I saw a meme today that said (I’m gonna clean it up a little) “Being in quarantine is crazy. One day you’re cleaning baseboards with Q-Tips and the next day you’re in a bathrobe watching squirrels out the window. There’s no in between.”
And I thought “Oh! It’s not just me!”
(Is it you, too?)
Your family will never be bored with these large family games on hand. Not only are they a ton of fun, but all of these options allow at least five to play!
That rare moment that you find a board game that everyone in the family can play together is almost magical, isn’t it?
Especially something that everyone actually wants to play…and doesn’t end in tears.
Are we asking too much?
(more…)Looking for the best homemade potato soup recipe? This rich, creamy stove top recipe is the perfect cold weather meal!
Jump to RecipeSoup is just about the perfect frugal meal, isn’t it?
It’s easy to put together, and it always brings back memories. Which is why it’s such a great comfort food.
If you’ve been searching for ways to feed your family on the cheap, you’ll definitely want to add this potato soup to your meal plan.
It’s so delicious that your family won’t even realize you’ve served them a meatless meal.
And potatoes are always cheap…and pretty easy to keep on hand. (They last a long time if you keep them in cool, dark storage like a pantry or potato bin like this one.)
(more…)Celebrating Easter at home this year? Here’s how to celebrate Easter when you’re stuck at home…and how to keep it special for kids and families.
Last year our 5 year old son had a fairly serious spine surgery and was admitted to the hospital for several days.
We spent Palm Sunday there.
And when they released us, it was with orders to stay home for at least a couple of weeks.
(No one wants a still healing child exposed to more germs.)
That meant that we missed Easter Sunday mass, as well.
Who would have guessed that we’d miss them again this year?
Well, spending a special day like Easter at home, without the traditions you usually keep with loved ones, is a tough thing for adults to deal with.
And no, it’s not nearly as hard as what lots of other people are struggling with right now. But it’s ok to admit that you’re bummed about missing out on this special day.
And for kids, it’s even harder. They don’t really get what’s going on.
So how can we keep Easter special, even when we’re stuck at home?
Taking a nature walk with kids isn’t always as much fun as it sounds. Get more “woohoo” and less “I’m bored!” with these memory making tips.
Let’s be honest.
Taking a nature walk with kids sounds more fun than it usually is.
It always seems like a good way to get out of the house.
But no sooner are you out there walking than you start hearing, “How much loooooonger??”
“My leeeeeeegs hurt.”
Followed by the classic…
“I’m booooooooored.”
Forget that jazz.
Here’s how you get the kids to burn off some of that energy (you know, the stuff they only have when they’re inside and bickering with their siblings?) without the hassle.
(more…)Like you (probably), our family has mostly stayed home for almost two weeks now.
That’s made it pretty easy to save money.
If you can stay away from online shopping, you might be finding the same thing. Maybe you’ll even have time to develop new habits that will stick when life gets back to “normal”.
(Whenever that happens…and whatever that means!)
This beer bread recipe is the easiest thing you can make. But everyone at your next party is going to beg you for it! No yeast needed bread.
“You’re bringing that beer bread, right??”
I think people at family gatherings are more excited to see these loaves of bread than me.
But that’s ok, because I know how delicious it is.
The secret is that this beer bread recipe is just about the easiest thing you can throw together.
That makes it perfect for family gatherings, pot lucks, or times when you’re trapped at home with no yeast for bread.
If you aren’t the beer drinker in the house, promise the one who is that they will not regret letting you have one of their cold ones.
Don’t worry, you’ll be able to keep that promise!
If you’re feeling seriously bored at home, here are some simple ways you can use your time. Believe it or not, you can have fun at home!
At some point, you just cannot spend one more minute scrolling Facebook and playing “Is this scary story true…or not??”
It’s all too much!
And you know darned well that if you let the kids play hours of video games, it turns them into monsters.
(Seriously. Mine fight like cats and dogs if they get more than a couple of hours per day on screens. I don’t know the science and I don’t want to look it up. I already feel like I’m living a weird social experiment here.)
What this calls for is a tried and true list of things you can actually DO.
Even if you’re stuck at home and seriously bored.
I'm Jamie, and I want to help you afford a beautiful life with your family. Learn more. 
