Having a large family has its advantages... There's usually a brother or sister around to keep the little one entertained in the afternoon. I always have an extra set of hands, when unloading the dishwasher. If the assigned "trash taker outer" isn't available, I always have a spare. When I need stuff brought in, I always have an able bodied "kid" (17 & 20) at my disposal. Yeah, it's pretty nice... until I see my grocery bill. Feeding my small army has the potential to get rather costly and since starving them is frowned upon, I have developed a few "cheats" along the way to save a few dollars here and there. No, I am NOT a couponer. Yes, I do use coupons, on occasion. In my experience, I save more money by shopping at non-chain stores and buying certain foods in bulk, especially meat, which can get really expensive, really fast. Planning your weekly menu around sales is also a great way to save money.
I am a huge fan of weekly menu planning... I don't always get around to it, but I'm a huge fan. I find planning can save a ton of time & money in the long run, if you spend those extra few minutes before you go shopping. I usually write out five recipes, including a main dish with some kind of protein, a side dish or two and that's it. Then I write my grocery list accordingly, with only the items I need. It really is easy and the headache it saves you is worth the time it takes to actually sit down and write it out. Also, don't be afraid to think outside the box. Look around for alternative places to shop; ask friends where they shop, you'll be surprised what great gems are out there just waiting to be found. From small Mom and Pop grocery stores to the local Farmer's market or even a service like Zaycon Fresh.
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From a very young age, we teach our children about compassion. ... "Be sweet, don't pull the kitty's tail.".... "No, we don't hit, hitting hurts.".... "Use your words kindly, other people have feelings too.", but do we really know what compassion is? Can we really "teach" it to our children or do we have to show it to them? I am a firm believer in the old adage... "Teach your children how to think, not what to think." The opportunities to show compassion are all around us, we just have to look for them. Back in the Summer, my husband was gifted a few tickets to go see Thomas the Train, while it was here in Nashville. Micah was super excited. He wore his favorite outfit, he tatted himself up, with Thomas tattoos, he even skipped his nap, in anticipation. To say he was excited, is an understatement. I, however, was not quite as enthusiastic, but, as I (try to) do with all of our adventures, I went into it with an open mind and heart (and plenty of snacks). The morning started great. We got there just in time to snag a great parking spot, thanks to my husband's status as the official "Parking spot hunter". (It's a whole production he does, when he looks for a parking spot. He does an Aussie voice and everything, it's really kinda cute) The weather was nice, not too hot, not too cool and the rain that was forecast, held off, until we left. It was actually not that bad. We walked around, checking out the Lego station, waiting for them to call our group for boarding. We bought a sugar free lemonade, it was beyond disgusting. It was so nasty we actually had to laugh about it, but we were still having fun, we were together. It was finally our turn to ride Thomas. We boarded carefully, as instructed. We picked the very best seats and waited, patiently, for the ride to start. The conductor came around and checked our tickets, to make sure we weren't stow aways. I have to admit, by this point, I was kind of excited. I had never been on a train before, not one that was actually moving, anyways.
The conductor's voice came over the intercom, he explained that we would go a little way down the track, then reverse back into the station. I grabbed my camera, hoping to catch the looks of excitement on my son's face, as he experienced his first train ride, what I actually captured, was way more important. As my kids have gotten older and the age gap between them keeps widening, (20, 17 and 4) I find it harder and harder to come up with activities they will all enjoy, while allowing Mom to spend precious time, with them, making new memories (and messes). There are very few things all my kids will agree on, but one thing they all love, is family movie night, because they know it will be filled with amazing goodies, fun games and probably a surprise or two. Check out our latest adventure, a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" themed movie night, including a ton of entertaining essentials from World Market. DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post, written by me, on behalf of American Home Shield. Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. With Jack Frost eagerly nipping at your nose, and many weeks of cold weather still left to bear, one might think it's all just a little too much. Never fear! Before you get all stabby, grab a warm, fuzzy blanket and check out these simple and informative home heating tips fromAmerican Home Shield and home improvement expert, David Leon. When you own a home, you know that things are going to break down – but when it happens, do you know who you’ll call or what you’ll do? A home warranty is a great way to protect your budget against costly repairs, and save yourself the time and hassle of finding a qualified professional to get major systems and appliances up and running again. Unfortunately, the first day of school is creeping up on us & Summer is slowly winding down, so I am trying to squeeze in as much fun as I can, before the dull-drums of good ol' school days set in. Lucky for me, I got a little help from these new goodies from Juicy Fruit, but let me warn you, these new arrivals are definitely not your Mama's Juicy Fruit. Say "Goodbye" to the stick and say "Hello" to the awesome, bubble blowing power of the new Sweet Strawberry Bubble Gum from Juicy Fruit. This ample sized piece of Strawberry goodness is the perfect size for blowing big, strong bubbles...kind of. OK, let me rephrase that, as long as you aren't a novice, it's perfect for blowing bubbles. (Note to self: Get Dad to teach the little one to blow bubbles, I quit.) Bless his heart, he tried blowing a bubble for at least fifteen minutes, before he accidentally spit it out onto the ground. After that fiasco, I decided to let him stick with the smaller pieces of the original flavor Juicy Fruit Fruity Chews which come in a handy dandy 40 ct easy to share bottle, that you can find at your local Walmart store, right beside the register.
(Sweet Strawberry is also available in the smaller fruity chews size) Backyard #BBQ #TipsandTricks with a Few Essentials from World Market + #SummerGetaway Sweepstakes6/16/2014 DISCLAIMER: I am a World Market ambassador and I received gift cards to facilitate this post, however all opinions and experiences are my own. There's nothing that feels more like summer, than a cookout with family and friends. The food, the camaraderie, the memories, the food, the laughs, seeing the kids splashing around in the pool, the food... I love it all. (Did I mention the food?!) I like to fancy myself as kind of a big deal, when it comes to backyard chefery (that is a word, right?!) and like any good chef, I have a few tricks up my sleeve, to help me pull off the best backyard BBQ ever and be sure to read all the way through the post, for your chance to enter World Market's #SummerGetaway sweeps for a trip for four, on Southwest Airlines + a World Market gift card. |
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