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No Mess S’mores Hack

s'mores hack

?? S’MORES HACK: NO MESS ?❤️

Are you a messy s’mores fan? I’m not either ? I love the ooey gooey warm marshmallow, but the struggling for a baby wipe over an open fire isn’t my favorite part of the experience. This is the EASIEST S’MORES HACK EVER! It all happens indoors and if needed, you’re close to a sink for your hands ? BTW: you can dip whatever you’d like in this or just eat it plain…I’m just going to put a good word in for the bacon, it’s life changing ?

s'mores hack

This is seriously my favorite s’mores hack EVER: only 5 minutes and NO mess! Start by grabbing your air fryer and a liner.

Next go grab these four ingredients you already have in your kitchen: marshmallows, caramel, butterscotch chips and flaky sea salt. Layer these in that order in your air fryer liner, all measured with your heart. The most difficult part of this is opening the caramel! Because caramel is made with white sugar and butterscotch is made with brown sugar, we are adding both? If you add nothing else, add the flakey sea salt!

Set your Air fryer to 350F for 5 mins OR pop it in the oven at 400F for 3-5 minutes. I decided to dip apples and bacon, and let me tell you, it’s LIFE CHANGING!

If you had to choose one: caramel, butterscotch which one would you add? Comment and LMK! I’m going butterscotch ? Chocolate chips would also be fantastic in this!


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Pottery Barn Holiday Dupes from Walmart

Walmart dupes

??DUPE ALERT: WALMART COPYCATS ?‍♀️ POTTERY BARN?♥️

You can shop all of these Walmart dupes HERE

Are you ready to decorate for Christmas? I know, it’s REALLY early and I gave a lot of thought to doing this one so soon, but honestly, these copycats are going to go fast ? This is an early bird gets the best deal situation, so I couldn’t wait ? These are Walmart holiday dupes you need for this upcoming holiday season!

Take a look at this guy! This Wicker tree skirt from Walmart looks exactly like the Pottery Barn version but at a fraction of the price. At Pottery Barn, their tree skirt costs $130 but only $25 at Walmart.

This next one is such an incredible dupe. These felt ornaments from Walmart are only $2 a piece, but at Pottery Barn, you pay $40 for 4. What?!

Pottery Barn isn’t going to be happy about this one because Walmart has done their metal reindeer for half the price! At Pottery Barn, the cheapest price you can find is $20, but Walmart prices start at just $10.

Look at this next dupe I found! These Cranberry balls are 4 for $9 at Walmart. And get this, at Pottery Barn, they are $20 each!

This next dupe is not an exact copycat but it’s pretty darn close. This wreath at Pottery Barn costs a whopping $150, but you can grab the lookalike at Walmart for just $30. All this dupe is missing is the lights, but for $30, we can add our own!

This next dupe isn’t Pottery Barn but you are going to love it! My absolute favorite dupe I found is a lookalike for the acrylic nutcracker from CB2. While the original is $179, I found an exact copycat here at Walmart for just $25.

 

When will you start decorating for Christmas? Comment and LMK! My tree won’t go up until the weekend after Thanksgiving ??


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Genius Onion Hack: No More Tears

onion

?? NO CRY ONION HACK ? 

What onion cutting hacks have you tried? The goggles? Water running? Wet paper towel? Turns out you don’t need any of ‘em! This FREE & EASY HACK is a game changer! ZERO TEARS! I honestly can’t wait for you try this one and give me a call, I’m that jazzed about it ?

onion

Did you know that the little hairy part on the onion is the key to no more tears? This is actually the root of the onion. Make sure NOT to cut the root off of your onion.

Here’s why this matters. The root section of the onion actually holds all of the juices and gases that give you the most grief when you are cutting your onion. You can cut through the hairy part, but just make sure you don’t cut it off and get rid of it!

onion

BONUS TIPS:
✅ Keep your onion in the fridge OR place in a bag and freeze it 10-15 mins before cutting. The cold helps the juices and gases contract, making them less potent when you slice it.
✅ Use a sharp knife. It not only makes cutting easier, but a clean cut also helps reduce the likelihood of those pesky irritants escaping ?

What’s your favorite type of onion? Comment and LMK! I love the red ones and still scratch my head over the fact we don’t call them purple onions ? Is it me, or don’t they look way more purple than red?! ?


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Quick and Easy Halloween Mom Hack

halloween

?? MOM HACK: HALLOWEEN ?️+?️ = ?

