Brooke Blogs This

After a full year of saving and a lot of research and budgeting (and a tremendous amount of help from my parents) we did it.  We took the kids to Disney World.  I went to Disney World several times as a child, but neither of my kids nor my husband has ever been.  It had also been 18 years since I myself had been.  A LOT has changed. After doing tons of research, Pinning everything Disney related, talking to my Disney expert friends and budgeting EVERYTHING, I was in information overload.  Not all advice was practical for our situation (we avoided character dining due to our budget) and admittedly I blew off advice (read: ponchos) because I thought I knew better.  There were also some things that I wish someone had told me (Breakfast in the Magic Kingdom? Good Luck!) So below is what I learned and what I would want to know before visiting Disney World: BUDGET HELPERS: All Disney souvenirs can be bought off Disney property and online, usu...

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...