family, Frugal Living

Back-to-School Shopping: A Practical Guide (2024)

back to school clothes for kids
Jana / August 2, 2018

As August rolls in, the countdown to the first day of school begins, which means it’s time for back-to-school clothes shopping. This task has become more intricate now that my kids are tweens and fashion-conscious. They have clear “yes” and “no” lists for what they’ll wear and what they won’t, adding an extra layer of complexity.  Where to Start – Make A…

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Frugal Living

10 Reasons Why I Love Amazon Prime and You Will Too!

woman cheering to show love amazon prime
Jana / July 27, 2018

I’ve written before how much I love living in a small town. It’s safer, it’s cheaper and we have so much more control over our lives. There is a downside, however. The biggest one is access to all those fascinating things big-city people take for granted. Like shopping, new movies and people who know to pronounce “tahini” correctly (and have it…

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family

Top 10 School Supplies Teachers Love

Top 10 School Supplies Teachers Love
Jana / July 27, 2018

It’s nearly time to start purchasing all those back to school supplies. Summer goes by t00 fast! I teach high school (cue sympathy sighs). It’s a great job, but I’m sure you know that teachers spend a lot of money on supplies. I don’t have a lot of money, so I’m always looking for what lasts. While I’m always ready for…

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Chickens

We Have Eggs! – Raising Backyard Chickens

backyard chicken eggs
Jana / July 20, 2018

We started last February with tiny baby chicks and now we have full sized chickens laying eggs! It’s very exciting for the kids to go out every day and check for eggs in the nesting boxes. Since my last post about moving the chickens to the coop, there has been a lot of growing and many adventures! We were away…

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blogging, Organization, Personal Organization

Declutter Your Day

monthly goals planning
Jana / July 18, 2018

This week, we’re on our annual lake vacation. There’s limited internet and no cellular service at all. Without all that connectivity, I’ve had hours of time to read, reflect and plan out the rest of the year. One of the things I’ve been reflecting upon is the amount of time I must spend passively using technology for no real purpose!…

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family, Writing

Lake Cabin Vacation

lake cabin view
Jana / July 8, 2018

We’re on vacation! Every year, we rent a cabin at the lake I spent my summers as a child. In fact, the cabin is directly across the lake from the lakehouse my grandparents owned. The cabin is part of a small, family-owned resort.There’s no tv and no cell phone service. Wifi only really works if you get up really early.…

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Writing

June Life

ice cream
Jana / June 27, 2018

School let out in a whirlwind. It seemed like every day was either a school event or an appointment that required at least an hour’s drive. It’s amazing how much can get crammed in those last days of school! Since then, we’ve been enjoying relaxing, sleeping in and having fun together! Ha! Ha! None of that is true… We’re up…

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