Summer Activities
Spending Time with Grandma!
We were so thankful that my Mom was able to come visit us for several days. She went with us to Savannah for my cousins graduation and time at the beach. The girls love spending time with Grandma and were thrilled to hang out together.
Grandma Penny helping the girls do their workbooks! I think Grandma Penny was much more patient then Mommy doing the workbooks!
Grandma Penny reading books to the girls! The girls love it when Grandma reads them books. Today they relaxed for a few minutes on the front porch with a stack of books to read together. Thank you Mom for reading to our girls, they LOVE their time with you! I am thankful for a Mom who takes the time to be with our family. The girls have many wonderful family memories because of moments like these!
Family Celebrations: Happy 4th of July!!!!
Wishing everyone a very Happy July 4th!!!
Hope you have an amazing day celebrating with family and friends!
What a great day to make some new memories and enjoy time with those around you!
Photo by bayasaa
Book: “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons” by Siegfried Engelmann
School is out for the summer but that does not mean the learning time is over for the kids. Actually in many ways the pressure is on for Moms and Dads to continue teaching our children so they don’t forget everything they learned over the school year. Our girls are starting to read and since I want to help them over the summer I asked around about great books to help them learn how to read even better. This book “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons” by Siegfried Engelmann was recommended to me by several of my homeschool Mom friends. We just started this book in June and have already seen some of the benefits. It is not the most exciting book for parents to teach from because it has a lot of repetition, however, that’s a big advantage when your child is first learning to read. It has been hard for me to stay consistent with all the traveling we are doing this summer but when we do the book the girls seem to enjoy it and it helps build their reading confidence. The first few lessons were pretty “easy” for the girls since they just finished kindergarten but I anticipate it getting a little harder and challenging as we go.
Have you used this book with your child?
Do you recommend it or have any other teaching materials for recommend to young readers?
Giveaway: $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card
I am doing another giveaway on Blessings Multiplied!!! The winner of this giveaway will receive a $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card! As a Mom of fraternal twin daughters I am always looking for ways to save a little extra when buying books for the family. Our family loves to read and as we continue to teach our girls how to read I want to share a Barnes & Noble gift card with my readers. Barnes & Noble is a wonderful place to relax and pick out fun books for the whole family.
- Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied.
- You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing one of your favorite books (you have read for yourself or read to your child) this summer!
All comments must be made by July 31st at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing. On July 31st I will randomly draw a winner from those who have entered the giveaway.
Living on a Budget: Creative Cash (June Update)
June is my fifth month tracking my Creative Cash. What is Creative Cash? Creative Cash is finding ways to come up with extra cash to share with others as well as work on our current goal. I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day, however, I feel that it is important to save money for our family by using coupons and buying items on sale but to earn a little money to help with the extra expenses and to share with others. The extra amount I bring in on top of the work is what I call “Creative Cash” which means finding ways to make money creatively or with items and talents I have already. I have tested this goal over the last couple months as I am challenging myself to make my life more simplified. I plan to continue this goal for the remaining months of the year. Despite the many financial obstacles that we have faced as a family we have been blessed with so much. We believe it is important to be accountable with our finances and give to others.Explanation: The creative cash will be made throughout the entire month through various endeavors. As it comes in the money is placed into our savings account and withdrawn at the end of the month so it can be split. It is my goal to make at least $100 extra a month to help with our goals as well as share with others. At the end of the month the money will be split 50 / 50 with half going towards our current goal we are working on (which at the moment is paying down debt) and the other half going to charity.
June was a good month even though it was extremely active in many other areas of my life. Thankfully I was able to save some extra cash however, I did not reach my my goal of $100. I want to share with you the ways we did it so if you are looking for ways to make a little extra creative cash for your family hopefully we can be an inspiration in getting your creative juices flowing:
- $15.59 – Items sold on Ebay (after fees): The all the items sold were coupons. I encourage you to look around at some of the coupons you get the mail, newspapers, magazines, in your stockpile, or other places and if you will not have the opportunity to use them then consider selling them for a little extra creative cash.
