Staying True to My Word

The other evening we had an event to attend. I wore a beautiful burnt orange dress paired with sophisticated yet bold leopard print pumps. It was pouring all night so I had to slick my hair back into a bun. This navy H&M coat was perfect for the weather!

Dress: Forever 21 $12.00
Jacket: H&M $25.00
Shoes: old
Clutch: Forever 21

Staying True to My Word (Day 8)

One Dress, Two Ways

 This is the same dress I wore to my sisters engagement party. I wanted a more basic but yet put together look. I paired the dress with matching wedges, my hair in a sleek bun, and oversized gold hoops. 

Dress: Target (July '12)

Shoes: Marshall's (years ago)

Beach Bag Essentials

You may or may not have noticed the lack in "Staying True to My Word" posts and it's not due to me not getting dressed but rather where I have been. I spent the past week or so on a beach vacation with my family which simply means I spent the past seven days in a bathing suit rather than an outfit from H&M. Since I would not have much to post regarding what I have been wearing, I have decided to do a post on my beach bag essentials.

In looking at this picture, seasoned moms may be wondering why my son is walking around the beach in a regular diaper rather than a swimming diaper? The answer is simply that the swimming diapers can not "hold" as much as regular pampers. Therefore, I will keep him in a regular diaper (usually with his bathing suit over it..this was an impromptu evening visit to the beach) until we go in the water. Below is a list of my essentials.

Beach Bag Essentials

1. Baby sunblock
2. Adult sunblock
3. Water
4. Sunglasses
5. Baby hat
6. Towel
7. Shovel and pail
8. A few wipes put in a zip lock bag
9. 1 regular diaper 
10. 2 swimming diapers
11. Plastic bag for dirty diapers
12. Snacks
13. Pacifier
14. Sippy cup

Staying True to My Word (Day 7)

This past weekend was my sister's engagement party! I found this beautiful lace dress that I really bought to pair with some amazing boots for the fall (will do a post when the time comes) but could not wait any longer to wear it. My original plan was to wear these fierce brown sandal pumps that I have with it but it rained the entire morning. Since the ground was going to be soft and the party was being held in the backyard, I opted for flats.

Dress: Target (summer '12)
Belt: H&M (summer '12)
Shoes: Forever 21 (spring '12)

Staying True to My Word (Day 6)

We recently had a wedding to attend to which allowed me to wear this beautiful high-low dress from H&M. The color is a beautiful blue while the fabric is light and comfortable. The entire outfit is actually from H&M minus the shoes I wore (not pictured but were nude pumps from ALDO). All pieces were bought between spring and summer '12.

Enjoy!

This is a picture I found on Google Images that shows the full length of the dress.

Staying True to My Word (Day 5)

Today was a day for me! Every mom needs time to herself every now and then (notice the mirror is even rested upon the pack-n-play (I do not keep it there. The baby was not in the pack-n-play at the time. I simply did it to have a neutral background). This day I was headed out to the spa for a much needed haircut and facial. Since I wasn't going to have makeup on or my hair done going in, I opted for something casual.

Top: Forever 21 (few years ago)
Shorts: Forever 21 (few years ago)
Sandals: Forever 21 (Spring '12)

Staying True to My Word (Day 4)

Okay, I admit it (although it's obvious), my mirror is cheap and small....my camera is bad! If this blog continues to grow, I will invest in better equipment!

Mint seems to be the color of the season right now and I have to say, it is very refreshing. It's very feminine and stands out without being too crazy. I paired the dress with a pale pink belt and nude pumps.

Dress: H&M (June 2012)
Belt: H&M
Shoes: Aldo (several years ago)

Healthy Groceries For Only $300/month or Under!!

Many people seem to be amazed that I eat as healthy as I do but yet only spend $300/month on groceries (that includes toiletries too). I wanted to share my tips for shopping on a budget while maintaining a healthy lifestyle! I will try and remember to take a picture of this months receipts to show you that it is possible.

Tips

1. First and foremost, you can not do all of your grocery shopping at one store and expect to stay on budget (or at least this budget). As much of a pain as it is, prices range significantly depending on the product from store to store. Check your local ads for weekly sales and learn the average cost for items that you consistently buy.
2. In regards to pricing, many people think that buying in bulk is cheaper. However, that is not always true. Without a doubt, it can save you a significant amount of money on many items but not all. I am a member of Costco's and buy many items from their regularly. On my Costco list throughout the year- milk, eggs, bread, meat (they have a wonderful selection of organic meat), laundry detergent, dish detergent, aluminum foil, cereal, plain oatmeal, juice, olive oil, toilet paper, diapers, and wipes. Seeing the total at the register for one Costco run can be shocking. You need to keep in mind that these items will last you longer resulting in you buying them less frequently. Overtime, it does save me a tremendous amount of money.
3. Next thing you need to do is compare quantity with the price. A lot of times it is cheaper for you to buy a larger pack of something and spend a dollar or so more than it is to save a dollar off of your total but have less food. Hopefully, that makes sense.
4. Cheaper products tend to be on the lower shelves.
5. Stick to items on your list. Essentials are strategically placed in the back of the store so you have to pass a whole bunch of things you didn't intend on buying but end up taking home with you.
6. Buy produce that is in season.
7. Compare brands and ingredients.....generic is sometimes the same exact thing.
8. Deli meat is not necessary. Make chicken salad, tuna, or pb&j. Deli meat is overpriced.
9. Use a water filter at your home and use reusable water bottles instead of spending unnecessary money on plastic bottles.
10. Grow your own garden that includes family favorites.
11. Get creative in the kitchen. Learn what items work well with others and how to incorporate left overs into a new and exciting dish.

