graze update 4.21.14

We received our third graze package on 4/14/14 -- again, exactly two weeks from the previous box.  You can read my other posts HERE, HERE, and HERE.

The four snacks included in this box were:

• white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake (white chocolate, raspberry cranberries and hazelnuts) - I confess, I ate this w/o the nuts.  The white chocolate and raspberry infused cranberries were delightful together!  My hubby was happy to eat the hazelnuts later.
• cracking black pepper cashews - which my hubby said were good!
• my thai (sweet chili sauce with baked soy bites) - "Eh" was the response I got from my hubby. Hmmm, not a "glowing review" really.
• summer berry flapjack - which my daughter enjoyed, even though she isn't a fan of cranberries in her food.  She said they were chopped up pretty fine.

After each box is consumed, I make sure I go back to the graze website where I can rate our snacks and say whether or not we'd like to have them again.  You can also rate other snacks so that the nice people at graze have an idea what you'd like to receive in your next box.

While our family has enjoyed almost all of the snacks that were sent to us, I have to be practical about the expense.  It's unrealistic to continue to pay $1.25-$1.50 for each little one serving snack when I can (for example) get a box of granola bars on sale, making them about .25/each.  Because I shop sales and use coupons, I'm pretty good with getting my money's worth out of our food!

$1.50 for one serving

-OR-

$1.00 for SIX

You get my meaning?  I know you do.  It was nice for a little trial run -- and THANK YOU to the lovely readers who used my friend code, earning me $1 off three boxes.  However, being the penny pincher that I am, I will unsubscribe after my next box (since I've already been given $1 off that box).

And regarding "serving size", this thought crossed my mind...  Perhaps the "takeaway" from this little experiment is that when I purchase fresh fruit or veggies or boxes/bags of snacks, the BEST idea is to right away break it down into the recommended serving sizes and place in snack size zip bags or plastic containers.  I know a lot of moms do this for little kids -- but it's not such a bad idea for big kids and adults either!  If I leave an item around IN BULK, it's likely to be eaten that way, or at the very least -- in questionable quantities.

Just a reminder: if you use my MY FRIEND CODE to order, you get your first and fifth boxes FREE. When you sign up and encourage friends to use your friend code, you'll get a dollar discount (per friend).

FYI - I will still plan on "reviewing" my last box, if only for the purpose of reviewing the snacks for you.  If these posts have been of any help to you, I'd love to hear about it!  Just leave me a comment.  I promise, I'll respond.  ;D

** I received no compensation for this post.  Just thought I share our experience with a new product.

Opinions are mine -- and my family's.

How to Be the Best Hostess EVER

First things first...

You've entered YESTERDAY'S GIVEAWAY-- right?. {If not, you can go do it now.  I'll wait.....}

And now to the issue at hand... HOSTESSING.

On Easter, it struck me all over again how blessed I am to be part of such a great TEAM with my Mom and Jill. We can really put together a nice meal.  Sure... each of us can also do it on our own.  But, as the non-hostess, how EASY is it for me to bring just a side dish to help out? And guess what?  That's one less thing the hostess will have to worry about making/baking, refrigerating/storing, or even purcha$ing!  [There are many ways to help a hostess, and lets just say it... financially is one of them.]

I spoke to a sweet lady on Easter Sunday who was stressed out about getting home in time to put the potato casserole into the oven.  She was worried about what her daughter-in-law would bring -- because they never communicate that ahead of time.  She had a bit of an attitude about others who would be coming to lunch, and hadn't offered to help at all.  When I told her our "system," she admitted that her bad attitude and stress was probably her own fault, because she'd never asked for help, or suggested what anyone could bring.  She tried to do it all herself.

There are times when that is appropriate, and it works just fine.  But usually in those situations, you have already mentally prepared yourself to carry the entire workload.

I would like to suggest that part of being a good hostess is realizing that your guests cannot/should not be expected to read your mind!  Don't be afraid to ask your guests to help out, and if you have something specific in mind then, by all means, be specific.

And of course, there's the other side of the coin.  Part of being a good guest is offering to help in some way. The "party" is much more interesting when teamwork is involved!

What are your thoughts about being the "Best Hostess EVER?"

FROM EASTER :: We enjoyed an awesome meal at Jill's, and I came home with these photos.  I laughed, thinking "this is how you know your kids have grown up.... when you come home with only photos of THE TABLE!'  Oy.  But it WAS a pretty table!

graze update 4.04.14

Here we go with our second package, received on 3/31/14 -- exactly two weeks from the first box.  You can read my first two posts HERE and HERE.  If you have seen the ads, or are considering subscribing to graze, I hope these reviews will be helpful.

The four snacks included in this box were:

• fruity mango chutney (with black pepper dippers) - I dove into this one because I love almost anything mango.  Almost.  Turns out mango is kind of weird with a kick - IMHO.  The dippers were "okay."
• apple crumble (apple, raisins, and cinnamon honey almonds) - my hubby ate & enjoyed.
• smoky bbq corn (smoked cashews & jumbo corn) - my hubby who loves cashews said this one is a keeper.  He liked it because it was really crunchy.  A good crunch always makes a snack worthwhile!
• chocolate orange (Belgian dark chocolate, orange raisins and hazelnuts) - the hazelnuts weren't really my thing, although they tasted of the orange-infused raisins, which were yummy.  And the Belgian chocolate?  Delicious!)

