You’ll need:
1 box of garden rotini noodles
1 bottle zesty Italian salad dressing
1 small can of sliced olives, drained
handful of fresh chopped mushrooms
2-3 diced roma tomatoes*
1 cucumber – peeled and chopped
chopped deli ham (optional)
shredded cheese

Fill a large pot with water and bring water to a boil. Add box of noodles. Boil about 10 minutes, until noodles become tender. Drain and allow to cool. In a large bowl, add all of the vegetables and ham and mix in salad dressing to desired taste. Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, mix in desired amount of cheese. You may need to add a little more salad dressing as well.

*I prefer to use Roma tomatoes because they don’t have as much water as other tomatoes.

Enjoy!  Let me know how it turns out.

free clip art image

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Kelly told you about her most memorable July 4th and now I’ll share mine.  If you read her post, then you’ll know they have similarities.  Mine is different though because 1)  I did the pushing and 2)  I have the pictures.  lol

And here we have . . . Alligator’s birth day!!!!

My mom said I should name her Liberty Belle.  lol  That would have been a cool name though.

This picture is not great, but we did have an awesome view from the hospital.  I believe we were on the 4th floor.

Here she is at home, just a few days later.  She’s a bit pink and peeling because she decided to be a few weeks late. 

Alligator is pretty excited that she gets to see the fireworks every year on her birthday.  Happy 5th Birthday to my Little Miss Independence!

What’s your most memorable July 4th?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

There are a few others in the Lifestyles channel that are participating in The Great Blog Off.  These include Babylune and Quilting and Patchwork.  I hope you’ll drop by and see what they’re up to.

Each hour today, we are blogging for charity. Please consider making a donation to The Children’s Hunger Fund. You will helping to feed a child.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I’m leaving out today to visit Kelly.  We’ll be working on the surprise that she told you about earlier this week.   

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Some have taken a very creative approach and painted a portrait with words as they stroll through windows of time, life and their spiritual growth, while others share actual images of what they see on a day-to-day basis.

We do hope you’ll enjoy this month’s gift to our readers.  Now push open the shutters and experience the world in the way we see our world . . .

——————–

Mary Emma Allen at One Book Two Book shares a view from her window that entertains and delights her grandchildren.

Also at One Book Two Book, Karen shares the sweetest view of her kids playing on the deck and how the two youngsters deal with the heat.  I’m thinking they’ve got the right idea!

Linette, one of our resident super bloggers is sharing views on three blogs.  The first is a beautiful view of her back yard that she’s sharing on She Knows Parties – it looks inviting – the only thing missing is my lawn chair and a cold iced tea.  Next, on Robust Cooking she shares a photo of her window herb garden – solid proof that she takes her cooking very seriously.  Last, on Mother Earth’s Garden she shares a beautiful view from her front porch.  Truly an images that makes you feel right at home.

Mary Emma Allen, at Quilting and Patchwork, tells us how she was influenced by her mothers’ view from a kitchen window, as well as suggesting views for quilters.

Marye at Baking Delights shares details of some of her favorite views throughout time and from some of her favorite windows in her massive farmhouse where she lives now.  Check out the veggie garden she has in her front yard.

Susan at Play Library shares a view from her car window as she and her husband go out to dinner for their anniversary.  Susan happens to live close by Disney World and is doing a fine job at making me jealous.

Trench – our resident Superhero on who spends his time tracking down crime both on the internet at My Crime Space and crimes of passion in the real world at Psycho for Love shares a figurative view of what life looks like from his windows.

Marcie at A Child Chosen shares a glimpse through the “types” of windows in her life as an international adoptive mother and more.

Peggy at Junk Creation shares an adorable image of Goslings on Parade as they waddle their way by Peggy’s window.

Our newest Lifestyles member Rachel comes on board her first channel carnival with an adorable detailed view of her new window with her fur baby, Louie.  Stop over and say hello at Drinks After Dark.

Lastly, Gayla shares a beautiful sunset in rural Indiana as it rests on full display behind the farm across the road on MomGadget.  It’s one of her favorite parts of living in the country.

Thanks to Gayla for putting together the blog carnival for us.  How’s your view?

image: Karen

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I have taken on a new writing project. You can also find me at One Book Two Book, another b5 Media blog.  I’ll be writing about books, tips for getting your child to read, activities to go along with books, and more.

I hope you’ll drop by One Book Two Book to see what Mary Emma and I are discussing, to add comments to the discussion, ask questions, and to give us inspiration and ideas for future articles.

As always, you can find me at: 
Little Fun; Little Learning
Thrifty Mommy
A Healthy Balance
One Book Two Book

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

In the U.S. we are preparing for the official launch of summertime with our Memorial Day Holiday coming up this next weekend.

To welcome the most beloved season, b5media Lifestyles Channel decided to usher Summertime in with a very special tribute to The Good Old Summertime.  A special thanks to Gayla for putting together this month’s blog carnival. 

