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Can Mom Have More Fun?

January 10, 2021 by Tasha Hackett 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Can mom have more fun? Any fun at all? How is it even possible with all these responsibilities? I absolutely adore this post from Tasha. I cried through it, because my mom-life is full and amazing but hard and exhausting. I needed this. I’m guessing you might too…

Can Mom Have More Fun?

by Tasha Hackett

Being a mother is amazing. A-ma-zing. But being trapped and tied down weighs on me until I might crumble. When all the parts of me that made me Tasha turn into Mom Mom Mom Mom, I begrudge this life that I find myself in. Sometimes it appears I’ve forgotten how to have fun as a mother. This post is because I know I’m not alone. I know I’m not the only overwhelmed mom out there who needs to hear this.

Why is it hard for moms to have more fun?

Of course it’s a foolish thing to wish myself out of where I am. I mean, come on! This is my happily ever after! This is the life I always wanted, always assumed I would have. As a kid, I hardly had any career goals because I knew I would be home with my kids doing all the things I loved–cooking, creating things, teaching my kids, singing, playing, holding babies and going on adventures with my mom friends and their kids. But instead I’m stuck doing laundry, and dishes, and managing the budget, and sweeping the floor over and over and over again until I’m staring at this home I’ve built around me and wanting to take a sledge hammer to all of it and go live in a cabin in the woods–which I would hate by the way, unless my family came with me because I totally love them. 

As it turns out, God absolutely and completely knew what he was doing when he gave me these kids. Motherhood is a baptism by fire, and it’s growing me into a woman of courage and strength and refining me into something beautiful. (Right?! God love me for it, but I am so stinkin’ broken.)

tasha and baby

Why is the fun gone?

You know why. For those of us who are in the grind of raising little tiny kids, we have routines that must be abided. We mothers are stressed by all the things we’re in charge of rattling around in our brains. When meals, sleep, and routines get out of whack, everyone pays for it. The energy it takes to simply survive doesn’t always leave much room to have more “fun.” Now, let’s be clear. I am not talking about creating more fun for the kids. No, I’m not worried about their fun. They get to play, play, play all the live-long day. I’m interested in mothers. Why aren’t we having fun? As a parent, am I having fun? Am I fun? What used to be fun? Is it still fun? Why not? What else can I do that makes me happy? 

tasha

Side story about how much fun I had the past three years. 

Incidentally, the past three years have been a doozy. Blessings upon blessings, but also a pile of personal, internal, trials. In the meantime, I thought it would be a good idea to start my writing career. Maybe not the best timing with the whole birthing of the fourth child and all. 

But here I am, and writing has been so much stinking fun. 

During the first lock-down of the pandemic, the husband worked from the basement. I seized the opportunity of the extra time and support and finished my novel, Bluebird on the Prairie. I don’t tell you this to brag . . . nope, okay, I’m bragging a little. . . but mostly because I am amazed and full of joy at having completed such a magnanimous accomplishment that I can’t help sharing it. Was it ever so much work? Yes. Girl… yes. So. Much. Work. Guess what else it was? Rewarding. And, you guessed it. Fun! It was fun. 

A crazy thing about writing books is how much I learn from my characters when they start speaking all by themselves and spout off random bits of wisdom that I never could have thought up on my own. They’re smart like that.

Please read this scene snippet that tugs at my heart: 

Zeke lowered himself to the ground and leaned against the tree. “It’s not that I’m not grateful, because I am. But I can’t . . . I’m not a farmer. I don’t want to be a farmer.” He set his hat on the ground. Running both hands through his hair before clasping them behind his neck, he sighed. “I don’t know, Chipmunk, do you ever feel like everyone’s got a plan for your life, and forgot to ask how you felt about it first?” 

“Why do you call me Chipmunk?”

He grinned at her. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

She pulled a handful of grass and threw it at him. The wind caught most of it and she watched it drift. “I envy you.”

“How so?” 

“You wanted to go, so you did. To have that kind of freedom. To be brave enough to take a chance.” 

“Stupid enough, you mean. Did you get a good look at the goober who fell on his face? That man was lonely, dirty, and starving.” 

Eloise did remember, and blushed thinking of it. If it hadn’t been for her standing in the creek only half dressed, he never would have fallen. “At least you keep smiling through it,” she said, “I don’t know how to have fun anymore.”

“I just do what makes me happy. Within reason . . . Fried chicken? Makes me happy. Catching frogs? Makes me happy. Singing? Makes me happy. What makes you happy? Do that.” He shrugged, like there was nothing to it.

What did make her happy? There were things she used to do for fun, but when put to the question she was stumped. 

