My neighborhood is so wonderful. They have been very welcoming, kind, and have great attitudes about helping others. This area has been working for almost a year on shipping thousands of items to Zimbabwe in a large shipping container. The container had clothes, newborn packets for mothers with a lot of baby supplies, rubber snakes…
Holidays
Medieval Birthday Party
Recently, my family and I attended the Medieval Times dinner and show in California. The kids who attended with us aged from 3-13 and they were all mesmerized—in fact, every child and adult in the arena that I observed and had a blast! This visit inspired my daughter’s Medieval Birthday Party. At the show Medieval…
2017 Halloween Costume Reveal + 5 Fun Halloween Activity Spots for Kids in Utah & Salt Lake Counties
I wanted to share with you our 2017 Halloween Costume Reveal + 5 Fun Halloween Activity Spots for Kids in Utah and Salt Lake Counties Halloween was so fun this year. Kids this age (just about 3 and 5) are so so fun during holidays. They are old enough to realize that they are doing…
10 Ways to Save Big on Halloween Costumes
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I love dressing my kids up and attending parties, carving pumpkins, and eating caramel apples. Although many costumes can be expensive, here are 10 ways to save big on Halloween costumes. 1- Borrow costumes from a friend. Ask friends if they have any old costumes that they’d be willing to…
4th of July Wreath
4th of July is such a fun holiday! I love celebrating the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. I like to see the red, white, and blue colors, enjoy summer temperatures, and celebrate at BBQ’s with fireworks. My friend gave me the idea of this cute and super-easy 4th of July…
7 Extremely Effective Ways to Save Money Booking a Disney Cruise
Today, I welcome my friend and Disney Travel Expert Danielle who shares 7 extremely effective ways to save money booking a Disney Cruise below. The phrases “Disney Cruise” and “saving money” don’t typically go together! As a seasoned Disney cruiser (I’ve done 7) and as a busy, active travel agent I have…
DIY Coffee Filter Banner
Are you looking for an inexpensive, easy, and versatile banner for a birthday party, gathering, or celebration? This D.I.Y. coffee filter banner is a great option! It can be customized in length, size, colors, and can be made for just a few dollars. My super creative friend Kim made these adorable DIY Coffee Filter Banners…
29 Adorable Valentine’s Day Boxes
When I was in elementary school, one of my favorite things to do each year was to make and decorate Valentine’s Boxes. It was a lot of fun for my friends and me. As we got into the older grades (4th, 5th, and 6th), we had competitions and voted on who made the best boxes….
Eggnog Floats
Eggnog is such a festive treat. During the holiday season, I love to eat eggnog flavored treats, drink it mixed with Sprite, and see it on the shelves in the grocery stores. Each year since my son’s birth, I have gotten a McDonald’s Eggnog Shake. It has become a tradition. This year they no longer have…
Christmas Holly Berry Wreath
Winter is a wonderful time of year. I love to see all of the wreaths, lights, and holiday decor people have or make. Making Christmas Wreaths is something I really enjoy. Yet, because Christmas is such a busy and expensive time of year, I usually like to keep the wreaths I make simple, inexpensive, and…
DIY Mistletoe Wreath
This is such a fun, easy, and inexpensive wreath to make. I love the tradition of kissing under the Mistletoe. When I went to make this wreath, I was curious about where this tradition came from. I did a little ‘google research’ and found that Mistletoe has been around for ages. According to Wikipedia, Mistletoe is…
#LIGHTtheWORLD Day 3: Jesus Helped Others to See and So Can You
I am so excited about the Christmas 2016 #LIGHTtheWORLD campaign. I joined and will be given 25 ways/ideas over the course of the next 25 days to try to be more like Jesus Christ. Each day there is a challenge to do something that Christ did in his life: feed the hungry, visit the sick, honor parents, etc. It…
25 Christ-Centered Christmas Activities
I love Christmas! It is such an amazing time of year. I mainly love it because of the fun traditions, the spirit of remembering and celebrating Jesus Christ, and the time I get to spend with loved ones. Almost all of my favorite Christmas memories and traditions have to do with celebrating Christ. Here are…
Quick and Inexpensive Neighbor Gifts for Christmas
Neighbor gifts are always nice to give and receive. The past few years I’ve really enjoyed giving gifts to those people who mean a lot to my family. Although I love gift giving, for budgeting and time purposes I have to be sure that I’m giving out inexpensive and quick neighbor gifts. Here are some ideas I liked that I thought…
Gift Guide for Different ‘Types’ of People on Your List
This is the time of year that my family starts divvying out names for gifts that we are going to buy for our siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, etc. We draw names for my immediate and extended family. Instead of getting hundreds of gifts each year, we only give a few. By dividing names out, we save a…
