Egg Breakfast Muffins & Frittata Muffins

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I finally got around to making an easy, convenient, AND healthy breakfast meal last week. Actually two variations of the same thing: egg breakfast muffins and frittata muffins! And to run the risk of tooting my own horn, I must admit, they turned out pretty darn well!

First, my flubs: I learned that there’s a reason refrigerated biscuit dough has an expiration date! lol So, I improvised and used breadstick dough instead — with delicious results!  Second, I did not brown the potatoes beforehand for the frittatas, and they came out a little mushy; still tasty overall, but I would prefer a little more frittata-like crunch.

Also, search for coupons for these ingredients here.  (I didn’t link to them because they’ll change too frequently!)  🙂

Ingredients (makes both egg breakfast muffins AND frittata muffins)

  • 1 can refrigerated breadstick dough (or any dough of your choosing)
  • ~ 1 c. frozen diced potatoes (I used potatoes o’Brian, for an extra kick)
  • ~ 12 eggs (I used egg substitute: 3/4 egg whites, 1/4 “regular” egg substitute)
  • ~ 1 c. shredded cheese
  • 1 c. spinach, finely chopped
  • 1/2 c. frozen onion and three pepper mix
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Egg Breakfast Muffins

Egg Breakfast Muffins:

Preheat oven to 450.  Spray muffin tins, and press thin layer of dough in to each spot.  (I just used enough to cover bottom and sides — you’ll have to mold a little bit, and make sure there are no gaps or holes in dough.)  Whisk eggs together in bowl, along with salt and pepper.  Stir in chopped spinach and cheese.  Spoon (or pour) in to muffin tins, about 2/3 full.  Top with additional cheese if desired.  Bake for about 13-15 minutes, until tops are gold and bubbly.

 

Egg breakfast muffin

Frittata Muffins

Preheat oven to 450. Spray muffin tins, and place a thin layer of potatoes* on bottom of each muffin tin cup. Pour egg mixture, in to each cup, about 2/3 full. Place about 1 tbsp onion and pepper mixture in to each cup. Top with shredded cheese. Bake 17-20 minutes, until tops are gold and bubbly.

* – I did not cook the potatoes beforehand. However, I may opt to brown them in a skillet next time, as I think it’ll add a little more crunch to the muffins.

egg breakfast muffin

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Are You Throwing Out Coupons in Your Junk Mail??

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Did you know you may be getting full Smart Source insert coupons in your mailbox every week??  Check out my latest vlog to see if you are, too!  IF you find you are getting them, let me know!

 

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Take a Load Off Your Laundry – Practical Tips to Beat the Laundry Blahs

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Tips for beating the laundry blahs

 

Take a load off your laundry?  I’ll be the first to say it: I loath laundry!  Perhaps because it’s one of those household tasks that literally never ends, or because stubborn stains just seem to laugh at you time after time, or perhaps it’s the snarky sock monster — for whatever reason, I know I’m not alone in my feelings about this.  Am I right?

In any case, I’ve developed a few strategies to help ease the pain of this never-ending saga known as laundry.  Take a look, and see which ones work for you, or what more you would add to this.

* Schedule it: I do one load of laundry every weekday.  (An awesome tip I picked up from The Stressed Mom!)  I’ve found that by sticking to a schedule, and doing just one load a day, it’s MUCH more manageable for me.  I bring that load down either first thing in the morning or after I put the kids to bed the night before; throw the clothes in the dryer in the morning; then fold while the kids nap – or whenever I get a moment.  This also allows for a little wiggle room, like if I fall behind, it’s not dreadful to catch up, doing two loads a day, or simply moving each load back a day, and doing one load over the weekend.  Here’s my schedule, if you need some inspiration: Monday – whites; Tuesday – darks; Wednesday – alternate between bed sheets and hub’s dress shirts; Thursday – towels (includes all bibs, washcloths, hand towels, etc); Friday – kids clothes

Vinegar! If you haven’t unleashed the awesomeness that is vinegar, the laundry is a great place to start.  Since I only use a little bit of laundry detergent, I fill the rest of my cup with vinegar.   This acts as both a fabric softener, and helps to brighten clothes.  As a bonus, it costs only a buck or two for a gallon size, compared to the much smaller containers of liquid fabric softener.

