Family Fun

  • Living on a Budget: Creative Cash

    Although I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day it is important that I am finding ways not only 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.  The extra amount I bring in on top of the work items 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 as I 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 honor God 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  As it comes in the money is placed into our savings account and withdrawn at the end of the month so it can be split.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.

    February was a wonderful month and we were able to accumulate more than anticipated.  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:

    • $196.88 – Items sold on Ebay:   The majority of items sold were coupons (only 2 toys were sold and they counted for less than $15 of the total amount made).  I encourage you to look around at some of the coupons you get the mail, newspapers, magazines, or other places and if you will not have the opportunity to use them then consider selling them for a little extra creative cash.  I had been saving up several to sell so February was a good month with Ebay.  You can check Ebay to see what is the best way to sell them and if it is worth your time to do it.   I have sold anything from lots of grocery coupons to baby coupons to store coupons and more.  Hint – Baby Formula checks / coupons sell really well on Ebay especially if you will not be using them.  Also, Bed Bath & Beyond coupons never expire and sell really well in lots plus you can add the Linens n’ Things coupons to the lot or use them in the stores.
    • $21.24 – Recycled Goods:  we took several items to our local recycle location this month.  It was the biggest recycling month we’ve had because we had a broken dishwasher, a couple scrap metal pieces such as heat vent and an old sewing machine, plus several months worth of regular cans (the price was $255.00 / NT) and aluminum cans ($0.66 / LB).  Our trash company doesn’t pick up recycled goods for us so we decided to do it as a family on our own and as an added perk we get a little extra in return.  Especially if you are already recycling try finding a place in your area that takes recycled goods near you.  I went to CRC Scrap Recycling since I was already going to be working in that area.
    • $120.00 – Items sold on Craigslist: we had a few bigger items that we were no longer using that we sold.  We had really great luck on Craigslist this month, it can be hit and miss on Craigslist depending on the week and what people are looking for on the site.
    • $37.89 – Ebates cash – we ordered just a few items online and received this rebate.  If you are already ordering items online you should check out Ebates.  They give you extra cash back on many online purchases and any additional savings on items we are already purchasing is a bonus.
    • $15.38 – Other miscellaneous amounts earned  (a rebate, return, and extra money) that was added to my stash for the month of February.

    February’s “Creative Cash” total was $391.39 which means $195.69 extra that goes towards our current goal, paying down debt and $195.70 goes towards charity.  It was exciting to surge past the $100 goal and to know it 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 March 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 February.  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!  If you know of another way to earn creative cash I would love to hear it!

    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

  • Amazon Mom: March Savings (Avent, Lamaze Toys, & More)

    For the first few days in March Amazon Mom members only can receive additional discounts on select baby items via coupon codes.  It is free to join Amazon Mom and you can save up to 30% off of diapers, wipes and many other great baby and kid products.  The discount codes up to 15% savings are listed below.  You receive free shipping if you have a Free Amazon Mom Prime Subscription or on orders of $25 or more (otherwise shipping starts at $4.98)  These coupons are only valid on items sold by Amazon.com, for those with an Amazon Mom account.

    Several parenting magazines have been including 20% off and $10 off diaper coupon codes.  Make sure to check the magazines below if you have a subscription for additional savings:

    • BabyTalk – Sign up for a free subscription
    • American Baby – Sign up for a free subscription
    • Parenting – Early Years
    • Parents
    • Fit Pregnancy
    • Mothering
    • And possibly some more!

    What is Amazon Mom?  It’s a FREE program for moms or caregivers of children.  It give you an extra 30% discount on diapers and wipes when you combine the 15% Amazon Mom discount plus the 15% Subscribe & Save discount.  The savings is up to 30% off items that you use everyday such as diapers, wipes, formula and much more.  Amazon Mom members also get a FREE 3-month Amazon Prime membership as well as FREE 2-day shipping on anything that is Prime eligible at Amazon.

