I’m excited to be bringing you another yummy breakfast recipe from my youngest sister, Olivia! If you need a winner French Toast recipe, this is it!
This Ice Cream Soaked French Toast is a Winner!
I started making this recipe a few years back when I was looking for the perfect French toast recipe to use on one of our super-sized family vacations. (I’m usually in charge of all the meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking!)
With 25+ people to feed, it can be difficult to come up with a recipe that suits everyone’s tastes. But ice cream-soaked French toast was a total hit with everyone the first time I made it, and we’ve been using it on our family trips ever since!
It’s extremely simple to make and can easily feed a crowd if you double or triple the recipe.
Ingredients for Ice Cream Soaked French Toast
- 1 cup vanilla ice cream, melted
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 stick butter (8 Tablespoons), melted
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 10-12 slices of cinnamon raisin bread
NOTE: Sometimes I substitute different types of bread if people don’t like raisins. Feel free to switch it up with the bread of your liking, but I think raisins add a special boost of flavor. 🙂
How to Make Ice Cream Soaked French Toast
1. Whisk together ice cream, eggs, butter, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Greased your griddle and set it to medium heat.
3. Soak bread in ice cream mixture (working with a few slices at a time) and let it sit for about 20 seconds or until completely soaked through.
4. Place soaked bread on hot skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, 1-3 minutes per side.
5. Repeat with the remaining slices of bread.
6. Serve immediately with butter and warm syrup.
How to Freeze French Toast
1. Lay French toast slices flat on cookie sheets and allow to freeze for about 30 minutes.
2. Remove from cookie sheets, and place in freezer bags.
3. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Place frozen slices of French Toast on a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.
Cinnamon Raisin Ice Cream Soaked French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 cup vanilla ice cream melted
- 4 eggs beaten
- ½ cup butter melted
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 12 slices cinnamon raisin bread
Instructions
- Whisk together ice cream, eggs, butter, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.
- Greased your griddle and set it to medium heat.
- Soak bread in ice cream mixture (working with a few slices at a time) and let it sit for about 20 seconds or until completely soaked through.
- Place soaked bread on hot skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, 1-3 minutes per side.
- Repeat with remaining bread slices.
- Serve immediately with butter and warm syrup.
Notes
TO FREEZE: Lay French toast slices flat on cookie sheets and allow to freeze for about 30 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets, and place in freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
TO REHEAT: Place slices of frozen French toast on a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.Nutrition
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Olivia is a music teacher, graphic designer, and event organizer. She loves hospitality, ministering to the elderly, reaching out to international students, playing harp gigs, adding beauty to everyday life, and experimenting with recipes in the kitchen. Her greatest joy in life come from knowing God and growing in her relationship with Him.
FREE 50+ Easy and Cheap Breakfast Ideas!!
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Target Savings Tip: Double Check Prices On Your App!
Did you know you can possibly save money by double checking in-store prices in your Target app?
Simply open your Target app and scan the item. If the price is lower than what is scanned at the register, the cashier will price match it to the price in the app!
Thanks, Rachael Resourceful Road!
MySurvey: Earn cash or rewards for taking surveys
Looking for legitimate survey companies to sign up with?
MySurvey is a company that I have used in the past and earned money from. You can redeem your points earned for cash or prizes, and every 1000 points equals $10.
Go here to sign up.
Looking for more opportunities to make money from home? See my list of recommended survey companies here.
How I Am Staying Fit in this Season of My Life
Someone recently wrote in and asked, “How do you stay fit?”
While I’ve talked about fitness in previous posts, it’s been awhile and I thought it would be great to revisit this topic again and share where I’m at in my current season of life!
As I thought about how I’m staying fit right now, three strategies came to mind:
1. I make it a priority.
I was blessed to be raised by parents who made fitness a big priority. My dad was a runner in high school and college (he was on the track team) and still runs 3 miles every single day at age 64! My mom is also really into fitness and encouraged us to participate with her in various workout programs (or just long walks or bike rides) many times while we were growing up.
As I watched both of my parents make physical fitness a priority — even in the middle of their busy lives — I knew that it was possible to find time for fitness, if you made it a priority.
As with anything you want to do in life, you can’t just say you want to do it. You have to commit to it and make it a priority. For me, that means getting in exercise as early as possible in the day and making my health and well-being a priority.
