Starbucks Frappuccino Cheat!

I had a friend send me a Frappuccino recipe from MoneySavingMom, which I immediately tried and LOVED! This is bound to become a daily afternoon treat of mine!  ::drool::

Homemade Frappuccino Recipe

• Ice
• 1/2 package of Jell-O Instant Pudding, any flavor
• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee (For a little more of a Starbucks flavor, add one package of Via instant coffee instead of liquid coffee.)
• Milk (any kind — almond, soy, whole, non-fat)

Fill Magic Bullet tall cup with ice and add half a package (approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons) of your chosen pudding. Add coffee and top with milk (it should reach brim of cup).

Place the Magic Bullet cross blade lid on cup, put onto Magic Bullet base and blend to desired consistency (until you don’t hear the ice crushing anymore).

Top with whipped cream if desired, and enjoy! If it looks too thick, there should be room for a little bit more milk. Stir and pack down what you have now, and add milk to the brim of cup. Blend for five seconds more.
1. Fill Magic Bullet tall cup with ice. (You can purchase a Magic Bullet for $49 at Wal-Mart.)

2. Add half a package (approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons) of your chosen pudding.


3. Add coffee.

4. Top with milk (should reach brim of cup).

5. Place Magic Bullet cross blade lid on cup, put onto magic bullet base, and blend to desired consistency, until you don’t hear the ice crushing anymore.
6. Top with whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!
 
*If it looks too thick, there should be room for a little bit more milk. Stir and pack down what you have now, and add milk to the brim of cup. Blend for 5 seconds more.

Using the above directions, I usually get a very smooth, thick but drinkable-through-a-straw texture. With all the money you’ve saved, you can afford to splurge on a reusable Starbucks cold cup, if it feels a little more luxurious to drink out of an actual Starbucks cup!

The whole calorie aspect of this aside,  which in my opinion makes the hassle of making your own frapps worth it (not that this is a hassle by any means) ...But do you have any idea how much money this could save you?

Two Grande Starbucks Frappuccinos a Week (at $4.15 each): $431.16 per year

Two Homemade Frappuccinos Each Week (at $0.50 each per drink): $12.00 per year!

Total Savings the first year: $419..16!!!

Mom-isms

When you first become a parent, you’re often bombarded with quotes on motherhood and child-rearing and some of them are very helpful, but more often than not they are so out-of-date that it’s difficult to understand what they even mean. That’s why I’ve taken 20 of the top parenting quotes and tacked on a bit at the end to make them slightly more contemporary.

 

You’re welcome!

“Always kiss your children goodnight -- even if they're already asleep.” That way you can make sure they’re still breathing and haven’t turned onto zombies during the night.

“Mother knows best.” Unless she’s trying to get you to commit arson for her. Then it might be a good idea to leave home. But first maybe take some notes. It never hurts to know a little bit about arson.

“A mother has eyes in the back of her head.” In the form of a nanny-cam implanted in your childhood teddy bear on your shelf. 

Get off youtube and get back to work!

By now you surely have heard and/or seen footage of the soldier who asked Mila Kunis to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. Alright, it was pretty funny when Justin Timberlake maneuvered her into and corner and basically made it impossible for her to say no to an invitation to the Marine Corps Ball.

And it was still okay when a female Marine seized the day, called Justin out and got herself a dream date of her own. But now it's starting to get a bit ridiculous, a third Marine's asked Miley Cyrus, to one of the balls at Pendleton... And even worse when Sgt. Ray Lewis to create yet another video, asking Betty White to the November event... Ok, come on now, you'd think maybe the kids would get the hint that this is getting old... But no. Sgt. Dustin L. Williams followed it up by creating a YouTube video inviting Scarlett Johansson to a ball in Georgia... In which she politely declined.

20 Things you probably shouldn't say to your child...

Last week CNN ran a story called "9 Things You Shouldn’t Say to Your Child." Personally, I was surprised that they could only think of nine, but I assumed that I could guess them all without even reading their post. So I wrote down my list of things that I thought you should never say to your kid and turns out their list of prohibited things included stuff like “Don’t be sad” and “Great job!” My list included things like, “Of course you can go play with those bears” and “Why don't you hitchhike? It would totally be cheaper. ” I suppose CNN and I will just have to agree to disagree on this one. But while we’re on the subject, I’d like to share with you my list of things you probably shouldn’t say to your child. (Feel free to add your own in the comments.)

