It's a Beautiful, Brand New Year

What are you going to do to make 2012 your best year ever?

For me, it's making myself a priorty. Stay tuned.

Italian Ice

Tangy with just the right amount of sweetness.

Definitely a new favorite for us. I love the "cherry Capone" flavor.

The kid couldn't let her mango Italian ice sit for 2 seconds!

Friday's Five

 I've come to talk to you again...

I am finally breaking the sound of summer silence. Been busy, you see. So let's jump back into things with a Friday's Five:

1) New tradition with the extended family. On Friday nights, we head over to a weekly food truck fest where 2 dozen+ food trucks set their parking brakes & fire up the grills to feed the masses. Delicious!

2) Shakin' our money makers. The kiddo started hula lessons last weekend. Then I got all weepy with jealousy & started lessons mid-week. I'm still sore and popping ibuprofen like it's going out of style but I loved it. Polynesian dancing (Hawaiian hula & Tahitian ori) was a big part of my life in my early 20's. I even earned an official Hawaiian name bestowed upon me by my kumu hula: "Ha'ale Ikawai Akamanu". The calm water where birds gather. Deep.

3) Homemade ginger ale from Canele in Atwater Village. Wowza. Packs a punch of flavor. Wakes you up. Alas, taking a gallon to go wasn't an option but I can daydream about it. Like right now.

4) On a whim, the extended fam cruised over to a local park for movie night. "How to Train Your Dragon" was great but the natives got restless halfway through. They had had their fill of pizza, free popcorn, and running around the park.

5) Hoarding & purging. Free toothpaste and disposable razors are piling up from the couponing scores I continue to get. But more stuff is also heading out the door as we try to whittle down things from our closets, pantry, and cabinets. Feels great!

Coupons Are Cool: Blinkies

This one is for Blondie who has been asking me for PROOF that it doesn't take hours of clipping coupons to save or to find freebies.

Venturing out for a few provisions while sick was not my idea of fun. But I managed to walk away with 5 tubes of toothpaste for absolutely freeeeky-freeeeky-FREE (pretend you knew that was supposed to be turn-table sound effects). Have a gander at what I spotted as I headed toward the checkout lanes:

Super-sale on Aquafresh. Just $0.99!

Nearby, eagerly blinking its little red light at me

was a "blinkie" automatic coupon dispenser. 

"$1.00 off Aquafresh" coupons!

I wanted to give others a chance to get the

freebie deal so I only took 5 tubes of toothpaste.

Now I wish I had cleared them out! Sigeeee-sigeeee-SIGH.

Keep your eyes out for those blinkies &

happy couponing!