Frugal Family Fun

Do you have someone special in your life who loves spending time outdoors and appreciates the beauty of nature? If so, you may be wondering what kind of gift would delight them. From outdoor gear to nature-inspired home décor, jewelry, and more, there are many unique and thoughtful gift ideas that any nature lover would appreciate. Keep reading for some beautiful gift suggestions for the nature enthusiast within your life. 

Experiences in Nature

One of the best gifts you can give a nature lover is the gift of a shared experience outdoors. Plan a hiking, camping, or kayaking trip together in a beautiful natural area. Look for locations that offer stunning scenery, great wildlife viewing, or interesting ecological features. For a simpler idea, purchase passes to a local botanical garden or tickets for a nature tour or whale-watching cruise. Experiencing nature together will create wonderful memories.

Nature-Themed Jewellery

Jewellery featuring natural motifs is a lovely gift idea for nature lovers. Nature-themed earrings, pendants, and bracelets remind the wearer of the beauty of the outdoors. Opt for pieces featuring trees, leaves, flowers, feathers, dragonflies, shells, or gems and minerals. Handcrafted bee jewelry, like necklaces and earrings featuring bee and honeycomb designs, is particularly popular. There is something unique and quirky about bee jewelry that the recipient is sure to love.

Field Guides and Nature Books

For the nature lover who enjoys learning about the natural world, books make wonderful gifts. Field guides that aid in identifying trees, flowers, mushrooms, animal tracks, constellations, and more allow nature enthusiasts to deepen their knowledge. Options like national park guides, natural history books, nature poetry anthologies, and books on gardening, herbalism, and foraging are also lovely choices. Find books with beautiful illustrations and covers to delight any nature devotee.

Gardening Gifts

If your special someone has a green thumb, give them gifts to nurture their love of gardening. High-quality gardening tools like pruning shears, shovels, and watering cans are always useful. You could also build them a custom potting bench or window box planter. For apartment dwellers, consider an indoor hydroponic or aeroponic herb garden kit. Gift sets that include seeds and gardening accessories are available on many gardening sites. A gift certificate to a local nursery or greenhouse will allow them to select their own plants and supplies.

Eco-Friendly and Upcycled Gifts

Nature lovers tend to care deeply about the environment. Giving them a gift that aligns with eco-friendly values by choosing products made from natural, recycled, or upcycled materials. Search for gifts like solar chargers, reusable water bottles, bracelets made from recycled paper or glass, coasters from upcycled rubber tires, or stationery crafted from tree-free paper. Supporting sustainable brands and artists keeps gift-giving green.

Nature Photography and Artwork

Give the gift of natural beauty by choosing a stunning photograph, print, or artwork depicting a landscape, animal, plant, or natural scene that you know they’ll appreciate. Search for pieces featuring their favorite outdoor places, national parks, or wildlife. Opt for framed photos or stretched canvas prints that can be displayed in their home or office. Local nature photographers, artists at outdoor art festivals, and museum gift shops are great sources for unique nature-themed art.

With so many options, you’re sure to find the perfect gift that celebrates the nature lover in your life. A thoughtful gift reflecting their passion for the outdoors and natural world will absolutely delight them.

Friends, what gifts do you give nature enthusiasts in your life? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Many thanks to Angel Studios for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Having attended parochial school as a child, I often found myself fascinated by the lives of post-modern saints. Individiuals, like you, and me, that helped to make this country, this brave, beautiful world a better place. Through simple, deliberate actions, brave souls bettered their communities, created peace, feed the impoverished, and improved communities the world over. It is in this same spirit, I was draw to view the film, from the directors and producers of Sound of Freedom, Alejandro Monteverde’s newest work, Cabrini. The powerful lifestory of Francesca Cabrini, an Italian immigrant arriving in New York City in 1889, and later becoming the Patron Saint of Immigrants of North America.

