Momma Needs a Minute

Family fun on single budget in the Dallas metro area

2009-09-21T18:28:00.001-05:00

http://www.examiner.com/x-22364-DeSoto-Single-Moms-Examiner~y2009m9d19-Family-Fun-on-a-Single-Budget

Dallas Fair Park Ferris Wheel
Single mom equals single budget, right? Entertaining kids on a budget, especially these days, can be a serious challenge. However, low cost and even free family enterainment is out there if you know just where to look.
Around Town
The Desoto Public Library offers free movie downloads with library membership. Its pretty simple just download the "download manager", pop the popcorn and sit back and enjoy a great list of movies. If you are just looking for a reason to get out of the house, again a quick trip to the Desoto, Lancaster, or even Cedar Hill community libraries offer a wide range of family entertaining videos available for check out. Plus while you're there you can peruse the shelves for the latest bestseller in print or audio version.
Down the Road
Kids getting a bad case of cabin fever? Head outdoors! Take a stroll around Sunny South Dallas's Fair Park. During the off season, the park is still open and the spacious and well manicured walkways are a great place for the kids to swivel their heelies and for mom to get a great walk around the park. For a few dollars extra mom and the kiddos can enjoy the history and culture of the African American Museum as well as the Women's Museum. Each location is not only aesthetically pleasing to the eye but creates a lasting learning moment for the whole family.

Classic Christmas Videos for the Kiddy-o's!

2008-12-13T18:26:00.006-06:00

Hey Moms,

Looking for a distraction for my son while I work on my grad school homework, I stumbled upon a few classic full version videos on youtube!

Check'em out and Happy Holidays!

Frosty the Snowman

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2977584602602848279

Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7226220443648270051&ei=fVNESanmCZL6-gHVr-SxDA&q=Rudolf+the+red+nose+reindeer

The Little Drummer Boy

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4799169573024183633&ei=KlZEScLTM4_u-gHY34mQDQ&q=the+little+drummer+boy

Ok, ok I'm just throwing this one in because I think its just cute!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGnYw-OuCnI

16 Helpful Household Hints

2008-09-18T20:26:00.002-05:00

Hey Mom's out there...I don't know who came up with this list but I received it in an email from my sister and just had to share!

1. Reheat Pizza Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove , set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
2. Easy Deviled Eggs Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal , mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients , reseal , keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly , cut the tip of the baggy , squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
3. Expanding Frosting When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store , whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes w ith the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
4. Reheating refrigerated bread To warm biscuits , pancakes , or muffins that were refrigerated , place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
5. Newspaper weeds away Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers put layers aroun d the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
6. Broken Glass Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
7. No More Mosquitoes Place a dry er sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
8. Squirrel Away! To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.
9. Flexible vacuum To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
10. Reducing Static Cling Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose Place pin in seam of slacks and -- ta da! -- static is gone.
11. Measuring Cups Be fore you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
12. Foggy Windshield? Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
13. Reopening envelope If you seal an envelope and then realize you for got to include something inside , just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily. 14. Conditioner Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair...
15. Goodbye Fruit Flies To get rid of pesky fruit flies , take a small glass fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid , mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
16. Get Rid of Ants Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it , take it 'home', can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains , but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Bootleg on a Budget Presents: Bath Improvement

2008-07-23T10:25:00.020-05:00

Ok, so maybe I have been watching a little too much HGTV but, I've gotten some great ideas from watching show after show, especially "Designed to Sell" and "ColorSplash" check it out....

BOOTLEG DESIGN ON A BUDGET by Me

Dilemma #1: Dark, dank blue bathroom decor. Oh sure the sun, moon and star thing was all the rage...three years ago. I also had a bit of a clutter problem too.

Dilemma #2: My Mom bought me the cutest little bathroom decorations and I decided to build my bathroom theme around them. Aren't they just darling? She gave these to me over a year ago and as you can see from the mauve-ish color and black polka-dots, this is not an easy scheme to pull together.