Make it Smell Good.  Yeah, this may seem silly, but indulge in products like Downy Unstopables or Purex Crystals for select loads of laundry, and your senses will thank you!  I use them on bed sheets, towels, and my husband’s dress shirts.  (I also stick some in mismatched baby socks, and toss them under the trash bags in our diaper pail and kitchen trash.  This makes a BIG difference!)  An added benefit is the rather long-lasting scent that’ll stick with you (er, your clothes) for WEEKS!

* Designate a “Soaking” Area. I’m fortunate to have a sink in my laundry room; but I don’t like taking up the sink for the sake of soaking one (or even a few) pieces of clothes in the process, nor using the washing machine either.  SO, I use a small bucket or tub (the ones we brought home with us from the hospital) to soak a few items.  I use a paint stick to stir or agitate when needed.  This would be easy to do in a smaller laundry area, as well.  (P.S.  WHY don’t I soak in the machine?  Because sometimes I let items soak overnight, and want to keep the machine available.  Also, it typically takes less water to soak this way.)

That’s a few of my favorite laundry tips.  Do you have others you’d like to share?  Please comment below with some of your favorite tips OR questions about laundry.

Keep on saving!  :o)

–Barbara [Read more…]
Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Jump Start Your Work at Home Mom Business in the New Year

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work at home moms, moms and business ideas, wahm tips

With the skyrocketing cost of child care, school safety concerns and mommy guilt there are an array of reasons why moms are exploring working from home

 Maybe it’s one of your New Years Resolutions to leave your full-time job. Maybe you’re home on maternity leave and dread the idea of putting your child in daycare. Maybe you’re like me with no family close by to help care for your kids. 

I hope you find this list helpful to jump start your work at home mom business in the New Year. The list includes a number of things I failed at in my first year as a business mom and I wish I could have done differently. Share it with your friends, family or your mommy group if you find it helpful. 

 1. Do research on your ideal client. Find out how much they’d like to spend on your product or service. Host a focus group or survey your friends. 

 2. Get help with child care so you can focus on your business. This could be as simple as asking your husband or partner to wake up earlier to help with the kids, hiring a part-time babysitter or a mother’s helper

 3. Start small. Instead of going after everyone, find one to three clients or customer and do your best work. This will keep you from getting overwhelmed. 

 4. Find a support network of work at home moms or start your own. I’m a member of a few networking groups including Ladies Who Launch in Atlanta. I’ve found a few mommy groups on Meetup that have also been ways to meet clients and customers.Online forums are another great source. 

 5. Keep start up costs low. Don’t go out and invest in new equipment or technology. Resist the urge to get a business loan. Use your home computer and office supplies until you generate enough revenue to justify the expense. 

Author: Joyce Brewer is the creator/host of MommyTalkShow.com, an online parenting talk show. Joyce became a work at home mom after she got engaged, married, moved to Atlanta and had a baby in one year’s time. The former TV news anchor creates videos reviews of products/services moms will love to TALK about. She also interviewed successful Atlanta mompreneurs for her e-book, Use What You Know: A Business Idea Guide for Moms. It features more than 40 business ideas moms can start using their skills and expertise.

Keep on saving!  :o)

–Barbara
**This post may contain affiliate links.**
Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Wordless Wednesday: PINK Girls and Chunky Babies

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Today was the first day back at school for my daughter, so she naturally felt compelled to show off her new pink threads.

Little guy had his one-year check-up this morning, too.

Both are doing quite well, but only ONE is sleeping off the ensuing traumas from their morning. 😉

Atlanta's Chunky Baby
Playing with teething beads, all 22 lbs of him.

