Menu Plan - October 15 to October 21

Sorry for the delay in posting this week's menu plan.  It's been busy over here finally unpacking most of our stuff.  More on that in a new post later this week.



Menu Plan - October 15 to 17



 



Menu Plan October 18 to 21

An Epic Shopping Spree

I used to be a shopaholic. I loved shopping. I could shop all day everyday and not break a sweat. My feet wouldn't ache and I could keep going except the stores would close. That was the old me. Since being pregnant, my relationship with clothing has been a negative one. Starting with maternity clothing. I hated maternity clothing. I hated how expensive it was and how ill-fitting it was. After having my kids, shopping consisted of sweats and t-shirts. I no longer wore heels but flip flops or running shoes. I didn't bother buying anything nice as after having Ainsley by the time my body would have been back to my pre-pregnancy weight (about 1 year) I got pregnant again with Juliet. It's only been recently that I feel like my body has settled and I am ready to go shopping.

My fashion epiphany happened in the spring of this year. I was invited to two book launches and going through my closet was scary. I had nothing that wasn't worked in by the kids (I won't go into detail but I'm sure you can imagine) or that couldn't double as sleep wear. I posted on facebook asking my friends if they could recommend a good place to shop for a dress. The epiphany came when a friend of mine who knew me pre-baby but hadn't seen me post-baby said "How can you not have anything to wear? You were always so fashionable in school". I was taken aback as I honestly did not remember that once upon a time, people would complement me on my style. This was the moment that I decided that I would make an attempt to embrace my inner-fashionista once again.

So this past week I have been shopping like my life depends on it. I don't mean that I have bought a ton of things and spent a fortune. I have however, taken the time to find truly special items for a great price. I can no longer stomach the thought of spending more than $100 on one item so finding special items on a budget is tough. But they are out there.

I set out to find a pair of ballet flats. I didn't want standard ones though. I wanted ones with some bling. I literally went into every shoe store in Yorkdale and Vaughan Mills (two huge malls) and apart from a pair of shoes at The Bay of all places that cost $250 (not going to happen) I could not find anything! I finally went into my very last store at Vaughan Mills, Winners, when I found them. These Guess shoes were exactly what I was looking for and were meant for me.



They were an acceptable $69 and I love them!

I also found these boots at Winners too for $69.00 as well. For Boots!!



Another score I had this week was at Sears. I always do a walk through Sears especially when they are having a sale. You never know what you are going to find and occasionally you can find a gem for a great price. Last weekend I found these ankle boots for $49!!! They were on sale from $69 and I am so glad I got them. When I visited Sears today they were gone.



I got this necklace at Sears as well on sale for $19.99. It was the last one.



And last but not least, my favourite find of the week is this jacket. I found it at Zellers of all places. I wasn't looking for a jacket and I just stumbled upon it. It was on sale for 25% off and cost $49.00! I still can't believe I got it at zellers.





I would love to hear about any of your Fab Fall finds!

Back-to-School Shopping Part 1 - My list

I have started to think about my Back-to-School shopping. Not only do I have to get the girls ready for school, but I have to think about what I will need for some of the business events I will be going to in the fall as well as our trip to Cuba in December. Late August is the perfect time to prepare for Cuba as there will be a lot of summer clothes on sale. I haven't done any real shopping for myself in a long time and am really looking forward to it. I will be heading to Buffalo and this year Ainsley will be coming along to shop.

I won't be able to make this trip until early September. I wish I could go sooner but with Ainsley's trip to England, followed by my husband's business trip the only day we could go with my mom and have Brett babysit Juliet was in September before Labour Day weekend.

Ainsley is super excited to be coming with as she loves to shop. We have started our list for this trip to keep us focused so we make sure that we get everything we need.

So far our list includes:

Mommy
-Laptop Bag
-Purse
-Tankinis
-dress clothes

Ainsley
-pants
-sweaters
-dresses
-skirts
-tights
-shoes

This is what we have so far and I'm sure as we get closer there will be other things we think of. Especially since we are heading to Target which I love! I have already been on their website to check out what they have and I can't wait. I wish Target would head North to Canada.

Glow Baby's First Holiday Promotion

Buy 3 Notepads Get 1 Free Holiday Promotion

Glow Baby (me) is offering a special holiday promotion this year. Buy 3 notepads and get 1 free. This promotion will start Nov 30th and run until Dec 31st. To select your free notepad you will be asked to select one from a list upon check out (in the same section as your billing details).

Use these pads to stay organized this holiday season with Glow Baby's To Do List and Shopping List.

The Benefits of Menu Planning

I have been grocery shopping for over 15 years. It’s a weekly chore and for some it is not a favourite task. I however, love grocery shopping. It’s is partly because it is a form of shopping (I’m a bit of a shopaholic), but mainly because the little organizer in me loves the whole process that leads up to the weekly shop.

My favourite part is the menu planning. I love sifting through my many cookbooks to plan what mouth-watering meals I will be making for the week. I usually plan for three to four recipes for each week and write out all the ingredients I will need. I check the fridge and cupboards to figure out what we need to buy and what we already have. I then make sure I have the staples in the house. I always have pasta, spaghetti sauce, hamburgers, hot dogs and other kid friendly items. I then check to see what snack foods we have left and write down what we will need for the week.

This process of menu planning is very important to make sure that I have the right amount of food for my 10 month old, favourites for my 2 ½ year old, lunches for my husband and the right amount of food for our dinners. Aside from my enjoyment of menu planning, there are some very important benefits.

1. Planning saves money – If you stick to your list, you will buy only what you need. You can also plan around coupons and store specials to help with a budget.

2. Making Healthy Choices – By planning ahead and listing healthy options it is much easier to avoid the barrage of unhealthy choices you are faced with in the store

3. Efficiency – By doing a bit of prep work before your trip to the store, you can make your shopping experience much more efficient. You spend your time getting what you need, you have a focus and you won’t waste time trying to decide what to get.

4. Avoid multiple visits to the store – By menu planning, you will only need to go to the store once saving time. This also saves money as the opportunities to buy extra items are limited.

All in all, menu planning may seem like work up front but in the end it saves you time and money. It is definitely worth it!

Market Moms Shopping Event - Uxbridge, ON

Hello everyone,

I am very excited to announce that Glow Baby will be attending the Market Moms Event in Uxbridge on November 7th!! I submitted Glow Baby to a contest Market Moms hosted to help feature new businesses and I won!

There will be some really great vendors in attendance at this show. It will be a great opportunity to get some of your holiday shopping done. I know I will be visiting the booths (while my husband helps out at my both).

If you live in the GTA check out the event at www.marketmomsonline.com.

Would love to see you there.

Lindsay