     

  • Book: “The Multiples Manual” by Lynn Lorenz

    A friend gave me this book “The Multiples Manual: Preparing and Caring for Twins and triplets” by Lynn Lorenz.  I had the first edition of this book.  It was one of the best books I had to read for Twins because it was easy to read, fun, and practical.  It was neat getting some insights from from a Twin  and a Mom of Triplets.  If you are having twins or triplets…..as my friend once said to me “Welcome to the ‘multiples’ club!”

  • Family Recipe: Homemade Egg Noodles

    Grandma Willa makes the best Egg Noodles!  She received this recipe from her Mom, my Great Grandma Joedemann.  If you are wanting some great tasting homemade egg noodles these are amazing.  The ingredients are ones you typically have on hand and it is easy to make.

    Egg Noodles:

    • 4 Eggs
    • 1 1/2 cup Flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
    • Optional – dash of garlic salt or caraway seed

    Mix and place on a floured pastry sheet roll out & cut.  You may need a little more flour depending on the moisture of the dough.  The dough should be pretty thick you want it just enough to roll it out.  Use the noodles immediately or let them dry for a few minutes before using with your favorite dish.

    Photo by msufal

  • Vacation: “Sky Safari Zip Lining ” – Basseterre, St. Kitts (Part 2, Pictures)

    The following are some pictures from our day in Basseterre, St. Kitts!

     

    We arrived in Basseterre, St Kitts!

    We had a fun time exploring the capital of St Kitts.  Basseterre was a neat place to walk the streets and meet people.  They had monkeys you could take pictures with after getting off the port, if you wanted a picture with the monkey you had to pay $20.  You learn quickly to say “no, thank you” because there can be so many people asking for your attention.

    Dad getting an aloe massage!

    While the rest of us were walking through the shops Dad sat down for a few minutes at a table and ended up getting an aloe massage.  The guy said he looked 20 to 40 years younger after the massage, it was pretty funny to watch!

    Sailboat Cruise Ship, really neat!

    There was a sailboat cruise ship at Basseterre, St Kitts.  We encountered a lot of amazing boats during our vacation!

    Coca Cola appeared to be a universal soda of choice in many of the islands!

    Coke was a popular sign no matter where we went.  Here is one of their advertisements painted on the side of a building in St Kitts.

    Building a house in Basseterre, St Kitts!

    A construction crew working on a home.  Often times they would go ahead and run the pipes before building the next level that way they had a head start when they were ready to build again.

    Beach at Basseterre, St Kitts

    St Kitts had beautiful turquoise water and white beaches.  We didn’t make it to the beach that day because we went on the Sky Safari but we heard a lot of great feedback from other people on the ship.

    Catch of the day, Basseterre, St Kitts!

    The catch of the day!  The fish were almost as big as the fisherman carrying them.  One of the big industries in St Kitts is fishing.  These guys are rinsing off some of their fish they caught earlier that morning.

    We made it to our Sky Safari Zip Lining Adventure!

    We arrived at our excursion.  They took us by bus to the Sky Safari Zip Lining adventure!  It was a beautiful place and soooo much fun going on the zip lines.

    Standing in the Botanical Gardens overlooking the town and ocean!

    Amazing view while standing in the Botanical Gardens and overlooking the town and the ocean.  It was a breathtaking site, absolutely beautiful!

    Fresh coconut in Basseterre, St Kitts

    Fresh coconuts were hanging in the trees all over the island.  They had a spot where there were so many coconuts they just couldn’t eat them all.  Almond trees were in abundance as well.

    Beautiful flower in the Botanical Gardens, St Kitts!

    Beautiful flowers in the Botanical Garden in st Kitts!  They had interesting flowers, trees, and artists to see!

    Fresh Fruit on the trees in St Kitts!

    A tree loaded with fresh fruit, I think these were the goya fruits.  Very popular in the islands!

    Local artist in St Kitts demonstrating how she uses wax, paint and canvas to create her paintings.

    A local artist showing us how she does her paintings with wax and canvas.  Each color takes a day to paint and dry some paintings take days before they are complete.  Very interesting to watch.