Atlanta's Pink Preschooler
Pretty in (all) pink –yep, those are cowgirl boots.
Keep on saving!  :o)
–Barbara 

**This post may contain affiliate links.**

Follow Me on Pinterest

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Teaching My Child to Brush Her Teeth and Wash Her Hands

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teaching my child to brush her teeth

We successfully tackled potty training about a year and a half ago, so when my daughter started preschool last year, her teacher taught the class a song to help with proper hand washing.  To the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:

Wash, wash, wash your hands,
Wash them very clean.
Wash the fronts and wash the backs,
and even in-between.  Yeah!*

*My daughter and I added the enthusiastic “yeah!”

teaching my child to brush her teeth


We would repeat a few times while she washed, and it served as a good way for her to remember to do a complete, proper hand wash.  teaching my child to brush her teeth - washing hands

So, here I find myself teaching my child to brush her teeth through song – along the same -ahem- note, we adapted the song to brushing teeth:

Brush, brush, brush your teeth,
Brush them very clean.
Brush the tops and brush the bottoms,
and even brush your tongue!

teaching my child to brush her teeth - washing-hands2

Do you have any clever songs you use with your kids? What ways do you help your kids learn and maintain good hygiene habits?

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40: The Most Comfortable Rear-Facing Car Seat EVER!

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



A few years ago, momentum began to build for the case of keeping your child rear-facing for longer than the recommended one year.  So, last year when the American Academy of Pediatrics officially updated their stance, recommending rear-facing car seats at least until the age of two, with the idea that toddlers are more than five times safer when rear-facing.

Naturally, many parents glanced at their kids and then glanced at their infant carriers, scratching their heads at how on earth they would be able to adhere to these new guidelines — after all, their child was already crammed in there, legs squished between the carrier and the seat.

Enter: the Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40!

Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40

Comes in two designs: Mena (left) and Moonstruck (right)
Thanks, Krystyn of Really, Are You Serious for sharing this pic!

I had the opportunity to meet with about a dozen other Atlanta area mom bloggers, and we got an up-close look at this innovative car seat.  Some of its key features, allowing it to stand apart from other infant car seats currently on the market include:

  • simple “click” technology, allowing for super-easy, yet secure, transfer from car to stroller
  • accommodates 4 to 40 lbs rear facing — that’s a full two years for most infants/toddlers
  • 8 reclining positions to adjust for growing legs, and with more leg room the child sits up more, like a forward-facing seat
  • a foot rest/kick plate (with actual feet on it!) to keep your vehicle’s seat safe from busy feet (see pic below)
  • an easy, peasy harness adjustment mechanism: one swift move allows for easy adjustment — no more pulling the back of the car seat apart!
Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40
Look at the cute little feet!!
Photo courtesy of Really, Are You Serious
Y’all, I’m not kidding when I say, this car seat is super-cool, rocks-my-socks awesome!  And I don’t normally get excited about a car seat.  Honestly.  Your child will GROW with this car seat comfortably, and you will have the piece of mind in it’s safety for the full two years.
Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40
Here I am, pondering the seat…
The Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40 is available exclusively at Babies R Us for $219.99 — and additional bases and the “matching” stroller are also available.  Utilize a 20% off coupon, and you can snag this car seat for $176!
 
Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40
In spite of my shear enthusiam,
my son was not impressed by the whole ordeal…  ;o)
Looking for a super-cute way to keep your baby warm, while in the super-cute Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40?  You can get a FREE car seat canopy (just pay shipping) here, and use promo code ENBABY.
Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40

The Graco SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40 – the first and only newborn to two-year infant car seat that actually grows with your baby from four pounds all the way up to 40 pounds. The car seat is designed for a parent on the go. The infant car seat can be easily removed from the base and used as a carrier when the infant is small, providing portability and convenience so you can easily move your infant in and out of the car without disturbing them.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently made the recommendation to keep all children in rear-facing car seats until the age of 2. Graco set out to make this product so parents can keep infants rear facing longer while still keeping them comfortable.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Graco. The opinions and text are all mine.

