December 2011
5 Quick Tips for Getting your Post-Holiday Budget Back on Track
Welcome WINK viewers! Officially I am still on vacation this week but I wanted to make sure you’d be able to easily find the resources I talked about on air this morning. For those of you who didn’t catch the segment, here is a brief overview of my 5 quick tips for getting your post-holiday budget back on track: 1. Freeze your spending. Once you’ve gotten into the “spend” mode, it can sometimes be hard to stop, even when you know you shouldn’t. If you spent too much this Christmas then the first thing you need to do is STOP spending money! Resist the temptation any way you can. 2. ... read more
Oh Christmas Tree {Merry Christmas & See You in 2012}
We finally managed to get our Christmas tree up and decorated, and I have to say, it was worth the wait! After using the same bedraggled Target clearance artificial tree for the past 7 years, we finally decided to go with a real tree for the first time. And not just any real tree, a monster 10 footer! I love how it turned out! Each year we give each other “special” blown glass ornaments, usually reflecting that person’s interests. We save those ones for last & it is always so much fun to unpack the boxes and remember things about the year the ornaments represent. So that I can fully ... read more
Giving & Getting: Teaching My Kids The True Spirit of Christmas
I don’t know about you, but with Christmas less than a week away and a very generous Auntie en route to spend the holidays spoiling my kids (not to mention a Mommy who is a pro at finding great deals), I am starting to get nervous about all the STUFF that is about to enter my home. I love my kids more than anything, and I want their Christmas to be filled with wonder and joy, but I have to admit that I am worried about the message that this influx of things will send to two girls who already have more than enough. A few things have happened over the ... read more
handmade holiday gifts: potted paperwhite bulb {group gift}
If you exchange homemade gifts with your extended family or group of friends, it can be sometimes hard to come up with something thoughtful and original, yet simple and cost-effective. This year we have been very blessed to be part of a wonderful small group at our church called the Homebuilders, and I wanted to make a little something for each family as a thank you for enriching our lives this year. I wasn’t sure what to do until I spotted a whole aisle of mini ceramic pots on clearance ($2.22 for 3!) and had an AHA! moment. I originally wanted to do Amaryllis bulbs, but they were a little ... read more
a season of veggies {worden farm}
Can I just tell you how thrilled am today to receive my first box of fresh vegetables from Worden Farm? The season actually started last week but since we were gone our first box had to go to good home. This week, however, I am all about the veggies and so, soooo excited! And can I just say, Holy Gigantic Box of Vegetables, Batman! For the next 19 weeks, we are going to FEAST on veggies! One of the most common questions I get from readers who are trying to save money with coupons is about how to save money on produce. Last year we tried growing our own, to ... read more
the post vacation non-blues
Rules to live by: Don’t ever go on vacation at the beginning of December. I’m actually just kidding. From a saving money standpoint, going on vacation–especially a cruise–in the first few weeks of December is a fantastic idea. There are some killer deals! Apparently only crazy people decide to go away this time of year so the cruise lines are practically giving the rooms away, in the hopes you’ll make up the difference on shore excursions and daily drink specials. We had an absolutely wonderful time–quite possibly our best, most fun, & definitely most relaxing vacation ever–but now we’re back. It is Monday morning and I’ve got 3 suitcases ... read more
happy 40th sis! {zip-lining in belize}
Today is my only sister’s 40th birthday so I thought it would be fun to quick post a few pictures of what we did today to celebrate–something that absolutely TERRIFIED both of us: zip-lining through the jungle in Belize. We were complete freak-outs but it was such a fun experience! Definitely a memory we won’t soon forget!
best of LWSL {my favorite desserts}
A few months ago, totally out of the blue, I received a surprise email. It was a confirmation from Norwegian Cruise Lines for a cruise I hadn’t booked. It turns out my dad decided to surprise all of my siblings and our spouses with a week-long cruise in the Caribbean. I guess he figured it was just easier to book it for everyone without trying to worry about working around anyone’s schedules, and amazingly enough, everyone managed to make it work. Thus today I as I enjoy the sun and this precious time with my family, I thought maybe those of you who are gearing up to do some holiday ... read more
handmade holiday gifts: freezer paper glitter stencil tote bags
Need more handmade gift ideas? Be sure to check out all this year’s handmade holiday projects too! If you’ve never done freezer paper stencils before then you are seriously missing out! They are so fun and so easy, and always turn out so cute. The possibilities are almost endless. And when you add pretty sparkly glitter to an already-fun project you have crafting utopia, my friends! Kids love to tote things around (or maybe that’s just my kids) so I thought it would be fun to make Trouble & Princess some personalized tote bags using this freezer paper glitter technique. The whole project took about an hour, and the cost ... read more
