Where to Find Free Valentine Printables

Want a fun, free, activity that your kids can do for Valentine’s Day? There are plenty of Valentine’s Day coloring sheets that you can print out for free. They make wonderful Valentine’s Day cards for grandparents and relatives that live far away. In addition, there are also some kid-friendly Valentine’s Day cards that parents can print out and their kids can sign and give to their classmates. Printable Valentine Coloring Pages Crayola.com has two Valentine’s day inspired coloring pages. Both of them are cute and have large spaces that little kids will find easy to color. Choose a Cupid or … Continue reading

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

One of my favorite books to share with my children is Simms Taback’s Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. The tale tells of Joseph who had, what else, but a favorite little overcoat. Eventually it gets “old and worn.” Instead of throwing it away, he makes it into a jacket. Once that also gets “old and worn,” the jacket becomes a scarf, and so on. Joseph continues to transform his garments as needed until he is down to just a button. Unfortunately, the button gets lost, but despite this development, Joseph still manages to make something out of it. The book … Continue reading

Let There Be Light

I can see it, smell it, and almost touch it. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel. And by tunnel I mean my daughter’s school year. In two weeks I will enjoy a treasured reprieve from the worst mom job ever—packing school lunches. I abhor the near daily ritual, which hurts my brain, as much as it does my wallet. I’ve endured this penitent practice for nearly three years and I still haven’t figured out what I can pack that my now 8-year-old won’t toss into the school’s 80-gallon garbage barrel. Aside from the torment of devising a … Continue reading

Twinkies Are Coming Back: Here is How to Save

The real Twinkies will be heading back onto store shelves in July, according to Michael Cramer, executive vice president of Hostess Brands LLC. Production will begin shortly.  Not only will Twinkies soon be available again, but so will many of the other famous Hostess cakes, such as Hostess Donettes. As a result of the scarcity, in the Twinkies absence of six months, a few look-alike cakes have appeared, and many of them will cost less than the Hostess brand, especially ones from the Bimbo company, which has been making a Mexican version of the snack for year (also available with … Continue reading

Finding Where You Fit In

Since being divorced I feel like I am in a constant state of limbo. Most of my good friends are married now, while others are continuing to enjoy the single life. I am no longer married, but my single life is far different from that of my friends. There are times when I envy both parties. I long for the companionship and support that marriage could bring, and I envy those single friends who can do what they want when they want without a care in the world. I am a mother first, and as such, my priority is to … Continue reading

Saving Little By Little

As a single parent money is always tight. It’s hard to make ends meet with only one income these days. I’ve mentioned many times in previous blogs that I am currently a full time student. The university I attend is about a 40 minute drive from our home. I was putting 60 miles a day on my car and was driving back and forth five days a week. When I was teaching in the schools I was putting double the miles on my car. Needless to say, I was spending an insane amount of money on gas each week. With … Continue reading

The Worst Genealogy Blog of the Year

Many genealogists take time out of their research to work on their very own, personal, genealogy blog. While some of these blogs are entertaining, informative, and inspirational, others are a chore to try and read. Here are some tips to keep your blog from being deemed “the worst genealogy blog of the year”. Anyone can make a blog. There are several websites that will let you sign up and instantly start creating a blog about whatever topic you like for free. This is both good and bad. It allows every genealogist who desires to make a family history blog the … Continue reading

Here’s to New Beginnings!

As 2012 is coming to a close, I have had some time to reflect on the happenings of the year. It has been a year of many ups and downs. I’ve gained eternal friends, loved and lost, struggled and triumphed, and learned more about myself than I ever imagined possible. I am not the same woman I was at the beginning of the year. I have gained so much strength throughout the continuing trials of divorce. I have grown into a better woman and a better mother. While this may not have been a perfect year, it was certainly one … Continue reading

A Little Tighter

In light of the horrific events yesterday I had to write a few words expressing my feelings as a mother. When I learned of the tragedy in Connecticut my heart sank into the pit of my stomach. These little children were my son’s age. Each time I looked at him I nearly broke into tears. This is every parent’s worst nightmare. I cannot imagine the intensity of the pain those parents are feeling as they are tucking their babies into bed tonight and finding that one of those beds will forever be empty. The loss of a child is by … Continue reading

Can Your Homeschool Blog Earn Money? {Part 3}

In, Can Your Homeschool Blog Earn Money?, Part 1 and Part 2, I discussed the background information you need before starting a blog that has the potential of earning you a profit.  If you missed those two posts, please take time to read them as blogs without a proper foundation do not earn profits. Not all profits can strictly financial but we all want to know now to earn cold hard cash.  There is no easy answer but there are avenues you can take to drive your blog to the bank. Here are some of the most popular ways to … Continue reading