Search Results for: blog the family hour

Balancing Blogging and Mothering

I squinted to make sense of scattered letters through the glare on my screen.  Focused attempts at deciphering HTML became distracted by bursts of giggling from the other side of my window.  Rejoicing from finally making a text box that scrolled, I missed a small excited voice asking me to “look at me”.  Dripping hair and sopping wet footsteps ran inside to beckon me to join their mini water park complete with a blow up monkey pool.  Promising just five more minutes I shooed away wet fingers from my computer.  Next I looked up and the time for sprinklers, popsicles, and water slides … Continue reading →

Family Fun on Super Bowl Sunday

The big game is less than four days away.  On Sunday, millions of families will be gathering around their televisions to watch the Baltimore Ravens take on the San Francisco 49ers… or at least to watch the uber-hyped Super Bowl commercials. It would be great if the entire family thought watching a 4-hour game was the epitome of fun.  However, if you have young kids, they may want a bit more to do than just sit on the couch and cheer on men wearing tight pants. If you are looking for super fun ideas that will score big with little … Continue reading →

5 Free Family Activities You Can Do Today

Forget buying the latest video game or springing for a couple of hours at one of those indoor kids activity places. Instead, try one of the following free family activities that you can do today. Zero cost but lots of fun. 1. Go for a Hike…Literally Being outdoors in nature instantly calms you and raises your spirits. Studies have proven it over and over again. Plus kids really do thrive on fresh air and exercise. A hike, or even just a walk in the park, can be an activity that the whole family can enjoy. Plus, it is free. Bonus … Continue reading →

A Much Needed Family Outing Part III

After watching three different star shows, our son was ready to move on to a different exhibit.  Since we had gone to the science center several times without daddy (we took friends with us instead), our son had been talking about building rockets pretty regularly for the past several weeks.  In the physics based exhibit, there were lots of hands on activities including building rockets and launching them in competition against another rocket builder or rather launcher… I mostly see parents and nannies building rockets while the kids launch them. To date, our son has yet to build his own … Continue reading →

Five Free Family Fun Moments

Family fun doesn’t have to be expensive or even cost a thing at all. While taking in a movie and snacks at the theater might cost you $60 or more per family, isn’t it nice to know that there are still some things in life that are free? 1. Family game night. The popularity of family game night might have started as a marketing campaign for Hasbro to get you to buy more games, but the idea is not a bad one. Many of us grew up playing board games and have many fond memories of the hours we spent … Continue reading →

A Much Needed Family Outing

Family outings are few and far between in my family.  Even though we try to do things together as a family more often, it always seems like there is something more important and dire that needs to be done instead.  As our small family struggles to find the balance between job work, dissertation  work, house work, and play, we are often too exhausted to make our much needed family outings happen.  However, the opportunity for a family outing arose rather spontaneously and we jumped at the chance to get out of the house and do something fun with our children. … Continue reading →

Would Mystery Shopping Work for Your Family?

Through mystery shopping, you and your family can enjoy free restaurants, shopping outings, movies, bowling, and more. Plus, you often get paid for the privilege as well! Here is what you need to know about mystery shopping and how to determine if it is the right fit for your family. 1. Understand mystery shopping Understanding what mystery shopping is all about is important before you embark on this adventure. Basically, you pose as a customer for the company and will need to fill out a report of your experience. The different shops have different requirements. You may be asked to … Continue reading →

Favorite Family Restaurant Deals

Family-friendly and affordable should go hand in hand when it comes to restaurants, but that is not always the case. Anyone who has ever blinked twice at the cost of a plate of chicken nuggets would agree. Before you spend your family budget on eating out with the kids, check out the following favorite family restaurant deals. 1. Ruby’s Diner Ruby’s Diner offers several menu choices for kids for a reasonable price, and each kids’ meal includes a small ice cream cone for desert. Steer clean of the macaroni and cheese, which comes out of a box, and instead choose … Continue reading →

Five Free Fun Ideas Your Family Probably Isn’t Doing

By now you know how to save money on family fun, but are you really taking advantage of all of the fun family free stuff that is out there? There are plenty of things to do, to see and to learn that can be geared toward the different talents and interests of yourself, your kids and the family as a whole. If your family isn’t doing them, you could be losing out on a lot of free fun. 1. Join free classes and clubs. There are a number of free classes and clubs out there, just waiting for someone to … Continue reading →

Tips for a Budget-Friendly Family Vacation

When the thought of taking your family out to dinner makes you cringe because of the expense, it is hard to contemplate taking everyone along for an actual vacation. Even though money concerns may make it seem as though you will never get away, you do have options, a number of them in fact. Here are some ways that you can stretch your vacation budget. 1. Look for the budget airline hubs Although airfare prices seem to be rising, there are a number of airline hubs that tend to have the cheapest airfare tickets. Some places are just less expensive … Continue reading →