Set in the disease, crime, and impoverishment-riddled Post-Reconstructionist America, a time when Italian immigrants to America lived in poverty and were denied basic rights to affordable housing and hospital care-deplorible conditions still seen in many of America’s cities, today. Called, “dago” and “Guinea pigs,” names emcompassing the deplorible conditions faced by the average Italian American Immigrant of the late nineteenth century, it is here our story’s heroine, played by Italian actress Cristiana Dell’Anna, begins a daring mission to convince popal authority, and later the hostile American politicans and sexist religious institutions. Along with the greed-stricken residents of Guilded Age New York City to help secure housing and healthcare for society’s most vulnerable.

Despite her poor English, and even poorer health, having overcome a near-childhood drowning, one that left Cabrini with severe lung damage, she invested her strengths into creating better communities for her fellow fledgling new world homecomers. Through her genrous spirit, she inspired the ambitious gallies of New York’s elite to give in ways unlike anything the world had seen. Aiding in the creation of sixty-seven hospitals, orphanages, and schools. Leading to her canonization in 1946 by Pope Pius XII, Cabrini become the first American citizen to be canonized-four years later titled as, the “Patroness of Immigrants.“

This first-ever biopic dedicated to the life of Mother Cabrini premieres in theaters on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day. Making it a great time to take the amazing women in your life to see this film, this spring, too. Buy tickets today to see Cabrini in theaters starting March 8th! You can purchase tickets, here.

As the movie allows audiences to understand Cabrini’s ultimate theme-to “aim for the impossible. For, as she tells Pope Leo XIII, played by Giancarlo Giannini, “The world is too small for what I intend to do.” Showing audiences that if a mere woman, not duppose to leave the confines of her bed for the rest of her life, can make the miraculous manageable, you can, too.

With its hopeful messaging and prestine cinemography, Cabrini invites audiences to do something odd-to rejoice in our own shortcomings, and, perhaps, sign-on for making our communities better places to live-to be our own “social saint.”

In the words of Saint Cabrini, herself, to women, like you, and me:

“Let all your affections, O daughters, be concentrated in this beautiful Heart, and you will always, and truly, be happy;”

Now, friends, also be sure to enter to win a $10.00 Amazon gift card from Momentum Publishing. To enter, please let me know why you’d most want to see Cabrini in theatres starting March 8th, 2024. Please note: this giveaway closes March 3, 2024 at 11:59 P.M. CST. Giveaway winners are verified and cannot have won the same giveaway from a fellow, participating vlogger of blogger. Giveaway prizes will be provided directly to winners from Momentum Publishing. Good luck, everyone!

The United Kingdom boasts a rich tapestry of history, with numerous cities that have played pivotal roles in shaping the nation’s narrative. From ancient Roman settlements to medieval strongholds and bustling modern metropolises, the UK offers a wealth of destinations that captivate visitors with their storied pasts. In this article, we’ll explore the top five most historic cities to visit in the UK, each offering a unique glimpse into the country’s fascinating heritage. 

1. London

As the capital and largest city in the UK, London’s historical significance is unparalleled. From the remnants of Roman occupation to the iconic landmarks that dot its skyline, London is a true living museum. Explore the Tower of London, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that served as a fortress, palace, and prison. Admire the grandeur of Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of the British monarch. Stroll along the River Thames, once a vital artery for trade and commerce, and witness the architectural masterpieces that line its banks, including the Palace of Westminster, home to the iconic Big Ben. Depending on where you fly in from, you may need to apply for a United Kingdom visa online before visiting London and the rest of the UK.

2. Bath

Step into the Roman era with a visit to Bath, a city renowned for its well-preserved Roman baths and Georgian architecture. The Roman Baths, built around 70 AD, offer a glimpse into ancient bathing rituals and the engineering marvels of the era. Explore the Circus and the Royal Crescent, two of Bath’s most iconic examples of Georgian architecture, showcasing the elegance and sophistication of the 18th century. Bath’s rich history also includes connections to Jane Austen, who lived and wrote in the city during the Regency period.

3. Edinburgh

Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, is a city steeped in history and culture. The Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a maze of medieval streets and alleys, dominated by the imposing Edinburgh Castle, which has stood watch over the city for centuries. Wander along the Royal Mile, a succession of streets linking the castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the British monarch. Explore the Gothic splendor of St. Giles’ Cathedral, a focal point of the city’s religious history, and immerse yourself in the rich literary heritage of Edinburgh, home to renowned writers like Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.