When I’m fit, I have more energy, I’m happier, I’m healthier, and I enjoy my life more. I’m a better wife, mom, and business owner. In fact, I wear all of my hats better when fitness is a priority. And it’s worth it!
2. I do what works in this season of life.
Staying fit will look different in different seasons. Right now, here’s what it looks like for me…
- Drinking a gallon of lemon water every day. If you drink enough water and stay hydrated, it will help you stay healthy, sleep better, improve your skin, make you feel more energetic, take away aches and pains from dehydration, and regulate your weight and digestion.
- I eat a big salad every day, as well as other raw fruits and veggies. I try to eat good protein at every single meal and eat mostly whole grains. I feel better when I eat whole grains, and I know that it’s better for me.
- Limit desserts and sweets. I don’t completely limit them. I did for a long period of time, but now I just make sure I eat sweets in moderation.
- Get enough sleep. Getting an adequate amount of sleep makes me healthier, happier, energetic, and more productive. It also helps my stress, clears up my skin, lowers my anxiety levels, and regulates my weight and metabolism.
- Make sure I’m not taking on too much. Stress drastically affects your health. Having too much on your plate can cause your whole body to be unhealthy. This is something I’ve made a huge priority in the last two years.
- And yes, exercise. I’ve learned not to push myself too hard. My personality is the type that I can easily be too driven and I can end up pushing myself too hard. Right now I have three very active kids who need a lot from me, I have a successful blog/business and work full-time + oversee my team and the longterm strategy of the blog, and I also invest a lot of my time into my local community. Because of this, I want to make sure exercise is fueling me, not draining me. So I try not to push myself too hard. I’m doing 10 push-ups per day and a run about 1-2 miles every day. And I try to stay active throughout the day, as well.
3. I don’t compare myself to others.
I encourage you to not compare yourself to someone else. It’s so easy to look at someone else and wish you had her body type or her metabolism.
I’m blessed to have great genes from my parents. They are healthy and slim and active and they seem to have passed on their great metabolisms and love of healthful foods and fitness to all of their kids.
But I know that not everyone has the same body structure or health or metabolism that I do. At the same time, I know that I need more sleep and more down time than a lot of other people do. Sometimes I can get frustrated that I’m not as able to go-go-go as someone else is, but then I remember that I have many strengths that other people probably wish they had.
Instead of wishing we were someone else, I want to embrace exactly who I am and all of the strengths and weaknesses, abilities and inabilities, body type and structure I’ve been given. And I want to make the best choices I can with the time, energy, and ability that I have.
Related Posts:
Gretchen’s $57 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan for 4
Aldi
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust – $0.89
1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99
1 pkg Celery – $0.99
1 pkg Instant Pudding – $0.49
1 gallon Milk – $1.88
1 bag Frozen Corn – $0.79
1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.79
1 carton Whipped Topping – $0.79
2 cans Green Beans – $0.44 each
1 pkg Chunk Cheese – $1.79
2 dozen Eggs – $1.37 each
1 Half & Half – $1.99
2 jars Spaghetti Sauce – $0.99 each
1 can Pineapple – $0.95
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.49 each
1 Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate – $1.19
1 bag Spinach – $1.49
1 bag Shredded Cheese – $2.99
1 loaf Bread – $1.49
3 pkg Strawberries – $1.19 each
Total: $30.65
Dillons
2.18 lbs Banans – $1.07
1 pkg Big K Cola – $1.28
1 Birdseye Frozen Vegetables – $1.49, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $0.99 after coupon
1 pkg Hormel Pepperoni – $3.49, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 pkg Kroger Frozen Chicken Breasts – $6.99, used $1.25/1 e-coupon – $5.74 after coupon
1 Kroger Ice Cream – $2.50, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $2 after coupon
3 Kroger Frozen French Bread Pizzas – $0.88 each, used $0.50/3 e-coupon – $0.71 each after coupon
1 Kroger Apple Juice – $1.39, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $0.89 after coupon
1 Kroger Oven Roasted Turkey Breast – $2.50, used $0.75/1 e-coupon – $1.75 after coupon
1 pkg Kroger Applesauce Cups – $1.49, used $0.40/1 e-coupon – $1.09 after coupon
1 pkg Land O Lakes Butter – $2.50
