YOU are Worth Melting For

Thank you for being a part of Zensible Mama through the years. Happy Thanksgiving!

A Giftful Farewell to Southern Christmas Show

It's been years since the last time we visited the Southern Christmas Show. If it wasn't for free tickets - thanks to my husband - we probably wouldn't bother going again this year. Now, don't get me wrong. The place is great for early Christmas shopping, bar none, but it's just one of those busy, crazy places that you'd rather avoid. Unless of course, you are a brave soul and are determined to shop till you drop while fending off other holiday-crazed shoppers! Thankfully, going at the last day of the event was a good choice. The place wasn't as crowded and it made for a good (window and non-window) shopping experience somehow.

Photo of the Day: Ripples, Freezing Rain and Icicles

The weather have been nasty today with  freezing rain and freezing cold. Icicles formed on the bare tree branches and mesmerizing ripples on the water as the pellets of rain hit the little puddles on my deck. A sight that I can't dare miss take a picture of.

I Took a Shot at Couponing and Saved Money Using Apps

I was walking down the freezer aisle at SuperTarjay for our regular weekly grocery shopping and passed this cart parked on the side. Nothing unusual about a parked cart I thought, but what got my attention was this huge, transparent plastic file folder sitting on the cart's "baby carrier" compartment filled with tons of coupons! I immediately looked around to see who this dedicated couponer was, simply to satiate my curiosity. I saw an older couple by the dairy section, flipping through a pile of coupons trying to find the right one for the item they were going to purchase. I was speechless. That's pure smart shopping right there! Ironically, I can't see myself doing coupons that way. I can't keep up with even the few coupons I have. That day, I even forgot all the coupons I meant to bring. Talk about total fail! But there was hope - or savings - to be had in my horizon!

Photo of the Day: Amazing Sunset Sky

The setting sun created a magnificent canvas of wonderful colors in the sky yesterday. One simply can't help admire and feel exhilarated with awe at its glorious appearance. Inspiring is the one word that came to mind.  May your day today be as glorious!

Family Destinations: NASCAR Hall of Fame Charlotte

I love my city. It's a great city, but there are still a lot about it I need to discover. Places like NASCAR Hall of Fame. Good thing Avon Walk for Breast Cancer held their closing ceremony at the premises of NASCAR this year. It gave us the chance to finally visit the museum. True confession: I've lived in Charlotte 10 years and have never set foot inside this museum until that day we went. We aren't big NASCAR fans so that tells a lot about why we've never been. But, believe it, I had a blast going behind the scenes at NASCAR and actually enjoyed the races. I even got to meet Darrell Waltrip, Michael Waltrip, Joe Gibbs and their top racers and toured their shops last year. I even got inside the exclusive winner's circle lounge with Joey Logano. It was one of those things that don't happen everyday and you simply enjoy every bit of the experience.

A Day of Royalty at the Carolinas Renaissance Festival

It's that time of the year again when Wenches, Sires and Majesties comes to life from the inanimate past to a makeshift kingdom teeming with adventure and entertainment for everyone in the Carolinas. Visiting the Renaissance Festival every year have almost become a pilgrimage for my family. We love going and it's always a different experience each year. It's also the only time my daughter and I get to eat... Turkey legs! - And see some legs! HUZZAH!

Meatless, Exotic Thanksgiving

Turkey is a major part of Thanksgiving but the same traditional menu every year is monotonous, boring, unexcitable and usually not vegetarian-friendly. Imagine yourself a vegetarian who have to bring your own food so you have something to eat at a dinner party you were invited to. Tragic isn't it? But vegetarian or not, there is no law that says you can't avert from tradition. This year, we're upholding the vegetarians and sparing the Turkeys (which is in shortage FYI) by going meatless and adding exotic dishes to spice up the menu. This is not your Grandma's traditional Thanksgiving menu!

On the Global Menu List: 

Poland

photo courtesy of wikipedia

Potato Pierogi - This is a traditional Polish dish. My husband is part-Polish. What better way to celebrate than to incorporate this dish to give our daughter a glimpse into his heritage. It's also his favorite so it's a win!

Review: National Geographic Kids New Holiday Book Selections

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by National Geographic. Books featured here are provided by them for review. All opinion you read in this post are mine unless otherwise stated. It's bookworm-approved and sealed with a drool-y kiss!

ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS
"Knowledge is Power" that is what Francis Bacon said, and how right he is! For eons, books have become the great source of knowledge! Not surprisingly, books plays a crucial role in our society and in our children's learning and education. National Geographic recognizes the power of knowledge and came out with 10 interesting books that are enjoyable, entertaining and equally informative for both young and adults.

What's In Your Wallet?

Disclosure: I'm aVerizon Wireless Ambassador and this post is related to my role as one. I'm not trying to sell you on the idea covered on this post, but I can't help it if you do because I sound convincing. So, read at your own risk. All opinion is mine unless otherwise stated. 

For me, it's the usual. Bank cards, credit cards, store cards, insurance cards - all sorts of cards! It gets confusing when they're all stuffed like sardines in one slot inside my tiny card holders. And cumbersome, when you need one of them. Now, thanks to the rapid changes in technology, it is now possible to carry these plastics virtually. That's right! And right at the comfort of your phone via an app. There are several apps that do this now but some carriers like Verizon have recently partnered with ISIS Mobile wallet to give its customers added convenience when they're out shopping by simply using their phone to pay for their purchases. You can also add your loyalty cards - those that crowds your keychains so you can actually enjoy a keychain with only keys in them! Neat or what!?