Have you ever done a comparison shop to see how your local store brand stacks up against national brands? The cost is generally significantly less when purchasing store brands, but does the taste measure up? I created a breakfast bagel comparing First Street products (from Smart & Final) with national brand products and I'm going to share my thoughts on the taste and cost. Ingredients: Plain Bagels - First Street and Sara Lee Eggs - First Street and Egglands Best (Grade AA Large) Pork Sausage Roll - First Street and Jimmy Dean Sliced Swiss Cheese - First Street and Kraft... Continue reading

If you are looking for a last-minute adorable Easter craft for your kids, then head over to The Centsible Life where I'm sharing a tutorial to make these Paper Roll Bunnies. Continue reading

Did I tell you that I'm now writing over at Cove Financial? I'll be providing do-it-yourself tips a couple of times a month for homeowners, or those of you who are looking for ways to update and re-use what they already have. There's really great information on there from friends of mine too including home buying tips, how to save money, home deductions, and lots more. As far as do-it-yourself though, this is the kind of information you will find from me: My latest post is up, so if you are wanting to give new life to your worn out... Continue reading

Mo Willems latest book The Pigeon Needs a Bath! hit stores on April 1st. Host a book themed baby shower centered around this book for a mommy-to-be with these tips and ideas. A book themed baby shower is a great way to introduce your favorite children's book author to your friends and family. Here are some ideas for getting the guests involved and to keep gift giving and activities simple. Baby shower activity: Buy plain onesies or plain t-shirts in assorted sizes and have the guests hand-paint a scene from a book, or fun sayings from the book onto the... Continue reading

Every year I put together a fun Easter brunch to enjoy after the kids have run around the backyard collecting eggs full of treasures. I rarely put out the same thing, although there are normally a few staples such as bakery items and fresh fruit, and I always put out a homemade hot dish. So, if you are looking for a quick an easy Easter Brunch recipe, these shredded hash brown nests are perfect for a pot luck or brunch with family and friends. Ingredients: Ore-Ida Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes Bacon - 1 piece for every 3 hash brown nest... Continue reading

In November I bought a ton of herb plants. I then went to Australia for a month and had forgotten to plant them so the pots sat by my front gate, just within reach of the sprinklers. And then I came home and still forgot to plant them. Every day as I walk up to my front door I would see those pots sitting there and plant after plant was slowly dying and every day I would tell myself that tomorrow I would finally plant what was still left. It's been 5 months since I purchased those pots of herbs.... Continue reading

Looking for a no-cost Easter craft that's simple enough for kids to do and can be used for gifting Easter treats? Head on over to The Centsible Life where I'm sharing a tutorial for making a simple Bunny Treat Jar. Continue reading

I'm in search of recipes for stews and casseroles. You see, last week I made a casserole one night for dinner. My teen walked in the door and remarked about how good the smell coming from the house was as he walked up the path, and that it reminded him of visiting his grandma's house. Yes, my mum makes a lot of stews, casseroles and Sunday roasts. I need to make them more too. These stews all sound amazing and would be perfect for a Sunday family dinner. Do you have any favorite stew recipes to share? I'd love to... Continue reading

It's no secret that I have a very eclectic taste when it comes to decorating my home. I tend to pull items from a variety of styles and bring them together to make our house fun, colorful and organized. You've probably seen a lot of my trash to treasure projects here on the blog. I love bringing new life to discarded pieces and pairing them with new decor, along with items that have been passed through my family. I also love color and adore wood. I wouldn't be a good woodcarvers daughter if I didn't. wall decor | spring mantel... Continue reading

It's Spring break around here, which means my house seems to have a revolving door of kids, both little ones and bigger ones and so I've been busy coming up with lots of fun treats to feed everyone. These Spring Flower Marshmallow Crispy Treats are a big hit with the little ones. What you need: 1 box Post Fruity Pebbles 1 pkg mini marshmallows 1/4 cup butter White chocolate chips Flower cookie cutter Lollipop sticks (use the size of your cookie cutter as a guage as to the length of stick, larger cutters you'll want a longer stick, smaller cutters... Continue reading

