Time It Perfectly

I recently read an article that listed all of the best times to purchase things and wanted to share:
Large home appliances such as washing machines, dryers, or refrigerators is October or January, or holidays like Memorial Day
Cars: The absolute best best time is at the end of October but otherwise at the end of any other month
Clothing: Thursdays and the end of a season. Spring season ends in May and fall end in November
Air Conditioners: October
Cookware: April, May, and December
Furniture January and July

The Mommy Maven Gets Crafty

I have set up a craft shop on Etsy.com. You can find me under the Mommy Maven. I am dedicated my under used under graduate degree to make and sell affordable art for children's room. Enjoy!

Cookie Dough Recalled

Please note that Nestle has voluntarily recalled its cookie dough products.  If you have it, toss it!

Overstock.com A Great Way to Shop

I have recently begun the long and endless search of my daughter's first pair of shoes.  So excited to walk into the ever so adorably decorated shops of little things and cute patterns.  As I start to stroll through the narrow aisle, smiling to the staff, I pick up the first "my have" pair.  With a slight gasp of air, I had found the steep price sticker prices that go along with those adorable little kicks.  There was no way that I would be willing to pay more for her shoes than I pay for my own, much less cutting into my shopping budget (yes, I know selfish, but seriously $80 bucks!)  So, my new thrifty self decided to get online and do some Googling. Well ladies, I have found a wonderful source.  Overstock.com carries several upscale brands at Target prices.  Jumping Jack, which is my favorite, has tons of options.  The trick is they only have limited amounts.  So, a daily surfing trip online is worth your while to save the money on these adorable addictions.  

Those Pesky Sinus Pains

As I found myself sick most of the winter, I have also found myself trying almost every home remedy to get better.  I finally found one, as gross as it may be, that truly works.  It is called Nasa Mist.  It is made by the same people who make the Needy Pot, but a lot easier to work.  It is like an aerosol can that spray basically salt water into your nasal cavities.  It works WONDERFUL and I felt immediate relief.  If you are a sinus suffer, I highly recommend this. Enjoy...kind of!

To Twitter or Not

The first thing that I have found that comes to my mind in this debate, is what the heck is this?  I know that I personally joined because I saw it on Access Hollywood and it looked to be somewhat fun.  I joined, and then nothing.  It is not like Facebook in which it allows you to network, post fun pictures, and all sorts of other social networking tools.  The actual application page is very simple.  You simply post anything that you want (of course they monitor) and click.  Then it alerts everyone that it part of your Twitter family.  Although I did not find it much to get excited about, I could find that it would be useful if all of your family was on it and  you needed to communicate with everyone about dinner, plans, or something else.  Because you can set it up to text to your phone.  Also, I wanted to make sure that I stayed up on all social networking applications, because scary enough, children are starting WAY too young.  Good luck and let me know what you think.

I'm Back!

After weeks of cold and flus, and then a family illness, I am back. I hope to bring many more fun topics over the next few weeks.

Get Good Make Up for $1

One of my friends yesterday sent to me a link that you can get E.L.F. makeup for $1 on their site right now.  Nordstrom has bought the line and it going to re-package everything, so we are getting a HUGE savings.  I bought several things myself and only had to pay $15.  If you order $15 worth of product, at the checkout put in the code "Carolina" and you basically get free shipping.  Happy Shopping!

Southern Comfort

Growing up in the south, I always saw the cutest kids in their "Southern" outfits on Sunday mornings.  Now being the great Midwest, sometimes the kiddy couture is not the same as the South.  Which is fine and dandy, but if you are looking for a little bit of Southern Comfort, below are a couple of site to find great Jon Jon's and frilly dresses.

www.princesslinens.com

www.ragamuffinshoppe.com

www.bullfrogsandbutterflies.com

www.sweetandsimpleonline.com

Great Bows

For moms with girls, the term "bow head" will either make you cringe or jump for joy.  This mom is definitely a "bow head" jump for joy lady.  And if you are with me, I have a great site for you to review.  

www.bloomingbows.com

This is not going to be a frugal buy, but what is cuter than a little girl with a big bow tromping down the street?  Enjoy!

