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The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

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The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

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Best Things to Do in Vienna: Hidden Gems, Family-Friendly Attractions + Easy Day Trips

We spent a full month living in Vienna as a family, and that gave us time to visit a lot of famous landmarks, check out different museums, use the public transit system (repeatedly!!), eat…

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  • Life
  • Jul, 29, 2026
  • 4 Comments

Our First 24 Hours at the Lake

Indy and I are settling in for a few days visiting my parents at their lakeside home. It’s a fairly short trip. We left after church on Sunday and arrived in time for a…

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  • Life, Summer Celebrations
  • Jul, 28, 2026
  • 28 Comments

When to DNF a Book + 4 More Questions for Readers

Every time I write about reading habits, I think I’ve exhausted the topic.

Obviously that’s utterly ridiculous! We readers are a fascinating breed, and there are always more questions to ask about how (and why)…

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  • Reading
  • Jul, 27, 2026
  • 51 Comments

Happy Things Friday: 24 July

That was a busy week.

Saturday was FULL of errands and prepping for camp until I eventually collapsed in bed for a nap.

Sunday was church, the World Cup Final, Belle had a friend over…

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  • Life
  • Jul, 24, 2026
  • 42 Comments

Join Me: August Gratitude Practice + Free Printables

I’m hosting a little gratitude practice for August over at Lighthouse Keepers, my Patreon community, and I’d love to have you participate.

I’ve created two free printable trackers: one with 31 (short!) daily prompts and…

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  • Gratitude, Joy
  • Jul, 23, 2026
  • 16 Comments

Flight Cancellation Compensation: We Got Nearly $4,000 CAD!!

You know I love talking about simple ways to save money. Last week I talked about thrift-store coupons and a free replacement suitcase. Yesterday I talked about cash-back rewards and free chocolates from Lufthansa….

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  • Frugality, Euro Adventure, Travel, United Kingdom
  • Jul, 22, 2026
  • 14 Comments

9 More Simple Ways to Save Money (Recent Frugal Wins)

Apparently, one roundup of frugal wins was not enough!!!

Last week I shared nine simple ways we’ve saved money this summer… and immediately came up with another list!

Of course I find the “big” wins…

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  • Frugality
  • Jul, 21, 2026
  • 22 Comments
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Hi! I'm Elisabeth...

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    • Happy Things Friday: 7 August

      August 7, 2026

    • Tween and Teen Allowance and Income: Our System for Giving, Saving, and Fun Money

      August 6, 2026

    • Recent Frugal Wins (Including Free Cheesecake and Discount Sneakers)

      August 5, 2026

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