We use a lot of toilet paper at this house.  With two newly potty-trained kiddos and one who is fascinated with all things potty, together use far more toilet paper than ever is necessary.  My hubby thinks I’m crazy to keep all the leftover tubes of toilet paper, and my kids love getting to play and explore with our box of tubes!  I love “free” toys!  We recently had an elementary-aged neighbor over and our TP tube creations became much more elaborate than previous building ventures. All you need for …

I loved discovering these homemade wooden houses and building blocks!  They are so colorful and inspirational!  My hubby is going to have to replace a portion of our fence soon and I am already daydreaming about the scraps we’ll have and the fun blocks we’ll get to make!  This is even more fun as this post has a trail.  I love how the internet helps inspire us and how we can take someone’s idea, tweak it and then someone else can come along and re-tweak the same concept.  The beginning …

I first found out about Shakey Bottles from a stay-at-home Dad/friend, he made them for his son to enjoy and also gave them out as gifts.   I loved the concept and have had my eyes peeled for a number of weeks, looking for the perfect bottles!  I finally found some at during a trip to a salvage grocery store.  Whoohoo!  Time to make our Shaking bottles!  Hopefully these will help entertain our youngest during a long road trip coming up.
.
What you need to make your own Shaking Bottle Toddler Toy:

Some …

My house has clutter, lots of clutter and I am often in awe of some of those super organized mommas!  Nicole from Restrained Chaos has offered to guest post a few of her organization tips… I love them!  They are cheap and easy!  Hope you can take and glean from them as I have.  Here is Nicole in her own words:
.
Now, I can’t give the key to total organization. This is not because it’s a secret from Martha Stewart’s vault or hidden in a remote (and very clean) monastery …

I loved discovering Mindi’s site, B.A. Bookworm, we are bookworm wanna-bes over here and I love some of the ideas she has for ways to encourage reading in our kids!  She is an advocate for getting kids up and moving, rather than sitting in front of a TV (or computer – we love starfall and online educational game over here!)  All you need for these activities is a brown paper bag and some creativity!

This is my preschoolers favorite way to paint!  Basically, it is what it sounds like; shaving cream mixed with paint.  We usually mix the shaving cream with tempera paint as it has the smoothest consistency and is the cheapest!  We have three tubs of primary colored paint: red, blue and yellow that we mix to get a whole host of colors.  When mixed with the cream, the colors look more neon and bright.

Are you feeling the post-holiday belt crunch?  I know our budget is a bit tighter each winter.  One of my favorite ways to save is through hounding our local discount grocery store (aka Bent and Dents).  Most of the food is at or near its expiration date, and many of the cans or boxes are beat up, but often I can find food for half the price it would be at the regular grocery store.  Be sure to check the food before you eat it to make sure that it …

Every New Year I take a look at this list I created years ago… 50 Ways to save money.   Including general tips, ways to save money in your household, with your kids, and when feeding your family.  So many of them I slip away from as the year goes on!  Want to join me in pinching some pennies?  Do you have a frugal tip?  I’d love to hear about it!
…
General:

Make a goal chart and as you save the amount of money or pay off debts, …

Found this recipe on the Duggar’s website.  It is a great and cheap alternative – especially useful for those with skin sensitivities as it is dye and fragrance-free.  I’ll have to try this when we run out of detergent!
Ingredients needed:
Very hot water
Ivory Soap
Washing soda (or soda ash)
Borax
…
Instructions:
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder …

We are a family that needs eyesight correction, and lots of it!  Buying glasses at full price can really break the budget.  I was beyond thrilled to have discovered Zenni Optical.  You don’t even need a current prescription (although that is always advised).  We have bought over 12 pairs of glasses from them in the past two years and have yet to be disappointed.  Where else can I buy 4 pairs of glasses with AR coated lenses for roughly $50?  I love finding deals!
Here is a site that explains how …