My plan is to get 2-3 more boxes, and then evaluate whether we will continue our subscription.  My first box was free, and I've had three friends use my friend code [thank you!], earning me $1 off a box (x 3).  The only problem I have is that my daughter has [some] nut allergies, and doesn't get to eat many of the snacks. Since she hasn't actually been tested for her allergies, she is a little hesitant about trying anything new with nuts.  When I signed up for graze, there was a spot to click a "no nut" option.  When I did that, it said something like sorry, we don't provide that option right now -- so I'll take that into account in my evaluation, as well.

Just a reminder: if you use my MY FRIEND CODE to order, you get your first and fifth boxes FREE, and I get $1 off my next order.  When you sign up and encourage friends to use your friend code, you'll also get that dollar discount (per friend).

Still grazing...

** I received no compensation for this post.  Just thought I share our experience with a new product.

Opinions are mine -- and my family's.

graze update 3.24.14

Our first graze box arrived on 3/17/14.    I waited a few days to tell you about it -- until all of the snacks were consumed.

The four snacks included in our box were:

• honeycomb flapjacks - my daughter enjoyed these and would like to have them again.
• bonnie wee oatbakes w/ caramelized red onion marmalade - this was a really different treat!  Yum.
• chili and honey almonds - the "chili" in the name caught my eye, and I thought they would be hot & spicy for my hubby...  Guess I missed the "honey."  He said they were good -- but I don't need to order them again.  Onward...
• tutti frutti - My hubby (who also ate these) said, "It was mostly raisins."  So I went back to read the description which says: "blueberry infused cranberries, pineapple, cherry infused raisins and green raisins."  So, my sweet hubby was right on the mark, and apparently wishing for something other than raisins - LOL.  He says we can skip this one next time.

At first glance... the snacks seem pretty small.  But remember, folks.  This is portion controlled packaging.  The whole point is that you don't have a whole bag of chips and a carton of dip in front of you [or in front of ME -- as the case may be].  If you find that hard to swallow, this may not be your cup of tea.

As soon as I knew how we felt about each option, I went back to my account on the graze web-site, found the "your boxes" tab at the top of the page, and checked one of these four options for each of the snacks that we received:

• trash - never send me this
• try - happy to try
• like - send occasionally
• love - send regularly

Another happy addition is that you receive a sweet little card with some graze info, as well as complete nutritional labels for each snack.  So if you're keeping track of more than just calories [like carbs, for example], that information is right at your fingertips.

Will we order again?  Yes.  There are some yummy choices on the site that we'd like to try.

Don't forget, you can use MY FRIEND CODE to get your first and fifth boxes FREE!  In the interest of full discloser: if you use my friend code to order, I get $1 off my next order.  The good news is, the same holds true for you when you sign up and encourage friends to use your friend code.

I like that I can cancel at any time -- you know, in case we ultimately decide it's not our thing.  In the meantime, we'll graze a little more...

** I received no compensation for this post.  Just thought I share our experience with a new product.

Opinions are mine -- and my family's.

graze

I just signed up to get some yummy snacks in the mail -- FOUR selections every two weeks.  I'm hoping it will give my family some new and healthier ideas for snacking.

My daughter and I happened to see a graze commercial on TV that gave an online code to get our first box of healthy snacks free, and so I was willing to try it.  When I signed up, they gave me a friend code to share with YOU, so that you could get your FIRST and FIFTH boxes FREE!

The cost is $6 [shipping is included], and they say that four healthy [and hello?  portion controlled!] snacks will arrive in a box that fits in most mailboxes. Head on over to graze.com to check out the snack options. Then, if you decide to sign up, you can do that here using  MY FRIEND CODE to get TWO free boxes (first and fifth).  You can cancel at any time -- even after the first box!  There is no commitment, but you do have to go on-line to cancel far enough in advance so that they haven't already prepared your next package. They ship on a two-week cycle, or you can change your settings to receive a box every four weeks instead.

You'll find lots of snack options under these headings:

• graze's popping corn
• dips and dippers
• flapjacks
• savory selection
• healthy treats
• pure fruit
• whole nuts
• pure fruit, nuts, and seeds
• super seeds
• a touch of chocolate

I hope to be able to give you a great report when we receive our first box!  Stay tuned.

{MY FRIEND CODE}

** I received no compensation for this post.  Opinions are mine -- and my family's.

Bloggers: Show Your Face!

I am by no means a blogging expert.  In fact, I am totally self-taught in this whole blogging thing... so, I love it when someone shares something with me that is so helpful -- even just on a basic level.

So, in the spirit of being helpful, here is a bit of advice, given from my humble perspective.  I know you didn't ask, but bear with me.

I was just surfing through a bunch of new blogs that someone recommended, and I realized something.  One of the first things that I look for when visiting a blog is a photo of the blogger.  Not because it matters what a blogger LOOKS like -- but because it makes our visit much more personal.  If your photo is on your blog, I feel like I'm making a connection with a new friend  -- like visiting over a cup of coffee or tea.  If there's no photo... well, the visit isn't quite the same.

