Cracking the McDonald’s Coffee Code

Posted on June 23, 2008 by Amy

Wow, my Boo to McDonald’s post certainly received a lot of responses and I loved hearing how you all make your iced coffees. It gave me so many great ideas and so I decided to approach this in my traditional test kitchen fashion and try to crack the code. For all my hard work, I finally got a vanilla coffee I love and a lot of belly aches, constant shakes, and a little bit of time in the bathroom… BUT it was totally worth it!

Are you ready?

Here is my magical formula that gave me the best vanilla coffee without the chemical nastiness that McDonald’s was giving me.

First up, I made my own coffee syrup. I used the coffee syrup recipe that I highlighted in my Get Your Java Fix from Slashfood. I used the recipe that they list for the Vanilla Bean, but substituted the bean with two tablespoons of vanilla extract. The two tablespoons number came from Ashley, a friendly McDonald’s employee, who shared her secret for making the coffees at home. I stored the syrup in a mason jar and am keeping it in the fridge.

To make the coffee, I fill the cup with ice. Next fill your cup halfway with coffee (I used my Folger’s Gourmet Vanilla Biscotti) and then almost halfway with milk. Top the coffee with two tablespoons of your homemade vanilla coffee syrup and then a splash of fat-free vanilla creamer (inexpensively purchased at Aldi or make your own).

With this combination, I did not need to add any extra sugar and it is just as sweet as McDonald’s and just as tasty too! The splash of vanilla creamer gave it a richer taste, but the skim milk and fat-free creamer gave me a better calorie combination.

Freebie Friday: June 20, 2008

Posted on June 20, 2008 by Amy

A big thank you to Heather, from Freebies 4 Mom, for helping us with our freebies today. Heather has been sharing how she scores items for free and has included links to the coupons and deals she took advantage of. Be sure to read her piece on Wal-Mart’s coupon policy!

Health & Beauty

Garnier Nutritioniste anti-sun damage (Walmart sample)

Ultra XCID

Playtex Personal Cleansing Cloths (Walmart sample)

Tena Serenity (Walmart sample)

BornFree Bottles (for babies born on Father’s Day)
Reach Access Flosser

Food

Multigrain Cheerios (Walmart sample)

Vocalpoint (P&G;’s free sampling program)

Entertainment

Disney’s Monsters Inc. – this week’s free movie (ends on Friday evening)

Sesame Street Videos

FACEOFF Hockey Magazine Subscription
Watch! Magazine
Woman’s Day Magazine

Pets

Pup-Peroni (Walmart sample)

Mark Your Calendars

Summer – SunnyD Road Trip is stopping at Walmart stores this summer

June – Ocean Spray 100% Juice Cranberry and Blueberry sampling at select Walmart stores

June – MaxFactor Lash Lights Tour from 10am to 4pm get a free mini makeover

July 11 – Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A

Amy’s Notebook 06.19.08

Posted on June 19, 2008 by Amy

This pattern for a bath puffy is so cute (@ t does wool)

I want to try using some of these awesome play dough tips (@ Organizing Connection)

These BBQ Beef Sandwiches look delicious (@ Simply Recipes)

I loved this list of ways you can help the flood victims (@ The Simple Dollar

I love everything about this summer birthday party theme- the recipes are linked here (@ ToddleBits)

Creating a you are special day for your kids is such a cool idea (@ Chocolate on My Cranium)

These fun sponges would be a great activity to make and play with outside (@ betz white)

I want to try this cake mix with Sprite in it (@ Bakerella)

We are going to have to have a toasty fire pit night for the family (@ Make & Takes)

I think playing with and learning about maps might be a fun activity for my son to do (@ Let’s Explore)

I adore this idea rolodex and have a zillion ideas to fill one up already (@ blah blah blog)

I want to try making this dishcloth pattern (@ homespun living)

I am loving the frugal food series and love the zillion things to do with eggs (@ Frugal Upstate)

I love this reminder to get rid of my clutter- a commitment for me this year (@ Small Notebook)

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Where else am I this week?

