5 Things To Like This Week

Seriously.  This dude is adorbs!

1.  Kevin Michael Connolly on the Travel Channel.  I've raved about this guy before.  Kevin is from Bozeman, MT.  Kevin is a really special guy.  He was born without legs.  He wrote a wonderful book called "Double Take" about his travels around the world taking pictures from his point of view and the reactions he encountered.  I would encourage anyone to friend Kevin on FB, read his book, or now, you can watch his new television special on the Travel Channel.  I am super stoked that such an amazing (and adorable) person is being featured.  Here is the book review of "Double Take" I wrote back in 2010.

•  "Double Take" by Kevin Michael Connolly (This is one of the most beautifully written memoirs I've come across in quite awhile. It chronicles MT native Connolly who was born without legs as he travels the world snapping photos of people's initial reaction to his . . . uniqueness. I cried, not because he wrote from a place of pity, but because of his beautiful ability to capture basic human emotions of loss of love and pain. I also laughed at his unique wit and humor. Great. Now I have a bit of a crush. But don't think that this clouds my opinion on the awesomeness of this book. . . it is truly beautiful, inside and out--much like it's author.)

"YUM-O!!"

2.  Rachael Ray's Apple Cranberry Oatmeal.  Um.  Yum and yes, please.  This oatmeal is soooo good!  It's instant, which is convenient.  Plus, it is all natural and there is not as much sugar as the other brands.  I usually just make a packet in an extra coffee mug I have at work, add water and a little honey to sweeten and I am good to go for the morning.  It's also pretty cheap.  I think I spent $2.00 on a box of 8.  That's a pretty sweeeet deal!

I'm better than Kraft!

3.  Baked Mac and Cheese.  I made this recipe and it was super easy!  It was my first time making a roux (flour and butter mixture) but it wasn't hard to get the hang of.  This recipe also made a ton of mac and cheese for me!  I baked it in two separate dishes and put one in the freezer to re-heat later.  I ran out of bread crumbs and my friend J had the genius idea of crushing some cheese crackers up and mixing that with the bread crumbs.  Ooooh yeah!  It turned out great!

Super cute and super easy to make!!

4.  Ribbon Hair Bows.  These are super easy do-it-yourself hair accessories.  All you do is get about a yard of 1/2" to 1" satin ribbon ( I spent about .30 cents per yard).  I coordinated them with my outfits and bought light pink, brown, black and white. Then just get a regular old hair tie or rubber band and tie a bow on it, make it look all cute and stuff, and then snip the edges in a "v" shape by folding the ribbon in half and cutting an angle up toward the bow.  Viola!  Instant fifties style little hair bow.  I like to wrap mine around a bun or ponytail.  It's just a cute, little accessory that compliments pretty much any outfit.

Look at me!  I make good coffee!!

5.  Money Saving Ideas.  I am moving into a cheaper place this Spring to save some money.  I've also been trying to follow a tight budget.  Here are some of my money saving ideas as of late:

• If your gym offers a "punch-card" deal, take them up on it.  I get 10 visits for $40.  I am lazy and rarely go to the gym every single day.  This way, I use only what I need.  
• Go to the grocery store with a list and coupons.  Make a list and really stick to it.  Also, I am not a crazy coupon lady, but I do make my list first and then print out the coupons I need from this site:  coupons.com.  Don't do it the other way around . . . you'll just end up buying things you don't need.
• Making my own coffee.  This has saved me literally hundreds of dollars because I drink so much of the damn stuff.  I never drink a whole pot in the morning when I am getting ready for work.  I usually just have 1-2 cups, so I invested in a nice, single cup French Press.  This thing makes amazing coffee and just the right amount.  I am planning on getting a to-go French Press in the future too.
• I use services like Inter-library Loan for movies and books.  I rarely buy books (even now that I have a Nook).  The Nook allows you to preview the book you want to purchase, but you can just google them if you don't have an e-reader.  I preview the book and then Inter-library Loan the item for free.  Seriously, utilize the free services of your public or university library!  I've also watched almost the entire season of the television show "30 Rock" absolutely free!  You can also ILL music too.  Free services like this are part of where your tax dollars go.  Why not utilize them?!

Have a lovely week my blog readers!!

Love,

Nik