My oldest son is convinced that I am not honest with my blog readers about what I'm really like. He says that people who read my blog think I'm a certain way, never ever spending money on things that aren't absolutely necessary, that I always eat healthily, and that isn't true. He dared me to post here and tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth... about the real me, and how I celebrated my 30th birthday.

This wasn't my most frugal birthday celebration. Nor was it paleo. Or particularly healthy. Or other things that you would associate with me, Penny Price. But I had fun. And I wanted to do something special, because thirty is a "big" birthday, one I'd originally planned to celebrate by going abroad to Cyprus with my friend, but those plans got nixed. I didn't want to just do something really small and insignificant to celebrate such a big birthday, so yes, I spent money. But I had a great time. And the money spent was well worth it.

I'm really, really, really not a phone person. I like talking to people in person, I love talking to people online. I enjoy messaging people through Whatsapp. But phone calls? I don't mind a quick chat on the phone to ask a question or iron out details for something work related (I usually confirm my foraging class recipients in person), but to actually speak on the phone for the purpose of just speaking and connecting? I really am not into that.

With a few exceptions. A few good friends.
Those friends, I can speak to on the phone for hours and never get sick of it. Talking to them is effortless and makes me happy, makes it easier for me to do housework, makes my life better...
And of these friends, the friend I talked to the most on the phone, the one whose calls me me smile as soon as I saw who it was... moved to the US a few weeks ago.
This friend had forethought, and before she moved, gifted me with something called an ObiBox, and with that, our relationship can still continue and thrive via the phone without breaking the bank, even if its missing the "real life" things that you can only do in person, like hugs...

Whether we’re bargain hunters, impulse buyers, pro shoppers - or anything else- we all have one thing in common; we want a banging wardrobe, we want to look good, we want to feel good, and we don’t want to spend an arm and a leg to make these wardrobe dreams come true. We also want to stay up to date with the trends, we want to improve on our own personal style and we want to have options - plenty of them! So, what if I told you that our helpful guide could get you looking like a million bucks without spending a million bucks? Whether you believe it or not, we think you should give it a read anyway - because you deserve some insider secrets!

If you're looking for a super easy and delicious recipe, this Thai corn soup fits the bill. I mentioned a few times already about my restaurant meal that I successfully managed to recreate at home using my own homemade Thai curry paste and homemade coconut milk, and this is the last part. This corn soup is seriously simple to make but the taste belies that.
To make it more filling, feel free to add some rice noodles to your bowl, but I didn't bother.

This recipe doesn't fill the criteria to be Paleo, as corn is a psuedo-grain and and hence disallowed on the Paleo diet... And because I made it with real chicken broth, it isn't vegan, but I'm sure it could easily be made vegan with vegetable broth and still taste amazing. Less healthy, but vegan and it would be amazing- using vegetarian chicken consomme soup mix broth.

As is nearly everything I make, this recipe is gluten free, and it is quite frugal to make if you use homemade coconut milk and homemade green curry paste (though that does make it a little less easy to prepare).

I hope you like this recipe- it was a huge hit with my family.

Thai Corn Soup with Coconut and Curry Recipe- Gluten Free, Easy, Vegan Option

Ingredients
3 cups canned or frozen corn (2 small cans of corn)
2 cups coconut milk
3 tablespoons green curry paste
5 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon salt or to taste
2 tablespoons potato, corn, or tapioca starch (optional)
Rice noodles (optional)

Instructions:
1. Blend the corn in a food processor or blender with a little bit of the coconut milk and the green curry paste. Stop when the corn is either fully smooth or slightly chunky, depending on your preference.

2. Add in the rest of the ingredients other than the rice noodles.

3. If you want it a bit thicker, add the starch, and bring to a boil, stirring the whole time, cooking until thickened, a few minutes after it comes to a boil.

4. Serve with rice noodles, if desired.

Enjoy!

Ever have corn soup? What type was it? Thai or some other style? How do you make your corn soup? Are you a fan of Thai food? Does this look like a recipe you'd try?

Fortunately, I live in an area with low cost health insurance and medical expenses for our family are very low. However, I know most of the world isn't as fortunate and is looking for ways to cut back on medical expenses. Here's a few tips on things to do to improve your health and thereby cut back on medical expenses.

Did you know the average American household spends over $10,000 on medical expenses each year? As you can imagine, this is a huge financial burden for many. Therefore, finding ways to only pay a fraction of the cost is essential. A lot of people are resorting to online crowdfunding campaigns, like Plumfund, and are relying on people’s generosity and kindness in their attempt to pay the amounting medical bills.

Most people feel like they have zero control over their health, but that’s simply not the case. You have more power than you believe, and if you really want to avoid spending time and money in the doctor’s office, please take the following advice.

The other day, I was on Facebook, and an advertisement popped up for a produce delivery service in the nearby city, saying they had some really great sales. I went to take a look and found out that their prices really were stupendous. Well, not for everything, but the sale prices were terrific.

