This list will remain at the top of the site for the time being. Scroll down for more recent posts. Friday (12/21) at 4 pm Pacific is the deadline to order items in time for Christmas with FREE Amazon Prime shipping (remember to have them shipped to where you will be on Christmas Eve just in case). You can sign up for a FREE one-month trial of Amazon Prime and enjoy FREE two-day shipping for the next 30 days. Here's a list of the best deals we've found over the last few days (we will be updating this list over the next two days, so be sure to bookmark it for future reference!): TOYS FOR TODDLERS & PRESCHOOLERS *NEW* Fisher-Price Dora The Keep Reading
Monster list of the best Amazon Christmas deals
A compilation of Our Favorite Things for Christmas 2012
We've been posting a bunch of Christmas gift ideas over the past couple of weeks. As the shopping season winds down, I thought it would be fun to highlight some the Frugal Living NW's favorite things. Mini Kick and Maxi Kick Scooters Settlers of Catan Board Game 10 Must-Have Kitchen Utensils What's in the Bible? DVDs for Kids Hobo Lauren Wallet Top 10 Cookbooks Buff Original Headwear French Rolling Pin OK to Wake! Children's Alarm Clocks Breville Juice Fountain Plus Richard Scarry Busytown Game Scarves: The Perfect Accessory Giro Me2 Infant Toddler Bike Keep Reading
Great Value refrigerated cinnamon rolls and cookie dough: Party recap and recipe
Last week, I had the opportunity to bake with Great Value refrigerated cinnamon rolls and cookie dough. Read this post for more details about my party plans and the Great Value products I used to pull it off. My Project Playdate friends and their kids arrived as planned on Friday morning. My husband, who was also home that morning, was chomping at the bit for breakfast. We had already worked out a deal: breakfast in exchange for help in wrangling the kids. I would've made him breakfast and he would have helped me out anyway, but sometimes we like to pretend that we're driving a hard bargain. Marriage is funny like that, but hey, whatever works. Keep Reading
What’s for dinner? This week’s menu plan (12/17)
As I am sitting here, the wind is whipping around and it is pouring down rain outside. Perfect comfort food weather. As long as we don't lose power. In which case, it would be perfect Thai take-out weather. Either scenario would be fine by me. Here's what's for dinner at my house this week: Monday -- Leftovers (starting off with a bang, I know) Tuesday -- Mexican Black Bean Chili, Cornbread, oranges Wednesday -- Dinner Out Thursday -- Kale & Carrot Frittata (While you're at Orangette, click around. Molly Wizenberg's writing is so lovely.), Buttermilk Biscuits Friday -- Buffalo Chicken Chili, tortilla chips Saturday -- Minestrone Soup, Keep Reading
The Settlers of Catan Board Game
Some friends introduced us to The Settlers of Catan. Have you played this board game yet? Oh, you should. I am totally hooked. And trust me, I am not a big gamer so don't think this is just for the hardcore strategy game types. My husband and I have played it with friends or just the two of us. It is easy to learn, interesting to play, and honestly the most fun I've ever had playing a board game. Because you can set up the board differently each time, no two games are alike. It doesn't stretch into eternity (Oh, Monopoly, how I hate you), just an evening's worth of fun. Big bonus. Whether you enjoy strategy games (like my husband) or just a Keep Reading
Best Pancake and Waffle Recipes
Looking to make pancakes or waffles this weekend. Here are some of our favorites that have been kid-tested. And I've tested many recipes on mildy-picky children. Pumpkin Pancakes Oatmeal Pancakes (our favorite!) Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes -- best if you are low on time. Pumpkin Waffles - if you don't have cake flour, you can easily make your own Double Chocolate Waffles -- more of a dessert Blueberry French Toast Bake -- it's not pancakes but it uses maple syrup. And it sure is pretty. No pancake is complete with real maple syrup. And I'm picky about my syrup. I prefer Grade B. Amazon has Anderson's Pure Maple Syrup, Grade Keep Reading
HOBO Lauren Wallet
I wrote last month about how much I loved my HOBO Lauren Vintage Wallet. I know, that is a lot for a wallet. But it's functional, well-made and will last a long time. I'm not the type to cycle through with the fashions. I want something that is efficient and well made. The HOBO Lauren Vintage Wallet is just that. It's Italian leather with well built clasps and efficient use of space. It can be a wallet OR a purse. There is plenty of room to stash my cell phone in a side pocket but it's not too big to take up a bunch of room in a small purse. The two side pockets make it easy to store my store loyalty cards in one side and my budgeting envelopes in Keep Reading