Also, I am much more likely (I've noticed) to leave a comment on a blog when I've "met" the blogger via a photo and an "about" paragraph or page -- as opposed to a generic bio with limited information and no photo.  I guess I just like to see who I'm "talking" to.

C'mon.  Don't be shy.

Lots of the big bloggers have really professional-looking pictures.  Mine is just cropped from a family vacation photo.  Some bloggers use "selfies."

A profile picture.  It's a good thing (as you-know-who would say).

By the way... I'll be by for tea tomorrow, okay?  *wink

p.s.  Also my opinion, but if you have a FB "page" or any kind of social media account for your blog... your picture should be there too!  It's a great way to connect with your readers, and using the same photo from account to account provides continuity!

Observations on "Honey"

The other night, my sweet hubby took me out for dinner.  We visited a little diner about an hour away from home. He'd heard that they had good burgers, so we went to check it out.  The waitress (younger than us) called us both "Honey" several times during our visit.  I caught my hubby looking at her wondering (I think) if she could possibly be speaking to HIM? -- and it got me thinking about how I feel when different people call me "Honey."  I have very mixed reactions as you'll see.

When somebody younger than me calls me "Honey" -- I am a little put out.  I feel like they're talking down to me as if I'm slightly daft.  (Really?  Slightly DAFT?  It's possible I watch too much "Downton Abbey.")

When somebody older than me calls me "Honey" -- I find it endearing.

When a man whom I don't know calls me "Honey" -- it creeps me out a little.  (Okay, more than a little.)

In general, when people who don't know me call me "Honey" -- I think it's a little presumptuous... or at the very least ODD.

When my friends call me "Honey" -- I don't mind at all.

When my sweetie calls me "Honey" -- oh wait, he doesn't.  HE calls me "Babe."

No Resolutions. No Word. No Kidding!

I mentioned in a previous post that I don't make resolutions in the new year.  However, this year, I have committed to sending out birthday cards to family and close friends.  Also, I've taken Layla's challenge.

I have had "words of the year" the last two years.  They were JOY and TRUST.  Both good words.  This year, I don't have a word.

But the other thing I will try to tackle is a 30 days/30 bags challenge issued by Jill.  She started by de-cluttering her Christmas decorations as she put them away, and ended up with a garbage bag, and half a bag to give away. The number of bags isn't as important as the process, right?

Yep.  I'm really shakin' it up so far in 2013.

How about you?  Resolutions?  Words?  Shakin' it up? *wink*

Morning

Here I sit, a hot cup of tea held on my lap.  Morning.

Morning used to be the enemy.

I am, by my very nature, a night-owl.  Grandparents, my dad, me, and now my daughter too.  Night owls.  Morning doesn't come quite so easily for us.

But, for me, the shift came last fall, when our son started school.  You've heard me tell it before.  And now -- morning isn't quite so hard.  In fact, my favorite weekdays are when my guys head out EARLY, my daughter is still sleeping, and I get the morning to myself.

I love the quiet of the house.  I love to sit here at my desk, the refrigerator running next to me.  Clock ticking on the wall.  The rest of the world, silent.

What's your favorite time of day?

5:30AM Doesn't Work for Night Owls

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate getting up early?  I know.  "Hate" is a strong word. We always discouraged our kids from using it.  Trust me.  It fits here, and since it is meant against no-one in particular, I've made an executive decision to use it.

Do you "hate" mornings, too?  Or are you a morning person?

I've never been a morning person (just ask my mom, who would call repeatedly up the stairs in the morning to make sure I was up).  I am a night owl by nature -- especially since I became a mama many long years ago...  My goodness, that was when I put the kids to bed, and got my second wind.  I would accomplish the most during their nap times, or at night while they slept.  Even though they're older now (read: I can accomplish things while they are awake), I still consider myself a night owl.

I'm a night owl.  Are you?

Well, until recently, that is.

With our son now in public school, it is our practice to get up at 5:30, as you know if you read my blog regularly.  This may be your "normal" school year wake-up time, but as former homeschoolers, it was never ours.  Now... it is.

5:30 sure does come early.  Earlier every day it seems.  I can feel my body adjusting to it. Initially, though, my body balked at the idea of rising so early -- so much so, that I felt physically ill to be upright at such an hour.  Really.  But... each morning gets a little easier. If I just keep moving, I can accomplish a lot of stuff before anyone else gets up.  [Oh, all you morning people -- STOP saying "I told you so."]  I'm not "dressed to shoes" or anything as drastic as that.  Heavens, NO!  But I'm up and moving, and getting things done, and sometimes, just sitting and listening to the clocks tick while I enjoy my first cup of tea.

Here's what I've learned.  I've learned to love the silence of 5:30.  I almost look forward to getting up that early just to experience the quietness of the hour.

And back to the whole idea of being a night owl?  Yeah, not so much anymore.  I find that if I really want to watch a show during the evening, that it's smarter to record it for the next day, because I WILL NOT stay awake to watch it.  5:30 comes pretty early.