Zeke prodded. “There isn’t anything you do, that makes all the bad stuff disappear for a while?” 

“I don’t know. If there is, I’ve forgotten.”

Can I share a fun secret? 

Fun doesn’t need to be extravagant. Sometimes I forget to be happy. It’s wrong and it’s not God’s plan for me. Sometimes I don’t know how to have more fun as a mother. I get so caught up in what I can’t do and what I wish I could be doing, that I don’t make use of the fun freely available. One of the things that brings me joy is writing. And so I do, and I did. Laura lets me talk to you and I have dreams of many more novels to come! But… the simple, freely-available-doesn’t-cost-anything fun? That comes from a spirit of peace. A peace that knows my kids are well loved, even if their rooms are a mess because I haven’t properly trained them on how to keep them tidy. A peace that extends to the husband when he’s 20 minutes later coming home from work than I expected.

tasha and kids

Peace comes from knowing I am worthy of God’s love. 

Listen up, friend. You are worthy of God’s love. He didn’t raise his son from the dead for someone he didn’t love. He didn’t come back from the grave for us to walk about the house grumpy about laundry! I believe He wants us to have life, and have it to the fullest–not just later, but now! Absolutely we are called to sacrifice so much of ourselves. But nobody ever asked us to stop having fun, we did that all on our own. 

Here’s how I had fun today: 

  • When the kids played in the yard, I read a book for 45 minutes. 
  • When the kids asked for a snack I opened a jar of peanuts and gave it to them. And then showed off, unsuccessfully, how I could throw and catch one in my mouth.
  • While the baby played with a stack of books I got on my hands and knees and growled at him until he looked my way, then I slinked towards him like a tiger. He squealed and laughed at me. 
  • I was blasting show tunes on my phone when Ben came home from work (20 minutes late), and as I sang along, I started dancing for him. He pulled me into his arms, twirled me around a few times and dipped me over his knee before the kids claimed his attention. 
  • At dinner I shared a new book idea with the kids and asked them to come up with any funny things that might happen to my characters. 

You are pretty when you smile.

Yeah, okay. I know. Sometimes life is really really hard. I understand hard. I’ve been there, and I’m still there sometimes. To be perfectly honest, I don’t want to get out of bed most mornings because I dread the tasks ahead. Being a mom and the humility, compassion, empathy, and selflessness that needs to come with that is the hardest thing. I’m a work-in-progress. 

A few years ago I laughed at something and my, then five-year-old, son said, “Mom! You’re so pretty when you smile.” And it broke my heart in a million tiny pieces because what he really said was, “I haven’t seen you smile in a long time.”

ben and tasha

Do it for you.

Can you find ways to have more fun? I don’t know everything going on in your life that’s causing you so much stress you’ve forgotten how to have fun. But I can guess at some of it. Here’s a hint: Don’t make food harder than it has to be. Laura’s given us way too many resources and recipes for us to be wasting time complaining about kitchen duty. 

I’m not even going to leave you with scientific facts about how laughing is healthy and makes you live longer. Nope. How about we make time for fun, simply because fun is fun? Nobody goes to bed thinking, “Man, I wish I hadn’t had so much fun today.” 


Tasha HackettTasha Hackett, author of Bluebird of the Prairie, (a heartwarming romance releasing Spring 2021), is fueled by sunshine or hot chocolate—whichever is more readily available. She pretends to be a ballerina while cleaning the kitchen and can sing along to every word of every Wee-Sing Silly Songs album. Four children and a husband have filled her days with more than enough to keep her busy, but creative hobbies continually find their way onto her to-do list. You can connect with her on Instagram @hackettacademy or for Laura @heavenlyhomemaker. 

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Fun With Grammar ~ Valentine’s Day Free Printable Packet (And My Grammar Confession)

January 26, 2016 by Laura 9 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Valentine's Day Fun with Grammar
I write for a living. I homeschool my kids. I love and appreciate correct grammar usage and fantastically written sentences. (The frequent misuse of the words bring and take drives me batty. Take it there. Bring it here. This is not difficult.)

But for all my love of a good sentence, I cannot stand most typical Grammar Lessons (or sentences that begin with but).

I get a headache when reading information like this:

A Complex Sentence has one or more Dependent clauses (also called Subordinate clauses).

Does it? Does it really? How nice that I have not one, but two options for which to label the clauses that make up my (what was it again?)…my Complex Sentence. Now let’s talk about what modifies what, identify all the gerunds, and take the time to break it down into a diagram.