19 Fun Easter Recipes
Easter is such a lovely holiday. I enjoy the spring temperatures, the budding flowers, and the rebirth of green in nature! I appreciate the time I have to contemplate Christ and his Messianic mission during this holiday. Easter baskets and egg hunts are a favorite—especially now that I have kids. I love to see them excited…
Candy Free Easter Basket for a Toddler Girl
Each year I put together Easter baskets without candy for each of my kids. Don’t get me wrong, we love candy just as much as the next person, I just feel my kids get enough of it during the Easter Egg hunt. This basket is for my one year old. She is just a little lady. She…
Bubblegum’s First Birthday Party
My daughter Aurora is nicknamed Bubblegum (just for now, because she is so squishy and bubbly). She is so happy, sweet, kind, and a total momma’s girl. She loves her older brother and playing with his toys. She just turned one and I wanted to share her birthday party here on my blog. We held…
Quick, Inexpensive, and Easy Neighbor Christmas Gifts for 64
A few years ago I wrote a post: 27 neighbor gifts in 27 minutes-found here. It has been very popular. I think it has been such a hit because it is a neighbor gift idea that is easy, inexpensive, and fast. Well, we have now lived in our house for a few more years and…
D.I.Y. Christmas Mason Jar Craft
I love Christmas time and the holiday season! Decorating and making homemade crafts is one of my favorite things to do. Which is why I love these mason jars! They are easy to make, fairly quick, and completely customizable. You can choose the colors and the ‘window’ designs to match your home/existing decor and then fill them with…
Christmas Present Wood Craft
Recently, I made these D.I.Y. Wood Christmas Presents. They are very simple and inexpensive. Further they are durable and will hold up for years—even with little kids in the house. Standing alone they look great. I also really like the wood Christmas presents displayed next to my Santa. Instructions #1- Get a 4×4 that is…
Gift Ideas for The Twelve Days of Christmas Days 10-12
Gifting The 12 Days of Christmas is one of my all time favorite Christmas traditions! Sometimes thinking of what to give can be the most difficult part. So here are gift ideas (most are under $10.00) for days 10-12 of The 12 Days of Christmas… Day 10: Ten Lords a Leaping Lord of the Rings DVD…
Gift Ideas for The Twelve Days of Christmas Days 7-9
I love doing the 12 Days of Christmas! But sometimes thinking of what to give can be difficult. So here are gift ideas (most are under $10.00) for days 7-9 of The 12 Days of Christmas… Day 7: Seven Swans a Swimming A Swan Bracelet Swan figurine toy Swan swimming suit Swan Princess Pin Brooch…
How to Make a Dollar Store Christmas Wreath
My friend wanted to make a Christmas Wreath. She asked me how to make one inexpensively—if at all possible. I told her to come on over. In just a few hours, we went shopping at the dollar store, set out the supplies, and made a wreath! Although I already had the wreath base that I bought…
Gift Ideas for The Twelve Days of Christmas Days 4-6
I love doing the 12 Days of Christmas. Sometimes thinking of what to give can be the most difficult part. So here are gift ideas for days 4-6 of the 12 Days of Christmas… Day 4: Four Calling Birds Four Calling Birds Snowbabies Dream Figurine Four Calling Birds Christmas Ornament A Bird call Four Calling…
Gift Ideas for The Twelve Days of Christmas Days 1-3
Below you will find gift ideas for the first 3 days of the 12 Days of Christmas. I’ll be posting a few more times for the last 9. Some gifts are expensive, others inexpensive, most are between $5-$10.00. Day 1: A Partridge in a Pear Tree A Partridge in a Pear Tree book with good…
How to Gift the Twelve Days of Christmas to a Recipient
When I was maybe six or seven, I remember my great grandfather saying that he had had the 12 Days of Christmas gifted to him anonymously. He spoke fondly of receiving a gift each day and trying to find out who the giver was (which he never did do). I was so grateful that someone…
D.I.Y. Easy Winter Wreath
I made this winter wreath a few years ago, and I still love it a lot. It was very simple and inexpensive. Further, it is great for all winter, not just Christmas. Instructions #1- Get a grapevine wreath. They are very inexpensive here, can be found at craft stores, or if you have an old…
How to Create a Memorable & Cherished Christmas for Children
Creating a memorable and cherished Christmas for your children doesn’t have to be overly expensive or complex. To prove this point, just take a minute and think back on when you were a child. What do you remember and cherish most about Christmas? As I did this, three main things game to mind: 1- Helping and…
How to Save Money on Gift Giving
Holidays and gift giving can be very expensive but they don’t have to break the bank. Here are some of the things I do in order to save over 50% on gifts each and every year. 1- Draw names. This is the single most beneficial way of slashing a ginormous-gift-giving-bill. Just draw names in the…
