Archive for the ‘Family’ Category
2011 Missoula Festival of Trees
Mountain Home Montana's annual Missoula Festival of Trees is one of the merriest ways for the whole family to put the Christmas season in full swing. Festivities begin on December 1.... more
MissouLOVE: Things That Make Missoula Home
By JEN SLAYDEN - From the rivers to the mountains and all things in between, here are my 10 fave things about Missoula. What do you MissouLOVE?... more
Declutter & Donate with a Playroom Cleanout Day
By ERIN TURNER - To get ready for Christmas and maximize our storage space, we do a playroom overhaul and donate the toys our boys don't play with anymore.... more
Music Lessons For Your Kids and Other Ways to Waste Money
By BOB WIRE - I never learned to read music. Hell, sometimes it’s all I can do to read English. So I learned to play by ear. I’m equipped with a strong sense of rhythm, so the guitar was a natural choice.... more
How to Make Tin Can Lanterns
By LISA HENSLEY - I was having some friends over for a housewarming party last week, and wanted decorate with luminaries. I almost rushed out to buy luminary bags before I remembered that I could make tin can l... more
Missoula Black Friday Sales – A Holiday Shopping Tradition
By ERIN TURNER - Black Friday either creates fear, disgust, or excitement in people. You either love it or hate it.... more
Thanksgiving on a Budget – A Harvest of Abundance, Frugal Style
By ERIN TURNER - Hosting Thanksgiving dinner can get expensive. Erin shares some tips for planning a memorable dinner on a budget.... more
‘Tis the Season for Cold Weather Running
By EVA DUNN-FROEBIG - Kickstart the holiday season with the Turkey Day 8K and 3K Family Fun Run on Thanksgiving Day. The event will be on Thursday, November 24 at 9:30 a.m. Races start near Toole Park on the Ri... more
Holiday Giving Get-Togethers
By JESSICA ALLRED - In this season of dinner parties and gift exchanges, here are a few fun and engaging ideas on how you can make a big difference for the Missoula Food Bank.... more
A Salute to Missoula’s Bike-Friendly Events of 2011
By BEN WEISS - There is no doubt that Missoulians like riding bikes. In fact, we consistently rate among the top 10 cities in the country for percentage of people using bicycles for transportation.... more
The Best Missoula Neighborhood for Trick or Treating Is…
...Grant Creek! Halloween is still alive and well in Missoula, Montana, at least in the Grant Creek neighborhood. Tonight, we enjoyed it for what it is: A celebration of kids being kids, young and old. A cha... more
Introducing the Black Mountain Boys and
Weekly Missoula Bluegrass Music
By MARK VOSBURGH - Where is Missoula's free weekly bluegrass show? Hint: Look for the grain bin on Reserve Street.... more
Reduce Christmas Stress by Planning and Shopping Ahead
By ERIN TURNER Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you enjoy a day of spooks and frights! But once the last Snickers bar is consumed and the last cup of witches’ brew is poured, it is time to pull on the ... more
Missoula Moms Test Senator Tester: Concerns of Parents Heard
By JEN SLAYDEN - When I first received the email from Mamalode to join a group of Missoula moms and staff members to meet with Senator Jon Tester, I hesitated. Most of my life, I have remained on the passive si... more
A Birthday Party Run Wild
By EVA DUNN-FROEBIG When it came time to plan my son’s sixth birthday party, it only made sense that it would have a running theme. I eat, sleep, and breathe running, and Milo has become more enthusiasti... more
Missoula’s Fall Color: The Best Ever?
By PAUL QUENEAU - I’m just going to say it: This might be the best fall color the Missoula Valley has ever seen. A bold statement, I know, but so are the colors.... more
Looking for a Missoula Pumpkin Patch or Corn Maze?
Get info on corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and more Halloween family fun in Missoula, Montana.... more
Teaching Money to Children and Teens
By ERIN TURNER. I am banking on the hope that my husband and I have laid a solid foundation and a respect for money in our kids so when they are faced with a financial decision on their own, they’ll know the... more
We Are Family: Griz Family Weekend
By MARGARET DEWILLIAM HORTON - On a Wednesday several weeks ago, I sat poised by the computer, waiting for the stroke of 10 AM Mountain Time (which I had to remember translated to 9 AM Pacific Time). I was hopi... more
Galloway Training Welcomes Runners from the Back of the Pack
Pam Gardiner talks about how the Galloway Training method has helped her and other non-traditional runners train for and finish the Missoula Marathon and Half-Marathon.... more
Cyber Couponing
By ERIN TURNER. Having a little retail craving but don’t want to change out of your pajamas to go shopping? Get online and shop to your hearts content using countless cyber coupons and discount codes. ... more
F*#%ing Laundry
By ELKE GOVERTSEN. I hate laundry!!!! For goodness sake. I know how to do it. Really I do. But I just don’t care enough. Or more to the point, I do care, but not as much as I care about things like my childre... more
Reasons for Couponing
By ERIN TURNER. I am often asked, “Why do you coupon?” My bottom line always boils down to three very special reasons: Ethan, Logan and Quinn.... more
How to Score with Albertson’s Double Coupons
By ERIN TURNER It has been a winning week in my house! First, our family’s beloved Dallas Cowboys (no nasty comments, please!) started the week with a superb win, my oldest son’s Little Grizzly footba... more
Save by Stockpiling Food and Household Items
By ERIN TURNER. I am replenishing our stockpile after a summer of living off of it. Reasons to stockpile? Convenience, for emergencies, and above all, SAVING MONEY!... more
Getting Schooled at the Open House
By BOB WIRE. Well, it’s that time of year again—dodging bodies in the school hallway, navigating a strange new campus, trying to decipher a confusing schedule sheet, and hustling to beat the bell in time to... more
Fundraiser for Friends of 2 Rivers
By JEN SLAYDEN. Please join Friends of 2 Rivers at Flathead Lake Brewing Company on Wednesday, September 21st from 5pm-11pm, to enjoy trivia, friendship, and cold, tasty beer!... more
Coupon Clipping Tips and Techniques
By ERIN TURNER. I have to admit my “Coupon Queen” crown is slightly tarnished these days. Why? Because I hardly couponed this summer…. I know that sounds scandalous but in all honesty, it’s exactly w... more
Sleeping with the Enemy: Can a Marriage Survive Rooting for Division Rivals?
