Life can be the Pits!!

As you all know I am a thrifty money saver,penny pinching person. But lately I too have come across the bad in life. My hubby lost his job the 16th of November, my job was suppose to start the 17th and didnt start until the 30th and then last night I hit a deer. You know that moment you want to kick and scream at the deer eventhough you know the deer didn't plan to die at that moment. Yeah its just a horrible stike of bad luck I flipping swear! Well keep me and my family in your prayers and have a wonderful and safe holiday! Love my family to yours <3

Honey Facials! Great Skin Remedy!

My name is Erin, of course right?, and I am 30 years old and have struggled, over 10 years, with dry skin, uneven tone and sensitivity to many products! I have had sensitive skin my whole life. I have eczema and dermatitis, and the severity of dry skin is uncomfortable and so tight on my poor face that it's embarassing and uncomfortable. I have tried Cetaphil, Neutrogena, Aveeno, and every other skin cleanser, moisturizer, and toner there is to find; including Mary Kay, and Clinique brands. So one day I was watching Dr. Oz, by the way he an amazing person to listen to, but one show was on the effects of honey. Although they were discussing a high quality and very expensive brand of honey, I couldn't help but to be intrigued by the concept of honey all together.

Some of the healing properties to honey is allergies, well my skin acts up from the allergies I have to skin products, and honey also has the properties to attract water, dry skin problem solved, it also has anti inflammatory, anti aging and antiseptic properties naturally!

So I decided to get the best results on a small budget I was going to have to find the cleanest honey possible. What does that mean? The lighter the honey, the less cooked and robbed of its natural properties it will have. Look at the picture below. Found both at WalMart and cost pretty much the same... but 2 different honeys.

So here is what I do. When I take my bath I wash my face with a simple scent free soap, Dove or Ivory, then pat dry and as my hair is conditioning I place the honey and rub it on my face. I have also added in crushed oatmeal and sugar for a facial scrub from time to time, since oatmeal will draw out the oils if you have a oily complexion; but not necessary since the honey will kill of bacteria naturally like an antiseptic would. The sugar is a gentle exfoliate to scrub off dry skin. Then I let it sit on my face 5 minutes and rinse. Wallah! Always remember to pat your face gently after washing it, it helps to keep skin from drying out. I have also found I can use my Aveeno moisturizers again without the redness. The honey has calmed my skin down where I can use some mild lotions again without the burn and blotching. I hope this helps you and all seriousness please try this, you will be pleasantly surprised by what this little honey bear can do for your skin naturally!

The Busy Life

I feel so bad I haven't been on here...and here is the reasons why :)

1. School Started... why is it such a great thing when kids start school? You think wow I am going to have all this time free with my children away...and in actuality...it the complete opposite? I have a second grader who is my high energy, look at me, look at me child and although she is absent around the house, I still feel overwhelmed by her and her tornado she leaves behind. Don't get me wrong, I love her to death! I just find she uses up more of my energy than I do.

2. Girl Scouts and after school activities. When school starts so does their activities. I am not one of those parents that enrolls my child in alot of activities. Right now its Girl Scouts and Basketball. That's enough for a child. I think children can be bored now and then. Allows her plenty of time for friends, family, reading and homework. I think its silly to spend a ton of money for activities your child may not want to do. I also think kids should be allowed to be kids without a calendar full of events.

3. Cold winter weather struck poor Montana :) We saw snow in September and actually got some moisture in our drought stricken state. I have been busy caulking windows, making sure door jams are sealed with weatherstripping, plastic wrap my windows with weather kits I have found at my local Walmart. Believe me people, they may look tacky but the savings on your energy bill for a 10 dollar kit will PAY itself off in 1 week. Trust me when I say this :)

and last but not least. I have been trying hard to take care of myself. I have been exercising in the morning, eating better, giving myself facials and manicures, whatever it is to make myself feel good about me. If I don't feel good about me then I cant care for my family properly. A happy Mom is a Happy Family :)

Crockpot Beef Stew

What you need~
1 pound stew meat
6 potatoes peeled and cubed
6 carrots peeled and chunk cut
2 stalks of celery diced
1/4 onion diced
1 large clove of garlic minced
1 quart of Beef Broth or Stock or water ...doesn't matter honestly!
2 packets of beef stew mix
2 cups of flour with 1T. salt added

TOTAL COST~ roughly 10 bucks for a large crock pot full of beef stew!