For You Crafters Out There

I always tend to find myself getting so excited about new craft projects, order them, and then they sit in a drawer.  However, this is a fun and easy craft project that you can use for onesies, bibs, or burb cloths to dress them up a bit.  It is a site, Sublime Stiching, in which you can order iron on designs and then follow the patter to stitch things.  They have cleaver things like sushi, retro prints, and even fonts.  So, if it's up your ally, a fun project for you!

www.sublimestiching.com

Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Sauce

I made this last week and it was easy and is another heart healthy receipe from Family Circle.  Enjoy!

Makes 4

Prep 15 min Roast at 400 for 25 min

Cook 3 min

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4 lbs)

2 t sodium free chicken grilling blend (like Mrs. Dash)

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

12 oz green beans, ends trimmed

1 T olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 C frozen bluberries, thawed (I did fresh organic and it worked well too)

1/4 C cider vinegar

1 t sugar

1/2 t dried thyme

Heat oven to 400.  Rub pork with chicken seasoning and 1/4 t each salt and pepper and place in roasting pan.  Roast at 400 for 25 min., until internal temp. registers at 155

When 10 min of cooking time remain, remove pan and spread green beans around pork; drizzle with 1/2 t olive oil. Stir beans and return pan to oven

Heat remaining 1/2 t olive oil in a small saucepan over med-high heat. Cook onion 3 min.  Add blueberries, vinegar, sugar, thyme, and remaining 1/4 t each salt and pepper to saucepan; cook for 5 min or until thickened.  Serve pork with sauce.

The Discovery Toy - Site Sale

I just received an email for the The Discovery Toy site.  They are having a big sale and the entire site is an additional 10% off.  We ordered walkie talkies from them for our nephew for Christmas and had a good experience.  If you sign up for their emails, you can get alerts for sales too.

www.shopping.discovery.com

Teething- It bites for us all

First, I want to start and say that for some children teething is nothing.  For one of my friends, one day her son just woke up and had teeth.  No signs, no cries, no anything.  I wish this for you all.  However, for the rest of us, teething is a very painful process for everyone.  Babies can start to develop teeth as early as two months and some not for a couple of years.  This is not concerning as teething is hereditary.  Whenever you or your husband got teeth, is typically when your child will too.  Our daughter was a late bloomer and got her first chomp at the age of 10 months.  I had read all of the books and studied up on the signs, we bought all of the latest and greatest teething rings, gels, etc.  Just to find out that we were not prepared at all.  It was three am the first night and she woke up crying, still laying on her belly, but crying.  This lasted 15 min.  The next night it happened again, for longer.  It happened three nights in a row and finally the last night for an hour.  She did not have a temp, but was warm, snotty, and we had no idea what to do.  Finally we called the doctor and they said it was teething.  I had not heard of these "teething cries" before.  But apparently it is a very common reaction to teeth coming in.  

Now that we knew we were in the full throttle of teething., we broke out the teethers ... didn't work.  Tylenol, she refused to take it.  And finally broke down and tried the "herbal" teething pills, that kind of helped.  And of course for each of these steps, someone scared us on why we should not be using them.  Below find a recap of different methods and a con that of course was offered to us.  We ended up using almost all of them anyway, but just as helpful advice.  Enjoy and hang in there if your little one is teething!

Teething rings - Some people do not want to use these because if they were to burst, your child would swallow saline water.  Many opt for a damp washcloth that you put in the freezer for a couple of minutes and then they can take it to the crib with them at night.  We did both.

Teething Gel - A caution for this.  Many warn not to use this at night, only during the day with supervision.  The reason is that if you do not get all of it on the teeth directly, you can numb the tongue and cause your child to have trouble swallowing.  We used it during the day.

Tylenol vs. Motrin - As your child gets older, Motrin is much more effective for pain. However, some pediatricians do not want you to use Motrin until your child has turned one.  Speak with your doctor on their thoughts.

Herbal Teething Tablets - Many people swear by these, but our pediatrician specifically said not to use them.  Because he was unaware of the effects and how this product was tested prior to being released to the market.  Since it is a "natural" drug, it does not have to go through the testing process that other drugs do.  Again, I would talk to your doctor and then do what you feel comfortable with.

If anyone has more helpful advice, please post as I know this is a long and trying process for us all!

