Central Texas News

How to Deck the Walls on a Budget

Holiday decorations come second nature when it comes to this time of year; however, trimming the tree, decking the halls, and hanging those Christmas lights doesn’t always come with a cheap price tag. New trends emerge, lights and ornaments needs to be replaced, and those boughs and wreaths that you’ve had for the last 5 years could probably use some updating too.

The holidays are already expensive enough when you have to total up the amount you will have to spend on gifts and the additional food and travel. Don’t further strain your finances by purchasing all new expensive decorations. Instead, consider using some of the following budget friendly ideas to revamp your holiday decorations:

Let the Kids Decorate

If you’ve got a couple of kids, let them in on the decorating action. Let them make paper garlands, snowflakes, and even ornaments to put on the tree. Not only are kids’ decorations relatively cheap to produce because they only require colored paper, glue, and maybe some glitter if you are feeling brave, but they are also adorable. No need for fancy Christmas decorations when you have kiddos around.  Their ornaments will save you money, and steal the show every time.

Reuse

Have a couple of ornaments that could use some tlc? Or some swag and wreaths that need some sprucing up? Instead of buying all new, consider reusing some of the decorations, ornaments, and embellishments from pre-existing decorations to refurbish old ones. Redo that wreath by taking the pinecones and holly off the swag that is beyond repair. Reusing items will not only give you a few renewed items around the house, but it will also save you money when you do go to buy new decorations.

Buy After Christmas

While this budget friendly idea may seem like an after thought, it is actually a great way to save money. Holiday decorations can drop in price by as much as 75 to 90 percent depending on the store as early as the day after Christmas. So instead of paying $25 for that new wreath, you can get it for $5 after Christmas. Sure, you will have to wait to use your new decorations until next year, but what’s wrong with using your older decorations one more year if it means you could save yourself quite a bit of money now?

Saving money is something that we all like to do, especially around the holidays when many of us are already working with such tight budgets. By alleviating some of the expenses of buying decorations, you can leave yourself with a little more wiggle room at the end of the month and possibly have enough left over to do something for yourself once the holiday has passed. You know you will probably need a little R & R after all that shopping, decorating, wrapping, cooking, and entertaining.

Maya Szydlowski is a Blogger for Veterans United Home Loans, the nation’s leading VA loan provider. 

$10 for breakfast, lunch, or dinner for two (up to a $21 total value)

• Breakfast (served until 11 a.m. Monday–Friday and noon on weekends) includes the following:
  • Two entrees from the breakfast menu (up to a $6.50 value each)
  • Two medium lattes (a $4 value each)
• Lunch or dinner includes the following:
  • Two entrees (up to a $6.95 value each) with a side of fruit, chips, or mixed nuts
  • One dessert, such as chocolate-raspberry cake or tiramisu (up to a $6 value) 

    $6 for $12 worth of café fare, coffee drinks, and gelato

• The menu includes the following:
  • Croissants ($2.25) and bagels ($1.85)
  • Antonelli’s cheese and meat plates ($16.95)
  • Greek salad with homemade vinaigrette ($6.95)
• Shifting roster of gelato flavors, including seasonal varieties such as gingerbread and pumpkin spice
• Praised by the Austin Chronicle

Get $16 worth of Elevation Burger’s unique fare for only $8. Elevate your burger-eating experience with 100% organic, grass-fed, free-range food that is sure to impress – even the fries are cooked in 100% olive oil! Now that’s delicious and nutritious.

• “Ingredients Matter” – more than just a motto, a commitment to excellence.
• One-of-a-kind burgers made with 100% USDA-certified organic, 100% grass-fed, 100% free-range beef, 100% ground-on-premises beef and 100% heart-healthy olive oil.
• No-trans-fat menu.
• Indulge in the “Vertigo Burger” (up to 10 deliciously stacked beef patties) with no guilt.

Get more information here!

Today I went to the grand opening of Crocs at Barton Creek Mall in Austin Texas. This location is one of three new locations opening this weekend (The stores are located at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.; Barton Creek in Austin, Texas; and Streets at Southpoint in Durham, N.C.) Wow! The store was beautiful and full of beautiful shoes.

To be honest, I always thought of Crocs as something your grandmother wore. But I was amazed at all the different types of shoes they now have to offer: boots, marry janes, heels, wedges, loafers, sandals and more!

