Living Well Etc.

As a small business owner, I often entertain for business and for fun during the holidays.  Since watching my budget can be a challenge, I'm always searching for ways to cut costs, especially for non-essentials like decorating .  Over the years, I've found great ways to do just that and I'm sharing all with you today.  Dollar stores offer great deals. Shopping for deals at the Dollar Store is easy if it is done wisely.  Everything is a dollar but beware not all items are worth a dollar.  I look for packages of red bows, floral, garland, and ornaments to string on a ribbon.  Floral-filled baskets are perfect for table decoration.  Many times, I find coupons on the Family Dollar Store's website, like one last year: $5 off $25 or more. Get crafty at craft stores. Luckily the craft store – Michael's – nearest us not only has sales each week but discount coupons.  Here I can find everything I need to create my own work of art or one that i...

  Eat Well, Spend Less, and Engage Children This Holiday Season As a young mother, many years later a small business owner, now retired, I've always found ways to save money.   The holidays often bring budget-busting challenges, especially when hosting the extended-family Thanksgiving dinner.  However, after 30+ years of hosting, I've come up with some great money-saving tips.  Follow along as I share mine with you.    Decorate with found objects or real fruit and vegetables. Feeding a large group of people doesn't leave much room in the budget for decorations.  This doesn't have to be an issue as most of us have just the right table centerpiece in our own homes.   I often dress a large oval plate with leaves, pine needles, or herbs from my garden.  On top of this, I arrange fruit, vegetables, nuts, pinecones...whatever I can find that looks appealing.  One year, I filled the plate with bright orange persimmon...

  Holiday dinners with the Italian side of my family are some of my best memories.  With Thanksgiving coming up very soon, those memories are playing with my sense of reality, as fond memories tend to do.  I just want to jump into those visions and be that little girl watching my grandpa, as head of the family, command everyone to "mangiare" (eat).  These events were full of playful banter and the occasional heated discussion that always ended in laughter and wine.  Nevertheless, for the most part, they were centered around dining—cooking, drinking good wine, sharing, and eating.  One really can't just sit at the table and chow down though.  This is especially true at the Italian table.  I noticed this on our latest trip to Italy as well.  Our interactions with one another are very important.  And we weave our interactions around the meal.  It's like an intricate dance of interaction and precise utensil usage, all the wh...

  All Treats and No Tricks for Those Who Go Green As an avid recycler, composter, and green gardener, I use every opportunity to be green .  Halloween can be a bit tricky but offers us a chance to be inventive with our eco-friendly efforts.  Let's explore some of my favorite green and eco-friendly ways to celebrate this ghoulish holiday. Trick or Treat Goodies Treats don't always have to be food .   In fact, most candy packaging is excessive with a tiny treat packaged inside paper, packaged inside plastic, making most a non-green option.      As a retired teacher and gardener, my favorite choices are recycled bookmarks, stickers, and seed packets.   Ghostly Parties Halloween parties are a much better green option for serving organic, home-baked goodies in a safe environment.   Involving children in the planning, baking and hosting makes this an even more memorable event.   Compostable Invitations Begin by hand-deliveri...

  Labor Day is More Than Just Hot Dogs on the Grill Americans love to celebrate Labor Day as our last summer hurrah, with many heading outdoor with our favorite refreshments.  However, how many people consider why we celebrate this one day above all others in September?  The teacher in me wants to know, I'm in research mode and taking you with me.  Let's find the reason behind this holiday.   Why do we celebrate? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, our day of picnics, barbecues , and parades was created over a century ago to celebrate American laborers.   I think you will agree that a national holiday is a much better tribute to our workers than a statue in some park—much better.    Nevertheless, why would we create a national holiday just to celebrate people doing a job and receiving a paycheck?  The premise seems a bit odd since many of us are just happy to...