Author Archives: The Jewish Lady

Why Most Men Hate Coupons

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Couponing seems to be primarily a female hobby, and around here, that is certainly true. While Hungry Bear enjoys eating/using all of the cheapies and freebies I find every week, he absolutely hates going to a store with me!

I think it’s a combination of too much time, too much effort, and the occasional embarrassment. None of this bothers me anymore, but men are different, especially when it comes to shopping habits. I love to clip coupons, skim store flyers, cobble deals together, befriend cashiers, and, most of all, shop! Hungry Bear, on the other hand, avoids the above whenever possible.

When we first started dating, I tried to involve him, thinking my hobby should become his hobby. (Dumb, huh?) After a lot of tension and one really bad fight in the Walgreens parking lot, it clearly wasn’t a good date night activity. (FYI: His suggestion, which always involved watching a Sylvester Stallone movie together, was equally bad!)

My solution? I coupon alone! It’s truly not worth fighting over. Sometimes, he will drive me and wait in the car while I shop, but that’s about it. Would I prefer to have a coupon buddy? Of course, but nobody ever said love was perfect…

 

Does your hubby also hate coupons?

My Experience with Silk Plants Direct

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Anytime I see a flower, it brightens my day! Due to the high cost of most bouquets and their short shelf life, I rarely buy them. A better alternative is available: silk flowers.

Many people turn their noses up at anything artificial, but the quality of silk flowers has greatly improved over the years. Imagine: no more wilting, changing water daily, or trying to keep the bugs away. They not only look beautiful, they last forever, and that’s a great investment.

My favorites are made by Silk Plants Direct, who generously offered to let me review their yellow roses. These little cuties contain a full, in-bloom rose nestled in a green leaf cup, tied with a ribbon. They are the perfect size for any small space in your home or office that needs brightening.

In addition to being maintenance free, I find that children and pets don’t seem to destroy them like they do with fresh flowers (I’ve had my roses on an end table in the living room for 2 weeks now, and nobody has tried chewing on them, broken a vase, or spilled any water which usually happens!).

For those looking for more than flowers, Silk Plants Direct has a huge inventory of trees, topiaries, palms, wreathes, and other plants.

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I think everyone deserves to live in a world filled with beauty. Silk flowers and plants are a wonderful way to experience it every single day.

To learn more about Silk Plants Direct, you can request a catalog or check out their website.

Mandelbrot, 3 Ways

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Can you believe that Rosh Hashanah is less than two weeks away?! Every year, I promise myself that I’ll start early with planning/cooking/cleaning, so it’s not a last minute nightmare (sometimes I succeed and sometimes I don’t, but it’s always the goal).

Because dessert is a huge part of the holiday meal, I love to bake something yummy. One of our family favorites is mandelbrot. For those who’ve never tried them, mandelbrot is a twice-baked cookie that’s similar to biscotti. They’re tasty, crunchy, and seem to be loved by all who try them. The recipe is somewhat fussy, so I reserve it for special occasions only, but when I have the time/inclination, I’m always impressed with the finished result.

Mandelbrot comes in many varieties, but my two favorites are orange or chocolate. Whichever way you choose to prepare them, start with this basic dough:

  • 4 cups white flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 TSP baking powder
  • 1 TSP salt
  • 1 TSP vanilla
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil

Place flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into an electric mixer to combine, then add eggs, oil and vanilla. At this point, you will have a plain dough. You may stop here or it can have additions.

To make orange Mandelbrot:

Use 1/2 cup of orange juice plus 1 TBS of orange zest.

To make chocolate Mandelbrot:

Add 1 cup of chocolate chips, preferably mini.

The dough should now be refrigerated, for at least an hour or up to overnight. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350. Remove the chilled dough from the bowl and separate into thirds. Roll out on a floured surface (each roll will be approximately 12 inches long).

Place the 3 rolls on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into semi-circle shaped cookies using a serrated knife. Lay each piece flat and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. When done, cool completely on a wire rack.

These can be served fresh, and they also freeze very well, so if you start now, it’s one less thing to worry about.

 

Are you baking for Rosh Hashanah? I’d love hear about it! 

Premama Vitamin Giveaway

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One of the most important aspects of a healthy pregnancy is getting proper nutrition. Because a lot of moms-to-be or “Pre Mamas” struggle with morning sickness, this can be a real challenge!

Personally, I like to call it Morning, Noon, & Night sickness, because mine was non stop. Eating became a chore rather than a joy, and all I could stomach were bread/crackers and bananas. My doctor recommended prenatal vitamins, but they were so big, it was almost impossible to swallow them, let alone keep them down.

Premama Essentials can help. Instead of huge pills, they’ve developed an unflavored powder that’s mixed into a drink. It’s a complete prenatal multivitamin that provides the same essential nutrients found in prenatal pills, including Folic Acid to support healthy fetal development, Vitamin B to boost energy and help soothe morning sickness, and Ferrochel® Gentle Iron® to help minimize iron-induced constipation.

Premama Essentials is very easy to use. Simply mix with 12 ounces of non-carbonated flavored liquid, or mix into soft foods like yogurt or smoothies. It needs to be blended well to avoid clumping, and when mixed properly, you will not notice any difference in taste or texture.

Unflavored works best for me, but those who prefer a flavored product would enjoy the Premama Essentials +DHA. Lactation and fertility vitamins are also available.

Want to try this awesome vitamin powder? Enter to win a 28-count box in the Premama Vitamin Giveaway!

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This giveaway was sponsored by MomSelect and Premama. All opinions are my own.