Category: Family Life

I can’t believe that Halloween is almost here again. My son loves dressing up as his favorite character, which is Batman, this year. My mom made the costume on her sewing machine. She even made the gloves and boot covers, as well as, the logo on the front of the suit. She did a fantastic job, and he plans to wear it even after Halloween is over. I’m very lucky to have a mom who loves to make his costumes.

Each year we take him trick or treating in a very safe area where we know the majority of the people. We always have our candy checked before we allow him to eat any of it. We also try to go early, before it gets too dark, since it’s easier to see where you are walking. We do take a flashlight and glow stick for him. We are also fortunate that the area gets blocked off from vehicle traffic.

If you haven’t started your costume shopping, then check out Halloween Costume Store to get the best selection on costumes. They offer easy returns, and the best part is Free Shipping on orders over $60 until 10/10/08! Hurry before this great deal ends. If you are going to a party, then stay safe on the roads.

The cost of living is on the rise which includes insurance costs. We are very fortunate to have a great plan at my husband’s job. The cost of medical care is even more expensive, without any kind of health insurance. It only takes one medical emergency to wipe out a savings. If you live in North Carolina then check out NC health insurance.

Today’s thrifty living tip is make double or triple batches when cooking. You can’t always do this since some foods don’t freeze. But there are many dishes that you can make at least a double batch of while cooking. It will save you lots of time and money. There are nights when you don’t feel like cooking. No problem since you can take something out that morning, let it thaw during the day, and just pop in the oven or microwave that evening. There will be less dishes to do as well which is an added bonus.

I can still remember my first day of school like it just happened yesterday. I was very excited about all the kids I would meet, but I was a little worried if my new teacher was going to be mean or nice. I had nothing to worry about, since it turned out, that my teacher was very nice. I can still remember all the great things I learned in Kindergarten. I learned my alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes, and we even had to learn how to tie our shoes. I wore this very cute blue dress with ruffles. My mom loved dressing me in these ruffle dresses with barrettes in my hair. I met my first best friend in that class. We are still best friends all these many years later.

The worst part was how many school supplies I had to bring. I think if I had color labels on them, then it would have been easier to have known which scissors were mine. My parents did write my name but sometimes the name would smudge off over the school year. Dymo label maker is a great way to organize not only school supplies, but clothes, boxes, and so much more. My parents could also have marked my school clothes for each day. It would have made getting dressed in the morning easier and faster.

After we came back from our forced vacation for Gustav, I really thought my husband might have to find a new job. I was already worried about how well my house fared from the strong winds, and then I had a job search for my husband in the back of my mind. We were very fortunate that didn’t happen, but it is a good idea to have a plan for the worst case scenario. Your life can sometimes change in the blink of an eye.