1 Milka Oreo Chocolate Bar – $0.79, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Post S’mores Cereal – $2, used $0.50/1 e-coupon AND $0.50/1 Ibotta rebate – $1 after coupon and rebate
1 pkg Reeses Peanut Butter Cups – $2.99, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Simple Truth Breakfast Bars – $1.50
5 pkg Simple Truth Nuts – $1 each, used 5 $0.75/1 e-coupons – $0.25 each after coupons
1 pkg Solero Frozen Fruit Bars – $4.99, used Free printable (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Totinos Pizza – $1.25 – used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 pkg Keebler Crackers – $2.49, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Zone Perfect Bar – $1, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
2 pkg Kroger Frozen Cod Fillets – $2.99 each, used 2 $1/1 e-coupons – $1.99 each after coupons
Used Free Clicklist coupon (so the pickup fee was waived)
Total after coupons and rebate: $27.17
Total for both stores: $57.82
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Cereal x 3
Eggs & Spinach x 3
Toast & Juice
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Sliced Cucumbers
Turkey Sandwiches, Strawberries x 2
Crackers, Cheese, Fruit, Veggies x 2
Lunch out with our Lifegroup
Leftovers
Dinners
Grilled Fish, 30 Minute Rolls, Steamed Veggies
Homemade Cheese Pizza, Breadsticks, Spinach Salad
Spaghetti, Steamed Veggies, Homemade Bread
Poor Man’s Steak (using venison), 30 Minute Rolls, Green Beans, Pudding Pie
Pancakes, Eggs, Juice
Leftovers
What I Read & Watched This Past Week
Welcome to my weekly Book-ish post where I share what I’ve been reading and watching recently. If you missed it, you can see my Reading Goals for 2018 and 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year.
What I Read This Past Week
After reading and loving Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, I was eager to read this followup book called The Emotionally Healthy Woman. While I didn’t necessarily agree with every tiny little thing in it and think you need to remember to not take anything in the book to an extreme, I felt like there were some really great nuggets of truth in this book.
A big thank you to my friend, Melissa, for letting me borrow this book and for encouraging me to read it in the first place.
What I Watched This Past Week
Jesse was in Peru this past week, so I was flying solo as a parent. Which meant I didn’t have much extra time for watching anything myself. But the kids and I did watch the next three episodes of Designated Survivor together. We really enjoy that show.
(Note: It’s definitely a more action-packed show geared for adults and it might be scary to some kids who are sensitive. Silas doesn’t usually watch it with us because it’s a bit too scary for him.)
Time to Read
People are always asking me how I find time to read. Honestly, it’s because I love to read, because I’ve chosen to prioritize it, because I don’t have a lot of other hobbies, and because I can’t not read. Also, when you love something, you usually can find ways to get creative to find time to fit it in — even if it’s in the little nooks and crannies of life.
I wrote a post on 3 ways to find more time to read — even when life is busy. And here are 7 more ways to find time to read.
What did you read and watch this past week? Any books or movies you really think I need to read or watch?
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ an update on my 2018 goals!)
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ an update on my 2018 goals!)
Welcome to my weekly post I share a peek into our lives, talk about things I’m loving, share links to interesting articles or helpful ideas I’ve collected throughout the past week, and just talk about whatever is on my heart! ?
It snowed a tiny bit on Monday! Which meant that, since we live in the South, Kathrynne’s school had a two-hour delay. Silas doesn’t have school on Mondays + it was his Spring Break (he goes to a 4-day-per-week school right now) and Kaitlynn was off for teacher in-service day, so we got to enjoy a leisurely morning… which was perfect for right after we “lost” an hour due to Daylight Savings on Monday.
Did you read my review of this book? I highly recommend it!
We all filled out our brackets for the NCAA championship this week and have a very big family competition going on for who is in first place. 🙂 We were very disappointed that WSU (the school Jesse went to for three years of undergrad) didn’t make it past the first game. 🙁
Silas & I had a fun outing on Wednesday for his Spring Break. Read all about it here.
Jesse left on Thursday to head to Peru for a few days to help put on a Discipleship Conference down there with this team from our church. We’re missing him while he’s gone, but we’re loving his updates and the opportunity he has to go on this trip and encourage and share with the church there.
