Beaches to Peaches: November 2010

Monday, November 29, 2010

Cyber Monday!

Good day friends! Did you miss me?

I decided to take some time off and recharge the ol' batteries.

I am happy to report it worked! I am refreshed, revived and ready for the Holidays!

And the kiddo had the WHOLE week off from school last week. That kinda had something to do with the week break but whatever. I can pretend it was all for me!

What a day to come back to the blog! CYBER MONDAY!!!!

I have to be honest with you. I am not participating in today's event. The hubby doesn't get paid till tonight at Midnight. Yeah, thanks a lot Delta!

But that doesn't mean I can't pass along some of those great deals out there to YOU!

So far, the best deals I have seen out there are at Overstock.com.

Overstock is loaded with Cyber Monday deals. I saw a leather ottoman for under 100 bucks, too. With free shipping. Check out the site...no one can beat their prices.

If you are buying toys (like I am), Toysrus.com has some pretty great buys, too. If electronics are you thing this year, check out walmart.com.They have extended Cyber Monday into Cyber week. The deals on their website will be available through Friday. Thanks Walmart from those of us that don't get paid till the 30th!

They have a Kodak C143 12 MP digital camera with a 3x optical zoom, 2.7 LCD viewing screen in your choice of green or blue. They are throwing in a set of rechargable batteries, a case and a wall charger for...

69 DOLLARS!!!!
That is an INCREDIBLE buy!!! And they will ship it to your local Walmart store for FREE!
And last but not least, Target.com has a lot of items on sale BUT their big savings deal is on their shipping.
They have over 900 items on the site today that are included in a great bargain:

Buy $50.00 worth of merchandise included in the deal, and your whole order SHIPS FOR FREE!!!
I'm sure there are a TON of other Cyber Monday deals out there...this is just a few to get you started!

Have fun shopping!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Blog Update: My Loot!

The consignment shopping experience was a hit!

I am happy to say my experience yesterday at Kid 2 Kid was awesome!

Here's what I sold:
1 Eddie Bauer Highchair in almost perfect condition
6 shirts...mostly long sleeve, button downs
6 pants...some jeans, some khaki, and 2 pair of cords
2 pair of shoes
1 sweater
2 puffy vest
1 jacket

My grand total for all this goodness was $53.00! ($63 if I had taken the store credit which I did not)

I decided to shop around a bit...the Kiddo needed a few items so I checked out the size 4 and 5 clothes.

And I must admit...they had some really nice stuff. Although not AS nice as I would have expected. Lots of the shirts had what I thought was too much wear...or had shrunk or faded. Which is funny because there were a few nice shirts of mine they rejected for that very reason.

But overall, I was pleased with what they had to offer. I wish they had more shoes in my son's size but I can get them elsewhere.

So what did I end up purchasing?

2 shirts (one from Gymboree and in PERFECT condition)
1 pair of black cords (perfect for Christmas photos)
3 pair of athletic pants (great for school or lounging around the house)

And my grand total for 6 items....$23.00!!!

That was truly the best part. Just the athletic pants alone at the Children's Place would have set me back $25.00 for just 2 pair!

Overall, I had a great experience. The staff was helpful, the selection was plentiful, and I was grateful! I'll definitely do it again...maybe once more before Christmas...

I need to find a sweater to match those cute black cords....

Happy Tuesday!

Monday, November 15, 2010

You Learn Something New Everyday

My little family was invited to a friend's house on Saturday to watch some football, eat, and just hang out. Oh and drink...beer and margaritas were involved.

The margaritas were fantastic...best I've ever had.

But that's not what this blog is about.

2 of the moms at the party started talking about a children's consignment shop here in my little town called Kid 2 Kid. Now I have driven past this store probably a thousand times and seen nice stuff in the window...

And never once went in.

Why? I wish I knew. They started telling me how great this store is...that they go in with just 10 bucks and walk out with 3 sweaters AND a pair of shoes.

I almost fainted right then and there. Good quality kids clothes for pennies?

Seriously...how did I not know about this? My son is 5...I missed out on 5 years of saving who knows how much money.

Needless to say, I am spending my day going through all the kiddo's clothes...he just jumped up another size so we have a truckload of stuff that no longer fits.

And I will be heading up to Kid 2 Kid this week with my loot...ready to go on a shopping frenzy!

Oh and they also take baby items such as strollers, playpens, bouncy seats, high chairs...they must be in near perfect condition and not under recall. I have an Eddie Bauer highchair that's collecting dust downstairs...I'm taking that with me, too.

