Parties Aren't My Forte

I was talking to Sandra the other day and let her know that I already had my "Good Ideas Gone Bad" post in my head. This week's post came easily and I actually had two to share (and I'm sure I have a lot more, but these were at the front of my brain).

My friend, KLee (whom you might all know), told me something about a year ago about Usborne books. She was selling these books in her spare time by doing home shows with her friends. It brought in a little extra money. That sounded awesome because I was a teacher at the time and knew that everyone would need books...plus I knew a lot of moms in my church who I was sure would host a party! So I signed up and was the only person in this area that I knew of who was doing this! I had it made!

Don't get me wrong, Usborne is a GREAT company...if you're the right person for the job. I had my supplies and was really excited, so I contacted my friends to get them to host a show. No one seemed to want to do it, so I hosted my own at school. It actually went really well. Over the next few months, I called every daycare and private school I could think of to see if I could do a book fair, I advertised on blogs and tried to get the word out as best I could. It just didn't work and I really don't know why. I even had book fairs and sold very little or nothing! Now I have a closet full of Usborne paperwork, book racks, flyers, catalogs, order forms, and posters that I bought off of craigslist that I've got to get rid of. For some reason, I spent more money than I ever made, so it didn't work for me (and she's doing great). I do have a lot of great books for our future children though!

My second big flop was the weekend before last. I hosted a party at my house. I filled out an application and was accepted as a host for a Juicy Juice Shining Moments party. I thought this was awesome because it said I was one of 2,500 moms who would be doing this. I put the word out, invited my friends and even all (103) moms in my mommy group. They sent me juice (4 cartons at first and then 4 more), 15 packs of playing cards, napkins, cups, water bottles, coloring books, and other door prizes. They required us to have it on a Saturday, so I thought that might be a problem. Come to find out, it was!

The day of the "party," I made a fruit salad and some dips (I had even cleaned my house!). My brother, his son, my husband, our son, my mom, my friend and her son were the only ones here (note our sad, posed picture)! We had a fun time hanging out, but we are still drinking that juice (the new brain and immunity ones).

I found this great site for those who also have craft ideas that fail. I thought it was too funny not to share! Craft Fail

Should Have Known

A clean spare bedroom. I thought it would last.

Before

After

Boy, was I wrong! After cleaning up the office/guestroom for the organizing week, I continued on with the Great Purge of '09. Every last room and closet in my entire house (minus the garage and attic) was cleaned out before our yard sale this past weekend. It felt so good to have more room in the house, but it all ended up...you guessed it, in the office.

As I said, we did have a yard sale this weekend. We sold about half of the purged items! (On a side note, we received a medical bill on Thursday and Saturday we paid it off with our earnings! God ALWAYS provides!) And therefore here is what is now remaining in the office:

LOTS of filing to be done. It is a never ending project in our house. Summer clothes to go through. And the plastic drawers are an size upgrade for the drawers already in the closet. I am needing more room for our crafting supplies and now I have it. It will just take me an hour or so to transfer from one to the other.

Good news in all of this is we have family coming into town in 2 1/2 weeks!! Once again, I have a deadline to get it all cleaned up again. Hopefully (although I am not holding my breath) it will get done. *Sigh*

New York City with Two Young Kids

Um... yeah.  Some of you might be thinking, "I could have told you that good idea was going to go bad."  We should have seen it coming.  Taking two children under the age of 3 to NYC in July is probably not the brightest thing we've ever done.  We just didn't think things through quite well enough. And I'm going to go ahead and throw my husband under the bus because it was his idea.  But on the flip side, there were four adults with 7 college degrees between us - someone should have known better!  

Last summer we were living in eastern Connecticut and my parents came to visit for several weeks.  We decided that we would do a getaway trip to NYC for the weekend.  Tim and I would leave on Friday afternoon and spend two nights, then my parents would come into the City on Sunday with the kids and would stay two nights themselves.  It seemed to be the perfect solution to all of us getting to go to NYC.  I think we were thinking that Mark would love the train ride into the city and central park and Times Square.  And he did, but it was definitely not worth all the trouble we encountered.  

This was before the kids joined us - when it was still a getaway!