The Right Start is Closing

One of our favorite stores is closing.  The Right Start carries children's' goods, apparel and a lot more.  They have already started to do markdowns on there site ranging from 10-30%.  Things will go down further as they close.  To cash in on savings if you do not have a store in your area, go to www.therightstart.com.  

To Cut or Not to Cut-- A big question!

Back in the day, I looked forward to the day that I got to go down to Michigan Avenue, walk into my upscale hair salon.  I knew that it would be quiet the experience.  Because not only would they greet me with bottled water, hot tea, or soda of my choice, but for those few hours I would feel like a movie star.  Someone would come and wash my hair, then the "artist" would cut my hair, then the up and coming "artist" would blow my hair out.  By the time I was finished I would walk out the door, down the Mag Mile and then realize...that I had completely blown hundreds of dollars for something that I would sleep on and never look the same.  If you really think about it, was it worth it?  Tips for three people on top of the completely over priced rates?  Some would say yes, and I would still say yes a couple of times a year.  But for those quick trim us for those damages ends, I offer a solution.  In my new found cheap self I found myself walking down Southport and looked at the Hair Cuttery.  I had never really seen it before, but the big sign in the window advertising $15 hair cuts certainly caught my eye.  Now, mind you I have had some of the WORST hair cuts from places like these, but now that I know how to tell someone how to cut my hair.  And that I am not afraid to say "STOP!"  So I thought, why not?  I went in, to be surrounded by men and screaming children.  My stomach dropped a bit, but the $15 stuck firmly in my head.  I sat down with a lady and told her exactly what I wanted.  I watched very carefully at head cut made.  I mean, I was only getting and inch cut, so I wasn't sure how much damage really could be done.  Well, to my surprise I had a wonderful hair cut and a very nice conversation.  Therefore, I would highly recommend the Hair Cuttery or places like these for your "trims."  Yes, I agree that us girls deserve a fancy treat every once in awhile, but with the hundreds of dollars that I saved....we had date night!  I would take that any day over bottled water.

How Cheap is too Cheap

It seems that being cost efficient is the new trend.  However, is there too cheap?  In the past, I would have said absolutely.  I would only buy name brands and would have shivered at the fact of those non-Cheerios in the grocery.  Now I am rethinking my stance.  The next few postings will be directed on ways to save on things that you may not have not thought of in the past.  Here in our home a Sunday tradition would be to look over the newspaper and pull out our favorites ads and clippings prior to heading out.  Now, I take this time to really look for the real savings.  I have been clipping coupons every Sunday and this past month alone I saved us over $50 in our grocery budget.  Now, that is a great burger and tots at Schoolyard!  So, next you may be flipping through the articles, ads, or just tossing your paper.  You might want to look at the coupons as well, because $50 a month for year, is a lot of savings!

Local Farmer's Fruits and Vegtables

For all of us Chicagolanders, a friend passed along to me a great way to receive our produce and help the local economy.  The Market Basket Program is a group of 300 local farmers who are distributing their produce via Growing Power, a national non-profit organization.  The program runs on a weekly basis and allows us to participate in a week by week enrollment.  You simply let them know on the Monday of the week if you would like the produce, and then pick it up on Friday.  There are three different options ranging from $9 - $28.  The pick up location is Ta-Ze Olives and Oils in Nordstrom building on Michigan Ave (which is one of my favorite stores).  Below is the link and happy shopping!  

www.growingpower.org/market_baskets.htm

Sick Baby = Sick Momma

One of the joys of parenthood is the endless love that your child gives to you.  Yes, that includes runny noses, coughs, and oh so much more.  It was been five months in my home in which one of the three of us has been sick at one point and time.  We are pretty sure that this time our little girl gave us the flu for this round.  As I think back to when she first arrived and I was nursing, there was not a lot to help with my cold.  If you are preggers or nursing try zinc tablets or Zicam (always as your doctor first).  Those helped me tons.  If you are past that stage, like me, my husband tries to tell me that Moonshine and honey will fix everything.  I am sticking to Nyquil!  So, here's to all of us mom's and dad's who are surviving the winter and hoping for Spring to come a bit early this year!

Swing Vote -- Rent it!

