With the holidays fast upon us,
my list of gifts to give is slowly getting shorter. Some days I wish I was an
elf with a little magic hammer, and I don't mean a level 9 gray elf from Dunganeons and dragons. (At least this time)
When it comes to getting a gift for my husband
I am very lucky. He will drop hints like nobody’s business! Kev is notorious
for sending me product reviews on YouTube of the latest gadget! For a year or so now he has been drooling over
remote controlled big boy toys. YouTube
clips could only educate me so much; I had to find a find place to get his
gift. After a quick Google search of store in the area Here in Newton Inthere is Full Throttle Hobbies at the Chisholm Trail Shopping Center.
The store is filled with all
kinds of goodies for a variety of hobbies from planes, cars, rockets, models
and many more.I was greeted by Jerry McKinney the owner of Full ThrottleHobbies. Jerry shared that his store featured supplies for all kinds of remote controlled
activities that are great for the family to enjoy. He has proudly owned his store
in Newton for five years. He started his store on 5th street, then moving to 6th street by the Newton Kansan and now south of Newton in the shopping center.
I took some time to check out the store. There are
many models ready to go or sets that you can build yourself. There is a huge selection of model car sets at
Full Throttle Hobbies. One thing that caught
my eye was the model from Star Wars!
Jerry happily answered all of my questions and guided me to the perfect gift! The helicopter I picked for Kev is controlled with your smart phone or tablet! This drone can even record video of its flight. Check out this review of the Parrot AR Drone 2.0
Not only did he have the
helicopter, but Full Throttle Hobbies carries the parts to make repairs on
remote controlled models (because Kev is going to fly it into something sooner
or later)! Jerry explained the differences between a model quality product and a toy that you might get for your child.
Another specialty that sets Full throttle Hobbies apart from
other stores is that Jerry offers building and repair services. I would highly
suggest stopping by Full Throttle Hobbies at the Chisholm Trail shopping center
and seeing all the fun that is waiting for your family!
If I was to ask a group of ladies what they hated most about
their beauty routine some might say, staying up on their hair color to keep the
roots at bay. For me it has been making sure I don’t look like I’m taking part
in no shave November. I come from a family that has good stock, and by that I mean
we can grow enough hair ALL over our body to make it through a Siberian
winter.
For me this has been a struggle starting early in middle school, I remember my mother taking me to get my eyebrows waxed. It hurt but I grew understand it was one of the joys of woman kind. Trust me I have entertained thoughts of moving to France where I could go all natural, on the other hand eww!
I have bought dozen of products and paid for hundreds of
trips to the salon. My stylist and I are great friends, we laugh and joke every
two weeks that it’s time to tame the beast that are my eyebrows or wax my stache.
I have thick course hair that we have determined is attached to my skull! When
I look at my mother and grandmother I see it’s not going to get any better with
age.
Each time I see a new product I look at them like a skeptic and
then just buy whatever little thing-a-majig with high hopes. While I was out shopping for
something cute to wear on date night, I ran across this little doodad. The LindoTwist-n-Roll Tweezers!
The ladies at Main Street Company in Newton had one out of the box and on display. I
picked it up and fiddled with it for a minute. It’s a spring with handles for
crying out loud! How is that going to keep me from looking like I belong on
Duck dynasty as uncle Si's long lost daughter? The Twist-n-Roll Tweezers claim “Lindo
twist-n-roll tweezers gently removes many hairs in one twist motion. It's a gentle
and natural alternative to other hair removal products.”
Big surprise I bought one, As soon as I got I took it out of
the box and followed the directions
HOW TO USE:
1. Bend Lindo twist-n-roll tweezers into an upside down U shape and place the coilfirmly against the skin.
2. Twist the handles outward (roll the thumbs in). 3. While twisting the handles the coil should roll upwards against your skin and remove any unwanted hair in the process. Always keep the tweezers bent in the upside down U shape.
To clean: wipe with a dry cloth.
