Brooke Blogs This

With Memorial Day just around the corner, I started wondering what me and the kids were going to do this summer.  Since I changed jobs in February, this will be the first summer that I am off work the majority of the time with the kids, they will not be in day camps or day care.  I also took a considerable pay cut, so our budget is limited. Then I looked on Facebook and found that I wasn't the only one looking for CHEAP things to do this summer.  It is great if you can afford to hit the zoo, science center, Holiday World, Cheekwood and Nashville shores all this summer, but I can't. So here is my list of 61 (1 thing every day for June and July) to do in Middle Tennessee (or for most, anywhere) this summer for an average of $5 or less per person: At Home: 1.   Start a water balloon fight. 2.   Organize a scavenger hunt. 3.   Put the  Pinterest Board  to use, have a craft day. 4.   Have a picnic in the back yard. 5.   Spend the d...

We've had a lot of  "snow"days since Christmas.  A. LOT.  Snow days are one thing when there is actually snow on the ground and the kids want to go out and play. But it's something completely different when it's just cold.  Possibly raining.  And the kids are bored and stir crazy. Plus you still have weekends/holidays/afternoons to keep your kids buys inside as well. And you have little or no money. What to do. What to do. Here are 20 things we have done/plan to do this winter: 1. Have an indoor picnic. Simply eating on the floor can completely change a meal. 2. Build a tent/fort indoors. 3. Go to your mall's indoor play area 4. Go to story time at the library 5. Introduce your kids to the cartoons you watched growing up via Youtube. My kids love "Bobby's World"and "Muppet Babies" 6. Do something touristy in your own town.  Tour a museum or historic building. Many of these are free/low cost. Sometimes eve...