I got to meet the Crocs guy. I am sorry, I have no idea what his name is but it was cool 🙂

When I walked in I was given a card to see if I won a free pair of Crocs or a discount. I got 25% Off!

And balloons! Who does not love balloons??

Did you go to the grand opening Saturday? If not, that is okay the festivites will continue Sunday as well. So, why don’t you check out the New  Crocs store!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Crocs in coordination with Business 2 Blogger. Any opinions expressed above are my own.

Pay just $13 and receive one voucher booklet good for five Big Mac sandwiches and five large fries that can be shared and redeemed at any participating McDonald’s in the US during multiple visits (a $26 value).

Get more information here!

For $10, you get $20 worth of gourmet popcorn at Cornucopia.

Cornucopia owner Nadia curates more than 30 creative popcorn flavors that fill silver metallic tins and giftable bags. All sweeter than a love note from a honeybee, candied varieties include caramel, salted toffee, and mexican sopapilla, and chocolate drizzles over the s’mores, zebra, and birthday-cake blends. Savory seasonings such as cheddar cheese, dill pickle, and sundried-tomato basil envelop other puffed kernels. For vegans, Cornucopia prepares madras curry, sweet and smoky barbecue, veggie green corn, and eight other flavors. Customers can blend a trio of tastes in the 3.5-gallon tin ($43), the one-gallon tin ($20), or sprinkle a 21-cup large clear bag ($13.50) of red and green Christmas Mix.

Get more information here!

I was very lucky to be selected to host MyGetTogether Chex® Party Mix-Change last weekend. My whole family was able to get together and have a great time. We selected 3 recipes.

Hot Buttered Yum Chex®Mix
Makes 16  1/2 cup servings

4 cups Honey Nut Chex® cereal
2 cups Cinnamon Chex® cereal
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon rum flavoring
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Step 1: In large microwavable bowl, place cereals. In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter, brown sugar and honey uncovered on High 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until mixture is bubbly. Stir in spices and rum flavoring. Pour over cereal mixture,
stirring until coated.
Step 2: Microwave uncovered on High 3 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl after every minute.
Step 3: Cool slightly; about 5 minutes. Stir in marshmallows. Spread on waxed paper. Store in airtight container

Chex ® CarAmel Chocolate DRIZZLEs
Makes 14 1/2 cup servings

3 cups Corn Chex®cereal
3 cups Rice Chex®cereal
1/2 bag (14-oz size) caramels (about 25)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Step 1: In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals.
Step 2: In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels, butter and milk uncovered on High 2 to 3 minutes, stirring after each minute, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over cereals; gently stir until evenly coated.
Step 3: Microwave on High 3 to 4 minutes, stirring after each minute, until just beginning to brown. Spread on waxed paper to cool.
Step 4: In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High about 1 minute or until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over snack. Refrigerate until set. Store in airtight container.

Chex ® PB & Chocolate Blast
Makes 22 1/2 cup servings

6 cups Rice Chex®cereal
1 cup white vanilla baking chips (8 oz)
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup red and green candy-coated chocolate candies
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
Step 1: Line 2 cookie sheets with foil or waxed paper. Place 3 cups cereal in large bowl. In small microwavable bowl, microwave white vanilla baking chips uncovered on High about 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth. Pour melted chips over cereal in bowl; stir to evenly coat. Spread mixture in single layer on one of the cookie sheets. Refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.
Step 2: Repeat Step 1 using the remaining cereal and the peanut butter chips; refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.
Step 3: Gently break up coated cereal into large bowl. Add candy and peanuts; stir gently to combine. Store in airtight container

You can print these recipes here.

I have to say a special thank you to my wonderful sister-in-law for being hands on and helping with the process of making these great recipes 🙂 In the end every one had a great time and enjoyed eating our ChexMix creations!

In the end the winning recipe was Hot Buttered Yum Chex®Mix 

As a mom and a blogger I am grateful for the oppertunities I get to share with my family and friend. Thank you Chex and MyGetTogether for this amazing opportunity to share with my friends, family and blog followers.

If you have a favorite ChexMix recipe please feel free to leave a comment letting us know what it is.

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was obtained for this post. I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.

