Life & Comfort Food Made Easy - Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham + the New Wal-mart Online Grocery Pick-up

If your family is anything like ours... the evenings are filled with activities, practice, meetings and homework.  As much as it saddens me to say it, we only get to sit down for dinner as a family a few nights a week anymore.  In the past, we would often hit a near-by drive thru to pick up a quick meal in between drop offs.  But when this school year started, I made a vow that we would be better about eating more meals at home.  However, it's still difficult when we are often not all home at the same time to eat.  So enter the trusty, reliable, always ready when you are ~ Crock Pot!  I am a meal planner.  Which basically means, I sit down each week and look at our schedules then plan meals according to what we have going on that night.  I make my grocery list and thanks to the new Wal-mart free online grocery pick up, have my grocery shopping completed in no time.  If you have yet to try this service, I highly recommend it!!  Go to Walmart.com and open a free account.  From there you simply shop for the items that you need and add them to your cart.  This can be anything from perishables to non-perishable items.  Once you have completed your order, you choose a pick up time that best fits into your schedule.  I like to place my order the night before and set my pick up time for right after the kids go to school, that way it's done before my day even officially starts.  :)  You pull into the designated parking spots in the lot and call the number on the sign.  Tell the associate what number lane you are in & within a few minutes ... they bring your groceries/ items out directly to your vehicle.  It's amazing!  Not only has this saved me a HUGE amount of time, but has cut our grocery spending in about half because I am no longer impulse buying as I meander up and down the aisles.  (I really didn't need that extra package of chocolate chip cookies anyway!)  

Growing up, I'm sure we all have fond memories of those favorite comfort foods that mom use to make... mine was always Scalloped Potatoes and Ham.  Yum!!  However, when you add in the factor of our busy nights, I completely forgot about this dish due to time constraints.  So when I found this Crock Pot recipe on Allrecipes.com , it quickly became a regular staple at our house.  It's so easy to make, budget friendly and ready to eat no matter what time one of us lands long enough to grab a bowl.  

Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped cooked ham
• 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper

Place chopped potatoes in a Crock Pot (use a liner for easy clean up).  In a medium bowl, mix together shredded cheese, onion, and ham.  Mix with potatoes in the slow cooker.  Mix together cream of mushroom soup and water.  Season to taste with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Pour evenly over the potato mixture.  Cover and cook on High for 4 hours.  

I hope your family enjoys this dish as much as we do!  

And with that I am off to tackle that ever growing pile of laundry that has been staring me in the face as I type this.  Why hasn't anyone created an app for that yet???  :)

Have a great day!!

XOXO

N

"FALLing" into Fashion with Miss B

Happy Monday!  It is finally starting to feel like Fall here.  While summer is still my favorite time of the year, I do enjoy Fall.  I love the changing of the leaves, the hot apple cider, s'mores by the bonfire and warm, cozy sweaters that you can curl up in while reading a good book.

While shopping for Back-to School clothes this year, we focused more on pieces that were good for transitioning into Fall/ Winter.  Both kids grew by more than a few inches over the summer and show no signs of stopping anytime soon.  :)  While L is your typical guy who goes more for comfort than fashion, Miss B discovered that she liked things that were a little more trendy.  This revelation couldn't have come at a better time ~ it was during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.  The once-a-year sale that has women across the country lusting over the most amazing Fall trends at unbelievable prices.  It doesn't last long and items sell out quickly, but boy is it worth it!  This year, Miss B & I sat down at the computer together and did her Back-to School shopping right from the couch.  We got some adorable items at an unbelievable price!  This momma was happy!!  But not nearly as happy as a certain young lady when the packages started arriving.   :)  Her try on session was definitely Instagram worthy.  LOL!  