Kid 2 Kid is a franchise store so you may have on in your area...here's the website if you want to check it out.
http://www.kidtokid.com/

I'll update you later this week with how I made out. I'm so excited!

Have a great week everyone!

Friday, November 12, 2010

My Super Easy Go-To Recipe

It's Friday...

You're tired...

It's been a long week and all you want to do it relax...

Cooking dinner is the last thing you feel like doing...

So what do you do? Make a big meal and curse the whole time?

Or throw a frozen pizza in the oven and then curse when you have heartburn?

Or take everyone out to dinner, wait in line, pay out the nose...and then curse on the way home for not saving your money for Christmas gifts?

Well I have your solution. Easy Peasy Homemade Chicken Strips!

These are the easiest chicken strips I have ever made...and they taste delicious! My 5 year old begs for more and eats them like he's for a hollow leg...
And the best part is they are pretty healthy, too.

So how do you make these crowd pleasing chicken strips?

Here's the recipe.

2 to 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or more if you want to feed an army...I use 2 and it's plenty for my family of 3)
1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs (You can use regular breadcrumbs but Panko is better!)
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a medium sized zip-lock bag and shake to combine.

Cut the chicken breast into strips and place on plate. Pour 2 tbsp of vegetable oil over them, coating all strips. (This is what makes the breading stick to make sure they are coated!)

Take one or two strips at a time and put them into the zip-lock bag, coating them with the mixture. Once coated, place them on a greased baking sheet. (I spray mine with a vegetable spray) Do the same with the remaining strips. You may not use all the mixture but you will use most.

Put the strips in a 400 degree oven and after 10 minutes, take them out and flip them over so both sides can brown up.

After they have been flipped, put them back in the oven and let them bake for an additional 5 minutes. (You can also put them in the broiler for a few minutes after than for additional browning but honestly, I don't think you'll need to)

You can also make a few easy dips for these strips...my favorite is an easy honey mustard. 2 tbsp honey and 2 tbsp mustard...stir them together and you're done.

Add some baked Ore-Ida fries on the side and you have yourself an easy, healthy dinner that your whole family will love!

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

The Countdown Begins

It's that time of year again....

It's like a monster looming just over the horizon...

And you aren't prepared...you never are...

Then all of a sudden, it's here!

THE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING SEASON!!!!

AHHHHHH!!!!! EVERYBODY RUN TO THE MALL!!!!

At least that's how I feel every year....and I absolutely despise it.

Let me say this: If I had a huge budget and could spend what I wanted this would not be a issue. I would wait till the first weekend in December and shop at my leisure...without a care in the world for bargains, sales or deals.

But that's not me. My budget is tight. So I've got to scour the deals out there.
And incredible holiday shopping deals can be found on only one day:

BLACK FRIDAY!!!!!!!

Doesn't it just sound scary?
Black Friday...a psycho escapes from prison and he's hunting people down...
Only on Black Friday! Buwwwhhhaaaa!
(insert scary laugh here)

And in a way I guess that's kinda true...only the psycho escaped from prison is me and I am hunting down the perfect deal.

If the thought of waking up at 3am to go shopping is a little strange to you, well I guess it is to me too. But I have done it every year for the past 5 or 6 years.

And Hubby comes with me. Yup. I married a man that will sit outside in the freezing cold and wait for a store to open.

But there has to be an electronics store involved. Even he has his requirements.

And we always get what we came for....and we're usually finished with our Christmas shopping by noon. That's my favorite part. Because then I get to relax and enjoy the rest of the season with no pressure or stress.

It's a wonderful life...pun intended!

So I have already been checking out the 2010 Black Friday ads online to see what's being offered this year. Not every retailer has released their deals yet but a few have so I'm linking you to a site that will post them all.

Here is it...
http://www.blackfriday2010.com/

And whether you're a 4am shopper or not, I wish you a happy shopping season.
I'll be posting some cute gift ideas over the next few weeks so watch for them.

Have a great Thursday!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Another Angel In Heaven

Have you gone years without seeing someone...
Someone who was an important person in your life at one time...
And then you find out that person has passed away...
And your present life sort of comes to a screeching halt...
And you're right back in the past...
All the memories come flooding back...
And you just break down and cry your eyes out?

It happened to me yesterday.

My best friend in grade school's mother passed away Sunday morning.
I found out through a mutual friend on Facebook late that night and then had it confirmed by my old friend on her Facebook page the next morning.

And in a split second, I was back in time, sitting in her bedroom talking about boys...