4. York

York’s history stretches back to the Roman era, making it one of the most historically significant cities in northern England. The city’s medieval legacy is evident in its well-preserved architecture, including the iconic York Minster, a magnificent Gothic cathedral that dominates the skyline. Explore the Shambles, a picturesque street lined with overhanging timber-framed buildings that date back to the 14th century. Visit the Jorvik Viking Centre to learn about the city’s Viking history and the archaeological discoveries that shed light on this fascinating period.

5. Oxford

Oxford, a city renowned for its world-famous university, has a rich history that extends far beyond its academic legacy. Wander through the charming medieval streets and admire the centuries-old colleges that have nurtured some of the world’s greatest minds. Visit the Bodleian Library, one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and marvel at its vast collection of books and manuscripts. Explore the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, a stunning example of Victorian neo-Gothic architecture, and delve into the city’s scientific and cultural heritage.

From the bustling streets of London to the Roman baths of Bath and the medieval charm of York, the UK’s historic cities offer an unparalleled opportunity to step into the past and experience the rich tapestry of British history.

Friends, where would you want to most travel within the UK? Or have you traveled within the UK? What were your favorite spots of itnerest? Leave your comments below.

With the cold embrace of the dark winter coming to an end, and

spring a few short weeks away, now is the perfect time to reexamine New Year’s resolutions and recommit to self-care. A the daylight’s limitless possibilities for self-improvement and change upon us, now is the time to look forward to brighter days ahead-including our positive movie viewing. Including Ordinary Angels– the new, seasonal faith-based drama, directed by Adam Graham, showcasing both the power of community empowerment.

Based on the true story set in Kentucky in the early ’90s, where an empetuious alcoholic becomes a community-focused do-gooder in Ordinary Angels, a faith-based drama about human connectiveness and the power of self-forgiveness.

Two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank, leads an ensebmled cast as Sharon Stevens, an imfamous good-time gal, who enjoys men, and honeyed country tunes. Later, as Sharon’s good times come to an end when her friend Rose, played by Tamala Jones, coxes Stevens to her first AA meeting. Initially, resisting the ablity to admit to alcoholism, later throws her energy into aiding a local widower and father, Ed Schmitt, played by Alan Ritchson, and his 5-year-old daughter, played by Emily Mitchell, who is in dire need of a hepatic transplantation, encourages her father to befriend the newfound stagnger. Who, after paying this family a visit, and becoming aware of their growing medical debt, becomes determined to aid this fledling family.

Initially, a skeptical Ed is resistant to a stranger’s goodwill, but soon agrees to allowing Sharon the ability to assist his family, while instilling within Sharon, a sense of purposeness-skillsets long-since missing in her everyday life. Such personal philanthropy that guides her simplistic actions to no longer view her life through the a drinking-induced haze, and ultimateky in the bettering of her own relationship with her estranged son, played by Dempsey Bryk.

Through the power of persuasion, Sharon is able to eleviate an $400,000 hospital bill Ed’s daughter’s encrued, while unifying two families, and the greater community at large. Giving audiences the impression that the possiblity of change- that which begins, first and foremost, in believeing in yourself, too.

Ordinary Angels director, Jon Gunn, screenwriter, Meg Tilly, writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig, have created a feel-good film perfect for the spring season ahead. With a runtime of 117 minutes, and a moving rating of Parental Guidance, this is one film you’ll want to see in threatres this spring season.

Ordinary Angels, with its seasonally-appealing reminder to love others, and ourselves, can be seen in threatres now. To purchase tickets, for yourself and family, click here. Or to gift tickets, click here.

Plus, the Momentum Influencers are giving one Theladyprefers2save.com a $10.00 Amazon gift card. To enter, please leave a comment on this post or on this film’s posting on social media, on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest, letting me know why you most want to see this film. Please note, this giveaway is for a pair of tickets to see the film, “Ordinary Angels.”

Please note: This giveaway is open to United States residents, only. This giveaway will end on 2/28/24 at 11:59 P.M. C.S.T. .Entries spanning multiple partipants, on various participating blogs, will be void. All winners entries will be verified. Winners shall receive tickets directly from Momentum Publishers. Good luck, everyone!