While he was gone, my mom and sister came to visit for two days. It was fun to get to show them our house and have them stay with us! We took them to some of our favorite places — including the Spice Shop downtown where you can taste test all the spices! Oh man, they have some really yummy ones!
We also went to Winstead Park — which has great historic significance and beautiful views! (We took a lot more pictures from our time together, but my mom and sister said they weren’t dressed presentably enough to have me share the photos online! ;))
I got a text from a friend one morning this week. She was struggling with some big life transitions & she needed encouragement. She was feeling invisible, scared, and overwhelmed.
I texted her these words… and I feel like some of you might need to hear them tonight, too!
“I am standing with you. Well, maybe more like sitting with you! ?
“It’s SO hard to feel out of your element and that you don’t belong. That you just don’t have what they want and you don’t know how to be what you’re supposed to be.
“As I was thinking of your text this morning, I kept hearing God whisper these words to me: ‘She doesn’t feel like she belongs there. She feels like she’s an imposter. That she’s out of her league. That she’s too much or not enough. But with ME, she belongs. I’ve placed her there. She can hold her head up high and walk in confidence knowing that I have called her to this. I will be her ENOUGH. For this day. For this hour. I see her. Her work, her heart… it’s not invisible to me.’”
Over 13 years ago, when I first started blogging, I picked a lot of fights with people by blogging on hot topics. And I expended a LOT of energy defending my positions in lengthy comments & posts.
Guess what happened? Well, for one, I realized (after a few long years and a whole lot of cringe-worthy posts) that I didn’t really know what I believed & needed to stop touting the beliefs & convictions of others & step back and do my some deep soul-searching & understanding of why others believed differently than I did (instead of just adopting the prideful “I’m right, you’re wrong!” mentality.)
But I also realized that spending much of my time on the internet trying to defend myself and prove my point and convince those who disagreed with me to change their minds… all this was just frustrating me, zapping my time, and taking way too much of my emotional energy.
So I quit that blog and made the big decision to set huge boundaries on what I will and won’t blog about (that list includes basically ALL hot button issues) and I also decided to commit to not defending myself online.
Even though I don’t blog about hot button issues anymore, there are still plenty of people who don’t like me online. They wish I would blog differently. They don’t like it when I say this or fix my hair that way. They don’t like my makeup or wish I had addressed something more clearly. They upset that I make money as a blogger. They wish I would go back to being poor. They don’t like how I’ve changed over the years. They are disappointed in my choices. They think I’m too frugal or not frugal enough.. & on & on it goes.
It’s rare that a day goes by that someone doesn’t write in saying they are offended or upset or bothered by things I’ve put out on the internet.
I’ve come to peace with this. It’s part of putting yourself out there. I love the sage advice, “I am not responsible to those I don’t have a relationship with.”
I have amazing local truth tellers in my life who check in and check up on me regularly. I need that. I want that. And it gives me freedom to let almost all of the rest of the negativity roll off my back. Because you just can’t please everyone!
2018 Goals Update
Personal Goals
1. Read 100 non-self-help books that will build me up/encourage me/inspire me/recharge me. (Fiction/story-driven/biographies/inspirational living books/devotionals.) See the list of 44 books I plan to read this year.
**Progress: 16 books read so far this year
2. Read through the entire Bible.
**Progress: I’m using the Robert Murray M’Cheyne plan and am all caught up— yay!
3. Write one handwritten note to someone every week.
**Progress: 13 notes written so far this year
4. Run 500 miles.
**Progress: 96 miles run so far
Marriage Goal
5. Go on an overnight trip with Jesse without the kids.Jesse and I went to NYC together in January.Family Goals
6. Read 10 books aloud with the kids.
**Progress: I’ve finished one book so far.
7. Take the kids to South Africa.
**Progress: We nailed down dates for our trip!
8. Go on a family road trip.
Financial Goals
9. Save up to pay cash to finish off an office for me and workout room for Jesse and me in the basement in our new house.
10. Replenish our Emergency Fund (we dipped into it to replace my car when it got totaled because of the carpet beetle infestation.)
