homemade halloween

You’d be wrong if you’re assuming that, for Halloween, Jacob will be Luigi (the taller one) and Isaac will be Mario (the shorter one). It’ll be the other way around. Why? Because we bought thrift-store hats for their DIY costumes and the green one fit the wee one better, so that’s how they decided. The best part of the hats, at $0.99 each on 50% off day, I scored them both for a buck.

When they told me that they’d like to be Mario and Luigi, I thought it’d be they’d be the simplest costumes to make. Overalls, red and green shirts and caps, a little crafty monogramming, gloves and stick-on moustaches. But I soon realized that is no longer 1995 and finding overalls to fit a seven year old is easier said than done. After a few thrift-store stops, I found a pair for Isaac, that are actually size 3T because he really is the wee one, even though he’s nearly five. It took an extra week or two, a few unfruitful Facebook pleas and finally a miracle thrift-shop find to get a pair for J. They’re size 10 so I had to cut about six inches off the legs and for my skinny-jeans-loving kid, we had to pin the legs to make them feel a little less like parachute pants. In the end, it worked out perfectly.

They’re using red and green shirts they already had, just worn backward to hide the patterns. For the best hold on the monogrammed Ls and Ms, I used my hot glue gun with fun foam, which means the parts of these overalls are now permanent costumes and will be put into the costume closet for future dress-up fun. Then, it all came together in a neat little bow when Miss Allie scored the gloves at Party City.

 

Total out-of-pocket expense: ~$10
Difficulty: Easy
Satisfaction mom feels with these super easy homemade costumes: Priceless

friday favourites

The best cookies ever: I have made countless chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years. Easily dozens, maybe hundreds. I bake more or less weekly and I try new recipes constantly. (I did a six-recipe quest in 2010 on my old blog actually. Here are the results: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6, in case you want to journey back). Suffice it to say, I’ve been at this for a while.

Well, I’m very happy to tell you that my search is over. For real. THIS is the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. Pure and simple. I’ve made it several times over the past month or two and they’ve turned out perfectly each time. There’s a special trick though and since we’re friends, I will tell you. Rather than the full amount of chocolate chips, I use half chocolate and half salted caramel chips. You’re welcome.

If this doesn’t make your Friday happy, I don’t know what will.

the expense of it all

Life is expensive. I ramble about inflation and taxes and cost of living in general, but you all already know what it is, what it means and how it can influence your day-to-day existence. I also know that I’m not the only one who checks to see if gas is going up or down in order to strategically plan my trip to the pump.

A recent online conversation with friends and fellow bloggers turned to the cost of kids’ footwear (my friend Heather wrote about it here). Kids’ boots and shoes are expensive and kids are hard on equipment — sneakers barely last a season, rubber boots leak, feet grow out of one size and into another in a blink. I have learned, like Heather has, that it doesn’t pay to cheap out on these items because you’ll only be on the hunt again before you know it.

I’m a super saver. Always has been. It’s in my blood. Yesterday, my mum texted me to say that she’d found a gift for me that was regularly $100 and she only paid $7. For real. I don’t even think I care what the gift is — I’m more excited by the deal. And we are the kind of people that leave both price stickers on when we wrap our gifts — it’s a badge of honour and we’re quick to congratulate each other on these achievements.

On this train of thought, I decided to jot a list of some of my favourite money-saving tips.

Stock up: Our kids are invited to birthday parties regularly, so if I had to go out and spend $20+ for each kid, I’d have to start skimping on groceries. So I keep my eye out everywhere I go for great items for cheap. I watch for clearance sales and stickers on items featuring the kids’ favourite characters, popular book titles, fun T-shirts in the appropriate sizes, etc. then I hide them away in a tote in the bottom of my closet. I can either gift these items to my own kids when occasions arise, or I can let them choose from my tickle trunk of items when they are invited to attend a friends’ party. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t cheap out on gifts. The value is always generous, but the out-of- pocket cost doesn’t have to be.