Mary Emma Allen at One Book Two Book reminds you to check our your local library for their summer reading programs which can be great fun for youngsters, parents, and grandparents.

Be gone foul wasp!  Noreen Crone-Findlay at Hankering for Yarn has designed a crocheted fake wasp nest to trick the wasps and yellow jackets into staying away from her home. Let’s hope it works!

Elizabeth at Career and Kids shares tips for those busy potluck and picnic days at work and home.  And on GenBetween she also shares 10 warm weather tips for aging adults.

Kadi Prescott of Supernanny Rules discusses the importance of continued learning during those long summer breaks from school.

Deborah Ng at Simply Thrifty paints a beautiful portrait of life as a kid in the 70’s in Queens with Dining Al Fresco in the Summers of My Youth.

Cyndi Lavin of Jewelry and Beading wants her readers to win a beautiful medallion, just in time for some summertime beading fun.  On Layers Upon Layers you’ll learn some digital effects to give your summertime pictures some zip!  And nothing beats crisp tangy salads for summertime eating.  Busy Family Meals has a special salad dressing giveaway.

Christine Gooding at MadCropper While she is about to enter her own winter months, she joins in our project with memories of her own summers as a child.

Heather at Chocolate Bytes has two recipes that say “summertime” to her first, chocolate zucchini cake and how about whipping up some Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream to top it off?  If you hop over to The Food Bowl, she offers tips on heat stroke prevention for your pets.

Sherry at Inside Motherhood discusses taking her daughter to the market and explaining to her how it’s better to support locally grown farm foods rather than importing food as a bit of an educational field trip.

Christina at Solo Mother share’s a bit of a then and now as she discusses Sunday rituals as a child and those of today with her own child.

Maricar at Keeping the Castle shares a wonderful guest post by Jeff Wilson of the DIY Network where he discusses simple steps to an amazing deck makeover.

Karen at Thrifty Mommy shares two very popular classic posts – 15 Summer Cooking Tips and 10 Thrifty Ways to Deal with Mosquitos

Peggy at Junk Creation shares how to make a Vacation Scrapbook Planter from a Sour Cream Container.

Tracee at BlogFabulous shares a rather memorable experience during potty training.  Any mother of boys will be able to relate to this one.

Katelyn from Stamping Mad has created a mixed media collage to remind herself to take time to enjoy the wonderful summer weather.

Farley at Behind the Vines is preparing for some summertime wine tasting.  The only thing left to do is decide on a destination.

Sandy Mitchell at Robust Cooking shares 9 Quick Vegetable Grilling Tricks and if you hop over to her other blog All Holiday Cafe, she shares 10 Ways to Save Money on Summer Holiday Travel

Susan Gunelius at Play Library shares fond memories of her younger days spending hours in the family pool and flashes forward to today and the fun and affordable pool toys that are available.

Chloe Findlay-Harder at Tangled Thread shares a tutorial on how to make a cooling bandana to help relieve those super hot dog days of summer.

Linette Gerlach at Mother Earth’s Garden shares tips on Creating an Outdoor Space to escape to for relaxation and at She Knows Parties, Linette shares a Party Punch Decorative Ice Ring for a cool refreshing treat on a hot summer day.

Noel Bautista at Unplugged Living enlightens us on solar cooking options as an alternative to traditional grilling methods.

Last, at MomGadget, Gayla takes a stroll down memory lane as she lists some of her personal favorite dishes and flavors of summertime.  Almost the entire collection is a tribute to her grandmother who, summer after summer, taught her about tradition, gardening and the wonderful flavors Mother Nature provides us during the season.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our tribute to the wonderful season of summer and for our readers living in the U.S., we wish you all a wonderful and safe Memorial Day Holiday.

image by Karen

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Sandy Mitchell – All Holidays Cafe

Gayla McCord – MomGadget also blogging at Dating Dames – Supernanny Rules and CelebAmour

Marye Audet – Baking Delights – also blogging at Kettle and Cup

Christina Zola – Solomother

Chloe Findlay-Harder – Tangled Thread

Tracy Thompson – Foodie Obsessed

Peggy Rowland – Tree Hugging Family – also blogging at Junk Creation

Noreen Crone-Findlay – Hankering for Yarn

Linette Gerlach – Mother Earth’s Garden

Kadi Prescott – Guerrilla Parenting

Mary Emma Allen – Quilting and Patchwork

Karen Weideman – Thrifty Mommy

Susan Gunelius – Play Library and One Book Two Book

Marcie Pickelsimer – A Child Chosen

Deborah Ng – Simply Thrifty

Eliza Ferree – Babylune

Heather Goldsmith – A Creative Journal

Julie Fletcher – Robust Cooking

Kelly Saunders – Thrifty Mommy

Farley Walker – Behind the Vines

Maricar – Keeping the Castle

Jennifer Chait – Offbeat Homes also at Tree Hugging Family and Declutter It

Where do you blog?  What is your favorite inspiration point?  Funny how that phrase takes on a whole new meaning over the age of 30 HAHA