I love Tuna, weather it be A Tuna Christmas or 4th of July! Joe Sears and Jaston Williams are amazing at what they do. 

Austin’s favorite holiday comedy! Original Broadway Cast and master comedians, Sears and Williams are at it again. It’s 24 hours before Christmas and all comic hell is about to break loose as the delightfully eccentric citizens of Tuna attempt to cope with seasonal traumas. At the Paramount Theatre Nov. 22-27 only!

Tickets available at AustinTheatre.org or by calling 512-474-1221.

Angel’s Bakery, delivered within 20 miles of Cedar Park. Choose between the following options:

• For $12, you get a dozen cake pops (a $24 value).
• For $15, you get a petit four bar (a $30 value).

The dessert experts at Angel’s Bakery ensnare the senses with creative, delicious, and delicately decorated treats. Cake pops put a spin on the oven-baked staple, as bakers cloak balls of doughy cake in white and milk chocolate to create a dozen tasty spheres with a combined gravitational pull greater than that of the sun. Alternatively, a luscious petit four bar, available in a rotation of flavors that may include chocolate orange or peanut butter, breaks into 20–23 tidbits to feed groups through the process of confectionary meiosis. This deal covers delivery within 20 miles of Cedar Park, but patrons interested in picking up and safely seat-belting their sweets can call to make arrangements.

Get more information here!

Help us feed 50 needy families this Thanksgiving! We will be collecting food now through November 18th, benefiting children and families in our community.  Drop off locations include: Bailey’s Burgers, Bright Life Family Chiropractic, Champion Toyota, Christian Brother’s Automotive, Chick-Fil-A, DNP Photo Imaging, Elite Bodyworks, Fox’s Pizza, Larson’s ATA, OTX, Seton Medical Center Hays, Total Child Therapy Center, TrustTexas Bank, The Vantage Apartments-Kyle.  If you would like to be a drop off location or make a gift card donation please contact us for more information: 512.585.1726.
http://www.hopeandlove4kids.org  

Deadline is November 18th!

So, are you a cool mom? I am sure most of us think we are cool moms. Or at least strive to be from time to time in our kids lives. One thing I remember vividly is the many requests for Heelys from my children and the look of excitement in their eyes when they finally saw them in a department store. At first, they did not have my girls’s sizes, they were just too young and as a mom that was just fine. 

If I know anything about my kids, it seems they always seek out things to trip on, fall off of or run into like flies to honey. At least as their mom, that’s how it feels.

Just recently I was given the opportunity to try Heelys, as a mom. Wow! At 30-something I was going to be able to try the one thing that my kids most desired! Am I going to be a cool mom now? Will I be able to wiz down the halls at school for a parent teacher meetings? Could I be like the kids you see in Wal Mart gliding by without a care in the world? It’s too good to be true!

They are really simple to put together. The instructions were on the inside of the box. Am I in heaven? Its the first time I did not need a 15 page booklet, knife, screwdriver and an alcoholic beverage to assemble something! It even comes with the tool to remove the cover in the bottom of the shoe! Once you pop the wheels in you’re ready to go!

The shoes I have are Heelys “Wave” Roller Shoes (the pink ones pictured above). They are sleek, beautifully made and sturdy. I’m not sure what the material is, but they’re soft and smooth, suede-like on the outside and have plenty of cushion. I will admit it does feel like your foot is going to slip out the back. It would be nice if the back was a little taller. And I’m sure over time that feeling will go away with repeated use. When you walk on hard flooring such as wood or linoleum they make a noise like you are wearing tap shoes and that again is something you have to get use to. I love the look though. 

Central Texas Mom Heelys “Wave” Roller Shoes Review

 I will admit, I am not a skating enthusiast. I have only had skates on one time since I was 9. It’s a different world for me. I’m not saying I don’t like to skate, I just forgot how. 🙂 Using my new Heelys will be a learning experience over time. I think I’ll wear them shopping! That sounds like fun. (Just a note, you can remove the wheels at any time and replace the cover to wear the Heelys as regular shoes)

My kids are now trying to take my Heeles away!

So in the end am I cool mom? My kids think so. And that is good enough for me!

“Like” the Heelys Facebook page.
Follow @HeelysWorldwide on Twitter. 

Disclosure / Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was obtained for this post. I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.