Keep on Lactating and Save on Groceries For The Whole Family!

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lactatingYou know that moment when you need to cook something for dinner but you haven’t been to the grocery store for a week?  So you go to your freezer and are finally motivated enough to bend all the way down and move aside the ice crystal-covered frozen peas and half-black bunches of bananas that’ve colonized the lower shelves since 2010 to see if you can find something?

That was me this weekend.  I didn’t find any elusive ground beef but I did find something else nutritious.

One lonely, forlorn bag of freezer-burned breast milk had somehow escaped that final week of “I’m done breastfeeding so now let’s use up this frozen stuff and get our freezer space back.”

There it was, like a creamy contortionist, frozen into its last pose.

It was weird to see it there all these months later, having said goodbye to the milk cow phase of my life back in September.  I had flashes of breast pumps , of feeding tubes, of frustration and fear.  And then just as quickly, I felt relief that we’re past all that and my baby is healthy and happy and eats like a pig with his actual mouth now.

I picked up the bag and stared at it, puzzled.  What should I do with it?  It’s almost a year old…I don’t think I wanna give it to the baby.  But we are out of coffee creamer….

So I put the bag of breast milk back in the freezer and did what any normal mom (who spends way too much time on the internet) would do.  I googled it.  And found out there are a lot more options than I ever would’ve imagined.

Now I just have to figure out which one of these things my liquid gold will be used for.  It’s a tough decision.  After all, there’s only one bag.

1.  Shall I preserve it into a piece of jewelry I can nuzzle in my bosom until the day I can pass it along to Meyer as a special momento of his mother’s love?  If I do this, will Asher feel slighted that I didn’t save any of his breast milk to make cufflinks that he can show off at high school graduation?  I was concerned this wasn’t the right choice for me until I read that Mommy Milk Creations has a special, patented process that keeps my “milk-bead” from turning yellow – ever.  Well that’s a relief.  Yellow breast milk jewelry is so 2010.milkpendant

2.  Clearly, the most hygienic choice would be to have it made into breast milk soap.  Tin Roof Soap Company is ready and willing to make me a “loaf” of soap using the very own milk of my mammaries.  They’ll cut it, cure it and send it back to me…because who doesn’t love to take baths in their own secretions?  I think I’ll save mine, though,  to lovingly wash my sons’ mouths out with when they get to that sassy stage.  One time ought to do it.Soap made from breast milk

3.  Did you know that people are eating their own placentas these days?  In case yours is just sitting around in the refrigerator going bad, here are some recipes you can use for dinner tonight.  I recommend the placenta lasagna, although the placenta spaghetti looks scrumptious too.  Well, guess what?   You can do the same with your breast milk.  But why would you wanna do something simple and completely uncreative like, say, just drink it when you can get so much more upscale and adventurous?  Inspired by the quickly-pulled-from-the-market, Baby Gaga breast milk ice cream, I’ve pulled our ice cream maker out and will be giving my husband and boys the creamiest, most immunity-boosting dessert of their lives after dinner tonight.  I can’t wait to see their delighted faces when I tell them what they just ate!  I’m not sure how far this one bag of breast milk will go but if I can pull it off, this lady has inspired me to whip up a wedge of Toulouse boob cheese as well.  I’ll save that one for when the boss comes over for dinner.babygagaicecream

4.  Asher is a total lollipop addict.  Suckers are his favorite candy in the world and judging by the look on Meyer’s face when Ash eats one, I’m pretty sure he’d like to get his hands on some of them too.  How to make lollipops a bit more nutritious?  Hmmmm.  Of course!  The real nature’s candy:  nipple nectar lollipops.  I could just buy some from these guys but I’m stunned and disappointed to find out that there’s no actual breast milk in them.  They just taste like breast milk.  Well, that might be good enough for my husband but certainly not for my kids.  I insist that every single morsel that goes into their mouths pack the very biggest nutritional punch possible (no, I don’t) so I’ll make them myself.  I prefer to make everything at home myself anyway (no, I don’t).lollyphile

Now that I’ve looked at all the options, I kinda wish I was still producing milk.  I had no idea I could’ve been feeding my whole family and not just the baby.  If you’re looking into ways to save money on your grocery bills, forget couponing!  Just keep lactating!

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A Million Thanks. And a giveaway.

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millionToday, I’m wishing that I had $1 for every pageview my blog has had over the last 10 months.  Cuz then I’d have One Miiiiiiiillion Dollars!  (just another way Dr. Evil and I are exactly alike).

But just in case you were wondering, uh, nope.  No, I don’t.

But what I do have is YOU and you’re awesome.  You made ONE MILLION pageviews in 10 months happen.  So let’s get our drink on and celebrate!

Break out the vodka.  Break out the wine.  Break out the beer.  Did I forget champagne?  How could I forget champagne?  We’re celebrating after all!

So what can you win in the Million Thanks Giveaway from a blog named after a drink?

