Budgeting for Christmas — Start Now!

There are just over two months left until Christmas. While that might seem like a long way away, that usually means there are just a few paydays left. Many people leave thinking about their Christmas budget until the last minute, but consider this your warning to get your finances into shape. 

Want to get ahead of Christmas this year? Here’s how you can start budgeting for Christmas and save some extra money too!

Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons

Work out what you need

It’s easy to go crazy over the holidays, losing track of what you’ve bought and how much you’ve spent. But if you’ve got a plan in place, you should be able to stick to it. Think of all the things you need for Christmas, from gifts and decorations to food and drink. Once you’ve got it all written out in front of you, you can see how much money you need to save and maybe make some tough decisions about your priorities. Check out this post on Ramsey Solutions on How to Set up Your Christmas Budget.

Tick Tock Escape Games in Overland Park, KS

I can't say enough good things about our experience at Tick Tock Escape Games in Overland Park, KS. When they contacted me to see I'd like to come try it out for free in exchange for a review blog post back in the summer of 2017, I was intrigued. My son Michael had been to an escape room once and loved it and he was excited to try another one. He loved Tick Tock so much that his 15th birthday is coming up and he specifically asked to go back to Tick Tock and take 4 friends and his dad!

I really didn't know what to expect, and of course I can't share much because you have to figure out each room on your own! We took our three oldest kids and left the two youngest with our friend and her kids. The kids we took were then 16, 14 and 12.

When we got there, we were given instructions about how to get through the escape room situation. 
We were in a room with cool music and retro clues, so I was in trivia heaven. My husband didn't grow up watching a lot of TV, so I was super helpful in that area. However, that's about where it ended. Everybody worked together and we did so well we only missed the one-hour time limit by a couple of minutes. It was so great as a mom to watch my kids work as a team and come up with some smart ideas of things to try and they figured out so many of the clues! I went into the experience thinking my husband and I would have to carry the whole deal, but the kids were amazing!

They had a blast and wanted to do it again immediately. I texted my dad right away and told him he needed to do the same room I had just done, and he needed to do it with his brothers sometime soon. Fantastic workplace team-building opportunity. Great for birthdays, a double date, family or friend fun.

(I had written this post but not published it. In creating a list of enrichment activities for homeschoolers on my homeschooling blog, I remembered this escape room and added it to the list!)

Why Pet Ownership Will Benefit Your Entire Family

No matter the age of your kids, owning a pet can be a very beneficial step for your entire family. Kids love animals and having a pet in their own home which they can love, care for and even play with, will make your kids grow up into adults who have a different take and perception on the world. Even if your children are still toddlers or learning to walk, the bond that they have with a family pet will be just as strong. Older kids will love having another person to play with and could even feel like they are more loved and cared for in their own home. 

Most parents struggle with the idea of investing time, energy and effort in a new family pet. In particular, if you work long hours or struggle to pay your household bills. Certainly, owning a new four-legged friend is not a decision to take lightly, no matter how much your kids promise that they will help with the feeding and pet care. However, owning a pet provides a whole range of benefits that you may not previously have considered either. Pets can even help you with your own parenting tasks, if your kids are struggling to finish their homework or find it hard to settle down for some quiet time with a book, then snuggling up with their furry friend will provide the perfect incentive for your little ones to study and learn. Plus, if your little ones are struggling to make friends or trust other kids – or even family members, then a four-legged friend can provide them with the comfort and support they need during this particularly difficult period in their lives. Contrary to common perceptions, kids who grow up with pets in their homes may even have fewer allergies or sniffles and sneezes than their contemporaries, as the bacteria that they get from pets could even help boost their immune systems, rather than make them weaker. So, if you were not sure that owning a pet would benefit your life, and that of your entire family, then you may be pleasantly surprised at just some of the lesser-known positives that pet ownership can bring.  

POGO Pass for 50% Off!!!

