Simpler Things

This summer I brought back out the Popsicle molds I have, and by using Kool-Aid, or Juice, I have been making popsicles for the girls.  MUCH cheaper than buying them, that's for sure.

I have been having to go back to doing the "simpler" things in life, for economic reasons.

Growing up, I didn't have much.  I shared a bedroom with my 2 sisters, and my mom raised the 3 of us.  On her own.  We lived in a duplex so we did have a front yard which was very nice for us  It made the little place we lived in feel a little bigger.

Sometimes for dinner we would have soup and corn muffinsr, or peaches and cottage cheese, and my sisters and I thought that was the best!  Little did we know then, that that was all my mom could afford.  But she made things like that seem super special for us.

Sodas were a treat on the weekends, and weekends only.  Heck, going out to dinner was a REAL treat for us then, too, as it did not happen often at all.

I have found myself remembering those time and using them for a reference.

I do have it much better than my mom did, when she raised me and my two sisters.  I am definitely grateful for that.

But as little as we did have, we were happy.  We were grateful for the things we did have (and yes, we did envy our friends who had more, but it seemed they always liked being at our house).

And while being without certain things, we made due with what we had and learned how to do things, that maybe we wouldn't have learned how to do, had we had more things.

For example, I learned how to sew and crochet at a very early age (10).   Something I still need to teach my girls how to do.  Spending summers coloring, doing paint-by-numbers, coloring those HUGS posters with markers (do you remember those?)

A couple of weeks ago I was up in L.A., visiting my friend, Jayde.  While we were talking, some entertainers were getting ready to perform in the park across the street.  He and I went and watch and it was so entertaining to watch!  And the best part?  It was free!

Which got my mind thinking of all the activities that me and my girls could do that were free.  Like partake at a concert in the park.  Or go to the beach (yes, parking is free here in San Diego).  Or go to the park, or the library (as long as we return the books back on time...)

And these days they have these "daily save" emails that you can get from various places where you can buy "coupons" for a ridiculously low price.  I got the girls and I tickets to Knott's Soak City for $15 apiece, which is more than 1/2 off the normal price!  Or 2 for 1 movie tickets.  Or spend $5 and get $10 worth of food at Submarina, and things like that.

In this economy, these things are valuable.  And even more so for me.  Because it makes it possible for me to do these things, that I, otherwise wouldn't be able to afford to do.

It brings me back to when I was young, and also early on when my oldest was little and we had to "economize".    It helps to bring out the "creativity" in me.  To think "outside the box".

And I believe it is a valuable tool to teach my girls.  To help them appreciate more what they DO have.  And yes, they are going to wish they had other things.  They are going to wish they had more.  But, in reality, don't we all?  And that's okay to think that, or wish that, as long we DO appreciate what we DO have, and be grateful for that.

So tell me, what are some of the simpler things in life that you like to do?  I would love any and all of your suggestions.