    Flowers & Bench at the Botanical Gardens in St Kitts!

    Beautiful white bench with flowers peeking through at the Botanical Gardens on St Kitts!  They had plenty for flowers, plants, and trees to see or you could just relax on one of their benches.

    Neat "Wagon" Wheel Bench in St Kitts!

    I really thought this wagon wheel bench was pretty neat.  The Botanical Gardens had great stuff to see or you can take a moment to relax and enjoy the surroundings while we were visiting.

     

    A friend running past in the Botanical Gardens!

    We saw several lizard or iguana type animals during our excursions. Although it was neat to see them running around I was thankful they wanted to keep their distance from everyone.  I think our guide called them ground lizards.

     

    Old Sugar Mill in St Kitts

    Sugar Cane was once very popular industry on St Kitts (and many of the other islands).  This sugar mill was no longer active but was very neat seeing how they use to make the sugar from the cane.

    St Kitts form of Poison Ivy!

    This is St Kitts form of poison ivy, none of us volunteered to touch.  We decided to take our guides word for it on that one.  No one was wanting any type of poison ivy reaction on our vacation.

    Apples growing in St Kitts

    This is a St Kitts apple growing in their tree.  Almost everywhere you walked you could see fruit growing in trees.  Even though the apples are not the same as ours I am sure they are delicious.  They don’t eat the skin on their apples.

     

    Very thorny tree in St Kitts!

    This tree was near the Sugar Mill in St. Kitts, in the past it was said that when slaves first came to the islands they were tied up to these thorny tree for several days.  I didn’t even want to touch it because the thorns were so sharp, ouch!

    Jake's all geared up for the Sky Safari zip lining adventure!

    Jake all geared up and ready to go.  My handsome man helped me get all my gear on as well.  The hats and harness were pretty comfortable and everyone had a blast on the zip line.  Fun times together with family!

     

    Basseterre, St Kitts

    Goodbye Basseterre, St. Kitts hope to see you again!  It was wonderful spending a day with you and we enjoyed all the fun adventures on your island!

    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!

  • Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (February Update)

    Now that we are almost through February 2011 you may be wondering how I am doing with my No Grocery Shopping Month Challenge.   I am wrapping up week 8 of my “No Grocery Shopping” goal.   This month has been harder because the pantry and freezer are getting lower but for the most part I have been doing well as long as I do my menu planning ahead of schedule.  When I go over what I am going to make for supper that morning, check for the ingredients, and have a plan everything goes so much smoother. Here are my criteria for purchasing any grocery items over the last 8 weeks:

    • FREE – I don’t want to waste free grocery coupons that my family will use while doing this goal
    • Necessity – Milk, Eggs, Bread, etc…
    • For Someone Else outside of my household. For example I make meals for new Moms in our church and if I need to pick up an item for them on the way to deliver a meal that will be an exception.

    Although with all that being said I did have to purchase a few items not really within my guidelines for one meal recently.  I was in charge of making our Community Group meal at church last Wednesday, we have an average of 16 to 20 people on Wednesday night.  While we still have plenty to feed our family of four, I did pick up a couple items from the store to make the meal last week since there are people in the group that have food allergies and I wanted to make sure I had items that they could eat.  The extra items that were not in my guidelines were:

    • Bananas which I bought at Save A Lot | Rite Aid for $0.19 a pound to make homemade banana pudding, it was delicious!
    • 2 lb bag of Green Giant Potatoes for $2.49 to make homemade potato soup, my friends recipe!  You can find more of her great recipes at Reflecting on the Simple Things in Life!
    • 1 cup Heavy Cream for homemade potato soup
    • 1 onion for $0.68 for the homemade beef stew

    So now you know that I didn’t entirely hit my goal of no grocery shopping except for necessities.  When I first set the No Grocery Shopping challenge I was hoping to get through the month of January, the fact that I plan to make it to the first few days into March with only a few extra purchases during the challenge is a huge win (at least for me).  In the month of February the only other groceries I have purchased are:

