Do you have little kids in the house? Little ones are always amazed by plants and how they grow. Why not take advantage of this and save some money in the process? Over the course of a few weeks, start a family garden club. Not only will this give you and your family time to bond, but it can also provide food and beautiful landscaping for your household. This week, gather your family around and get dirty with a garden club.

This activity will actually take more than one week. In fact, it's an ongoing project your family can share together. During the first couple weeks, discuss what types of plants you would like to have. Have everyone in the family write down at least 2 types of produce and two types of landscaping plants.

The next week, sit down and draw the area outside your home and make close ups of certain areas. For example, draw an overhead of your property and then draw a close up of the flower beds in front of your home. This helps the family determine how much space is available and what space could be used for different types of plants. Remember to take into account what type of light each area gets.

On the third week, you can start deciding which plants would look best and what types of produce will grow best in your area. To help make your landscaping decisions easier, print out pictures of the plants you want to use in each area.

It's finally time to start buying the plants and start gardening. Most families will have to work on their property in sections. Not only is it expensive to landscape your entire yard at once, but plants need to be planted soon after they are purchased. Don't take on more than you can handle each week.

This is a great way to spend time together and teach your young children at the same time. Not to mention your family can benefit from the beauty of the plants and the nutrition of the produce. Even if you don't have a large space, your family can still work with indoor plants and a window garden.

A good end of summer party idea is a camp out!

This theme works especially well with children between the ages of 8 and 12 and, of course, when it’s warm outside. Late August is a perfect way to end summer with a fun overnight slumber party.

Here are some fun campy activities to pass the time:

Enjoy a proper cookout, and end the evening with s’mores.

Have a water balloon fight.

Tell scary ghost stories before going to bed. Have the storyteller hold a flashlight.

Play flashlight tag.

Pitch tents together.

Use a telescope and gaze at the stars. Teach a fun astronomy lesson while you do this.

Make tie-dyed T-shirts – a great take home camp out party favor.

Blow bubbles and shine your flashlights on them. This produces cool effects everyone is sure to love.

Make luminary bags with your guests to light the path to their tents.

Take a long hike/walk through your neighborhood, or, even better, in a nearby wooded area or park.

Have a sing along around the campfire. Does anyone play guitar?

Provide bug jars and catch fireflies.

Favors for this party can include: flashlights, tie-dyed T-shirts, or little knapsacks filled with camping stuff (bug spray, glow-in-the-dark stickers, water guns, glow bracelets, little plastic animals that you would find in the woods, etc.). The ideas are endless.

As you can see, overnight camping parties are great fun. Kids love them, and you will too, given the variety of activities that can easily fill the night.

One cautionary note, and this is true of any sleepover: Make sure to get contact information from parents when they drop their kids off. Some kids are ready to spend the night away from home and others are not. In case someone wants to go home or gets sick, make sure to have the parents’ contact details on hand to make that important call.

Happy camping trails to you!

If your second and third trimester overlap the Fall and winter months, you will need to add a specially-designed jacket to the maternity closet. Maternity jackets are typically designed in a trapeze-style, generous cut for the extra coverage you need. Whether you're buying a raincoat or a fur-trim winter coat, you'll need to find a jacket that best suits your style, keeps you warm throughout the season, and also flatters your growing figure.

Double-breasted maternity jackets are great for almost all body shapes because they are designed with an empire waist and a classic, straight-cut fit. Double-breasted jackets wrap the center to provide extra protection from the cold, and the classic English-inspired design is great for work or play. If you're looking for something chic or elegant, this is a great match for your maternity wardrobe.

If you only need a light, short-sleeve jacket for running errands, an elbow-sleeve jacket made with French terry cloth or light linen may be the best match for you. These maternity jackets are typically made with a combination of cotton and spandex to provide basic coverage where you need it most. This style is great for your daywear wardrobe, and buying it in a neutral color will help you get through those cooler spring and summer days in style.

Belted jackets are perfect for the casual weekend wardrobe, and you'll notice the belts are located much higher than traditional jackets because they will help to create the flattering empire waist look. A khaki or black button-front jacket with a thin belt that ties at the side is a great look for Fall, and will help you stay stylish and comfortable throughout your days of pregnancy.