 

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

10 Essential Newborn Items *Possible Baby Shower Gifts*

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Since my sister is weeks away from welcoming her first in to the world, I can’t help but find myself wondering around Amazon and other sites, looking at all the latest and greatest in the world of “baby stuff”.  (You know, since MY little guy is approaching his one year birthday…)

I recently came across this list of “Newborn Essentials” — and it claims to be 10 items “You Probably Didn’t Know You Needed”

While I think much of this is true, I can’t help but wonder, if y’all agree or disagree?  What would you add or take off this list?  :o)  I have SEVEN of these items — and y’all know I think many baby items aren’t essential!  Of course, every baby’s nursery should be filled with board books as well as well-loved classics to read aloud to your kids.

This list was compiled by Amazon here: 10 Essential Newborn Items and I added my own two cents, along with a few other things *I* find essential!  Would love to hear y’alls thoughts. 🙂

essential newborn items - moses basket

10.  A moses basket – designed to allow you to move a slumbering newborn from room to room, since that’s their primary job.  But please advice, you should NOT carry infant in said basket, as it’s neither designed nor sturdy enough for carrying a baby.  (So what’s the point of it, then??)

essential newborn items - diaper caddy

9. Diaper caddy – Meh.  This is also designed to make it easy to change baby anywhere.  But, IMO, unless you live in a luxurious, super-spacious mansion, why not just take baby to a dedicated diaper-changing spot?  We always kept a “station” downstairs in the den for diaper changes.  Mostly done on the floor.  (Did I mention, we never really used a changing table, too – especially with my second child?)

essential newborn items - portable swing

8. Travel swing – Ok.  So baby swings can be big, bulky space-suckers, but also complete life-savers for many a’weary parent or cranky baby.  So the best of both world are travel swings: they can fold up and come with you around the house, on the porch, wherever you need it to go!  You can usually pick one up second hand at a garage sale, consignment sale, or a local Facebook sell/swap group for under twenty bucks.

 essential newborn items - baby carriers

7.  sling or wrap – Hands down, I big-fat-puffy-pink-heart LOVED carrying/wearing my children.  For my daughter, I had a secondhand Baby Bjorn, and I snuggled with her particularly when I went to the grocery store, until she was big enough to sit up in the cart seat (with a cushiony grocery cart seat cover, of course!)  Once my son came along, a carrier become imperative!  Luckily, I was gifted a Moby Wrap – and, man!, once i got the hang of that thing, it was absolutely FANTASTIC, not to mention essential to keep me hands free with two children.  There are so  many carriers, slings, and wraps out there – you’re bound to find one that works for you and your baby.

essential newborn items - rocker/glider6.  glider – My son is two years old, and we still snuggle in our old, secondhand rickety glider.  Gliders/rockers are an essential luxury for bonding with your little ones – whether its used for nursing, reading, or just plain ol’ rocking.  Some of my sweetest moments with each of my children happened while rocking.

 essential newborn items - swaddle blanket

5.  swaddle blankets – holy moly!  I don’t know what parents with newborns did before these magical, miracle blankets! The very best advice I got when my son was a newborn and not fond of sleeping at night was to wrap him in a swaddle blanket, give him a paci, and crank up the sound machine.  As an added benefit, “baby burritos” just look so darn cute, don’t they?  😉  There are so many options to choose from, too: sleep sacks, straight-up swaddle blankets, and fitted/formed swaddling “pods”.  You can also check out more on baby sleeping advice here.

essential newborn items - sound machine

4.  white noise machine – Again, along with the swaddlers, I found the sound machine to be a God-send.  In fact, my kids are well past infancy, but they still sleep with one.  They are fantastic for blocking out noise, which means you don’t need to achieve a silent household in order for your little one to slumber.  You can get an actual sound machine (<== that’s the one I have in each of my kids’ rooms), or even utilize a free app on your smartphone.

