While the last year of my life has taught me to be a little more spontaneous than I used to be, I am a planner at heart. About 15 years ago I put my coordination skills to the test when I orchestrated a Christmas experience for my family instead of giving them traditional gifts. I planned and saved my pennies for a very long time, but that Christmas my family members unwrapped small, inexpensive clues that disclosed our plans to take a trip to the east coast the following summer. The following July we visited with an aunt, uncle, cousins, grandparents, and other extended family. We got wet at Niagara Falls and ate lunch on Canadian soil. We visited historical sites and had the most awesome tour guide (my brother-in-law). We had a blast! And my children will never forget that experience–we created the BEST memories. The key word in my story is not “planned”, “saved”, or even “pennies” (i.e. “money”). What you should come away with is this…EXPERIENCE. And if you picked out NEVER FORG

When I was a kid, maybe about 12 years old, I remember one specific Halloween more than the rest. My mom worked in an office and she and her co-workers had decided to have a costume contest. She came to me and my sisters for help. We didn’t just help, we TOOK OVER. And she let us take the lead. We were super creative, and we planned her costume then implemented that plan–she went as a bathroom, complete with shower curtain, towel, and toilet paper roll. I don’t remember who won the contest, but I won’t forget dressing her up and sending her to work that way. Sometimes experience is the best teacher. While there are some things you really don’t WANT your child to experience (like smoking is bad–you’d rather have them take your word for it), it is important for kids to learn and grow from what they do on their own WITHIN CERTAIN GUIDELINES. Letting kids make plans, use their creativity, and take the lead on Halloween costumes and events is pretty safe, in my humble opinion. So, don’t

Many years ago, when my kids were young and I was broke, I attended a luncheon hosted by a government preschool program in which one of my children was enrolled. There was a guest speaker whose message was about saving money. I do not remember what he said, but I will never forget what he did. He took what appeared to be an empty tube of toothpaste and showed it to the group. He picked up a pair of scissors and, cutting off the end opposite the cap and then again along the length of the tube, revealed enough toothpaste for at least another 5-6 uses. Wow. You’d have to be a real cheapskate to do something like that, wouldn’t you?  I beg to differ. Consider some of the things manufacturers have done to cut corners in THEIR favor. Ever noticed that the bottom of your plastic peanut butter jar isn’t flat? Well, it used to be. Producers found a way to cut just a little from every container they put to market. You can bet the price didn’t change. And the holes in the top of the cleanse

 It’s here, the fourth quarter of the year! As an entrepreneur (one of my personas is an online retailer), I LOVE the last 3 months of the calendar; it usually means a bonus for my business because people spent a lot more than they usually do. Now, that is fine if you have budgeted for it, but a lot of people spend so much that it can be scary. There are lots of ways to cut costs and still have a great Merry Thanksgivoween.  Take All Hallows Eve, for instance. (We will start with the October events since they come first, ha ha.) There are things you can do to not break the bank. Do you have old costumes that don’t fit your children any longer? Stuff them and use them to decorate your yard, cut up the cool material to accent old home décor or make new pieces, or initiate a costume swap with friends (adhering to Covid regulations, of course). Speaking of the ghastly virus, there are lots of traditions that your family probably participated in last year that the coronavirus has render

I don’t know about you, but I kind of thought this whole Covid-sponsored social-distancing thing would fizzle out by the end of June. Because it didn’t, it messed with some of my late-summer plans, namely, a huge party. While I wasn’t able to have the exact event in the way I originally imagined, I did not have to cancel–I just had to adjust my activities (and expectations) based on the facts before me. Although we can see and feel the approaching shift in seasons, I’m afraid many of the restrictions we’ve experienced because of the Coronavirus will not yet change. This means that we need to adjust our Fall and Halloween events AND our expectations, just like I did with my summer party. It’s time to start thinking outside the box for spookiest night of the year. And boy, do I have a resource for you! There is a new way to stay "involved" while not getting too close–virtual Discovery Hunts built on the GooseChase app. Download it and enter code B5QV8E to find the Cache Vall