I have this thing about making red, white and blue crafts, treats, decorations, and food for our patriotic holidays. My kids think it is neat to see what I come up with and certainly enjoy consuming anything I make. I try not to go way overboard, but I like to keep in mind using red, white and blue food items because it can really help decorate the table and make it seem more festive without having to spend money on decorations. … [Read more...]
Summer marks the half-way point of the year. It’s that time of year when we dream of road trips and summer vacations. For some of us, it’s a time to plan for the big move to college or a time to land that first job after graduation. If you’re finding that your New Year’s resolutions haven’t stuck well, or finding the cash for all that summer fun is a challenge, it could be time for a mid-year financial tune-up. … [Read more...]
When you live in the woods of northern Minnesota, you're definitely no stranger to itchy insect bites. In fact, we even joke that the mosquito is Minnesota's state bird. There are plenty of projects out there that claim to help relieve the itch from these summer pests, but sometimes it's those easy home remedies for itchy insect bites that work the best. … [Read more...]
I am a wreath person. I admit it. There is no shame in it. I change out my wreaths seasonally and often I change them out for holidays as well. I even have wreaths for indoors. I didn't realize I had such a "wreath thing" going on until I starting writing this post and was looking for links of other wreath posts I have done, which I will share at the end. My seasonal wreaths might last just one season or the same season for a couple of years depending, but the holiday one might only be up for … [Read more...]
Most people think winters are long in Minnesota. They can be long, but what's really long is spring. It comes in bright and sunny and full of hope and 60-degree weather, and then the next day it's 25 degrees and snowing. A few days later it's 50 degrees and rains all day. And the cycle repeats for weeks. Our long drawn-out spring always has our family longing for summer. And since the winter and spring are so long, and the summer is so short, we try to make sure we're planning a frugal … [Read more...]
The last couple of weeks before the kids go back to school always have me a bit wistful. The days are already getting shorter. The weather is getting cooler. There's the thrill of new school supplies coupled with a nostalgia for our summer. After a winter full of repairs and projects, we opted to keep our summer low-key and frugal. The low-cost summer didn't make it any less enjoyable. … [Read more...]
It will happen. Maybe not the first or second day of summer vacation. Maybe not even during the first week. But the time will come when your adorable children will begin to drive you crazy with cries of "I'm bored!" They will want you to buy them things. They will want you to spend money on them. You do not have to do any of those things. … [Read more...]