Monday, September 27, 2010

Cucumber tips of the day:)

I copied this from here

As you will see, they are way more than just a salad ingredient!



One Slice Does It All

CUCUMBERS

Cucumbers contains most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains vitamin B1, B2, B3,B5, B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Iron, Potassium and Zinc.

Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the surface, it will eliminate the fog and provide a lovely spa-like fragrance.

Are slugs and grubs ruining your planting beds? Place a few cucumber slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum and give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and drive them from the area.

Looking for a fast and easy way to minimize cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumber along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer, reducing the visibility of the cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too.

Want to avoid a hangover or a terrible headache? Eat a few slices of cucumber before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache-free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins, electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium avoiding both a headache and a hangover.

Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explorers for quick meals to stave off starvation.

Realize you have an important meeting or interview and realize you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but will also repel water.

Out of WD-40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the squeaky hinge and voila the squeak is gone.

Stressed out and don’t have time for a massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a pot of boiling water, the chemicals and the nutrients of the cucumber will react with the boiling water and will be released in the steam, creating a soothing and relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress in new mothers and college students taking final exams.

Just finished a business lunch and realize that you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemicals will kill the bacteria in your mouth causing bad breath.

Looking for a a green way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, it won’t leave streaks and won’t harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.

Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of a cucumber and slowly rub to erase the pen writing; also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls.

Wow – What a little gem the cucumber is!!!


Sunday, September 12, 2010

Findings from our backyard...

So I was disappointed that we didn't get to plant a garden this year, you know with pregnancy, back aches, new house stuff etc. Our neighbor is getting ready to move away, and before she does she has been showing me what to do with gardening and what she knows from the previous owners plus she gave me a ton of books on gardening and trees, etc. We made 3 awesome finds: concord grapes, tomatillos, and an apple tree.

I am so excited. I have been researching how to care for them, when to harvest the fruit and recipes. So far we found one apple, the tree needs to be pruned and weeded around. The grape vines are producing a lot of grapes- I'm going to try making grape sorbet(Martha Stewart's recipe) and possibly some jam. The tomatillos are exciting because I love salsas, and will try to make one similar to the green sauce you get at Chipotle.
our grapes and tomatillos..and Evan picking them:)our cute tiny apple

I will let you know how it turns out. I am excited to try keep up on the raspberries we transplanted. I want to add onions, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos, peppers, cucumbers, squash, corn, carrots, aloe vera, pumpkins, rhubarb, and maybe a few other surprises. If you know how to garden in Colorado I would love to learn-otherwise I will be at the library researching:)

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

lots of pics..catch up time again:)

Lots of pics
Best Friends
Playing at the Littleton Museum
Just Chillin
So Cuddly
First time in the high chair-3 months old
"helping" in the kitchen:)
Loves to color
3 months old and loves to sit on daddy's lap
playing baby banger on the comuter
always baseball:)
family night at the park
Amy, Jefrie, Eastyn, Lucy, Peter and I at Mc D's
Helping me get ready for Fall:)
Always coloring
Bumbo time..can you believe he is so big!-3 months
more coloring
Best Friends always loving on each other
smooshing the face and then loving him-always making him giggle

loves talking on the phone
lego time
we all were sick-poor girl 2nd ear infection


our big little boy

books and more books
my cutie pies

can't resist this face
started out making lasagna filling, used potatoes, ended up making up a little potatoe yummy pancake:)
out for lunch

blessing day
stretch!-2 months
at the park

Monday, September 06, 2010

deals, freebies, etc. websites to keep you shopping cheap

So I love a bargain. I hate paying full price, and I am somewhat hooked when I hear there are great deals, or find some myself. Earlier this year I discovered a deal on my own, which got me at least 100 cans of tomatoes for 5 cents each and at least 100 boxes of pasta for FREE, yes, FREE! anyway, I follow a lot of sites, and get absorbed, I will eventually put up my new blog dedicated to finding deals and cool websites, but for now, a sneak peak. If you have great sites that you love, leave a comment and I will add it to my list. THANKS!

http://hip2save.com/

http://www.tjoos.com/

http://www.hookedonbargains.com

http://www.totallytarget.com


http://www.southerncalisaver.com/


http://www.inspiringyou2save.com


http://chitowncheapskate.blogspot.com/


http://thecouponproject.com


http://www.bucktownbargains.com


http://www.modnique.com/invite/collin@hip2save.com


http://www.forthemommas.com/


http://frugalshoppingwithjulie.com


http://couponsense.com/