And her mom puts on a record...yes, a record...on the stereo. (I'm a child of the 80's...what can I say?)

She comes into my friend's room and tells us to come and listen to the new album she just bought. So we do and she puts it on...

The room fills with the sound of the Miami Sound Machine and she starts to dance all around the house.

Before we know it, my friend and I are dancing with her.

She was such a infectious person. I don't think I have ever met someone who at her age, was so youthful and fun-loving. She was like one of the kids and loved us all as her own.

This picture is from our 8th grand graduation party. She threw my friend a party...and included me and another friend. She wanted it to be for the 3 of us...her daughter and her 2 best friends. We had the best time...it was an amazing night.

My preteen years are filled with memories of her....she threw parties thrown for every reason imaginable. Birthdays? For sure. Christmas AND New Year's? Yup. Halloween? Oh yes...biggest of the year.

I got my first real kiss outside my friend's house at a Christmas party. If hadn't been for her mother throwing that party, I would have never had that moment with Rene Escobio. Gosh...what memories!

But her mother was so much more than a great party thrower.

She was generous and kind...always there for anything we needed.

And most importantly, she was her daughter's best friend. I don't think I have seen a mother and daughter as close. My mom was MY best friend and I loved her with every fiber in my being. And I still think their relationship was the closer than our was.

Which is why losing her is going to be so hard. She meant so much to so many...but to my old friend especially. My heart breaks when I think of what she's going through right now.

So I ask...if you are a faithful person and pray...

Please remember my friend, Raelisa Torres French.

Pray for her and her family as they deal with this tragic loss.

I know first hand how terrible it is to lose your mother. And I hate that Maria's gone.

But she is still with us and always will be.

And Raelisa now has one very special angel watching over her forever.

RIP Maria Torres...You were loved by so many and will be missed by us all.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Uggs...Fuggs

It's the time of year again...
The temperatures dip into the 30's and 40's and we dive for our warm Winter gear...

And everywhere you look, you see these...

Yup...for it's UGG season once again.

Don't get me wrong. I like them. I actually have 2 pairs.

So what if they are both knock off's...they look somewhat cute with a pair of jeans and they do keep your feet warm...

If you live in the North Pole.

I'm a very warm nature d person. I hate to be hot and sweaty. The only time I'm okay with it is if there is a body of water nearby and I'm in a swimsuit.

So it goes without saying I'm not one of those people that piles on the layers when the temperature drops below 50 degrees.

But where I live there are a couple of weeks out of the year that require some serious bundling...and on those days, I break out my FUGGS.

And what is a FUGG exactly? Why a Fake pair of UGGS of course!

Like this morning: It was a balmy 34 degrees out when I took the Kiddo to school.
But even in that kind of weather, I can't wear them with socks. My feet would sweat like a hooker at a church picnic. Since I don't like to be hot AT ALL, this is a no-go for me.

Now don't get me wrong...I love the real UGGS.
But what really gets me about them is the price.

Can someone tell me why they cost an arm and a leg? Is it because they are imported from Australia? Or do they use a certain type of suede for the outside or some super fancy fill for the inside? Yes, the real ones do look nicer than the fake ones close up but who is really going to be on their knees checking out your feet? If you glance down at them, they don't look all that different.

Let me wrap this up by saying this. Would I ever buy a real pair of UGGS?

Sure. If I won the lotto or moved to a colder climate, I'd buy them for sure.

But for a single income family living in the North Georgia 'burbs...

My FUGGS suit me just fine.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

The Rings Come Off Tomorrow!

It's finally here. The weekend I wait all year for.

Sunday, November 7, 2010...Game 1.

Bucs versus Falcons.

Oh yeah baby!

First, I need to state the obvious...I love NFL Football. More specifically, my home team...The Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I grew up with the old orange and white pom-poms hanging in my bedroom.
I even had a Ricky Bell jersey.

Who's Ricky Bell you ask? Just one of our best running backs back in the day. And for those of you that are football illiterate, a running back is the guy that runs the ball after the quarterback has handed it off.

If you don't know what a quarterback is, you should probably stop reading this blog. You might not get this one.

Anyway, I have been a Bucs fan my whole life...even when they were awful.

And they were awful for a LONG time. Decades of pure awfulness.

And then they changed the uniforms in the late 90's and they started to win.
Including the Super Bowl back in 2003.

That was an amazing year. I'd love to see them do it again in my lifetime.

When I moved to Georgia back in 97, my love for all things Bucs came with me.

And then I met my husband....a die hard Atlanta Falcons fan.