Rock Climbing

So proud of my little one...

Rock climbing at Adventure City yesterday on a school field trip.

P.S. She just turned 5 a couple months ago.

Wordless Wednesday

Whole Grain Energy Bars

Here is a fun, easy recipe for granola bars that pack a real nutritional punch! They are portable, delicious, and will keep your kids full and naturally energized (they're not loaded with icky stuff like so many store-bought bars)! The recipe can be adapted any number of ways to make your family happy. Swap out different types of nuts... add dried fruit... omit the chocolate... just have fun with it! And don't forget to get the kiddos involved. They can help measure out ingredients and stir!

Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup raw nuts (we like a combo of almonds, walnuts & cashews)
1/2 cup raw seeds (try sunflower & pumpkin)
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
2/3 cup honey
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of course salt
1 cup dark chocolate ships or chunks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Line 13x9" baking pan with foil or parchment paper (for easy removal), and butter all sides.

Toast oats, nuts & seeds, and coconut on a cookie sheet in the oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring peanut butter, honey, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a simmer to a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low.

Transfer toasted mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the flaxseed.

Carefully pour the wet mixture into the bowl, and stir until fully combined; incorporate the chocolate chips.

Transfer mixture to the prepared pan, and use the back of a spoon to pack it in really well.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for a few hours, then cut into bars and enjoy!

Quotes to live by...

"Imperfection is beauty; madness is genius; and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring" 

- Marilyn Monroe

Hot

...No literally, it was 98 degrees!

Crap my B.R.A.T. Says

"Can I tell you something?...
Unicorns fart rainbows that smell like cinnamon."

Related

I saw this on Perez Hilton the other day...



Truth be told, when I started researching mine and my ex's family trees (we were married at the time)... I found out that we were actually related as well! My grandpa on my dad's side was born in West Virginia, and my ex's Great-Grandma (oh his mom's side) was also from West Virginia... And wouldn't you know it... So was Barbra Bush! HaHa. So, supposedly Barbra Bush (Bush Sr's wife) is my 3rd cousin once removed... And she was also my ex's 4th cousin, two or three times removed (I can't remember now) ...So that would make us what, 7th cousins, 3 (or 4) times removed? I'm not sure how the math works there... But still. Like Kyra said, "It was a little upsetting, I'm not gunna lie".

Crap my B.R.A.T. Says

Lil'Bit: "Mia told me her dad thinks you're kinda cute."

Me: "Aww, really?"

Lil'Bit: "Yeah, but I told her that her dad was wrong. You're the most beautifulest mom in the whirl'd." 

Me: "Aww! Thanks! That's soooo sweet!!!" 

Lil'Bit: "Can I have some candy now?"

Zhu Zhu Pet deal!

There's a MEGA Zhu Zhu Pet sale going on right now at CVS... All... And I mean ALL Zhu Zhu Pet products are $2 EACH!!! As advertised in Sunday's CVS add, All Zhu Zhu Pet Hampsters or accessories, 5/$10 with card! This is definitely what I would consider a “stockpile” price on Zhu Zhu pets, these would make great birthday or Christmas gifts. 

On the Go Hotel  ($24.99)

Add-On Room 3 Piece Assortment  ($24.99)

Drive-Through Overpass ($24.99)
Beauty Salon ($24.99)

Babies Push-a-Long - Robin ($14.99)

Hamster Hangout ($12.99)
Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster ($9.99)

Zhu Zhu Babies ($9.99)

Sub Total: $147.92
Total With Card: $16.00
ECB: -$3 

GRAND TOTAL: $13 (!!!)

Seriously all that -->

for only 13!!!