Woe is me. I just want to write sentences. Please do not make me pinpoint the predicate nominatives. I am 42. I have learned the definition of predicate nominative at least 24 times, and I still have to look it up every single time one of my kids asks me a question about it when he comes across it in his grammar lesson. This is because I DO NOT CARE. Oh, but a predicate nominative is a word that renames the subject of a sentence. Great. I just learned it for a 25th time. I will forget that information once again in five, four, three…

Well, now you know the truth.

I’m glad some people love all of the specifics of grammar because someone has to write the grammar lesson books and teach it in our schools. Some of you think grammar is fun and I still like you alot (<— even if I did just write that non-word on purpose out of spite).

While those are my feelings – I still teach my kids grammar because I have to. (This book series is the one I dislike the least and currently use with my older kids.) I don’t, however, make them re-write all 17 sentences if they have mastered the concept after 3 sentences; I don’t insist that they take time to memorize all the correct terminology (see predicate nominative predicament above); and if the lesson in their book is truly not relevant, I modify it to make it meaningful.

However, my kids are all still learning and able to write nice sentences. I know this doesn’t make sense without their mother’s solid knowledge of participles, but our oldest really has been getting A’s in his college English courses and has been successfully cranking out countless essays and term papers for professors.

Maybe it goes without saying that our family values creativity and practicality over fact-spitting. We try to keep education relevant if at all possible. Some parts of school a kid just has to get through because it’s required (so do not ask our current sophomore how he feels about Geometry theorems). But when it can be fun – for the love of the accurate use of then and than – let’s make it fun.

Fun with Grammar

Now that you’ve read my feelings on grammar you will know that when I labeled my newest creation Fun with Grammar, this means something. Our 5th grade son recently completed one of his (boring) Grammar textbooks for the year. (He’s still working through Wordly Wise 5.) As a way to fill in some gaps, I began creating some Valentine related grammar activities for him. One page turned into another, and before I knew it I had 12 pages prepared.

Nice kid though he is, Malachi was not excited or supportive of my new project. “You’re making me grammar pages? Why???” However, as soon as I printed them out and handed them over, he worked his way through the first four pages without a complaint. He might have even looked like he was enjoying himself. I believe his exact words tonight were, “Actually, that grammar thing is pretty fun.” Boom. Mission accomplished.

Bonus: I made said 5th grader proof-read this packet for me before I shared it with you. I’m a sly one.

Fun With Grammar - Valentine's Day Free Printable Packet

None of these activities are tedious. They simply ask your child to be creative and have fun with some basic English and Grammar skills.

Does it get any better than this? I typed out a Brownie Recipe, purposely made some mistakes, and asked your child to find the errors and misspelled words. It’ll take your child just a few fun minutes, then he/she can go bake brownies. Friends, there are no predicate nominatives in a pan of brownies!! (At least I don’t think there are. I obviously already forgot the definition.)

Fun with Grammar - Valentines 122

Even more fun is that this packet is free for everyone. Use it in your home. Use it in your school. Enjoy the activities. Be creative. Actually have fun with grammar. And if your kid still hates it, well at least it was free and you got some brownies out of the deal.

Enter your email address below to download your free Fun With Grammar ~ Valentine’s Day Edition Printable Packet.

I’m super excited to share that signing up for this freebie will connect you to our new Heavenly Homemaker’s Learning Zone. It’s free, of course. You can unsubscribe at any time, your info will never be shared or sold, and being on this list means that you’ll be the first to know of the other fun (yes, FUN!) educational tools we’re putting together! Emails will not be frequent. I’m too busy trying to relearn what a subordinating conjunction is.

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Free Printable Game “Kiss-Tac-Toe” (The Chocolate Kind!)

December 17, 2015 by Laura 8 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

kiss tac toe1

Malachi and I came up with this fun game idea. It’s Tic-Tac-Toe – only with chocolate kisses instead of X’s and O’s. This, of course, turns the game into Kiss-Tac-Toe.

I think this is incredibly clever. But then I realized that I have teenagers and overemphasizing the word “kiss” or suggesting that they give these fun gifts to their friends and Bible class teachers is probably weird and embarrassing. I’m not entirely above embarrassing my children on purpose, but I suppose this time I will refrain from insisting that my 13-year old give Kiss-Tac-Toe gift packs to his peers at church and on the basketball team.

What is my plan then? Well, first of all, Malachi and I have had a pretty good time playing 47 rounds of Kiss-Tac-Toe with a variety of Christmasy game boards. It’s almost torture for him to avoid actually eating the game pieces, but just like embarrassment, I’m not above torture in the name of winning a game. Competitive? Me? Oh no. Not much. (Sometime I should tell you about our family’s Kiss-Tac-Tournament.)