One of my husband and I's favorite past times these days, is to rent DVD's from our favorite place-- the Red Box.   If you have not heard of it, you should look into franchising it ASAP.  This is a lovely box that sits outside of grocery stores, etc and you can rent DVD's for a $1 a night...watch out Blockbuster.  This evening we watched Swing Vote with Kevin Costner.  In lieu of the excitement that has surrounded the presidency and the youth's new interest in politics, this is a moving movie.  It is not a Democratic or Republican stance, but more of a let's get excited again with America and where we can go.  So, if you have a buck and want a good show, rent Swing Vote!

Lower your phone bill....seriously

For some reason, every month, it seemed that my phone bill had gotten higher and higher.  No matter how much I didn't use it.  It had gotten to the point that we had thought about canceling our home line and just go all cell phone (which is an excellent idea, but our security system is through our land line).  I had called and spoke with many people and AT&T and never seemed to walk away with what I wanted.  Over the weekend my husband was surfing the net and found a wonderful offer on AT&T's homepage.  It allowed us to combine all phones, Internet, and Direct TV.  So, he called.  To his dismay the person on the other line told us that this was for "new customers" only.  His amazing response was, "what about me?"  "I have been a loyal customer for over six years, does that mean anything?"  The lady on the other end paused and said yes it does.  She then transferred him to customer service.  There we were able to lower our bill by over $50 a month.  Now, we did not get the deal that was advertised, but were able to lower our bill by something.  So if you have about an hour to deal with your phone company, I highly recommend you call.  A customer is a customer, and they need us!  Happy dialing.

Walnut Crusted Tilapia

While I do not have the time to go out, fish for my own fish, do whatever it is that they do next, etc., etc., etc like the fabulous Martha Stewart.  I do have an easy recipe that I got from the Family Circle magazine this month (yes, I do love that magazine but not as much as US Weekly).  I hope you enjoy and remember the "official" new doctor's orders is that you should be having at least two servings of fish a week, and no fish sticks do not count!

Makes 4 servings Prep time is 15 min

Bake at 425 for 15 min

3/4 C chopped walnuts

1 T light mayo

3T Dijon mustard

4 tilapia fillets

1 t dried basil

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

Mix the walnuts, mayo, and mustard together.  Coat the fish, then sprinkle on top the basil, salt, and pepper.  Bake on a greased pan for 15 min at 425.  Done and done!

Welcome!

Hello all,

In my former work career I was a media buyer for an ad agency here in Chicago.  There is where I first came to learn the term "Mommy Maven."  During our brain storming sessions for a new client pitch, I found out that that term was exactly who I was as a mom and the mom strive to be.  It is a mom that does not just say "okay" because someone told her, but rather researches, asks why, and then makes decisions on her own.  She is a women who loves fashion, trends, and is a hard worker.  She loves her family and wants to do what is best.  I am hoping to help through the things that I find, learn, and through others who share to help us "Mommy Mavens" get a little bit more sanity in our daily routines.  Please find a brief write up of the categories that I want to bring to you.  I hope you all enjoy!  

Oh Mrs. Martha!  - One of my favorite people is Martha Stewart.  I know that she is incredibly over the top on several things, but that fact that she brings life to the "home maker" and let's people understand that things can be a bit more complicated than a box of Hamburger Helper (not that we do not have that in our home:) ), is okay.  Here I will be sharing recipes that have worked and are easy, cleaning tips, and things about our home to help us get better organized.

Frugal-tastic! - I have officially proclaimed myself as cheap.  Hopefully not in a bad way, but in a way that makes me say, let's think about the future, not only my child's but my husband and I's retirement.  What can we do differently to help make that a better picture.  We all know about the economy today, so let's as I also like to refer to myself "Household Engineer" take a hold of our fiances, create a budget, and still have fun.

Do This, No Do that - As I go to play group every week, it has come to be one of my favorite parts of the week.  Not only is it a time for me to have "adult" conversations, but a time for all of us to share and learn things that are going on.  It never fails that even if all of our children have the exact same thing, not one doctor will tell us the same advice, even if they are from the same office.  Which is quite maddening at the least.  Here I will share with you advice that we have gotten from our doctors and our own experiences.

Oh! Good Grannies - This is one of my favorite sayings that I got from my college roommate.  It applies to so many different situations, and in that moment it can help to make it some what laughable.  This will be where I pile all of the random thoughts that I could not seem to find a fit in the different categories.