Here's what I know:

This is an AMAZING GIFT for your own family, another family, anyone who is new to the area, grandchildren, and newlyweds. 

This is not just for kids!

Kids older than 12 often count as adults and the price of things goes up, but with POGO Pass, it's just one redemption no matter the age of the person using it. 

The app makes it so easy to keep track of everything you've already done!

Here's how to buy one if you're ready to roll. $44.99 + tax through my site instead of $99.98 + tax just by going to my link!

Head over here to see how much all the current Kansas City Pogo Pass venues would cost WITHOUT a Pogo Pass.

4 Ways to Nurture Your Child’s Creativity

 Every human is creative. It’s just that some people haven’t actively invested in their creativity. As the old metaphor goes, creativity is a well that you need to top up from time to time. You can do this as an adult, but it’s much easier if you learn the practice when you’re a child. That simply gives you more time to find the creative medium that suits you best — and then become a master of it. If you have a child, then it’s best not to force your child into creativity. Instead, you can gently nudge them in that direction. We’ll look at some top tips for doing just that in this post. 

Pexels - CC0 Licence

Go Exploring

The more information that’s received, the more likely it is that the brain will use that information and transform it into something creative. You could have creative thoughts if you were sitting in a basic, windowless room, but it’d be much more difficult — especially if you had an untrained brain. Let your child’s imagination run wild by going exploring in the great outdoors. Those spaces always offer something that urban areas can’t. Plus, a day of hiking in nature is just a great day out for the whole family. It’s a win-win activity. 

July 11: Free Slurpees ALL DAY at 7-11

2023 Update: We forgot to go last year! This year we have to go! Sam has a basketball game that night plus it's Chick-fil-A's Cow Appreciation Day as well, so we're going to be busy! Maybe we'll see you at 7-11 or Chick-fil-A!

2020 Update: I'm wondering what Free Slurpee Day is going to look like with social distancing requirements in place all over the country. We moved in the fall of 2017, so I don't remember doing this in 2018, but last year we hit a couple of 7-11 stores in Grandview, Missouri and had a blast doing it.

ORIGINAL POST:
Today is July 11, 2012, and you can find my family at the local 7-11 convenience store filling cup after cup with FREE SLURPEES. We go before lunch then again before dinner! It's from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. So mark your calendar for July 11 = free Slurpees. Then July 12 = Chick-fil-A Cow Appreciation Day!

photo courtesy of 7-eleven.com

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Harlem Globetrotters World Tour #globies Review

 Check out my pre-post about the Harlem Globetrotters 2023 World Tour and a 20% off promo code!

Disclosure: I was provided tickets in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I told my family we were going to see the Harlem Globetrotters at the T-Mobile Center in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, they were so excited! My son Sam, who is 13 and loves basketball, could hardly sleep the night before the big game. 

The Globetrotters certainly brought their basketball skills and athleticism, as well as quite a few laughs as they defeated the Washington Generals. 

This was my kind of game, with a 4-point shot line and over-the-head backward shots like I attempt sometimes. One of the players even got on top of the backboard and hung out there for a while! We loved Globie, the mascot, and all the pranks the players inflicted on each other and the audience!

This was fun for our entire family and a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I highly recommend grabbing your family and a bunch of friends and going to see the Globetrotters!

During halftime, we got a basketball for our son and he was THRILLED! 

But I think his favorite part was AFTER the game, when anyone who had a ball got to go around the court and get their ball signed by the Globetrotters AND take pictures with them!

This is a World Tour, so check the Harlem Globetrotters tour schedule and find out when a game is coming to your town! Grab tickets and plan for a fantastic afternoon or evening of family fun!

Little Passports Travel Tips and 20% off Promo Code

Let's get right to it. How about 20% off sitewide at Little Passports with the Pre-Black Friday code NOVEMBER20? If you use my link to purchase a Little Passports subscription, you get a great deal and a great learning activity for your kids. It's the perfect birthday or Christmas gift from grandparents or Santa!