First off, NYC in July is hot and crowded.  We knew we didn't want to drive our own car into the City so we all took the train.  So, my parents got the kids up before their usual wake time to take a fairly early train ride in.  But when you don't have car seats and you have a stroller you are pretty limited to walking.  We probably could have done the subway, but none of us was familiar with it and that seemed pretty daunting with the stroller.  So it was a many block hike from Grand Central Station to Times Square, where their hotel was and where they were dropping off their luggage.  (Yeah, there's two kids, a stroller AND luggage involved.)  

After my parents dropped off their luggage we ate a very crowded and overpriced brunch that was not altogether pleasant with 2 young kids along - as most meals out are with little ones.  We headed up to Central Park.  Once again, probably a mile+ with a stroller and crowds.  We got there and Mark played on the playground.  He really enjoyed it, but it was just a playground.  We had 3 of those within half a mile of our home in Connecticut.  He did get to ride the Merry-go-Round with my dad.  That was a highlight for both of them because it was Mark's first ride on one and my Dad was so proud to take him.  His Papaw had taken him on his first ride when he was Mark's age.  

Luke was asleep before we ever got to Central Park.

Cute - even with a leash on!  (And yes, I was one of those people who never thought I'd use a leash for my children - before I actually had children.  Needless to say, I've changed my stance.)

But as you can see from all of our faces, it was really hot that day and we were hungry and tired.  I thought we should go to Serendipity for a snack.  It looked really close on the map.  (It wasn't though.)  We made the trek many, many blocks to the restaurant to find out that there is a 2+ hour wait to get ice cream.  Um... no thanks.  I'm sure the frozen hot chocolate is good, but we had a train to catch.  We saw a candy shop that had soft serve so we stopped and had a cone.  

At this point it's too late to do anything else, so we headed to Grand Central.  Tim and I had left our bags at our hotel and I hopped in a cab to pick them up and meet him at the station.  I definitely got the better end of that bargain.  As he was walking Mark got to end of the ice cream cone he was a mess and the cone was mangled.  Tim threw it away.  Hot, tired, over-stimulated Mark went into melt-down mode.  This attracted the attention of a homeless man who follows them for 15 blocks asking what's wrong with him and making suggestions on how to fix the tantrum.  Kinda scary!

We finally met back up and boarded our train.  It took 2+ hours and one change of trains, plus another 30 minutes in the car before we were finally home.  All that for a glorified trip to the park.  It was definitely the most tiring end to a weekend getaway we'd ever had.  Next time I will definitely find a sitter to watch the boys while my parents meet us for a day in the City.  Although Mark did ask me if we could go to Central Park again for months following that trip, so maybe somebody did have fun that day.  Here's to making memories!

It's Not as Easy as I Thought

I have enough good ideas gone bad to post each day this week- craft ideas that didn't go as planned, trying to read the entire Bible in just a few months, or even the strawberry pie I attempted last weekend that never really "solidified." But the one that's on my mind now is our compost pile. So here it is, the good, the bad and the stinky!

We moved into our new house last December, and one of the things that we were excited about was having a garden. We planned to do the square foot garden plan and for that you need compost. So I read a few websites and thought we could handle it! My original plan was to get an old trash can, drill holes in it, and use that (via Simple Mom). But, when I went to our local seed and supply store, they had the black compost bin you see above. It was about $35. The directions sounded easy enough so we brought it home and set it up. I did a little more research on the green layer/brown layer method and we got started!

That's all the good part. The bad part is I don't think I did enough research. I didn't know how often to water it, so it really hasn't been "baking" as it should. I didn't know not to put color newsprint in it. I think I left some food scraps and egg shells in pieces that were too big. And, because of the structure of the thing, I can't mix it up. So I have no idea what's below the top layer. And I don't spend much time looking because it's covered with gnats.

So last weekend when we planted our garden, we had to buy compost instead of using what we thought we had been working on since February. But don't worry, I've done more homework this time and I think we'll have usable compost before the summer is over! All my hard work will pay off eventually, and hopefully result in beautiful tomatoes!

Here's the most detailed, yet simple, post I've seen on composting- from Cara at Kid Friendly Organic Life.

Any more advice for me on composting?

This Week: Good Ideas Gone Bad

Let's face it- not every idea is a good idea. This week we're sharing with you our good ideas gone bad. Hopefully, you can learn from our mistakes. Or at least have a good laugh on us!

Remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

photo credit: designbyfront

Rainy Day Resources

I asked my husband what I should put for what we do for Rainy Day Fun and he said, "you read blogs." Yikes!
Since my son is still young, rainy days don't really effect our daily activities. Last week, it was pouring and we still went shopping since Nana was in town.
I did a quick search for rainy day activities and found a few cool sites.
FamilyFun.com had a great list of things that you can do and some of them included stuff outside.
Family Education has a list that includes quizzes you can take, print outs to color and top 10 ideas.
Red Shift has some ideas for boredom busters and other indoor or outdoor activities. I like their idea of making an indoor sandbox, but I can only imagine the interesting places you'd find sand! It also has ideas for other occasions that look helpful like preschool activities. I bookmarked this page for later!
EEK! (Environmental Education for Kids) has brain teasers, experiments, pages to read (for a report) and color pages. Looks awesome!
Rainy Day Activities for Elementary Children is a good resource list.

The Outdoors are Inside

Rainy days are super lazy days, but lately we have had several rainy days back to back. Must.get.out.of.house. Here are some places we visit to get out of the house, but where we can also stay dry. These places are also great to visit in the dead of winter or scorching hot summer.

1. Monkey Joe's or Pump It Up--Indoor inflateables. The ones around here have older kid slides and also toddler sized areas. And of course, the little ones always want to slide, but can't make it to the top on their own...therefore, Mommy must climb. Here in our town, Wednesdays are half price. You can also get a frequent visitor pass.

2. Play Nation--An outdoor swing set company with an indoor showroom. Here, we can pay $3 to play. Can't beat swinging, sliding, and climbing all in an airconditioned room!

3. Mall play area--Free! And you can do a little shopping while you are there!

4. Family Life Centers at local churches--Our church allows free play for its members. The little ones can ride a scooter or throw the balls around. A great open space to let them run free!

Nothin' Fancy

I'd planned on trying out some new and exciting activities with my boys for this week's post, but it snuck up on me.  Today we spent the day unpacking, doing laundry and generally recovering from the magic of a weekend at Disney World.  So, I thought I'd offer some suggestions of some simple fun things that we do to entertain ourselves at home.  

The last thing I want to do when it's raining or the boys are bored is to make a trip out of the house for some special supplies.  These are few things we can do that I usually have everything I need already on hand.

1.  Play-doh - It's simple and easy to clean up.  My boys always make a mess, but it's totally washable and, as long as we keep it in the kitchen, easy to sweep right up.  You can even make your own edible playdough if you are feeling super adventurous.  We haven't tried this because of my youngest's allergies to milk and peanuts.  (Maybe in a couple years though...)

2.  Cooking - Mark Garrett has really gotten into food lately.  He's always bringing me a plate of something he's made me to eat.  So I've been letting him actually help me in the kitchen.  And I'm amazed at how much he can do.  It's a lot messier, but he follows directions well and it's a great way to teach kitchen safety that kids need to know anyway.  A few of our favorite things to make are pudding, rice krispie treats and cookies.  (Hmmm... I wonder why he likes to cook so much?)  Check out Little Nummies for more ideas on fun foods to make for and with your kids.

3.  Art- The boys love to create art out of anything.  They are happy with crayons, but if I add paint or stickers or glue, they are thrilled.  We don't usually have a goal or a plan when we start, but we always have a great time.  When I'm feeling especially inspired I like to check out No Time For Flashcards.  She always has great ideas that go with the season, an upcoming holiday or a book.  And since her little boy is so close in age to mine, they are always age appropriate for us.  

4.  Cleaning - It may not sound fun to you, but Mark loves to help me clean.  And while he may not do a job as well as I would have, it's great that he's learning to contribute to the household and we are getting a few things done while stuck inside anyway.  A few tasks that are great for kids include folding dishtowels and their own clothing, sorting laundry, using the Swiffer on the floor, dusting with a soft cloth and sweeping the porch.  I'm sure there are tons of other age appropriate tasks you can think of to do with your kids, but these are a few of the ones that my 3 and half year old does well and enjoys.  He thinks it's a great treat to get to help me around the house, so I might as well take advantage of it!

This week is National TV Turnoff Week, so let's hear your ideas for playing with your kids.  What do you do when you all need a break from the television and can't go outside?  

