Cupcakes, Pajamas, and Nail Polish.

Our Meal Swap group has been experimenting with different themes for our meets. This month was a salute to our childhood days of pajama parties! Who doesn't love dressing comfortably, eating polka-dot cupcakes, and playing with fingernail polish? This girl does!
Sometimes life has a way of being too grown-up, serious, and busy. I can't remember the last time I actually painted my toenails!

As a result of this wonderful evening, I found it impossible to think about anything but friends, conversation, and laughter. The to-do list and stresses that normally occupy my brain-space were temporarily evicted!



I will speak for myself because I know many of my friends are already much better at this than me, but, I think this pajama party was more than a really fun evening. It was a reminder to the 'grown-up me' to appreciate the little things. It was a way to learn more about the women in my life and their own struggles and joys.

This pajama party experience makes me wonder what kinds of world issues could be solved with snacks, cute pajamas, and a few bottles of vividly colored nail polish. Ok, while that might be a stretch, you have to admit, it's fun to imagine our world leaders having a big pajama party at a UN meeting...

The People Living in Your Catalog

Ever wonder why the beautiful bed-set in the Pottery Barn catalog must be accompanied by an unraveling ball of twine, or why the new patio set is simply uninviting without a plate of fruit set underneath a nearby table?
Well, I never actually cared about such things until now. The author of this blog http://catalogliving.tumblr.com/page/2 writes hilarious captions to everyday pictures cut from catalogs. I guess I've never noticed exactly how staged, and ridiculous some catalogs make their merchandise in order to sell it. Downright impractical! She uses fictional characters, Elaine & Gary, to point out the odd items in the photos.
If you have time, and feel (or need!) a laugh...I would highly recommend this blog. I will never look at a catalog the same way again.

A Meal Swap Gold Mine!

A friend recently baked up a bunch of meals for a family member who was welcoming a new baby home. In her search for meals that could be easily frozen and reheated, she came across this website http://www.freezehappy.com.
I am ashamed to admit how much time I have spent this morning browsing the recipes, tips, and looking at the enticing photos. I am already finding recipe ideas to cook for our family, and maybe include in our next meal swap. Enjoy the site!

Couponing to Disney!

Our friend Heather M. sent me a link to a great site:

Couponing to Disney is a blog written by a woman who is finding creative ways to save money in order to send her family on a Disney vacation. The link above will direct you to a recent post about a meal swap group she has joined. She has some good ideas, and maybe our group can talk about some of them at our next swap (six different meal categories).

She has also posted wonderful coupon resources, as well as a section I found particularly helpful...Under $1 at Target and Under a $1 at Walmart. This section of her blog lists hundreds of items which either free, or under $1 at the two stores!

Thanks for the link, Heather!

Recipes for Kids and a Budget!

My very dear mother-in-law has been buying our family a subscription to Taste of Home magazine for years now. No doubt it all began after Justin and I were married, and my idea of a balanced home-cooked meal was a box of hamburger helper, or a really tasty cheese sandwich!
I love opening the mailbox to find my copy of TOH, and especially enjoy browsing the magazine pages full of delicious recipes. I always gain new knowledge about cooking, and add great new recipes to my collection.
Enough about the magazine, and on to the juicy information:
On the TOH website there are many recipes for children (healthy alternatives, and easy to prepare), as well as a section for budget meals. I browsed the budget meal recipes, and some of them look really good. Here is the link if you are interested. Most of the recipes are free to access; only a few require an account log-in.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes

Happy Browsing!

The Exchange of Yummy Things!

Well, our first meal swap has officially come and gone! What a delightful evening. Personal reflection: Not only was I able to share in conversation with a group of incredible women, but we also laughed so much my stomach is happily aching as I type this post.

I think Cervantes said it best, "It is a true saying that a man must eat a peck of salt with his friend before he knows him".
In this case it was women, and maybe a peck of sugar, but the sentiment remains the same. There is so much we can learn, and enjoy from each other simply by gathering informally. A cooler full of metal pans and plastic wrap (yes neighbors...that's what was in there! Ha!) invited such wonderful exchanges between friends. Thank you.

Oh, and if you are curious about the health benefits of laughter....check out this website:
http://helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

Our next Madison M & M's gathering will be June 16th at 7:00 pm, and will include fondues.

Coupon!

Our household received the most recent edition of the Dakota Drug coupon booklet last week. Among the many tempting gadgets and goods in the booklet is a coupon for $1.19/roll aluminum foil. This seems like a pretty good buy, and something we Madison M & M's might find a good use for.