Archives for 2014

Bruster’s: PJ Day – Saturday, March 1, 2014

February 25, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Bruster’s

This weekend we are in for a treat. Participating Bruster’s are appreciating customers with a PJ Day on Saturday, March 1, 2014.

Dress or stay in your pajamas and visit a participating Bruster’s location for a FREE small waffle cone.

Similar to the IHOP short stack pancakes, this small waffle cone is big. If I remember correctly, Paul and Mr. 8 were the only two in our family to finish their waffle cones last year.

Seeing this event via an e-mail in the morning, I waited until bedtime to share the good news with our family.

Oh, the giggles and excitement has started as they remember last year’s event where they chose their flavor and ate the delicious ice cream.

PJ Day runs all day on Saturday, March 1, 2014. Our local Bruster’s is open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., but in using time wisely, check your local store for participation and times before making a special trip.

Feeling appreciated, our family is ready for PJ Day at Bruster’s. If you attend, then enjoy your sweet treat!

Question: Will you dress in your PJ’s for FREE ice cream?

IHOP: National Pancake Day on March 4, 2014

February 24, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: IHOP

Mark your calendars! The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) is celebrating National Pancake Day.

On Tuesday, March 4, 2014, each guest at participating IHOP locations will receive a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes. Lest you think these are small, they are 3 large pancakes. Last year, I could not finish my short stack.

During this celebration, IHOP will be taking donations for Children’s Miracle Network and other local charities. If you are able, please consider donating when participating in their FREE event.

Trying to fit this event into our morning routine is just too difficult. To make this a family activity, we attend this event at the dinner hour when we can relax and enjoy our meal.

The event lasts all day on Tuesday, March 4, 2014. Our local IHOP is open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., but check your IHOP for participation and event hours.

Realize that this event is well attended, so be prepared to wait for a seat throughout the day. Though you might wait, we find the wait worth the celebration for National Pancake Day. Happy celebrating!

Organization: Switch-a-Roo Time

February 23, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

The birds are chirping, the toads are croaking, and the temperatures are in the high 60s. Woo hoo!

Spring is peeking around the corner which means it’s switch-a-roo time.

Yep, time to switch our family’s clothing from sweaters, jackets, and pants to tank tops, capris, and swimsuits.

Though we still keep out some long-sleeved outfits for those cold mornings, I will need to start making the change in the next week or two.

To stay organized and to keep the mess to a minimum, I follow this organizational system for switching out my children’s clothing:

1. Prepare to organize my children’s clothing

2. Purge any soiled or worn clothing from winter

3. Pack up clothing and shoes to keep and any donations

4. Place spring clothes from bins into closets, dressers, and bins

5. Preserve the remaining items by putting everything away safely

As Paul and I are able to keep both our winter and our summer clothing housed in our closet and dressers year round, we do move our clothing around a bit to make getting to flip flops and short-sleeved shirts a tad easier.

In the next few weeks as you embark on switch-a-roo time, remember that extra outfit you stash in your vehicle, the coat closet downstairs, and/or the sports backpack that is sure to have a couple pairs of socks. I list these items more to remind myself as these are spots where I find items after putting everything away.

Enjoy these last days of winter as we wrap up the cold weather activities and prepare for days outside. Switch-a-roo time is coming along with warmer weather, visits to the park, and neighborhood walks. Happy preparing!

Question: How does switch-a-roo time look at your house?

Activities for Saturday, February 22, 2014

February 22, 2014 by Tracy

My house is a disaster and needs some attention this weekend.

Though I am planning to stay in and get caught up this weekend, a couple activities for Saturday, February 22, 2014, are available for those looking to get out and create:

Lakeshore Learning Store: FREE Jester Hat

Each Saturday, Lakeshore Learning Stores offer a FREE craft project from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at participating locations. A jester hat is the FREE project for Saturday, February 22, 2014. The craft changes each week for children ages 3 and up, and no reservations are necessary.

Michaels: $2 Craft Foam and Felt Butterfly

On February 22, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., participating Michaels Craft Stores will reserve 30 minutes for your child to create a craft foam and felt butterfly. Kids Club reservations are required and recommended for children ages 3 and up.

With the Olympics coming to a close this weekend, I will miss watching the competitions each night. However, if you saw my house, then you would understand that I probably need to curb my television viewing and pickup the mess.

Whether you stay in or go out this weekend, keep using time wisely. If you are looking for other family events, check Using Time Wisely’s event page. While you are there, please “like” the page to stay updated. Enjoy your weekend!

Question: What are your weekend plans?

Stopping to Smell the Roses

February 21, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Recovering from entertaining last night, I kept a light schedule for today. In stopping to smell the roses, I played legos with Miss 3 this morning, visited with a friend, and browsed appliances.

My daughters love the Hello Kitty legos play sets. Miss 3 never ceases to amaze me with her conversations with her figurines. I love the time hanging out with her.

We then had a play date with a friend that lasted mid-morning through late afternoon. From dress up to a balloon hot potato game, the girls played hard. I really enjoyed the time catching up and listening to my friend while our children played.

This evening our stove was pulled out to identify the broken part, so we decided to adjust our menu plan and head to Chick-fil-A. We planned to go next week to use our calendar cards, but tonight worked out great.

We then went to check prices on scratch and dent ranges for information as we consider our options for repairing or replacing our 9.5 year old unit.

Though I walked into our house seeing cake crumbs still on the table from last night’s activities, toys strewn about, furniture out of place, and the kitchen sink full of dishes, I felt no guilt in stopping to smell the roses. Investing in my family and friendships far outweighs a clean and tidy home.

I’m so thankful that today was slow. I need more days like this to refresh my spirit, encourage my soul, and rest my mind and body.

In this fast-paced age, it is easy to zip from one activity to the next to get it all or mostly done. As you continue using time wisely, you will find some days busier than others. However, set your schedule so that you are not too busy for stopping to smell the roses. Happy stopping!

Question: What “roses” have been in your life recently?

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