It's Raining, It's Pouring

We actually are having a rainy day here in Pennsylvania today. And what I want to do is stay in my pajamas, get under a blanket on the couch, eat a bag of "hint of lime" tortilla chips, and watch an entire season of Gilmore Girls on DVD. But, that is not an option! With two little boys who have spent most of the last few days outside, I need to come up with something to keep them busy and entertained while we are stuck inside today (and probably tomorrow too!)

The best way to survive a rainy day is to be prepared. You may have books or a video you save for a rainy day. We always like to read a special Noah's Ark book to remind us that it won't rain forever. Also, have all the necessary art supplies and project ideas ready for those days you need a quick activity!

I read a lot of blogs for preshoolers. I subscribe in Google Reader so it doesn't take me long to read them each day. When I find a post I like, I share it. That way I have all my favorite ideas in one place. I can quickly scroll through the ideas, find one I like for that day, make sure we have the supplies for it, and then have fun!

Here are a few ideas we've done (or want to do) on rainy days!
We made a weather chart!


Rain Art from Let's Explore
Rainy Day Splatter Painting with a toothbrush from Flip Flops and Applesauce
Flower Button Board from Chasing Cheerios
Finger Print Flowers and Bugs from Preschool Playbooks
and don't forget our own post on Kids' Crafts for Every Room. If you're going to be inside anyway, you might as well have fun in what ever room you're in!

Planning ahead by having your ideas and supplies is a great way to make sure you're prepared to have fun, no matter what the weather is! Now, maybe I can get at least one episode of Gilmore Girls in while my boys take nice long rainy day naps!

This Week: Rainy Day Fun

This week we are sharing ideas for rainy day fun! April usually brings more than one rainy day. We hope to give you some ideas for those days you just can't go outside!

Also, we wanted to point out that we now have a "fan page" on Facebook! If you are on Facebook, we'd love for you to hook up with us there. And, if you (like Oprah!) have joined the Twitter craze, we have an account there too! We love to find more ways to connect with our readers as we seek to build our homes like wise women! (Proverbs 14:1).

Tiffany's Go-To Stores

I am what some might refer to as a shopper. I come by it honestly as I was brought up browsing sale racks and spent a good portion of my adolescents in a fitting room. My nana, mother and sister are some of the best and most experienced shoppers I’ve seen. Compared to them I know I have a lot to learn.

The truth of the matter is most of us are shoppers, and a lot of the time it’s because we have to be shoppers! Whether it’s grocery shopping, shopping for baby gifts, wedding gifts, birthday gifts or maybe, just maybe, a little something for ourselves, we spend a lot of time in and out of stores. Although I love buying things for people and have been known to enjoy buying a thing or two for myself, I don’t like to run around. I like to get in, get my item and get out. That is why I have a few “go-to” stores that I frequent depending on my need.

1. Super Target - What’s not to love? Milk, lipstick, a new toaster, a stroller, an outdoor patio set, a dress for Saturday’s dinner party, and a new bike for little Johnny and a Mother’s day card all under one roof! In all honesty, I really enjoy this one stop shopping. As a general rule, their stores are very clean, they are kept tidy, and their products are good quality for the price. I even had a friend tell me she bought a suit there and loves it!

2. White House Black Market – This is my staple. My style is very simple and classic. I’m a fan of black and appreciate its timeless quality, so I find great appreciation in a store that simply carries white, black, the occasional grey and denim. This is the perfect store for a staple pair of black pants. They have tons of styles, fabrics, cuts, and lengths to accommodate just about any taste. If you’re looking for a little black dress or a great outfit for all of those upcoming summer weddings, this is your store. They also carry shoes, jewelry and purses to put the whole outfit together! I absolutely love their jeans. They fit me well and they hold up great. Just a tip: join their “Little Black Book Club”. It’s free and you don’t have to carry a card or coupons to utilize the perks of the program. You accumulate points with every dollar you spend and you easily earn 5% off of your purchases. They also have coupons each month such as $25 off a purchase of $125 or more. I can honestly tell you of at least 2 times when I have been standing in line and my total is right at $100 and I have gotten another shirt or 2 pairs of earrings for FREE! Because I basically spent $25 more and then got the $25 right back. And again, you don’t have to carry your card or coupons. Your information is in their computer system as well as all of the coupons you have earned.

3. Macy’s – I never buy anything full-price at Macy’s. They run sales constantly and deeply discount their products. Macy’s has a great shoe department and as a whole, their staff is very friendly. Right now through April 26th they are having a huge shoe sale! Buy 2 pair of shoes and you will receive 20% off….3 pair and you will receive 25% off!