If you need a little more coverage than a cardigan at the office, opt for the swing jacket or wrap jacket. Swing jackets and wrap jackets made with a wool blend and ¾ sleeves are great for indoors without looking like you're wearing a jacket! The swing style is also very flattering for moms-to-be because it won't cinch at the waist, and is designed for extra movement.

Whether you need a jacket for the weekend or a coat for the office, it's important to pay attention to the style and design of your outerwear pieces during pregnancy. Take your pick of some of these most-flattering styles so you can stay warm, comfortable and stylish throughout your term!

Are you guilty of turning to restaurants when you need a quick meal? I'll admit that even I used to eat out at least four nights a week because my boyfriend and I work 10 hour days. But, I discovered just how quickly I could cook meals with a pressure cooker. I know what you're thinking and I used to think the same thing too. You're wondering about the safety of pressure cookers. Today's pressure cookers are nothing like they used to be. The new digital models have several built in safety features that keep them from exploding. This week, let's talk about saving money in the kitchen by using a pressure cooker.

Pressure cookers come in a variety of different sizes to fit your needs. They also have several different features that make them versatile. For example, many digital pressure cookers include a slow cooker function. This means you can get the convenience of two great appliances in one. This not only saves money, but it saves space as well. The digital models even have a brown function which allows you to brown meat and sauté vegetables before cooking.

Speaking of meat and vegetables, a pressure cooker can cook them in a fraction of the time of other cooking methods. You can enjoy a roast in a little over an hour. Vegetables can even be cooked in less than 5 minutes. But, you can do more with your pressure cooker. They can also be used to make soups, rice, and even desserts.

Of course, what would an introduction to pressure cookers be without a recipe?

Creamy Mushroom and Onion Pork Loin
Serves 6 - 8

3 pound pork loin roast
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1 large onion, sliced
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 pack of onion soup mix
Chicken stock

1. Place the pork loin roast fat side up in the pressure cooker.
2. Top the roast with mushrooms and onions.
3. Mix the soups together and add enough chicken stock to equal 2 cups of liquid (or more depending on the needs of your pressure cooker).
4. Cook on high pressure for 70 minutes.
5. Serve with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and rolls.

Isn't it nice to share things with your family? It's a way to learn about each other. And, what better way to learn about each other than sharing hobbies? This is a time to truly learn about each other while learning something new in the process. This week, let's talk about sharing hobbies on family night.

Each week, one family member could share one of their favorite hobbies. This is a wonderful way to keep kids busy during summer vacation. They can spend time making handouts for other family members and creating presentations. They can present their hobby in any way that they choose. They may choose to show other family members step by step or rent DVDs and borrow books from the library to help explain their hobby.

One important rule to remember is that there must be enough supplies so that everyone can learn the hobby together. For example, if one child is showing how to do beadwork, they would need to have enough beads, needles, and string for everyone to make their own project. Another rule is that all family members must participate, even if it seems a little silly for them to do so. This means that dad must make girly crafts and mom must learn a new sport, if that's what a family member is teaching that week.

What type of hobbies can you show? There are a number of different hobbies families can teach each other.

Sports such as golf, martial arts, etc.
Crafts such as beading, quilting, crocheting, etc.
Cooking Methods such as grilling, bread making, candy making, baking, etc.
Arts such as painting, pottery, etc.
Collecting coins, stamps, etc.

Another fun thing to do while sharing hobbies is to plan a menu around that week's hobby, even if it's not a cooking method. For example, if someone is teaching painting, why not serve Italian food, since some of the greatest artists were Italian? This family night activity really is fun and it's a great way to show kids that you really do care about their interests. Everyone will enjoy sharing what they love with those that they love.

Staying stylish and fashionable throughout a pregnancy often takes a backseat for many moms-to-be, simply because they're dealing with so many changes, higher stress levels, and juggling a busy schedule. However, you don't have to turn into a fashion victim just because you're expecting. Some careful shopping decisions and building up a basics wardrobe can help you get through those nine months staying chic and stylish. Here are some essential fashion tips for staying stylish during every trimester:

1. Stick with soft and natural fabrics. From organic cotton to light wool blends, stick with the soft fabrics that won't irritate your skin, and designs that aren't too form-fitting. These will put you at ease throughout your days of pregnancy, and a few bold colors and fun prints will help you stay fashionable.