Happy budgeting!!
Danielle

Thank You!

I can not believe this blog has already had over one hundred views! Thank you so much for taking the time to look at it. Please let me know if there is anything that you would like to see me write a post about and I will try my best to accommodate your wishes!

My Loves, My Sandals

For a mom, it is essential to have staple pieces in your wardrobe if you want to stay fabulous even when running out the door. These nude sandals have been my "go to" piece of the season. They match everything and are more glam than flip flops. The best part.......(drum roll please).......they were $7.80 at Forever 21!! Now do you see why I devoted an entire post to these beauties?! I could not find them on their website. They still have plenty of fabulous and inexpensive sandals in stock here.

Love,
Happy Feet

Staying True to My Word (Day 3)

Now this outfit by no means is a favorite of mine. Not even close!! This outfit is a "it's laundry day but you still need to leave the house" kind of outfit. I honestly even hesitate posting this outfit but I need to stay true to my word. It was paired with the same nude sandals as yesterday's outfit. There will be an upcoming post on the sandals (yes, they are post worthy). This outfit, made out of some of my least favorite pieces of clothing did however come in handy when the little one and I had to sit on the ground at the park today.

Shirt: H&M (summer 11)
Shorts: Forever 21 (years ago)
Accessories: H&M (winter 10 I think)

Staying True to My Word (Day 2)

This evening we went out to eat with some friends. I only had an hour to get ready which included showering so I needed to put together something quickly. I put my hair up in a bun and some nude gladiator sandals to go with this ensemble.

Dress: H&M (Spring 12)
Belt: H&M (Summer 12)

Staying True to My Word (Day 1)

I mentioned two days ago that I have given myself a challenge of getting dressed everyday since I have formed this lovely habit of waking up, showering, and then returning to another pair of pajamas. Today was a rainy and very humid day. As much as this weather calls for sweats, I stayed true to my word and got dressed! Many have said something to me before out of shock, but I prefer to wear sandals when it is raining. Wet piggy toes dry much faster than wet shoes!

Top: Target (few years ago)
Leggings: Forever 21 (few years ago)
Sandals: GAP outlet (July 2012)
Necklace: Tiffany's (Summer 2009)
Bracelets: Cape Cod Bracelet and silver bangles

Frumpy Mom, Frumpy Lady

I write this to you from the comfort of my couch (note the fabulous pillows from Target) while in my pajamas at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Now as much as I love a day in pjs, this is starting to happen way too often. If you recall, in my little profile blurp that appears on the side of the blog, I say that I am attempting to do it all while staying true to myself and not hanging up those stilettos. Well, they're hung. Should they be? NO. Hence why I am starting my own personal challenge...Get dressed everyday and share it on this blog to prove that I am carrying through with the challenge. Now, can I wear sweats from time to time? Yes...but..they better be nice like a Juicy Couture velour suit or something. I do not want to be a frumpy teacher or mom and am determined to not let that happen. Now I'm not going to be "Stacy's mom", but I am going to be fabulous! Challenge begins Saturday 7/28/12!!

Protein Packed Breakfast

I mentioned in a previous post that I feed my family very healthy food on a $300 a month budget. Sticking to a small budget means being creative if you want to be as healthy as possible. Therefore, I am always searching for new ideas of how to combine the food that I have to create exciting and delicious meals for my family. I often find inspiration from Cooking Light magazine, Beach Peach, and Pinterest. My latest creation was inspired by something I found on Pinterest.
Now, I say inspired from Pinterest and not came from Pinterest because I have found that if I follow recipes exactly, they come out horrible! Instead, I look at recipes to get an idea for what flavors go well with others. I then use my imagination together with what I have learned to create a new recipe. I find that cooking serves as a creative outlet for me. I hope that you enjoy my Pinterest inspired creation below.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups of oatmeal
1/2 cup of crushed walnuts
1/3 cup of crushed almonds
1/3 cup of crushed cashews
1/2 cup of roasted sunflower seeds
1 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 cup of honey
6 tbs of butter
2 tbs of vanilla
1 tsp of all spice
2 tsp of nutmeg
2 tsp of cinnamon

Directions

1. Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl. Make sure to add the spices during this step but not the vanilla.
2. In the microwave, melt the butter together with the honey. Once melted, add the vanilla and stir.
3. Combine the liquids with the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
4. Then, lay out the ingredients on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook in the oven for 75 minutes at 270 degrees. 
5. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container.

