It's been about a week and a half since school let out and already the youngsters are getting a little restless. Once again, we’ve rounded up some fun (and free) activities to do this summer. Movies by Moonlight Braintree’s Family Flick Nights kicks off next Thursday, July 5 with a showing of Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin. The event begins at 6 p.m. at Carson Field at Braintree High School. Members of the Recreation department will be on hand with games for the kids to play prior to the start of the movie. The Buck-a-Buy stand will be open for business, with hot dogs, drinks, …

With January (and our first snowstorm) behind us, it’s time to start thinking ahead to… Spring? Well, that’s what retailers are hoping you’ll do. To make way for the fashions of spring and gasp, bathing suits, many retail shops are clearing out their inventory and slashing prices in the process. The end of season January sales are one of my favorite times to shop. Warm winter coats, sweaters, and boots are usually yours for the taking. For instance, I picked up a few sweaters at Macy’s yesterday that were 75% off their original price. Many times, the fitness wear that was all the rage at the …

Benjamin Franklin would be astonished were he to enter the doors of Thayer Public Library. When Franklin and his buddies in the Leather Apron Club, or Junto as it was later called, first conceived of the lending library model back in 1731, its main goal was to establish a communal collection of books. But then again, Franklin was also an incredibly forward thinker, inventing an endless stream of useful items such as the swim fins, bifocals, and the lightning rod. He also found the time to write Poor Richard’s Almanac and serve as one our country’s Founding Fathers. So Franklin no doubt, would…

When we bought our home 13 years ago, we were taken in by the beautiful woodwork, built-in china cabinet, pocket doors, and high ceilings. What we failed to fully realize was that older homes tend to be quite drafty places, with old windows, old doors, and especially old heating systems. A typical winter for me and the boys now requires lots of blankets and a few carefully placed space heaters. When my family comes to visit I also have to make sure there are plenty of extra sweaters around. The cold air from outside seems to find its way indoors despite my best efforts at weatherproofing. I’…

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am not one of those organized gals who gets her Christmas shopping done weeks ahead of time. Just like I am every year, I’ll be out on Christmas Eve picking up some last minute items with the rest of the stragglers. I’m not entirely sure why I always leave things until the last possible moment. I like to think it’s because I don’t want to purchase a gift until I feel it’s the perfect match for the recipient. Whatever the reason, I’ve always found some really nice gifts during this late shopping stage so I’m not gonna beat myself up about it too …

  These days, it can be difficult amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life to enjoy the Christmas season, especially when it seems to start just after Halloween. Some of my favorite Christmas memories involve nothing more than Christmas carols on the stereo and a couple of foam balls. Of course I was only about five years old at the time but that memory of my oldest sister teaching her younger siblings how to make ornaments of our own has stuck with me. In my mind, the house was warm and cozy and we were so excited counting the days til Christmas morning. To help you and your loved ones …

My younger son, in typical middle school fashion, lives in sweatpants. That’s all he’ll wear these days. No more jeans or swishy pants for him. He came home from school about a week ago eager to tell me about the sweats he saw for sale at school. Apparently they had Braintree printed down the leg and he was hoping to get a pair. A quick inquiry revealed that the pants he saw are available for sale at Braintree High School. His request got me to thinking: since we’re all out Christmas shopping anyway, are there any other ways to find items for everyone on your list and give back to the schools…

As they do mostly every year, my parents, sisters, nieces and nephews all gathered at my house to celebrate Thanksgiving. There was plenty of food and wine and the weather was perfect, allowing some much-needed escape in the backyard. The meal was delicious, from the mashed potatoes and stuffing, to the roasted Brussell sprouts, sweet potato au gratin, and a creamy zucchini bake. Everything was wonderful really, except for the half-cooked turkey and oh yes, the sweet potato pie that caught fire. My Thanksgiving cooking began just like any other. I started the roasted veggies an hour before …

The day after Thanksgiving has long been the official kickoff to the Holiday shopping season. Frenzied consumers, some say as many as 134 million, will hit the stores hoping to score big savings on their must have holiday gifts. In a new twist, instead of the usual 4 a.m. opening, retailers such as Best Buy, Target, and WalMart are opening their doors shortly after midnight on the night of Thanksgiving. In this week’s column, I’ve rounded up some coupons that will offer you additional savings over the weekend, and also pulled togther a few Black Friday ads for you to peruse before they hit …

With Thanksgiving just a week away, it’s time I start planning the holiday menu. When I sat down earlier this week to prepare my shopping list, I decided to do things a little differently this year. Normally, I hit a few supermarkets to make sure I get the best overall value but now that I’m teaching four days a week and writing this column, I find I have less time to shop around. Chances are so do you. So to save you (and myself) time, I priced out a typical Thanksgiving dinner, with all the fixins at each of the supermarkets in town. The main meal includes turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes…