4. Anthropologie – This is my go-to-gift-store! I absolutely LOVE everything in this store. Their clothing is adorable, but to me it is greatly overpriced. I have splurged on a rare occasion for something I just had to have, but generally I wait for it to go to their sale room. But, their gifts are incredible. They have great bath products, lotions, perfumes and hand creams. They have adorable mixing bowls and coffee mugs, aprons and cookbooks. I have shopped for many wedding showers and birthdays in Anthro. As an added bonus it always smells divine in the store!

5. Crate and Barrel – I love Crate and Barrel. I love it for my home and I love it for gift giving. During holidays they have cute cocktail napkins, front door mats, ornaments, cookie cutters….tons of ways to help celebrate the season. I can always find a candle holder or drink pitcher or something equally as fabulous when I need the perfect gift. I also get great decorating tips and inspiration for fun table centerpieces each time I go!

“We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.” ~Henny Youngman

Tiffany blogs at Life is...Glamorous and Fabulous! Be sure to visit her site on Fridays, when she lists Fabulous Friday Finds! She also contributes to Our Sole Purpose, which focuses on her other passion, raising support for breast cancer research. You can follow her journey there as she and her team prepare to do a 3-Day, 60 mile journey in the fight against breast cancer.

Favorite Frugal Stores

There are a few stores I love to check when I'm looking for a frugal find (other than CVS).

1. Target--I love to scour their clearance section--especially the baby clearance because you never know when you're going to need a last minute baby gift and paying $4 for a cute dress instead of $20 is awesome in my book!

2. Big Lots--Although I don't shop here often, I like to go here for everyday stuff like fabric softener, car seats and some boxed food items.

3. Tuesday Morning--A lot of the stuff here is pretty good quality, but you never know what you're going to find in the store. Sometimes it's fun to just walk around and see if there are any good deals.

4. Home Goods--This is great for decorations and kitchen stuff. I found some great Christmas gifts here for about half the retail price.

5. Dollar Tree (or other Dollar Store)--This is a great place for pretty much anything--plates, napkins and plastic ware for a birthday party, bag to wrap the gift in, balloons, party favors and other random stuff that you had no idea that you needed until you saw it for $1!

I am not big on going to thrift stores although I hear those are one of the best places to find items for super cheap. You just have to be willing to fix some of them up and wait patiently for the right thing to arrive.

What is your favorite place to shop when you're being frugal? Do you shop thrift stores?

Home Decor

When JD and I first got married we lived in an apartment (translate to white walls) with tons of hand me down furniture. We were so thankful for what our family had given us and loved every minute (minus the squeaky gate outside our bedroom window) of our first home.

Our first move as a family was into seminary housing (translate to seminary white walls) with less than 700 square feet. All this moving and renting means we could not add any permanent personal touch to make the place "ours." Also, with such limited space we had to keep the hand me downs until we had a more permanent space to fill with things that we purchased together.

This summer we will have been in our current home for 5 years! Several years ago I was already ready to start the hunt for a bigger home. Today I am loving it and wanting to make changes and decorate to add my own style to the place. Slowly, room by room, it is becoming a reality.

Here are my top five places to shop for home decor:

5. Home Depot--I love me some Behr paint. After years of white, we came in and painted every.single.room. (We still sing your praises Mimi and Pop!) And, we bought paint during a huge sale and paid half off the original price! JD even faux finished our bedroom. Fancy.

4. La-Z-Boy/Havertys/Rooms To Go--Having hand me downs, nothing matched. We started by replacing our bedroom furniture. Rooms to Go has solid wood pieces and they have sales and sell by room packages or item by item. Our living room was next. We got a heavy duty entertainment cabinet that hides all our electronics and is SOLID. It will not be moving anywhere else in the room. And finally our couch/chair in the living room. We went to La-z-boy and picked out the body style and then picked coordinating fabrics. Yes, we paid more for these items, but we went for quality furniture that will stay with us for years to come.

Before

After (needing a few more minor touches)

3. TJ Maxx--For the little details, TJ Maxx (or other discount store [i.e. Marshalls, Ross, Home Goods]) is a good place to find discounted items such as picture frames, lamps, towels, bathmats, towel racks, etc. These stores can be hit or miss, but if you are not in a rush, you can find some fabulous finds.