So now that the weather is getting chillier, she is beyond excited to start planning out her own outfits even down to the hair style of the day.  It's been fun watching her put her own outfit together (the night before) and see what she comes up with.  She's becoming quite the little fashionista.  :)  

This was a fun morning photo shoot before school ... the perks of planning your outfit the night before = more time in the morning!!!  :)  

Miss B loves having long hair, but with it also being quite thick ~ she rarely wears it down.  Right now she is loving to pulling it up in a "messy" top knot, which is just as easy as a pony tail but with a little more flair.  Big bows are always a must for her, no matter the occasion.  :)

Outfit details:

Top: Love on Tap Speckled Ruffle Hem Tee (also on sale right now!)

Jeans: exact pair is no longer available but here is a similar style 

Boots: Steve Madden JNIC Youth Boots

Bow: her own

Bracelet: a gift

This is a perfect Fall transition outfit.  I can't wait to show you some of the sweaters and hoodies she picked out.  (I only wish they had some of them in my size)  Happy Monday y'all!  

XOXO

N

Savannah Speaks ~ Oh What a Year It Has Been!

Hello!  My name is Savannah and I am taking over my mom's blog for the day, I hope you don't mind.  You see ... it's been exactly one year since I joined this family!!  

I may be little but I remember it like it was yesterday... here I was minding my own business at the puppy shop when I saw these interesting looking humans walk in.  They had this weird look about them and the one with the extra fur on their head was smiling at me (and if I'm being honest ... I think she was crying a little ~ not sure what that was about).  Next thing I know, I'm being taken out to meet them.  I was a little jumpy at first, but they smelled alright so I decided to let them pet me.  They were pretty nice, so I allowed them to hold me.  It felt good to be in their arms.  Really good ...  Next thing I know I am being taken out of the puppy shop and not just for my usual walk but for a RIDE!!!  I got to sit on the one with the extra fur on their head's lap & watch out the window.  It was a little scary, because I had never been this far away from the puppy shop but the human held me close & somehow I knew it was going to be alright.  And here we are a year later ~ I am loving life with my favorite humans!!

The one with the extra fur on their head, well ~ that's my mom.  We spend a lot of time together.  We go for runs together, we watch movies together, we listen to music and even sometimes, she let's me help her fold the laundry.  Obviously since I have fur, I will never understand the whole clothes thing, so I take the smaller things that way she has less to fold.  I don't really think she likes that too much because she chases after me and uses my full name, "Savannah Marie!" ~ I don't chew on it or anything so I really don't understand what the big deal is.  But my favorite thing to do with her is cuddle.  She has made me feel safe since the day we met so I love to be as close to her as I can.

She never minds it when I'm this close.  I hear them talk about this thing called "personal space".  I don't know what that is but I'm definitely sure it means they love having me as close as I can be.

My Dad, the one without the extra fur, is awesome!  He plays catch with me, lets me lick his toes and doesn't mind one bit if I wake him up when I have to go potty in the middle of the night.  He still won't share his food with me yet, but I think I might be wearing him down with my persistence.  We Shiba Inus have a way with our cuteness.  :)

Hey!  My name IS Savannah.  I guess that's a place in Georgia that grows peaches.  SO I should get a bite ~ it would only be right for me to taste my heritage....  Ummm, is that a no?  We'll talk more about that later I guess.

There are 2 other humans that live in my house.  They just love having me around!  This one is funny.  She laughs a lot!  Especially when I try to give her kisses by her ear.  She lets me borrow her stuffed animals to play with, too!  She even keeps a collection of the ones that I chewed the eyes off of.  Isn't that so sweet of her!  She loves me!

The other human is a little camera shy so I don't have a picture to show you of him, but he's awesome!  He lets me hang out in his room, takes me out to play in the backyard & gives me extra treats when I bark really loud in this face.  I spend a lot of time napping on his bed while he plays on that box thing.   I don't really know what that is either.... he should just get a ball like me to play with.  But for now, I will take the cuddle time.  Yawn ... in fact, just talking about it is making me kind of sleepy.

