Doctor’s Orders

 

Well, it finally happened.

 

My knee has finally decided it doesn’t want to carry me around anymore and has been loudly protesting at my every move. After a week of agony and praying that it would feel better the following day, I dragged myself to the doctor. She immediately recommended that I see an orthopedist and said my injury could not be diagnosed without an MRI.

 

Awesome.

 

As of now, I have no insurance. And it is less than a month until Christmas. And we have yet to buy ANYTHING for the kids. I’ve got to get my butt moving on my holiday crafts, since that is likely all that is going to happen at this point.

 

Presents (Photo credit: Alice Harold)

I am at a loss…I feel like I have to choose between my health and well being or having Christmas this year. Things are always tight for us, but this is really pushing us over the edge. Plus, I am not allowed to go horseback riding until further notice. Ugh.

 

No horseback riding for me… 😦

So, here I sit in front of the computer, resting my bum knee, and racking my brain for ways to either make some extra money very quickly or find a few gifts for my girls that are free or very cheap. All I can think about is how depressing this is for me.

 

Any advice out there? The world feels so cold, dark, and hopeless right now. A friend of mine suggested I ask for donations, but that makes me feel like a total mooch. Any other ideas out there?

 

Related articles

 

• Diagnosing Knee Pain (everydayhealth.com)
• Old, Forgotten, Overuse Injury Explains Mystery Knee Pain (athleteagain.wordpress.com)
• Knee Pain: Do You Need a Doctor’s Care? (everydayhealth.com)
• RICE Therapy for Knee Pain (everydayhealth.com)

3 Gift Ideas for Your Valentine

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching! Even though it feels like the year just began, January is now practically over. The next holiday is a big one for lovebirds!

I already know who my Valentine is! 😉 What we’re doing for V-day is the question at hand. Usually I try to give a special gift to the lucky guy in my life. That doesn’t mean I go out and spend a crazy amount of cash on him–to me it truly is the thought that counts! Often times I make gifts, buy some special candy, or even arrange a kid-free date for the two of us.

Today I’m going to give you 3 gift ideas for your Valentine. There are plenty of things you can do no matter how much money you have to spend!

1. Buy Jewelry

Yes, of course this tops the list. Every girl loves to get new jewelry for Valentine’s Day! This year I have the perfect idea for new jewelry–the new Heart Collection by SamyStyles. You can get these lovely pieces custom made with your colors for that extra special touch.

Heart Necklace by SamyStyles

Drop Earrings by SamyStyles

Heart Necklace by SamyStyles

Drop Earrings by SamyStyles

Flower Earrings by SamyStyles

Heart Earrings by SamyStyles

Contact SamyStyles on Facebook, visit SamyStyles on Etsy, or send an email to SamyStyles@gmail.com to place your order today!

2. Make (or Buy) Some Truffles

Seriously, who doesn’t love truffles? They are incredibly easy to make and taste delicious! This is the perfect gift for either a guy or a gal! Here’s how to make your own:

Ingredients:

1 8oz package cream cheese

3 cups confectioners sugar

10 oz chocolate (dark chocolate works best)

Optional: additional 12 oz melted chocolate, nuts, oreo cookies, sprinkles, etc

Image via Wikipedia

Directions:

Blend cream cheese and confectioners sugar until completely blended. Melt 10 oz of chocolate (you can do this in the mircrowave) and add to the mixture. Mix until completely blended. This is the “ganache” part of the truffle, or what I like to call the creamy deliciousness in the center. 🙂 If desired, you can add a small amount (1 tsp or less) of vanilla, jam, liquor, crushed oreos, or other extracts to flavor the ganache.

Put the ganache in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to let it harden slightly. This makes it a LOT easier to roll into balls. Once it is sufficiently chilled, take the ganache out and roll into 1 inch balls.

At this point you must decide how you want to finish them. If you want to coat them with chocolate, put them in the freezer (on a tray lined with wax paper) prior to dipping in melted chocolate. Alternatively, you can roll the ganache balls in cocoa powder, crushed cookies, sprinkles, nuts, or whatever else you can come up with.

Keep the truffles chilled until you are ready to serve them. They are best when you let them warm to room temperature just prior to eating them. Yum!

Image via Wikipedia

If all else fails, you can always pick up a bag of truffles at the grocery store. Lindt truffles are absolutely scrumptious and will be appreciated (and devoured) by your Valentine!

3. I Love You Because…

My final gift idea won’t cost you a thing besides some time. I did this for my husband before we were married and he still thinks it was the best Valentine’s Day gift ever.

First, sit down and write out all of the reasons you love your Valentine. Think of the special little things, quirks, inside jokes, or anything else special to the two of you. Next, cut out a billion little hearts out of paper.

On each paper heart write a little note that starts like this: “I love you because…” and make each one different. When your Valentine isn’t around (the night before Valentine’s Day is best), hide the notes everywhere he or she is likely to find them. For example, you could hide some in the bathroom beside their toothbrush, by the coffee maker, in their favorite cup, in their wallet, in their car, et cetera. All day your Valentine will be finding little reminders of the love you share.

Cover of I Love You Because...

So, there you have it! Three awesome gift ideas you can use this Valentine’s Day. 🙂 Please let me know if you decide to use one of these, I would love to hear how it worked out! If you have other suggestions, please share them in the comment field!

Related articles

• 15 Sweet Valentine’s Day Gifts (fabsugar.com)
• Valentine’s Day – Cook Your Way Into His/Her Heart (sonomacountyseniors.wordpress.com)
• How to survive Valentine’s Day in debt (cleardebt.co.uk)
• Cute Valentine’s Ideas For Every Budget (bellasugar.com)