2. Target--I heart Target! Prints, picture frames, floral, furniture, bedding, bath. You name it. And great prices too. They have some great fabrics for the bed/bath and also great table linens.

1. Hobby Lobby--My all time favorite place to decorate my house! And you know everything will eventually go on sale. If you don't need it now, it will be 50% off in the near future. And you have to love their 40% off one item coupons too!

Where do you go to decorate you home? Do you have any other recommendations for me while I am still in the process of decorating?

Quality over quantity...

I really enjoy shopping.  There is nothing better than finding a good bargain.  The thrill of the hunt is so exciting.  I love sales and markdowns and really hate paying full price for anything.  That being said, I do think that sometimes you pay less in the long run when you buy a higher priced, quality item than when you buy something cheap - especially for wardrobe staples.  Better to pay more for a pair of jeans or a purse that you absolutely love than to spend $20 over and over and end up with 6 pairs of jeans that don't fit or flatter.  And quality clothing often looks better after washing it a lot and wearing it for a whole season (or more.)  If you have a few key, quality pieces in your closet, you can fill in with less expensive trendier pieces seasonally.  

Here are my top 5 items you need in your wardrobe that you love:

5.  An everyday purse

For a long time I tossed my wallet into the diaper bag, but my boys are old enough that I've started carrying a purse again.  I just found this steal a couple of weeks ago and I love it.  It's the perfect color for my wardrobe.  It's big, but not too big and has feet to protect the bottom from getting scratched.  I've been hunting for a purse for a while now and am so glad I held out until I found one that I loved.  Plus, I really didn't even spend that much on it.  

4.  A great coat

I really love coats.  I have a number of them that I love, but I think every one needs at least one great coat to wear.  The weight of your coat will depend on where you live, but for a lot of folks a trench can be a great year-round coat.  A trench is perfect for throwing on over jeans and a t-shirt.  It makes you look put-together and if it's belted it can be very slimming by creating a small waist.  I've seen some really great ones at stores like Old Navy and K-Mart this spring.  Plus, if you look now they are probably marked down.  If not, look in late fall.  Most stores will be making room for heavier coats and selling off the lighter weight, more versatile trenches.  

3.  A nice black dress

Find one that fits you perfectly.  Or have someone alter it to fit you perfectly.  Consider a forgiving fabric like a jersey knit that can be dressed up or down with your shoes and accessories.  Hold out for that "perfect" dress for your body type and lifestyle.  And once you find it, you'll wear it for years and years and years.  

2.  A pair of flats that go with everything

Consider the color of your wardrobe and everyday purse.  Black or brown?  Mine are actually leopard print.  But I love them.  They work with my black dress, jeans, pants and skirts.  I can wear them with so many of the clothes I own and they make a statement.  Find a pair that fit your feet wonderfully and you'll be so glad you did.  

1.  The perfect pair of jeans

This is so important for moms.  We need jeans that look good on us.  Let's face it.  Most of us don't get dressed up to go to work anymore.  We should feel good about our everyday attire.  And for me, that's jeans.  If you can find a pair at Old Navy or Target that fit you, that's great.  If not, consider spending a bit more to find that pair that fit your body type perfectly.  Try on different sizes and styles again and again until you find what you love.  

Here are my top 5 places to get quality clothing:

5.  Banana Republic

4.  White House/Black Market

3.  Ann Taylor/Ann Taylor Loft

2. Target

1.  Nordstrom

But just because you are looking for quality clothing doesn't mean you have to pay a lot.  My favorite tip for saving money is to head straight to the back of the store or the section.  Don't even look at the front of the store unless you are wanting to splurge.  Wait until sale items are marked down a further percentage off the sale price.  Ann Taylor and LOFT do this a lot.  They will mark all their sale clothing down an additional 40%.  So does White House/Black Market.  I have purchased some beautiful dresses there for less than $50 once all the discounts are figured.  Nordstrom can be pricey, but they have amazing shoe clearances and their semi-annual and anniversary sales can't be beat.  (Plus shopping there is nothing short of a pleasure.  The customer service and liberal return policy can end up being a huge time and money saver in the long run.)

The most important strategy is to find the stores and brands that work for your body and your lifestyle.  Once you find them, make friends with the sales clerks.  Shop on less crowded, non-weekend days.  Ask when things have been marked down or if they have any sales coming up.  Buy only clothes that you love and have fun doing it. 