Here's the catch... Some stores aren't marking them the sale price, but it's in the add, so all CVS's must honor it... Some stores, like the two I went to this morning, they rang up only 50% off... The first store I went to, they refused to honor the sale price (didn't have it posted either), so I left, the 2nd store I went to did have the price listed as 5/$10, and did a price change and gave them to me for $2. Just make sure you ask, and show the add if need be. The offer is valid through July 23rd, but supplies are going fast so I suggest you head down to your local CVS today to take advantage of this awesome deal!


Looking to save even more?!? If you plan on spending $20 or more at CVS, you can sign up for CVS's Extra Care Emails where you will receive a coupon for $4 off a $20 purchase!

A Natural Cleansing Spray to Clean Non-Organic Fruits & Veggies

There is a new book out that is such a great resource for moms who are wanting to implement a more healthy, "green", sustainable lifestyle for their families.  It is called Gorgeously Green, and it is written by Sophie Uliano.  This is one of the helpful ideas that I LOVED in this book:

If you can't buy organic produce (try to whenever you can! It is worth the extra cost), you need to make sure you wash it thoroughly. -The pesticides that have been sprayed on the fruits & veggies repel bugs because it kills bugs...it is not a good thing for us to consume them either.  Pesticides and herbicides are linked to cancer, parkinsons disease, and more...

Use this spray to make sure your fruit and vegetables are squeaky clean.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp. baking soda
20 drops of grapefruit seed extract (available at health food stores)

Combine all ingredients in a large container. Then, transfer to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray mixture on produce, and rinse thoroughly after 5 to 10 minutes.

Zoos in Orange County

If you’re kids are anything like mine, they LOVE animals, so a list of zoos in Orange County could probably be pretty helpful. I’m betting the Orange County Zoo at Irvine Regional Park & the Santa Ana Zoo are already on your “list.” But there are so many other options… animals petting zoos, aquariums & so many other attractions.

Zoos in Orange County

• Orange County Zoo: Orange, CA

• Santa Ana Zoo: Santa Ana, CA

Animals Petting Zoos

• Centennial Farms: Costa Mesa, CA

• Prehistoric Pets: Fountain Valley, CA

• Zoomars Petting Zoo: San Juan Capistrano, CA

Aquariums in Orange County

• Laguna Koi Ponds: Laguna Beach, CA

• Ocean Institute: Dana Point, CA

• Pacific Marine Mammal Center: Laguna Beach, CA

Birding California

• Environmental Nature Center Butterfly House: Newport Beach, CA

• Omar’s Exotic Birds: Brea & Lake Forest, CA

• Starr Ranch Bird Observatory: Trabuco Canyon, CA

• Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary: Modjeska Canyon, CA (nature preserve & bird observation deck)

Attractions in Orange County

• Adventure City Petting Zoo: Anaheim, CA

• Big Thunder Ranch Petting Zoo: Disneyland

Carmageddon...

For those who are oh so very concerned...

Honestly, they made a big "to do" about nothing... They got half of the bridge demolished, and will be closing the 405 again in another 11 months to demolished the other half of the bridge... So stand by for Carmageddon round two.

Happy 56th Birthday Disneyland!

Today marks the official birthday of one of my favorite places, Disneyland!

And of course my daughter and I had to go celebrate.

Quotes to live by...

Go Granola

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup sliced almonds

¾ cup sunflower seeds

1 t. ground cinnamon

¼ t. salt

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup honey OR agave

¾ cup healthy oil

1/3 cup almonds

1/3 cup flaxseeds

Gotta love the haters...

Am I the only blogger that has some haters? The women that spend their days looking to insult others? I don't understand this at all. Recently I have received a couple of negative comments towards my opinions, posts, typos and just writing style in general... And I thought I would go ahead and take a minute to address them since the commenter seems to be getting increasingly irritated that I refuse to "approve" their dramatic comments.

First I want to say that I appreciate my readers comments, I enjoy reading your feed back, well, the 99% that tends to be positive that is. I don't mind if someone disagrees with one of my posts, I don't mind if someone wishes to voice their disagreement. But please, be an adult [I am] and do so respectfully. 

