We all know that adulting is hard. And parenting is hard, too. But you reach a new level of grownup-dom the first time you find yourself wondering if you need to hire a contractor. Not to mention wondering how to choose a contractor. If you’re a homeowner and also a parent of young children, you […]
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Winter is coming; is your home ready? It’s one thing to make your home all cozy for the cooler temperatures that autumn brings; but getting your home ready for winter is another matter. Recent winters have been no joke. Whether you want to call it climate change or Mother Nature’s sense of humor, phrases like
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Your Plan Of Action For When Your Child Locks The Door (Literally!): Anyone who thinks kids aren’t fascinated by door locks either doesn’t have kids, or hasn’t met every kid I know: At first, pushing that shiny button is the “let’s see what this does?” curiosity of a toddler. When your kid hits preschool age,
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Prevent and Get Rid of Mice, Grain Moths, Grain Beetles, and More: As I’ve learned the hard way, there’s nothing worse first thing in the AM than grabbing that box of breakfast cereal, or jar of oatmeal, to realize that its contents are moving. Even though I’ve written posts about getting rid of everything from
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Becoming a parent for the first time changes you. For many of us, it’s the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to us – eventually. But those first couple of months can be pure torture. It’s hard to fully appreciate how wonderful parenthood is when you’re exhausted and don’t have a moment to yourself. If
Stressed Out New Mom? Read This: Read More »
Could You Save Money On Your Energy Bills? How much do you spend each month on your basic utilities – your electricity, water, and natural gas or other heating fuel? I’ve met few people who wouldn’t like to lower these bills. Whether your goal is to save the planet or just to save money, there
11 Hacks to Slash Your Home Energy Bills Read More »
Create More Coziness In Seven Easy Steps: That time is here. The sun comes up later, kids are going back to school, the mornings are cooler and crisper – autumn is just around the corner. And with the return of fall each year, we all start thinking about ways to curl up and get comfortable
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Review of “30-Minute One-Pot Meals You’ll Love” Does back-to-school throw your family into a scheduling tailspin every fall? It sure does for us. Even though our summers are plenty busy, they’re nothing compared to the school year. If you or your spouse teaches for a living, you understand what I’m talking about. Quick, easy meals
Quick, Easy Meals For School Nights? Here’s Your Shortcut Read More »
Does My Child Have A Learning Disability/Difference? A Step-By-Step Guide For Parents Ah, the joys of going back to school! New Supplies! New friends! And, if you’re a work-at-home mama, more sleep because you’re no longer trying to cram in all those work hours after your kids’ bedtime (as I am while drafting this)! But
I Think My Kid Has A Learning Disability – Now What? Read More »
This has been the Summer of the Road Trip for the girls and me. Between our epic Laura Ingalls Wilder road trip with my mama, and our more recent week of camping, the girls and I have been in 20 different states. (!) Which has meant lots of last-minute hotel reservations and the like, once
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I have a confession to make: I was born in the 1970s. When I was growing up, the Little House On The Prairie TV series was in its first run. It was still on the air the Christmas I turned five, when I received my very own 9-volume boxed set of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic
Should You Read Little House On The Prairie Books With Your Kids? Read More »
Your Quick-Start Guide to Helping Elderly Relatives: Sometimes it creeps up on us slowly. Sometimes there’s a crisis – one parent’s death, or a serious diagnosis – that makes it clear: Our parents aren’t getting any younger. And as they age, they may need more help from their adult children in taking care of themselves.
Managing Life in the Sandwich Generation Read More »
Ways to Make Your Home Bug-Free This Summer: Are you enjoying your summer so far? We sure are. Alas, so are all the creepy-crawlies with whom we share our planet, from the dangerous ones like ticks, to those like ants, centipedes, crickets, and cockroaches that are just downright annoying. RELATED POST: How To Protect Your
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Why Grownups Need Bedtime Routines Too: As parents, we spend a lot more time than we’d care to admit to worrying about our kids’ bedtime routines. When they’re babies, we can’t wait for a routine. We look forward to them going to bed at the same time every day and sleeping through the night, because
Does Your Bedtime Routine Need A Reboot? Read More »
Essential Ways to Make Family Camping More Comfortable: Now that summer’s in full swing, have you been camping yet? Or are you still gearing up for your first family outdoor adventure? My hubby and I used to go camping several times each summer, until the girls entered our lives. While he wasn’t game for camping
100 Genius Hacks to Make Family Tent Camping Easier Read More »
Are you considering any upgrades to your home’s exterior over the summer months? As you do, it’s worth thinking about ways you can add some “kid appeal” to your yard. It doesn’t matter if your yard is part of a twenty-acre estate, or a ten-by-twenty-foot postage-sized space behind your city row house. Many of these
Kid-Friendly Lawn & Garden Updates Read More »
Do you love to travel? I do – but not everyone shares my enthusiasm. Traveling can be so much fun, and such a great way to teach our kids things they can never learn in school. But let’s face it, traveling can also be extremely stressful. Personally, I’d rather NOT have a ton of excess
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Do you worry about the summer slide? It’s hard for the average kid not to lose ground academically over the long summer break. Add in a learning difference or two, and summer can become a real threat to your child’s academic progress in the upcoming school year. What’s a parent to do? Slipping learning activities
Sneaky Ways to Keep Your Child Learning All Summer Long Read More »
Tips to Make Traveling with Kids Less Stressful: The idea of traveling with kids can strike terror in the hearts of inexperienced parents everywhere. Traveling can be stressful at the best of times. But when you add kids into the mix, it can be even more stressful. However, there ARE ways to make vacationing w
Want Less Stress Traveling With Kids? Try These Tips! Read More »
How to Maximize Space in Small Bathrooms: Small bathrooms are fairly common, especially in older properties – and from a functional perspective, this fact is not particularly concerning. If a bathroom has everything it needs, then so what if it’s tiny? But if you’d like to make that small bathroom look larger – while still
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