Flyers & price matching: The stocking up logic works for food as well, as long as you’re only buying the items that you really use. If you buy six jars of Nutella because it’s only $1, but your family doesn’t really eat Nutella, then you’ve wasted $6, even if it is only $6. I comb the flyers (the paper versions because I’m analog like that) each week and cross reference the sales with my grocery list (advanced meal planning and list making is key). Then I go to my Reebee app and click on the items I want from each flyer, which puts it on a list. I then use that list to price match, ensuring I get the best price for the items I need.  The best is when an item is on your list, it’s on sale and you have a coupon. I don’t coupon as vigorously as I have in the past, but I do grab any I see that relate specifically to my family’s favourite product, but I only use them if I’ve compared prices and am sure I’m getting the best deal.

Thrift and DIY: It helps that I’m crafty and I love to DIY, but if I can make it myself, that’s what I’m going to do. You don’t have to be Martha for this, you just need a free account to a little site I like to call Pinterest. The kids are being Mario and Luigi for Halloween and while the details are still to come in a future post, I’ll tell you that my out-of-pocket cost for both costumes was significantly cheaper than the $40-$50 (each!) costumes we saw in a seasonal Halloween store. Part of the savings on our handmade costumes was thrift shopping. I’m signed up to receive emails from local thrift stores, like Value Village, and I only go on sale days. That may sound cheap, but if I’m buying something pre-owned as it is, I want it for the cheapest price possible.

Do you have some go-to money saving strategies? Jump over to Mama’s Manuscript on Facebook and leave your ideas in the comments. 

Jacob turns (turned) 7

I just realized that I lapsed in posting about Jacob’s birthday. The kid turned seven and my mind is still boggled at how that’s even possible. I remember thinking when turned five that it was insane – that he was half-way to double digits. Now he’s nearly three-quarters of the way to 10 and it makes me feel like fainting. Every year goes by faster than the last. Which is maybe part of the reason that I’m a month late writing about his epic birthday party.

We decided to let Jacob have an out-of-home party this year – the first in his seven years. I’m crafty and love to host themed parties and we’ve always felt it unnecessary to spend the extra money on hosting scores of kids for the celebrations. When he turned six, he was allowed to invite six friends to our house for a Ninja Turtle event. I made themed snacks, painted DIY turtle shells for his guests, Mike crafted a pin-the-mask-on-the-turtle game and we stuffed fun goodie bags.

When you look at that list, it’s easy to see that it wasn’t really an inexpensive affair. By the time you purchase extra groceries and treats, art and craft supplies, and all of extras that go into making the occasion special, the bill is comparable to any outside options at the pool or the movie theatre or the bowling alley. Plus, it’s important to place a value on your time – the pre-party clean up, the planning (time spent on Pinterest), the cooking, the post-party recovery. It’s a lot.

When I started to look into the local party options, the comic book store’s option seemed ideal for our video-game loving kid. He’d get to play games with his friends that we don’t have at home with Rock Band on Xbox, an original Nintendo on a floor-model TV (Duck Hunt!), an arcade game with 60 retro games like Space Invaders and Pac Man and amazing board games like Twister, Battleship and Perfection. In short, it was an amazing party for ‘90s kids like us to live vicariously through our kids. In addition to oodles of entertainment, the party included a decorated party space, takeout pizzas (with lots of leftovers that we got to take home), a specially made cake by a local baker (he picked a Pikachu cake and we got to keep those leftovers, too), staff to help facilitate all of the games AND goodie bags for 10 guests. It cost $189. We walked in at 1 p.m. and walked out at 3 p.m. when the proprietor insisted that we not worry about cleaning up. Talk about happy parents. And just look at these smiling faces!

It was a perfect way to celebrate our three-quarters-to-10 big man.

And don’t forget to check out Cape & Cowl Comics & Collectibles. Jay’s the best!

 

three little words

Not only did the big one let me smooch him on the lips this morning at the bus stop (something he hasn’t let me do since starting Grade 2), but he left me this note, hidden among the empty containers in his lunchbox.

Do you have any idea how many love notes I’ve put in this kid’s lunch over the years? Today, I didn’t even write a note, I just packed a napkin. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure I have written him a note yet this school year. Maybe his resistance to bus stop kisses made me think, however subconsciously, that he was getting a little old for his Mama. 

But with three little words, he told me that this isn’t the case at all. And tomorrow, he’ll get two bus stop kisses.

marriage monday: the shoe game

We attended a family wedding recently at which they played the shoe game. If you’re not familiar, the bride and groom sit back to back and each hold one of their own shoes and one of their partners’. Then they’re asked a series of questions to see if their opinions match or differ (by raising the appropriate shoe). It’s inevitably pretty funny.