2. Buy your actual size from the maternity department. Many women make the mistake of buying clothes from the regular Misses or Women's department, and just going a few sizes bigger. Your growing figure won't benefit from the extra material, and you'll end up hiding beneath a tent in most cases! Head to the maternity department so that you're buying your usual dress size designed with some minor tweaks.

3. Avoid the empire waist until your second trimester. Contrary to popular belief, the empire waistline will accentuate the tummy area so it won't be flattering to your figure until you're ready to flaunt the baby bump. Stick with loose and flowing styles that elongate your figure and accentuate your natural waistline during your first trimester, then shift over to empire lines as the baby bump begins to show.

4. Buy a maternity bra for overnight use. If you're large-chested, you will need some extra support overnight. Purchase a maternity bra that you can comfortably wear overnight so you can look forward to a restful night throughout your term.

5. Build up your bottoms basics. Jeans, tailored black pants and a simple skirt are three basics you need to get through your pregnancy days. Make sure they're from the maternity department so you have the flexibility of an adjustable waist.

Staying stylish throughout your pregnancy may not be at the top of your priority list, but building your wardrobe doesn't have to be an overwhelming process. Stick with these essential fashion 'dos' so you can be chic and fashionable through every trimester!

It's that time of year again. Parents are smiling, while children are whining. School is almost back in session and that means school lunches. Parents have many choices. Parents can fix a bagged lunch, pay for a school lunch program, or drop off their children's lunch from a local fast food restaurant. Obviously, the healthiest and most affordable option is to create bagged lunches for your children. This week, let's discuss how you can save money in the kitchen by making bagged school lunches.

The most popular bagged lunch item is the classic sandwich. But, let's face it. The plain old PB&J can get a bit boring after a while. For a little something different, why not try topping raisin bread with slices of green apple, all natural peanut butter, and honey? It's not only a delicious treat, but healthy as well.

What about those children that love those expensive lunch kits? How can parents save money on those? First of all, buy some crackers, cheese, and luncheon meat to create the classic. For something a little special add mini bagels, pizza sauce, cheese, and turkey pepperoni to the lunch box so kids can make mini pizzas.

On those cold winter days, make use of the classic thermos by sending soups, chili, and even stews to school with your kids. If you really want to create a special lunch, surprise your kids with a thermos filled with hot chocolate for dessert.

Speaking of desserts, this week's recipe not only saves you money, but it's much healthier than most lunchbox desserts.

Personal Pudding Parfait
1 snack sized pack of sugar-free chocolate pudding
4 crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
4 tablespoons fat-free whipped cream
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

1. Layer half the pudding, half the cookies, half the whipped cream, and half the chocolate chips in a small sealable plastic container.
2. Repeat the layers.

Bagged school lunches don't have to be expensive or even boring. With a bit of creativity, parents can prepare meals that are delicious, healthy, fun and affordable.

Kids bored? Need something the whole family will enjoy doing that you haven't already done a million times? Try river rafting in Colorado and Utah. The kids will be having so much fun, there won't be time to get bored or disagree. There are many family river rafting tours that are geared toward the entire family. So grab your crew, grab your gear, and head to the mountains and rivers of Colorado or Utah.

If your crew is into camping, many family river rafting adventures including camping, hiking, fishing and more for an all-out outdoor adventure. Spend your days and nights in the wilderness, with plenty of time for bonding, laughing, and reflecting. The river rafting experience adds more excitement and adventure to a fun family camping and outdoor experience.

If you're looking for more of a day trip, there are plenty of family river rafting excursions that allow for that as well. Family river rafting in Utah or Colorado can be done in an inflatable kayak, an oarboat, or even paddleboats. There are several ways to enjoy river rafting with the family. For the safest family trip, guided tours are recommended.Guides will be experienced in the area as well as on safety.

Many of the guided river rafting tours will include the watercraft and flotation devices for the whole family. Always check to be sure you are aware of what's included. Flotation devices are a must for anyone participating in a watercraft activity, even superb swimmers. Be sure that everyone knows the proper safety procedures. Guided tours generally include safety instruction, but it's wise to also do safety research beforehand.

Check with the desired venue ahead of time for recommended clothing and supplies. Boat shoes are a must for everyone. A good pair will help prevent slipping and will have a waterproof design for comfort. Other family river rafting supplies might include swimwear, compasses, a nautical watch, lightweight food that requires little to no preparation, plenty of water, appropriate clothing for the weather, and more. Check with the tour coordinators for suggestions appropriate to your exact type of river rafting experience.