    • 5 gallons of Milk
    • 2 packages of Cheese
    • 1 Loaf of Bread

    For the most part the No Grocery Shopping challenge went fairly well.  I spent a little over $19 (including tax) for the month of February on grocery necessities.   We even did extra activities during this time of cutting back.  Doing this challenge may seem silly to some but it has made a huge impact on my way of thinking.  It has been a wonderful learning experience and made me appreciate how many blessings we have in our lives.  I hope to do a similar challenge in the future to help remind me of the importance of saving as well as using the items we have on hand.  Even with the challenge we were still able to participate in several extra events in February while only using items in our freezer or pantry:

    • Hosted Guests in our Home
    • Made food for a Super Bowl Party
    • Brought Treats to the Girls Valentine’s Party
    • Brought Cupcakes and Drinks to the Girls Birthday Party for School
    • Had Snacks for Girls Night

    I do have to say that I had a hard time buying the few extra items that I purchased this month……I felt guilty buying extra food during this challenge especially when I know we still have plenty.  I am grateful for an amazing husband and two wonderful kids who put up with me throughout this adventure.  It is my plan to try and make it through the first few days of March (only 1 more week) with this goal, which will be 9 weeks of only shopping for the necessities (with a few hiccups in the mix). I want to thank everyone for all the support and encouragement along the way.  One of the BIGGEST ways that helped keep me accountable is that I knew people were watching, reading and commenting on the blog.  Thanks for being a part of my life and helping me at least feel like I touched a finger tip on my goal.

    So what’s next!!!!  In the next few days I will be sharing with you my next Grocery Shopping Goal, don’t worry it won’t be as extreme, however I want to continue to utilize the stockpile we still have and not waste what God has given us.  With this new challenge it will allow me the freedom to Grocery Shop for the family yet stay within a budget, PLUS perks!  Stayed tuned as I unveil what is coming up next and if your up to it you can join me in the next adventure!

    Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others.  Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff”  and if you are like us we just have too much.  I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives.  When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.

    Photo by Little Blue Hen

  • Curious Kids: Swing Experiment!

    Notice anything odd about the jungle gym?

    The girls are always asking questions and trying new things.  As parents we get the privilege to answer these questions and teach them more about how things work.  Occasionally, they come up with some interesting ideas on their own.  I love how they use their creativity and are able to pull together some fun experiments.  Not every creative moment ends up perfect but glad to see them thinking outside the box.

    We were outside playing one sunny winter afternoon when I looked over at the girls playing on the swing set and noticed something a little odd.  They had taken their cherry red lawn chairs from the front porch and put them on top of the swings on the jungle gym.  It was hilarious watching them swing on the lawn chairs.  A piece of me was thrilled that they figured out how to “invent” something silly yet not dangerous.  They had a blast swinging on their “redneck” swings.  It was great hearing their bursts of giggles as they watched each other swing.

    They came up with this creative Redneck "swing" all on their own!
    They did pretty well swinging on their little red lawn chairs!

    Karlie and Brina Swinging on their silly swings!
    So proud of their little experiment!

    It was pretty funny watching them swing on those little red lawn chairs.  They were so excited their experiment worked out so well.  As Jake and I moved around in the yard the girls would just rotate their chair swings to face us.  They make me laugh with some of the things they come up with but I am glad to see their imaginations running full throttle!

    What started out as mere curiosity ended up being a fun new way to enjoy time swinging on the jungle gym.  Encourage your kids to be creative and curious, you never know what you’ll see when you come around the corner!

    Curious Kids is a series of posts on various questions kids ask as well as creative things they come up with on their own.  If you have ever been around a toddler you know they will have a season when they start asking all the “Why” questions.  Then as your toddler gets older you begin to see them start experimenting with objects, becoming even more creative, and trying to figure out new ways to make things work.  As a parent of Twins my girls hit those stages at the same time!  I was (and am) determined to not answer….”Because I said so” to their questions and allow them the freedom to be creative (as long as it isn’t dangerous) but there there are days when it is difficult coming up with all the answers to their questions and the mess behind their “creative” experiments sometimes gets a little too crazy for even Mom.  Most days I love having the opportunity to teach my girls and encourage them to use their curiosity to be creative when they play!