Remember, its spring. Find your purpose. Make a difference. And remember that tickets for Ordinary Angels are currently on sale. Now I want to ask, why do you most want to see Ordinary Angels this season in threatres? Leave your comments, below.

Find out more about Ordinary Angels on social media:

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Encouraging creativity and self-expression from a young age can provide children with skills that will
serve them throughout their lives. Arts and crafts provide a perfect outlet for developing key abilities
and bringing joy and satisfaction through hands-on activities. There are abundant reasons why
parents and teachers should foster participation in arts and crafts during childhood.

Develops Motor Skills

Arts and crafts help children build dexterity and strength in their hands and fingers—key
components of motor skill development. As young kids manipulate objects like scissors, paint
brushes, glue sticks, crayons, and more, they gain precision in small muscle groups. The motions
involved in cutting, tracing, folding, squeezing, and other craft motions improve hand-eye
coordination too. Over time, engaging in arts and crafts translates to competence with tasks like
writing, dressing, sports, and computer use.

Enhances Creativity

Crafting lets kids flex their imagination and creative thinking skills. They can dream up their
ideas or put new spins on existing concepts. There’s no limit to what they can invent through art
and exploring different mediums gives them a canvas to produce original works. It’s not about rigid
instructions but seeing where their ingenuity takes them. Nurturing inherent innovation from
toddlerhood helps cement cognitive flexibility that aids in problem-solving and adaptability later on.

Teaches Planning and Patience

To bring an arts and craft vision to life requires forethought and dedication. Children learn how to
plan out steps, gather materials, and set up their workspace. Complex projects also necessitate
sticking with tasks even when frustration arises before achieving the desired result. Kids who
regularly engage in arts and crafts cultivate patience and coping mechanisms for pushing through
challenges to fully realize an end goal. These psychological tools pay dividends when applied to
tough situations in and out of school.

Fosters Self-Esteem

When children have the freedom to design projects aligned with their budding interests and
personalities, they gain confidence and pride. Seeing ideas manifest into completed art boosts self-
assurance and validates creative potential. Displaying finished products allows them to receive
praise and positive reactions from others. Young kids who regularly participate in arts and crafts
tend to have higher self-esteem regarding their skills and individuality. Their mentality embraces
that they have distinctive talents rather than comparing themselves to peers.

Promotes Emotional Growth

Self-expression plays a tremendous role in emotional health and regulation from the toddler years
onward. Arts and crafts give children constructive ways to recognize, process, and communicate their feelings.

Emotions like happiness, sadness, frustration, hope, and love can all translate into
colors, shapes, textures, and compositions. Exploring different facets internally helps kids better
relate to themselves and have clarity when conveying experiences. As language and literacy skills
progress, written elements expand means for articulating emotions too through journals, poems,
captions, and stories.

Encourages Out-of-the-Box Thinking

Arts and crafts nurture the ability to move past conventional ideas to stretch possibilities outside the
box. Activities centered on invention steer children to develop novel uses for everyday items
and see ordinary things in extraordinary ways. Building, painting, or crafting without fixed guidelines
compels tapping into unbridled imagination. Divergent thinking widens perspectives, sparking
deeper insight and awakening entrepreneurial problem-solving abilities. Kids carry these mental
skills for generating unconventional concepts into their studies, relationships, career paths, and
unknown future obstacles requiring “light bulb” moments.

Supplies can be found easily online from sites like The Bead Traders and Amazon or local craft stores
like Michael’s and Joann Fabrics. With affordable materials on hand, kids can explore endless arts
and crafts endeavors from beading to painting, leatherwork to candle making, scrapbooking, model
building, and everything in between!

Disclosure: Many thanks to NBC Universal for providing a sample of the product for this review. My opinions are 100% my own.

Growing up as an adopted child, I loved few stories more than The Prince of Egypt. The ultimate rags to philosophical riches story ever told. The Prince of Egypt: The Musical, is told from the point-of-view of the ultimate onlooker, viewing an Egyptian queen, widowed, and much in need of a personal blessing, who finds a child in a humble reed basket along the Nile River.

