journey of life

Today, I gave the dogs a bath, using Good Earth Soap’s Doggie Shampoo Bar. I love shampoo bars for my hair…they lather up nicely, and allow you to get the shampoo behind your ears and at the base of your neck, two places that liquid shampoo seems to skip when applying. Not to mention great to take on plane trips. So, Matt’s mom thought I might dig the idea of a dog shampoo bar as well, and she was right. I was able to lather up the dogs without any problem, something that is difficult with long hair dogs with thick winter coats. And, because it is in a solid form, there wasn’t any waste. The smell is lovely, not chemically like I have found most dog shampoos to be. Also, I imagine with the shampoo bar it will be easy to spot wash a hiney. A dog’s hiney, that is. Then, there’s the added benefit that it won’t leak in the dog’s travel bag, a huge plus in my book since we are often on the go. At under $6 a bar, I think it is worth a try. Oh, and in case you are wondering, they make shampoo bars for us humans as well. I am going to put their Rosemary Mint shampoo bar on my wish list.

Note: Their website doesn’t include the ingredient list for the bar, but on my packaging it says the bar contains: Water, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Jojoba Oil, Glycerin, Essential Oils of Lemongrass & Lavender. If I could, I’d put a scratch and sniff for you to smell.

I know that the cold winter weather seems so far away when the weather is this blistering,  but if you are feeling summer heat sans humidity and have dry cracking hands and cuticles, try this product. It has truly been a lifesaver for me. For several years now my hands have become dry and cracked throughout the winter months and if I use a product with fragrance or dyes I can have an allergic reaction. As a little girl I remember my mom using Neutrogena hand cream, so last year I bought some to try it out. And last winter was the first year I had any relief from dry hands…and no allergic reaction. I began carrying it around with me everywhere and having a tube beside my bed to apply at night. Unlike lotions, it has a thick consistency, so it’s very concentrated (a little lasts you a long time, supposedly 200 applications) and it doubles as a lip moisturizer, so essentially you have a two-in-one product! It was designed for Norwegian fisherman and now many nurses swear by the product to keep their hands healthy through repeated washings. For under $5.00 grab one the next time you are at the store so when cold weather blows in you will be prepared!

A few months ago, our handy dandy Black & Decker toaster oven crapped out.  I knew it was dying, but kept pushing it, hoping to make it last just a little bit longer.  But then it finally died.  I was making some chocolate chip banana bread (a double batch, of course) and noticed the top of the loaves were getting crispy and too done, while the bottoms were still undone. As Beth in Ireland would say, feck.

So, I consulted Mark and Penelope about the toaster oven they fell in love with. Now, Mark and Penelope don’t joke around when they rave about a product. Mark’s been my go-to guy when it comes to recommendations and I trust his rigorous testing. This is the guy who sits outside in his hunting gear to see if it passes the test. He’s recommended the Bolle sunglasses I fell in love with (that they no longer make), Chaco sandals (yes, the ones I wore at our wedding), North Face’s Cat’s Meow sleeping bags (Yes, Craig. They can save your life), Polypropelene underwear, cell phones and probably much more.

With a steep price tag of $179.00, I was a bit reluctant to make the purchase. But, after all, we were living in a basement, cooking off a hot plate and in a toaster oven. We really needed a good toaster oven. After a few months, I’ve been quite happy with the performance. It is a little bigger than my other toaster oven, which has been great. The features are amazing, especially when toasting frozen bread. I’ve not used the convection feature yet, but have no reason to believe I’ll be disappointed. All the online reviews I’ve read have been very positive.

There are several items we usually get at Costco, simply because the price beats anything else I can find. So, why do we use Costco instead of Sam’s or BJ’s? Well, we never have lived where there was a BJ’s close by and we’d rather support Costco over Sam’s. Costco is committed to its employees, paying them well, offering them outstanding benefits and as a result they have better staff and a considerably lower turnover rate, and it shows. Read this article: How Costco became the Anti-Wal-Mart. And, their prices are comparable, if not cheaper than Sam’s.

