Oh my, this was SO MUCH FUN! To make your own splatter painted fireworks, you will need sidewalk chalk paint (click here for directions to make your own, it’s very easy and inexpensive!), paint brushes, and a black asphalt driveway (or similar surface). Emily and I painted some firework designs and then I let her […]
$10 Barnes and Noble Gift Card Caption Contest
June 24, 2009 by
I thought this would be a fun contest! Emily woke up on the wrong side of the bed one morning and wasn’t her usual cheerful self. For your chance to win a $10 gift card to Barnes and Noble, leave a comment with a caption to the photo above. I am not affiliated with Barnes […]
Favorite Summer Recipe — Banana Boats
June 23, 2009 by
While we were on vacation, one of our favorite ways to end the campfires was with Banana Boats. This technique is also known as “How to make a perfectly healthy banana into a delicious junk food treat”. To make your own Banana Boats, you will need: bananas, marshmallows, chocolate, aluminum foil, and a campfire. Begin […]
Look What Came in the Mail!
June 22, 2009 by
A few days ago, I signed Emily up for a letter/artwork exchange with a 3 1/2 year old girl named Lu from 4 Crazy Kings. Mama King has a fabulous blog over there, and it is definitely worth checking out. Emily was so excited to receive her letter, and quickly went to work on a […]
Vacation on a Budget — Part II
June 20, 2009 by
Here are some other low-cost or free activities our family enjoyed while on vacation in Montebello, VA. (You could probably do most of these on any camping trip too!) Mark took Emily to the lake to feed the fish. I think she was throwing in entire hot dog rolls — they were quite stale. Mark […]
Vacation on a Budget — Part I
June 19, 2009 by
Here are some more details from our week long vacation in Montebello, VA. It is beautiful there! We stayed in this cute cottage at the Montebello Camping and Fishing Resort. The rates are very reasonable, and the cabin included a full kitchen, two bedrooms, a pull out sofa in the living room, and a full […]
And the winner is….
June 19, 2009 by
The winner of the YoBaby yogurt prize pack is Stephanie from My Frugal Lifestyle! Congratulations, Stephanie! Another fun giveaway starts soon, so be sure to check back.
Tutorial — Crayon Wallet
June 17, 2009 by
The girls are really enjoying their crayon wallets, and here they are drawing with them when we went to visit Mark to have lunch at his office the other day. We’ve been taking them with us on car trips, or any time we are waiting at a restaurant or doctor’s office. Here’s how to make […]
Vacation Sneak Peek
June 14, 2009 by
…And we’re back! As many of you guessed, we went away on vacation last week. It was fabulous (and frugal, of course). Right now I’m busy preparing for tomorrow’s 10! show, so here are some quick highlights from our trip to beautiful Montebello, Virginia with further details to follow soon. Thank you for all the […]
YoBaby Yogurt — Review and Giveaway
June 11, 2009 by
I was delighted when Stonyfield Farms asked me to post a review of their YoBaby yogurt. Both of my girls are huge fans of their delicious, organic, healthy yogurt and it is a staple item in our refridgerator. Clara recognizes the containers now and starts rocking back and forth saying “Mmmmmmmmm….” in her high chair […]
DIY: Sticker Book
June 9, 2009 by
When my parents were visiting last week, my mom brought a few stickers for Emily. We realized that Emily didn’t have a sticker book, so my mom made one for her. I think it looks great, and Emily really enjoyed arranging all her new stickers in it! The pages are sheets of waxed paper. Works […]
Nature Hike…with a stroller?
June 8, 2009 by
In the days before we were inundated with rain, Emily asked if we could go on a nature hike. Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate to say yes, but Clara is at that awkward stage of not really walking, but a little too big for a sling. This nature hike would have to involve a stroller. Strollers […]
Rain, rain, go away!
June 5, 2009 by
We have been trying to make the most out of these last several rainy days. Thankfully, tomorrow’s forecast is looking much better. This afternoon, I visited a new store in town. They just opened up, and their prices are phenomenal! The selection is a bit lacking, but they make up for it with the absolute […]
What kind of day is it?
June 4, 2009 by
Every morning when Emily wakes up, she greets me with the following phrase — “Hey, do you know what kind of day it is?” The answers range from “Messy Art Day” (my personal favorite) to “Fun Play Day” to “Go to the Beach Day” or (Lord, help me) “Build a Treehouse Day”, all proclaimed with […]
And the winner is….
June 3, 2009 by
The winner of the custom made crayon wallet giveaway is…… … Ally from Mommy Love! Congratulations! And thanks to everyone for all of your kind comments. There is an upcoming tutorial on how to make the crayon wallets, plus another fun giveaway starts again soon, so stay tuned…..
DIY: Lightweight Blocks for Toddlers
June 2, 2009 by
These light-weight blocks were so simple to make, and Clara had a lot of fun playing with them. Sometimes wooden blocks can be a bit too heavy and difficult for the little ones to play with. Instead, we made our own using empty (well-cleaned) milk cartons! Stacking blocks is a great educational activity for toddlers […]
Fabulous Keychains Your Kids Can Make
June 1, 2009 by
Tucked in among our craft supplies, I found some keychains I had ordered a long time ago from Oriental Trading Company. They weren’t much to look at, but they had little photo frames in them, and the kids could paint the frames. These would be okay for keeping the kiddos occupied, but personally I wouldn’t […]
Top 5 Hobbies for Tightwads
May 31, 2009 by
Life on a budget doesn’t have to mean giving up hobbies or special interests. Here are some of our favorite hobbies that will save you money! Gardening — Growing your own organic produce is good for the environment, and saves lots of money. Kids love to help in the garden, so it is a good way […]