  • Family Celebrations: Girls Birthday!

    Happy Birthday Banner for Brina and Karlie!!!

    The girls had a blast celebrating their sixth birthday!  We made the day special for them and had fun!  It is still hard to believe that they are growing up so quickly.  Here are a few shots from our adventures on their birthday!

    Birthday Breakfast - Blueberry Bear Pancakes & Banana Pudding with Star Candles
    Brina and Karlie LOVE writing in their notebooks. At breakfast they got a pretty princess notepad with purple fluffy pen! Super exciting and cute! (Even better is I found them on clearance at Walmart.)
    Karlie playing with her little pony at TGI Friday's
    Brina playing with her little pony at the restaurant - TGI Friday's
    We celebrated their birthday dinner at TGI Friday's!
    Brina and Karlie enjoying their caramel & chocolate ice cream birthday sundae's at TGI Friday's!!! So delicious they got it all over themselves!
    Karlie and Brina using their gift certificates at Toys R Us!
    Brina picked out a pink & white puppy and baby doll supplies at Toys R Us!
    Karlie and Brina sharing their birthday goodies!
    Daddy helping Karlie putting together her Hot Wheels truck!
    Brina LOVES her horses, the stable, and books! We read one right away then put the horse and book back in the stable!
    Karlie so excited about her Stomp ROCKET! She even blasted a few off in the house that night!
    Brina and Karlie coming downstairs for some more birthday fun!
    Brina having a blast riding the go cart in the front yard! Peddle FASTER!!!

    Look Out MOM!!! Karlie's driving fast and you're in the way! Use the breaks!!!

    I have been very blessed with a sweet family.  Even though I am still in shock that my baby girls are 6 years old I am thankful for them and the privilege of watching them grow up.  Wishing them many more awesome years together!

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  • Vacation: “Sky Safari Zip Lining ” – Basseterre, St. Kitts

    Sky Safari Zip Lining Adventure in St. Kitts, our gear is on and training complete, whose ready for some fun.....

    The fourth day of the cruise we stopped at Basseterre, St Kitts.  Basseterre is one of the oldest in the eastern Caribbean and was originally part of the French colony.  Then in 1727 the British made Basseterre the capital of St. Kitts.  The island is known for its rich volcanic soil, tropical climate, and almost 70 sugar plantations.  Although the peek years for sugar plantations have past you can still see the old plantations,  sugar cane fields, abandoned fortresses, city squares, and architectural structures.  The volcanoes are dormant on St Kitts and the mountains are a great place to take a hike.

    Our excursion today was AMAZING!!!  The whole group went on the “Sky Safari Zip Lining” adventure.  We went on a zip line that was 1,400 feet long,  25 stories above ground, and up to 40 plus miles per hour.  There were four zip lines all at different spots on the mountain.  On three of the zip lines we went one at a time and on the last line we raced a partner….I raced with Jake.  We both thought that Jake won but when we got the pictures it looked like I made it to the platform first, interesting!  The zip line clipped into a harness and was super easy to learn how to do.  On the way down we were up so high the boats in the ocean seemed tiny plus our feet were hitting the tops of trees as we flew along the zip lines, it was awesome!

    We had a blast in St. Kitts!  If you have a chance to go sometime, we definitely recommend you check out the Sky Safari Zip Lining.

    Facts about St. Kitts:

    • Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II
    • Governor-General: Sir Cuthbert Sebastian
    • Prime Minister: Denzil Douglas
    • Capital: Basseterre, St. Kitts
    • Total area: 65 square miles
    • Population: 49,898
    • Monetary: East Caribbean dollars

    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!

    Information on St. Kitts found on Info Please.