Mandi Ehman's Blog, page 128

Vitacost: Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips as Low as $2.57/bag

Vitacost’s buy one, get one for 50% off special is still going on for a few more days, and the Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips are back in stock!

Whether you’re looking for allergen-free chocolate (these have no dairy, soy, nuts or gluten) or fair trade chocolate, Enjoy Life is our family’s favorite brand. We use these chocolatechips not just for cookies and muffins but in place of baking chocolate and candy coating as well. They’re usually a bit on the expensive side (as most good things are!), so we stock up whenever we see this sale!

To make this deal even better, new Vitacost customers can sign up for a $10 off a $30 purchase coupon (with $4.99 shipping).

Combine these two offers to get 10 bags of chocolate chips for just $25.67!

Here’s how:

Sign up for the Vitacost Rewards program.
Check your email for your $10 credit.
Once you’ve received your credit, add 5 bags of Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips to your cart (your discounted bags will be automatically added).
Apply your $10 credit to your order at checkout.
Pay just $25.67!

I’m a member of the Vitacost Rewards program and earn a coupon if you sign up through the link above, but all opinions are 100% mine, and I really do regularly shop these sales myself!

Vitacost: Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips as Low as $2.57/bag is a post from Life Your Way

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Cleaning Your Touchscreen Devices

The following post is from Michelle of Mommy Misadventures :

source: Michelle Mista

Whether you’ve got smartphone or a tablet, chances are you use it a lot. And even if you have a good cover and a screen protector on it, it probably gets a little greasy and gunky. Spring cleaning time is a great time to get into the habit of cleaning your device regularly.

This is also a good time to take a look at your chargers and any other accessories you may have for your tablet or device. If your cords are showing signs of wear or tear — especially warping or fraying of the cord — make a note that it’s time to replace.

Assemble your materials.

A microfiber cleaning cloth is a must — it grabs the dirt and grease from the glass without scratching it. I also like to keep electronics cleaner and a can of air at the ready. These are strictly optional but great for a good, deep clean.

By the way, while DIY cleaning solutions are great for your home, you should NOT use homemade solutions on your electronics. Touch screens are especially sensitive; using the wrong cleaning solution on a touch screen in the wrong way and you’ve got yourself a shiny new paperweight.

There’s a variety of electronics cleaners on the market. I like pre-moistened wipes as they’re easy to keep at my desk to wipe off my devices after a hard day’s use.

Spray on cleaners are also available. While these are great for cleaning things like monitors or televisions, I do not recommend them for touch screens as its very easy to use them wrong. Remember, NEVER spray any cleaner directly onto the touchscreen. Too much liquid on your touchscreen can short it out.

Cleaning your device.

Turn your device off and remove it from the case. This is a great time to inspect for any cracks or signs of wear on your case. I also like to take this opportunity to clean the case itself, which actually gets the majority of the daily gunk that builds up on it.

For my silicone-based case on my smart phone, I took it apart and gently cleaned the outside and inside with my pre-moistened cleaning cloths and let it air dry as I cleaned my device. For my tablet case, I took a moment to blow out any obvious dust (and crumbs?! how’d those get in there?) using a can of air before I wiped the silicone part of it down with another cleaning cloth.

Gently clean your device with the microfiber. Start in one direction and wipe. If desired, clean your device screen and then the body with an electronics cleaner of your choice, following the package instructions. Let your device air dry before replacing your cover.

What questions do you have about cleaning your touch screen devices?

Michelle Mista is an IT professional, writer and blogger with a love for all kinds of technology. She writes about tech tips and trends for work at home professionals on her portfolio blog and muses about motherhood at Mommy Misadventures. She is on the constant quest to balance life, work and geekery.

Cleaning Your Touchscreen Devices is a post from Life Your Way

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5 Simple Ways to Reduce Sugar in Your Diet

The following post is from Amy of Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free:

source:cocoinzenl

The typical American eats 120 pounds of white sugar a year. Think about that. That’s around 270 cups of white sugar.

That’s a whole lot of sugar.