There is one other human in our family, but he doesn't live here.  So when he comes to visit me, I make sure to spend lots of time with him.  He's pretty great too!  :)

I am ONLY 1 year old, so when I'm not chewing on my bone, playing with my ball or squeaky toys (my donut is my favorite!!), chasing the bunnies out of the yard, running laps in the house or looking out the window to make sure everyone is safe...

I take naps... lots of naps.  Sometimes I love to curl up with my very own blanket.  I got my own because Mom doesn't know how to share hers very well.  Bonus points for me!  

I can sleep curled up in a ball, but my favorite way is to spread out as much as I can.  These humans like to take up a lot of room, so I have to make sure to get my space.  I really like to stretch out.  I'm not sure why they laugh when I nap on my back or try & close my hind legs together ... I'm comfortable, so I don't see what the problem is.  Mom says "It's not lady-like", but again ~ I don't really know what that means either... so oh well!

Well, that's all I have for now.  It's amazing how fast a year has gone!!  It seems like just yesterday that I was meeting these humans for the first time & now ... I don't know what they would do with out me.  I mean seriously... I may be small (13 pounds to be exact) but I am mighty!  But truthfully, I love them & am so glad that they brought me home that day.  I think it's safe to say their lives are better off with me in it.  :)

And with that ... I'm pretty tired.  Time for my nap.  YAWN!!  Bye y'all!

PS... I hope Mom doesn't get mad that I borrowed her computer thingy.  It's not my fault she left it open.....


XOXO 
Savannah

My Top 10 Ideas for a Successful Garage Sale

We just recently held our annual garage sale, a little late in the summer per our norm, but I'm still noticing signs every week as I take the kids to school.  So it's never too late to clean out those closets and purge unwanted, outgrown or no longer used items and host the sale of the season!!  We have been having a garage sale annually for as long as I can remember.  I hate clutter and frankly, we don't have the storage space so this has been a great way to clean up, clear out and make a little extra cash.  I hear people say all the time, "I need to have a garage sale, but they are just so much work!"  Yes, this may be a true statement.  However, I have discovered a few tips and tricks over the years that will make that "work" completely worth your time and energy.  So without further ado, here are My Top 10 Ideas for a Successful Garage Sale!

1.  MARK YOUR ITEMS YEAR ROUND

I'm sure some of you are already going WHAT!?!  But think about it, we all sort through things throughout the year.  Whether it be your child's closet, that junk drawer in the kitchen or even movies that have been converted to online streaming ~ I'm constantly finding things that I no longer need, use or fit that would be perfect for our sale.  So I keep a tote in the closet and for example, whenever Miss B comes to me with a pair of pants that no longer fit her ever growing little body ~ I put them in the tote.  Then once that tote is full, I take everything out and mark it for the sale.  The tote gets labeled "Garage Sale ~ Marked" and taken to the corner of our garage.  Then another empty one takes it's place.  Not only does this marking process only take a few minutes, but it saves you time when you are getting ready to set up for your sale.  Because most everything is already tagged!!!!  

2.  PRICE EVERYTHING

I know this sounds like a no brainer, but how often have you gone to a sale and found something without a tag on it??  The chances of people asking you for a price is pretty slim.  Not only do they feel awkward asking, but you are then forced to make a quick decision as to what you feel that item is worth.  The majority of people shopping at your sale will put the item back if they do not see a price tag on it, thus you losing the sale.  If it caught their eye enough for them to pick it up, chances are if it were marked ~ it could have sold.  Not to mention if you are having a multi-family sale (as we often do), it's the only way to know whose item it whose.

