Christmas with Kids

Today is Black Friday. While the retailers want us all to do our part to boost the economy, be careful out there. Just because it’s a traditional shopping day, doesn’t mean you need to get out there and overspend. Make a list and check it twice. Have a budget. Stick to your plan. Don’t dig [...]

If I had to pick one thing that I couldn’t live without, it would be books. It runs in my family. One grandmother was a librarian, the other a literature fan. One grandfather was a church scholar, preacher, and history buff, and my dad is a huge science fiction fan. My husband is a voracious [...]

Inexpensive projects to do with kids can also make great gifts! Here are some ideas:

An unfinished wood item (initial, birdhouse, stepstool, etc.) with set of acrylic paints and brushes
Knitting needles or crochet hook with yarn and a free scarf pattern or knitting instructions
Bracelet Beading supplies
Stamping set
Scrapbooking materials or creativity book
Crafting kits of all kinds from [...]

This is a novel but necessary concept for many people in this economic climate. Forced by circumstance (lay-off, bankruptcy, foreclosure, health problems, other catastrophes,) many Americans will be having a “Buy Nothing” Christmas, or at least a “Buy a WHOLE LOT LESS” Christmas this year.
Even if you aren’t under tremendous economic pressure, there are many [...]

This post is for those of you who have never been to IKEA. If you have an IKEA near you, you have got to make this store a part of your holiday shopping and preparation. Not only is it a fabulous place to buy gifts, it’s a great place to update your housewares and textiles [...]

For all of you High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and Camp Rock fans, stores everywhere are clearing out a lot of related merchandise. Great deals of 50-75% off can be found in clearance sections of your local Target and Wal-mart right now. Disney High School Musical 3 hits theaters soon, so there will be a [...]

Everyone can find a treasure in a dollar store! Here’s an inexpensive way to let the kids have shopping adventure that’s relatively painless to your pocketbook. Have a friendly competition to see who can come up with the craziest (silliest, weirdest, most useful, prettiest, etc.) gift for $1.
This can be repeated as often as you [...]

I love to get Christmas cards! I’m not so great at sending them every year, though. I think the motivator to actually sending them out is to have a great card that you are proud of. My favorite option is to upload a photo somewhere and get cool stuff printed using that photo.
One site that [...]

Okay, I’m not really a coffee drinker. I enjoy the occasional cup at Starbucks or Cafe du Monde. Who can resist that? The problem is when we are entertaining over the holidays and dessert time rolls around.

“Do you have any coffee?”
“Uh, no. I don’t even have a coffee maker.”
This conversation has occurred more than a [...]

Unplug the Christmas Machine:
A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season
I highly recommend this book as a great way to get yourself centered and focus on what really matters during the Christmas season. Sometimes, we just do things during this time of year because we’re “supposed to,” or other people have [...]