Business Goals
11. Increase our gross income from the business by 8%.
12. Launch 5 new courses.
**Progress: 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life launched in January and Content Creation 101 launched in February. We launched the 4-Week Blog Coaching Program this past week and we’re currently working on a new YourBloggingUniversity.com course that we hope to launch near the end of March.
Slow Day: Week 11
Welcome to my weekly Slow Day post, inspired by Monica from The Homespun Heart. My Word for 2018 is Slow and, in the spirit of that word, I’m taking one day each week (Wednesday) off — I’ll be unplugged and offline and plan to move at a slower pace, take time to do things that refresh me, and just really focus on being present and savoring the moment.
Each Saturday, I’ll be sharing a photographic peek into my Slow Day — and I’ll let the pictures almost 100% speak for themselves, instead of giving many explanations. Enjoy a little peek into our lives!
Kaitlynn has had extra school work recently because of the end of quarter. She’s been SO diligent and focused and we’re just so proud of her! She got up at 5:45 a.m. to finish a project!
Have you read my post on how I drink a gallon of water every day?
After dropping Kaitlynn off at school, Kathrynne and I sat in the car at Starbucks and talked and I caught up on my Bible reading. I headed to drop off Kathrynne, get ready, and go to Discipleship Group & Discipleship Leader’s Luncheon.
Since Silas was on Spring Break this week, I told him he could pick a special date for us to go on. He chose to go to Dave & Buster’s and he & I had a blast there. Best of all, there are half-price games on Wednesday.
You can read more about our experience here.
And she came home & worked on more school work. Also, I want to be able to braid like her when I grow up!
Kathrynne and I worked on unboxing some of our Amazon orders together — and we finally have new towels, something we’ve needed to order for a long time!
I left to take Kathrynne to youth group and I met with some new friends at Panera while she was there.
I came home to find Jesse helping her with a few projects.
Brigette’s $70 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $70 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
2 gallons Whole Milk – $2.72
1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.59
1 bag Rice Cakes – $1.19
1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65
2 boxes Honey Crunch Oats – $2.90
1 box Frosty Flakes – $1.49
1 pkg Turkey Pepperoni – $2.19
2 cans Tomato Sauce – $0.38
1 3-lb bag Jazz Apples – $3.79
2 pkgs Romaine Hearts – $3.18
2 pkgs Baby Carrots – $1.38
1 pkg Radishes – $0.59
1 head Cabbage – $0.69
2 1-lb pkgs Asparagus – $2.78
1 bottle Pure Vanilla – $3.49
1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.59
1 bag Zucchini – $1.09
2 5-lb bags Red Potatoes – $2.78
Total: $36.47
Harris Teeter
4 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.96
2 heads Green Cauliflower, reduced – $2.00
1 bag Bananas, reduced – $1.00
1 bag Zucchini, reduced – $1.00
4 dozen Eggs – $3.08
2 boxes Rice Krispies – $4.00, used 2 $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $2.00/2 after coupons
2 boxes Mom’s Best Cereal – $4.00, used 2 $1.00/1 printable – $2.00/2 after coupons
1 12-oz bag Frigo String Cheese – $3.00, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $2.00 after coupon
1 jar Smucker’s Fruit-Only Jam – $2.79
1 2-ct pkg Avocados – $0.97
2 boxes Truvia – $3.98, used 2 $2.00/1 printable – FREE after coupons
1 bag Snyder’s Gluten-Free Pretzels – $3.00
1 container Lysol Wipes – $1.67, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $0.67 after coupon
Total: $24.56
Walmart
My husband made a quick stop at Walmart – we live less than 1 mile away – to pick up a few things that Aldi was out of.
1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.78
1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $1.19
2 bags Frozen Broccoli/Cauliflower Medley – $1.98
1 2-lb pkg Butter – $4.68
Total: $9.63
Grocery Total for the Week: $70.66
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfast. Choices include:
Cereal, Oatmeal, Fried/Scrambled/Hard Boiled Eggs, Veggie Omelets, Fruit, Zucchini Bread (family recipe)
Lunches
Cheese Quesadillas, Carrots, Apples x 2 (Just Like Campbells Soup for me – recipe from Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook)
PB and J Sandwiches/Rice Cakes, Cucumbers, String Cheese, Bananas x 2
Leftovers x 3
Dinners
Baked Potatoes topped with Bacon and Shredded Cheese, Asparagus
Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Roasted Green Cauliflower, Creamy Milk Rice
Hamburger Vegetable Soup (I’ll used ground venison in this), Easy Italian Breadsticks
Homemade Pepperoni Pizza and Breadsticks, Tossed Salad
Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs, Tossed Salad, Bread Machine Buttery Rolls, Asparagus
Date Night Out (Kids will eat something simple at home like Macaroni and Cheese)
Breakfast for Dinner – Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon, Fruit
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Toys R Us/Babies R Us: All Retail Stores Are Closing in U.S.