- $20.00 – Cash from house and dog sitting
- $10.00 – Rebate for Scotts Osmocote Plant Fertilizer
- $ 5.49 – Other miscellaneous amounts earned (rebates, returns, cash back, extra money, etc…) that was added to my stash for the month.
It was a harder month to set the extra aside because it was very busy and I was not able to participate in as many extra creative cash activities. June’s “Creative Cash” total was $51.08 which means $25.54 extra that goes towards our current goal (paying down debt) and $25.54 goes towards charity. I didn’t hit my $100 goal this month. It has been really busy with school being out and traveling with the family. I am happy that I was able to get at least halfway to the goal and every little bit helps us get a little closer to our goals as well as helps others along the way. I have plan of action on ways to earn creative cash in July so stayed tuned, hopefully, it will be another month where we can get closer to our goal and share with others. Each month I do a variety activities to accomplish this goal, the items above are just the ones I did specifically in June. I look forward to sharing more of the things that work well for our family as I do them in the upcoming months.
I will share with you the challenges, successes, and updates as I go through this journey so you can keep me accountable or even go through it with me by participating and sharing your story. Taking the extra time to find ways to help our family as well as invest in the lives of others is important to us. I hope that we have been able to encourage you to find ways to come up with some creative cash for your household as well. Obviously, each situation and family is unique so decide what works for you and go for it! Do you know of another way to earn creative cash? I would love to hear your idea!
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Photo by StopNLook
Vacation & Travel: Family Time at Tybee Island, Georgia
We had an amazing trip to Savannah, Georgia this year. We were able to explore Savannah, celebrate a cousins graduation from SCAD, and go to the beach on Tybee. Here are some more fun pictures from our trip to Tybee Island:
Checking out Savannah's Wildlife! The girls were thrilled to find this “pretty green frog” at Grandma Penny’s hotel! As we were leaving one time we were greeted by this little guy! It is amazing how fascinating a frog can be for the kids!
It was fun to spend time with my sweet Mom in Savannah! We were so happy that Grandma Penny was able to go with us on the road trip to Savannah! The girls loved hanging out with Grandma Penny!
Karlie watching Daddy out the Grandma Penny's hotel window! Karlie wanted to make sure Daddy wasn’t going to leave us.
Brina's ready for the beach, she's swinging her arms to dry off the sunblock! We found that putting sunblock on at the hotel, letting it dry, then heading to the beach was the key to stay unburnt and sand free!
The girls know we are getting close to the beach on Tybee once they see the giant shark! They think the shark is hilarious. The first time we went to Tybee we stopped by because they wanted a closer look. Now when they see it they just giggle!
Aunt Mary Ann and the girls were the first to get their feet wet! The girls love testing the water for a few minutes before going right into the ocean.
Karlie loves Tybee Beach! Karlie running up the beach to take off her glasses so she can go swimming in the ocean!
Everyone starting to enjoy the beach! It was great having an opportunity to go to the beach with extended family. Tybee was beautiful and really only a few people were out on the beach with us.
Come on in Grandma Penny, the water's great! The girls had a blast swimming with Grandma Penny, Aunt Renelle, Uncle Eric and everyone else. The beach adventure was a lot of fun for the girls.
Mom and Renelle enjoying their time at Tybee Beach! Everyone enjoyed a relaxing swim at Tybee. We even saw some DOLPHINS! I didn’t have my camera handy when they came but thrilled they came to visit us during our swim!
Karlie "helping" Uncle Eric dig a giant hole in the sand! Every time we go swimming on Tybee Beach we see several of these cargo ships going by. It is amazing the amount of cargo they carry on these ships as they go in and out of Savannah’s harbor.
Brina having fun riding on Daddy's shoulders! The girls love the water! I am thrilled that they are becoming more confident with their life jackets but still (for the most part) stay near us!
Aunt Mary Ann enjoying the shade while talking with Jake! It was a beautiful day at the beach! We are so thankful to be able to share it with so many family members!
Brina swimming with Daddy and Karlie swimming with Grandma Penny! The girls thought it was awesome being able to swim with a lot of different people, they usually have a choice between Mommy or Daddy. Thankful that they love the ocean and had fun with family!
Brina and Karlie "helping" Daddy dig a hole for a sand castle! Thanks Laurel for the awesome sand toys! The girls had a blast making a sand castle at Tybee!