I absolutely love tea. I often enjoy a cup of Chai tea in the afternoon, or one in bed in the evening while reading a good book - if you haven't tried the Bigelow Vanilla Chai, you really should. I love peppermint tea when I'm not feeling well, and lemon tea when my throat hurts, and green tea, well just because. Oh and let's not forget my love of high tea and devonshire tea. I also have the worst kitchen design. My pantry is so small that I can never find a thing in there, which you may remember inspired... Continue reading

Disney's The Pirate Fairy! will be released on BluRay/DVD/Digital HD on April 1st, 2014, and exclusively at Walmart there will be a free gift with purchase - the Pixie Hollow Bake Off DVD which includes 10 animated shorts. Celebrate the launch of The Pirate Fairy! with a movie viewing party at home. I've got you covered for dessert with a yummy angel food cake topped with fresh fruit. You can purchase a store-bought angel food cake for this, but I found they were a little smaller than I wanted so I made one from scratch. Here is how you can... Continue reading

Disney's new movie Muppets Most Wanted is currently out in theaters. If you are planning on taking your kids to see it while they are on spring break, make it a full day of Muppets fun and print out these fun activity pages too. (click on the following links to open and print the various activities) Color In and Cut Out Your Own Muppets 'Wanted' Poster Muppets Door Hangers Gonzo's Maze Send a Postcard from Kermit Build a Muppets Puppet Theater Send Invisible Notes How to Draw Animal How to Draw Beaker How to Draw Fozzie Bear How to Draw... Continue reading

We love visiting the various theme parks and attractions in Southern California, but sometimes we tend to delay going for a little while until there's something new to see or do. If you are looking to take the kids to some of the local attractions this spring break or are pre-planning for summer, then here's what is new. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park If you haven't been to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park recently then you need to pop it on the calendar. The gorilla's were off-exhibit over the holiday season while their habitat underwent a makeover. They... Continue reading

Are you spring cleaning too? If you are I have the perfect way to update some of those old vases you've been hanging onto for years but can't seem to part with. Head on over to The Centsible Life where I'm showing you how spray paint can spruce up even the ugliest of vases. Continue reading

It's grilling weather here. And even though I don't grill outdoors, because you know, fear of fire and no man living here, at least I can still use my little indoor grill. So, I made these delicious Double Bacon Mini Cheeseburgers with Corn Relish. I also made a kid-friendly burger too, because let's face it, my little ones are not going to eat corn relish. This is the perfect dish for family dinner or home entertaining. Bacon Cheeseburger Ingredients: note: this recipe makes approximately 20 mini burgers to fit dinner roll size buns 1 pkg Ground Chuck 80/20 4 strips... Continue reading

St. Patrick's Day is only 6 days away. Looking for last minute ideas? I'm over at Cove Financial today with 10 ways you can reuse Christmas decor for your St. Patrick's Day celebrations. If you are in the San Diego area, grab a copy of the March issue of San Diego Family magazine where my Leprechaun Lunch for Kids is featured in their St. Patrick's Day roundup along with a list of St. Patrick's Day events around the San Diego area. Also, if you have a Smart & Final store nearby and subscribe to their email newsletter for current deals,... Continue reading

Head on over to Rusty and Rosy where I'm sharing a collection of great St. Patrick's Day books and fun food ideas for kids. And don't forget to share any fun food or books that you might have too. Continue reading

Zucchini Boats are one of my favorite appetizers and I make them as often as I can, always trying a new filling for them. These ones are somewhat filling and have just a hint of spice. Ingredients: Zucchini - I used 5 for this recipe 1 pkg Ground Turkey 5 strips Bacon 1 cup Kale 1 tub Elli: Quark (plain) 1 tsp Crushed Garlic 1 tsp Dried Thyme 1 tbs Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 1 tbs Olive Oil Pinch salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grill the bacon, I like to use my small electric grill. Set aside... Continue reading

On my bucket list this year I want to bake a pie. Not just any pie, a fresh fruit pie. I don't want to make a semi-homemade pie though, one with store-bought crust, or fruit purchased at the grocery store. I want to do it all, from picking the fresh fruit, rolling out a handmade crust and preparing a delicious filling. Don't these fruit pies all look amazing. If you have a delicious fruit pie recipe, please leave me a link. Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Foodie.com Continue reading