I have great admiration for those people who finish their Christmas shopping early. They pick up items throughout the year and stash them away til the big day. I am not one of those people. Instead, you’ll find me out on Christmas Eve, frantically picking up the last gifts on my list. This year I might try and get a head start, especially now that I’ve come across a few coupons that offer great savings. Target As my kids get older the wish list gets smaller in size but larger in cost. With these coupons from Target, I’ll save quite a few dollars picking up some must have electronic equipment…

The recent announcement that Filene’s Basement was closing its Braintree location had me thinking about the days of department stores. I’m not really sure exactly when it happened, but I now tend to shop at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx for all of my clothing needs. It wasn’t that long ago that a department store like Macy’s (or Filene’s as it was known then) was the only place I’d go when I needed a coat, a new pair of shoes, or household items like a toaster or a new set of sheets. Here in the Boston area we certainly had our pick of department stores too: whether you were a fan of Sear’s, Filene’s…

According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween spending is expected to reach $6.9 billion this year. Long gone are the days of pumpkins on the front porch and donuts hanging from string. But the good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to make lasting memories for your kids. There are some great online resources that will help make Halloween fun. You’ll find unique homemade costume ideas, free coloring pages and printables, and tons of recipe and party planning tips, including homemade decorations. Of course, if you are planning on making a costume this year rather than a …

This roundup of coupons seems to have become a monthly occurrence here at Making Cents. I hope the readers of Patch are finding them useful. Please let me know if there are any retail shops you frequently visit that I don’t usually include in my roundup. I am more than happy to hunt down the savings for you. Use these coupons for yourself or get a head start on your youknowwhat shopping which will be here before we know it. Abercrombie & Fitch The good news? Use this coupon at Abercrombie & Fitch and save 25% off your entire purchase. The bad news? The coupon expires today so you better act …

I was saddened to hear the news last week that Friendly’s may be filing for Chapter 11. Why does it always seem that we only realize the value in something when it’s gone? The boys and I used to visit the Friendly’s on Independence Avenue (just over the Quincy border) quite often when they were younger. But lately it seems that we just the hit the drive thru when the cupboard is bare. The problem is, fast food no longer seems to satisfy the insatiable appetites of my kids. A couple of weeks ago we went to Friendly’s for dinner and I was reminded why I used to like it so much: they have a …

Over Labor Day weekend, my son and I stopped by the Braintree Farmers Market to check out the clambake they were advertising. There was a long line when we got there but it was worth the wait. We picked up a cup of chowder, a stuffed clam, and a lobster roll, as a last hurrah to the summer. On our way back to the car we stopped by the C.N. Smith Farm stand and took a quick peek at the selection. After sampling an apple of the small, yellow variety, I walked away with a bag of Ginger Golds and now I’m hooked. I used to believe that shopping at a farmers market was a little out of my league. I …

The crisp days of Fall are here at last, bringing much needed relief from the hot and humid weather we experienced just last week. Of course with this cooler air our thoughts turn to cozy sweaters and knee socks, warm blankets, corduroy, and flannel, yes flannel shirts are making a comeback as evidenced by a quick stroll through the Plaza the other day. With the first day of Autumn just moments away, its time to put away the summer clothes and unpack the warmer wardrobe.   It’s also time to update the wardrobe, either for your growing children or perhaps your own expanding midsection. So, I’…

I’m the first to admit that I’m not the least bit crafty. I want to be, would love to be actually, but I just don’t seem to have the knack for it. After visiting the homes of a few Martha Stewart-like friends I head to Michael’s, grab a few supplies, and try to recreate what I’ve seen. So far, all I’ve managed to do is design a Fall wreath and add a little color to the living room with a few silk flowers I picked up. There are quite a few projects I’d like to try but I don’t know where or how to begin. I’ve even got my very own glue gun just waiting to be put to use but it’s still in the …

Today’s the big day. The majority of Braintree’s students went back to school today, with the upperclassmen at Braintree High School heading back tomorrow and the Kindergarten students reporting next week. We shared some savings with you in last week’s column and have a few more items for you today. Many students will return home this afternoon with their official supply list while others may decide they need to tweak their wardrobe once they see what everyone else is wearing. Staples In addition to their weekly sales items, Staples also runs Back to School specials Sunday through Wednesday, …

My yard is looking pretty good this year, if I do say so myself, but I still consider myself a novice gardener. The plants in my flowerbeds are a little squished and some grow the most beautiful green foliage you’ve ever seen, but never flower. Other plants seem to be frozen in time. I swear they are exactly the same size they were when I planted them two years ago. But I do have some real pretty Hydrangeas, lavender, pink coneflowers, and lots of different varieties of Hosta that have brightened up my space. It wasn’t always that way. When I first started out, I would pay top dollar for …