Most people are shocked when they learn I don’t eat white sugar. And, when someone tries to cut it out of their diet they are generally overwhelmed because food manufacturers have seemed to sneak white sugar into everything. Sauces, seasonings, salad dressings, and even stocks. And, we love our sweets.

If you want to try to reduce or eliminate white sugar from your diet, here are some simple steps you can take.

1. Start reading ingredient lists. 

Just because the front of the box says “healthy” or “all-natural” doesn’t mean it’s actually a food you should put into your mouth. Companies use creative advertising to hook buyers. Instead, read the ingredient list. If there is white sugar in the first five ingredients, there is usually a good amount of sugar. I pass on those items. Other names for white sugar that you want to look for include cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, cane juice, and organic cane sugar.

2. Start using stevia.

Most people who’ve tried stevia tell me they don’t like it. After asking some questions, I quickly learned that it’s either because they used the wrong brand or they didn’t know how to use it. Stevia, derived from an herb, is 200 – 300 times sweeter than sugar. You just need a small amount to get the same effect. My favorite brand is NuNaturals. I use stevia to sweeten beverages and to boost the sweetness of certain baked goods. I find that liquid vanilla stevia works best for baking.

3. Bake your fruit.

I don’t know about you, but I love dessert. Instead of giving it up all together, I’ve found healthier substitutes. One of my favorite dishes is baked apples stuffed with dates or raisins, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and a little coconut oil. You can even make these in the CrockPot! Try baking pears and bananas too.

4. Substitute coconut palm sugar for refined white sugar in your favorite recipes.

Coconut palm sugar has a low glycemic index, around 35, and is packed with minerals and nutrients. I think of it as the ‘healthy brown sugar.’ Because it’s got more flavor than white sugar, I generally start by substituting 25% less coconut palm sugar. If it’s not quite sweet enough, this is a perfect time to add 1/8 – 1/2 teaspoon stevia, depending on the recipe.

5. Make your own whole foods ‘ice cream.’

Throw some frozen bananas and your favorite frozen fruit into your food processor and give them a whirl until you achieve ice cream consistency. The result is creamy and delicious, with none of the drawbacks of white sugar. Some of my favorite fruits to use include strawberries, cherries, and blueberries. A squeeze or two of fresh lime juice is delicious too.

How do you feel about the amount of sugar you eat? What has helped you reduce your sugar intake?

A stay-at-home mom, wife, and passionate cook, Amy strives to make each meal healthy and delicious. When she’s not doing laundry, dishes, or caring for her son, she plays around with food in the kitchen developing new recipes, which she shares at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free. Amy also publishes The Balanced Platter and authored the book Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free: 180 Easy & Delicious Recipes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less.

5 Simple Ways to Reduce Sugar in Your Diet is a post from Life Your Way

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Weekly Reads {3/25/13}

You know I’m feeling icky when I choose sleep or zoning in front of the TV over reading, and I’m afraid that’s happening more and more these days. Am I whining about morning sickness? Yes, I guess I am (although, in all honesty, it’s the headaches that are really dragging me down!). I had hoped that taking it easy during the first trimester would mean more reading time, but it’s really just meaning more naps!

All of that said, I’m thankful for a healthy baby and all those good pregnancy hormones, and I will happily give up my reading goals in exchange!

Head here to see Katie’s post for this week. We also want to know what you’re reading! Add your blog post to the linky below or leave a comment with your favorite reads from this week.

This Week’s Reads

Touching the Clouds (Alaskan Skies Book #1): A Novel by Bonnie Leon

Touching the Clouds is a story of a female pilot who heads to Alaska to pursue her dream as an Alaskan bush pilot. There she confronts the prejudice against her as a female pilot as well as demons from her past as she learns to fly in the treacherous conditions of the Alaskan winter. With touches of romance and adventure, I really enjoyed this story as a light, easy read this week.

However, one thing I’ve found frustrating with historical fiction this year (strangely enough, I don’t remember ever running into this before) is that there are no historical details of the story. Sure, the year is mentioned once or twice, and the plane she flies was a crank plane, but I love when stories include descriptions of the characters’ clothing, the political climate and the minutuae of their day that really gives me a glimpse into life at that time, and I felt like this story was missing that.

Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

I really enjoyed Princess Academy last month, and I was excited to pick up and read the second story in the series, Palace of Stone, this week. Both of these books are enchanting and well written, and I truly enjoyed them, although I found Palace of Stone to be a little more juvenile and immature in some of the writing and internal dialogue. That’s not necessarily a bad thing in a book written for children, but I didn’t feel that way about the first book at all, so it caught me by surprise this time.

That said, there are some mature themes in the book — about love and rebellion and the responsibilities of leaders to their people — that I don’t think my girls would fully appreciate yet, but I’m looking forward to rereading them with them in a few years.

On My Reading List for This Week

A few years ago at the BlissDom blogging conference, I heard Scott Stratten speak for the first time, and I immediately bought his first book, UnMarketing, and read it on the way home from the conference. That single book has had a bigger impact on my blogging and other business models — especially the way I handle interactions with readers and customer service — than any other business book I’ve read (and I was a business major with a minor in marketing).

I was slightly jealous to hear that he spoke again at this past weekend’s BlissDom, so I downloaded Unmarketing to my new Kindleandpurchased his new book to read this week.

I also bugged Shaina for her top reads so far this year and added a few of those to my reading list as well. We’ll see how many of these I actually get through this week!

UnMarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging. by Scott Stratten
The Book of Business Awesome / The Book of Business UnAwesome by Scott Stratten
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Share Your Reading List

Day 8: Towels & Toiletries {Spring Cleaning Made Easy}

For the next month, we’ll be spring cleaning the easy way with our Spring Cleaning Made Easy series! The goal is to get the whole house clean — one mini task at a time — without having to set aside a whole week, or even a whole day, to clean.

Today we’re moving into the bathrooms, and how long this task takes you will depend not only on how much stuff you have in your bathroom but on how many bathrooms you have in your home!

source: Mandi Ehman

We’re cleaning out the medicine cabinets and linen closets, home to toiletries, samples, towels, sheets and more. But, hey, at least we’re not scrubbing the toilets today!

The Medicine Cabinet

Let’s jump right in to the medicine cabinet.

Think about what medicine you use regularly and need to keep on hand and create an inventory list for yourself, similar to the one you keep in your pantry. Running out of the basics is never fun, especially in the middle of the night with a feverish toddler, so I try to stay aware of what we have and what we might need so that our stock never gets too low.

Throw away expired medicines (be sure to follow the FDA’s recommendations for properly disposing of medicine).
Make a list of medicines/homeopathic remedies you need before cold & flu season hits.
Check for droppers, measuring cups, etc., but throw away extras (do you really need 7 of each?).

Samples & Stockpile

While it’s easy to get caught up in “the thrill of the hunt” and find yourself requesting every free sample that becomes available and stocking up on every product that someone in your family might one day need, I’m going to take a radical approach and tell you that it’s okay to only request the samples and buy the products you know you’ll use.

If your stockpile is overflowing already, then it may be time to declutter the excess and pass them on to someone who will actually use them.

Organize your stockpile in your linen closet so you can actually see what you have.
Put the earliest expiration date in the front to be sure you use it before it expires.
Only keep the samples you’ll actually use. For example, I love to take the packets of shampoo & conditioner when we travel, but there are some samples that I’ll probably never use.
Donate products you won’t use or have an abundance of. Discard expired products.
Bonus tip: Create a guest basket with samples in case your guests forget something

Half-Used Supplies

Another common pitfall we’ve faced in the past is opening a new toothpaste/deodorant/whatever before the first one was completely empty, either because we wanted to switch flavors/scents/brands or because using a new one is easier than trying to squeeze the last bit out of the old one. Having a collection of almost-empty products in our bathrooms was a major contributor to the clutter.

My solution was to pack up all the extras in a storage bin and store it on a high shelf in the bathroom. We’re still able to get to them when we need something, but we’re less likely to pull out a new one before we need it. We try to follow the “one thing in, one thing out” rule and throw away older products (if we find that we don’t really like them or they’re not really effective) when we get out a new one.