Are you decorating for Halloween? Candidly, I’m running out of steam…after 32 years of non-stop raising kids and counting I need some QUICK + EASY decor inspiration ? If you feel the same, this FUN & Almost FREE halloween hack is for you ?

For this hack, you only need two things: candles and crayons! All you have to do is light your candle, dip your crayon in the flame and drip it off the side. This hack takes seconds and looks so cool!

If you want a longer drip, use Jumbo crayons. To make these candles even more fun, you can layer as many colors as you want. Lastly, putting some scotch tape on the top makes for an easy cleanup.

What color crayons would you use? I think purple, orange and green would be super cute and give more of Peanuts Great Pumpkin vibe ? Ps. this would also be super cool on black pillar candles ?


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LORAfied On-the-Go: McDonald’s Hack! Secret Cookie Tote

cookie

?? McDONALDS HACK: SECRET COOKIE TOTE ??

 Have you heard about the 13 cookie box at Mickey D’s? ? It’s an OFF THE MENU box of warm, gooey goodness baked to order and delivered to your car ? And it’s A DEAL!

When I heard this was a thing, I HAD to check it out! I ordered the 13 Cookie Tote, and it was less than $5! I did some research, and the cookie tote can cost anywhere from $3.99 to $6.89, depending on your location. Regardless, it’s a steal!

The best part of this hack is it is delivered straight to your car! Once you order, they have you pull over so you can bake them. They are delivered straight out of the oven, baked to order!

This hack is so fun, it feels like you are getting a little present. These cookies were perfect- chocolatey and gooey! This cookie tote is delicious and a CRAZY good deal you are going to love. I still can’t get over it!

 

Follow along for more money-saving hacks. Would you rather have a box of fresh baked cookies ? or fresh hot fries ?? Comment and LMK! I would have said fries until I experienced this life changing moment ❤️


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Save or Splurge: Pumpkin Bread Wars

pumpkin

?? SAVE or SPLURGE: PUMPKIN BREAD WARS ??

Have you noticed how many pumpkin bread mixes are out there?! Every store has at least one and the price difference is SHOCKING! From $3 at Walmart all the way to nearly $16 at Williams Sonoma ? So what’s the difference? Is there any? Honestly, they’re all good options, but one is the BEST BUY by far! ?

To find out which mix was really worth it, I taste tested each. All batters were pretty similar: with water, eggs, and 3 mixes calling for oil and one for butter. A great hack I love to use is to spray your pan over the dishwasher to avoid any messes.

After baking, the 3 mixes calling for oil all looked identical. On the other hand, the $16 Williams Sonoma mix called for butter. This guy turned out pretty dark because it browned faster.

Now it’s time for the taste test! I started with the $16 Williams Sonoma mix. While this bread was more browned, it was delicious. She might just be worth the price.

pumpkin

Next, I tried the $4.10 Krusteaz mix. This guy was the least pumpkin tasting, and it gave me more of a Banana bread feel. I’d totally eat this one!

The $3.50 Trader Joe’s mix turned out to be really moist and pumpkin-y. This guy was a little crumbly, but your mouth won’t know that! Overall, this one was great.

The cheapest mix was the $3 Pillsbury mix. This one was more pumpkin-y that any of the other mixes! She turned out beautiful. This mix wins best in show?

Comment and let my know if you’ve tried any of these or another one, I’d love to hear your favorite ?


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LORAfied On-the-Go: Low Carb Fast Food Pt. 2

 

low carb

?? DIET HACK: LOW CARB FAST FOOD ORDERS Pt. 2 ?

How often do you find yourself ordering on the run? With my work schedule and an unpaid job as a personal chauffeur to my teens I find myself in the drive-thru more often than I’d like, so I had to figure out some better choices. Here’s my latest edition of TASTY LOW CARB ORDERS ✅

 

McDonald’s

If you are craving a Big Mac, this is the way to do it! Guilt free, and it’s absolutely delicious. Plus, it’s only 6 net carbs!

I ordered a Big Mac with NO bun and extra lettuce. You can include the sauce on this guy… it only has 1 carb! She’s not going to win any beauty pageants but it tastes SO good. This order has 6 carbs, 18g protein and only 330 calories.

 

Starbucks

My lowcarb starbucks order only has 6 carbs! I order a grande shaken espresso with almond milk, blonde espresso, 1/2 caramel syrup, 1/2 cinnamon dolce syrup, and 1 stevia. The key to this guy is NO classic syrup, meaning no surgar. It has 6 carbs and only 45 calories.