So, what do we regularly buy at Costco? For the most part, things I can’t find cheaper elsewhere. Here’s what we regularly buy:

• Kirkland bottled water (35-16.9 oz. bottles) - $4.59 - After a price comparison, we ditched the bottled water delivery service. Kirkland bottled water was the cheapest bottled spring water around.
• Kirkland’s adult dog lamb & rice dog food (40 lb. bag) - $18.99 - Kirkland dog food costs a fraction of the $35.00 we paid for a 40 lb. bag of Sensible Choice lamb & rice dog food and the quality is quite comparable.
• Parmesan cheese - $4.99/lb.
• Dubliner cheese - $4.99/lb.
• Feta cheese - $2.69/lb.
• active dry yeast (32 oz.) - $2.99 - Keeps a long time in the freezer.
• Crystal Light (makes 32 quarts) - $6.99
• Splenda packets (1000 count box) - $19.99
• lemon juice (2-24 oz. bottles) - $5.39 - Makes great lemonade!
• frozen blueberries (3 lb. bag) - $6.29 - with some plain yogurt, this tastes much better than pre-packaged flavored yogurts.
• pork tenderloin (2 tenderloins in a package) - $3.29/lb.
• boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12 breasts in a package) - $2.49/lb. - I’ve seen boneless, skinless chicken breasts cheaper (as low as $1.69/lb.), but only on special occasions. I really like the way Costco vacuum individually packs 2 breasts together for easy freezing and thawing (and great for camping).
• bananas (4 lbs.) - $1.30
• Kirkland brand whole bean coffee, roasted by Starbucks (2 lbs.) - $9.79 - In the grocery stores, most good coffee will run you $8.00/lb. This is an amazing deal.
• Mitchum deodorant (4-3.4 oz. containers) - $9.89
• Edge Fusion Gel (4-9.5 oz. containers) - $8.79
• Clear Care Contact Solution (2-12 fl. oz. containers) - $9.89

Some of these prices have gone up or down, so don’t hold me to them. With most warehouse club memberships, you have to weigh whether or not it’s worth the yearly membership fee when joining. For us, the savings in dog food pays for the membership. For others, the savings in eyeglasses is worth the membership fee. We’ve also managed to snag some amazing rental car discounts with our Costco membership card. As a whole, the meat prices at warehouse clubs beats almost any supermarket, unless it is a loss leader of the week.

Okay, I am a skeptic. How much difference can there be between eyelash curlers? Much more than I could have ever thought. I don’t know what makes this curler different, but it definitely is much, much better than any I’ve ever tried before. Go ahead, spend the extra money (retails around $18) and get one. It will curl even your stick straight eyelashes.

I adore Trader Joe’s. The more I shop there, the deeper my affection grows. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

1. It’s small. There’s only eight aisles or so. None of this mega-store thing.
2. Their prices are competitive, if not better, than the local grocery stores. See below for more details.
3. Their employees are actually helpful.
4. Their food is pretty damn good.
5. Best organic prices around.
6. Great specialty products. See below for more details.

Here’s a list of items we’ve bought at Trader Joe’s. Of course, some prices are slightly higher than your brand-name grocery store brands, but others are considerably cheaper.

