Short on time? Read: How we simplify kids' birthday parties. Dave and the kids enjoyed a 4-day weekend for "winter break" so we had a chance to do a few fun things we don't normally do every week. We went bowling with free coupons from a summer reading program. We cheered on Dave's school's basketball team (they won!) We did a little thrift store shopping (more on that below). We went to the kids' favorite local pizza buffet on kids-eat-free night. And we hung out with cousins a couple of times. We also had some fun on "Twos Day" (2-22-22). I woke them up at 6:22, they each got 2 desserts, we planned a 22-minute walk after dinner but it was raining so we watched Despicable Me 2. 😊 Did you do anything fun over the weekend or for Twos Day? Simple Food. Over the last few years, we've gotten into the habit of using spaghetti squash as a more nutritious pasta substitute. However, the kids still love jumbo shells (can you blame them!) so every once in a while, I break out my pizza stuffed shells recipe and everyone gets excited. My recipe is super easy to make... and if you don't want to mess with "stuffing" the shells, just use any noodles you have in the house and layer the filling, sauce, and cheese like you would for lasagna. Try my recipe --> Easy Pizza Stuffed Shells Organized Home. Do you struggle with "what to do first" when you feel like every room in your home is messy and disorganized? If so, I challenge you to start by doing these 5 things every day. They will help you develop positive habits and give you a sense of pride and ownership (which really goes a long way in motivating you to keep things neat). Keep reading --> The 5 things I do every day to keep household messes at bay. Intentional Living. We're gearing up to celebrate Simon's 8th birthday next weekend (his countdown chain is getting smaller each day!) If children's birthday parties are a source of stress or anxiety for you, you might benefit from simplifying things a bit. After celebrating 28 children's birthdays over the last 10 years, I've learned a thing or two about keeping things simple! Get my tips --> Tips to simplify kids' birthday parties. In other news... If you're local to West Michigan and looking for something fun to do over the next 2 weeks, check out the World of Winter festivities in downtown Grand Rapids. It's all FREE and runs through March 6. In last week's email, I shared a Super Bowl commercial that made me laugh (Keeping Up With the Joneses). In response to that commercial, a few of you shared this comical song about living a frugal life! Yup, I can relate to every lyric. 😂 And speaking of living frugally, I had to share the latest deal I got at a local thrift store. I got EVERYTHING in the photo below for $10! That's 4 pairs of shoes, a pair of pants, 2 jackets, and 12 shirts (all good brands) for $10 total! Looking for a good movie recommendation? Dave and I have intentionally made some time to catch up on our Netflix / Amazon Prime "watchlists". We recently enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy, The Laundromat, and Catching Faith -- all 3 are based on true stories! I'm gearing up for another eat-from-the-pantry/freezer challenge. These winter months are a good time to get creative in the kitchen, eat through some of our stockpile, and enjoy the extra grocery savings! If you'd like to give it a try too, you may read more specifics of how I did this same challenge a few years ago. That's all for this week. Do you have any simple and fun birthday (or half birthday) traditions? Have a great week, Andrea |
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