My ultimate plan with these game packets is to put them together with a few other fun items for some of my retired lady friends who share an apartment complex in town. They meet in their community room daily and play games together for hours. I think they will get a big kick out of these Christmas-time game boards and game pieces. I’ll package them up with fuzzy socks, pretty soap, a mini-calendar, and some baked goodies.

Merry Christmas Kiss-Tac-Toe

How to Put Together Kiss-Tac-Toe Gift Packs

1. Print the game boards, gift tags, and instruction card. (Access instructions below). I recommend printing the game boards on heavy white cardstock.

2. Cut them apart and put one game board and an instruction card into a sandwich-sized zip-lock bag.

3. Put 10 chocolate kisses into each bag – 5 each of 2 different colors.

4. Seal the bags. Fold the gift tag over the top and attach with ribbon or a stapler.

Merry Christmas Kiss-Tac-Toe Free Printable Game

Even if you don’t package these up to give away, you might have fun leaving game boards and chocolate kisses around on tables in your house for people to play during Christmastime. It’s just silly fun, you know? I like silly fun. (As opposed to non-silly fun? Whatever.)

You know what I’m thinking now? I should make Christmas Bingo Boards. We could play it with M&Ms. I can’t believe all the candy talk going on here right now.

Are you having a fun Christmas season?

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Get these free downloads by joining our Heavenly Homemakers Learning Zone. It’s free, and you’ll gain access to dozens of great free printables to use throughout the year with your family!

Join Heavenly Homemakers Learning Zone to access your freebies here!

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How to Fend off Mean Roosters (because clearly, I’m an expert)

August 23, 2011 by Laura 32 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I originally posted this three years ago after a “fun” incident with my friend’s roosters. Just in case you weren’t around then to laugh at me, please, by all means, allow me to remind you of my bravery and amazing rooster fending off abilities by re-posting this story.

chickens1sm.JPG

Aw, here’s Malachi looking at the chickens three years ago. He was so little. ;)

Last week, I was left in charge of caring for the animals on my friend’s farm. I am so very happy to report that I started out with 50 chickens and there are still, as far as I know, 50 chickens.

Plus two roosters.

Two mean roosters.

Before leaving to go out of town, my friend Susan walked me through all of the elements of chicken care: “Here’s the feed, here’s the hose for water – and by the way,”  she said, “If the roosters try to attack you, just whack them over the head with the feed bucket.”

If the what? The roosters might attack me? I’m supposed to what? With the feed bucket? Uh…oh…okay. That doesn’t make me scared or nervous at all. {cough}

Each day last week, the boys and I would go over to do chicken chores. The boys would gather the eggs while I would courageously feed and water the chickens. Each day I would scope out where the roosters were and make sure I stayed out of their way, because I really didn’t want to have to whack a rooster over the head. Not even a little bit.

Everything went fine and I had no rooster attacks to tell you about.

Until Saturday. I made it all the way to Saturday.

I had kindly filled the water…thingy. I had sweetly filled the chicken feeder with feed. I even smiled (albeit nervously) at the roosters in appreciation for leaving me alone all week.

And then it happened.

Not one, but both roosters simultaneously charged at me – at the same time – together.

But don’t you worry. I bravely jump-skipped into the air in shock and fear – and screamed something that sounded kind of like, “Aaahhhhhhh….aaahhhhhhh. Aaahh. Aah.” (Yes, because that will stop a rooster from charging.)

And I sorta swung my bucket and hit one of the roosters barely, which made him look at me like, “Seriously? Is that all you’ve got, lady?” In which I answered, “Yeah, pretty much. B-bye.” And I hightailed it out of that chicken coop.

It is a GOOD thing I’d already given those chickens feed and water, because my heart rate is still not back to a normal pace, and there is NO WAY I was going back in there that day.

I returned home unscathed – and I’m sure the roosters are now completely intimidated by my presence, what with my strong muscled bucket swinging and high pitched shouting.

Yeah, right.

It would appear that I was the true chicken. ;)

Three years later, I bet those roosters are still talking about me around the coop. “Remember that crazy bucket lady that Susan put in charge of us that week back in 2008? I can still remember the look on her face when we both ran at her!” And then they bawk and cluck hysterically and give each other “high five” with their wings.

Roosters 1 – Laura 0

But I’m okay with that.