If you have an abundance of half-used toiletries, decide which ones you’re really going to use and toss the rest.
Find a container or basket to hold your extras.

Towels, Towels and More Towels

It’s also easy to keep dozens of extra towels in your linen closet “just in case” you need them one day. If you find that you have way too many for your family’s needs, consider paring back to a number that’s closer to what you really need. Cut up worn towels as rags and pack the rest away in the basement so that you can get to them if you need them without having to deal with them on a daily basis.

If you have seasonal sheet sets, decide whether to keep the extras in the linen closet during the off-season or whether to pack them away (maybe with your off season clothes?). Then, use these handy tricks to keep your towels and sheets folded neatly in the closet so that you can make the most of your space!

Track your progress this month with the Spring Cleaning Made Easy checklist, which comes in two versions — one with dates to coincide with the live series and one with generic labels so you can do it on your own at another time. Click here to download or print your copy!

Tomorrow we’ll be scrubbing the bathroom fixtures and floors, so be sure to finish organizing and decluttering today!

How many bathrooms do you have in your home? What is your least favorite part of cleaning the bathroom?

Mandi Ehman is the founder and publisher behind Life Your Way and the co-author of All in Good Time, as well as a wife and the homeschooling mom to four beautiful girls. She lives with her family on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia and loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Day 8: Towels & Toiletries {Spring Cleaning Made Easy} is a post from Life Your Way

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Get a Bible Study eBook Bundle for Just $7.40! {BundleoftheWeek.com}

Strengthen your faith and deepen your knowledge of the Bible with this week’s bundle, which includes an encouraging devotional, three Bible studies and a guide to studying the Bible on your own. This week only, get all 5 ebooks for just $7.40 (a savings of more than 70%)!

With your purchase, you’ll get all five of the following ebooks:

Savoring Living Water by Katie Orr and Lara Williams
Pursuit of Proverbs 31 by Amy Bayliss
Focused15: 1 Corinthians 13 by Katie Orr
31 Days of Faith by Tracie Stier-Johnson
Beholding Him, Becoming Missional by Laura Krokos

Get yours today!

Even if you’re not interested in this week’s bundle, be sure to sign up for the BundleoftheWeek.com weekly newsletter so you can be the first to know about the latest bundle:

Get a Bible Study eBook Bundle for Just $7.40! {BundleoftheWeek.com} is a post from Life Your Way

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Day 7: Catch Up or Rest! {Spring Cleaning Made Easy}

For the next month, we’ll be spring cleaning the easy way with our Spring Cleaning Made Easy series! The goal is to get the whole house clean — one mini task at a time — without having to set aside a whole week, or even a whole day, to clean.

Last week we tackled the kitchen, and next week we’ll start making our way through the bathrooms and bedrooms. But today? Today is your day to either catch up on anything you didn’t have time to finish last week or to rest and enjoy a day off from spring cleaning!

sourcestorebukkebruse

Here’s what we worked on last week. If you didn’t have a chance to finish one of these, take a little bit of time today to catch up. Otherwise, enjoy your day off!

Day 1: Gather Your Supplies


Day 2: Do a Quick Declutter


Day 3: Clean Your Refrigerator & Freezer


Day 4: Clean the Pantry


Day 5: Drawers, Cabinets & Appliances


Day 6: Finish Cleaning the Kitchen

Track your progress this month with the Spring Cleaning Made Easy checklist, which comes in two versions — one with dates to coincide with the live series and one with generic labels so you can do it on your own at another time. Click here to download or print your copy!

Tomorrow we’ll be starting on the bathrooms!

Are you using today to catch up on last week’s tasks or are you enjoying a day off?

Mandi Ehman is the founder and publisher behind Life Your Way and the co-author of All in Good Time, as well as a wife and the homeschooling mom to four beautiful girls. She lives with her family on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia and loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Day 7: Catch Up or Rest! {Spring Cleaning Made Easy} is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2013 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Home Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

Day 6: Finish Cleaning the Kitchen {Spring Cleaning Made Easy}

For the next month, we’ll be spring cleaning the easy way with our Spring Cleaning Made Easy series! The goal is to get the whole house clean — one mini task at a time — without having to set aside a whole week, or even a whole day, to clean.

