens' lives, to guide, and reassure.  The children are our future right? (yeah that was totally corny but it's still true)

Friday posts will consist of ideas for fun outings, seasonal fun, gift ideas, parenting tips, book/movie reviews for children, and of course product reviews and giveaways coming soon!  Happy Friday!

Cooking Up Thursdays Intro

 

Cooking...I really enjoy cooking.  Unlike the way I feel about cleaning, cooking and baking give me a great sense of accomplishment especially when the people I am cooking for show their appreciation.  Being a mom can be an often times thankless job, however making a family member's favorite meal and hearing the thanks can relieve some of that feeling of being under appreciated.  There is nothing like when your 6 year old exclaims  in happiness when his favorite of spaghetti and meatballs is placed in front of him at the dinner table; it's the best! Involving children in the cooking can help build self esteem as well.  My daughter just lights up when we bake some homemade cookies and her daddy tells her how good they are and what a great job she did.  In short, cooking and sharing meals brings families together...we all have to eat right?

Thursday posts will consists of recipes, cooking tips, gardening tips, book/website reviews and recommendations, and soon product reviews and giveaways.  Looking for a tried and true recipe?  Let me know and I'll see what I can find.

SmashBox Giveaway Over at The Guide!!

Who doesn't love some free makeup? Go check out The Guide and enter to win a GlamBox from SmashBox cosmetics.  Although I'm hoping to win this one so don't put in too many entries JUST KIDDING...maybe.  Anyhow, go check it out and GOOD LUCK!

Indulge Yourself Wednesdays Intro

We all have our own ways of indulging.  Some like to go to the spa and others like to curl up with a great read. While I am not a regular at the spa, I do definitely enjoy a mani/pedi every so often.  My idea of relaxation is finding a quiet place to read or listen to music.  Having three kids who are are still young makes finding that time somewhat difficult but it is important to my sanity that I carve the time into my day.  Even just being able to shut everyone else out with some head phones and relaxing music while making dinner gives me the chance to gather my wits and prepare for the after dinner crazy of bath time and preparing for the next day!  

Wednesday posts will consist of reviews of what ever I have been reading that week (which I will warn you may consist of fanfiction), music I am listening to, shows and movies I am watching, beauty tips, fashion tips, celebrity gossip, etc.  Basically anything that I find fun and entertaining.  I am also hoping to have some product reviews and giveaways for you!

Tuesday Cleaning Introduction

Okay, can I just tell you how much I hate cleaning?  I know a lot of people get a sense of accomplishment and/or stress relief while cleaning but I don't.  I feel sweaty and exhausted.  That being said I like to keep my home as clean and sanitary as possible.  That does not mean that my home looks like a museum but it is usually picked up and wiped down.  I have three children and a husband so I refuse to lose my mind trying to keep the place spotless all of the time, there are more important things in life than whether the fringe on the rug is lined up perfectly (my husband may not agree but let him deal with the fringe.)  I've been in cleaner homes and I have definitely been in homes that are not.  Considering I do not like to spend excessive amounts of time cleaning, I am always on the lookout to make things more efficient.  I like the idea of natural products so long as they are effective.  I feel that children absolutely need to take part in daily household chores for their benefit as well as mine.

Tuesday posts will consist of cleaning tips, product reviews/giveaways, organization tips, and book/website recommendations.  As I've said before I like to research so if you need advice or have a question regarding cleaning/organization leave me a comment and I will see what I can find.

Money Mondays Introduction

Money is a tedious, frustrating, and necessary part of our lives. Being a mom who is also in charge of the money management for our family I will freely admit that aside from cleaning bathrooms this is my least favorite part of being in charge. I like to think of a household as a business. We have money coming in (not as much as I would like) and money going out (way more than I would like). There are basic costs of operations (i.e. rent/mortgage, utilities, food, transportation, etc.) There is also all of the fun yet costly things a family likes to participate in (i.e. hobbies, sports, vacations, etc.) In order to come out in the black, and yes black is good in this case, there needs to be at least some measure of organization and will power.

The Money Mondays part of this blog will consist of money saving tips, home office organization, great deals I may find and want to pass along, and hopefully some giveaways coming shortly. As I’ve said before I enjoy doing research so if there are things you are curious about but don’t feel you have the time to do the research let me know in a comment and I will see what I can find. I am not a financial expert in anyway so I will not be giving tax or investment advice, however, I may offer up websites or books that I have found useful. My main goal in this column is to help my household as well as yours, to run as efficiently as possible with as little headache as possible.

GIVEAWAYS

My sister has some great giveaways on her blog this month including $50 CASH! There are many ways to enter so go check it out! http://www.outnumberedmama.com/2011/08/bwg2sm-turns-2-huge-review-giveaway.html

The link to her blog is also in my blog list.

A Little Bit About Multi Mommi

Hey Everyone! Before I get started with my new blog here I thought I would introduce myself. I will create another post soon to explain better what this blog will consist of.

To start off my name is Heather, I am 34 and I live in California. I am a stay-at-home mom of three beautiful children: one girl who I will probably refer to as M(age11) and two boys Z(6) and E(4). I am not necessarily planning on informing everyone on everything they do, however it may come up at times. I am married and while my husband can be a major pain in my rear I love him to death! Although I am sure at times he thinks I am the one who is the pain but life would be boring otherwise right?

Things I like to do in my "free time": I love to read and will give almost anything a chance whether classical literature, historical novels, self-help, trashy romances, the ever popular vampire smut, and my current obsession with fanfiction of said vampire smut (don't judge me and I won't judge you:).) While I do enjoy being pampered I have three kids and don't feel it necessary to dump them on someone else while I got to the salon/spa. For now I will settle with being excited about going to the grocery store alone and doing the girly stuff at home (i.e. pedis/manis, playing with makeup. and doing our hair) with my daughter while my sons ransack the house. Music...I love music especially anything I can sing along with. I particularly like to do this in front of my daughter and her friends because I get a kick out of the look of embarrassment on M's face. I'm mean I know (again, don't judge me.) Another new hobby I have thanks to my crazy sister (check out her blog) who usually gets me into all sort of things including writing this blog is couponing. I am very new at this so I am sure you will read about my misadventures as I learn "the way".

Credentials: Ha! My only credentials are that I am a 34 year old stay at home mom. Experience, now that I have. While I do not have a college degree I have taken many college courses ranging from basic general ed classes to interior design to elementary education. I also have been through cosmetology school however due to becoming pregnant with my eldest son, I couldn't stand being around all of the fumes and am pretty sure it couldn't have been all that healthy for the baby. I have managed a clothing store, a home decoration store, a bath &body store, and a little bakery/cafe in Carmel (hoighty toighty I know.) I was also a loan production assistant for awhile and my in-laws are in real estate so I have some knowledge of that industry as well. I home schooled my daughter for a couple of years so I know a little about that as well. The thing I think will help the most with this blog is my ability to do research. Like I said before I love to read so if I find something of interest I have a tendency to research the heck out of it.

My personality: hmmm....well I am pretty shy when it comes to meeting new people but warm up quickly, I can be a bit crude at times and give TMI so I apologize in advance for that. I believe in God, however I do not go to church and feel that my religious beliefs are just that, mine, not to be judged by others. I tend to take things personally and I have no problem admitting when I am wrong so constructive criticism is always welcomed but personal attacks will get you banned from my blog. Most importantly, I love to have fun and interact with people whether I have things in common with them or not.

So that is some of me in a nutshell and I hope we can have a good time here and learn from one another. I will be posting a more detailed explanation on what my blog is about soon. I will also be creating a Facebook fan page and a Twitter account so check back soon or better yet, subscribe!