It was a match made in heaven...even though we didn't love the same team, we loved the same sport. We went to games and even became Falcon season ticket holders.
At our very first Bucs vs. Falcons game in Atlanta, you can imagine the looks we got as we walked to the Georgia Dome hand in hand, each wearing the ememy's jersey!

And in 2003, the NFL realigned the divisions and created the NFC South...

Putting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons in the same division.

Which means we play each other 2 times a season.
So now twice a year, Hubby and I are enemies. Foes of the gridiron.

We joke that on those 2 Sundays, the wedding rings come off.
We are not husband and wife.
We are a Buccaneer and a Falcon. And we both want to win.

The really great thing is we usually get to go to both games.Since my family lives in Tampa (and my step-dad, sister and best friend are or have been season ticket holders) we go with them.
In 2005 when our son came along, another layer of the rivalry came into play...

Which team would the Kiddo support? He had plenty of gear for both teams.

So made a compromise. If the game was in Atlanta, he's wear his Falcons outfit.

And if the game was in Tampa, he'd wear the Buccaneer gear.

He looks so much happier when he's supporting Mommy's team...

When we moved into our home, we started inviting my family up for the games and it was great to have a houseful of Bucs fans. We would tailgate and truly make it an all day event.

So tomorrow is the first game...in Atlanta. And it's a biggie...we are tied for first place right now and both teams are playing great football.

And I'll be there in my Buccaneer gear...wearing it with pride. I'll take all the jeering with a grain of salt. It's all in good fun.

After all, you can take the Buccaneer girl out of Tampa...

But you can't take the Buccaneer out of the girl.

Go Bucs!

Friday, November 5, 2010

I need to vent a little bit...

Today's topic is something that has been a thorn in my side since moving to Georgia over 13 years ago.

The lack of reflectors on Georgia roads.

I know that sounds totally silly but let me explain.

Road reflectors.
They are so small, so insignificant.

But they will save your life if you are driving on a wet, country road late at night.

I grew up in Tampa. Just outside the city limits so lets just say I'm not used to rural driving conditions. All the streets I drove back home were wide, well lit and usually populated with other cars.

And the major streets all had reflectors everywhere. Seeing the road was NEVER an issue. Plus there are no hills and for the most part no curved roads there.

Which is the exact opposite of North Georgia roads.

When I first moved to the big city in 1997, I was shocked how few roads had reflectors. Even big streets...Peachtree Street for example.

Everyone knows about Peachtree Street. It's like Atlanta's major street, running from Downtown to Buckhead.
And it has no reflectors.
6 lanes once you get to the Midtown area (3 in each direction), curving all over the place, tons of traffic, and when it's wet and dark, you can't see where the hell you're going.

And don't get me started on the side streets. I can't tell you how many times I almost ran off Peachtree Battle (yes, yet another Peachtree in Atlanta) at night when I first moved there.

Now I live in the suburbs and unfortunately it's no better out here.
The road I take to get my kiddo to school is narrow and curvy...

And it doesn't have a single reflector anywhere.
Tuesday morning, I took the kiddo to school like normal...
It was pitch black dark and raining. I can't tell you how many times people were about to run off the road cause no one could see where the road was!

I just don't get this. Are reflectors that expensive? Can no city budget support putting one of these little babies down about every 20 feet or so? I haven't figured out why Georgians think they aren't important.

While I was researching for this, I stumbled upon this picture:

This is such a beautiful sight...I almost cheered out loud when I saw this.

It seems some genius has invented solar reflectors. They have LED lights so they are super bright and run off a tiny super battery.

Which kinda made me a little sad. If my cheap county can't swing for the el cheapo reflectors, they sure as heck aren't going to pay for something that comes with a battery that will eventually have to be replaced.

So until someone deems it necessary, I will drive my curvy country roads with caution.

And if you are stuck behind me, sorry...you just have to deal with the city girl trying to not run off the road!

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

When life gets in the way...

I have been a bad blogger.

I didn't post yesterday. Dang! Shoot! Crud!

So today I was going to get back on the stick...and I had my blog topic all lined up.

And then I got a phone call from my son's school nurse.

Don't those phone calls make your heart stop for just a split second? I see his elementary school name on the caller ID and I have a mini freak-out.

It seems my little boy has a bite on his back. It's big and red, it's itching and it's NASTY.

The nurse seems to think it's a spider bite so I call his doctor and they want to see him immediately. We have an appointment this morning.

So my blog topic is put off at least one more day...

Unless something happens tomorrow!

