Gift Wrapping tips for terrible wrappers. A pleated and ribbon wrapped gift

I don’t like to admit it but I have never been very good at wrapping gifts. Most of the time, you could count yourself lucky if your gift was wrapped in one continuous piece of paper rather then a patchwork collection because I sized things wrong. Yes, I was that terrible at it. If I did size things properly then the corners always ended up bunched and bulky looking. Enough was enough! This year I sat down and studied some gift wrapping tips with the intent of attempting to learn how to gift wrap properly. Was I successful?  To some degree! It turns out that giftRead More →

sunrise header for unique shopping experiences at auctions

When I was a little girl I remember attending a few auctions with my family. Some of the time these were farm sales where we kept an eye out for good quality used saddles and other horse equipment (horses are an expensive hobby!) Other times we went out looking for antique furniture and household items. While it was certainly fun to go to these auctions in person and they provide a unique shopping experience I have to say that the convenience of online bidding now that I am an adult also has its perks! Auctions kind of feel like a competitive yard sale and I’m not sureRead More →

your summer of almost free family fun, beach picture

Summer is the perfect time to get outside, soak up the rays, live life to the fullest and stay out later than normal (say, 9:15 instead of 9:00 – crazy right?). The issue is, while summer is meant to be a time of fun-filled family adventure, it’s also a constant reminder that you could be having way more fun if you had a bank balance that allowed it. We all stare wistfully at the vacation pictures our friends post on the various social media outlets. But, Don’t worry, this can be your summer of almost free fun! If you’re like our family, you’re already wonderingRead More →

a rushing stream

Making fathers day special can be a bit of a challenge in our house! Although we don’t do anything expensive for Mother’s or Father’s day we do try to make it special. Since Mother’s Day falls during the school year it’s pretty simple. The kids always make things for me at school and I take the night off cooking while my husband BBQ’s. But, Father’s day falls when my kids are out of school, so he misses out on the cute things they would be bringing home. Last year the school held a Donuts with Dad day right before school let out. But this year,Read More →