 

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Have Fun With Your Spouse

July 21, 2011 by Laura 15 Comments

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~Appreciate Your Spouse~~Buoyancy in Marriage~Consult Your Partner~
~Dream Together Part One ~Dream Together Part Two~Empower Your Spouse~

Fun With Your Spouse

Fun and Funner – Matt’s Thoughts

“What fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighing song tonight…Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh.”

Maybe that is some people’s version of fun, but not me. I’m not a grinch. I just don’t enjoy singing sleighing songs or riding in one horse open sleighs getting snow and slush flung on me. It’s not fun for me to sing that song because in general when I sing the words to songs, I agree with the words. My sweetie, on the other hand, enjoys singing that sleighing song, while I’d rather be cleaning the gunk out from under my toenails playing a strategy game in a warm, dry place with a hot drink. If I can be found When it is time to sing sleighing songs, I do it with my best face on and I try to not talk like a martyr to Laura later. She knows it is not fun for me. I also know that most long strategy games are not fun for her. We have discovered many activities that are fun for both of us!

Couples in healthy marriages seek out ways that they can have fun together and they make it happen. If you find yourself going in different directions for fun, then get together and brainstorm for ways the two of you can have fun together.

Try new exploits:  Recently, we went for a bike ride and it turned out not being great fun, but we definitely laughed about the experience. So, even though we don’t plan to ride bikes together for pleasure, that episode was a fun time spent together.

Relive pastimes:  What did you do that was a blast when you were dating?

Hopefully you have some fun activities in the “old faithful” category:   Flirting is fun…and following through is even more fun.

Your tight budget is not an excuse. Be creative considering what you could do for free…and have fun!

Make Time– Laura’s Thoughts

According to His Needs, Her Needs, a book Matt and I read together before we got married and have since read a second time – a man really appreciates it if his wife will be his recreational partner. That’s why, through the years, I’ve tried so hard to enjoy bike rides and those long, horrible, tedious, boring, never-ending, grueling strategy games that Matt likes so well. (I’m sorry – did I just say all that out loud?)

Thankfully, it’s not been too hard to come up with activities we can do together that we both enjoy. But why is it that sometimes it becomes too easy to spend all of our time together talking about bills and schedules and life logistics, and we forget to simply stop and have fun? As a task oriented mother and wife, I personally find it difficult to turn off the never ending “to-do” list in my head and just chill out and have down time with my husband. All work and no play makes a marriage…well, not so fun.

Relax. Be silly. Laugh. Share inside jokes. And oh yes…flirt. ;)

Make time for fun in your marriage.

How do you and your spouse have fun together?

Ladies, we know you’re reading here more often than the guys. ;)  We’d love husbands to read this article as well. If you feel so inclined please send the link to your husbands, or if it’s easier, we’ve created a downloadable article for you to quickly print off and share. Healthy Marriage Tips A to Z – Fun

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Fun Stacations All Over the U.S.!

May 23, 2011 by Laura 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

While I hope you had fun reading about a few of our exciting Nebraska adventures yesterday, you’ll really have fun clicking around and reading through this awesome list put together by Carrie of Springs Bargains and Toni of The Happy Housewife!

New England

Connecticut – Parenting Miracles

Boston, Massachusetts –  Maven of Savin’

Manchester, New Hampshire – Common Sense with Money

Western Maine – Bubblegum and Lollipops

Mid-Atlantic

Erie, Pennsylvania – Growing Kids Ministry

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – Somewhat Crunchy

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Family Balance Sheet

Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York – Coupons, Deals and More

