The Sweet Life On A Budget

  Hygge in the Winter     Winter has taken the country by storm with vengeance.   Several areas are suffering exstremely cold temperatures, snow and ice, and the interruption of power.   This requires people to prepare for the worst and hope for the best, but we can do this with style and grace.    In preparation we make sure that we have flashlights, warm blankets, emergency food storage, topped off gas tanks, and charged phones, ipads and laptops.   Our home has a gas stove and fireplace, so we are fortunate because if the electricity goes out, we will still be able to cook and have a heating source.   However, when we were not so fortunate to have these backups, we made sure that we invested in subzero sleeping bags.      By looking for Hygge activities to embrace during these times, we can endure this situation with style and grace.    I always enjoy warm beverages on these cold, snowy day...

  Hygge (hoo-gah), or well-being originated from Norway, but the Danish adopted this word and transformed it into a way of life that produces a life of happiness and contentment.   People have endured financial, health, and emotional issues unseen in our lifetime.   Hygge encompasses a way of life that slows us down, focuses on what really matters, and helps us to enjoy contentment with far less.  I find that Hygge is a mindset and a way of life that  embarrasses the simple pleasures in life and seeking to increase them which results in increased happiness.     Hygge embarrassed the season and all of the special elements that can only be experienced during this time of year.    Walking through freshly fallen snow with the cold air kissing your face and causing you to snuggle into your jacket, hat, gloves, and scarf.          Coming in from the cold and drinking a hot cup of tea, coffee, o...

  What do you have to be grateful for this week?  Ability to Problem Solve Our family was able to solve the problem of a broken refrigerator.    My husband quickly diagnosed the issue and we made a plan to save our groceries.     Our family was able to work together and move most of the food to our second refrigerator (so lucky to have one) or to the garage.    Our weather is cold this week and keeps our garage to a cool 42 degrees. Our Emergency Fund With our emergency fund covered, the  purchase of a replacement refrigerator and the delivery date was within a week.      Wow- I expected to be waiting a lot longer for the refrigerator.     My Family We pulled together to solve a family emergency, enjoyed each other's company, and cared for each member to meet everyone’s needs. Three-Dragon Ante is a new family favorite and we play this game 2-4 times a week.     Saturday Cooking Together ...

  Hygge (hoo gah) is my word of the year for 2021.   The world has been moving out of control for all of 2020.   People have endured financial, health and emotional issues unlike in our lifetimes.  I have chosen this word because it encompasses a way of life that slows us down, focuses on what really matters and helps us to enjoy contentment with far less.   Hygge, or well-being originated from Norway, but the Danish adopted this word and transformed it into a way of life that produces a life of happiness and contentment.    Hygge is hard to describe in a single sentence or descriptive manner.   I find that Hygge is a mindset and a way of life that  embarrasses the simple pleasures in life and seeking to increase them which results in increased happiness.     Hygge experiences can be….  Watching the sunrise or sunset and appreciating the beauty of the colors, the crisp air and getting lost in nature. ...

Celebrating the little things in life elevates it to new heights.  By looking at what you think i s luxurious, being creative, adjusting your mindset to seek out beauty and focusing on learning contentment, you will discover how to live luxuriously. And the best part is, y ou can do all this on a budget.   Luxurious things don’t have to cost much or any money at all.  In fact some of the best things in life are free. This series looks at what things make me happy and may give you ideas as to how to incorporate a little piece of luxury in your life too. Nature’s beauty is something that is available to everyone.  It just takes slowing down and being present in the moment. Regardless of the time of day or year, with the right mindset you can see beauty in any environment.   One of my favorite things to do is watch the sunrise or sunset.  We are fortunate to have a pond and reserve close to our home, so it is easy for m...

Hygge 101 Denmark was named the “happiest place in the world”, and they credit their practice of Hygge for this.   So, what is Hygge?  Hygge is defined as “a quality of coziness and comfortable cheerfulness that causes a feeling of contentment or well-being.”   I believe that Hygge is living a simpler lifestyle that is filled with contentment and rich relationships, but how do we get started?   When you look into ways to bring Hygge into your life, it can get overwhelming and that is not what Hygge is all about.  Here are 5 of the basic principles of how to bring Hygge into your life, but how you implement them is entirely up to you.   Bask in light Natural light is beautiful and has a healing nature, so changing your lighting from harsh to soft options, or open up your window areas.  A fire in the fireplace or a simple candle burning can create a warm and cozy feeling in your room at a very reasonable price. ...