Adopted Ed - A Story With Heart

Adopted Ed is the charming story of a boy named Ed who is adopted.  When bullies at school begin teasing him because he was adopted, his Mom helps him get through the situation.  His parents also help him when he begins to feel a void from not knowing who his real parents are.  Not only does this story address adoption, it also celebrates the differences in all children.  The vivid illustrations are simple and engaging.

I think this would make a great gift for an adopted child, or even a child who has questions about what it means to be adopted.  I also think it would be a great classroom book, especially if there happened to be an adopted child in the room.  I'm looking forward to seeing more from this author who celebrates difference in children!  You can buy the book at amazon (link below), or you can find out more about the author here.
















I received this book through One2One for reviewing purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Cyber Monday Sales - Green Companies

Are you looking for some cyber Monday sales from socially responsible companies?
You can find a list here!

This would be a great place to pick up some Christmas gifts!

Spinach Artichoke Dip – So Easy a Three Year Old Can Make It!

My daughter loves cooking, so I’m always excited when we’re making something that she can really get involved with.  My In-Laws have appetizers the evening before Thanksgiving, so I thought spinach artichoke dip would be a great thing to bring that Little Miss could help make. 

Little Miss helping in the kitchen

I was a little nervous about bringing the dip – my husband’s parents can be picky eaters, but they both loved it!  This is a great dip to take to your holiday gatherings.  If you happen to end up with leftovers, the dip also makes a great quesadilla filling!

We used the recipe from the Kraft site – I’ve reprinted it here:

Read more »

Another Walgreen's Collage Deal!

Capture your Thanksgiving photos with a free collage!

Frugal Family Events - Pensacola, FL - Nov 26th Weekend

Some fun events this weekend! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

What:  Elf Parade
Cost: Free!  For children nine and younger
Where:  Parking Lot of the T.T. Wentworth Museum
When:  Friday Nov 26, 5 pm.  

What:  Zoo Lights
Cost: $7.00
Where:  Gulf Breeze Zoo
When:  Check website for dates, 5-9 pm

What:  Storytime at Barnes and Noble
Cost: Free!
Where:  The Cordova Crossing, 1200 Airport Blvd
When:  Saturday Nov 27, 11 am

What:  Florida’s Gulfarium
Cost: Half price admission on Sat and Sun, or 40 % off annual passes for locals only
Where:  1010 Miracle Strip Parkway
When:  Through the end of the year

Free Photo Collage at Walgreens!

Get a free 8x10 photo collage at Walgreens now through November 27th when you use coupon code BFCOLLAGE and in store pick up.  What a great gift for someone special!

I just ordered my collage - Little Miss and I will give it to my husband when he gets home!

CSA Cooking - A Thanksgiving Side Dish

Recently, I got to attend the Thanksgiving veggie potluck with Little Miss and her cousin.  With our busy schedule, I rarely get to attend anymore, and it's something I really miss.  This month was our early Thanksgiving meal.  Everything was so delicious!  Since I had a hard squash and some pears that needed using, I made this dish.  I loved the sweet and savory combo!

Cranberry Squash Bake

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Wordless Wednesday

For wordless Wednesday I'm going to share a few of the awesome pictures we had taken recently.  Patti at P.S. Portraits did an amazing job!  I highly recommend her if you're in the Pensacola - Navarre area.

Get $3 in MP3 Downloads from Amazon - Free!

What a great way to get a couple of tunes for the holidays, or to check out a new artist!  Best of all, there is no waste since it's a download and not a CD!

Use code GET3MP3S and get $3 good for albums or songs at Amazon MP3.

Click here for the details.

I'll be using it to get Little Miss Family Time by Ziggy Marley.  The great thing about that is that after I pay the $5 for the download, I'll get a $5 credit for Amazon video on demand to use!

Making Friends Monday

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone is looking forward to their short weeks - I know I'll be thrilled to have my husband home for 4 days!

Here is a great place to find some new blogs and share your own!

CSA Cooking - Red Curry with Turnips

Not being able to pick and choose the vegetables you get each week can lead to interesting combinations.  This is one of the things I have loved about the CSA - trying things in ways that I never would have before!  
I had been craving red curry for a while, but wasn’t sure which vegetables I wanted to put in it.  When I got a single turnip in my CSA box and ended up with a bunch of broccoli from a gathering at my house, I decided that that would make the vegetable base for my curry.  I had no idea how it would turn out, but I really liked it!  

Thai Red Curry with Vegetables

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Frugal Events in Pensacola

There is a lot to do this weekend!  

What:  Gallery Night
Cost: Free!  
Where:  Downtown Pensacola
When:  Friday Nov 19, 5-9 pm.  

What:  Mobile International Festival
Cost: $10.00 adults, $8.00 seniors, $5.00 7-15 years, Free 6 and under
Where:  Mobile Civic Center
When:  Saturday, November 20 (10 AM - 5 PM)

What:  Storytime at Barnes and Noble
Cost: Free!