I've written before about how much we loved Little Passports when we had the subscription. The kids loved getting them in the mail, and they are great for all ages. Sam and Eva got their little suitcase starter kits and carried everything in them. The older kids got their bigger-kid kits and learned geography and all sorts of other fun things. 

Today Little Passports is bringing you some travel tips for the upcoming holidays (or summer vacation, or just an hour-long trip to the apple orchard). 

Making the best of a road trip with Little Passports Travel Tips

“Are we there yet?” was a term coined by the family road trip! While new technology and toys may have silenced backseat conversations, spending time together in the car can still be a great opportunity for family bonding and learning. Even if you plan on bringing the latest gadget to pass the time, try saving them for the end of your trip when everyone is tired and cranky! 

Here are some ideas from Little Passports that are sure to make the time fly by (or at least go by a little faster):

Save your most recent Little Passports delivery from Sam and Sofia for your road trip so your kids to learn and explore during the car ride.

Say goodbye to your trusted GPS! Bring back the memory of car trips as a kid and use a map! The night before your trip bring out an actual map (if you can find one!) to show your intended route to your child. Even better, copy the map and pull out a highlighter so your child can follow along – and let you know when you missed a turn.

Build in time for pit stops – and if time allows, make short stops that incorporate fun activities along the way. Everyone will need a bathroom break and a meal, but if that happens at a place right off the highway and near the playground it can be better for everyone! The kids will get fed – and burn off some energy.

Hit up a dollar store before you leave and stock up on small toys and activities to give to your kids along the way. Every hour let your child choose a surprise – a great incentive for good behavior! You can even wrap the toys for an added element of excitement.

Harlem Globetrotters 2023 World Tour — Save 20% with Promo Code

 

See that move she's doing in the photo above? Yeah, my son Sam can do that. He learned how to do that last summer at a basketball conditioning deal at my girlfriend's house. God just happened to send this girlfriend our way not only so I could have a fantastic new friend and my kids could have wonderful friends (including a bestie for my oldest daughter), but also so my youngest son could learn how to play basketball and get into an outstanding homeschool basketball organization! 

Anyway, that move. I keep trying to do it but have not succeeded so far. I'll keep working on it 😁

In the meantime, I'll sit back with my family and watch the Harlem Globetrotters in Kansas City on April 1st. Don't live in Kansas City? No problem. It's a WORLD TOUR, so I bet they'll be in a city near you! Check out the Harlem Globetrotters World Tour schedule here, as well as details and a promo code to save 20% on tickets!

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS 2023 WORLD TOUR tickets are now on sale! Bringing world-class basketball showmanship to arenas all over the U.S.

Save up to 20% with Promo Code: USFAM (Discount valid on tickets purchased at least One Week Prior to Game Date)

The Harlem Globetrotters 2023 World Tour presented by Jersey Mike's is coming with game like never before! Your favorite Globetrotter stars are bringing out their amazing basketball skill, outrageous athleticism and a non-stop LOL good time.

Join the Globetrotters as they go head-to-head against the Washington Generals who will stop at nothing to try and defeat the world's winningest team! In 2023, every fan is getting in on this action...that means YOU, so get ready! It's GLOBETROTTER game time!

Click here for the Printable Coupon

10 Popular Collectible Toys

 

Pexels. CCO Licensed.

Toys are a popular collectible item among kids and adults alike. Not only can these collections be fun to obtain, but they can also gain value over time. Below are just 10 of the most popular collectible toys (and how much they can be worth). 

Lego

People have long collected Lego sets. Some old sets have become incredibly valuable over time - the most valuable being the Space Command Center set, which cost $24.99 upon its release and now is worth over $10,000. 

Minifigures have become the most recent collectible craze. There are sites where you can shop for minifigs. 

Funko Pops

Funko Pops are a series of bobbleheads that first launched in 1998. There are now over 8,000 variations and they have become a popular collectible item. 

Funko Pops are most valuable when kept in their box. This guide to Funko pops explains more.

