Date nights on a budget are possible,
and very much encouraged.
The only requirements…time & creativity.
You don’t have to spend lots of money to be with the one you love.
Live in the moment, not beyond the means of your wallet.
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Today… 3 years ago at 12:36 am, our beautiful baby girl Amelia Rose (whom we affectionately call Mia) entered our lives.
Our youngest, but definitely not one to be looked over. She is the spunkiest of our 2 girls, and she doesn’t take “no” for an answer! She knows what she wants, and you can’t tell her otherwise. Although she comes off very shy, once she knows she can trust you, she’ll let you into her little world…a trait she must’ve learned from me 
She will be a force to be reckoned with in the future, and I’m not at all worried that she won’t find her place in this world.
And her go getter attitude has been with her from day one…during her birth, when she was crowning…the nurse went to get the doctor, but Amelia didn’t wait! She wanted to get out and start living! So she came out on her own! She pretty much said, “screw this! I’m not waiting for that doctor!” And pushed herself out! Haha! I love telling that story, because it befits her personality now.
We had a small birthday party for her this past Saturday at My Kids Clubhouse, all Little Mermaid themed out, per request from the birthday girl.
Then yesterday, we went to Barnes & Noble to claim her free birthday cupcake. (Join the Barnes & Noble Kids Club and get free stuff for your kids on their birthdays!)
We also took her to Chuck E. Cheese last night, where she pretty much cleaned Chuck E. out!!
And today, we’re tagging along with Big Sister to the zoo for her field trip, and maybe we’ll do a little shopping afterwards and get some ice cream. This girl’s got it made!!
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I absolutely love shopping for secondhand goods. The uniqueness of an item, and the worn out character of a previously owned piece, are what draws me to thrift stores. There’s also that exclusivity quality…no one will have what I will find, and it makes the hunt all the more special.
And I’ve been blessed to have found some treasures throughout the years…
{Bookcase – $12.50}
{Purse – $6.00}
{Carafe – $0.50}
{Trench Coat – $5.00}
{Book – $0.25; Flash Cards – $0.10}
{Train Case – $6.50}
{Wool Dress – $12.00}
I recently had a chance to go shopping again, and these were the things that I was able to snag…
I love the top! It’s got a laid back quality, and the material is a light polyester fabric that is perfect for breezy spring/summer days. I can see myself pairing it with skinny white jeans or a patterned skirt, & accessorizing with a colorful necklace or earrings.
The wicker picnic basket is something that I’ve just been wanting forever. I like to take the girls to the park or the beach and have small picnics. And this would be perfect for holding all our snacks, plates, cups & utensils in. It’s also got that vintage lifestyle vibe that I adore too.
Do you like going secondhand shopping? Find anything great?
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To all the loving, inspiring mother’s out there….
:: Happy Mother’s Day ::
Ever walk into a cafe or coffee shop and people watch? Even for just a second?
People conversing…
Some just reading, some typing up a storm
All with their own personal cup..caffeinated or not
Personalized with a touch of sugar or cream here or there
A multitude of people, a variety of personalities…of life.
In the blogging world, I’ve been able to meet a vast array of wonderful friends from around the world. Each with their own unique take on life. Contributing daily to their corners of the web.
People you would have a lovely time chatting with in a cafe.
But since this is the blogosphere, and none of us are really in the same city, I thought a virtual coffee/tea party would be perfect.
A chance for us to virtually get together…and for you to see how beautifully different we all are, through our favorite cups and mugs….
Louise | MJ | April | Stephanie | Maria | Ash | Clare | Ashley | Elijah
*all pictures are property of the blogger who’s name is on it, if you’d like to use these images, please ask them first.
** If you’re enjoying Laid Off Mom, show me your love on our Facebook Fan Page, subscribe to the blog on the sidebar, and follow me on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram: @laidoffmom
Remember my plan for the girls’ room?
Well, I’m slowly but surely getting there. I picked up a 24 x 28 in. mirror at Ross a while back for $12.99. And it’s been sitting in the corner for the longest time. So I decided it’d look great on top of the dresser in the girls’ room. But the brown faux finish was a little too grown up and dark for their room. It needed some paint. Here’s the mirror before I painted it…taped up with newspaper. (sorry, I forgot to take a pic of the mirror before taping it up)
Pin ItI’ve fallen in love…
**Greek Yogurt**
I’ve been seeing greek yogurt used on many dishes…either as a compliment or as a substitute for some things. And it got me curious. I bought a tub, and started using it to substitute things like sour cream…then I started putting them on my eggs, my crackers, and in my sandwiches. I went a little overboard, can you tell?! But it gave me a chance to try the yogurt on different things, to see what I liked, what I didn’t like.
And the best part of this greek yogurt is that it’s very high in protein….double the protein & half the amount of sugar as in regular yogurt. SCORE!!
My favorite greek yogurt is Chobani. I buy a big tub of the Plain flavor & small 6 oz. tubs of the various flavors. My favorite flavors so far: Vanilla, Strawberry & Mango.
With the weather here in SD feeling like summer already, I wanted to experiment with some simple summer inspired recipes. Not gourmet in any way, just fun & simple.
{ Almond Butter Pudding, Strawberry Parfait, Pita Chip Dip }
Almond Butter Pudding
6 oz. cup Greek Yogurt (Vanilla)
2 tsp Crunchy Almond Butter (add more or less to your liking)
2 tbsp Guitard Milk Chocolate Chips (or use your favorite chocolate & add more or less to your liking)
Drizzle of honey (adding more honey makes the yogurt sweeter, add more or less if you like)
Crumbled pieces of graham cracker (you can opt out of this, if you are on a low carb diet)
Mix all the ingredients together, except for the graham cracker. Taste as you mix to see what you like. Finger tasting is okay here =) Add the graham cracker on top like in the picture, if you wish.
Strawberry Parfait
6 oz. Greek Yogurt (Strawberry)
1/2 cup your favorite Granola (add more or less depending on what you like/how big your cup is)
Mix the yogurt with a spoon so that the fruit on the bottom is blended well. Layer the bottom of your cup/bowl with about a 1/2″ (or more if you like) of yogurt. Then add your favorite granola mix to the top of that layer. Repeat as many times as there is room in your cup/bowl.
*I used a store bought granola mix, but you can use this granola recipe if you’d like.
Pita Chip Dip
Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt Pita Chips with Sea Salt
Trader Joe’s Spicy, Smoky, Peach Salsa
Plain Greek Yogurt
Green Onions Cut
Just take your favorite salsa (I love this peach salsa from Trader Joe’s, makes me think of summer) and add a dollop (or more) of plain greek yogurt and sprinkle some green onions…and eat with your favorite brand of pita chips. Great summer snack for sitting outside on long summer afternoons….with a cocktail…or two.
What do you think? Appetizing?
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One of the things I love about going to Orange County is the vast array of Asian food and novelty gift shops. We have some great spots here in San Diego, but it doesn’t even compare.
When we were in the Anaheim/Irvine area, we did some fun browsing at a local plaza, and came upon this store.
What you’ll find in my workspace….
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