Read more »

Free Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Hotline Book

Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  If you're looking to brush up on those recipes, or maybe even add something new to the menu, go over to Sirius Radio and check out the Free Thanksgiving Hotline Cookbook.
Each chapter can be downloaded separately, and there are enough recipes there to give you options without overwhelming you.  And of course, the pictures are fabulous!

What will you be cooking for Thanksgiving this year?

Get $5 off any Jasmere Purchase between now and Dec 1st

I am so happy that I have the opportunity to share this!  Jasmere is giving me the opportunity to give ALL of you $5 off a single purchase between now and December 1st.

I've made several purchases through Jasmere, and I've been happy with all of them. Jasmere offers products and services at 50-70% off, always high-end stuff.  The most unique twist is 'the more people who buy, the lower the price for all' - a great way to save.  Each day it's a new feature - and a great way to learn about smaller businesses.  They also have a commitment to supporting green businesses, which I love!

To receive your $5 off, be sure to click through here and then enter the code SFA444BD03.  Remember that the offers change daily, so if there isn't something you want one day check back the next day.  This will be a great way to save some money on a Christmas gift!  The code is good for one use per person.

Novica - A Company I Love

Since Christmas is just around the corner, I thought I’d highlight a few of the companies I love.  Although we try to limit the amount of “things” we buy in our house (first rule- reduce!), occasionally I like to buy a little something for myself or a good friend.  If I’m not buying local, I want to buy from a company that makes a difference.  Novica is one of those companies, and I’ve shopped there many times.  

Novica in association with National Geographic, works directly with thousands of artisans in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, bringing their beautiful creations, and their stories, to collectors worldwide.  I’ve bought martini glasses, jewelry, a teapot, and a vase from them and I’ve been extremely happy with all of my purchases.  Most of the jewelry comes in a handmade box that is perfect for gift giving, or to hold jewelry or other small items in.  

The latest box I got with these lovely earrings was made of saa paper, a handmade mulberry bark paper that is made from cutting off the smallest branches of the tree and removing the bark, so it’s a sustainable practice. You also get a postcard from the artist who makes the jewelry, which I think is a great touch!

Sign up for their e-mails and get free shipping this week on everything!  A great way to give them a try.  
What are some companies that you love?

I received no compensation from Novica for this review.

CSA Cooking - Hot Creamed Pea Dip

Since peas are not one of my favorite foods, using the cream peas I got in my CSA box have been challenging.  However, I joined a CSA with the intention of trying things I normally wouldn’t eat, so I was determined to find a way to fix them that I liked!  I was inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetit for Black Eyed Pea Hot Dip.  Here is my version below - I think it turned out great!  I have since served this dip at several parties and have gotten rave reviews each time.  

Hot Creamed Pea Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/2 cups cream peas (or other peas)
• 3 oz cream cheese, softened (I used veggie cream cheese)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chipolte chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar

1. Pulse the peas and garlic in a food processor until smooth.
2. Add the spices and cream cheese, process to blend.
3. Stir in the salsa (I also added some finely chopped banana peppers at this point).
4. Pour mixture into a 8” square casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly, 20-25 minutes.

This makes a very tasty dip.  Adjust the chili/cayenne to suit your tastes.  I also used the dip as a quesadilla filling, along with some fresh spinach - it worked great!

Our trip to the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival

This weekend we spent a lot of time at the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival.  The festival lasts all weekend, and is one of the biggest ones in Pensacola.  There is definitely something for everyone - food, great music, art, and an amazing children’s area!

I was especially excited to take Little Miss to the children’s area.  We took here last year and she had fun, but I knew this year she would have more of an idea of what was going on and be able to participate more.  

We started off at the sand art table.  Little Miss still has the one she made last year and often carries it around, so I knew we needed to make another!  She had a great time picking the colors, and quickly learned how to put the funnel in the jar and pour in the sand. 

Next we headed to the bracelet table.  She had a great time picking out the beads, and she was able to put them all on the bracelet herself.  

We stopped by the paper flower table - the wind was pretty bad, so instead of Little Miss trying to make the flower herself she just picked the colors and the helper made it for her.  She then headed to the puppet table, where she had a great time decorating her puppet. 

 
If you’ve never been to this art festival, go ahead and put it on your calendar for next year - it’s always an amazing time!! You can spend hours looking at the artwork, listening to music, or just enjoying the great weather and people watching!

$35 Worth of Organic Products for $7!

Christmas is just around the corner, and this is a great way to get some gifts out of the way!

Head to Eversave for the daily deal - $12 for $35 credit to Wild Dill

Type BRANDCATION in the promo code box to get an extra $5 off

Sign up for their e-mail list if you want a $2 credit to use later!

Shipping at Wild Dill is free for orders over $65, around $8 otherwise.

Wordless Wednesday

It's been one of those weeks - I was in a fender bender on Monday, got sick yesterday....I had planned on doing a post about the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival we attended this weekend, but just haven't gotten around to it yet!  Hopefully it will be up later today.  Until then, her are some pictures of Little Miss and her cousin at the festival.