Sources:
http://www.griffithexp.com/family-river-rafting.htm
http://www.fourcornersrafting.com/colorado_family_river_rafting.shtml

Does your family love a certain TV show and make sure to catch it every week? Then why not watch it together instead of having three or four TVs tuned into the same program? This is a wonderful way to spend family night, not only because it's something everyone enjoys, but it's also extremely affordable. This week, let's bring the family together around the TV.

This may sound a bit boring at first. You may even be asking how watching a TV show together can be a family activity. The key is to make it more than just watching a TV show. You have to make it fun and that's exactly what you're going to learn to do.

Each week, gather the family together about 30 minutes before the show begins and let each family member make predictions about what will happen. It may be a certain singer getting kicked off, a couple failing in love, or even who committed a murder. The person that makes the right prediction can get a prize. It may be an inexpensive item picked up at a local department store, a gift card, or even a coupon to get out of doing weekly chores.

Next, get retro. Remember how people used to gather around TVs when they were first made available to the public? They even ate their meals in front of the TV, not wanting to miss one moment of the new technology. While TV dinners may not be as appetizing as they once were, you can still create that feeling with homemade food. At local department stores, you can find lunchroom trays for around $2 a piece. This makes dinnertime so much fun. Of course, the experience wouldn't be complete without some retro TV trays.

This week, stop tuning into your favorite program by yourself and enjoy it with the entire family. Not only will the show be more enjoyable, but you'll get to spend time with your family. It doesn't get any better than that.

Though fast food is often blamed for obesity and parents are urged to keep their children out of the drive through and to make home cooking a priority, there's still something to be said for a fast food meal. In fact, teaching children to eat in moderation at a fast food restaurant, and to view fast food as a special treat instead of a daily indulgence, has its benefits. Making a family outing to a local fast food establishment once in a while can be a learning experience for children, as well as a fun treat.

Select fast food restaurants carefully.
Select the fast food establishment you want to share with your children carefully. Not only should you consider what you have nearby, but think about their menu options and the layout of the restaurant, too. A fast food restaurant with a playplace is a great idea, and allows kids to burn off some energy. Some restaurants offer milk, apple and carrot sticks, grilled chicken instead of fried, or a variety of other healthier choices for both parents and children. Select a fast food restaurant that meets these requirements for a healthier and more enjoyable experience. Pick a restaurant within walking distance, throw on your running shoes, and make the whole evening healthier.

Find a reason to visit a fast food establishment.
After a first dentist's visit, after putting on a brave face for shots at the doctor's office, to celebrate the first day of summer vacation, or to break up a long car trip are all great opportunities to make a trip to a fast food restaurant. These don't necessarily set up fast food as a special treat, but they don't make it a common, everyday occurrence, either. Don't make a big deal out of a fast food restaurant, but show your children that there are much better ways to eat through your own activities.

Make positive meal choices.
The occasional Happy Meal is hardly going to make children obese or raise their cholesterol. But it can't hurt to make good choices while you are at a fast food restaurant, too. Select milk for the kids, instead of soda. Let your children see you choose a salad instead of a triple cheeseburger. Indulge in french fries if they're your favorite, but order a small instead of a large. Making positive choices for yourself and your children when you do choose a fast food restaurant shows them that it's okay to eat healthy when you are out.

Making a family outing to a local fast food establishment once in a while can be a learning experience for children, as well as a fun treat. Showing your children how to indulge in fast food the right way is a valuable lesson.

ABCDEFG….

It’s that time of year when kids are heading back to school and learning their ABCs and 123s. Alphabet and initial parties offer a unique birthday party theme for you to throw your child. Many people like this theme for a first birthday party. As long as you have some older children attending, up to 4 years of age, these activities will be fun and engaging.

Invitations:
Cut out the initials of the birthday child and either make the cutout be the invitation and provide all details on the letter, or place the letter onto white card stock and inside provide all of the party details.

Use alphabet stamps to decorate the front of the invitation, perhaps spelling out the birthday child’s name.

If a first birthday party, take a picture of your child playing among alphabet blocks and put this on the front of the invitation.

Ask the kids to wear bold, bright colors to the party.