First take the meat cut the chunks smaller into bite size...they will be super tender that way. Then place the pieces all at once in flour....in a large skillet add in 2T. margarine or butter and 2T. oil and make it hot.... we want to sear the meat... then take meat and coat in with your fingers and strain off excess flour ...we want  dry flour dredged meat. Then place meat in skillet and in a single layer and brown up ...but not totally cook...so around 5 minutes tops in pan. Place in crock pot.

Then saute up the garlic and onion on medium low until the onion turn translucent or clear like color... add into the meat.

Mix together the beef stew packet and broth in the pan...don't rinse pan a all... we want all the flavors from meat, and onions. Mix up for a minute or so then dump into the meat sitting in crock pot.

Peel, cut and dice up the veggies and place in the crock pot. Keep pieces small if cooking a short time. But never make them to big it would take more than a bite.

Place the lid on crock pot...and cook high 3 hours or low 6-8 hours.

This is the beautiful dish once its cooked and tender :) Enjoy with some biscuits, cornbread or homemade dinner rolls. :) The meat is sooo tender it melts in my mouth and the veggies are soft but not mushy!

Made Over Enchiladas...Chicken Style

What you need ~
2- 15 ounce cans of Enchilada sauce
3 cups of shredded cheese
2T. taco seasoning
1 pound of shredded chicken breasts
20 corn tortillas
1/2 cup of salsa

TOTAL COST~ shredding my own cheese, cooking and shredding my own chicken, saves me on cost and can easily be made for around 10 bucks a pan!

Well enchiladas and anything Mexican in this house is a favorite. So since we love enchiladas, just not the grease and calories I made over our favorite dish so my hubby didn't feel deprived when he is hardcore dieting. So here is my ooey gooey chicken enchiladas!

Mix together about a pound of cooked and shredded chicken breasts, add in a half of a cup of enchilada sauce, 2T. taco bell taco seasoning, 1/2 cup of medium salsa and 1 cup shredded Tillamook cheese.

Now to avoid frying tortillas to make pliable...I take a clean towel and make it wet...then wring it out and place corn tortillas in it and wrap like a package. Microwave for 2.5 minutes and they will be soft enough to roll up without breaking.

Then take the rest of the 15 ounce can of enchilada sauce you used to add in the chicken and pour on the bottom of the baking dish you plan to use.

Add about a tablespoon of filling in each tortilla and roll up... keep doing that until pan is full.

Then after all of your enchiladas are rolled up pour another 15 ounce can of enchilada sauce over them and the rest of your shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes it will look like this all yummy...but wait!!! Let it rest for 5 minutes so they come out of the pan easier... then top with sour cream and enjoy!

2.50 Dollar Breakfast Lunch or Dinner.. Perfect Potatoe Hash Topped with a Perfect Poached Egg

This is a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner. I made a simple hash of potatoes cubed and fried with onions and green peppers, then added in some leftover crisped up turkey bacon and topped with a perfect poached egg!. So yummy and super cheap meal. You can also use sausage, deli ham, corned beef and or whatever you have leftover. You creation, your meal made simple and delicious!

Quick way to poach an egg.. take a big pan fill 1/2 with water..bring to boil and take it down to low so it stops boiling but stays hot... then add in 2T of vinegar and slowly add in one egg at time... then cook on low until it is done to desired...medium well about 4-5 minutes...drain on paper towels and place over your hash...

BREAKDOWN OF COST~ 6 potatoes scrubbed and cubed up .75 cents
6 pieces of turkey bacon ~ .75 cents
4 eggs~ 50 cents
1/8 cup diced onions and 1/4 of a peppers diced ~ .50 cents... little of these babies go along way

Total Cost fr a Family of 4~ 2.50 !!! serve with fruit and toast if desired

Online Dating 101

I know many of my readers don't know I help people all over the world with their online dating profiles, and helping people find and land dates with the possibly of finding the love of their life. I am always amazed how shy people are online. Silly people! Honesty and being natural is so key to online dating; just as it is in real world dating. Free sites like OKcupid.com makes it easy and simple and FREE of course to find people all over the world. I once helped this really nice guy in India find a date online, talk about impossible but possible since that is still a taboo way of dating in their culture. If anyone would like me to help them please contact me at ewingold17@gmail.com . I would be honored to help you!

Five things to keep in mind when online dating.....

1. HONESTY
2. RELAX
3. BE RELATEABLE
4. DONT DO PICK UP LINES
5. JUST HAVE FUN