Wordless Wednesday Hip Hip Hooray!

Hip Hip Hooray! It's summer!

Wordless Wednesday is a part of 5 Minutes for Mom.

Favorite Summer Find!

This is our new favorite summer find... and it's FREE! Remember this? Free is good!

We love everything about this park! It is close by, less than five miles. From what I can tell, construction started on it around 2 years ago and the park is not yet very well known (it doesn't even show up on google earth yet!). So far, it has not been crowded at all. I hope it stays that way!

There are three sections, the first section has a pavilion, playground and a large grassy area all surrounded by a bike path that leads you to the second section which has a pond, dock and picnic tables. There is a walkway that leads across a street and to a third area which houses an aquatic center and another playground.

The plan is to have a "Pool, Picnic and Park Night" once a week. After the intense heat is over, our shoes stop trying to melt on the sidewalk and the day begins to cool, we will head up to the pool for a swim. A picnic will be packed and there will be fresh fruit to snack on as well as drinks. After the kids get their fill of swimming and hunger sets in, we will load up the car (if there is any room between the bikes, swim gear and change of clothes) and head to the park. Dad will hopefully meet us for the picnic... which will be followed by a bike ride to both of the playgrounds. As the sun is setting, we will head back to the car and home for bed for the now tired children...

That is the plan! So far we have had two evening spent this way and they were both nominated for best nights ever!

Not Me! Monday

The last week of school for the kids meant the last week of FREEDOM for me!

I did NOT stay in my pjs as long as possible for as many days as possible...

I did NOT cancel my plans so I could stay home and veg for another day...

I did NOT leave the TV and radio off then mute the computer for two days just so I could feel how quiet it was...

I did NOT mope around on my last day of freedom because I neglected to plan a last lunch date...

And... I certainly DID NOT spend my last day of freedom totally chillin' out and curled up with a good book!

No, NOT ME!

Lemonds to Lemonade

As I write this, I'm thinking of a nice, tall, ice cold glass of lemonade. Summertime is all about sippin' some lemonade, sittin' in the shade and watchin' the kiddos. This summer, I'm turning lemons (financial stress) into lemonade (the best, most relaxed, cheapest summer ever)! This summer I'm rebelling against the mentality of jam packed days... stick everything you can into a summer... go go go... shuffling schedules... carting kids across town... ... you get the idea, right? The hustle and bustle of summer is not for me... this year. This summer we are going to enjoy the lazy days of summer!

Spending time together as a family.

Reading projects, sewing projects, cooking projects, music projects!

Letting the kids be kids

Carefree and FUN!

Library days, swim days, friends over days (and nights)!

What brings this need for a shift of pace? m-o-n-e-y! The financial stress and uncertainty of the economy looms over our household ... We have been given lemons.
I do not want to go into debt by signing the kids up for a camp every week or going out every day. I do not want to spend the summer knee-deep in plans and not sure how to fit it all in... or how to pay for it. The only planning I will be doing is how to save, save, save and not spend, spend, spend! Join me, will you? Check back often to see how I entertain the kids on a no-spend (not very much at least), super tight budget!

Watch how I turn our lemons into lemonade!

Grocery Store Savings

This was today's trip to the grocery store. Yes... a lot of it is junk food. And I'll confess... there are 5 12 packs of soda. I NEVER buy soda... but I couldn't resist the sale. When the kids were unloading the car, one said "WOW! It's ALL junk food!!!!!!" I tend to buy more junky stuff during summer.

Here are the savings... I saved (drum roll please!) 52%! I get such a rush when the number comes back at anything over 50%! I spent $88.10 and saved $94.86!!

How did I do it, you ask? I used grocerymom's website and coupons. The store I went to (Randalls) tends to be more expensive, but have good sales every so often. I only go there when they are having this good of a sale and my list consists of only sale items. I buy the rest of my weekly list at a cheaper store. I know some don't like to spend the time doing this, but it only took an hour prep and an hour shopping! That's equivalent to getting paid $40 and hour!

If you liked this post and want to hear more about how to save at the grocery store, leave me a comment. I would love to help your family have more money... and pass the grocery store rush to you too!

Evelyn's Debut in the Kitchen!

Kids in the Kitchen
I like to introduce my kids to working in the kitchen as soon as they have an interest. Last year I started teaching my older two how to cook and they helped with a few meals of their choosing. It was so popular that we decided to bring it back this summer and start teaching the younger girls too. Evelyn was so excited to be the first one to plan her meal!
She planned exactly what we would be having, made a grocery list, went grocery shopping (just the two of us!), cooked and cleaned! It was a great time to spend with her.

The lesson started with her learning how to use the can opener. The vegetable of her choice was green beans, her favorite!

Her main meal was tortellini with your choice of red or white sauce.

Both sauces were store bought and we heated them in the microwave in pretty glass bowls. We had forgotten garlic bread, but Dad came to rescue and stopped at the store on his way home! We also forgot about it in the oven... but mom took it out just in time!
Dessert was a huge hit! Strawberries and marshmallows dipped in white or dark chocolate! YUM!!

Now all the kids are planning what their meal will be!

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to my first Not Me! post. Not Me! Monday was started by MckMama to provide mom's with an opportunity to show their realness in a humorous way. I'm all for mom's telling how things really are!

I absolutely did NOT brag like a crazy mom about my kids this week!

I did NOT almost miss getting pics of my daughter because I did not realize she placed so high! Emily came in SECOND place out of the entire 5th grade in Reading this year!

I did NOT hoot and holler (because I know she can not stand it!) when Emily came in 4th place in Math... out of all the 5th graders in the school!

I did NOT look smugly at those parents (you know them... like the one who made a comment ...to my face... about me not doing as much as they did because I'm not concerned/caring about my daughter) No... I did NOT look smugly at that mom when Emily came in 7th in Science (and her child did not place...not me!) out of ALL the 5th graders! Which means Emily placed in the top 10 in ALL academic categories! No... I did NOT gloat!
I did NOT take her out of school for the day. We did not go shopping (all be it resale and thrift stores...) and then we did not go out to lunch with her daddy. Why would we celebrate like that... not our family!

When it was time for my 4th grader's awards, I did NOT skip the ceremony. I also did NOT think she wouldn't place... when Amber proved her mom wrong and came in the top 10 in Reading... say it with me... Out of the WHOLE 4th grade! You can prove me wrong any day sweetheart!
I certainly did NOT feel like the worstmom all day for missing her awards!

I did NOT tell everyone I came across, post it on facebook, twitter about it or make any phone calls about my kids winning awards! NOT me!

No... I am certainly NOT a proud... bragging mom!