Things to feed your drinking, of course.

amex25giftcardOne winner will get a $25 bar tab (actually just a $25 AmEx gift card, although I know you’ll use it to drink so let’s just not pretend).

life-of-the-party-kit-3One winner will get some non-rehab-oriented help with their drinking by receiving  Drinkwel’s Life of the Party kit which contains everything you need to make an unforgettable night less regrettable plus 4 To-go packets.  You have to check Drinkwel out — it’s the first vitamin for healthy people who drink alcohol.  I wish I could grab a giant box of these things, jump in a DeLorean and deliver them back to myself about 10 years ago.  But at least I can make use of them now!

sweetrelishYou can find Drinkwel and tons of other products you just have to have at Sweet Relish.  And dude, check out their discover button.  It’s like speed-dating tons of cool brands.  Seriously, it’s shopping slots.  Take it for a spin!

Final IJWTPA cover2 more winners will get an autographed (by me) copy of the best-selling humor anthology, I Just Want To Pee Alone!

But WAIT!  That’s not all.

Yes, it is.  That’s all.  But isn’t it great?

Giveaway ends Wednesday, June 12 at 12am EST.  Open to US residents only.

Just sign up on the rafflecopter form below to enter.  Don’t worry, they don’t save your info.  When the giveaway is over, poof!  It’s gone.
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Show Me The Funny This June!

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Before we get started with June’s Finding the Funny, I’m teaming up with a few of my co-hosts to bring you an awesome giveaway!

Sara from Cormier Creative is a fabulous graphic designer and has helped countless women bring their blog (and brand) to the next level.

She recently gave Anna at My Life and Kids a total brand makeover (see her magic here) and today, she’s giving away a FREE Facebook cover design to one of you.

Cormier Creative Giveaway

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. (And be sure to visit Sara at Cormier Creative!) Giveaway ends on Sunday, June 16 at midnight.

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June Finding the Funny

Meet the Hosts Anna @ My Life and Kids Kelley @ Kelley’s Break Room Robyn @ Hollow Tree Ventures Kerry @ HouseTalkN Julie @ I Like Beer and Babies Keesha @ Mom’s New Stage Meredith @ The Mom of the Year Anna @ Random Handprints Ellen and Erin @ Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms Toulouse @ Toulouse and Tonic

The Rules

Link up an old or new funny post. Link up as many times as you want (we’re serious.) The party is open until Friday at midnight. The earlier you link up, the more clicks you’ll get. Click around and meet the other funny bloggers that are linking up. Follow the Finding the Funny Pinterest board. We’ll all be pinning our favorites throughout the month. We don’t ask you to link back to us or include a button on your blog, but we do ask you to send out a tweet or post about the party on your Facebook page. Be sure to use #findingthefunny.


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Fancy Rye Cocktails, and Other Fabulous Father’s Day Ideas.

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IMG_2378

My dad is the most practical man on the face of the planet.  Without fail, and meaning every word of it, he always asked me and my sisters for things like batteries, socks and fingernail clippers for every single gift-giving holiday.

My husband is much, much less practical.  And therefore, much harder to please.

But for Father’s Day this year, (which we celebrated early because of travel schedules), I scored!

Gone are the days of lame-o gifts like ties and drugstore cologne.  From now on out, he’s getting a love coupon from Datevitation.  (And yes, it can be as dirty as it sounds – although we didn’t go that route for Father’s Day).

Basically, it’s an online, customizable coupon “date” book you can make for anyone for any occasion.  I’m just happy I discovered it in time for Father’s Day.

IMG_2376Datevitation has over 350 date ideas ranging from skydiving to stargazing to steamy adult-only activities.  Since it was for Father’s Day and from me and the boys, I skipped the naughty stuff (although I did some “research” for next time – and looked through the options.  You’ll wanna check it out too.  The stick figures doing all kinds of dirty deeds are absolutely hilarious!)

Anyway, what was I saying?  Dirty deeds?  Oh wait.

So, you pick your date ideas based on what you think he/she/it would like and then you get to customize the text.  For instance, Gabe is totally into rye right now so I chose a coupon for a night out for two and then added “including lots of fancy rye cocktails.”  That one got his attention right away.

Once you get your coupon book customized so it’s really perfect and special for your lovah, Datevitation prints it out and ships it to you.  Done and done.

IMG_2383Gabe’s gonna be enjoying a day at the beach, breakfast in bed, a morning to himself without the kids and of course, those fancy rye cocktails.  It took me about 10 minutes to put together a coupon book that was clearly especially for him.  You can see the smile on his face in the pics.

Datevitation love coupon books normally start at $20 but as a special treat for you, you can use the code TOULOUSE10 for $10 off your purchase until the end of June (2013).  Where else can you get such a thoughtful, perfect Father’s Day gift for $10?  Nowhere, I say.  Unless you just wanna chuck the thoughtfulness and go the battery route.  Although honestly, you can’t get that many batteries for $10 anymore.  Even my dad would be disappointed.

The order cut-off date for guaranteed delivery by Father’s Day is June 6 so make sure to get your order in before then!

Wanna win a free Datevitation coupon book for your Mr. Right?  Enter below.  (No worries – they don’t save your info — it’s just for the giveaway and then poof!  It disappears).  Contest ends June 3.

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This post was sponsored by Datevitation.

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