New Jersey – Oh! Diane

Midwest

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Indoor Garden Musings

Mansfield, Ohio – Live the Adventure

Cincinnati, Ohio – Savings Lifestyle~Cincinnati

Mount Vernon, Ohio – Living Better One Day at a Time

Dayton, Ohio – Savings Lifestyle~Dayton

Grand Rapids, Michigan – Kitchen Stewardship

Metro Detroit, Michigan – “Cents”able Momma

Oakland County, Michigan – Bargain Shopper Mom

Warren, Michigan – Saving Dollars and Sense

Grand Forks, North Dakota – Frugal Front Porch

Indianapolis, Indiana – Bargain Briana

South Bend, Indiana – Excuse The Mess

Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri – Kansas City Mamas

St. Louis, Missouri – The Pickledpigsfeet

Branson, Missouri – Getting Freedom from Debt

Springfield, Missouri – I Think I Can

Rochester, Minnesota – Everyday Notions

York, Nebraska – Heavenly Homemakers

Omaha, Nebraska – Mom Endeavors

Madison, Wisconsin – Many Little Blessings

Oshkosh, Wisconsin – A Little Bit of This and That

Chicago, Illinois – Chicagoland Homeschool Network

Champaign, Illinois – Chambanamoms

Black Hills, South Dakota – Little House on the Prairie Living

South Central

Checotah, Oklahoma – Blessed With One Income

Tulsa, Oklahoma – Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures

Gadsden, Alabama – Aint Mimi

Dallas, Texas – Funky Faith Girl

Dallas, Texas – Grocery Shop For FREE

East Dallas, Texas – Surviving The Stores

Fort Worth, Texas – Smockity Frocks

Austin, Texas – Stetted

Houston, Texas – Moms Travel Tales

McKinney, Texas – Wisdom Begun

East Texas – The Full Pantry

Murfreesboro, Tennessee – Life in a Barn

Nashville, Tennessee – The Country Chic Cottage

Mobile, Alabama – A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned

Birmingham, Alabama – iGoBOGO

Brunswick & the Golden Isles, Georgia – Teri Lynne Underwood

Alpharetta, Georgia – Cuponeando

Atlanta, Georgia – See Jamie Blog

Augusta, Georgia – Hyperactive Lu

Athens, Georgia and Mississippi – Tractors and Tire Swings

Little Rock, Arkansas – It’s Real Life

South Atlantic

Ft. Bragg, North Carolina – Military Wives Saving

Charlotte, North Carolina – The Carolina Clipper

Charleston, South Carolina – The Tween & Me

Greensboro, North Carolina – Mrs. Happy Homemaker

Jacksonville, Florida – Saving The Family Money

Orlando, Florida – Orlando’s Best Deals

Virginia Beach, Virginia – The Singley Fam Blog

Richmond, Virginia – Daily Dwelling

Hampton Roads, Virginia – A Home Made by Kiki

Charlottesville, Virginia – How to Have it All

Blackwater Falls State Park/Davis, West Virginia – Holy Spirit Led Homeschooling

Treasure Coast, Florida – The Cardamom’s Pod

Saint Augustine, Florida – Jypsie Visions

Lake Norman, North Carolina – Stretching Pennies Saving Dollars

Washington, DC – The WiC Project

Baltimore, Maryland – The Happy Housewife

Brunswick & the Golden Isles, Georgia, Teri Lynne Underwood

Mountain

Tucson, Arizona – Saving with Pam

Phoenix, Arizona – Mom Endeavors

Albuquerque, New Mexico – The Chou Life

Kalispell, Montana – Our Family Adventures

Salt Lake City, Utah – Just the 2 of Us

Thermopolis, Wyoming – The McDonald Family

Denver, Colorado – Denver Bargains

Colorado Springs, Colorado – Colorado Springs Bargains

Pacific

San Diego, California – Life As Mom

Yosemite National Park, California -Handbook of Nature Study

Seattle, Washington – Queen Bee Coupons & Savings

Whidbey Island, Washington – Manning the Homefront

Olympia, Washington The Coupon Savant

Portland, Oregon – Frugal Living NW

Willamette Valley, Oregon – An Oregon Cottage

Frugal Vacation Tips

Vacation or Stay-cation: Eating without Busting the Budget – Eat at Home

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Gas or Electric?

March 4, 2011 by Laura 113 Comments

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I posted this about two years ago, but if you weren’t reading this blog back then, you would have missed out on all the fun. I can’t have you miss out on all the fun. And really, I just like knowing which of you has gas. Or electric.  :)
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I giggle everytime I think about this, so I thought I’d really better share it with you.

When we first got married, we lived in an apartment in someone’s basement. It had a little kitchen with a tiny gas stove. I had never cooked on a gas stove before and I soon learned to really enjoy it. One day a friend of mine came over and walked into my kitchen. And she said,

“Oh!! Do you have gas?!”

I jumped a bit from the shock of her question because of course, I had no idea she was asking about my stove. I really thought that she was randomly asking me if I had gas. 

 You know…gas. 

What in the world would make her ask such a thing? Had my stomach just gurgled? Had my shoe made an unbecoming sound on the floor? 

Completely oblivious to my distress, my friend went on to talk about how she just loved it when she used to have gas, but she didn’t have gas anymore and oh how she missed it. How lucky of me to have gas. And, maybe someday, she too would have gas.

Uuuuhhhhhhmmmmmm.

I don’t know how long it took for me to understand that she was talking about the fact that her stove was electric and my stove was gas. Sometimes I’m not that bright. (Possibly an effect from having gas.)

She and I had a huge laugh over that one…and I seriously still giggle about it (16 years later) whenever I think about it.

So, I’ve just gotta ask.

Do you have gas? Or do you have electric? 