Believing her prayers were answered by the God of the River, Hapi, the god of the Nile, said to bless both valleys and women, with the annual river floods. Moses, the child placed in the wild river beds by his Hebreic slave mother, Jochebed, wife of Amram, and mother of Miriam, the older sister of both Moses, himself, and Aaron, the future leader of the Hebrew people. Found by his sister and servant of Pharoh’s daughter, Tuya, while she bathed in the river. Calmed the cries of the besotten queen who miraculously acquired a son, striking down an edict of her father, who decreed that all first-born Hebreic sons must be put to death to circumvent the prophecy of the yet-to-be-born slave prince, destined to lead Egyptian slaves to freedom.

Moses’ magnificence was first seen by his favored father figure, Pharoh, and an even closer bond with his Egyptian brother, Ramses, whose connection was forged stronger than that of his Hebric past. Despite his upbringing, the highly-favored prince kills an Egyptian guard, who mercilessly attacks an unarmed slave. To avoid being seen as a murderer, Moses is banished from Egypt.

Moses, cast out as a murderer, finds solace, safety, and community in the family of nomads. Marrying Zipporah, daughter of Moses employer and friend, Jethro, despite their religious differences. They marry and have two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Later, after G-d speaks to Moses through a burning bush, Moses sets out with his family to return to Egypt-freeing his people from slavery.

After returning to Egypt, Moses is unsuccess in convincing both his brother, Pharoh Ramses, and Egyptian High Priest, Hotep, to free the Hebric people. Later, G-d sets forth a series of ten catastrophic plagues upon the people of Egypt-slaves and masters alike. Nothing moves the heart of Pharoh until the tenth and final plague, killing his firstborn son, Amun-her-khepeshef. A devastated Ramses curses both the Hebrew slaves and the death of his son. Then, despite the previous warning’s Pharoah father figure, Seti, that the political chain forged over his reign, linking the throne with the power of the army, nobility, and priest-class, Ramses lack of political sophistication, begrudgingly agrees to pardon his slaves-culminating in their exodus from Egypt.

Following the Hebric exodus, a faliled recapturing of their Hebrew slaves by Pharoh, a mismanagement of the blessings of G-d, and the following of false gods, God’s people are made to wander the desert for forty years. Following this, the chosen people are presented with the Ten Commandments, and after Moses inflicts wrath upon the Hebrew nations, for worshipping false Gods while Moses sojourned with G-d on Mount Sinai, he is punished by being prohibited from entering the promised land.

Culminating in the tribes of Isreal reaching the promised land by Moses’s brother, Aaron., ends in the bittersweet reality that it is Moses, the son of slaves, and prince of Egypt, responsible for forging both his people’s freedom from Egypt and his ultimate barring from the lands of Milk and Honey-simultaneously forsaken and favored, by G-d.

A scene from The Prince Of Egypt by Stephen Schwartz and Philip LaZebnik @ Dominion Theatre.

While this stage performance is both awe-inspiring and Biblically accurate, with its choreographed design, we the audience are privy to the story’s propensity for staged innuendo reigns supreme. Seen in the opening of the show- featuring a dance illustrating the killing of the firstborn Hebrews and a doll slashed with a knife and red ribbons signifying blood, the killing of the Egyptian guard is both distant and demanding. As are the depiction of both plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. Sweeping stage projections of death and destruction. Both staged and choreographed fights convey the pain felt all of Moses’s life.

While numerous productions have portrayed the biblical story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, The Prince of Egypt: The Musical, rises above previous productions-film and stage alike. This enjoyable production bases its view of Moses’ tale, as seen in the 1998 animated Dreamworks film, The Prince of Egypt, from both a biblical and political humanistic view.

Featuring time-honored tracks from composer Stephen Schwartz’s namesake songs, including “Deliver Us,” “All I Ever Wanted,” the Oscar-winner, “When You Believe, ” and ten new-to-viewers score tracks.

A scene from The Prince Of Egypt by Stephen Schwartz and Philip LaZebnik @ Dominion Theatre.