Trader Joe’s Tri-Tip Asada, $5.49/lb.
I wish I had not thrown away the packaging for this. It was amazing and was enough meat for two dinners and two lunches. If you love spicy, flavorful foods, definitely try this out. We loved it. They also have some other pre-marinated meats I am now eager to try. And, if you are an organic nut, it’s hormone-free (among other things, but again, I threw away the packaging, so I can’t remember). I don’t know if I have ever had meat that was hormone-free before, but I am anxious to try more meat.
Eggs, dozen, $0.99
This is the cheapest price for eggs around.
Tulips, $4.99
For a little beauty in your life, or to make someone feel special, $4.99 is worth it.
Whole Wheat English Muffins, six, $1.49
This is a great price.
Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Pita Bread, six, $0.99
Another unbeatable price.
Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Fiber Bread, 1 loaf, $1.99
Unbeatable price.
Trader Joe’s Tofu, 1 lb., $0.99
Unbeatable price. Even cheaper than the Asian specialty market.
Trader Joe’s Milk (2%), 1 gallon, $2.99
I haven’t done price comparisons on milk, but I think this is really, really good.
Crabmeat, 1 pound, $6.99
Much, much cheaper than anything I have found. This is their cheapest can. You can splurge for the good stuff and spend $4.00 more.
Trader Joe’s Chicken Broth, 32 oz., $1.99
Not a great price, but it’s not bad.
Green Onions, 6 oz., $1.19
Have no idea if this is a good buy or not.
Shredded Mozzarella, $3.69
I don’t think this is a good buy. I am pretty sure you can find it cheaper elsewhere.
Trader Joe’s Pesto, 6.7 oz. jar, $2.49
I’m pretty sure unless you grow your own basil, this price is hard to beat.
Trader Joe’s Greek Style Plain Yogurt, 1 pint, $2.49
This yogurt is not cheap, but it is wonderful, thick yogurt. The cheapest Greek yogurt around.
Feta Cheese, 8 oz., $2.29
I’m pretty sure this is a bargain.
Carrots, $0.89
I routinely see carrots cheaper.
Trader Joe’s Garden Patch Juice, 64 oz., $2.69
Not a terrific price, but very reasonable.
Trader Joe’s Mayonnaise, 32 oz., $2.99
This used to cost just $2.49, but I’m sure they jacked up the price because of demand. It’s good and it’s better for you.
Trader Joe’s Turkey Chili with beans, 1 can, $1.69
Trader Joe’s Chicken Chili with beans, 1 can, $1.69
Haven’t tried either of these. I bought them for Matt to take to work for an emergency lunch. Unless it is inedible, it’s not a bad price to pay for lunch grub.
Trader Joe’s Organic Decaf Green Tea Chai, 20 bags, $1.99
Matt loves Chai, especially green tea chai and doesn’t like to drink caffeine. I’ve no idea where we could find this elsewhere. Thanks to Rich for this find.
Trader Joe’s Instant Miso Soup, 4 packets, $3.29
Great deal? Not exactly. But again, great to have on hand for emergency (and healthy) lunches. Just add boiling water.
Trader Joe’s Organic Plain Yogurt, 32 oz. $2.79
A little more expensive than your standard yogurt, but it IS organic.
Trader Joe’s Sliced Black Olives, 1 can, $0.99
Not a great deal.
Trader Joe’s Multi-Grain Spaghetti Pasta, 16 oz., $1.69
Great buy.
George Shaw Wine, 750 mL, $3.29
Okay, this is as cheap as wine gets and believe it or not it’s pretty darn good. Great to have on hand for parties, for everyday drinking, or for a last-minute gift.
Yellow Onions, 2 lb. bag, $1.99
Not cheap.
Trader Joe’s Horseradish Hummus, 8 oz., $1.79
Not cheap, but is very yummy. Great for picnics.
Fage Greek Yogurt, 2 oz., $3.38
Greek Yogurt is heavenly, but we like the Trader Joe’s brand just fine.
Button Mushrooms, 8 oz., $1.59
Okay, great deal here.
Trader Joe’s String Cheese, 12 sticks, $2.99
No idea if you can go cheaper here.
Gorgonzola Cheese, 1 lb., $4.99
No idea, but most of their specialty cheeses are very affordable.
Trader Joe’s Dijon Mustard, 13 oz., $2.49
This ain’t cheap, but I thought I’d give it a try.
Trader Joe’s Caesar Romano Salad Dressing, 12 oz., $1.99
Affordable, but not the cheapest you can find.
Trader Joe’s Cream Cheese, 8 oz., $1.39
When on sale, I can find cream cheese for around a buck a bar. Otherwise, add about fifteen to twenty cents to that for regular price. So, this price ain’t bad.
Trader Joe’s Unsalted Butter, 1 lb., $2.69
I’ve seen unsalted butter on super sale for under two bucks a pound, but this isn’t a bad price to pay.
Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Tortillas, $1.99
No idea.
Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, 16 oz., $0.99
This has to be a great deal. I’ve never seen it anywhere else.
Charlee Bear Liver Dog Treats, 16 oz., $2.99
Not really sure if this is the cheapest I’ve seen Charlee Bears.
Trader Joe’s Salsa Authentica, 12 oz., $1.69
I think this is reasonable.
Trader Joe’s Seafood Cocktail Sauce, 11 oz., $1.69
This is a good price, and it’s not packed full of sugar or corn syrup.
Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal, size unknown, less than $3.00
I’m pretty sure this is about half of what it costs at other stores. And steel cut oatmeal is so much better than the rolled kind and is better for you.