 

 

Chick-fil-A

Here, I ordered their cobb salad but flipped out the crispy chicken for grilled. I opted for the light italian dressing and tossed the cripsy bell peppers, which are fried and full of carbs. My order comes in at just 10 net carbs, 42g of proten and 465 calories.

 

Did you know many Starbucks drinks include what they call “classic” which is simple syrup whether you want it or not? Comment and LMK! I make sure to always say “no classic” when ordering anything at Starbucks, even the most simple drinks come with it which adds carbs and calories ?


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LORAfied On-the-Go: Low Carb Fast Food Pt. 1

Sharing the best low carb hacks to help guide you the next time you’re ordering at your favorite fast food chain!

 

LORAfied List to Low Carb Fast Food??

 

 

Low Carb KFC Order?

  • Buttermilk Ranch (2 g net carbs)
  • Buffalo (2 g net carbs)
  • Hot sauce (1 g net carbs)
  • Chicken Wing and Drumstick (3 g net carbs each)
  • Green beans, add butter spread (2g net carbs, 0 carbs for butter spread)

 

Low Carb at Taco Bell?

  • Chicken Power Bowl (21 g protein, 4 net carbs (with no sauce), 240 calories)
  • Nacho cheese sauce (and most sauces)
  • Lettuce wrap or bowl option

*SKIP: bread, wraps, biscuits, anything fried (chicken, fries, desserts), rice, beans, chips

 

McDonald’s?

  • Double quarter pounder with cheese, no bun, and no ketchup (42 g protein, 4 net carbs (with no sauce), 540 calories)
  • Mix buffalo and ranch (low carb and tasty)

*SKIP: sauces can be tricky and add unnecessary carbs. The sweet & sour, hot mustard, tangy bbq, and ketchups are not low carb friendly!

 

Chick Fil A?

  • 12 count grilled nuggets (38 g protein, 2 net carbs (with no sauce), 200 calories)
  • Mix their zesty buffalo sauce with their house sauce for a delicious low carb hack
  • Cool wrap in a bowl (42 g protein, 5 net carbs (with no sauce), 350 calories)

*SKIP: the spicy chicken sandwich, and sauces can add up the carbs here again…2 Polynesian sauces have as many carbs as a bun!

 

Starbucks☕️

  • Low carb latte hack: large cup of ice with 2 shots of espresso, then I add my own low carb, high protein shake to the cup. The regular way Starbucks makes it has 49 net carbs! Adding your own shake will make it so it only has 5 carbs (and my shakes have 20g of protein!)

***Click HERE to shop my favorite Low Carb Snack Bars and Shakes?


 

Money-Saving Grocery Store Hacks: Costco Shopping Secrets Part 2

Costco

?❤️ COSTCO HACKS Ep 2: DEALS & DON’TS ?

Have you ever price checked Costco? I have and was shocked by some of the things I found! Here’s what you’ll want to snag and what you will want to skip on your next trip there!

Buy your movie tickets at Costco! If you grab them here, your popcorn and soda are basically free. You can also save 20% of gift cards, so check here first.

 

 

Costco

 

Their designer items are a must-buy! Their designer clothes and shoes are great deals. Don’t forget about the optical department: glasses and contacts are a deal.

 

Also getting a thumbs up for pricing is their alcohol. You can find wine and beer at incredibly low prices.

 

Now, onto their food. Their organic items are a yes, but skip out on conventional products. You can find non-organic food at much lower prices at your local grocery store. Apples and bananas are usually the exception and are well-priced.

 

 

Costco

 

Unless you use a crazy amount of spices, skip out on their spices and seasonings. They’ll go bad before you can finish ’em.

 

NOTE: Electronics here can be tricky so make sure to price check at other stores before you buy. While the books are tempting, you can find way better deals on Amazon.

 

What’s the best deal or surprise item you’ve found at Costco? Comment and LMK! Mine has to be the furry UGG slippers for Kid 2 ?


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Money-Saving Grocery Store Hacks: Costco Shopping Secrets: Part 1

Costco

Do you love Costco as much as I do? It seriously has everything you need! Today I am sharing some of my favorite Costco shopping secrets you need to know to save money while shopping.

 

Costco shopping secrets

First things first, walk past the front of the store. This is where the pricey stuff is! The best deals are actually hiding in the middle and back of Costco.

Make sure to skip those tempting samples, as you are 40% more likely to buy the product if you sample it.

