If you haven't been to this website yet, you should definitely check it out AND sign up for their emails. Restaurant.com has a substantial list of Charlotte-area restaurants offering great coupons. You do have to pay for the these; they are generally $10 for a $25 gift certificate. However, if you are on their mailing list, you receive frequent coupon codes for up to 80% off. Spending $2 for ...
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My day was…Corn on the Cob
My new addiction is filling out a page in the Keel's Simple Diary at night. Tonight's options: my day was (a) worn, (b) born, or (c) corn on the cob. So, my decision was easy. Corn on the Cob... not too exciting, but still pretty darn tasty. A normal diary is too much work, but this one is the lazy person's answer to reflecting about the day and themselves. If you loved multiple choice ...
Discovery Place: For Kids on Rainy Charlotte Days
Rainy days may be ahead for this weekend (at least that's the forecast, but what does that mean really?). If the storm clouds do happen to gather, check out Discovery Place with your family. They've recently opened up Kid Science, a super-cool exhibition for ages 0-7. Got babies? No worries, they have a safe play area for the little guys. Toddlers and up can enjoy an awesome water table (bring ...
Bacon Candy!
Bacon Candy! Just in time for the weekend! If I were you, I'd let the hubbie smell it fresh out the oven, then make him promise to accomplish a few items from the "honey-do" list before sampling! Thank you, thank you, thank you Bon Apetit for this recipe! Brown-Sugar-Glazed Bacon Ingredients: 1 pound applewood-smoked bacon slices or thick-cut bacon slices 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown ...
Organization by Default
First, lets start off by saying I. Love. Target. I love how you can go in for dog food and walk out with adorable binders. That's also why I try not to go too often. These particular binders are from a company called Greenroom. Did I need them? No. Did I find something to do with them? Yes. (I'm using them to organize my recipes that I've torn from magazines. You knew food was involved, didn't ...
Heaven.
Go to Amelie's French Bakery. Now. It doesn't matter when you read this; they are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have amazing cakes, pies, pastries, and breads. I could just stare at their displays for hours. Located in NoDa in a warehousey type building, it's a bit of a drive if you're coming from South Charlotte, but well worth it. Grab a sandwich (I like the spinach, asiago and ...
Step away from the dishwasher!
I was re-organizing all of our baby stuff today, that during the haze of the newborn stage, I haphazardly threw in the attic. Over the course of the day, I found box after box of Munchkin and Medela quick-steam bags and was reminded of how desperately attached I was to these things in the early stages of motherhood. It seemed that no matter how often I ran the dishwasher, I was always out of ...
I may look like an ex-convict…
But, I'm not. I swear. Anyway, those monitors go on your ankle. I wear mine on my wrist. What am I referring to? My favorite electronic gadget - the Garmin Forerunner. This handly little device tells you the distance you've run/walked, the pace you do it at, how long you've gone for, and can also connect to a chest-band that will tell you calories burned. Why I like it: I no longer have to ...
Bottoms Up!
The birds are chirping, the trees are blossoming - it's springtime! And with springtime comes the ever popular "happy hour playdate". I did happen to read the book "Sippy Cups are not for Chardonnay," however, it mentioned nothing about John Daly's or as some may know it - the spiked Arnold Palmer. Throw the kids out in the backyard to burn off some steam, lay back in the shade, and take a sip of ...
If hell’s any hotter….
So, if you're anything like me, the house smells everytime the oven is turned on. Not in a good way. Why? Because I've forgotten about one of the coolest (and hottest) features of my oven. The self-clean button. After a week of avoiding any cooking that involves the oven due to the smelly factor, I've finally gotten around to pushing that magical button. You should too. Just make sure you do ...
Hello Old Friend!
TCBY is back. With a vengeance. And it's awesome. They still have white chocolate mousse. Thank God! You can also still top it with heath bar. Highly recommended. If you can't find me, look there first. I wish I were joking. I've been four times and it's been open just over a week. Feel free to give me a hard time about this. I can take it. ...
Saving the world one cute bag at a time
I love envirosax. I have billions of the green reusable Harris Teeter bags, but they never get used because they are always in my trunk when I'm at the checkout counter. Envirosax roll up into little bundles that take up little of my precious purse space. Plus, they are super cute. I always have a few on hand. I used my dinosaur one today for Graham's books at the library, the other for ...
Freezer-Friendly Oatmeal Pancakes Recipe
Make up a double batch of these freezer friendly oatmeal pancakes. It's our favorite pancake recipe ever! My most frantic time of the day is the 45 min. window in the morning that I have to get everyone in the house dressed and fed and out the door. The last thing I have time to deal with is trying to make something healthy for Graham's breakfast that I won't have to fight with him about. (And ...
The Four Mile Creek Greenway… It’s just right!
So when it comes to outdoor exercise, I'm kind of like Goldilocks. It's always too hot or too cold. But, this time of year, there are no excuses. The past few weeks have been absolutely gorgeous, and it's the perfect time to hit the Charlotte-area greenways. My favorite spot is the Four Mile Creek Greenway, which starts at Bevington and Rea Roads.As a walker/runner with a jogging stroller in ...
The Re-invention of Applesauce
Applesauce and toddlers? Hmmmm.... how much do you enjoy doing laundry? On the other hand, how much do you enjoy hearing you toddler screaming "fafa sosh" at you, until you begrudgingly pull out the tiny tub and allow them to coat themselves in sticky goo, only to ingest just a few of the sugar-filled calories the container has to offer? Well, neither of those sound good to me. So here are my ...
How to Become a Gardener
So this week begins summer veggie garden planting in Charlotte, one of my absolute favorite times of the year. I had a playdate over at my house last week, and many of my friends seemed impressed by our small-ish garden. I tried to convince them that it was very little work to maintain. Sure, you gotta build the beds and fill them, but once there, you have endless years of easy, low-maintenance ...