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Tree Hugging Family - Mothering Magazine Subscriptions, Big Green Purse

Mother Earth’s Garden – Let it Rot! The Gardener’s Guide to Composting, Leapin Lemur and Penguin Puffs

Simply Thrifty – Coupon Organizer

Offbeat Homes – Building With Awareness Guidebook on DVD

Hankering for Yarn – Butterfly Earrings

Junk Creations – EcoHangers

Stamping Mad – Stamping Hobbyists Gift Set

Jewelry and Beading – Artful Blogging Magazine

Layers Upon Layers – Art Doll Quarterly

Quilting and Patchwork – The Magic of Patchwork Book

Babylune – Hanes Gift Certificates

Tool Belt Tips – 2 Cases Thompson’s Water Seal

Tangled Thread – Tags and Tie Dyes Contest

Busy Family Meals – Asian Cooking Starter Kit

Blog Fabulous – Boogie Dance Giveaway

Thrifty Mommy – Honey Thyme Herb Farm, Recycled Bags, Cooking Light Cookbook, Towel Spa

Weary Parent – You’re a Good Mom Gift Set, Blume Girl Boutique Giveaway, Blog Design

Supernanny Rules – Skincare by Amino Genesis

Kettle and Cup – The Tea Table Book

Baking Delights – Hello Cupcake Book

Behind the Vine – Wine lovers will love Vacu Vin

Solo Mother – Sexy Dancing

Keeping the Castle – Hypoallergenic Pillow from Lands’ End

Career and Kids and GenBetween – 5 SanDisk Gator Cruzer 4GB Flash Drives – contest 1 – contest 2

Play Library – Melissa and Doug Birthday Party Cake Toy

A Child Chosen – Crystal and Pearl Earrings

One Book Two Book – Tessy and Tab Reading Starter Kit

Have fun and best of luck!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I feel privileged to have been raised in the 80’s.  It was a much simpler time.  There were no cell phones, no internet, and no texting.  What would today’s teenagers do with themselves?  lol

I hope you’ll take this walk down memory lane with me.  It is so funny.

The picture to the right was taken in Spring 1989.  I was standing with my brother before he went to prom.  I am sparing him some embarrassment by keeping him out of the picture.  Don’t you love the big hair? 

As best as I can recall, these things are from the 80’s.  The late 80’s were my most favorite.  Perhaps that’s because I was a bit older then.

Movies:

• Top Gun
• Pretty Woman
• Beverly Hills Cop
• Pretty in Pink
• Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
• Blue Lagoon
• Teen Wolf
• Superman
• Terminator

Music:

• Bon Jovi (I still love Bon Jovi!)
• Poison
• Def Leppard
• Madonna
• Paula Abdul
• Belinda Carlisle
• Tiffany
• Debbie Gibson
• New Kids on the Block hahahahaahah
• George Michael
• The Bangles

Click below to read more.

Fashions (oh, the pictures are so funny):

• big hair – Yes, I had a few perms and bangs that I curled back with the curling iron.
• neon colored clothes
• tight rolled jeans – Hahahahaahaha, this still makes me laugh.
• Swatch watches
• skinny ties
• mullets
• rat tails
• parachute pants
• leg warmers
• lots of bracelets
• big earrings
• Members Only jackets
• bright make-up

Shows I watched:

• The Cosby Show
• Facts of Life
• Who’s the Boss?
• Gimme a Break
• Family Ties
• Dukes of Hazzard
• Little House on the Prairie
• Saved by the Bell
• Full House
• Family Matters
• Different Strokes
• Press My Luck (game show)
• Charles in Charge
• Knight Rider – You can get these on dvd now.
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King
• Magnum P.I.

Things about me:

• I had the Bonkers commercial memorized.  I still do.  My husband just found this out a few months ago.  He thinks its hilarious and asks me to recite it for others.
• I had a 110 camera with a snap on flash.
• I have never seen PeeWee’s Playhouse or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
• I had 4 Cabbage Patch dolls.  Actually, I still have them.
• I used to make those earrings out of the plastic that you could melt.  Now I wonder if there would be a recall on that stuff.
• In the early 80’s, I watched the movie Annie over and over again.  It’s not that it was favorite, it’s just that’s the one kids’ movie we had on VHS.
• I had acid washed jeans and I tight rolled all my pants.
• I used to make lots of friendship bracelets.
• We had a computer that played video games.  The keys were flush with the keyboard, so you had to push really hard to get them to work.  Mainly we used it to play Pac Man and Space Invaders.

Sorry I don’t have more pictures to share.  My pictures are mostly from the 90’s from when I was older.  I guess most of my 80’s pics were taken by my parents and are in their albums.

What memories to you have of the 80’s?  Join the party and share.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy