I’m having one of those nesting sort of days. It is rainy and a bit colder outside. I’m still recovering from a nasty bout of bronchitis that snuck in with the weather change. Our youngest child, still at home, is particularly rambunctious, despite waking up with his own runny nose this morning. It is definitely a day for home comforts. One thing that makes me feel better on days like this is giving a little extra attention to our home to make it a nicer place to be. This might involve venturing into the scary recesses of my kids rooms … Continue reading →

So, you are still with me, huh? Even after those photos shared probably made you lose your lunch. Or maybe, just like motorists slowing down to take a look at a car accident, you don’t want to look, but you just can’t help it. I am happy to tell you that while the basement is not yet done (those bothersome things such as work and other obligations get in the way), I have made some progress through a few 15-30 minute sessions here and there throughout the day. Doing something like this, weeding out and organizing the toys is tough … Continue reading →

For those along the East Coast, the name Irene won’t be forgotten any time soon. That is because this was one of the most memorable bits of weather for us, which also spurned a couple of tornados and was proceeded earlier in the week by an unexpected earthquake. Now I know, as one smug California friend pointed out, that some in other parts of the country may think that we East Coasters were a bit wimpy about the earthquake, but I disagree. While it was going on, instead of diving under a table (I now know we should head for … Continue reading →

One of my favorite types of magazines to look at for eye candy are Victorian decorating magazines. I love looking at the rich colors, the style and the flourish of a romantic bygone era. My husband, on the other hand, would want nothing to do with the dark heavy furniture or the preponderance of rose and lace, so I live vicariously through the magazines themselves. Besides, I have three kids who wouldn’t quite get the idea of the children’s hour, where they have nannies and are only allowed outside of the nursery for one hour a day. Hollywood Glamor is … Continue reading →

A few months ago I decided to grow weeds. My garden is good at this, after all. It’s a little shady, so many of the traditional vegetable garden candidates don’t like it very much. It resides in a place with a lot of rain, and it grows at an elevation that is almost sub-alpine. It’s also neglected upon occasion, as all of the gardens of those with young children probably are. Really, it’s a wonder that anything grows there at all. After years of attempting to grow tomatoes and squash, then downgrading my expectations to some nice lettuce and spinach, … Continue reading →

If you are thinking about using tile in your home, you are probably wondering exactly what type of tile it is that you want and need. There are so many choices of tile, and some varieties are better used in certain areas of your home and in certain applications than other forms of tile. Knowing what to use and when can be confusing. While looking at tile, you may have heard a number of different terms, such as penny round, mosaic, textured, etc. What do they all mean? Let us start with the basics of tile to give us a … Continue reading →

Right now, the plants on my deck are abundant. Unlike my shady back yard, my deck is sunny, sunny, sunny. It’s baking out there, and the plants are basking in it. My potatoes and tomatoes are climbing to the skies. Of course, since I am gardening on a deck I am lacking one important thing: soil. My deck is just a deck, and I need to provide the structures that will house my plants. Once I’ve done this, I need to take care of those little vegetables so that they’ll grow. Plenty of food and water seem to have done … Continue reading →

We usually don’t think about caring for our sliding glass doors until there is a problem, such as a door that sticks or is hard to open. Sliding glass doors get a lot of use in the summer. Here is how to care for them and keep them in great shape. It is important to keep the tracks of the sliding glass doors clean and well lubricated so that they function well and do not cause damage. One amazingly easy way to do this is to use good old furniture polish. Just spray the tracks and use a dry cloth … Continue reading →

I admit it. I’m distracted. There’s this thing that starts with an F and another that starts with a T. Let’s just say that they exist on the computer. Something to do with social networking, I think. There’s email, of course. Lots of that. Oh, and there are all of these blogs. Lots of them. And then there are the news articles, so many interesting tidbits of interesting things that I should definitely know about. I’m an information junkie, and I’m a mom. I’m also the one who does the bulk of the homemaking duties in our house. It’s a … Continue reading →