Investing in Family

I may have mentioned in an earlier post that my twin girls turned six this year. To mark the occasion, we had not one but two parties: a friends’ party and a party for the family. And because I’m crazy, I made (yes, made, not bought) two separate cakes. Now, I’m not much of a baker, and I’m not known in my social circle as a crafty-type individual. But even I have to say both cakes turned out pretty good. So, without further adieu, here’s a post about creating your own chocolate barrel cake so that you, too, can win friends and influence people.

Fifteen years ago, had you asked me if I would like to be a work-at-home mom someday, I would have laughed in your face. Back then, I didn't want to have children. Heck, I couldn't even envision myself married. I wanted to be a career woman, either jet-setting to exotic locations and writing about them or working as a translator for Fortune 500 companies. Honestly, I thought motherhood was for the birds.

You don’t need me to tell you finding a movie these days the whole family can enjoy can be a challenge. That's why we here at MomVesting are starting with a new kind of “Investing in Family” post: the family-focused movie review. For this round, we’ll take a step back in time to bring you an almost-oldie, but a goodie: "The Princess Bride." I’ll just warn you all up front: I love "The Princess Bride." It is in my top two favorite movies of all time (right up there with "Gone With the Wind").

Memorial Day for many marks both a time of military service remembrance and the beginning of summer. It’s often the grand kickoff to the outdoor activities of choice, with many people celebrating by throwing barbeques, attending potluck picnics and camping. It’s even a weekend that can be marked by tradition; some families camp every year, others host cookouts annually on the day of remembrance. All in all, this holiday can be deeply steeped in tradition, fun and sun.

These days, the idea of being environmentally friendly is very trendy and, well, friendly to the environment. From reusable grocery bags to hybrid cars, nods to being earth conscious are virtually everywhere. Here are three at-home tricks you can put into practice today that are small steps in the earth-saving direction. And because frugality is always at the forefront of my mind, these are ideas that will not drain your wallet.

The Cleaner’s In The Cupboard

If you've been following along at MomVesting, it's probably no surprise that my husband and I are expecting our first child, a baby girl, in June. It's a very exciting time period for us, but we've found that it's also very expensive. Between $200 rocking chairs, $300 cribs, and $50 to $100 here and there for other baby necessities (or at least very-nice-to-have items...), having a baby can be outlandishly expensive. Thankfully, there are a few ways to save money on items for your bouncing baby.

How to Stretch Your Dollars

We’ve passed the midway mark for the school year, and while students are starting to gear up for final exams, many parents are starting to face the question of where their children will be going to school in the fall. For private schools, re-enrollment forms are going out and open houses are planned, and parents must decide now whether to go public or private.

My Personal Schooling Story

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my twin girls are turning six this year. Honestly, some days it’s still hard to believe I have a set of healthy, vibrant twin girls, much less a set who is past the toddling and preschool age.

Okay, I admit it. I loved The Hunger Games (book version). And I simply could hardly wait to see how they translated all the action and characters onto the big screen. So finally the other night, my hubby and I left our girls with a dear friend and headed out to check out the adventures of Katniss and Peeta at our local theater.

We here at MomVesting are always looking for new angles on the "investing in..." theme and are pleased to take yet another path on the "investing in family" trail. Books, movies and music are a part of our life and our family's lives, and we'll take a look at some of the offerings on the shelves, screens and iPods out there to help you make an informed choice about whether said media is right for your family.