If you loved the 1998 Prince of Egypt movie, you’ll likely enjoy this live production of The Prince of Egypt: The Musical, filmed live at the West End’s Dominion Theatre, London. Featuring a cast and orchestra of 60 performers, making it one of the biggest musicals ever
staged. From its talented cast to its musical score, this stage play is worthy of all the praise its casting and orchestral departments have thus far received. Timely in its modern-day evaluation of two brothers, from opposing worldviews, who ultimately find a way through societal turmoi, through G-d’s uniquely positioned power to move humanity towards a better future.

While G-d’s power is a part of the equation here, the direction is less evident in its usage of set design and theatrics that leave much of the production’s backstory to innuendo and chance. A dichotomy some secular viewers may find disheartening. Overall, I like The Prince of Egypt: The Musical– I think you will, too.

For those looking to see this production of The Prince of Egypt: The Musical digitally, the perfect musical to watch with your kids this season A film adaptation sure to spark priceless family conversations about Moses and the Old Testament, practical information from a biblical worldview, can buy or rent this production starting December 5th!

Plus, thanks to Momentum Media, you can enter to win a $10.00 Amazon gift card. To enter, leave a comment, here, or on social media, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, sharing why you want to watch the The Prince of Egypt: The Musical. Please note, that this giveaway is limited to winners in the United States, only. This giveaway ends 12/5/23 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Good luck!

Now, I have to ask: Why do you most want to see The Prince of Egypt: The Musical? Leave your thoughts below.

#PrinceOfEgyptMIN #PrinceOfEgyptMusical #MomentumInfluencerNetwork.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Angel Studios for providing a product sample for this review. My opinions are 100% my own.

Few things bring about the Advent season like new movies and films, This season is no exception with the new Christian thriller, The Shift, an eerily-set dystopian drama from Angel Studios, the film studio that brought you The Chosen, and Sound of Freedom, a must-see 2-hour, PG-13 film sure to pack energy enough for all members of your family and friends. Get tickets to see The Shift in theaters this season-starting Friday, December 1st weekend!

The Shift shares the story of a mysterious stranger, Kevin Garner, a man with seemingly otherworldly powers, including the ability to banish tyrannical characters set on disturbing the fragile social systems already on Earth and greater chaos that follows the path of regulating his former life including finding his wife. During this time our lead also meets a nefarious foe, “The Benefactor.” Upon offering and later an initial refusal, and with humankind’s survival on the line, Garner must escape his newfound totalitarian realm, fight to reenter the world he formerly knew and save the woman he loves most.

The Benefactor and his shifters each wear a reality-altering wristband, a “deviator.” The Benefactor has other supernatural powers, such as telekinesis, used to swap individuals from one reality to another. Each choice breeds a different reality, where we chose path A, set in the first reality, or path B, into the next. Leading the audience to wonder where each character will find themselves and if the ultimate goal, the choice between good and evil, plays into the reality we each, individually, interpret.

Featuring Kristoffer Polaha, as Kevin Garner, Sean Astin, also starring in The Goonies, Rudy, and The Lord of the Rings, as well as Neal McDonough, Elizabeth Tabish, and Paras Patel, and directed by Brock Heasley, this movie is a modern, fresh take on his short film “The Shift” (2017). The film’s lead, Kristoffer Polaha leads the franchise’s latest adaptations’ foremost protagonist, and Neal McDonough’s is a clever take on a modern dystopian lead.

If you’re a sci-fi fan, or C.S. Lewis’s The Space Trilogy, this movie will provide you that sci-fi thrills you crave with thought-provoking Christian themes. The Shift portrays the everlasting themes of man-the complexities of fighting sin and the paths of man, itself.

The Shift is a movie that you’ll not want to miss. Buy tickets today to see The Shift in theaters starting December 1st, here, Pay-It-forward for others to see the film, here, or enter the giveaway below. To enter, please leave a comment for a chance to win two free tickets to see The Shift in theaters! Please submit your full name and email address by 11:59 pm CST on 12/3/23. We will not be able to accept winners submitted after this date. Please note: This giveaway is limited to US residents only. Good luck!