Upscale Lifestyle on a Downsized Budget
My love affair with the thrift store began when my kids were small and our budget was tight. Now that we’re putting two kids through college while planning for retirement, we’re always looking for ways to stretch our dollar. I’ve turned these limitations into a treasure hunt by finding designer brands at a fraction of […]
We’ve had about two months in the empty nest, and life is beginning to take on a new rhythm. One of the adjustments has been transitioning from hectic meals with teenagers and their friends to cooking and planning meals for just the two of us. Initially, we found ourselves eating out or eating separately as […]
Let’s here it for the boys! After 25 years of marriage, I’ve just recently come to appreciate the great grooming habits my husband incorporates into his daily routine. He’s a man’s man in every sense of the word, but that doesn’t mean he’s let himself go. When I walk into a room with other guys […]
Although I haven’t darkened the doors of a baby furniture store in quite a few years, all I have to do is look in my closet to bring back the memory of shopping for our first child’s nursery. It was a truly magical time of dreaming how our lives would be with our darling newborn, […]
In search of the elusive date night, my husband and I have had many a fail. Some of these tricky evenings have ended in a fight or, worse, failed to get off the ground- with one of us refusing to participate before we even left the house. The culprits in these date night grievances? Unrealistic […]
If you’re staring down the empty nest with more than a little anxiety about how to have a healthy marriage over 40, never fear. Here’s practical help on how to reconnect after the kids are gone. As we packed our youngest child to leave for college, I felt a flash of terror at the reality […]
Ice and artic temps kept us locked up indoors again this week and my waistline is starting to show the results of a harsh winter spent sipping cocoa and eating comfort foods. In search of some springtime motivation, I ventured over to Wal-Mart to check out their new line of spring workout essentials. Here’s what […]
I sometimes giggle when I see the luxury cars parked outside the new ALDI in my town. My mom was an ALDI fan way before it was chic. In those days, canned goods were the “safe” items, and produce, dairy, and meat were to be avoided. She was a single mom raising a family on […]
Remember that baby shower game where you got points for various objects found in your purse? Let’s play that game with jewelry. For every piece in your jewelry box that was made by kids, says “Mom”, or symbolizes your children (such as birthstones) you get a point. What did your audit reveal? 5 or fewer […]
“To have children is to have your heart walking around outside your body.” Whoever said this clearly understood my feelings when we hauled our youngest off to her dorm and waved goodbye. Saying goodbye The transition was unexpectedly gut wrenching for me. Since we live in the same town where my daughter attends college, I […]