Brina and Karlie taking a lunch break in the beach tent! The tent was a nice place out of the sun for the kiddos to take a break and eat lunch. Thanks babe for taking care of us so we didn’t get crispy in the sun!
The sand may be messy but it sure is fun playing in it with Daddy! One of their favorite activities to do at the beach, dig in the sand!
Lunch time at the beach! We were thrilled Mom could join us in the adventure! My Mom was able to fly up to Greenville and come with us on this road trip. That weekend was packed full of fun with the graduation celebration, beach adventures, the road trip and many more exciting activities!
Checking out the lobsters at Red Lobster! We didn’t have a chance to stop at a seafood restaurant in Georgia so on the road trip back home we ate at Red Lobster. The girls were fascinated with their lobster tank!
“A Vacation To Remember” series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Go with a good attitude and looking for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Family Celebrations: Graduation in Savannah, Georgia
In a previous post I mentioned that our family was able to take a road trip to Savannah to celebrate my cousin Laurel’s graduation from college, SCAD. Here are a few more pictures of our trip.
2011 SCAD Graduation - Way to GO Laurel! We were able to see Laurel Graduate. It was a fun trip of celebrating and catching up with family while enjoying Savannah!
Uncle Rick, Laurel, and Aunt Mary Ann! Proud parents of the graduating college student!
Three Graduates - Karlie and Brina from Kindergarten and Laurel from College! The girls thought Laurel was so cool because she graduated the same year they did. Although they thought her classes might have been harder and definitely bigger! We were thrilled to have a graduation to attend on the East coast. Thankful for the opportunity to celebrate with Laurel.
Vacation & Travel: Family Time in Historic Savannah, Georgia
We recently went to Savannah, Georgia to celebrate my cousins graduation from SCAD (Savannah College of Arts and Design). It was great having a reason to travel to Savannah again. Our family enjoys all the history in the area and loves an opportunity to go to the beach. We arrived on Friday nights just in time to see Savannah’s first Friday Firework display downtown on River Street. Saturday was graduation day so we had a mix of sightseeing, graduation ceremony and celebrating with Laurel. The girls thought Laurel had a lot more in her class then they did in their kindergarten graduation earlier that week. My Mom was able to fly out from Kansas and spend a couple days with us and drive with us to Savannah. It was great spending some extra time with her and the girls loved having Grandma around.
Hilarious....Karlie fast asleep with her treat still in her mouth! The girls picked out a snack to munch on during the ride to Savannah. Karlie picked out a special treat, fruit by the foot. Obviously she was too tired to finish eating it because when I looked back this is what I saw…..her fast asleep with the last six inches of the fruit by the foot hanging out her mouth. All of us got a good laugh at this one such a classic road trip picture!
Brina opening her goodie bag from Aunt Mary Ann and Aunt Laurel! Aunt Mary Ann and Aunt Laurel put together a sweet goodie bag for each of the girls. They had a lot of fun playing with the toys, drinking through the silly straws and writing in their new notebooks.
Friday Night Fireworks on River Street in Savannah, GA The first Friday evening of every month (at least during the summer months) Savannah has fireworks. They start after sundown about 9 PM at night. The fireworks are set off over the river and are beautiful.
Brina, Daddy and Karlie exploring Savannah! Saturday morning we decided to explore Savannah on foot while it was still early and cool. The girls had a fun time walking and asking questions about the town. Love this picture of Jake walking hand in hand with the girls, if only you could hear the conversation going on…..so many questions and Daddy patiently answering each one. Such a great Daddy, love these three very much!
Brina showing off her new purple seashell necklace and watching the horse carriages driving by at the same time! 
Karlie showing off her new seashell necklace! When we were looking through the shops and picking out postcards we found two purple seashell necklaces on clearance for $0.99 so the girls got their first seashell necklaces to remember Savannah.
Relaxing before graduation! Karlie and Brina kept Laurel entertained as lunch was being made. The bed in Uncle Rick and Aunt Mary Ann’s room was a make shift couch throughout the weekend. Karlie and Brina had fun talking with Laurel. It was pretty funny listening to some of their “stories”!
