Search Results for: blog its fun being an elf

Are You Uncomfortable Being Frugal?

Whenever a lot of money is being spent, I tend to be uncomfortable, even if I am not the one doing the spending. Just hearing about lavish consumption kind of creeps me out. I keep wondering about the mortgage on the friend of a friend’s McMansion or how I could apply the cost of someone’s lavish vacation to building up our retirement fund. I don’t know how to react when friends give their toddlers spa days or I am invited to jewelry parties, or when the suggested contribution to the teacher’s or pastor’s gift is three figures (nothing against our … Continue reading →

The Noble Efforts of the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund

One thing I will never criticize Disney about is the good work done by the Animal Kingdom and its sometimes-partner the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.  The two might technically be separate entities – the Animal Kingdom is a part of Disney World, and the DWCF is a philanthropic branch of the Walt Disney Corporation – but they often work together. Work together, of course, being an operative word.  The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund is what it’s called: a fund.  While some employees might actually go out and do something, the primary purpose of the division is to provide financial support for … Continue reading →

Schedule Yourself A Happy Holiday Season

It is that time of year again, time for everyone who works at home to get out their calendars and make sure that they plan ahead for a successful holiday season. With all of the family gatherings and other fun things that you want to do within the next couple of months, it is easy to get distracted from your work. However, if deadlines get missed or work piles up into an overwhelmingly large work load, you might not be feeling so merry or bright. By planning ahead for work and play, you can set yourself up for a successful … Continue reading →

A Not So Funny Thing Happened Today

As difficult as being a stay at home mom to a toddler and an infant can be, I would not trade it for any other set of circumstances in the world. On days where things are not going so well, it is easy to day dream about what my life might be like if I were working and the boys were at day care. Today, something happened that made it absolutely clear to me that home with my boys is really where my heart is. We were in the car, going home from the grocery store. Dylan was munching on … Continue reading →

Building Healthy Habits To Set A Good Example

Earlier this week I had a couple of days where I did not quite feel like myself. My patience was wearing thin, I was grouchy and irritable, and I was generally not all that fun to be around. I believe that the underlying cause of my acute case of the crankies is that for the past eleven days, I have been following a rather strict nutritional program called the Whole30. The Whole30 is a nutritional program designed by the folks at Whole9 that lasts for 30 days, as the name would imply. It is designed to help people reset their … Continue reading →

Sometimes I Don’t Like Being a Single Parent

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I love being a parent and because I’m an optimist I always try to look on the bright side of being a single parent. It’s hard for me to admit that sometimes I don’t like being a single parent. I wouldn’t trade my daughter for anything in the world but sometimes it’s just too much. When I was first divorced and Hailey was much younger just having to be constantly available was overwhelming. When I was married I took a walk every evening for about an hour. I needed that time away just to regroup and quiet my mind. Once … Continue reading →

Pick Your Own Fun This Summer

Summer is here, and if you are looking for a fresh and fun idea for something to do with your toddler, why not visit a pick – your – own farm or orchard. The selection of fruits or vegetables that are available will, of course, depend upon where you live. Right now in Vermont, strawberries are ripe for the picking, as are some raspberries. Blueberries are almost ready too. There’s nothing like watching your toddler gleefully enjoy a bounty of berries as you try to fill a container without him eating them all. Berries are fun to find among the … Continue reading →

Evil Spirits and Sword Fights: More Wedding Tradition Origins

Today I want to share some of my favorite origins behind wedding traditions. The traditions themselves aren’t my favorites, but I’m very tickled by their roots. These traditions have to do with the wedding party and originated in medieval Europe. It’s easy enough to imagine why a bride is surrounded by bridesmaids; they often spent the night with the bride before her wedding to make sure that she wasn’t visited by any men before becoming a wife. But that’s not the only reason for their presence. Centuries ago brides and their maids all dressed alike (which is why bridesmaids still … Continue reading →

Insurance Blog Week in Review – May 13 – 19, 2012

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Once a week, the Insurance Blog Week in Review gives you a brief description of all of the blogs that were posted in the past seven days. There could be anywhere between twelve and fourteen blogs that appear here weekly. Did you miss something? Now is your chance to “ketchup”. Governor Christie Vetoes Insurance Exchange New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has vetoed a bill that would have set up an online marketplace for health insurance. He feels that it is too early to set up his state’s insurance exchange, and is waiting to see what the Supreme Court decides about … Continue reading →