essential newborn items - waterproof mattress pad

3.  waterproof mattress pad – Let’s face it: babies create yucky messes.  Your baby will vomit at some point in his crib.  He will also have an explosive diaper in his crib.  (…and if a seasoned parent claims otherwise, smack them for me, please!)  So, why not minimize the amount of mess you’re cleaning, by protecting the crib’s mattress.  Actually, keep two waterproof mattress pads on hand, so you can easily change the crib sheets AND the mattress pad all at once.

essential newborn items - burp cloths

2.  Ok, here’s where Amazon and I differ greatly…  Their list has a nasal aspirator listed in the #2 spot.  But, ….I just can’t put this on *my* personal “essentials” list.  Instead, I give a nod to good ol’ fashion burp cloths.  Not only do they serve a very practical purpose, but both of my kids adapted them as “blankies” with which they cuddle and sleep with, even at (almost) five years old!  Mine love the Gerber terry cloth burp cloths, which come in adorable patterns and in multi-packs.  For the purposes of actually USING a burp cloth, I love the Gerber flat fold 10-pack.  They come in white, and are handy for wiping up any mess a baby can -um- throw your way.  And once your littles are older, they make great dust cloths, too!

essential newborn items - breast pump

1.  breast pump device – Yes, yes, and yes.  Even if you don’t intend to bottle feed, a pump is your breast-feeding BFF.  If pumping will be a regular part of your routine, a hands-free pump simply allows you to more easily go about your business whilst pumping.  Plain.  And.  Simple.  You don’t *need* anything fancy, particularly if you end up with a baby who won’t take a bottle (like my firstborn!), but at the very least, every nursing mother will need relief from time to time.  Also, keep in mind that insurances these days will help with the cost.  (Check with your provider for more information.)

***Check out how to find and stock up on cheap diapers!  That’s certain an essential newborn item, I’d say.***

Did you know you can easily set up a baby registry via Amazon?


Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Bib Clip: Making Feedings (A Little Less) Messy

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Perhaps knowing that I would one day have a son, I bough gender-neutral “toddler” pullover bibs when my daughter outgrew her “baby” bibs about two years ago.  ( I opted for the Cookie Monster and Elmo combo, similar to these here.)

Fast forward to the present, I have baby boy intent on constantly pulling off his “baby” bibs (basically any velcro or snap-on bib).  So a few weeks ago, I decided to try putting him in his sister’s old pullover ones.  The problem being, however, those were too long, and resulted in a gaping hole up front, allowing some of most of his food to fall through on to his shirt – thus, defeating the purpose of said bib! 

My solution?  I clipped the bib in the back, about an inch away from his neck — and voila!  No more messes!
Keep on saving!  :o)
–Barbara 
**This post may contain affiliate links.**

Follow Me on Pinterest

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Homemade "Pixie Dust"

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



Rumor has it, when mixed with happy thoughts, this edible, homemade pixie dust will lift your right off the ground.  ;o)


Riding the coattails of our trip to Disney World last month, I decided to create homemade (and edible) “pixie dust” for my daughter. It’s an easy thing to add to applesauce, PBJs, sprinkle a little over a plate of fruit — you name it! The best part? Thanks to my friends at NurturMe, it’s got peas and sweet potatoes in it!!

Here’s what I did. I used 1 package of NurturMe peas and 1 package of NurturMe sweet potatoes, combined with about 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, and 1 small tablespoon of sugar.  Voila!  Edible Pixie Dust.  


(Note: you’ll need to stir it a little bit before sprinkling on, as it tends to settle after a while.)

Keep on saving!  :o)
–Barbara
**This post may contain affiliate links.**

Follow Me on Pinterest

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Atlanta's Frugal Mom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. In other words, if you click through to Amazon from some of the books or products I recommend and make a purchase, I get a small percentage in exchange for your purchase. It's a small way you can support AFM.