Summer Plans

The big question around our house this week is "What are we going to DO this summer?"  Hmm...good question.  I have been meaning to sit down and really plan some fun this year.  Fun that doesn't necessarily involve lots of money or 2 parents to wrangle kids (summer is Ricks extremely busy time at work).  My ideas seem a little self centered to me (read, sew more, exercise every day), so I gave everyone a sheet of paper and asked them to write down anything and EVERYTHING they want to do this summer, no matter how big or small.

Here is what I found out: 

1. They would really like to travel.  Florida, Tennessee and Branson, MO all made the lists.
2. They are okay with free or cheap things too.  Picnics, parks and hikes all were listed. And
3. They really had fun being in on our summer plans.

So this week we will sort through all the ideas and come up with a plan.  Although I don't see travel within the next 2 months, I see alot of other things getting checked off the lists!

What are your plans for the summer?

Teacher Appreciation Ideas

This is one of my favorite weeks of the school year!  We have been blessed with so many wonderful teachers since Ross started preschool and I love letting them know how special they are.  Here are a few quick, easy and inexpensive ideas to try.

Poems or notes that let the teacher know how much you appreciate them.

Flowers from your garden.

Funny notes/gifts - for example we have done Extra gum, dum dum suckers, mints, packets of seeds, bottle of tea, lifesavers, votive candles, etc.  Here is what we have written to go with them:

• Thanks for being an EXTRA cool (great) teacher!
• Thanks for keeping me from being a DUM DUM - you're a great teacher!
• Your dedication MINT a lot to me this year.
• You plant the SEEDS of learning in all you teach (have also done this with a pot, a ziploc of potting soil, gloves and seeds.
• You put the TEA in teacher!
• You have been a LIFESAVER for me this year!  Thanks for the extra help in math, etc.
• You light the FLAME of learning for me.

You can see the opportunity for this one is great.  We usually do one thing a day for the entire week of Teacher Appreciation.  My kids love trying to come up with new things each year!

S'more bags - box of graham crackers, package of marshmallows and a few milk chocolate bars.

Potted plant - cheaper to DIY if you have a lot to do:  buy clay pots, potting soil for containers, bedding plants.  To dress up the clay pots you can simply tie colorful wire edge ribbon around them.

Home baked cookies, cakes, brownies, etc.

As a classroom we have put together a scrapbook, bought a gift card to the teachers favorite restaurant and even had an after school get together at a park.

The main thing - let your children's teachers know you appreciate all they do.  Most of them spend a lot of extra time outside of the classroom preparing for our children.  Most of them also spend a lot of their own money on the classroom.  Writing a note or sending an email is the least we can do!

What are some of the ways you show your appreciation?

A Great Way to Save Money on Groceries

Have you heard about Angel Food Ministries?  It is a grocery relief program available to anyone and everyone in the US.  There are NO income requirements (a common misconception) and the food is all FIRST quality (also a common misconception).  You can order online or in person at your local host site.  You can pay with cash, EBT, and even credit or debit online.  You can order as much or as little as you want.  Our family has been blessed by this ministry for over 4 years now!

I love Angel Food pickup days!  Even though I know ahead of time what I am ordering, by the time 2 weeks have passed, I forget and it is like "grocery christmas" each month!  Here is what we picked up today:

1 supreme pizza, 1 pkg hot dogs, 1 lb ground beef, 1.5 lb beef double cheeseburgers (4), frozen carrots, frozen mashed potatoes, 1 doz medium eggs, 1 whole young chicken, 1 28 oz frozen meatloaf dinner, 1 32 oz frozen lasagna dinner, 1 16 oz can baked beans, 32 oz shelf stable 1% milk, 1 head green cabbage, 1 8 oz box cereal, 2 cinnamon rolls

And let's not forget the "bonus" items added by the host site we pick up from:

(these items are overages from a nearby food pantry)

If you are not familiar with Angel Food Ministries, you can check them out here:  Angel Food Ministries

We routinely order 1-2 Signature boxes each month for our family of 7.  At this time three of our kids are really light eaters and the baby, well doesn't figure in the meal equation yet, so this amount of food works for us.  As our kids get older, we will increase the number of boxes as needed, since the signature box is designed to feed a family of 4 for one week.

I challenge you to give it a try and let me know what you think!

Frugal Friday Fun

Fun, cheap, easy things to do with or make for the kids:

Cute Skirt to make in a Snap - we made two, one for each girl

Play Dough made with Kool-aid - we are doing this today for the littles

Family Fun Summer Craft Ideas - lots of great ideas

Have a fun, frugal Friday!