3.  CLEAN UP FOR CLASS (AND CASH)  :)

I never put anything out with a stain, rip or tear in it.  I wash the glassware, wipe down the toys, and check to make sure all the pieces are included in a set... this includes board games, puzzles, sets of toys, etc.  I then write COMPLETE on the tag.  I have found people are more apt to buy a game, if it has all the pieces included.  I know I would.  :)  Another thing to clean up ... your garage.  Even if that means sweeping the floor and using the Shop Vac to suck up the inevitable spider web in the corner... people are more likely to stop if your garage doesn't look like a hot mess.  No one is saying that it needs to look "Pinterest Perfect", because frankly whose really does!?!  But you'd be surprised what a quick sweep of the broom will do for "Garage Appeal".   This also go for the toys ... I guarantee you that you will not only be able to price a toy higher that has been wiped down clean than one that still has that stuck on juice spill or dust from lack of use clinging to the edges.  They are also more likely to sell as well.  HOT TIP:  Magic Eraser is your best friend!!  I took my son's once WHITE tennis shoes, spent a few minutes wiping them down with a Magic Eraser and not only did they look almost brand new, but sold quite quickly!  I was shocked!!   So while, yes it may take a little more time to clean things up, it's well worth it when you see the difference it makes in making your sale a success.

4.  MAKE EYE-CATCHING & CREATIVE DISPLAYS

I know this may sound silly, but when was the last time you went shopping and a unique display caught your eye ... resulting in you purchasing something you might have otherwise passed right on by??  I know I have!  (Can we all say Target!)  I used to just put things out on tables neatly and hope for the best.  But over the years, I've learned that the more creative items are displayed, the more likely people are not only going to stop at your sale but most likely find something they like or need.  REMEMBER:  the key is to getting them to stop first and foremost!  That's why I try and make my sale look as inviting as possible.  We have had so many comments from people over the years how nice everything looks.  Not only is that great to hear when you've put in the time & effort to get this sale ready, but it usually means more cash in your pocket.  

This year my mom decided to purge her shoe closet.  LOL!  Ask her grand kids how many pairs of shoes she owns.  :)  Let's just say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree on that one either.  So we came up with this cute way to display the "few" shoes that we had to sell along with the famous Cinderella quote "One Shoe Can Change Your Life".  It was a huge hit!!  A lot of shoes found new homes and maybe even changed a few lives.  :)  You just never know...

5.  GROUP LIKE ITEMS TOGETHER

I've been doing this for many years but this past sale I thought I would try it a little differently.  I've always put all the books together, the toys together, the housewares, etc.  It looked neat and organized but sometimes I felt like things were still getting overlooked.  So I decided to try taking themed items & put them together.  For example, if it was Barbie ~ regardless of what it was, it went together.  I even took a few stuffed horses that were Miss B's & put them with books about horses & did the same with Dinosaurs, X-men, Disney, etc.  I was amazed at the things that were getting passed by previously, were selling!!! LIGHT BULB!!!  If my son or daughter was into a certain theme, finding a "section" for that particular theme was perfect.  One stop shopping!!  

6.  LABEL, LABEL, LABEL!

This goes along with a lot of the above tips, but you would be amazed at the people who thanked us for doing this.  It made their experience easier and more efficient.  Especially when it comes to kid's clothes.  This way each size was grouped together and people didn't have to dig through a pile of clothes to find the one they were looking for.  If you haven't figured it out yet, I try to set my sale up as if someone was walking into a store.  We are not going to go sifting through a rack marked large if we are looking for a size small.  I tried to replicate that.  Let's face it, a lot of people that come to sales are parents (often with their children in tow).  It's easier for them to go directly to their child's size and look quickly, often finding a few items before said child is done shopping and ready to go.  

It also worked great for grandparents!  I know from experience with my kids that if they are into, for example ~ Transformers, my mom may have no clue that that really cool semi-truck on the table was a Transformer.  (No offense Mom)  But if it's labeled then they would say "Hey, my Grandson loves these!"  And usually after a quick call to mom, grab that AWESOME toy hence making them the COOLEST GRANDMA around!!

It also works for off-season things like winter coats and hats.  Now no one in their right mind is thinking about scarves and hats when it's 90+ degrees outside, but with a little sign reminding them that winter is eventually on it's way ~ they may decide to stock up on garage sale bargains before that first snowfall hits.  The below tote was full when we opened, but at the end of the sale only a few pieces were left.  Proof that a sign inviting a little forward thinking does the trick!