During my prolong stay in my home town, I finally found by pure accident a set of rugs that would compliment my little pinkish potty and crew so my loving step-mother purchased them for me.

Finally, back in town, while looking for a pair of shoes for my college bound nephew in Target, I decided to try my luck at finding the right color shower curtain for my bathroom make over. To my dismay, most of the curtains held not even a stitch of the color I was looking for or they were outrageously expensive (I am a CHEAP SKATE-I admit it). Anyway, coming out of the shower curtain aisle I looked down and there it was..my shower curtain hidden among the place mats.

Ok lemme explain: I found the cutest polka dot plastic place mats and suddenly the light bulb popped on and started to singe my dreads. My nephew thought I had lost my mind, especially when I went back to the show curtain aisle and picked up a white shower curtain liner. (design similar but not exact)

Back at home, armed with a hot glue gun and lots of patience, I begin cutting the place mats into long strips. After that task I start hot gluing them in random formation on the white shower liner. To make it "pop" I outlined the pieces with black fabric paint. I had a few glitches along the way, like the cat and the three year old adding their own artistic touches but I still think it turned out pretty cool.

My final touch on my bathroom was to add the cute little pieces which I did by mounting a simple black cube I got from Target (12.99) on the wall and placing the pieces on top and inside. I secured the pieces with gum putty to make sure they don't some how fall off and smash to pieces.

Opposite of the black cube is a left over box which held 'thank you" cards. Because the design on the box is three dimensional and the colors totally matched my new bath, I mounted it as well.

I also purchases a plastic container to place all of my beauty aid stuff like lotion and hair care products under the sink and I utilized the little drawers on either side of my vanity to clear the clutter from my sink.

That was awful! Now its clutter free!

Join me next time when we make over my little monster's mess (of a room)!!!!!

Is my Grandmother Shabby Chic?

2008-07-22T21:01:00.017-05:00

Web definitions for Shabby Chic

Feminine design style inspired by thrift store and antique finds, usually themed in light neutral colors. www.furniture.ru/en/terms/s.php

Hmmm...her home is feminine and full of antiques and she has a wonderful eye for putting unique and unusual colors together.

I had an opportunity to go back and spend almost the entire summer in the house that I grew up in. The bedroom that I slept in was once the bedroom of

my great grandmother and we still call it: "Big Momma's Room".

Never once did I notice the personal touches that my grandmother blessed her house with. I guess because I was too busy being a teenager and trying to stay out of the house more than staying in it.

Twenty years later, I look around at the black and white photos of family members; some gone on "to glory" other's still hanging in there and I truly appreciate where I grew up. The old bedspreads, quilts and antique tables are truly amazing. Heavy, handmade and full of simple subtle colors. How could I have missed all of it in all of those years.

I love this area in my grandmother's bedroom, full of trinkets from my grandfather and sweet smelling memories.

This little area is in my now deceased Uncle's room which back in the day was actually my teenage years room. The gold mirror and bouquet is a perfect little accent to the minimally furnished room.

As I snapped the pictures the day before I left, I cried, I smiled and I thanked God for allowing me to grow up in such a beautiful and loving home, courtesy of my Grandmother.

Momma's Home Improvement

2008-05-26T12:20:00.015-05:00

Although I forgot to snap before and after pictures, I am quite proud of my do-it-yourself Memorial Day Weekend.

First I found a cute little TV armoire at Sanchez Flea Market of I-35 South in Oak Cliff. I paid a wopping $10 bucks for it and got my Un-husband* to haul it back to my house for free.

Next I went to Home Depot and spent $25 on spray primer and three cans of "Oregano" Painters Touch Spray Paint, safety mask, masking tape or and a wire brush (tell you about that in a minute).

The armoire came with cute little glass paned doors so I took them off first and covered the glass and primered and then painted them.