Toys R Us just announced that they are closing all retail stores in the U.S. (including Babies R Us stores). Keep an eye out at your local store for clearance sales.
You can read more information here.
Thanks, Hip2Save!
8 Tips to Plan a Memorable Vacation Without Spending a Fortune
8 Tips to Plan a Memorable Vacation Without Spending a Fortune
Guest post from Becky of Simply Intentional Life:
Taking a vacation can be really expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. There are ways to take an epic vacation your family will remember and still watch your pennies.
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about vacation is that you have to be busy every single minute — you have to plan out each and every minute to ensure your kids won’t get bored.
I think another misconception is that you have to spend a ton of money on entertainment while you vacation, and I don’t think that is the case either. I think that if you plan well for what your kids’ interests are, you can go on a very affordable vacation and have an awesome time.
Here are 7 Tips to Plan a Memorable Vacation Without Spending a Fortune:
1. Choose an appropriate destination.
Choose somewhere that has all-inclusive fun suited to the ages of your children. We recently went on vacation to Orlando, FL, and we stayed a place where there are several water slides (age appropriate for my 6 and 3 year old), mini golf, fun bikes, shuffleboard, and pedal boats.
My kids had a blast.
We also took a day to go to the beach so they could play in the sand. They loved it.
We actually went to the same place a year ago because we had such a great time. We all got to bond as a family and it was perfect. The condo where we stayed cost less than $400 for 3 nights/4 days. We didn’t visit Disney on this trip because I don’t think my youngest will remember it at this age and I want that experience to be memorable for both of my kids.
Kids love to just spend time one one one with their parents playing and doing things they like to do. Give your kids your time and attention and I promise you they will remember any vacation you take.
2. Rent a condo instead of a hotel room.
Our youngest has food allergies, so whenever we can rent a condo with a full kitchen, we do. It is easier for me to cook than for us to go out and find somewhere that he can eat.
Another benefit of a condo is that it costs a lot less to make your meals than it would to go out to a restaurant for every meal.
If you like to take a break from cooking on vacation, I totally understand. Even consider eating 2 meals at the condo and going out for dinner. This will still save a ton of money.
3. Consider driving instead of flying.
Airfare can be expensive — you can rent economy cars through Advantage, Alamo or another car rental service for about $20 per day (maybe a little more with tax and if you get their insurance). If you are a family of 4, an economy car is all you need.
4. Choose the Economy Car.
This piggybacks off the last tip a little, but beware of the upgrades in the rental car biz. The rental car person is a salesman and they want you to upgrade to a cooler, funner car.
We rented a 4-door Toyota Yaris for our last trip, and the car was awesome. It had everything we needed. It was brand new, and it was great on gas.
There was plenty of trunk space and it was perfect for what we needed. If you have a bigger family, obviously a Yaris may not be in your future, but go with the cheapest car you can for your family.
5. Pack Snacks.
If you are flying, pack snacks that you can take with you. Airport snacks are easily 50% more expensive than buying your own food from the grocery store and taking it with you. You can also bring empty water bottles and fill them at drinking fountains after you pass through security.
When you get to your destination, consider making another grocery run to buy a few more snacks for the hotel room/condo and for the trip home. This will save you more money than you realize.
6. Travel during the off season.
Big beach destinations or other popular tourist attractions will be cheaper if you can go in the off season. I know that may not be possible for everyone, but it is something to consider if you can make it work.
7. Compare prices.
Check airfare and hotel pricing at different times during the week and well in advance if possible. Also, check Groupon for deals. We usually check Groupon and go through Ebates to get money back.