Beanie Babies

These small soft toys took the world by storm in the late 80s and 90s. They have become popular collectible items, with some of them being incredibly valuable. 

Got some old Beanie Babies in your loft? It could be worth digging them out to see how much they’re worth. 

*Updating* 33 Things to Do Indoors with Kids in Kansas City

Okay, so my visions of snuggling up by a fire and homeschooling every day last winter were blown to bits by the fact that my kids are getting older and bounce off the walls when stuck inside on freezing days. So here are some indoor ideas I have come up with so far ... some are free and some are so expensive they should not even be on the list. Enjoy!

Last updated in 2019, pre-COVID, and some things may have changed so I'm updating again now on the day after Christmas 2022 :-) Some of these are included for no charge once you purchase your $39.99 Pogo Pass (if you use my referral link here, then you don't pay $79.98!)

Please use this list and enjoy it and have fun NOT being stuck in the house with your kids when it is 10 degrees outside this winter. Maybe I'll see you out there and please, I beg of you, don't judge me when you see me out with my 5 kids and I am feeding them Kit Kats for lunch with a Capri Sun chaser. Assume we got all our homeschooling done that morning. Definitely let's chat and share in this parenting thing.

Feel free to leave me more ideas in the comments section, or email me at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com. Thanks, and see you around!

You could take your kid on the $5 Roasterie tour and get to wear a nifty cap like this one! Reminds me of Laverne and Shirley a little bit!

1. Aaron's Family Fun Center in Belton (my new neighborhood, close to Peculiar). Aron and the kids went bowling there one night and had a blast. Check out this post about Kids Bowl Free all Summer! If you homeschool or have little ones, go during the day in the winter, and for just a few bucks you get a game, shoes, and a soda!
   
   
2. Bass Pro Olathe or Bass Pro in Independence just to mess around, especially at Christmastime.
   
   
3. Blue Valley Recreation Center and Activity Center. Indoor pool. Massage chairs. Enough said.
   
   
4. Coffeecade in Peculiar, MO has throwback video games, a pinball machine, a beer pong machine (!), gift items like Chiefs stuff, soaps, and coffee. They also have great coffee drinks and baked goods!
   
   
5. Centerfire shooting range if your kids are a little bit older and you are cool with teaching your kids how to safely handle a gun.
   
   
6. Christian Youth Theatre. $5 shows on Fridays during certain times of the year. They also have classes and plays that your child can audition for!
   
   
7. Coco Key for indoor water fun!
   
   
8. Great Wolf Lodge for indoor water fun!
   
   
9. Ibis Bakery in Lenexa field trip.
   
   
10. IKEA in Merriam ... If you sign up for the family card we are talking about free kid meals on Tuesdays, free coffee for you and lots of roaming space. Here is my post about that.
    
    
11. Indigo Wild factory, where they make amazing soaps (ZUM bar!) and other great-smelling things.
    
    
12. Jump City indoor bouncy houses.
    
    
13. Kaleidoscope and Hallmark Visitors Center (both free!).
    
    
14. Kaw Prairie Church and play area.
    
    
15. Kidscape in Shawnee moved to the Heritage and Arts Center 87th and Metcalf!
    
    
16. Lakeside Nature Center near the Kansas City Zoo. Look for the Nolan Connors brick near the front door. He's my friend Jill's son who died in his sleep on December 31, 2012 at age of 13; he used to volunteer here.
    
    
17. Matt Ross gym and pool For $170 for 3 months you can get a family pass to  ... definitely worth it for big families if you can scrape the funds together. Check out the game room and explorer room for playing.
    
    
18. McDonald's Playlands! 87th Street in Overland Park by the Central Resource Library; 95th Street in Overland Park by Oak Park Mall; Belton by the Cass County Library; Lenexa near 435.
    
