Nix9to5

Just because I crack myself up . . .

// October 27th, 2010 // No Comments » // Money Matters, Work at Home

Head over to Seen On TV Express and check out the Way Back Wednesday blog post I wrote this week. Hey–it entertained ME at least.

Today’s Groupon: Half Off at the Body Shop!

// October 25th, 2010 // No Comments » // Deals, Money Matters

Sweet! With today’s Groupon, you can get $40 worth of merchandise from The Body Shop for only $20. I’m going to have to stock up on some yummy smelling Satsuma lotion and get a head start on my Christmas shopping! Here’s what Groupon has to say about this deal: (more…)

More Love from Groupon and Real Simple

// October 22nd, 2010 // No Comments » // Deals, Money Matters

Head over to Real Simple to sign up for your chance to win one of 83 Groupon gift cards valued up to $500 each. Plus, get five friends to enter this giveaway and get a $10 Groupon gift certificate (while supplies last).

Click here to enter.

The Suspense is Killing Me!

// October 22nd, 2010 // No Comments » // Deals, Family, Life in General, Money Matters

HH and I just got back from a great little overnight trip to a bed and breakfast cottage in Norman, Oklahoma. We were celebrating our 15th anniversary, and had a really nice time. The Bear had fun spending the night with Beela and Papa–his first night away from home without Mommy and Daddy. HH and I stayed at The Montford Inn, and if you’re looking for a nice, relaxing place to stay in Norman–just about a mile from the University of Oklahoma campus–I’d recommend it. We ate at Benvenuti’s, which was only 3 blocks or so from the cottage, so it was quite convenient. Benvenuti’s had the perfect atmosphere for the evening.

We got our night’s stay at The Montford Inn for an exceptionally good price through Groupon –we saved about $140 off the cost of a night’s stay at the cottage. We stayed in Willow Wood, which had a huge bedroom with king-sized bed, large living room, two fireplaces, heart-shaped jacuzzi tub, and double shower. I love, love, love Groupon. I even talked to the owner/proprietor of the B&B about Groupon so much that she’s considering sending out a special discount to their Groupon customers, so if you bought the deal at The Montford Inn, you’re welcome.

Now, for the suspenseful part . . . I received an email from Groupon saying that something big is coming Monday. You will be able to get $40 worth of merchandise for only $20 at a “popular” store. They aren’t releasing the store’s name, but said, “It’s NOT Gap.” To me, that implies that this deal is expected to be as big as the Gap deal–which crashed the site when they sold 300,000 Groupons. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next! I’ll be sure to post the deal as soon as I get it, but I also installed a Groupon widget on the site which should tell you the deal as soon as they release it. The widget is posted on the right side of your screen, and you can click on the widget to directly access the deal.

It’s like Christmas in October!!

Just for Fun

// October 17th, 2010 // No Comments » // Children and Babies, Life in General

This is Bear at his birthday party last Halloween. It is one of my very favorite pictures ever. He is sitting in a pen with bunnies at the petting zoo at Orr Family Farm, and he really loved the bunnies, as you can see:

Birthday Cakes, Part 3: Pardon me boys, is that the Chattanooga Choo-Choo?

// October 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // Children and Babies, Cooking

I first discovered that the Amazing Amanda was a stellar cake creator when her oldest boy turned one. She sent me pictures of the train cake that she made for his first birthday, and I nearly fell over. I was not only impressed with her cake decorating skill, but also her presentation. This is something else, folks. Most of all, I am in awe over her patience. This had to have taken for ever. I would probably have made the engine and called it quits:

Impressive, no?

WAHM Tip #6: Embrace the Crock Pot

// October 14th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Cooking, Time Management, Work at Home

When I first started thinking of how it might be possible to actually work from home, one of the things I was excited about was having a hot meal on the table every night when Hot Husband came home. You know, because I’d have so much more time. Well, clearly, that hasn’t been happening.

I’ve talked before about freezer cooking and how it can be a real lifesaver for a work at home mom (or any working mom, or any mom, period!). Another good tool is the crock pot, of course. Assemble the meal in the morning, go about your business, and you have a hot dinner when you’re ready for it. Now, some people like to use the crock pot for summer cooking so they don’t heat up the whole house. Generally, though, I find that I use mine more in the cooler months because the foods I cook in it tend to be warm, comfort food type stuff like stews. No one wants a piping hot bowl of stew in August. Seriously.

I got my crock pot out today because I found this recipe for Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Well, I didn’t so much find it as get an email from Betty Crocker that had this recipe in it. I just so happened to have all of the ingredients on hand–some because they are staples, and some because I bought them to make traditional chicken enchiladas but never found the time to actually roll all those little tortillas. This recipe is perfect for today because we can “eat from the pantry,” and because it will save me time in the kitchen.

I’ll let you know how it turns out. In the meantime, I’d better get back to work while my dinner is cooking.

If you have any favorite crock pot recipes, post them in the comments or email me through the Nix9to5 contact page.

Birthday Cakes, Part 2: Don’t Reinvent the (Tractor) Wheel

// October 13th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Children and Babies, Cooking

Well, I finished two practice cakes today and I learned some things:

1. It’s a good thing I practiced.

2. When something doesn’t go according to plan, cake-wise, call your genius sister.

For one of the cakes, one little part of it was a total failure, even though I followed directions to do it. I emailed my sister, the Amazing Amanda*, and told her what the problem was. Amanda gave me some brilliant suggestions for remedying the problem next time. The best part is that the Amazing Amanda is so creative that she can figure out a store-bought solution to every problem. Now, that doesn’t mean she says to just go to the bakery and buy a cake, already. It means that she can mentally scan through the candy aisle, baked goods aisle, and snack aisle to come up with a solution.

That doesn’t sound as flattering as I mean it, so let me give you a story and some pictures as an example: (more…)

Birthday Cake Fun — With Pictures!!

// October 12th, 2010 // No Comments » // Children and Babies, Cooking

In just three short weeks, the Bear will celebrate his second birthday. It is completely unbelievable to me. When we brought him home from the hospital, everyone told us how quickly time would fly, but you can’t really understand until you’ve been there. I mean, this tiny baby I brought home, like, yesterday speaks in almost-complete sentences and when you ask him what he wants for breakfast, he says something to blow your mind, like, “Ummm . . . couple eggs.”

But I digress.

Right now (yes, at nearly 10:00 at night, two and a half weeks before the party), I’m baking “practice cakes.” I am well aware that they actually make cakes you can buy at the store, and that you don’t have to bake cakes yourself . . . much less decorate them . . . much less practice-decorate them. However, I can’t seem to give in after only one birthday. And as for the practice decorating? Well, until last year, I had never decorated a cake before. Since I had to practice that one, and it turned out pretty well, I figured I’d better practice this one, too. (more…)

OKC Groupon: Only $10 for Caffe Pranzo

// October 12th, 2010 // No Comments » // Couponing, Money Matters

I’m telling you, Groupon must have special agents following me around the city, finding out what I like to do. Today’s Oklahoma City Groupon is for Caffe Pranzo, a small Italian restaurant with great food. The best part about today’s Groupon? It’s only $10. That’s right, $10. You probably have that in your pocket right now (unless you are me, and who already spent my $10 on the Groupon and who does not ever have cash on hand anyway). This Groupon gets you $20 worth of food–so 50% off. Good deal!