Yard Work and Bargains

Good Morning.  Here's a quick bargain tidbit related to today's upcoming post.  After I purchased my home roughly 3 years ago, I was strolling through the lawn & garden section of the local Walmart when I came across a group of mowers with orange flags tied to them and discounted prices on the labels. 




Walmart Mower

Turns out that Walmart sent off several returned mowers to be refurbished and was selling them at nearly 60% off the original price.  I quickly claimed this baby for the bargain price of $99.99.  It is a mulching mower, so there is never any bagging or raking to be done.  As a bonus it was not self-propelled so I was able to kill my yard work and cardio birds with one stone if you will.  Seriously this mower is still going strong and hasn't caused me a moment’s trouble in the last three years. I am always careful to be sure I run it completely dry before putting it up for winter, and I usually blow it off with the blower to keep it clean of debris before storing. What a deal, right? So be sure to ask your local stores if they have any refurbished mowers for sale. More on my yard triumphs this afternoon.

Crock Pot Mania: Roast a la Marta

This recipe was adapted from a recipe on the back of a Lipton Recipes Secrets box.  The flavors sounded fantastic to me, but I didn’t really feel like stroganoff, so this one was Marta-fied.  Here is what you need to make this irresistible crock pot roast.

Irresistible Crock Pot Roast

1  3-5 lb Beef Rump Roast

1  packet of Lipton Recipe Secrets Beefy Onion Soup Mix

1  4oz can of Mushrooms drained

1  can of Rotel Tomatoes & Chilies or Diced Tomatoes

1  can of Beef Broth

¼  Cup of All Purpose Flour

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Start by preheating a pan on medium high until it begins to smoke slightly. Drizzle with olive oil and place the roast in the hot pan largest surface down.  Let brown for 3-5 minutes then turn repeating this process for all sides.  Tongs are a great utensil for browning, you will need to hold the roast steady to brown on all sides.

Once the roast is browned on all sides place it in the crock pot.  Use some of the beef broth to deglaze the bottom of the pan, and whisk the flour into the hot broth enough to distribute evenly then pour this in the crock pot. 

 

Add the remaining ingredients and give it a quick stir.  Place the lid on top and let it cook for 8-9 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.  If I am home I take the time to spoon some of the cooking liquids over the top of the meat occasionally.  This keeps the meat moist and gives it a beautiful color on top. 

I prefer my roast falling apart at the sight of a utensil, but some people like to a little more intact.  This is a personal preference and the roast will be cooked through, the extra hour is what will give it time to go to pieces.  You’ll notice it says Rotel or diced tomatoes; I use the Rotel if its adults only and diced tomatoes if this is for children and I am concerned about spiciness.  

 

I would have loved to show a beautiful picture of the roast presented on a serving platter with all the trimmings, but my meal plans were upended by all the wonderful food I enjoyed while watching the LSU Tigers beat Florida at my sister’s house.  I let my roast cool and then in the fridge it went to be enjoyed for Sunday dinner.  I sliced the roast and covered it with gravy in a Corning dish with a lid and microwaved it for 3-4 minutes.  Then I served it over rice with plenty of yummy gravy, a side of steamed broccoli, and garlic bread. It was mmm-mmm good. It is worth mentioning that if you are a fan of stroganoff, try taking leftover roast cubed in a frying pan with gravy and a couple spoons of some sour cream, mix and heat through then serve open face over a piece of toast.  Grab a knife, fork, and a bib because Roast on Toast one of the simple joys in life.  So there you have it my favorite recipe for crock pot roast, enjoy and remember to share it with a friend. 

 

Mommy Corner: All "Wrapped" Up

Mommy Review: All Wrapped Up

So today I thought we’d switch things up and I would talk mommy stuff. I know some of you are not still in baby mode, but you always know someone who is so you can pass these tidbits along to all the bright eyed new mommies out there. 

When I was pregnant with my second son it had been nearly 7 years since I owned any baby gear.  My darling neighbor down the street was new to the mom game and she walked in the afternoons with her newborn swaddled tightly against her chest in one of these.