Hope your week has been great so far!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Block the Vote!

It's Tuesday, November 2, 2010...

And for those of you that have been living under a rock for the past few months, it's ELECTION DAY in the good ol' U.S. of A.

Yes, we are all no doubt sick of the ads, the phone calls, the commercials...
But it still doesn't take away from the fact that today is an important day.

The right to vote is something we should never take for granted...especially if you're a woman. In fact, we've only had this right for less than 100 years.

If you want to blow your mind, click this link and look at the time line of international woman's suffrage...it's kinda scary this right is so new for so many women around the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage

So do your duty as an American and VOTE VOTE VOTE!

So now that my public service announcement is out of the way, I'd like to tell you what else I am celebrating today.

Today is my 2 year Blockversary.

And what is a Blockversary you ask? Today has been 2 years since my very first New Kids on the Block reunion show, of course!

I'm a Blockhead. There. I said it. I'm a 36 year old woman and I still love Jordan, Jon, Joe, Danny, and Donnie.
I was a huge fan 20 years ago when I was a 16 year old kid, buying albums, going to concerts and wallpapering my room with posters...I shared a room with my sister back then and we divided the walls up like this:

Wall 1-Jordan (my favorite...back then and today too)
Wall 2-Donnie (my sister's favorite)
and walls 3 and 4-group pics

The crazy thing is 20 years later, they look better than they did back then.
Why is it men age so well? It's just not fair.

When they announced the reunion tour, my sister and I were thrilled. It was like we were sixteen and twenty all over again. They announced a concert in Tampa and we bought our tickets as soon as they went on sale.

Just like the old days....floor seats. With our two high school best friends going with us.
We had an incredible time. The guys were better entertainers now then they were then.

And something amazing happened. All those screaming little girls grew up. And they were ready to profess their love for the New Kids...something they had been teased and ridiculed for back in the day. These women didn't care what people thought about them anymore. And the community on the NKOTB.com website took off.

I frequented the site at first to look at concert photos. While I did have floor seats, they weren't very good so I admired shots from those towards the front. And then I found a thread called Fashion Disasters.

It was full of snarky women who could laugh at both their own bad 80's fashion and the guys....after all, the New Kids weren't exactly the best dressers the first time around!

These women quickly became my friends and we began to meet up all across the country for New Kids concerts. We formed incredible friendships because of our mutual affection for 5 men from Boston.

Some of the women I met on these boards have become my best friends and I love them dearly. So today I'm actually celebrating the anniversary of what brought me to a new place in my life. Surrounded by friends that mean the world to me.

The November 2 Tampa concert was the first of many. I saw the New Kids on the Block in Denver, Orlando (where me and my sister went backstage and FINALLY met the guys!), Portland Maine, Atlanta, and Indianapolis. (Remember my husband works for an airline so I fly for free...we are not rich by any means!)

I treasure these memories...how many of us can say we got to relive our teenage years well into our thirties?

Have a great Tuesday!

Monday, November 1, 2010

What to Expect When You Wear a Box for Halloween...

Halloween 2010 is in the books.

And after last night, I think it moved into first place in my kiddo's holiday list.

He tricked. He treated. He ate candy.

He had an absolute blast.

I, however, realized a costume made from a box is a rather big pain in the butt.

One of our local churches has a Trunk or Treat festival which we went to last night.
I tried to put the box on my son and at first he wasn't having it.

All the construction I did to put this thing together and he wasn't going to wear it?

I. Don't. Think. So.

He wore it...and he tried to take it off every 5 minutes.

So on we went to my neighborhood for some good ol' fashioned trick or treating.
We dropped the rear seat in the van and left the hatch up so we could jump in and out. This was Hubby's strategy, allowing us to hit the maximum number of houses possible...and it worked like a charm!

But every time we got out, he had to put his costume on.
And every time we got back in, he had to take it off.

And of course, with all this putting on and taking off, the box started losing pieces. We lost the tail, one wing support, and back top flap became unglued.

But what do you expect from a cardboard costume?

As you can imagine, wearing this costume quickly became a large pain in the posterior. After about 10 houses, he wasn't havin' it anymore. He trick or treated in his hooded sweatshirt, sweatpants, and sneakers for the rest of the night.

And we changed his costume from an airplane to a punk kid...
or a boxer/runner...

Or Justin Bieber.
But the bottom line is he had a great time and while the costume was a hit when he wore it, it's the last time I'll made a cardboard box into an airplane.

Hope your Halloween was wonderful! Have a great week!

Beaches to Peaches