Decorations:

Pick several primary colors as the color scheme of the party and go to town. Purchase helium balloons in these colors and have them all around the party room. Spell out the name of the birthday child and the party guests on the balloons. If you don’t have enough balloons, you can use initials only. You can give the balloons away to the kids at the end of the party to take home.

For a table centerpiece, try and find big wooden ABC blocks and attach a few balloons to each of the wooden blocks.

Cut out the letters of the alphabet, as many as you can, and post them all over the party room. Teacher resource stores will also have the alphabet letters already pre-made and you will just have to cut them out.

Spell out alphabet signs to greet the guests when they arrive, i.e. “Elizabeth is Two! Hurray!”

Crafts:

Cut out letters of the alphabet and have the kids decorate them.

Have pre-cut foam in the shape of alphabets and have the kids stamp their names on big sheets of paper.

Provide kids with a white T-shirt with an iron-on alphabet letter for their initial. On the back of the shirt, have the kids make a handprint with wearable paint. This can be a part of the goodies they take home.

Use wood block ABC’s as stamps, and have the kids make art creations with them. They could also make birthday cards for the birthday child with these same stamps.

Have the kids make ID bracelets using alphabet beads.

Party Activities:

Hire a face painter to paint letters on the kids’ faces, and/or paint their names.

Hold a book exchange. Have the guests bring a favorite book of theirs to give to another party guest. Have the kids sit in a circle, and play music, and let the kids pass their books around the circle. When the music stops, this is the book they get to keep! You could do this several times before stopping.

Play charades, and have each kid act out a word that starts with a letter of the alphabet. So, if it is “B” ~ it could be for a bear ~ and the child can act out a bear and the other kids will have to figure out what he is.

Make little alphabet letters and stick them all over the house on things that begin with that letter, i.e. G is for glass, so stick a “G” on glass, and have the kids find all of the letters and shout out the letter and what it stands for.

Menu:

Serve any type of sandwich you like, and cut them out with alphabet shapes.

Serve alphabet cereal, little goldfish crackers, carrots, and fruit as additional snacks.

Serve gelatin cut out in alphabet shapes in a variety of flavors.

Bake sugar cookies and cut them out in different alphabet letters You can ice them yourself, put them into clear cellophane bags, and tie with a pretty ribbon as a goody item or have the kids decorate the cookies and enjoy eating them right at the party as another activity.

Serve Oreos on a Stick: place a Popsicle stick into an Oreo cookie, and dip the cookie into melted chocolate. Let it dry and then use an icing tube to write different letters on each one. This can also be a take-home goody, just wrap it in cellophane with a ribbon and add to the goody bag.

Make regular cupcakes and frost them. Top them off with the letters of the alphabet. Spell out the birthday kid’s name.

Goody Bags:

Find out each child’s name before the party, and decorate a brown paper bag using their initials. You can do this with markers and/or stickers. Inside the bag include alphabet stickers, iron-on patches with their initials, Alphabet coloring books with a small box of crayons, magnetic letters, a wooden block with their initials, etc.

Do you never have time to fix breakfast at home? If this is the case you probably turn to fast food restaurants to get your morning meal, but have you considered how much this costs? At $5 per day, Monday-Friday, that's $25 a week or $1,300 per year! That's quite an expense. What if you could enjoy breakfast at home and cut the costs, while still enjoying a quick meal? This week, let's discuss kicking the fast food habit and fixing a quick breakfast at home.

If you enjoy pancakes, French toast, or even waffles, you can easily enjoy them at home, while saving money. You can purchase these items already frozen at the grocery store, but if you want to spend pennies per serving, make them yourself and then freeze them. Then all you have to do is pop them in the microwave or toaster and you've got a quick meal.

If you need something that you can take with you in the car, it's also quite easy to make breakfast sandwiches at home. All you have to do is bake a batch of biscuits the night before and the next day heat up pre-cooked sausage patties, top with cheese, and place on the biscuit. Of course, if you want something healthy, you can also prepare a fruit salad the night before. The leftover fruit salad could be layered with yogurt and granola to create a gourmet parfait later in the week.

This week, why not try a quick breakfast sandwich made from this recipe?

Minute Steak, Sautéed Onions, and Cheese Sandwiches
Serves 4

2 minute steaks, cut in half
1 onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
4 slices of American cheese
4 croissants

1. Cook the minute steak and onions in olive oil over medium-high heat until cooked through.
2. Top each croissant with steak, onions, and a slice of cheese.
3. Wrap in wax paper and enjoy at work or on the go.

