$5 Family Fun – UFO Day (July 2nd)

Keep your eyes to the skies on July 2nd because it’s World UFO Day. Believers and skeptics alike will have blast with these  out-of-this-world $5 Family Fun balloon and food craft projects.

Directions to these and other frugal fabulous projects can be found in the $5 Family Fun e-Book.  To purchase, click the “BUY THE EBOOK $5 FAMILY FUN” page tab.  Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books & Things (soon available on iBooks too).

If you try these or any $5 Family Fun projects, post your pictures using #my$5FamilyFun

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UFO Cookies

Glowing Alien Balloons

$5 Family Fun Book Cover

So excited that I wanted to share.  Thank you to the team at Cedar Fort Publishing for the fabulous-looking book cover!!!  Can’t believe we’re getting closer to the e-Book launch of $5 Family Fun.

Publishing Agreement for $5 Family Fun!!!

The New Year is here & 2016 is going to bring many new & exciting adventures for me.  I’m excited to finally share that I’ve signed a Publishing Agreement with Cedar Fort Publishing to bring $5 Family Fun to life!!!

It will initially be available only in e-book format but if it does well, then Cedar Fort will produce a print version too.  The first of 5 steps in the editorial process will begin next month and they’re anticipating a June 2016 release date.

I’m thrilled for this opportunity and will continue to share $5 Family Fun updates as we get closer to June. Thank you to all who have encouraged and supported this project & me during this process. For that, I am eternally grateful!

– Meggan

Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Cream Sauce (with Thanksgiving turkey leftovers)

Looking for a completely different flavor profile for your Thanksgiving leftover turkey?  Substitute chicken with turkey to make this light and flavorful Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Cream Sauce recipe.

Ingredients: 

• 4 tablespoons of low-fat sour cream
• 4 tablespoons chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 peeled, ripe avocado
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons diced green chilis
• 2 cups shredded or finely chopped cooked chicken (or turkey)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 flour tortillas
• 4 cups chopped spinach
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup shredded white Mexican cheese mix or crumbled quest fresco

Directions: 

• Combine first 7 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
• In a pan, combine next 4 ingredients and warm under medium low heat.
• Heat the next ingredient (1 tablespoon vegetable oil) in skillet. Add tortillas one at a time.  Brown & puff on one side, then flip and repeat each on the other side.  Pat each dry with paper towels.
• Place tortilla on a plate. Top with chicken mixture. Then top with vegetables, avocado cream sauce & shredded cheese.

 

KATV Good Morning Arkansas February Segment – Olympics & Mardi Gras

Tuesday I had fun again sharing $5 Family Fun ideas on KATV’s Good Morning Arkansas.  Thank you again Channel 7 for letting me come and talk about fun and affordable activities!

Tune in on Tuesday, March 18th for more $5 ideas.

 

Olympic Spirit…by $5 Family Fun

The Winter Olympics in Sochi are just around the corner.  While they are on the air February 7^th – 23^rd, invite friends over to join your family for a watch party as well as enjoy your own Olympic games, all for around $5. 

Games can include:  

• Opening Ceremonies – create your own Olympic torch utilizing a leftover paper towel roll & aluminum foil for the flame.  If you happen to have red, orange or yellow tissue paper in the house, you can upgrade to a more colorful flame.  Household items – $0
• 3 Leg Race – partner up and use belts from the closet or rope from the garage to bind legs.  Household items – $0
• Individual Sprint – no props needed.  $0
• Relay Race – use leftover paper towel rolls as batons.  Household items – $0
• Egg Race – spoons from the kitchen & plastic eggs from your Easter decor.  Household items – $0
• Discus – if you have a Frisbee lying around the garage or backyard, this is all you need for a fun and competitive discus toss.  Household items – $0
• Closing Ceremonies/Medal Presentation – make medals out of aluminum foil and anything you have around the house to make a medal strap such as giftwrap ribbon or twine.  Household items – $0

 

After the closing ceremonies, go for the gold with one these fun snacks.  (To do both snacks would bust our $5 budget with a $5.38 total)

• Option #1 Olympic Torch Treats – $2.59  Fill generic brand ice cream cones from the grocery store ($1.59) with microwave buttered popcorn from the dollar store ($1).  
• Option #2 Olympic Ring Cookies $2.79  Smooth white icing ($1) on top of packaged cookies ($1) & them top with blue, brown, red, yellow and green M&Ms ($0.79) to represent the colored Olympic Rings.  All three items were dollar store finds. 

Use these fun and thrifty suggestions to throw your own Olympic watch party and your judges are sure to give you all 10s.

Total Cost: $2.59 – $2.79

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Family Game Night…from $5 Family Fun

Family Game Night – $5  

I absolutely love that new TV show Hollywood Game Night and thought what a fun idea to entertain the family during holiday break.  Here are some entertaining and affordable ideas for a Family Game Night…$5 Family Fun-style.   

Games – $1

Buy a deck of cards from the dollar store for $1.  There are several games you can play but an easy one for young kids to play is Go Fish!  If you’re unfamiliar with the rules (of if you need a refresher), here is a link to directions of how to play: http://boardgames.about.com/od/cardgames/a/go_fish.htm 

Two other great game options are Charades and Pictionary.  Since you’d be utilizing paper and pens already in the house, these would not cost a penny.  Here are basic rules for both: 

• If only 3 people, have one charade actor/pictionary artist designated to act out or draw the words or phrases for both of the other players.  If at least two separate players of each team, rotate turns acting out or drawing.
• You must not speak or make sounds when you are acting out your charade or drawing.
• Agree upon a time limit, usually 5 seconds to study the word or phrase and then about one minute to act or draw.
• Also agree on a time limit to guess the correct answers.
• The team with the most correct wins the game.

Here are some links to Charade and Pictionary words and phrases:

• Kids Charade Word List (ages 5-17) http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/games-puzzles-and-worksheets/charades-word-lists-kids.html
• Charade & Pictionary Word Generator (categorizes words from easy to very hard) http://www.wordgenerator.net/charades-generator.php and http://www.wordgenerator.net/pictionary-word-generator.php
• Charade & Pictionary Word printable lists http://www.thegamegal.com/printables/
• Or…get creative and make up your own

Another game option would be to pick up board game from a yard sale for $1.

 

Grub – $4

All that competitive play can make your crew hungry.  Serve up some easy to make Domino Brownies.  You can also let the family share in on the fun of decorating them.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need (ingredient needs may vary but these are based on the brownie mix I purchased):

• Brownie Mix from the dollar store – $1
• 1 Egg – I purchased a ½ dozen of eggs at the grocery store for $0.99
• Vegetable Oil from the dollar store – $1
• White Icing from the dollar store – $1

Make the brownies according to package directions.  Once cooled, cut into rectangles.  Fill a zip top baggie you have in the kitchen with the white icing.  Close and them snip bit off of one of the bottom corners of the baggie.  Use this as your pastry bag to pipe out lines and dots to turn your brownie rectangles into delicious dominos.

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