Finally, I got to the big guy. It took the whole can of primer and finally I started coating it with the "Oregano" spray paint. I chose that color because my couch is a deep sage and my chair is sage and maroonish plaid.
One of the front slats was loose on the armoire so after it was completely dry, I lugged it back into my living room and glued the slat back on, fixed the little doors on perfectly and set up my TV and movies inside of my made over armoire and it looks perfect! See pictures below!

* Un-husband - a male friend who acts as a father figure to your child, does chores and runs errands just like a husband would.

LATER THAT DAY...

I finally finished my lawn chairs...their totally old school, metal and will burn your buns in the summer time. They were passed on from my step-Mom to me. She received them in 1988 from her Uncle Finn (and they were old then!)

Of course I didn't get before pictures of the chairs either, but I have after. I used Rusto-something from Home Depot and sprayed them a deep green. I also, repainted the top of a little table I got from Wal-mart a couple of years ago.

To cushion the seat I grabbed a pair of paisley chair pads out of the garden center at Wally World along with a medium sized clay pot to finally deposited my 'tangerine' seed that I've been growing in a zip lock bag for a month or so.

The cherry on top is the brand new patio cover my step mom was obsessing over in church and finally went and bought from Linen and Things (who is going out of business!!)!! HAHA! it all looks great! Blessings!

What a great kid!!

2008-05-26T08:11:00.005-05:00

Hey Moms,

I was watching the TODAY show and they highlighted a young African-American teenager who has created a million dollar business! Check out this snippet from her website - http://www.edenbodyworks.com/

Jasmine Lawrence "Young and Doing It "Teen EntrepreneurWhile the average teenager is earning money babysitting, this young CEO is establishing distribution channels and negotiating prices with suppliers. Starting at only 13 years of age, Jasmine Lawrence, President and CEO of EDEN BodyWorks is on the road to success. With the drive and determination of a seasoned CEO she is strategically making her mark. EDEN BodyWorks was driven from Jasmine�s own need for a natural hair care solution. Devastated by the harsh chemical products, Jasmine sought to develop unique products that were all natural and really worked. Unlike most products that are cosmetic in nature, her mission was to develop hair care products that actually deliver their promises.

She been featured on Oprah, Montel and ABC's Nightline as well. What a force she is! I am always on the lookout for new and natural solutions for my dreads so I am definitely supporting this young lady.

Applause, applause, applause!

Does your Tupperware look like this...?

2008-05-13T11:42:00.005-05:00

Yikes! Do yourself a favor and click the link below:

http://my2.tupperware.com/tup-html/K/kmartatum-bio.html

There you will find new and innovative ways to

store food
pack lunches
and more.

I'm ordering this for my little Disney Car's fan:

OneSole: One Great Idea!

2008-05-05T18:16:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my friend Tracie...I have found the coolest fashion trend. Check it out!

Change your Style in a snap!

http://www.onesole.com/soles.htm

Dallas Puppet Theater: Great Performances!

2008-05-05T11:34:00.001-05:00

The Dallas Puppet Theater presents two original musical stories about the importance of character.

The Princess and the Pea is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale about a winsome princess, a snooty queen, a stormy night, and an almost impossible test. Large, beautifully designed hand and rod puppets combine with an original musical score to add fun and the Dallas Puppet Theater's trademark flair to this story.

Also on the double bill, history's most famous race in the tale of the Tortoise and the Hare. Fast and furious may have the flash, but will it get the job done? Find out in this short but exciting telling of Aesop's famous story.

All performances are in the AT&T Auditorium at the Women's Museum, an Institute for the Future, located in Fair Park. For reservations, please call the Dallas Puppet Theater (not the museum) at (214) 515-0004 ext 4, or visit online at www.puppetry.org

The Dallas Puppet Theater is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and advancing the performing, visual and creative art of puppetry. Summer shows coming up include the musical Rumpelstiltskin in June and the story of Rapunzel! in July.

Dallas Puppet Theater, Inc.
3905 Main St
Dallas, TX 75226-1229
(214) 515-0004 ext 3

your best source for family entertainment for over 20 years!