A quick meal doesn't have to be expensive. As with most meals, you can always save money by preparing them in your own kitchen.

This is a party theme that is easy to put together, very budget friendly, and often a favorite of kids aged 2 to 3-years-old. Essentially, the party is all about the party child. Given that kids this age are learning and recognizing who they are, having a party that reflects them will be a lot of fun for this age. For you, it is super easy to put together!

Here are the tips:

1. Ask your guests to dress in the same outfit as your child will. Make it something simple like jeans and a blue T-shirt. When everyone walks in they will be dressed exactly as your kid.

2. Decorate with your child’s favorite colors using balloons, streamers, and tableware. If there is a favorite candy, have these scattered around the table as well. Print off pictures of your kid and have these hanging around the party room as well. You could also attach the pictures from streamers for additional fun decorations for when the guests arrive at your party.

3. Have several of your child’s favorite toys on a table and Play Dough for the kids to make replica creations of your kid’s favorite things.

4. Have the birthday kid lead the gang in a round of “Simon Says,” but use your child’s name instead of Simon.

5. Play “Pin the Nose on _ (Your child’s name.)” Print off a very large picture of your kid and hang it up. Cut out a big red nose and have them use this to try and pin the nose on.

6. What are some other fun games your child loves? Charades? Tag? Hide and Seek? Freeze? Mother May I? Red Light, Green Light? Whatever those favorite games are, if you have the room, play them.

7. Take pictures of each guest with your child, and place it into a frame to be taken home by the guests for the party favor. If you have a digital camera, these pictures can be printed off and placed in the frames. Alternatively, send the frames home and send the pictures with the thank you notes afterwards.
8. Have a cake with a picture of the birthday child on it. Make it his favorite cake and icing flavors.

9. Serve your child’s favorite foods, even if outlandish, like Fruity Pebbles, serve them up to keep with your theme. It will add fun to the party menu.

The point of the whole party is to celebrate the uniqueness of your child and to share this with everyone at the party. It is easy, budget-friendly, and because there is no one just like your kid, it will be very special!

Most kids love the idea that they can do something adults do. They also seem to love it when those efforts are useful to others. Bucket gardening is just such an activity. It's easy, fun, and can be used over and over by the family or someone in need. It's important to teach kids life skills, as well as help instill in them a helpful and giving attitude toward others. Bucket gardening can do just that.

All kids will need is a 5 gallon bucket, various vegetables to plant, an egg, and some soil enriched with plant food. They may also want to wear a sun hat and some gardening gloves. Planting a tomato in the center is said to be a tradition of the bucket garden. Other vegetables can be planted around it. The egg should be cracked and put underneath the tomato plant for extra fertilizer. It's a good idea to use a variety of vegetables and herbs to get the most use out of the bucket garden when it grows. You may want to buy enough supplies so that you also can plant one as a way to instruct the kids on how to make a bucket garden.

From planting the bucket garden, the kids gain skills and knowledge on growing their own food. Other benefits of gardening include exercise and stress relief. The bucket garden can be placed on a patio, near a sunny apartment window, on a balcony, or on the porch.. This versatile garden is portable and easy to maintain in a variety of living conditions. Because of this, bucket gardens are often given as a gift to the hungry.

This is where the lesson on being helpful and giving comes in. Kids can make a bucket garden to give to the hungry. It can even be turned into a friends and family event where your child's friends and family can all gather to make these bucket gardens for those in need of a food supply. Bucket gardens are very ideal for the hungry because the gardens will produce vegetables again and again, rather than be a one-time use, as with canned vegetables.

Source:
http://www.examiner.com/x-8250-Denver-Gardening-Examiner~y2009m6d8-Bucket-gardens-for-the-Denver-hungry

In this day and time, most children have a summer reading list. For many children, this isn't exactly how they wanted to spend their summer vacation. Instead of letting your children turn this into a negative experience, why not make it fun? In fact, why not get the whole family involved? This week, let's discuss having book club meetings on family night.