WSBT: Finding a Frugal Hobby
Blissfully Domestic: Chore Charts for Tweens
Frugal Hacks: Beach & Fun in the Sun Reads
Kenmore: Throw An Asian Inspired BBQ

Notebook Experiments: Can I Knit Something Other Than a Scarf?

Posted on June 19, 2008 by Amy

Experiment: Can I actually knit something other than a scarf?

Experiment Taken From: Notebook Entry 05.15.08

Materials Needed: Please see The Purl Bee for specific directions on how to complete this experiment. I completed the pattern for the Stockinette Washcloths to give as gifts to friends and family. Instead of the yarn that was recommended, I purchased some Sugar ‘N Cream cotton yarn, in various colors. One ball of yarn will make about two washcloths. I picked size 9 needles and did 35 stitches on each pattern, no matter what the directions said, so I wouldn’t have to buy new needles.

Results: I am really trying to expand my knitting skills and didn’t want to get stuck in a scarf rut. These washcloths were great for practicing patterns and stitches, without being committed to a large project. I did find the seed stitch border to be a bit tedious, but with each washcloth, I got a little better and a little faster.

I did look on the internet and tried other patterns for washcloths too. I made this simple beginner dishcloth pattern and this “learn to purl” dishcloth. Of all of the patterns, the one from The Purl Bee was the hardest, but had the prettiest results.

I also got bored and started alternating the patterns… and sometimes I alternated the patterns because I forget to turn it. I actually thought this added a little something special to them so I didn’t try and take out the stitches.

Conclusion: I CAN make something other than scarves and it helped me become more familiar with how to read a pattern. These were a great beginner project and are going to make some lovely hostess and birthday gifts for family & friends. Thanks to The Purl Bee for sharing this amazing pattern!

Happiness Is… Playing In the Green Grass

Posted on June 18, 2008 by Amy

Finding Beauty in the Ordinary

Posted on June 17, 2008 by Amy

When we moved into our house, one of the things that I really wanted to change about our house was the landscaping. There were, however, many more pressing concerns though that required our funds and attention- a leaking roof, a monstrosity of an air-conditioner, cosmetic updating that made the space more livable. All of these repairs have trumped the landscaping funds for now and we have been doing things little by little in our yard.

One of the things I have disliked the most though has been one of our side beds. It is filled to the brim with giant ferns. The ferns are enormous and I have to mow through them to cut the grass. I don’t find them all that attractive and they keep popping up in my other beds. Each year I have vowed that I am going to rip them out, but my efforts usually end up on other things and I forget about it…until the ferns pop up the next year.

When we had the original owner out to our house last summer, she commented how pleased she was to see those ferns there. They came from her father’s lake cottage and she brought some back each time she went. Her eyes were misty as she told me how happy she was to see each of those ferns there and she shared with me her happy memories of planting them and the summers with her dad. I began to see the ferns in a different light than I had before. To her, they were a thing of beauty and held wonderful memories of her family’s summers.

Last night I brought bunches of them in and started putting them in recycled single-size coffee jugs. They looked so pretty all fanned out that I started putting them in each room, adding a touch of green here and there. I marveled at how beautiful they were and how they added that little bit of life I needed to my living space.

Frugality is a lot like that though, isn’t it? Sometimes it takes seeing all that you have through another pair of eyes to appreciate all of the bounty you already possess. My yard was filled to the brim with vases of green and all I had to do was pick it from my own backyard. Yet, each year I grumbled about mowing around them, shaking my fist as more ferns popped up.

Sometimes it just takes someone else pointing out the beauty for you to appreciate the ordinary.

Redbox Code 06.16.08

Posted on June 16, 2008 by Amy

Today’s free code for a Redbox movie is S8U5N2. This code is good for one free movie and you can use it until midnight tonight. Enjoy a free family movie together!