To disinfect: spray alcohol on a cloth or paper towel and use it to wipe the coils.
To reduce sensitivity: Place a hot towel on upper lip area for 2 minutes before hair removal. After a few times of usage, your skin will get used to it and you won't need the hot towel any more.
My eyes teared up!
Then I remembered the only time it doesn't hurt when I pluck/wax is when I do it just out of a hot shower. The next morning I tried it again just after I forced myself out of the shower(i'm sure we all have those moments), and it
worked great! The Lindo
likens the Twist-n-Roll to threading! I now use the Twist-n-Roll tweezers wherever
on my face I need to do a little deforestation. The Twist-n-Roll tweezers is
now my new favorite!
Watch out ladies if you’re in my family your getting a
Lindo Twist-n-Roll tweezers for Christmas!
Go to www.facebook.com/pinupnerdblog for a
chance to win a Lindo Twist-n-Roll tweezers from Main Street Company!
I love spreading the word to others when I find a good deal! The week I was chatting with another local mom she asked " Can you really do all your grocery shopping at Meridian Grocery?" Well my answer was sure, they have cereal, lunch meat, baked goods and a verity of dinner items, and that's really just the tip of the iceberg. I wanted to challenge myself to get everything at Meridian Grocery! This week I'm shopping to feed 6 people not the normal 4 at our house. I'm still going to spend under $50 for 7 nights of dinner.
My grocery haul this week was great! I didn't go in with a list or a clear plan. I went in with an open mind and ideas! I went night by night getting the items to complete each meal.
Sunday- Spaghetti and meat balls
Monday night- Beef stroganoff
Tuesday - Pizza casserole- (baked tortellini and veggies)
Wednesday - Beef and noodle over mashed potatoes
Thursday - Creamy broccoli and tuna skillet
Friday - Tortilla soup and Chicken Quesadillas
Saturday- Baked chicken and veggies
And a bonus breakfast of Pancakes and eggs!
The only thing I need is a beef roast, I could make chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes but I love beef and noodle on a cold night. I will be getting my roast at Walmart with their price match, Leekers has beef roast on sale for 3.49lb. Here is Leeker's weekly ad. Walmart will price match any ad in the Wichita area! I have even used drugstore for shampoo and pop sales.
The total of this weeks haul at Meridian Grocery is $48.35 with out tax. If I would have bought these same items at another store (same size and brand) it would have been $101.73 with out tax. Walmart had their boneless beef arm roast at 4.89 a pound so with the ad from Leeker's I saved $1.40 a pound!
I will be giving a way a $25 gift certificate to Meridian Grocery on November 23! Like and share The Pin-up Nerd for a chance to win!
Harvey County Momswill be hosting a Grocery Swap and Meet up at 3:00 pm. Please arrive between 3:00 pm - 3:15 pm. Swap will begin at 3:30 This would be at South Breeze Elementary lunch room. Please enter through the gym doors on the west side.
What is a Grocery Swap .... We all that those things in our kitchen that just never leave, for me it's my husband. Say you have 10 items that you can't seem to get worked in to any dinner: jar of olives, box of potatoes, a can of cream corn and so on. You bring those items and then you can take home 10 other items from what the group has brought together.
Guild lines - For every full size non-expired unopened food item you bring you will receive ONE entry to pick ONE item for the table(s)
-Types of items to bring you may bring are items that are sold at a a grocery store and in its original packaging.
- You will be placed in line when it is your turn you may walk around the table(s). We will do 1 time, 2 items, 2 items, 5 items, 5 items at a time until you are tapped out of entries.
- If you have any questions please contact me at 620-755-7166
Also, Looking for volunteers to help count, sort, and set up Grocery Swap items! If you can Volunteer, please contact me at 620-755-7166. You will need to arrive at 2:30. All volunteers will be placed at the top of the list to pick items first during the Grocery swap.