On that note, this is my personal blog. I created this blog so I could write about, well, whatever I felt like writing about. I am not a professional writer, nor do I get paid for this. This page, my own personal blog, which expresses nothing more then MY personal opinions on subjects that I choose to share with the world [or at least my own little corner of the internet] ...And, because this is MY blog, I have full control over what I post, and what I allow to be posted by readers on my page. Just because somebody leaves me a comment disagreeing about my post doesn't mean I will delete it, hey, differences are what make the world go around... But there's a mature way to disagree (respectfully), and an immature way... And really, I see no point in approving completely negative comments personally attacking me or my readers... There's no point other than to create drama... It's immature and counter productive.

Furthermore, if it bothers you that I thoughtlessly use "their" instead of "there" or "since" instead of "sense" or start sentences with "and" or don't put comas where they belong or don't capitalize my I's or write run on sentences... Then maybe you shouldn't be reading my blog if it truly bothers you enough that you find a need to leave a nasty little comments belittling my education on MY blog. Whatever, I make typos, I am not perfect... And wait for it... you aren't either. So like I said, if my poor grammar and spelling bother you that much, please feel free to stop reading my blog posts.  (-:

Carmageddon and Other Ridiculous Californian Notions

There are these moments that makes me shake my head and completely embarrassed to be a Southern California resident. Oh there are so many, like when we elected Arnold Schwarzenegger to be the Governator, I mean even Gary Coleman ran in that recall election as well as Angelyne. If you don’t know who she is, she starred in such movies as “Earth Girls are Easy” and “The Angelyne Dream Experience”.

Another one of those only in LA moment is when it rains, and truly it does not rain often, but the weather forecasters go straight into panic mode. A little sprinkle will prompt the following phrase: “Storm Watch” ...It’s not a storm, it’s barely a sprinkle, we don’t need to call out the coast guard. Granted a couple of times in the winter it will rain heavily (especially if it’s an El Niño year), and when it rains a lot there are mud slides, it was so bad one year the engines of a lot cars were flooded, but this is not the norm. My question is: knowing that your home was located in a Canyon that is prone to mudslides, why would you rebuild there? And to add to the madness sundae is this crazy cherry on top: it is very expensive to buy a home in these areas and they are very secluded and I suppose that exclusivity adds to their allure. I think it’s the Hollywood effect: everyone wants to think their special, so they think that they need to buy a house where no one can reach the. This is not a good idea when you live  in an area prone to mudslides and did I mention brush fires? Because if no one can reach you, then that no one includes firemen and police officers. I think it’s completely illogical... But whatever, I guess that's why I live on the beach... At sea level.

However the pièce de résistance is happening tonight... Did you hear that, TONIGHT! This weekend the California natives are in rare form, their ridiculousness is in complete and total overdrive because... Are you ready for it? [cue ominous music] ten miles of the 405 will shut down for a whole 53 hours!!!

Now I know it’s annoying and it’s an inconvenience, but do we really need to call it Carmageddon? And my local public broadcasting station has created this program which documents the fears of what chaos may happen. The 405 is always jammed, even on the weekend, which is why I don’t head over to Santa Monica more often. And yes there will probably be some problems, but we’ll just have to deal with them. Is this an armageddon type situation, can we refer to it as an end-of-the world scenario, is this good versus evil, umm… no! 

The closures are from the 10 to the 101, which just means don’t head over to Santa Monica. Most people will take alternate routes, and those probably will be a little more congested, but it’s not going to kill us to go somewhere else, or spend some time at home. My assumption is that the media is making a bigger deal of it than it is, classic LA. Everyone calm down, there is really no need to panic... I think.

Oh and just in case you think I’m being overly dramatic, here’s that program trailer. Oh yeah, I’m totally serious.

Crap my B.R.A.T. Says

"I don't need swimming lessons...
I'll pay someone to carry me around in the pool."

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Crazy people [[Rant Warning]]

Oh the stupidity of some people absolutely AMAZES me...  Prepare for a vent... And if you don't feel like listening to my bitching (which doesn't happen too often on here) then quit reading.

Crap my B.R.A.T. Says

"I would like to live in a world made of bacon."

Orange County Museums

Children’s Museums

The Bowers Kidseum: Santa Ana, CA
Children’s Museum of La Habra : La Habra, CA
Discovery Science Center : Santa Ana, CA
Pretend City : Irvine, CA

Art & History Museums

Balboa Island Museum: Balboa Island, CA, FREE admissionThe Bowers Museum: Santa Ana, CA
Heritage Museum *: Santa Ana, CA
Fullerton Museum Center : Fullerton, CA
Irvine Museum : Irvine, CA, FREE admission
Laguna Art Museum : Laguna Beach, CA
Mission San Juan Capistrano *: San Juan Capistrano, CA
The MUZEO Museum : Anaheim, CA
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art : Santa Ana, CA, FREE admission
Orange County Museum of Art *: Newport Beach, CA
Orange County Natural History Museum *: Laguna Nigeul
Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace *: Yorba Linda, CA
Stanley Ranch Museum : Garden Grove, CA
Susanna Bixby Bryant Ranch House & Museum : Yorba Linda, CA
Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary : Silverado, CA, FREE admission

Splash Parks around Orange County

I don’t know about you… but finding fun things to do in summer can be a bit overwhelming. But, if you are looking for kids outdoor activities, then our fabulous Orange County splash parks should definitely be on your list. Whether you call them splash parks, splash pads, or splash & plays, I think we’d all agree that splash parks are the answer to summer boredom. Plus they’re free & they get kids out of the house & playing on the playground.

• Walnut Grove Park Water Features: 905 South Anaheim Blvd, AnaheimBrea Plunge: 401 S. Brea Blvd., Brea

• Larwin Spray Pool: 6161 Ball Road, Buena Park.

• Brenner Park Tiny Tot Wading Pool: 7373 San Rafael Dr., Buena Park. Open to parents with children ages 6 & under. Pool is 25 feet long & 1-2 feet deep.

• Adlena Park Spray Pool: 300 N. Adlena Dr., Fullerton

• Downtown Plaza Interactive, Pop-up Fountains: 125 E. Wilshire Ave., Fullerton

• Lemon Park Spray Pool: 701 S. Lemon, Fullerton

• Valencia Park Wading Pool: 2425 W. Valencia Dr, Fullerton.

• Heritage Park: 14301 Yale Ave., Irvine (located at the corner of Walnut & Yale)

• Irvine Spectrum Center Pop-up Fountains: 71 Fortune Dr., Irvine. 2 sets of fountains: one “larger splash” play zone near the movie theater & restaurant area, another “smaller splash” play zone near Target.

• Harry M Dotson Park: 10350 Fern Ave., Stanton

• Pioneer Road Park Water Feature Play Area: 10250 pioneer Rd., Tustin

• The District Pop-up Fountains: Jamboree Road & Barranca Parkway, Tustin. Pop-up fountains located in front of Strike Orange Couny

• Pop-up Fountain Play Area: Main St. & Prospect Ave., Tustin. Fountains located behind the City of Tustin sign.

• Sigler Park Splash Pad: 7200 Plaza St. Westminster

Quotes to live by...

"If you're interested, you'll do what's convenient; if you're committed, you'll do whatever it takes."

-- John Assaraf

Camping in Orange County

Looking for campgrounds in Orange County? Hotels are fabulous, but sometimes you just want to get out, enjoy nature & take advantage of a beautiful campground. Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Today’s 12 for Tuesday,  features Orange County campsites perfect for camping, fishing & even maybe a little beach side trip. Most of these campgrounds allow tent camping, although there are a few RV parks included in our list of campsites in Orange County. So without further ado… here’s a go-to list of campgrounds in Orange County.

Campgrounds in Orange County

1. Bolsa Chica State Beach (RV resort)
2. Caspers Wilderness Park
3. Crystal Cove State park
4. Doheny State Beach
5. Featherly Regional Park (RV park)
6. Irvine Lake 
7. Newport Dunes
8. O’Neill Regional Park 
9. San Clemente State Beach 
10. San Onofre State Beach 
11. Santiago Events Center 
12. HB Sunset Vista (RV resort)

p.s. Hope this list of campgrounds in Orange County helps you find the perfect campground.

Crap my B.R.A.T. Says

Lil'Bit: "School is S." 

Me: "Yep school starts with S. Good job!" 

Lil'Bit: "No, Mommy. S is for stupid. But I'm not allowed to say that word."