This post about preserving your family photos and other digital archiving solutions has been sponsored by Doorstep Digital. All opinions expressed here are my own. For the last few years, I have gotten very neglectful about printing out all the pictures I take. I have ridiculous number of family photos on my computer and cell phone. I do have them backed up to my external hard drive, however, having only digital copies in my home makes me nervous. There are tons of old photos in my closet upstairs from when my children were babies. Digital … [Read more...]
Preserving Your Family Photos and Other Digital Archiving Solutions
April 23, 2018 by · Leave a Comment
Creative Ideas for Reusing Aluminum Foil
April 19, 2018 by · 5 Comments
Every time I make a batch of nachos, I start trying to come up with ways for reusing aluminum foil. Why? Because I detest cleaning cookie sheets after something has gotten baked on and stuck. My lazy way of dealing with this horrid chore is to line my cookie sheets with aluminum foil. Of course, that leaves me with used used aluminum foil that I hate to throw away. I usually try to wash and reuse it whenever possible but if I can't it usually goes in the recycle bin. (Can you recycle aluminum foil? I just assume so....) I decided to do a … [Read more...]
Balancing a Plentiful Life with Community Volunteering Keeps Kids Grounded
April 16, 2018 by · 5 Comments
This post about balancing a plentiful life with community volunteering has been sponsored by Reward Volunteers. All opinions are my own. I look around the area I live in and am both awed and slightly shocked by the wealth that surrounds us. My teens’ friends have homes with actual media rooms in them. Many had the newest iPhone by age 8. They often get brand new cars for their 16th birthday. This is not the way we raised our children. I don't want them to think this is common for most people. My husband and I are financially stable but … [Read more...]
How to Plan for Your Retirement When Money is Tight
April 9, 2018 by · 7 Comments
This post about how to plan for your retirement has been sponsored by GuidedChoice. All opinions expressed here are my own. When my husband and I first moved to Atlanta, we were in our late 20's. I was 7 months pregnant with our first child and we were broke. After 7 years as a graduate student, my husband had his first real job. Every single penny we owned went into our first mortgage. We also had a car loan, a home improvement loan for some required fixes, and all the costs associated with a new baby. Add in the fact that I was a stay … [Read more...]
Spring Cleaning Chores You MUST Do This Month
April 3, 2018 by · Leave a Comment
Looking around your home and wondering which spring cleaning chores you must do and which you can skip? Spring is in the air here and all I want to do is sit on the patio and listen to the birds chirp. Too bad my patio is filthy because I haven't gotten around to cleaning it yet. Then, of course, as I enjoy all these spring flowers, I start sneezing because my allergies are horrible. So I hit the medicine cabinet to grab the allergy meds, only to find out they are expired because I haven't used them for a year. Sound familiar? While spring … [Read more...]
How to Grow Dill and 7 Fresh Dill Recipes to Use it All!
March 27, 2018 by · Leave a Comment
I absolutely love fresh dill, however, I hate buying it at the grocery store. Do you know how much dill I usually use in my recipes? About a tablespoon. Do you know how big a bunch of dill is at the store? HUGE! Usually, when I buy a bunch of fresh dill I am left with a ton that just ends up being thrown away. If you learn how to grow dill at home, you can save yourself a ton of money. Of course, since you have a huge amount of it right at your fingertips, you will need to come up with a ton of ways to use fresh dill before it goes to … [Read more...]
Home Improvement Safety Tips for Safer House Repair!
March 16, 2018 by · Leave a Comment
My husband and I bought a house that didn't require too many repair projects. However, that was 15 years ago! Now that things are starting to break regularly, knowing a few key home improvement safety tips if vital. Last weekend, we tackled an electrical project (which always makes me a bit nervous!) and we still have a long list of home repair projects to tackle. If you are planning on grabbing your tools this weekend, check out my post on common home repair fails and keep reading for important home repair safety tips! Home … [Read more...]
Creative Uses for Rice Besides Eating it For Dinner!
March 12, 2018 by · Leave a Comment
Rice is pretty much a staple in my kitchen. We have about 4 different varieties of rice in the pantry at any given time and thankfully the kids will eat it happily no matter how I cook it. Since I live in a rather large, international community, I can find rice in bags that weigh more than many toddlers. Indian, Chinese, and Hispanic grocery stores have great deals on rice if I really want to stock up. But, what do you do with all that rice when you get sick of eating it for dinner every night? I decided to start looking for a few uses for … [Read more...]
Best Uses for Eggs Besides Eating Them For Breakfast!
March 2, 2018 by · 1 Comment
Do you have too many eggs this week? Eggs are amazing little creations. They can be scrambled, fried or poached depending on your personal preferences. The are packed with protein and incredibly versatile. When my husband and I found out that our city has decided to allow residents to keep chickens, we were thrilled. We have been looking at the best way to contain them, how to raise chickens in the suburbs, and the best uses for eggs that we might not have ever thought of. Why? Because the people I know who have their own chickens have a … [Read more...]
20 Fun DIY IKEA Hacks with Paint to Turn Your Home from Drab to Fab!
February 9, 2018 by · Leave a Comment
While the morning temps might still be chilly, spring is on the way. And with spring comes a renewed determination to put my house in order! These fun DIY IKEA hacks with paint are the perfect way to add a unique element to your home without spending a fortune. I had a lot of fun last spring painting a wooden chest I found at a neighbor's garage sale. Over the years I have painted my art closet, a bathroom, and even tried painting coasters for my patio! Painting can be both fun AND frustrating depending on how you go about it! These DIY … [Read more...]