    
19. Let's Go Putt Indoor Mini Golf (Prehistoric Putt) in Independence, Mo replaces Paradise Park.
    
    
20. The Roasterie field trip (*updated* $5 for the tour)
    
    
21. Science City at Union Station and buy the planetarium tickets! Boom -- homeschool science for the week for the win!
    
    
22. Scheel's is a fun place to hang out and they have a Ferris wheel!
    
    
23. SkyZone (kinda expensive for my crew for only an hour of play even with the homeschool discount ... you have to buy their sky socks and good luck washing them and finding them ever again, hence the buying of the sky socks again and again). Get the monthly pass with friend option (a sibling counts as a friend) and go often!
    
    
24. Steamboat Arabia Museum in the City Market area takes care of history for the day.
    
    
25. Wonderscope Children's Museum in Shawnee Red Bridge Area.
    
    
26. Coming soon to replace Zonkers.
    
    
27. Library events reading time and craft times.
    
    
28. Paint, Glaze and Fire or some other ceramics painting spot (you can take the older kids).
    
    
29. The ballet and KC Symphony.
    
    
30. Check out Stone Lion Puppets' free shows.
    
    
31. The Coterie at Crown Center, where you can go with a group to get the $5 tickets. 
    
    
32. Emerald City Gymnastics has a homeschool open play on Mondays and Thursdays from 2-3 p.m. ages 4 and up ... only $5 for an hour of open play (half the price of SkyZone and no Sock Police and a great staff!).
    
    
33. The Foundry Parkside Coffeehouse at Cedar Ridge Christian Church in Lenexa. Friday afternoons you'll find bunches of homeschoolers there.

When you get home from having a ton of fun with your kids, you can either get this free on Kindle Unlimited (30-day free trial then $9.99 a month), pay hardly a thing for the ebook version, or order the print version for 2-day delivery on Prime and make one of these tater tot casserole recipes for dinner!

The Real Cost of a Kansas City Pogo Pass

 

Over on this blog post where I rant and rave about how much we have loved our Pogo Passes for years, I mentioned that so far this year (2022) we have been to the Jazz Museum, ROKC, Kansas City Zoo Boo at the Zoo, and the Beach at Lake Olathe, which would have cost $57 alone just for those 4 places. 

Pogo Passes are good for one full year from redemption, normally cost $80, but you can get them for just $35 using my referral code and doing it during the Pogo Pass Black Friday Sale, and here's the current list below with prices from lowest to highest in Kansas City alone. You can also see my graphic above. Lower prices are if you're a resident of Olathe or Jackson/Clay county, purchase online. I created the graph based on a 5-year-old child, a 14-year-old teen, and an adult. Links to venues are below and also on the Pogo Pass site! 

Don't live in Kansas City or want to purchase for someone else in another spot? Traveling within the next year? You can get passes to Dallas/Ft. Worth, South Central Texas, Phoenix, and Las Vegas!

1. American Jazz Museum ($6-10)
2. Beach at Lake Olathe ($8 resident/$10 nonresident)
3. Black Bob Bay Waterpark ($10 resident/$12 nonresident)
4. Fort Osage National Historic Landmark ($4-8)
5. Kansas City Zoo ($8.50-20)
6. KC Mavericks hockey games -- 2 ($12 general admission? Reserve in advance through the Pogo Pass site, then Events.)
7. Level Up Arena 2-hour gaming pass ($10)
8. My Play Cafe ($10 ages 6 months to 6 years)
9. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum ($6-10)
10. Northland Rolladium Skate Center (complicated fee structure depending on the day/time of day and sometimes includes skates/sometimes not; $6-10)
11. Powell Gardens ($4-10)
12. Prairie Fire Museum ($5)
13. Pump it Up ($? open play; temporarily closed while they move)
14. Rainbow of the Heartland ($10 open play)
15. ROKC Climbing Gym ($18 for a day pass, which includes gym equipment)
16. Science City ($14.50)
17. UMKC sports events -- 1 ticket to each: men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball ($10 each)
18. Wonderscope ($12 ages 2-15, $9 over age 15)

Also check out 33 Things to do Indoors with Kids in Kansas City!