We’re almost done in the kitchen! Today we’re going to finish all the nitty-gritty details — the windows and blinds, the baseboards, and the floors.

source: Jess Pac

We’ve cleaned out the drawers and cabinets as well as the appliances, and we’re almost done. How long this part takes you will depend on the size of your kitchen, how many windows there are, etc.:

take down and wash any window treatments
dust the blinds
wash the windows (bonus points if you do the outsides of the windows as well!)
dust the baseboards
clean any light fixtures
sweep or vacuum
mop or steam clean

That’s it!

Bonus: Finish cleaning your dining room as well.

Track your progress this month with the Spring Cleaning Made Easy checklist, which comes in two versions — one with dates to coincide with the live series and one with generic labels so you can do it on your own at another time. Click here to download or print your copy!

Tomorrow’s a rest day. If you have some jobs to finish in the kitchen, take some time to finish those; otherwise, enjoy your day off!

Did you finish your kitchen this week?

Mandi Ehman is the founder and publisher behind Life Your Way and the co-author of All in Good Time, as well as a wife and the homeschooling mom to four beautiful girls. She lives with her family on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia and loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Day 6: Finish Cleaning the Kitchen {Spring Cleaning Made Easy} is a post from Life Your Way

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Weekend Reading: March 23, 2013

source: mandiehman on Instagram

The picture’s not much to look at (although the girls keep cooing, “Aww, it’s so cute!”), but the moment our little baby appeared on the screen and the ultrasound tech said, “There’s definitely a heartbeat!”, I burst into tears. I’d already spent half the morning crying after my nausea had significantly decreased over the previous 48 hours, accompanied by a severe headache that had come and gone for almost a week. But these were happy tears. Relieved tears. Joyous tears.

I’m not naive enough to believe that a healthy baby is guaranteed at the end of this 9-month wait; I’ve experienced loss too many times myself and watched friends grieve the loss of their babies at every stage of pregnancy. And I’m paranoid enough in general that I will likely worry again in the near future. But for now? For now I’m basking in the memory of that tiny, perfect heartbeat, so very, very thankful to have reached the 8-week mark!

Have you subscribed to our new weekly newsletter? Subscribe today and stay connected with us!

Here are some of my favorite posts from this week. As always, check out what I’m reading to see the other posts that make me stop and think. You’ll find new posts all week long!

Tech {Are You an iPhone Mom?}

I’ve been fascinated by the “iPhone Mom” conversation that’s been taking place in the blogosphere and on Facebook over the past few weeks. I honestly think grace is needed on both sides of this conversation: sometimes we do need the reminder to put down our phones and focus on our children, but it’s also okay for our kids to see us working, connecting with friends or pursuing our own interests. Most importantly, I don’t think any mom should be judging another mom, especially when there’s no way they have all the facts!

Dear Mom on the iPhone | 4 Little Fergusons {the original post}


Dear Mom on the iPhone, I Get It. | Fried Okra


In Defense of the iPhone Mom | Growing in a Shrinking Culture


Please Don’t Define Me as an ‘iPhone Mom’ | Clean Eats in the Zoo

Holidays {Easter Crafts & Activities}

Let’s Bring the Holidays Down a Notch | Rage Against the Minivan


7 Simple Easter Crafts Using What You Have at Home | Live Renewed


DIY on a Dime: Chocolate Marshmallow Eggs | Life As Mom

Family {Raising Adults}

Is There Danger in Play or More in Its Absence? | Not Just Cute


After Steubenville: 25 Things Our Sons Need to Know about Manhood | A Holy Experience


Life Saved Because of Free-Range Kids, Age 9 and 10! | Free Range Kids

Have a great weekend!