Little Miss found the small beach area and wanted to go play.  Her cousin hates the sand, but ventured out anyways.  Little Miss is helping her zip her jacket up.  

All zipped up!!

Smart School Time Recipes

Now that school has started, many parents are now tasked with finding interesting things to put in their children’s lunchbox.  This free E-book can help with that problem!  It includes tons (over 125) of healthy breakfast and lunch recipes – many are even vegetarian and vegan.

Go download your copy today!  Even if you don’t have children, we can all use some healthy and easy recipes!

We have a winner!

We have a winner for our Amy's Burrito Giveaway.  Thanks to everyone who participated!

And the winner is ...... comment # 11 - VillageAnne!
I'll be contacting you - you'll have 48 hours to send me your address.

Hopefully I'll be able to do another giveaway before too long!

Frugal Events in Pensacola

There is a lot to do this weekend!  I’m listing my two favorites - they’re sure to keep you busy!

What:  The Old Farmhouse Craft Show
Cost: Free!  Food and crafts for sale.  Pony rides and cow tours on Sat and Sun.
Where:  9615 N. Loop Rd Pensacola, FL 32507
When:  Nov 6-8, 10-5 Fri and Sat, 10-3 Sunday

What:  Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival
Cost: Free!  Food and crafts for sale, children’s area with free activities.
Where:  Seville Square, Downtown
When:  Nov 5-7,

What:  Florida’s Gulfarium
Cost: Half price admission on Sat and Sun, or 40 % off annual passes for locals only
Where:  1010 Miracle Strip Parkway
When:  Through the end of the year

Companies that Make a Difference - Itzy Ritzy

Do you know how easy it is for one person to make a difference in the lives of many? There are approximately 1 billion hungry people around the world today. Malnutrition and hunger are the #1 risk to health worldwide. Greater than AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis combined!

Itzy Ritzy has teamed with Yum! Brands and joined in the fight against world hunger. Special Edition Snack Happened™ bags can be purchased at www.fromhungertohope.com with 100% of the profits going to the World Hunger Relief Organization. One dollar provides a meal to 4 hungry children at school.

In addition to the items available for sale on www.fromhungertohope.comyou can donate directly to the cause. Did you know that $5 can feed 20 people, $10 feeds 40, and $20 feeds 80 people? Itzy Ritzy, Yum! Brandsand the World Hunger Relief Organization are showing us how easy it is for one person to make a big difference.

This post is part of a giveaway to raise awareness for World Hunger Relief. Please visit Family and Life in Las Vegas and Crazy about my Baybah to learn how you can get involved.

This Holiday Season, I hope That I Remember to Give!

Thanksgiving is approaching.  I love Thanksgiving, because it doesn’t revolve around gifts, just simply being thankful and sharing with those around us.  I recently read an article that pointed out that while it is wonderful to remember God’s bounty, we also need to remember that it is our duty to protect what God has so graciously given to us and put in his care.  

As we are all too aware now, the abundance of nature is directly proportional to what we put into it.  If we treat the Earth with love and respect, we will receive bountifulness in return.  If we take from the Earth without ever given back, we get harsher climates, unfruitful soil, a loss of species - the list goes on.  

Humans are the only beings on this planet with free will.  While other animals act on instinct, we daily make choices that effect not only ourselves, but everyone around us as well.  I hope this Thanksgiving you take a few minutes and give back to Mother Earth, who has given us so much!  

Plant something, recycle, or buy some local/organic produce.  Pledge to get rid of toxic cleaners or use less gas, start a compost pile!  Create a bird sanctuary in your backyard.  The list goes on.  

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season, and remember to give back!

CSA Cooking - Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas With Mustard Greens

This week brought another vegetable that, although common in the South, I’ve never been a big fan of – Mustard Greens.  Like most vegetables I grew up not caring for, I figured it was probably because of the Southern method of cooking many items.  Southerners tend to like to cook things for long periods of time, which is not a cooking method that I am fond of.

Fortunately for me, Susan over at Fatfree Vegan had a delicious sounding recipe for Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens.

Other than using a sweet onion instead of a red onion and brown sugar instead of agave nectar, I stayed true to her recipe.  It turned out delicious!  This is definitely one of those that depends on the quality of balsamic you use.  It’s also really easy to prepare – the only hard part is making sure those greens are clean.  It’s amazing how much dirt comes out of them. 

If you’re looking for a great way to prepare greens, I highly recommend you give this a try.  

Our Halloween Weekend

We had a very busy Halloween weekend.  It started on Friday, when we went downtown to Trick or Treat with one of our friends.  He and Little Miss had such a great time seeing all of the other costumes and playing in the park!  There was Trick or Treating as well, but we didn't do much of that - I didn't want a ton of candy to deal with!

Saturday we took a Halloween break and Little Miss went to visit her Grandparents with Daddy while I went to a wedding.  We all had a great time!

Little Miss dressed as Tinkerbell

Sunday Little Miss and I went to my friend's house to pass out treats.  We did a little Trick or Treating, but not too much.  What a fun weekend!

Did you do anything for Halloween?