One caution with using Groupon, whenever you buy from them, you will not get a refund so make sure you are positive that is the vacation spot you want and you won’t need a refund at all.
8. Rent a home and vacation with others.
If you like to vacation in groups, rent a big house together. This is actually a great way to save money. You split the cost of housing and everybody wins!
Taking an epic vacation does not have to cost a lot of money. You can create these amazing memories for your family and still stick to your budget.
Have fun!
Becky Wolfe is wife, mom, part-time Physician Assistant, and business owner who has created systems for everyday life chaos and is passionate about helping other moms do the same. She blogs at Simply Intentional Life, where she helps moms meal plan, manage their time and budget.
5 Simple Ways to Jumpstart Your Success Every Morning
Are you feeling like you’re dragging around every morning or do you often begin your day feeling groggy and unmotivated? Here are five simple ways to jumpstart your success in the morning:
1. Get Some Exercise
I know it’s not the most exciting things to get up and do in the morning, but exercise is one of those things that you never regret doing. Instead of making excuses as to why you can’t find time to exercise, start thinking of ways to you can fit some exercise into your morning.
Starting the day with a little exercise is one of the best ways to wake you up and make you feel energized for the rest of the day. If you’re dragging along and feeling like you’re lacking energy and enthusiasm for life, exercise just might be the best antidote.
In fact, on the days when I DON’T want to exercise are the days when I especially need to exercise… and I always feel better when I do.
It doesn’t have to be some 30-minute workout program or going to the gym for an hour. It could just be a simple 5-minute workout or running a quick mile (or half mile!) on the treadmill. Or going out for a brisk walk around your neighborhood.
When it comes to exercise, something is better than nothing. And we often talk ourselves out of doing the something because we feel like we should be doing more.
Exercise is one of those things that you never regret doing. Instead of making excuses as to why you can’t find time to exercise, start thinking of ways to you can fit some exercise into your morning. (Find some practical ideas here.)
2. Turn on Some Music
I love to turn on playlists on Spotify or Amazon Music. (One of my current favorites is listening to the soundtrack from The Greatest Showman.)
It’s a great way to start the morning well — and my kids love it, too. It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you have fun and uplifting music playing in the background. 🙂
Want to take it to the next level? Sing and dance along with the music! I don’t know what it is, but when I sing, I can’t feel grumpy. I just can’t!
Try it and see if it works for you, too! Even if you don’t sing well, turn on a song you like and sing! I bet you’ll feel lighter and happier when you’re done!
3. Read Something Inspirational
I try to read a few pages from an inspirational book every day — and I try to do it early in the morning after my Bible reading. Even if I just read for 5-10 minutes every day, I can get a lot of reading in over the course of a month!
Plus, by filling my mind with inspirational ideas, I have a lot of great things to think about as I go throughout my day!
And if I don’t get any other reading in but just those few minutes in the morning, I have still gotten in some reading for the day. And it adds up to at least a book finished almost every month just by this time of reading in the morning! (See some of the inspirational books I’m planning to read this year here.)
4. Encourage Someone Else
Get up every day and look around for someone to bless. When you have a focus on others instead of yourself, you’ll instantly feel more encouraged and inspired! Truly, there is so much blessing in being a blessing to others.
I love to send encouraging texts to people, look for someone who needs a smile, go into my kids’ rooms and chat with them about their day and just speak love to them, kiss my husband and tell him how much I love him, reach out to someone who is going through a rough time and ask how they are doing, and (on the days that I have time and inspiration) write an inspirational post on Instagram.
5. Do the Hardest Things First
Stop spending a lot of your time and energy dreading doing something. Just get up and do it!
Sometimes, if I need to do a project and I really don’t want to do it, I’ll tell myself that I’ll set the timer and just work on it for 5 minutes or 15 minutes. Usually, by the time the timer has gone off, I’m either already done OR I’m so far into the project that I am motivated to just go ahead and finish it already!
Tackling those pesky tasks early in the day can take a burden off of you and give you more of a spring in your step and more focused productivity the rest of the day.
What helps you to start your day well? Share it with us in the comments!
P.S. Need more ideas? Check out my post on 15 Ways to Start Your Day Well.