First of all, you'll need enough copies of the books for the entire family to read. If you purchased all these books at a bookstore, the prices would really add up. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to save money on books. Obviously, the first place to start is your local library. Each week, you could pick up enough copies for your family to read that week's assigned book. If your library doesn't have enough copies, don't worry, there are other ways to save money. Used books stores offer great deals and some even let you trade in old books towards the cost of your purchase. Another great way to save money is through book trading sites like Paperback Swap. Through these sites, you're able to post books you no longer want and get credit for other books.

The next step is to make it fun. There are a number of different ways to do this. You can serve fun snacks, such as cookies, or foods that revolve around the book you're reading that week. Another fun thing to do is watch the movie version after the book has been read and discussed. This provides extra incentive to get your children to read the book.

Last, but not least, make sure to have a thorough discussion of the book. Have your children take notes so that they don't forget what they've learned. By getting involved in your child's education, you not only ensure they get the work done, but you make it more enjoyable for them as well. Best of all, this can even be done while on vacation. Just get an audio book and listen to it during the drive to your destination.

Finding the right types of clothing during pregnancy can be one of your biggest challenges, especially during the second and third trimester. Many moms-to-be simply give up and stick with oversized tent-style tops and dresses just to get through their days. However, there are some ways you can stay stylish and feel great all the way up to the birth, without resorting to some major fashion don'ts. Make sure you're avoiding some of these common maternity fashion mistakes as you piece together your closet for the weeks and months ahead:

1. Buying your entire wardrobe in the first month. You won't know exactly how your body will change and morph over the months ahead, even if you've had children before. Buying too many clothes early in the pregnancy can be a big mistake, so you're much better off buying clothes as you need them. You can still plan ahead, but stick with a 3-week, not 3-month lead time.

2. Wearing clothes several sizes too large. There are too many maternity clothing options out there to settle for wearing oversized t-shirts and baggy sweaters through pregnancy! Scope out the designers and brands that make clothes specifically for pregnant women, and try a few different styles of clothing to find the right match. Keep in mind that when you wear clothes that fit your body shape and size, you'll also feel better about yourself.

3. Buying clothes that don't sync with your style. If you don't usually wear peasant tops or sleeveless dresses, now is not the time to start! Stick with your usual style parameters so you feel comfortable in your ensemble. It's now easier than ever to find maternity clothes that match your sense of style, so don't settle for anything else.

4. Wearing shapeless dresses. The maxi dress may be in style this season, but this shapeless dress won't complement your figure. Look for dresses with a small tie-back or empire-waist cut so that you can show off that baby bump in style, and still feel comfortable.

5. Altering your regular clothes to fit. No matter how much you love those bootcut jeans or high-waisted skirt, you're going to have to part with it for a few months. Avoid the temptation of having your clothes altered to fit because you'll ruin them permanently! Just buy a few basic pieces that complement your sense of style, and wait until your body is back in shape so you can wear your favorites.

Do you love taking your friends and family out for a steak dinner on special occasions? What if I told you, that you could *serve your friends and family a delicious steak dinner for a fraction of what a steakhouse would charge*? It's all about saving money in the kitchen and this week we're tackling the classic steak dinner. Most steak dinners come with a salad, bread, and a choice of potato. While a steak dinner can range from $9.99 to a few hundred dollars, depending on the type of steak and restaurant, you can prepare the same delicious meals for under $50 for four people. Talk about huge savings!

First of all, don't overdo the salad. A salad that comes with a steak dinner should be simple. Purchase a large bag of salad mix and a couple different types of salad dressing and you're done. As for bread, shop your grocery store's bakery for inexpensive, but homemade tasting choices. And, for the best savings on potatoes, go with French fries. That way, you don't have to buy toppings.

As for the steak, because you're cooking at home, you can afford to serve your guests high quality cuts of meat. For around $20, you could serve your guests half pound rib eye steaks. If you wanted to serve sirloin, the cost would be around $10. Now, time for the weekly recipe:

Easy Rib Eye Steaks
Serves 4

4 (8 ounce) rib eye steaks
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Olive oil

1. Season the steaks on both sides and place in a large, oven-safe skillet with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet and brown on both sides before transferring to the oven.
2. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the steaks and serve immediately for medium well or cover and let sit for 15 minutes for well done steaks.

Last, but not least, top your delicious steak dinner off with a special dessert from your local bakery. It's really that simple and that inexpensive. Stop waiting for special occasions and have your friends over for a delicious meal tonight.