3 Crafts to Try

Image by Candace Hunter from Pixabay 

 Even if you've never considered yourself a very crafty person, you might want to get started on a new hobby, something fun and relaxing that leads to beautiful results. If this describes you, then read on for three creative crafts to try.

Fun Activities to Do Over the Weekend

After a whole week of work, meetings, and attending to your customers, the weekend is always a great time to take some time off and catch up with friends. Instead of being indoors alone, bored, there are so many fun activities you can do together which are not only good for your health but allow you to bond with your friends as well. If you are unsure what to do, here are a few ideas to inspire you for your weekend activity.

3 Easy Crafts for Beginners

 

Are you looking for a new hobby but feel intimidated by the complexity of some popular activities such as quilting or portrait painting? First of all, you can learn anything and have fun doing it! There are classes available in your area that can show you a new skill to enjoy. Whatever hobby you want to pick up, you can find everything to do it art supply store Long Beach CA. However, if you want to start with a craft that's simple to do, try one of these.

1. A Fleece Baby Blanket

Pick out a few yards of polar fleece with a fun pattern for the little one in your life. Cut the piece in half and make fringe all the way around the outside. Tie the fringed ends together and you'll have a cute, cuddly blanket in no time. This is a perfect homemade gift for a new parent. They'll appreciate your care and effort.

2. A Centerpiece

Get a foam block and some artificial flowers. Arrange them by sticking them into the foam and you'll quickly have a beautiful display for the middle of your dinner table. It's fun to change these out with the seasons, featuring special holiday decor throughout the year, including ornaments at Christmastime or using a colorful basket in the spring.

3. Handprint Art

Incorporate the kids in the crafts! Purchase non-toxic finger paint and get out the construction paper. Make handprint ghosts for Halloween or turkeys for Thanksgiving. You'll create memories and artwork you can cherish forever.

Don't be afraid to get creative. You can find a whole new passion that you can share with others. Look for ideas in magazines and online. Invite a friend to try something new with you. You can have a great time without spending a lot of money, and who doesn't want that?

7th Annual Pitching for Priests Baseball Game -- Kansas City 2021 Friday, October 15

7th Annual Pitching for Priests Softball Game

Fall Classic!

Priests from Kansas City - St. Joseph VS. Priests from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas

Friday, October 15th at 7:00 PM

Tailgating will begin at 4:00 pm

KC Monarchs Stadium (old T-bones Stadium) - Legends Field Ballpark

1800 Village West Pkwy, Kansas City, KS 66111 

Get this in your budget now and on your calendar! I always wonder who we should root for? We lived in Kansas forever ... now we live in Missouri. Rooting for both!

Get your tickets here!

PLEASE NOTE: This post is updated annually so it's kind of confusing and like a really bad novel jumping back and forth in time. Father Evan Harkins has since passed away, and his loss will be felt forever. Please continue to pray for him and for his family. This is what I wrote about him last year and just can't bring myself to take it down: "Father Evan Harkins is my friend's son (she taught my boys study skills and my daughter how to do handcrafts), and we got to see him play in 2018. He's such a sweet person, it's like he is a priest celebrity. Like how can anyone really be that awesome?!"

UPDATE 2019! This was originally posted June 12, 2018 and we went to the game and LOVED IT! Our family enjoyed it so much we are going again this year with tons of friends … and TAILGATING! Our own Father Haake is playing again and he is an amazing priest with such great insight and the best homilies!

UPDATED POST for 2020, which was then cancelled: My family is so excited about this event for the third year and a row, and we are grabbing our tickets fast! Priests playing baseball is actually super entertaining, especially as you get to know more of them. I was at a party Saturday night where there were three or four seminarians, so I'm at that age where I get all excited to see who is going to be an incoming priest because I know their mothers and their families and I love that they are going to study at seminary!