Gretchen’s $51 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan for 4
Aldi
2 dozen Eggs – $1.45 each
2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each
1 box Hot Chocolate Mix – $1.29
1 gallon Milk – $1.87
1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99
1 Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate – $1.19
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup – $0.49
1 lb Butter – $2.45
1 bag Chocolate Chips – $1.69
1 pkg Oven Roasted Turkey – $2.39
1 bag Tomatoes – $1.49
1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.99
1 loaf Bread – $1.49
1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.79
2 pkg Strawberries – $1.19 each
1 bag Spinach – $1.49
1 pkg Red Grapes – $2.09
1 Half & Half – $1.99
1 Cantaloupe – $0.99
1 bag Mandarins – $2.69
Total: $38.63
Dillons
2 bags Kroger Frozen Veggies – $1 each
1 pkg Chicken Drumsticks – $3.24
1 Chobani Yogurt – $1, used $1.20/1 Ibotta rebate – Free plus overage after rebate
3 boxes General Mills Cereal – $2.49 each, used 3 $1.50/1 e-coupons (no longer available) – $0.99 each after coupons
1 box Fiber One Bites – $2.49, used $1.50/1 e-coupon (no longer available) – $0.99 after coupon
2.52 lbs Bananas – $1.23
2 Kroger Mac & Cheese – $0.49 each, used $0.50/2 e-coupon – $0.24 each after coupon
1 bag Kroger Pretzels – $0.99, used $0.30/1 e-coupon – $0.69 after coupon
1 bag Kroger Tortilla Chips – $1.29, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 bag Kroger Cheese (16 oz) – $3.49, used $2/1 e-coupon – $1.49 after coupon
Used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt
Total after coupons and rebate: $12.64
Total for both stores: $51.27
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Eggs & Spinach x 3
Cereal x 3
Toast & Juice
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Rice Cake Sandwiches, Fruit x 2
Turkey Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Sliced Cucumbers
Pretzels, Fruit, Veggies, Cheese x 2
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
My husband will be out of town most of this week so I’m keeping dinners super easy and kid friendly. 🙂
Dinner at in-laws
Homemade Biscuits & Gravy, Mandarin Oranges
Mac & Cheese, Grapes
Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Homemade Bread, Steamed Green Beans
Chicken Tortilla Bake, Chips, Spinach Salad
Pancakes, Eggs, Juice
Out to eat
What I Read & Watched The Past Two Weeks
Welcome to my weekly Book-ish post where I share what I’ve been reading and watching recently. If you missed it, you can see my Reading Goals for 2018 and 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year.
I didn’t get a Book/Movie post up last week — mostly because between moving at the Discipleship Retreat, I didn’t finish any books. I’m happy to be back to more reading this week. I missed it last week!
What I Read
This week, I finished Lost and Found by Kendra Fletcher. She sent me her book and I was encouraged through reading it. Her journey toward discovering grace mirrors mine in many ways and she’s been someone who has challenged me in my walk with God as I’ve sought to live in light of the Gospel instead of legalism.
I also read Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter. A reader (I’m not even sure who, but thank you!) said I must read it. And she was right.
This book is a gripping and raw true story of the author’s experience being raised in the foster care system. Y’all. I think everyone needs to read this book. It will give you a look into how much these kids go through, what deep losses they go through, and how it shapes their understanding of love and trust.
It is a story full of brokenness and hurt, but it is also hope-filled. And I think it’s a story that more people need to read and understand.
Note: This book has some language and gritty details, including details of abuse. Some of it might be triggers or too difficult to read for those who have experienced similar things.
What I Watched
Silas and I went to see the new Peter Rabbit movie. He enjoyed it and I thought there were some genuinely funny parts.
Note: Having read multiple reviews online, I was actually pleasantly surprised with the movie and would agree with this review from Plugged In. However, I always encourage you to know your own kids and to do your own research. There are some really negative reviews here that might be good to read if you are deciding whether to see the movie with your kids or not.
How I Find Time to Read
People are always asking me how I find time to read. Honestly, it’s because I love to read, because I’ve chosen to prioritize it, because I don’t have a lot of other hobbies, and because I can’t not read. Also, when you love something, you usually can find ways to get creative to find time to fit it in — even if it’s in the little nooks and crannies of life.
I wrote a post on 3 ways to find more time to read — even when life is busy. And here are 7 more ways to find time to read.