Gotta check out Budget101.com to see if there's anything useful to me. I suppose it's a tossup between convenience, time-saving, and costs. You have your choice of one at a time lol.

:halfempty Liana

Sitting here having a mocha. Soon will get ready for church. It's a beautiful sunny day! Hoping you all have a great Sunday! :carrot:

Bobbi, I looked at Budget101.com to see the additional directions for making the soap gel. The pictures were helpful...you get to see what it's supposed to look like at various stages. I bookmarked the site so I can go back and see other money saving tips. We need those once we retire! I was surprised when I went to Walmart..they had the 3 ingredients right there lined up in a row. Must be lots of people making this!

Liana - I think the laundry soap is well worth the savings when you consider the price of detergent in the stores, plus people who are allergic to dyes and additives would benefit from it. It does take a little extra time to make it, but a batch will last through many laundry loads.

I'm back to say it's been a good day so far....wonderful church service, dinner out with son and gf.

My meals so far (may be back to add more)
breakfast
pb mocha frappe

lunch (BJs)
About 3/4 of the crispy chicken salad - protein, carbs (crunchy batter on chicken and some corn in salad), and fat (a little nuts sprinkled over)
Should have stopped with that but I also shared a mini pizookie (its like a largish chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top) with dh. So off -plan for this meal and over on carbs but I was suprised how much fiber I got. At least we shared a MINI dessert instead of a big one! Gonna really have to watch it tonight though as that salad alone was 707 cal according to MFP!

Made tabouli substituting cauliflower minced in food processor for the wheat. IT was a winner! I added no oil except just a quick spritz of PAM olive oil, I used fresh squeezed lemon, a sprinkle of sea salt, pepper, fresh dill and fresh parsley and here is it Monday afternoon and I am still enjoying what was left over guilt free!

Lucinda I've always wanted to try trabouli. It sounds like something I'd like but doubt dh would. Maybe I'll fix some for a lunch for myself. He gets his own lunch.

Jess - Glad you like my picture. I don't much but then I tend to be critical of my pictures. Sorry your hip is bothering you so much. You still have what..til June to wait for your surgery? Oh, I want to tell you how much I'm enjoying Downton Abbey! I'm at the point where Mary and the heir...forget his name...have FINALLY decided it is ok for them to marry!! I love this show....I laugh, I cry, sometimes I even clap my hands while watching it....LOL I make my screen big and the setting is so beautiful I almost feel I'm right there with them all. Thank you and Karen3 for telling me about it.

Sun is out this morning and we are about to head to the gym. Perhaps I'll be back later.

ETA: Home from the gym. I had a good workout! I actually jogged almost 1/2 of my mile! That's a first for me so a NSV! It actually felt easier to jog than to walk at times, felt very light on my feet.

I've done tabbouleh with toasted quinoa and it's not bad either. This sounds good but I don't have a food processor (Mega mixer with dough hook, salad slicer, meat grinder, blender, etc but no food processor lol). Will have to MacGyver it. Does anyone else remember that show, :D ?
Liana

Liana, I also make quinoa for my family. Alas, I can not eat quinoa b/c grains all play havoc with my insulin levels and I end up craving starches/sugars when I eat grains.