Do you think it's better to buy quality clothing or do you buy only inexpensive brands?  And where do find most of your wardrobe?

Sandra's Fav 5: Shopping

My top five favorite places to clothes shop.

#5- Macy's. This is my favorite for shoes and essentials. It's also my favorite for my husband's clothes.
#4- Old Navy. My go-to for basics (and maternity clothes when I'm pregnant).
#3- J. Crew. We have an outlet near where we live and I buy most of my casual clothes there.
#2- Ann Taylor Loft. Another outlet near! (We're so lucky!)

(image from an email from Talbot's)

#1- Talbot's. My favorite place to clothes shop is my mom's favorite place, and was my grandma's favorite place. It is obviously one of Michelle Obama's favorite places also, because she's wearing a Talbot's dress on the cover of Essence magazine (pictured above)!

Their petite department is great since I'm only five feet tall. And everyone in my family knows it's my favorite so I never go in there without giftcards, and I always buy when there's a sale going on.

Are any of my favorite your favorites?

This Week's Topic: Shopping!

Grocery shopping, clothes shopping, shoe shopping, furniture shopping....

Shopping is a necessary part of life. Admittedly, some kinds of shopping are more necessary than others!

This week we are going to talk about our favorite places to shop. We'd love for you to chime in with "that's my favorite too!" or "you can really get better deals at...." Hope you enjoy our week of "talking shop!"

Celebrating Easter

Happy Easter to you and your family!

The Great American Staycation

I had no idea what I was going to write for this post until I turned on the TV Wednesday morning and saw Good Morning Texas' report on the book The Great American Staycation. His ideas were better than what I could come up with (unless skydiving counts as one commenter suggested--which we've done!) so I thought I would share his interview.

Growing up, Matt Wixon, the author, had family "fakations" as he called them where his family would stay in the area, rent a car for 24 hours and have a cheap vacation.

He says the most important thing is to make it fun! He recommends keeping the trip to within 100 miles because you could get to the location and home within the same day. Some ideas that he gives are to do a "behind-the-scenes" tour. That could be going to a famous location (like Southfork Ranch near where I'm from) or, like he suggests, asking at the bowling alley if you can see the pin setters work!

He believes the biggest mistake that people make on staycations is to not plan ahead. They plan to take off from work, relax and try to have some fun. Some locations, however, are closed at certain times, so you may not get to do what you want--you don't want Wally World to be closed when you pull up to the gate!

Here are the rules that he gives:
1. Choose a start and end date
2. Treat it like a real vacation. (Get all household work done at the start so you're not doing that in the middle and you can relax better.)
3. Create mental distance.
4. Treat yourself.
5. Remember it--take photos!
6. Maximize your hometown.
7. Stay positive.

Can you think of a "behind-the-scenes" idea that you or your kids would enjoy?

Letterboxing

Before having a child, JD and I enjoyed heading to the mountains to hike through the state parks. They are absolutely gorgeous where we live and we have never been disappointed. I was even going on some trails when I was 20+ weeks pregnant.

Last summer we headed to a friend's cabin in the mountains for a getaway. There was a lake right off the property and we headed down to take a short walk around it. Or maybe not. This is what we encountered. I know it is only the stage we are in right now, therefore I have plans to try something new in the years that lie ahead.

About 3 years ago a friend mentioned Letterboxing to me. She and her elementary aged son had recently gotten into it. In the last few months some other friends have mentioned their enjoyment of Letterboxing (see photo below of Three Ladies and a Bug {only two ladies shown}). The more they explained, the more intrigued I became. It is a treasure hunt!

How did Letterboxing get started? According to Letterboxing North America "letterboxing is said to have started in England in 1854 when a Dartmoor National Park guide, James Perrott of Chagford, left a bottle by Cranmere Pool with his calling card in it as an invitation to those who found the bottle to add theirs. Eventually, visitors began leaving a self-addressed post card or note in the jar, hoping for them to be returned by mail by the next visitor (thus the origin of the term “letterboxing;” “letterbox” is a British term for a mailbox). This practice ended in time, however, and the current custom of using rubber stamps and visitor’s log books came into use. It caught on in the US in 1998 after an article in Smithsonian magazine."