The ladies in our group that went on the Trolley Tour - Renelle, Bridgette, Randy and Penny! Jake and I had been on the trolley tour before but wanted to go again. It was amazing the amount of different information we learned this time around. Every tour guide has a unique way of presenting the information. Renelle, Randy, and Mom had never been on the tour and enjoyed it as well. Even though it was pretty hot outside with the open trolley and breeze it was comfortable. Thanks babe for running to grab waters for everyone while we took this picture.
Beautiful Church in Savannah, GA Savannah has a lot of amazing history. This is one of several beautiful churches in the downtown area of Savannah.
Savannah has a lot of great squares with Monuments and historical information in each one. There are a lot of shaded squares in Savannah that you can walk through and read a bunch of history. Each square has some type of monument to view and benches for those wanted to rest or have a picnic. If you are wanting to get an overview of Savannah I recommend taking one of the trolley tours first then you can come back later and learn more about the sights that interest you. We chose the Oglethrope Trolley Tour because it was the best price and we didn’t have to pay for parking. Finding parking in downtown Savannah can be difficult and expensive. Plus the trolley would pick us up and drop us off at a number of locations throughout Savannah all day. You could explore a historical sight or go shopping and when you were done or wanted transportation to the next area of interest you would wait a few minutes or call them and they would come pick you up.
More Savannah Trip Pictures Coming soon!
Book: “Clifford the Firehouse Dog” by Norman Bridwell
The girls really enjoy the “Clifford” books. “Clifford The Firehouse Dog” by Norman Bridwell was one they were quoted just the other day. We have read the book many times and it is neat that they retained the lessons that they learned in the book. I like how the book encourages helping out in time of need as well. If you have a little ones that likes dog and fire trucks this is a great book to read with them. Our girls love anything with animals, especially dogs!
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
Another week of doing Groceries $40 for 4. I was able to stock up on some items but overall it was a quiet grocery shopping week because a lot of unexpected activities came up. We are trying to eat up our perishables this week since we have a lot of produce already in the fridge and from the garden. A lot of the items we picked up will be great for the upcoming road trips we have this summer! I am hoping to get back on schedule soon with grocery shopping although I have a feeling the summer months may have a new type of shopping schedule with the kiddos along helping. Below are my grocery shopping adventures for the week!
Groceries from CVS and Walgreens! CVS Groceries:
- $1.46 at CVS for 1 Powerade Fruit Punch, 1 Powerade Mountain Blue, 1 Vitamin Water Energy Blast, 1 Fuze Refreshing Peach, 1 Fuze Strawberry Melon, 1 Chex Mix Cheddar, 1 Chex Mix Honey, 2 Chex Mix Turtle, and 1 Powerbar Energy Snack. I used coupons on the Chex Mix and a couple ECB’s to help with the savings. I received an $2.49 ECB for the Powerbar and $2.00 ECB for the drinks. These items will be great for our upcoming vacation road trip.
Walgreens Groceries:
- $2.01 at Walgreens for 4 cans of Mandarin Oranges, 2 boxes Strawberry Royal Gelatin, and 2 boxes of Raspberry Royal Gelatin.
Groceries from BiLo BiLo Groceries:
- $14.49 at BiLo for 1 gallon of Whole Milk, 1 gallon of Skim Milk, 1 container of Country Crock, 1 box of Oatmeal Cremes, 1 box Blue Bonnet, 1 box of Peanut Butter Bar, and 1 container fresh Mushroom. (I had three munchkins with me on this trip so I didn’t have a chance to match the sales and coupons). I probably spent a little more than expected but it was worth to have the extra time with the kids.
I am excited to be back doing our Groceries $40 for 4 budget again. This week I spent $17.96 on groceries. Even though I wasn’t even close to the budgeted amount for the week I was still able to stock up on several items. Thankfully I was able to keep the amount within reason although I would like to see a little extra left over for those weeks when I find a really good deal or go a little over. Plus I hope to have more time soon to do more regular grocery shopping. We were out of town for the weekend part of this grocery week so it a little different from our usual events, however, we brought the majority of our food with us to make meals or just did two meals a day with snacks in between.
It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks! As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me. I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too. The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