I love coffee and every few years I learn of a new way to make some brew. I started out with an old fashioned coffee maker in college (the Gevalia free gift kind), upgraded to a Black & Decker Brew ‘N Go after I was married, I have a wonderful Briel espresso machine, purchased a Bodum french press and am now using a Toddy Cold Brew Coffee System that produces a coffee concentrate that will keep in your refrigerator for up to two weeks. I have to say, as much as I like some of the other methods, my favorite is definitely the Toddy. I can make coffee anytime, whether I want hot or iced coffee, any leftovers can be popped into ice cube trays and frozen. Don’t like coffee? The Toddy can also brew tea. For less than ten specialty coffees at Starbucks, I think it’s worth a try. If you are like me and buy your coffee in bulk, 1 lb. coffee = 6 cups of ground coffee.

Feeling inspired after my regular dental checkup (no cavities again!) I decided to give Crest Pro-Health toothpaste a whirl. Now, this stuff isn’t cheap. It’s going to run you about $4.00 a tube regular price, but if you use a coupon when it’s on sale, it’s not outrageous. Since it is still new you can find it on sale just about everywhere.

Now, Crest claims that Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste is the “first toothpaste recognized by the American Dental Association, aka ADA, to protect against all these areas: Cavities, Gingivitis, Plaque, Tooth Sensitivity, Tartar Buildup and Stains, and it Freshens Breath!” Now, that’s a mouthful! If you do your research, you will notice that most of the toothpastes on the shelves, including many of the whitening ones, are not approved by the ADA.

To be honest with you, I didn’t know how we’d like this new toothpaste. I’m not so picky, but Matt is very particular. He only likes Crest Cavity Protection paste. However, we are both raving about this new toothpaste. The cinnamon flavor was surprisingly refreshing and not over-powering, as I had suspected. I’m looking forward to buying some of the mint to try it out as well.

Happy Brushing!

We’ve had a nasty, sticky substance on the vinyl siding in our screened in porch that we’ve just not been able to get off. Recently, a contractor out to the house took a look at the mystery substance. He believes the stickyness is wood sealant that dripped down from the deck above. He suggested Goof off, and guess what?!? It worked! We tested it on the vinyl in a small area first, to make sure we wouldn’t be damaging the finish. Problem solved!

I’ve already posted a review of Charlie’s Soap, but I felt that it deserved a post on this blog as well.When we moved into our house we purchased a front-loading washer and a high efficiency dryer. Manufacturers recommended using a low-sudsing soap, so I began looking at what other’s were using. Many posts on the internet rave about a product called Charlie’s Soap from a company based out of Mayodan, North Carolina, so I gave it a whirl. Since we moved into our house a little over a year ago we have spent less than $50 on soap powders. It’s fantastic and affordable, and what’s really great is the customer service. To place an order today all I had to do was give them a ring and they just used everything already in the system. No hassles at all! If you decide to order some, make sure to put my name down - I can get a free bag for referring people!