Atlanta's Frugal Mom

  I came across this post, from an old blog I created about and for my daughter.  Unlike my actual daughter, this blog’s been neglected for about three years, but I wanted to breathe new life in to this post, as I still feel it’s relevant to her -and to daughters and children everywhere.  What’s on YOUR wish list for your children?   My Wish List for My Daughter October 2, 2010 My Dear Carol, As your mother, I wish for you many things in this life.  Above all, I pray daily that you live an exceptionally long, happy, healthy, meaningful, and purposeful life.  I wish this for you, and any siblings you may have.  I hope to help make those things attainable for you, with these things I wish for you:

It seems like it was just last week I walked my little girl in to Kindergarten .  And yet now, in a blink of an eye, she  was saying goodbye to Kindergarten .  While I knew she was more than ready to start Kindergarten , I still knew this year would be filled with many “new”s: she started a new school, venturing away from the preschool where she was already well-known; which also means she made new friends, whom she embraced with her big heart and they she; new teachers, all of whom she seems to like, her classroom teacher the most! In the last nine months, she’s become an even stronger reader, mastering even more sight words, gained more confidence as a reader, began to experiment with spelling, finished writing her own book, began formerly learning Spanish, learned how to skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s, learned how to add numbers in her head, almost mastered shoe tying (gonna keep that on our summer checklist!), and grew by leaps and bounds in ways I never imagined! ...

This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Painting with a Twist in Buckhead.  I’ve received a form of compensation in exchange for promotion; however, all opinions and bad puns are completely my own. As a mother, I think it’s important to find ways to do “grown-up” things with other grown-ups, without a hint of kids around.  Ok, fine, sometimes I consider a trip to the grocery store good escape…  But now Buckhead has another great place for you to escape: Painting with a Twist .  Here, you can paint on a canvas, enjoy good music, wine or beer, and create unique, personal masterpieces they can take to their homes or gift to others. The artwork ranges from landscapes, abstracts and cityscapes, to creative renderings of animals, iconic buildings and florals.

Recently, I was blessed with a great opportunity to host my very first Disney Side Party , courtesy of Mom Select.  For a variety of reasons, we kept it small.  Actually, with the threat of “winter weather” heading towards Atlanta, the party almost didn’t happen – but thankfully, the “winter weather” held out until we were done showing our Disney Side.  😉  The party girls consisted of girls ages 4-6, as well as my 3-year-old son. We started off by decorating our princess party bags as our guests arrived.  The bags would later be filled with party goodies.  The girls (and my son) enjoyed using our Disney stamps, stickers, crayons and markers to make their bags uniquely their own. Then, we headed in to the den and played a few Disney-themed games.  Although there were “winners” with some games, no one seemed to be keeping track, and they all just had fun.  Here’s what we did:

So I created this bucket list back in 2010. I’ve been able to check off a few things on the list, which feels nice. Some items are goofy, and literally involve time travel – so until the good ol’ Doc brings me my own DeLorean, I’ll have to just consider those things wishful thinking. But the realistic items, I’d love to accomplish in some capacity. My Bucket List

So I completely get that there are quite a few “transplants” in the Atlanta area who have plenty of experience with snow.  Heaven help us, we all learned last year just how poorly Atlanta as a whole deals with snow , so how on earth can Atlantans enjoy the local phenomenon known as Snow Mountain?  It’s simple, we slap on our rain boots, and enjoy the cold snow, Southern Style.  😉 I was recently invited out to Stone Mountain’s Snow Mountain with my family to enjoy the tubes, the snow, and the atmosphere.  If you’ve never been, make sure you go NOW, as it’s only here through Sunday March 1!  Littles can enjoy The SnowZone (perhaps a child’s first expereince with -ahem- building a snow man), and enjoy the adventures of the Little Angels , complete with SnoBoggans – bigger kids will LOVE Avalanche Alley and Tube Runners . The whole family can indulge in snacks and treats at the SnoDeck , and then enjoy S’mores at Snow Fire Point whil...

My daughter starts Kindergarten in less than a month.  While I am not ready to let my baby enter the big world of Kindergarten, I am confident I have paved the way for this milestone, and am certain she is ready.  …but what exactly does “kindergarten readiness” look like, really?? Whether you’re sending your first or fifth child into kindergarten, it’s never an easy time. You have a lot of pressure on your shoulders to make sure your child knows certain concepts before you send them off. There are some things you can start doing now to prep your child for Kindergarten in the fall. Signs of Kindergarten Readiness   Letter Sounds – Every child entering kindergarten should have practice with their letter sounds. You’ll want to start teaching them their letter sounds by making sure they know the alphabet first. Knowing the alphabet plus their letter sounds is one way a kindergartner starts the reading process. You can help your child learn their letter sounds by rep...