Earn, Save, and Live Joyfully.
For as long as I can remember I imagined it would be difficult for me to conceive children. After my medical problems in 2005 I was convinced children would not be in my future and after struggling for a year and a half with infertility I was almost certain. When my son was born this … Read more
Last week my six month old and I ventured over to a large consignment sale in the Washington, DC area. I had two big goals in mind. First, to look for a winter jacket for my three year old. Second, to investigate the prices for items sold there. I considered selling at this particular sale … Read more
A few odds and ends… I wasted too much time this past month dealing with a very toxic relationship. Unfortunately, I haven’t resolved the problem but I have gained a new perspective on the situation. I would like to know why nasty people are always dragging the rest of us down. Isn’t it amazing how … Read more
I’ve gone back and forth more times than I can count on the question of storing baby equipment and clothes for subsequent children. Over the years I narrowed down my son’s wardrobe into relatively small plastic boxes categorized by size. I allotted one box for each size and gave away the rest. I donated the … Read more
My oldest son loves to read. I packed a book in my hospital bag and began reading to him on the very day he was born. Every day, even when he was quite small, we read together. Usually a few books in the morning, a few more mid-day and three as part of the bedtime … Read more
Over the years I’ve perfected the art of packing and preparing for vacation. I can load the car in a matter of minutes; ensuring we don’t forget anything important and finding space for absolutely everything we need. I know the quickest routes between points A and B and the best way to maximize our travel time. … Read more
I’ve spent a lot of money on home renovations lately, but other than big ticket items like mortgages, utilities and bi-weekly groceries I just don’t open my wallet up much these days. There are a lot of things I no longer buy. Here are just a few that top that list: Nail Polish – I … Read more
After my last post I received a bunch of emails from long time readers asking about our desire to provide items to guests. “Why would you fill your house with nice things?,” one reader asked. As I mentioned before we try to provide a happy, fun, easy atmosphere for our guests. We know that most … Read more
This year was not a stellar rental season for us. We received five bookings rather than the ten to twelve we’ve come to expect each summer. The rental company provided a bunch of excuses for the lack of bookings. Among which were “school let out late due to snow” and the “fourth of July fell … Read more
At my previous job I was offered a gift after five years of employment. What was five years worth? $200 seemed the going rate as each gift in the selected catalog was roughly equivalent to that amount. At the time I waffled between two options: a very girly, pink bike and an ornate Waterford vase. … Read more