Side Notes:

- If you want to rent more than one movie for free, bring more than one credit/debit card. You can use the same promotional code, you just will need different cards to charge it to. The charge will be zero as long as you return your movie on time for the next day.

- When entering in your free movie code, you need to enter it FIRST before picking the movie. On the very first screen, click the, “Rent with Promo.” Enter in the above code and then make your selection- the amount should then total zero.

Fruity Play Dough

Posted on June 16, 2008 by Amy

Each day we have been enjoying something off of Ethan’s summertime list. One of the things that he wanted to do was to make play dough so I found a really great recipe that I thought would work perfectly and keep our kitchen nice and cool. This recipe requires no cooking, which is a bonus on a hot summer day, and uses Kool-Aid mixes to make your colors.

I made a batch in each of the kid’s favorite colors and was suprised how quickly and easily this dough came together. In about five minutes, the dough was ready to go for little hands to enjoy.

Boy, did they enjoy this! I put out my biscuit cutter, plastic forks and knives, cookie cutters, and a giant rolling pin- all items courtesy of my kitchen! The kids played in this for over an hour and then I stored the batches in plastic containers.

This dough stays nice and soft and the smell is delicious… which is very confusing for a two year-old. Emily found out the hard way that it didn’t taste as good as it smelled, but it only took one taste to find that out.

Fruity Play Dough (courtesy of Recipezaar.com)

1 cup flour
1 package Kool-AidKool-Aid (any flavor)

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup salt
3/4 cup boiling water (the original recipe called for one cup of boiling water, but I found it made the dough too loose- aim for 3/4 cup and add more if needed)

Mix all dry ingredients in bowl then oil, then pour boiling water in and mix thoroughly. Wrap in cellophane or air tight container and store in fridge. The play dough should last a few months.

Another Fast Father’s Day Gift

Posted on June 14, 2008 by Amy

Both of the dads in my life have birthdays around the same time as Father’s Day so I ended up doing a combination gift this year to show how much we appreciate them.

Tucked in with a stack of my special music (made just for dad), I included a card for each of them. I used some of our tickets from our giant ticket roll and decorated the outside of the card with them. Inside is a gift certificate for Netflix for two months.

I used the same gift as a graduation gift for a family member so this would make an excellent gift for a college graduate too!

This gift can be as affordable or as expensive as you would want to make it. They offer so many different types of plans and you can pick the plan that fits your budget best. I would love a summer of free movies so I hope they will enjoy this as much as I would!

Happy Father’s Day, Dads!

Where Else You Might Find Me?

Posted on June 13, 2008 by Amy

This week, you can find me on Frugal Hacks discussing ways that you can begin connecting with others.

I also contributed a new article to Michiana Family Magazine with tips for surviving the grocery hike. The June issue is on newsstands everywhere so be sure to grab your copy! Betsy does an amazing job with this magazine and there are lots of great articles this month.

Blissfully Domestic has my, “We Need to Work on Our Letters” posted on their site. There are tons of great comments, sharing tips and websites that have helped parents build their children’s reading skills. Don’t miss it!

Kenmore has put all of their experts together for a piece on how to throw an Asian-inspired BBQ for the Olympics this year. I shared some fun ideas for crafts and activities to get the kids involved as well as thrifty tips for maximizing those leftovers for your get together. This one was a ton of work and research so I hope that you will check it out and that it will add a little inspiration to your outdoor entertaining! Next month, we will be sharing tips for family vacations so I will be sure to share when that article is posted! You can view all my articles here and I will continue updating you when new things get added to the site or you can subscribe to their newsletter to get the tips delivered directly to your email.

I took a little break from my WSBT segments because my kids were sick, but the crew came out this week and we filmed seven more segments for the summer months ahead. I am looking forward to sharing more frugal mom tips with all of you!

In case you missed it, be sure to check out my interview over at Blog Coach. I just want to thank you for all of the sweet comments and another thank you to Angie for asking me to do her first interview. What an honor!

PHEW! That’s it this week, folks!

Monthly Archives: June 2008