Beets were 12 cents a pound, cherry tomatoes were 49 cents a pound, red peppers were 51 cents a pound, eggplants 38 cents a pound- all amazing rock bottom prices for quality produce, not reduced rack stuff. There were some more stuff with decent prices, even if not amazing- lemons at 51 cents a pound, clementines at 64 cents a pound, celery root at $1.11 a head, and ginger $1.97 for a large root. With prices like that, I decided to make an order. The sale items were't unlimited- you were allowed max 6.6 lbs or 3.3 lbs of an item depending what they were. They didn't deliver to my area, but had free delivery if you spent over 34 dollars, and delivery was $5.71 if your order was smaller.
I ordered 6.6 lbs beets, 3.3 lbs cherry tomatoes, 6.6 lbs of red peppers, 2.2 lbs lemons, 2.2 lbs clementines, 4.4 lbs eggplants, 2 celery roots, and a 200 gram chunk of ginger. Total was $14.28, and with delivery I paid $19.99.

My husband and I currently are using second or third hand mattresses, I don't even know. They're really in bad condition- one of them had wires starting to poke out from the springs, that needed to be cut off because otherwise it would hurt someone. We need new mattresses, but mattresses are expensive. I really appreciate this post written by a reader on how to get your mattresses to last longer, and I hope you do too, because once you spend money on your mattresses, don't you want to get the most for your money by making it last as long as possible? I know I do. 



On average, ten to twelve years is considered a long period during which a mattress can serve you well. However, this does not happen by accident. It takes simple intentional steps of caring for a mattress to have it in pristine condition and prolong its lifespan.

Once you choose a mattress of your preference, you will need to clean it regularly. Rampant and different types of bacteria and germs share your bed with the intention of taking over. They destroy the mattress if left undisturbed. Some of these bacteria also cause pneumonia, skin infections and allergies. Millions of dust mites additionally feed on dead skin deposited on your mattress. Their excreted waste has allergens which are very harmful to your body. Consequently, you should clean your mattress using recommended cleaning products and procedures. Additionally, getting occasional expert services from a professional cleaner will help to further do away with all the grime and other forms of dirt in the mattress.

I must admit that as a mother of 4, with my oldest being 10.5, and with a blog with the name parenting in the title.... I don't have parenting all figured out. Not by a long shot. I'm just trying to muddle my way through, like everyone else.
I've noticed the thing that gets me is how to encourage the type of behavior I want to see and discourage behavior that I don't. Unfortunately, I'll also admit that I've resorted far too many times to bribes, specifically candies and treats and all sorts of other junk that I don't want my kids to be having anyhow, let alone as a reward for good behavior.

This post was written by a reader.

In life, it is natural to care about the way that you look. Your appearance is typically the first thing that people notice about you, and it is also something that you see every time you stand in front of a mirror. That is why you should embrace the opportunity to take pride in your aesthetic, and to remind yourself that you are worthy of self-love and self-respect. If you are determined to invest in your image, you should also try to encourage your partner to get involved too. You can work together to maintain a healthy and happy appearance.

Take care of your hair
Nurturing a healthy head of hair is a fantastic way for you to improve your look. It also increases your options, as you will be able to play around with a wider range of styles and cuts. In order to look after your tresses, it is essential that you invest in a nourishing regimen and find products that bring out the best in your hair. If you or your partner struggle with hair loss, it can damage self-esteem and confidence. Have you researched a hair transplant as a solution? You may just consider that the hair transplant cost is an investment that is worth making.

Follow a healthy diet
If you are going to enjoy a glowing complexion, luscious locks, bright eyes, and strong nails, you will need to maintain a healthy diet. Eating the right foods can completely transform your appearance. That is why you should ditch the ready meals for a homemade alternative. Take pride in your culinary creations and think carefully about every ingredient you use. If you do your research, it won’t be long before you know what foods to enjoy, and what foods to avoid.

Get fit and active
You should also include an exercise plan in your health kick. This is a fabulous opportunity for you to look after your body and to push it to its full potential. Why spend your time sat on the couch, watching television, when you could be out and about? The most important thing is that you find a physical activity that you can enjoy with your partner. Working out together is a great bonding opportunity and it will help you to stay motivated.

Look after your skin
The condition of your skin has a huge impact on whether or not you appear healthy. That is why it is so vital that you take good care of it. Make sure that you invest in high-quality skincare products and endeavor to use them every day. You should also do your best to stay out of the sun, as this can age you prematurely. It may seem obvious, but the secret to a healthy appearance is actually taking care of your health. Otherwise, you are simply covering up your problems.

Find colors that suit you
Another great idea is to find colors that suit you. This can help you to achieve a brighter complexion and to draw attention to your favorite attributes. The wrong colors will wash you out and will leave you looking tired or unwell. When you are deciding on your own colors, make sure that you consider your other half. This will come in handy if you ever want to update his wardrobe

See my disclaimer.

Ok, I'm warning you in advance, this post will contain a lot of things that fall under the TMI (too much information) category, so if you don't appreciate that type of thing, this is the type of post you'd probably want to be skipping. I don't want any of y'all to read it and then say "Hey, that was way too much info, more than we bargained for, why did you do this to us?" Consider this your first and final warning. Men especially, I can assure you, you probably don't want to read this. (Unless for whatever reason you don't mind reading about women's menstrual cycles....)