Fridge Organization

Since the refrigerator is where we house most of our food, I find it extremely important to keep it clean. About once a month, I will empty the entire fridge and wipe it down. I also take this time as an opportunity to discard of any spoiled food. Since moving into our new home, I have found that we tend to waste more food. It's not done purposefully but rather because of all of the "blind spots" we have in our fridge. Too often do I find myself throwing out something that I did not even know was there. This bothers me for several reasons the first being that there are too many people in the world starving for food to go to waste. Second, food is too expensive. Every time I have to get rid of something, I do not see food going into the trash can but money. I pride myself on successfully sticking to a $300 a month food budget all while feeding my family whole grain, organic, non-processed food (don't get me wrong, Little Debbie does sneak her way into our kitchen from time to time). Even though $300 a month may seem little to you, wasted food is still wasted money.

To help put an end to our "blind spot" problem, I set out for some serious Tupperware (or Snapware as it is now being called). I was able to find a 42 piece set at Costcos for only $25!!                                 
After finding the appropriate storage containers, I headed to the grocery store. However, my routine had changed. Instead of just throwing everything into the fridge, I took the time while the baby was sleeping to wash, cut, and store most of my produce making sure to lay them out in the fridge where they could be seen and made accessible. Here is what I came out with:

 It will be nice to have everything readily accessible for the week ahead. I've always heard from others who "eat clean", that preparation is key. I will update you as to how everything is going.

Yours Truly,
Danielle

Let It Shine

This little faucet of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!

Being the Pinterest addict that I am, I find myself searching for various things and tricks of the trade daily. I stumbled across some cleaning advice that someone had pinned. They suggested using baby oil as chrome polisher. It may seem surprising to you seeing that I have a one year old at home, but I did not have any baby oil. Unfortunately that week my little one got sick and I had to pick up a few things at the drugstore. Coincidentally, the baby oil was kept right next to Pedialyte (who would've thought?). Later that day while the baby was resting, I could not help but polish almost every chrome fixture in my house. I must say, that not only does baby oil make your fixtures shine like the sun but it also keeps them that way longer than anything else I have ever used! It's too simple to not try! Just put some baby oil on an old cloth or paper towel and rub on each fixture reapplying as needed. I prefer to wipe away any excess oil as to not make hands slippery when washing.

This would be why I am addicted to Pinterest!!

Greek Omelet

Enthused by the local diner, I could not help but make a Greek inspired omelet the other day for breakfast. This fresh and delicious omelet was a great way to fill me up and start the day!

Ingredients

Organic cherry tomatoes (halved)
Fresh spinach
Organic eggs
Feta cheese
Olive oil
Milk
Fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat up a nonstick pan with just a drizzle of olive oil. Add tomatoes and cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes or until they begin to soften.
2. Add spinach and cook until wilted. 
3. While the tomatoes and spinach are cooking, whisk together eggs and milk in a bowl. I like to whisk my eggs and then after letting it sit in the bowl for a minute or two, whisk them again. It seems to make them nice and fluffy.
4. Add the egg mixture to your pan and continue to cook on medium heat. Add some fresh ground pepper to taste.
5. When the edges are cooked, flip the omelet and add the feta cheese.
6. Once the bottom half is cooked, fold and serve.

*For a healthier omelet, use egg whites instead.

Yummy, Yummy in My Tummy!

Being healthy has always been a priority. Since giving birth to my son a little of a year ago, I have been trying to get my old physique back and therefore have been trying new recipes and creations of my own to help reach my goal. This was a smoothie I had made one day when I was hungry but did not want any one thing in particular.

Ingredients

About 1 cup plain almond milk
1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt
1 banana
1 white peach (skin on)

Simply put all ingredients in the blender and blend until liquified. Since the almond milk and yogurt were refrigerated, there was no need to add ice.

Enjoy!!

Welcome to My World

I want to thank you for taking the time to look at my blog. Other than creating blogs to simply update my family on life's happenings and one other attempt to occupy time, I haven't really journeyed into the world of blogging for the public. However after much consideration, I decided that there are many other women in the world who can relate to me and my story.

I am the mother of a handsome baby boy, a full time teacher, and first time home owner. Most of which has only happened in the past year. I am also in the midst of obtaining my master's degree and have been trying to do so for the past eighteen months (I actually went into labor during one of my classes). Everything has happened so quickly but has been amazing. Now that I find things to be settling down, I am now consciously trying to organize my life and home to provide my family with the best mom, my students with the best teacher, and myself with the best me.  With such responsibilities, so much lies in my hands.