Do the holidays sneak up on you and your budget? Even with the best of intentions, sometimes December rolls around and it becomes time to freak out about how to find enough money for Christmas. Especially if you want to have your kids give gifts to one another. That can double or triple the total […]
Dollar Store Christmas: How to Teach Gift-Giving Without Spending Much Money Read More »
You know that scene in Ratatouille where Anton Ego takes the bite of the dish that’s been prepared for him, and he is transported in that moment to the happy place of his childhood home, eating the food his mother made? I had a moment like that yesterday when I prepared my mom’s cranberry relish
Overview: Cooking turkey ahead of time is the best way to reduce stress on Thanksgiving day. You’ll never go back with this foolproof method! I am not exaggerating when I say that this method of cooking turkey ahead of time will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. I first heard about it many years ago from a wise
The Foolproof Guide to Cooking Turkey Ahead of Time for the Holidays Read More »
Right now I have two girls that are college students. And I love it. OK, I don’t love everything about it — it makes me feel old, for one thing (no snide comments from the peanut gallery, please), and it’s really tough to say goodbye to them after the break, for another. And sometimes the
Chocolate and pumpkin together has to be one of the best kept secrets known to man. In the age of PSL’s (Pumpkin Spice Lattés, for you uninitiated), people seem to have forgotten that chocolate and pumpkin do actually work together rather well. At least they do in this high protein shake recipe — if I
Decadent Chocolate Pumpkin High Protein Shake Recipe Read More »
Imagine yourself sitting down to open gifts with the family on Christmas morning, knowing that breakfast has already been taken care of — and you didn’t have to get up early to do it. Imagine only taking LITERALLY 15 minutes the night before to throw something together — something that everyone will think is to.
How to Make the Most Unbelievably Easy and Yummy Sticky Buns Ever Read More »
As summer approaches, figuring out how to keep your teens entertained during the long, hot months can be especially challenging. As the mom to three kids, two of which are teens and one who has graduated into his 20s, I understand! While you don’t want to be the program director like you were when they
The Pros and Cons of Using AI in Homeschooling As homeschooling continues to gain popularity, more and more parents are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to enhance their children’s education. With AI, homeschooling parents can create tailored learning experiences that cater to their child’s unique needs and preferences. However, as with any
Overview: Guest contributor Lynna Sutherland is a veteran large-family mom who is amazing at keeping things organized and stress-free. Here she shares step-by-step instructions for using Google Calendar with your teen. Parenting small children requires a lot of energy. The diaper changes. The baths. Carrying or following them everywhere. I think we all imagined that
Using Google Calendar with Your Teen to Communicate and Coordinate Read More »
Do you hate cooking like I do? Do you actually like cooking but never have time to do it?? Are you a homeschool mom, or a working mom, or the family bus driver, or a mom of littles — or ALL OF THE ABOVE?? Or just a mom who likes to be efficient with her time and not
30+ Ridiculously Easy Dinners for Busy Families on a Budget Read More »
Burnout is a thing among homeschool moms. The homeschool lifestyle is one of constantly giving and serving and going and doing, and it can be very hard to make time for yourself. In this episode I give 10 suggestions for how you can arrange your day and activities so there is time for YOU, time
Episode 47: 10 Doable Ways to Make Time for Yourself Read More »
Overview: Easy summer meals that don’t require much effort or heat up the kitchen! So you can have more fun and stay cool! One prime indication that it is summer for me is that I have no desire to cook. It’s hot outside, and I don’t want to make it hot inside by cranking up
When money is tight, sometimes we have to take radical measures. Sometimes the usual cost-cutting techniques are not enough. The Man and I have dealt with money shortages several times during our marriage — no comment as to whether or not we are in one now, lol — and early on we developed a system
Making soup from leftovers is one of the best ways to save money on food. You can get an entire meal out of the bits and pieces you have in the fridge! And it’s SO EASY, and you can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Just add some bread or toast
How to Make Soup from Leftovers — a quick and easy dinner idea! Read More »
I love pretty magazine pictures with beautifully organized shelves, don’t you? The kind where everything is stored in identical black baskets with little calligraphized labels. No strings hanging out, nothing sticking up out of the top — oh, and the shelves themselves are pristine white inside a gorgeous antique cabinet. Sigh. But that’s not reality, is
3 Ordinary Items You Can Use for Organizing and Storage — without spending extra money! Read More »
Thanks to VIPKID for sponsoring this post! I am sharing my honest thoughts, y’all. I am all about recommending ONLY what I think will help YOU. :-) Are you the one that “gets” to do the budget in your home? I am. And I. HATE. IT. The main reason is that there is NEVER enough
How to Make Money Online Teaching English Part-time Read More »
Are you frazzled and frustrated? Are you feeling behind, not only with your homeschool but in life? I can help. Join me for 31 days, as we look at one practical and DOABLE organizing tip — for all of life, not just our homeschool — each and every day. This is NOT a “challenge,” y’all.
31 Days of Practical Organizing Tips for a Homeschool Mom’s Life Read More »
Raise your hand if you like the idea of having a morning routine but cannot for the life of you make one work over the long haul. That has been me, and I have been SO frustrated!! But you CAN develop a morning routine that is sustainable, and I’m going to tell you how today.
How to Determine Which Tasks Belong in YOUR Morning Routine Read More »
Have you ever set a morning routine and started doing it really well, only to have it fall by the wayside in a matter of just days or a couple of weeks? Been there, done that MANY times, lol. I think there’s a secret to a morning routine that is sustainable over the long haul,
Overview:This is a saving money tip you have probably never read about before — but it works! There are several examples so you can see how to do it yourself. Listen. Do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? (And if you’re a Beatles fan, you’re chiming in with a
How to Squirrel Away Money When One of You is a Spender Read More »