Whether for better or for worse, Mike and I thought this could be an entertaining game to play with the kids (we didn’t play the game at our own wedding). We asked them questions about us and let them answer either mum or dad.

Who’s the better cook? Mama

Who smells the best? Mama

Who’s the better singer? Mama (at this point, I think Mike started to get offended)

Who’s the better driver? Daddy

Who yells the most? “Jacob” (Isaac’s answer); Jacob said “Daddy” (but then qualified it as “who yells the loudest” … then they changed their answer and said I yell the most. I don’t think I like this contest).

Who’s the tallest? Mama/Dada. They’re right. It’s a tie.

Who’s the silliest? Dada (this one shocked us both)

Who’s the best snuggler? Mama (Isaac); Dada (Jacob)

Who does the most chores? Mama (true story)

Who talks the most? OH MAMA! (that’s a direct quote)

Who’s better at video games? Holy, Daddy for sure!

Who is messier? Jacob says neither. “Adults are not messy really because they clean up their own messes.” Isaac says “definitely me!”

Who spends the most time on their phone? Mommm. Then they added Dad in, too. We are both a little guilty.

Who’s better at sports? Jacob said “Daddy” and Isaac said “Jacob.” (I’m not sure he completely understood the concept of the game). Jacob then revised his answer and voted for himself. Then a competitive conversation ensued and I’m not sure if dad or Jacob came out victorious in the end. There may be a tie-breaker game of H-O-R-S-E happening on the playground after school.

Who laughs the most? Jacob said “Mommy” and Isaac said “Me.”

Who’s the loudest? We all agreed in unison: “Isaac!” (this just became a family-wide game)

Who tells the best jokes? Jacob says “Jacob.” (And then laughed at himself)

Who’s the biggest Schuler (are you unfamiliar with what a schuler is? then you’re going to need to click here)? Jacob says “Isaac,” Isaac says “Dada.”

Who’s smartest? Jacob says “Daddy is smartest because he’s a teacher,” and Dad says “I think Mommy’s the smartest because she always beats me at Jeopardy.” Fact.

Who’s the stinkiest? Jacob! (even Jacob said Jacob)

Whether we agree or disagree, we realized that none of us are perfect and that it’s also pretty entertaining to poke some good-natured fun at each other.

friday favourites

Audio books: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I love listening to books in my car! Now, it’s even better because I got the library’s app and can borrow books for free and play them on my Bluetooth. On my commute home today, I’m going to start The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes.

Speaking of Shonda Rhimes: I’ve only watched the first episode of the new season of Scandal so far and it. is. awesome.

Low-key anniversaries: Mike and I celebrated nine years of (mostly) wedded bliss this week. The day was sunny, just as it has been every Oct. 11 since the day we got hitched. We celebrated with cooking date night (Chinese) and watching a few back episodes of Austin on Jeopardy. It was just right.

Working on the golf course: I got to spend a day at a client’s golf tournament this week. I was admittedly terrified because I don’t golf, but my team was super encouraging, the sun was shining and I actually made a few decent shots (between shots with which I didn’t even touch the ball). I think I’m a convert. Especially when you get to spend the day taking in views like this:

Overalls: Do you know how hard it is to find overalls for a seven year old? Maybe it’s not hard if you go straight to Oshkosh, but these are for a Halloween costume so I wasn’t about to pay full price. Who am I kidding? I don’t pay full price for anything. Well, a local thrift store was having a 30% off sale and I popped in just in case and found a pair! Size 10, but they’ll work and they only cost me $2.80. Score!

Happy Friday!

giving thanks

Driving down the Trans Canada from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia today was a perfect opportunity to reflect on why I’m thankful on this Thanksgiving Monday.

Despite the annoyingly intense volume coming from the backseat, I am immeasurably thankful for my kids. They make my day, every day. They’re smart and hilarious, wild and loud. They’re kind and sweet, sassy and ridiculous. They bring out the best of me (most of the time). My life is devoted to them.

Actually, I take back what I said about the annoyingly intense volume. Let’s edit that to: I’m thankful that my seven year old is reading a book about alligators to his brother in the backseat.

Speaking of people who bring out (mostly) the best in me, I am grateful for Mike. He is a true partner – in marriage, homeownership, parenting and plain ol’ everyday existence. I’m thankful that we are able to practice love and patience, generosity and understanding in the life we’ve built together.