Princess and the Pea! beginning May 9, 2008 through May 25, 2008 in the AT&T Auditorium at the Women's Museum: an Institute for the Future.
show times at 11 AM Fridays, 11 AM and 2 PM Saturdays, and 2 PM Sundays. Tickets $6 children 2-16, $7 adults

Food or Gas...When did it come to this!

2008-05-03T10:04:00.003-05:00

I’ve always used coupons to save a little bit here and there. But lately, I have become coupon obsessed. I clip and cut like a mad woman hoping to save on my grocery bill so I can have money left over for gas.
So far my greatest coupon adventure was at Kroger, my bill was over $100, but after a stack of coupons, it dropped to $78! WOW! It was almost orgasmic (indication that I NEED a date---soon)
So tell me mom’s what are your money saving strategies during this sky high gas price days!

Happy New Year Mommas!

2007-12-26T15:52:00.000-06:00

Ok, Ladies,

Define "date".

Why? I am not sure if I went on one or not.

"I be up in the gym, workin' on my fitness" --- Fergie

2007-12-16T07:52:00.000-06:00

Ok, ok…So I printed out the website ad for the Bowflex TreadClimber. For $1500 I can “reduce my exercise time with super-efficient, low impact workouts.” This should make me superfine by my birthday in February and I can step out in style and grace with a whole new body right?
I have promised myself it will NOT become a glorified clothes hanger, that I will hop on right after work and fixing Butterbean's dinner. For thirty minutes I will tread my way into health fitness and fine-ness…whoohoo!
I do this kind of fitness promise every year and so far I have stuck to NOTHING.
Will I stick to this machine that’s costing my $24.99 per month until my son graduates high school?
We shall see.
So what is your game plan to prolong life and get that healthy body?

Peddlin' Cookies

2007-11-10T21:52:00.000-06:00

Today Mom and I headed out for a quick look-see at the Christmas Peddler Show. Basically, its a huge crafts fair with temptation at every turn. Gorgeous purses, cute baby clothes, Christmas decoration gallor and oh yeah, fudge, cookies (pumpkin white chocolate now my favorite) and roasted, candied nuts.
My God where did my self control go? That pumpkin cookie was gone in 60 seconds. With the holidays approaching, I just know that those five little pounds I accidentally lost are gonna come back to the 2nd power...
Ok, it's your turn...what is your strategy for keeping the yummy, yummy sweet for your tummy intake down during the holidays?

Family Zip: Great Parenting Resources

2007-11-04T08:02:00.000-06:00

This site has a load of info for parents.

Check out my post and then browse the other

Zip Tips its pretty cool. Any other family sites out there, let us know!

http://www.familyzip.org/tips/1906/capture_those_little_moments/1906/

The Day Old Cold

2007-11-02T07:40:00.000-05:00

Hey Mom's...so I am on my third day at home with a sickly Butterbean. I am totally amazed that one minute he looks like he is about to fall apart and the next he is about to take the house apart. I have the vaporizor on him and the nurse at 888-563-5437 ask a nurse said to give him Karo syrup instead of cough meds. Has anyone heard of such before?

For all the Cookie Monsters Out There

2007-11-01T10:43:00.000-05:00

Momma's Unite!

2007-10-31T18:28:00.000-05:00

Greetings ladies...and welcome from TX to CA to PA this blog is open for discussion. Helping me out with the postings will be Sweet T and Lady V, both awesome mothers, who mean the world to me.
As previously stated, this is our forum, so lets chat. I thought it would be fun to connect all of the wonderful mothers that I know and share thoughts and ideas. To break the ice, lets start by sharing Halloween memories of our little ones. I'll go first:

My Butterbean has been wearing his Lightenin McQueen Halloween costume (courtsy of Lady V) for two weeks now. Although tonight is the last official night that he can wear it, I am sure I will be seeing that bright red car for a minute. (pics to come soon)
Ok, your turn!
Next post -- yummy-Lord-have-mercy-my-thighs, Holiday dishes. I did say this forum was to share!