I know some people LOVE their gas stoves and feel that they are must-haves in their homes. I currently have an electric ceramic top since that was in the house when we moved here. I don’t really have a preference. I could take gas or leave it. :)

How exciting for those of you who have gas. You get to leave a comment saying,

“Hello. My name is ___________. I have gas.”

Those of us with electric just won’t have as much fun with this one. Ah but some day. Someday, we too might have gas.

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Family Vacation, Part 1

August 3, 2010 by Laura 21 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I have quite a few pictures to share from our trip to Michigan. Here’s something funny:  We went to Michigan for a wedding. I took no pictures of the wedding. Sometimes I amaze myself. 

Matt and I decided that since we were taking the time off to travel so far, we would turn this trip into a vacation. We took our time on our way there and back, stopping along the way to make memories. 

One of the first things we did was stop just inside the state of Michigan to pick blueberries!!!!!

Pardon me for gushing like an idiot…but you have to realize that blueberries don’t really grow well in Nebraska. We’ve picked and eaten our fair share of fresh strawberries and raspberries. But blueberries? We’ve never even seen a blueberry bush before. 

I can NOT even tell you how much fun the six of us had. The weather was perfect. The kids all cooperated. The blueberries tasted fantastic!!

blueberry_picking_1

blueberry_picking_2

After Malachi (age 5) got tired of picking berries, we handed him the camera. He took this picture…

blueberry_picking_3

And this one…

blueberry_picking_5

Matt and I had to tear ourselves away from the field. The whole time we were picking, I could NOT stop smiling. It was one of those family moments that is everything you dream of, you know? 

We finally stopped after we had no less than ten pounds of blueberries. Do you know how much all those berries cost? $17.00.  Are you KIDDING? I’ve paid $3.00 for a tiny half pint of blueberries before and the taste wasn’t even comparable!!! $17.00 for all those berries was the best deal ever!! 

blueberry_picking_4

Cost for one of the most fun family moments ever? Priceless.

After we left the Blueberry Farm, we traveled a few more hours to spend some time with some friends we used to be in the ministry with in Colorado. We hadn’t seen each other for eight years and it was just wonderful to visit and catch up.

Oh, and you might be interested to know that on our drive to their house, we all sat in the van consuming blueberries like there was no tomorrow. We tried to stop eating…really we did. 

And then I dropped a blueberry on my seat. I looked and looked for that blueberry, both because I didn’t want to waste even one delicious blueberry…and because I really did not want to sit on said delicious blueberry. I never did find the silly thing.

Oh, until we pulled up to our friend’s house and I got out of the van. There was the blueberry squished all over the seat of my pants. Grrrr. It was so not cute.

Thankfully, our friends let me in anyway.

Here I am with my lovely friend Jill. Incidentally, she’s the lady who taught me how to make homemade vanilla!

Jill_and_Laura

After a wonderful (but too short) visit, we got ready to leave. Ah, but wait! The boys discovered that our friends had a cool hanging-upside-down contraption and just had to try it out!

And yeah, they insisted that Mom try it too.

There I was all locked up and helpless…and Matt started clicking away on the camera. Stinker.

upside_down_1

Good thing you can’t see my squished blueberry stain.

Stop looking, you really can’t see it in this picture.

Coming up next…we visit a Peach Picking Farm!

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Inexpensive and Fun Summer Activities: A Guest Post

July 29, 2010 by Laura 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Please welcome Jolene of A Random Woman’s Life. She has four boys and has some wonderful ideas to make summer time a blast!

Summer is here and I have the daunting but delightful task of entertaining 4 young boys day after day. My sons range in age from 3 – 9 years of age and their interests are just as varied. I often find myself struggling to find ways to engage and entertain all four at the same time, especially on rainy days. 

I know there are a multitude of craft type projects I could do and that would work for a little while. However, one thing I have learned about my boys is that their attention span for craft type projects is limited. They are boys…they need physical activity. They are not content with being motionless for very long. A Disney movie is about their limit and even then we don’t always make it through a whole film before we start to squirm and complain of boredom. I took them to one of those indoor inflatable playgrounds one day with some friends and their sons – 10 boys in total – and within an hour and a half my eldest was complaining of boredom. So what’s a mom to do? 

  Here are some of the frugal things I have found to do. See if similar events/specials are available in your area.

~    Visit the local nature center. There are usually a number of trails that you can walk on, some paved some not. Take pictures and put them in a special scrapbook.

~    Check out your local library for free playgroups, or reading program which challenges the children to read a designated amount of hours in order to earn some prizes.