I am privileged to have a career and workplace in which I am challenged and supported on a daily basis. There’s rarely a day that I feel negative about getting up and going to work in the morning, which is something I try hard not to take for granted.

I feel incredibly fortunate to call this my home. Typing this as we approach the N.B.-N.S. border feels especially appropriate for me because, as of next year, I’ll have officially lived in Nova Scotia longer than I lived in New Brunswick. So as equal parts New Brunswicker and Nova Scotian, I’m fortunate to have two incredible places to call home.

My heart is filled by family that visits us often and welcomes us to their homes at all times, even though we inevitably make an enormous mess. They spoil our kids (in the best way possible) and every time we’re with them feels like a special occasion.

I’m thankful for my girlfriends. They make me laugh; they keep me grounded. They are my TV-watching crew, my book-club buddies, my nine-minute-meeting ladies, they are friends who feel like family.

Having been in New Brunswick for a family wedding also made me think (and talk about it to everyyyone at the wedding reception) about how lucky I am (and we are) to have a big family (and the ability to stay connected through social media. Even if we don’t see uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, in-laws, nieces and nephews as often as we’d like, I like following along with how their lives are going and it also helps us all to pick up where we left off when we are fortunate enough to come together.

I also asked my fellow passengers why they are thankful:

“I’m thankful for how much football I got to watch yesterday.”

“I’m thankful for my cat.”

“I’m thankful for my house and all of the food we have.”

I’ll let you decide who said what.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

marriage monday: date night

Ah, date night. I have a love-hate relationship with thee.

Funny, before Mike and I had kids, I’m sure we did things like go out to supper, go to movies and see concerts. But I don’t remember ever calling it “date night.” It was just a day in the life. Now, getting out without the kids for some — dare I say romantic? — adult time is somewhat rare and when we do make plans, it comes with oodles of advanced planning, days or weeks of anticipation and what amounts to be a heap of pressure to have the best. time. ever.

Fast forward seven+ years, and somehow date night has become a thing that is illusive and revered that when it appears, we treat it like something akin to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (something we need, something we want and yet something we can’t seem to bring to fruition).

Take Saturday, for example. Mike planned a date. Like, really planned. He even booked the sitter. It may be the first time in seven years of parenting that he booked the sitter. So it felt like a big deal out of the gate. In the best way. And we weren’t doing something we’d normally do, like see a movie. Nope, he upped the ante on this one. He booked us a canoe reservation for a sunset cruise down the Shubie Canal.

Right? I wasn’t kidding.

So I’m sure you can imagine how we were feeling when, 15 minutes after our reservation was due to start and more than an hour after the sitter-metre started running, we realized that no one was going to show up at the locked canoe-rental shop — our reservation somehow got lost in translation.

We put on a brave face and decided to enjoy a walk through the park anyway. We then hopped into the car and headed for our chosen restaurant, knowing the food would be awesome and we’d salvage our night out.

So I’m sure you can also imagine how we felt when we saw the line to said restaurant snaking out the door. Whether we should blame the lovely Saturday evening weather or the newly opened Ikea bringing throngs of people to the area, our search for subsistence carried on for the better part of an hour as restaurant after restaurant told us to expect wait times between 30 minutes to an hour. Admittedly, if we’d stayed put at the first restaurant, we’d probably have made it to a table in that amount of time, but we were frustrated and hungry and feeling a little desperate to find the perfect end to our not-so-perfect evening.

We ended up at a pub with a decent atmosphere and so-so food. We were stuffed when we left but still decided to stop at the grocery store for a bucket of ice cream on the way home, just in case we found room for dessert.

In the meantime, we also heard from the canoe-rental dude who was very apologetic. He offered us a free rental for Sunday, which didn’t feel like a whole lot of consolation at the time, considering we’d already paid a sitter and wouldn’t be booking her for a second evening. That adds to the pressure, btw. The fact that a five-hour date night that only amounts to dinner out costs more than $100.

Sunday morning brought new perspective. It was no longer date night (pressure was off) and the kids slept until 7:45 a.m. (oh unknowable universe!). The boys piled into our bed and the sun was streaming through the window and it felt like a perfect morning for a paddle.

And our date night lemons turned into the best family lemonade ever.