Why I Stopped Hoping for Snow Days

I can still remember my first snow day. It was actually a cold day, as temperatures dipped below -30 degrees Fahrenheit with the windchill. The shrill of the telephone cut into my dreams. Rubbing my eyes, I padded out of my room and into my parents’ bedroom. I squinted as my dad nodded into the … [Read more…]

Facing Financial Unknowns with Excitement

Question Mark on Yellow Background

As someone who is anxious, cautious, and risk averse, it probably surprises you to see the title of this post. Penny? Excited about unknowns? Not the Penny we know. The only thing that Penny faces the unknown with is a bottle of Tums. And maybe just a little too much chocolate. Our Penny makes lists … [Read more…]

5 Numbers I’m Proud of From 2020

2020 was a dumpster fire. I’m not negotiating on this. It tested me in ways that I didn’t want to be tested. My family suffered loss that still stings enough to make me cringe at the thought of mining the last calendar year for silver linings. The teaching profession that has seeped into every fiber … [Read more…]

Free & Frugal Toddler Fun: The Winter Edition

The weather hasn’t exactly been cooperative. Normally by this time, we’ve seen several snowfalls. This year? We’ve had one dusting that lasted maybe an hour before snowfall turned to rain and snow turned to slush. Layer on the pandemic and COVID restrictions, and it’s easy to see why any family would feel like they have … [Read more…]

How We Are Hoping to Help Small Businesses

Small businesses are struggling. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. If it saddens you, though, there are some action steps that we can take to help some of these businesses survive.  We’ve tried to adopt these practices into our lives throughout the pandemic, and it’s been important to us as a family to revisit them in order … [Read more…]

Dissecting My Black Friday Weekend Shopping

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday. It goes on and on. And it truly does. By my calculations this is actually the second full Cyber week because one week and certainly one day isn’t enough. After writing in defense of Black Friday shoppers and also encouraging people to shop in a way that is … [Read more…]