#WorldsofFun — the Perfect Family/Fun Day! Find Your Amazing!

So I initially titled this post "Perfect Summer Day" ... but we've been to WinterFest and it was a Perfect Winter Evening. How about The Haunt? That would be a Perfect Autumn Evening! Carnivale? The Perfect Summer Night! We are so fortunate to have Worlds of Fun here in Kansas City, and it's no wonder people come from all over the country in all seasons and in all types of weather to enjoy it!

All photographs you see in this post that are of my family on a ride were taken while others were still loading onto the rides. We did NOT take any photos while a ride was being operated. You are not allowed to do this, and we did not do it!

*I need to start by sharing how great the Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun park app is. It stored all of our tickets and passes, including meal and drink passes. It showed wait times of rides and had a map of the park. It also made it quick and easy to get into the park.

7 Ways To Create A Wonderful Home Environment For Your Kids

 If you’re a parent, one of your biggest concerns will likely be creating an environment for your kids in which they can thrive. Adults often look back over their time at home as kids, but it’s down to you as to whether they reminisce positively or negatively. Below, we have 7 ways to create a wonderful home environment for your kids that will make it fun and memorable for all of the right reasons! 

Gift Guide: Universal Yums Subscription Box

 

Universal Yums makes a fantastic gift!

Do you worry that your grandchildren are not learning enough about the world in school? Is it hard to find a snack that's interesting and fun? Are you unable to board an airplane flight to anywhere in the world? Are you concerned because your kids seem to be sitting around the house staring at the ceiling tiles, bored out of their minds? 

Universal Yums can solve all of those problems! (and, yes, if you click on the link, we each get a special deal) 

Back in May 2020, I bit the bullet, plunked down 39 bucks, and got a massive box of snacks from United Kingdom (June 2020 Universal Yums box) for my family to sample. Here are some photos of the snacks we received. (FYI: you can pause anytime you like and restart your subscription box, change the size, etc.)

I apologize for some of the sideways photos!

Interesting!

LOVED these!

The Yum Scoreboard helps you keep track of your favorite snacks!

I'm going to order the Germany box for my dad and mom when it comes around because they lived there for a while (it's where I was born, in fact) and might think that's a pretty cool gift to get in the mail. Also, if there's ever a Kuwait, Dubai, or Middle East gift box, we gotta have it since my husband travels there quite a bit for work and it would be fun for the kids to sample some snacks from that region of the world.

What country or region would you like to try snacks from?

The Tiny House Movement + I Want to Live at IKEA

 A post came up on my Facebook feed recently reminding me that we bought the four acres adjacent to our home a few weeks after the insane and stressful process of selling our old home and moving in to our new one. I had forgotten about that entire stressful process, kind of like a mini-house-buying negotiation session complete with more papers to sign. Thank goodness for Docusign so we didn't have to do everything in person!

I was thinking I probably need to check into getting a building permit to build a tiny house on this "bonus property" for my mom to live on someday. Or I also dream of a little office back in the woods so I can get creative and write my memoir series. But that's a long time away! I still have around 8 more years of homeschooling :-)

So let's go back to September 2017 for a moment and a trip I took to IKEA with my kids...

Remember that movie from the ’80s where the guy and the girl got lost in the Target and had so much fun? Well, I prefer IKEA. They even have the food of my people, the Swedes. Food, coffee, chocolate, lots of space for running. The ultimate hide-and-seek space. Bathrooms. Did I mention amazing food?

Look! You can even get in your exercise at IKEA!

I like these storage solutions, but always fear I'd bonk my head on them.

Can you imagine living in 590 square feet? Have you ever had to, such as in a
dorm room or tiny studio apartment?

Callie's ideal office, complete with Eiffel Tower prints.

Time to go.

When we got home later, my son put on the song "I Wear My Sunglasses at Night" and trotted around in time to the beat like a super cool guy. When I was 13 years old, I sure didn't think that someday my kid would like my music. I know my dad has the same thoughts.