7.  SET THE MOOD

Play music in the background at the very least.  People like a little white noise.  OR if you happen to have a small TV that is mobile (we have an old non-flat screen TV/DVD combo player), bring it out.  Pop in a kid friendly DVD and VOILA ... instant entertainment.  Thus giving the kids something to do while family members look around your sale.  We have done this for 2 years now & it has worked wonders!!!  

HOT TIP:   What do you do with all those Happy Meal toys that no longer get played with, small, random kid friendly items that are new but never used (notebooks, mini packs of crayons, slap bracelets, squishies, etc) ???  Make a grab bag of said goodies and tie them up with a little curly ribbon.  Mystery Grab Bags!!   Not only is it a great way to get rid of some of those odd but in great condition items, but the kids are beyond excited to see what fun new toys are in their bags!!  NOTE:  Yes, these do take a little time to put together.  However, like the tote in my closet ~ I keep a box that I put these items in throughout the year.  Then close to the time of the sale...   I sit down, turn on a Netflix movie and put together the bags.  I have never had less than 30 bags & have sold out every year.  That's $30!   We usually spend that to watch a movie, not make it.  :)

8.  ACCEPT DEBIT AND CREDIT CARDS

Don't be scared, but this has definitely increased our sales in the last couple of years.  A lot of people don't always carry cash anymore, even when going to garage sales.  OR they only have a certain amount of cash with them, thus limiting what they can purchase.  Accepting debit/credit cards is another way to make shopping easier for people.  It's a simple process to set up a PayPal account ahead of time.  Then purchase a PayPal card reader for roughly $15.  It plugs into your tablet or phone jack.  You download the PayPal Here app which links it to your PayPal account.  When you first link the device, you receive a credit of $15 in your PayPal account thus essentially making the device free. When someone makes a purchase, you open the app & enter in the amount ~ swipe their card, and then have them sign on the screen as directed.  It will then give them the option of a receipt via email or text.  And that's it!  The money goes directly into your PayPal account, to be transferred to your bank account at a later time. Please note:  PayPal does take a very small percentage of each purchase (2.7%), but we have never found it to be a big deal in the grand scheme of our profits.  I highly recommend this safe and secure option, especially if you have high dollar amount items.


9.  ADVERTISE!!!

This is also a no brainer, but the more you get the word out ~ the more people will come to your sale.  Obviously, signs are a must.  I've learn that if they all match in a bright color, this is a huge plus.  We put one at all the major intersections around our neighborhood, with an arrow pointing people in the right direction.  Since they all match, it's easy for people to just follow the arrows leading them to our sale.  Craigslist is another great spot to advertise, as well as Facebook, swap sites, etc.  I steer clear of the newspaper anymore.  Simply because with all these options for FREE advertising, I prefer not to pay to post an ad thus cutting into our profits.  This is, however, a personal choice.

10.  BE WELCOMING AND KIND

"A simple smile can brighten someone's entire day" 

This is not something I do to increase sales, but to make people feel comfortable and welcome.  They chose to stop at your sale, look around, and possibly make a purchase.  The very least you can do is smile and say Hi!    I also make sure to thank them as they are leaving, whether they found anything they liked or not.   It's a small gesture that can go a very long way in someone's day.

HOT TIP:  If you have children who want to help out during the sale, a lemonade stand is forever a great idea!  Not only does it help teach them the concept of money and counting back change, but they are just so stinkin' cute!  Miss B loves to do this!!  She's sold both cookies and muffins in the past along with delicious lemonade.  :)  Her signs are her own design and the profits are all hers to keep.  She looks forward to this "project" every year.

I hope this helps in giving you some ideas on how to increase the sales at your next garage sale.  One last tip, it's always more fun to do it with a friend or two.  For me, it's a great way to have some extra bonding time with one of my favorite people . . . my mom.  :)

XOXO
N