~    I have found a number of free music nights and free movie nights in nearby parks. Some are weekly events, some are monthly but most allow you to bring your own treats and beverages so you can make an evening out of it. 

~    Try a monthly home movie night when a new family friendly movie is released on DVD. It helps if you can find someone who has already purchased the movie and borrow it from them for movie night. Make homemade pizza and popcorn, turn down the lights and off you go! 

~    Potluck play dates. Get a few of your friends with children together at a local park. Make it after lunchtime if possible then you only need to bring a snack to share and some beverages.

~    Join a local moms group. Most have a yearly cost around $20 – $30 for memberships. Many also have regular kids activities. A great way for your children and you to make some new friends. Two sites to start with to find a group(s) near you:  www.weplaygroup.com   &  http://moms.meetup.com

~    Try Letterboxing. LETTERBOXING is an intriguing pastime combining navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a charming “treasure hunt” style outdoor quest. A wide variety of adventures can be found to suit all ages and experience levels. Basically you get clues to find a box or container in your area in a public place such as a park. The containers usually have some goodies to look at as well as a place for you to place your own special family stamp and sign the book, putting it all back in place for the next group to find. A great place to get started is www.letterboxing.org  Your family can take a trip to your local craft store and pick out a great stamp & fun inkpad to use in your adventures!

~    Catch lightning bugs! Get a jar or two together and have your little ones catch them at dusk…pair that with making s’mores and you have a great and nearly free night of entertaining, just don’t forget to release the little bugs so you can catch them again another night!

~    Back yard camp. If the thought of going to a campground is not all that appealing, or if time is an issue, camp out for a night in your backyard! Cook out on the grill or fire pit, have a cooler full of drinks, grab your flashlights & sleeping bags and pitch the tent. You get the ambiance of camping with the comforts of home nearby in case they are needed.

With some imagination and input from your kids you are sure to find some fun, easy and frugal ways to entertain the entire family!

Be sure to visit Jolene at A Random Woman’s Life!

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Sniff…

July 22, 2010 by Laura 44 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

If you recall, this is what our corn looked like just a few weeks ago. Matt babied it and worked so hard to keep it weed free.

garden_four

You can imagine, then, our despair when we woke up one morning this week after a big rain and wind storm to find this:

corn

I saw it first…and I HATED to tell Matt about it. It was probably only a couple days away from being ready to eat. sniff 

We learned a little bit from this experience about creating good hills around the base of the corn to prevent this. Of course, we are glad that it was just a small part of our garden and not our livelihood. But still…

We are now about two days out from this unfortunate corn flattening and since the plants are still alive, it would seem that we may still be able to eat some of the corn. Maybe?!

And while I’m whining, I may as well show you this, which ALSO happened this week:

broken_jar

Apparently I had filled it too full of broth when I put it in the freezer because it cracked quite a lot. Which means that not only did I lose my beloved jar, but I also lost a half gallon of nutritious broth. I mean…maybe I could have strained out glass pieces from the broth…but did I really feel like taking a chance that one of us would have a tiny little piece of broken glass in our chicken and rice? Um, no.

So there you have it. And you thought you visited my blog for a daily dose of encouragement.  Instead, you come visit and Laura is whining about her fallen corn and her broken jar. 

Let’s see…maybe I can come up with some encouragement for you:

  • Sometimes jars break and corn falls over. When this happens you have to throw away a bunch of good broth and bear the bad news to your husband that a lot of his hard work just went to waste. It’s a chance to practice being a good help meet. (That was not at all encouraging.)
  • Sometimes jars break and corn falls over. Broth kinda looks neat with glass floating in it. (Better?)
  • Sometimes jars break and corn falls over. At least the corn all laid down the same way in the garden so as to be consistent. (I’m trying.)
  • Sometimes jars break and corn falls over. It’s a good thing two of my kids aren’t big on eating corn on the cob anyway. (Right?)
  • Sometimes jars break and corn falls over. When I poured the broth onto the ground (in an untraveled area) I bet some raccoon had a really great and nutritious feast lapping it up later. (Always good to help the coons build strong bones and better immune systems.)
  • Sometimes jars break and corn falls over. Eh, I don’t really like jars that much anyway. (Yeah, right.)
  • Sometimes jars break and corn falls over. It’s a delightful chance to talk to your kids about how when we don’t stand with our feet firmly rooted in the strength of Jesus, we just blow over when a strong wind comes. (And then they will look at you with a blank stare because today the wind isn’t blowing.)
  • Sometimes jars break and corn falls over. Basically, you just have to get over it and move on. (Which is real encouragement because it’s the truth.)

And there you have it. ;)

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