 

Did you know some of their best-selling products are made by popular brands? Their shampoo is said to be made by Pureology, and their diapers are made by Huggies. My favorite nugget is that the Kirkland coffee is actually made by Starbucks. Who knew?!

 

Price Tag Tips:

A tag ending in .97 means the product is on sale

.00 – manage your mark down!

A price tag with * means the product is on clearance

 

These Costco shopping secrets are sure to save you some money on your next shopping trip!


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20 Gallon Latte Skelly Hack

skelly

??DIY: 20 GALLON STARBUCKS LATTE HACK for 12 FT SKELLY?? 

Do you or one of your neighbors have one of these 12 foot skeletons? I don’t know why, but I get the biggest kick out these guys ☠️? Since I blew my budget on Skelly (although I bought him on sale at the beginning of summer, he was still an investment) I had to come up with a budget friendly way to make him special ? Since coffee is better with friends, I’m sharing my step-by-step process so your Skelly can have a have one, too ?‍♀️

When I asked the Starbucks barista if I could order a 20 gallon pumpkin spice latte for my skelly, the closest thing they had was the Trenta size. So, I had to make my own!

 

My first stop was the hardware store, where I picked up a 20 gallon trash can to ask as the latte base. Next I took a piece of cardboard to seal off the top. I used gorilla tape to make sure it was extra sturdy. Next, I picked up a latte-colored spray paint and applied to coats.

I also found a green pool noodle that acted as the straw and had Scooter cut out the hole.

skelly

Here comes the fun part! Grab 3 cans of foam spray paint and start spraying to make that whipped cream.

To make the latte look as authentic as possible, I ordered Starbucks drink order templates from Etsy and had them printed out at staples. I stuck it on with spray glue and used clear quick dry Shellac for protection.  along with the Starbucks logo printed on vinyl to make it extra durable. I also had the Starbucks logo printed on vinyl to make it extra durable.

The final step was a latte work (sorry, I had to!), but it was worth it. All I had to do was zip tie the latte at Skelly’s hip, and it was good to go! What drink would you make for Skelly? Comment and LMK! ?


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Secret Bargains: Budget Wedding Cakes from Costco, Sam’s club and More

wedding cake

?? BUDGET WEDDING CAKES ??COSTCO + WALMART + SAM’S CLUB + GROCERY STORE

 

When Scooter and I were married almost 19 years ago our cake cost $150. back then! Today, the average American wedding cake runs between $300. – $700. ? But it doesn’t have to! You can get a STUNNING CAKE for less than $70. bucks from some surprising places!

 

I ran to Sam’s Club, Walmart, my local grocery store, and Costco and placed the same order at each place: a white wedding cake with buttercream frosting. Here are my thoughts on each cake!

 

Let’s start with Sam’s Club. This cake is $58 and serves 58 guests. This cake was BEAUTIFUL and everything you expect from a wedding cake. The packing also made it super easy to transport the cake safely.

 

Up next is the grocery store. I went to my local grocery store Ralph’s that is owned by Kroger. This cake is $30 and serves 36 guests. This cake required a little at home assembly, but for only $30, doing the touchups is worth it. The frosting on this cake was amazing! Now you can officially say you made your own wedding cake!

 

Next up… Walmart! This cake is $68 and serves 68 guests. This cake was a stunner and looked most like my own wedding cake! I noted this cake was a little bit more dense in texture. Just like Sam’s Club, the packing made it super easy to transfer this cake safely.

 

Last but not least is Costco! This cake is $16 and serves 16 guests. Here, they actually only sell this one size and it was by far the smallest of the bunch. I had some difficulties with the cake before even getting out of the door, as the cake didn’t come with a crumb coat and the lid was too short for the cake! Despite it all, the winner for best taste goes to Costco.

 

My final verdicts:

AWARDS:
? Best in show: Sam’s Club
? Best Tasting: Costco
? Best Frosting: Ralph’s grocery store (owned by Kroger’s)
? Best Packaging for transport: Sam’s Club & Walmart Tie
? Most custom options: Ralph’s was very willing to try and duplicate the photo we brought in.

NOTE: If I were having a wedding today, here’s what I would do:
Buy the Sam’s Club or Walmart cake for the photos then order sheet cakes from Costco to be cut in the back and served to your guests. You will save a boatload!

 

wedding cake

After filming, we hopped in the car and headed to a local shelter to donate the leftover cakes!


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