Mandi Ehman is the founder and publisher behind Life Your Way and the co-author of All in Good Time, as well as a wife and the homeschooling mom to four beautiful girls. She lives with her family on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia and loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Weekend Reading: March 23, 2013 is a post from Life Your Way

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CommentsWhat a gorgeous sight and sound. As I'm typing, I'm nestling my ... by Miranda @ A ThankFULL HeartCongrats, Mandi! What exciting news! Thanks for including my ... by Amanda MorganCongrats on your milestone! Such a great feeling to see that ... by Christina@Northern Cheapskate

8 Ways to Get What You Need for Less

The following post is from Christina of Northern Cheapskate :

source: Phillip Pessar

When the budget gets tight, it’s time to get creative!  You don’t have to pay full price at the store to get the things you need.

Here are some simple ways to get what you need for less:

1. Cash in coupons and rebates.

Sign up for the mail and e-mail lists for your favorite products and learn about coupons and sales. Learn how to use coupons and how to get mail-in rebates and in just an hour a week, you can easily shave 30 to 50% off your grocery bill.

Last year I saved nearly $2,000 using coupons – well worth the little bit of time it takes each week.  Why pay full price when you can get many items your household uses for free or cheap?

2. Ask for discounts.

It never hurts to ask for discounts.  Ask the cashier if there are any coupons or special deals available on the items you’re buying.  If your item has damaged packaging, don’t be afraid to ask for a slight reduction in price. Ask your cable provider how you can shave money off your bill. The worst that can happen is that they can say “no” to any discounts. But many times you’ll uncover unadvertised specials that can save you money.

3. Borrow.

Need a special tool for a task around the house?  Ask a neighbor if you can borrow his.  Check out all kinds of free entertainment – from books to movies- from your public library instead of spending money on them.  Borrow maternity clothing from a new mom. Just remember to promptly return the items you borrowed in the same condition you got them and don’t forget to return the favor when someone else needs something.

4. Do it yourself.

If you need a book case, new art for your walls, or simple a home-cooked meal, making things yourself is an excellent way to save money.  Learn to tackle do-it-yourself projects around the house like fixing a leaky toilet or grooming your dog, and you’ll never pay full price again.

5. Barter or trade.

Don’t be afraid to trade! What skills do you have that could be traded for things you need?  Perhaps you can swap some of your homemade jam for some fresh honey from a farmer friend.  I have an artist friend who swapped set design skills for dance lessons for her daughter.  Other friends participate in babysitting swaps so that they get a much needed break from the kids without having to pay a babysitter.  You can hold a clothing or toy swap and score new stuff without spending a cent!

6. Find it for free.

Get what you want for free with a little patience and know-how.  Put the word out to friends and family that you are looking for particular items and chances are, they just might give it to you to get it out of their basement.  Many garage sales offer a “free” box – stuff that the owners didn’t want to bother pricing for sale and just want to get rid of.  You can sign up for Freecycle and find lots of free items in your local area.

7. Use what you have.

Take a good look around your home.  Are there things that you can repurpose instead of rushing to buy new?  Turn mason jars into beautiful storage containers or replace paper towels with cut-up old blankets and t-shirts.  Turn last night’s dinner into something new rather than caving in and ordering take-out.  Use what you have to get organized. When you get into the habit of making do with what you have, you realize how much money you can save just by seeing things in a different way.

8. Shop secondhand.

Why pay full price and create more waste in the world, when there are plenty of secondhand items available to purchase at a fraction of the price?  Learn how to shop at estate sales, hit the garage sales, and score great deals at thrift stores.  Ask friends and family if they are looking to sell the items you’re looking to buy.  Check out Craigslist for great deals in your area.  Don’t forget to look for secondhand sports equipment and musical instruments, too!

Getting what you need for less is just one of the many skills you need in your frugal toolbox if you want to be smart with your money.  Plus, it can be a lot of fun scoring some great deals!

How do you save money on the things you need?

Christina Brown is the creator of Northern Cheapskate, a blog dedicated to frugal living through coupons, freebies, and money-saving ideas. She lives in the rural north woods of Minnesota where she clips coupons, pinches pennies, and chases her three boys (a 7-year-old and twin 5-year olds) as a stay-at-home mom.

8 Ways to Get What You Need for Less is a post from Life Your Way

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