What is a letterbox? It is a waterproof container hidden in a publicly accessible place. Clues are placed online for others to hunt and find the letterbox. The containers hold a log book, stamp of the owner (often handmade), and stamp pad.

How do I get started? First you will need to create your own "trail name" or identity. You will then need to gather your supplies: a stamp that is meaningful to you and/or your family (can be purchased or handmade), log book, stamp pad, and pen/pencil. Once you have gathered all these things you are ready to begin your letterboxing adventure.

Where do I find Letterboxes? Clues can be found here or here. Print off your clues and head out for a day of fun. It is a great way to get some exercise and fresh air as well as teaching your children how to follow specific directions. Not to mention to be in the beauty of our God's creation!

What do I do when I find a Letterbox? Once found, take the box a bit away from the hiding location. Letterboxing is a somewhat secretive game, so if someone asks what you are doing, be creative with your answer. Once opened, you will find, as previously mentioned, a log book and a stamp. There might also be a stamp pad. Open the box's log book and imprint your family's stamp into the book, writing your "trail name," hometown, and date found. Next, you will stamp the letterbox's stamp into your log book. You can include date found, name of the letterbox, and location. You can also journal your experience if you desire. Make sure you leave the box exactly as you found it. Remember, water damage is the biggest threat to the letterbox, therefore it must be sealed tightly (so recommendations are to put everything in a freezer bag before sealing it in the water tight container). Once home, you can go online and record that you found the box.

How do I make my own? Once you have gotten the hang of finding, your family can set out to make your own letterbox. You will need a stamp, log book, and waterproof container. For very detailed instructions you can look here. Once your box is created, you will need to find a place to hide it. Detailed instructions on where to find it need to be entered into the Letterbox database on either of the letterboxing websites.

I cannot wait until LilE is old enough to go on a treasure hunt. Maybe in the fall she will enjoy an easy find. What I love about this is the promotion of family time! Make it a scheduled event...'once a month we find a letterbox', or whatever time frame fits with your family. I also love that it is very inexpensive. Around $10 for supplies for you to find the letterboxes, and about the same to create your own; plus gas, of course. You can't beat a morning of being in the beauty of nature, with family, for next to nothing out of your pocket!

Here are some helpful links if you would like more details than those previously mentioned:

Getting Started

Letterboxing 101

Letterboxing North America

Atlas Quest

Letterboxing.info

Have you found a Letterbox? Do you have any helpful hints to share?

Where to Start Planning?

Have you ever taken one of those trips that ended with the whole family exhausted? Sometimes I find myself staring at a suitcase of clothing that needs to be washed, folded and put away thinking about how I need a vacation to recover from my vacation! A staycation could be the perfect solution to that dilemma. It can certainly be fun to pack everyone up and go on a great trip to a tourist spot like Disney, Washington D.C. or Yellowstone National Park. But what if you acted like a tourist in your own backyard? Sometimes we forget how much there is to do right where we live.

So, where should you start when planning your staycation? I would start at the nearest visitor's center. I happen to live in a popular tourist destination so I can think of 4 visitor's centers within 10 miles and an additional 2-4 locations less than an hour from my house. Find the closest one to you and go check it out. You can find magazines and brochures for all kinds of activities. Often these will also have discounts or coupons so be sure and take advantage of that. But don't just pick up the brochures and leave. Most visitor's centers are staffed with volunteers or low-paid staff who work there because they love the area. They can be a wealth of knowledge about local resaurants, parks and activities. Often they can point you to historical sites and other interesting places that might not have a flashy brochure to pick up.

What if you don't have a tourist center nearby? Consider your local Chamber of Commerce. Often they have a newcomer's packet that you can pick up. It features information about your city and often attractions provide brochures for those packets. It shouldn't cost you anything and you will probably learn something new about your city in the process.

I know we have a lot of readers who aren't military, but if you are you should consider visiting your local ITT office. Your local Information, Tickets and Travel office can provide not only information on local activities, but substantial discounts on tickets, hotels, airfare and other travel arrangements. MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) and the local chapter of the USO often also have tickets for events available to military members for discounted fees or even free.

So, what kinds of things do we enjoy doing most on our staycations? The boys love going to our local beaches and parks. We also have a membership to the local zoo. And Tim and I really enjoy visiting historical sites and museums.

What do you and your family do for fun where you live? And how to find those great spots?