By BOB WIRE. The chatter of the exuberant bar full of NFL fans dropped to a murmur as we made our way through the Desperado last October -- she in her Tom Brady #12 jersey and blue New England Patriots hat, me ... more
More Zucchini?!?! – Try This Sweet Zucchini Relish Recipe
By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. You know that you've reached your threshold with zucchini when you resort to making zucchini bread. There is only so much of this prolific garden wonder that one family or person can ea... more
Decorating for Fall on a Frugal Budget
By ERIN TURNER. I can’t help it! I’m a sucker for those lovely magazine covers which show a home or front porch decorated for fall. I want my home to exude the same warmth and coziness but I don’t want... more
Blessing Bags of Love – for Missoula’s Homeless
By ERIN TURNER. When fall arrives, I inherently start to “nest”. I become a canning maniac. I also can’t help but think about those in our community who are homeless or needy.... more
Miss Nelson is Missing at MCT!
In conjunction with National Arts In Education Week, MCT, Inc. will present the children’s play “Miss Nelson is Missing” at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, September 15 at 7:00 p.m. an... more
Missoula is Like . . . Relaxed Fit Jeans?
By JEN SLAYDEN. Jeans come in such different shapes and styles, each feeling a bit different to wear. Kind of like the styles of each of the town you travel going east and back again through the great state of... more
Dilly Beans – Preserving the Summer Bounty
By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. One of my favorite ways to enjoy the taste of summer long after the first snow flies, is by opening a jar of Dilly Beans, a recipe from a cult classic book on fermentation - Wild Fermen... more
Budget Meal Planning
By ERIN TURNER. As I’m preparing all the backpacks, washing “first day of school” clothes and getting football gear ready for practices, I have to admit that meals are the last thing I am worried about! ... more
Summer Feet
By ELKE GOVERTSEN. Say it ain’t so… summer is, gulp, over? But I don’t have my summer feet yet.... more
Earth, Wind, and Fire – Bonner Fire
By JEN SLAYDEN. If it takes an act of God to fill up the usually vacant church parking lots on my side of the mountain, I think he has spoken. For in a brief period of twelve hours we felt an earthquake and our... more
Super-Saving NOT Super-Sizing
By ERIN TURNER. If you stay in any hotel these days, your room will more than likely be supplied with a small bottle of shampoo and conditioner. Do you leave those behind when you leave? Well, you shouldn’t... more
Back to School Shopping on a Budget
By ERIN TURNER. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but school starts in less than two weeks for most Missoula kids. I’d better get into gear in order to save some cash on the boys’ school supplies.... more
Killing Me Softly: The Art of Deconstruction
By LISA HENSLEY. I’m somewhat addicted to HGTV, especially the “Crashers” shows (Yard Crashers, House Crashers, etc.). It could be because I’m secretly wishing someone would offer to come to my house an... more
Wallet Bustin’ at the Western Montana Fair
By ERIN TURNER. Well, you’ve heard of Mutton bustin’ at county fairs but have you heard of Wallet Bustin’? Probably not, but all of you have probably participated in this wild event at any fair you have ... more
Frugal Camping – Tips for Camping on a Budget
By ERIN TURNER. As I was putting together a list of food and snacks, it dawned on me how expensive camping can be if you aren’t penny wise. My husband asked for some quick and easy snacks and easy prep meals ... more
Repurpose Grass Clippings as Mulch
By LISA HENSLEY. By this time of year, if you bag your grass cuttings, you’re probably starting to think fondly of those winter months when there’s no mowing to do. (Actually, you’re probably thinking tha... more
Discount Shopping Deals . . . Even on Vacation
By ERIN TURNER. Lately, some of my summer adventures have led to the discovery of some great discount shopping deals in unexpected places. That is always a welcomed treat in my eyes.... more
Orchard Homes Country Life Club Celebrates 100 Years
By ERIN TURNER. Walking into the Orchard Homes’ Country Life Club on Third Street in Missoula is reminiscent of your grandparent’s house. For most Missoulians, it has been there forever--in fact it is cele... more
Repurposed Lighting
RE-USE IT. By LISA HENSLEY. I was working my first volunteer event for Home ReSource a couple of years ago when I stumbled across this fantastic light fixture. It’s really heavy, old glass, and by the time we... more
Where to Find Coupons – 10 Places to “Hunt”
By ERIN TURNER. Just as a big game hunter wouldn’t head out to the woods without bullets for the big kill neither would a couponer head out to the grocery store without coupons for their “big kill”. ... more