Moby Wrap Baby Gift

 

She informed me that it was a Moby Wrap and she just loved hers.  It looked comfortable and the baby was secure and often sleeping so I decided I had to have one of those for my own papoose.  I promptly put this item on my Target Registry and received it as a gift.  Long story short, I ended up returning it.  I found that it was in fact comfortable to wear, but really made me quite warm. Also for errands and trips to the grocery store it wasn’t very practical for me to stand in the parking lot and wrap myself in yards and yards of fabric.  I know there are throngs of moms who can’t live without their Moby Wrap and to them I say so glad it works for you, but wasn’t really working for me.

Baby Bjorn

 

Next I found a baby Bjorn carrier at Marshall’s that was discounted and looked as though it might be a winner. It slipped on similar to a back pack and gave more versatile options for a front facing, rear facing front carry and a carry on the back option.  This was reasonable at $39.99 so I swooped it up.  I got it home and was careful to unpack it knowing how specific my needs were, I gave it the ole college try and I just was not as happy with the options.  Having carried my first son around probably longer than I should have, I knew I needed more help with the hip carry. So back in the package this one went and the search continued. 

Seven Slings Black Magic

 

Next I was reading a favorite blog of mine and came across a coupon code for Seven Slings.  Not having to invest serious amounts of money on this option thanks to the promo code I decided to give it a try.  I purchased the Black Magic which was quite stylish. Now I have to say I read all kinds of negative comments about this one, but I was quite pleased with it.  I didn’t follow the height and weight on the sizing chart. I went strictly with the measurement from the top of my shoulder across my body to the hip and despite all the negative reviews mine came in a perfect fit. The fabric has a tiny bit of a stretch to it, and I was a little embarrassed at having spent money on such a simple design but I loved it.  I used this sling for several months blissfully.  The baby often times fell asleep with his head against my shoulder from the rocking motion. So this was a winner. But it did have its drawbacks. As he quickly got heavier and heavier I was uncomfortable supporting his weight on one shoulder and my neck, probably due to a previous “football injury”.  So this carrier became obsolete around seven months.

And the search continued.  I read so many wonderful things about the Ergo; I saw pictures, watched videos, and saw the versatility and decided this was the one I had been looking for.  It had a front; back and side carry option, yay. It was all cotton, could be laundered easily and all the moms on my block were clamoring for them.  This is it, this is the one for me, rejoice! There was just one drawback…the basic ones cost a whopping $115. Wa-wa-wa, disappointment set in.  I couldn’t justify that cost for baby gear when my mom just carried me around on her hip for free. 

Ergo Classic Camel

 

I scoured the consignment shops and craigslist, but I was unsuccessful in my search. So I kept an eye out and hoped for the best. Several weeks went by and I had the Bjorn in my car and couldn’t find the time to return it.  I finally found the time in my schedule to run the Marshall’s on my lunch and return the carrier that hadn’t worked for me.  I sauntered in and thought to myself I will cruise through the baby section and see if I can find anything to spend my money on before I head back to work, and there it was (cue the choirs of angels). An Ergo in a neutral color shoved amongst the wall of baby gear.  What? Were my eyes playing tricks on me, was there really an Ergo like the one Julia Roberts carried her tot in, here in my favorite discount store?  Yes, yes it was and it was all mine, mine I say for the bargain price of $59.99. Woohoo!!! It is worth noting that there were three and I stood there and considered turning a profit for the other two, but I figured there were two other thrifty new moms out there who deserved to the right to “wear their babies” as my co-worker puts it, for the same great deal I was getting.  So I feverishly grabbed my bargain and marched with a big grin on my face to the register. 

 

Now look how calm and relaxed this mommy looks, this is for me. I took a picture of the carrier I had been driving my hubby crazy over and immediately sent it to him with the caption, “I have won the Ergo Lottery.” He replied. "good job honey," and celebrated with me because he loves me and knows how important the little victories are.  I carry my prize in a cloth bag and often move it from car to car in the event that I need to pop out with my sweet angel and get a few things done hands free.  So there you have it the Ergo story and baby gear review.