It’s the craziest feeling when you throw out an idea, and you are waiting to see if you crash and burn. When I suggested a coffee group for local moms I really wanted it to work. After an online chat with some ladies, the plan was hatched that we meet the next morning for coffee. That night I went to bed with all the hope and wonder of a small child. During the week go in to work at 6:20 am, most Mondays I drag myself out of bed. This morning was different I jumped up ready to take on the world with a force more powerful than the Dark side (that’s Darth Vader for the non-geeks).
Everything was going great, my class of kids was well behaved, and I did some chores before heading down to Norm’s Coffee. I have the weird habit of being too early for thing I’m excited about (it must be my subconscious leaking out). I got to Norm’s 20 minutes early. I nervously looked around to see if any other ladies had already made it. I was there first, not surprisingly. I ordered a hot tea and found a nice seat by the window. Soon there was a familiar face, I had never met her but I recognized her from the little picture on Facebook by her post. We smiled at each other then I asked if she was here for the coffee group. In that moment that she said yes my nervousness and worries floated away, with the thought that someone else was looking for that exchange of understanding of what it is to be a mom.
The conversation that followed flowed so effortlessly; it was refreshing. She shared that her family of 5 was new to town, I shared tips on places to shop in the area. We talked about current topics and where the world was heading. The subject would return to our families or then to how we wanted to reach out and give others this same opportunity. The whole time I was amazed by how it felt just to chat. Ideas of future meet ups and activities for the group bloomed with the desire to give this feeling that our chatting brought to us to other moms. That flurry of a question -Is there a coffee group of moms in Newton? Was now a snowball in our hands with so many possibilities.
We all seen or heard of the ads and crazy show of families shopping with a stack of coupons. Those families get to the register I with a cart so full it makes the any mom swoon with envy. When all is said and done some of those coupon families are paid buy the store for the groceries that families is taking home. Yes their is a method to their madness, but I can never get that many coupons at one time or find that deal that sends me home with cash in hand.
To keep my family fed I use some other methods which have work very well for us. I shop at Meridian Grocery, first to help save money for our family. Meridians Grocery's mission is "To provide a family friendly atmosphere where our customers can enjoy a pleasant shopping experience at affordable prices. We pride ourselves on being a family owned local business where our customer’s needs are met while we do our part to help Newton and its surrounding communities prosper."
I know I save money but didn't know how much, so today I bought things our family would eat normally. My total was 24.54(22.69 +1.85tax). When I got home I went online to price the exact same brand and size of what I bought. That total was 67.59! I saved 44.90
Best item discount When In Rome... Pasta sauce sells for $9.68 i got it for $1.19
So what will I be making with these groceries .
-Chicken and rice with vegetables
-Pizza casserole
-Chicken and stuffing casserole
- Cheesy beef and mac skillet with tomatoes, this is my kids favorite
-Veggie quesadilla
-Fried potatoes with sausage
-Tomato soup with tortellini You should try this it's AMAZING, and makes messy soup eaters, in to clean little angels!
That's 7 nights of dinner and one night where we have a leftover buffet!
On
Sunday I asked question that snowballed in ways that have yet to sink in all
the way. My mother has only now in the last six years been someone I can talk
to. The fact that I'm grown with my own children (Trista 6 and Gavin 5)
is the biggest reason. I learned I can't do it on my own and she did everything
for my brother and I out of love!
I told my
mom now that I'm working part time and still new to Newton, I really miss chatting
with other ladies. That missing piece in my day led to the idea of finding a
coffee group here in Newton. This sounded awesome and easy to do, oh was I
fooled. With a lack of leads and not wanting to join the old men in town, I
went on Facebook to a local group What's Happening In Newton. That first
snowflake fell so easy, I asked - Is there a coffee group of moms in Newton.
Soon that little question was the focus of comments by other ladies.
After finding out that there wasn't such a group, I threw out the idea how
about coffee tomorrow at 9 downtown at Norm’s.
It was painless, easy and felt amazing, I couldn't wait to get off work and meet whoever showed up for coffee!
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