Use these simple tips to winterize your car and keep you and your family safe during the cold, icy months.
Memory-Making Holiday Gifts for Kids
While I love making children happy during the Christmas season, I prefer giving holiday gifts that aren’t toy-related. Am I being a scrooge?
Why My House Smells Amazing This Christmas: Stove Top Scents
There’s really only one thing that disappoints me about the stove top potpourri, and it’s that I didn’t discover it years ago! Instead of hunting for candles or air fresheners and insisting on a fresh Christmas tree for the scent, I could have just been simmering pots of delicious concoctions. Now that I know, I’m doing my part to spread the word!
The DIY Mechanic Gift Set
A DIY mechanic gift set! My brother-in-law fancies himself an amateur car-fix-it guy, so we decided to give him some supplies to feed this habit. Before you start the gift-giving brainstorm over with birthdays and Father’s Day,
Have a Relaxed Relocation: Tips and Tricks from a Seasoned Mover
If you’re like me, you start to feel significant dread as soon as you decide to move, and that feeling just grows stronger as moving day creeps up on the calendar. But not to worry: I’m a veteran mover, having done so a whopping — wait for it — 18 times in my life. All […]
Preparing Our Pond for Cold Weather
Any misgivings I had a year ago about building a pond in the backyard have been completely obliterated by the great weather we had this summer. I’m sure I spent more time lounging outside with a book and listening to the calming trickle from the fountain than I spent in front of the TV in […]
Secrets for a Great Hotel Stay
I’m sharing some of my insider tips. I hope that people will start traveling again and make the most of every family vacation, girls’ weekend, and other opportunities to hit the road (or sky or rail).
Managing Long-Distance Love with a Trucker
After struggling through a series of not-it relationships and waiting for the right guy to come along, I finally met the man of my dreams. He’s reliable and sweet — and, until recently, gainfully employed. He lost his job nearly six months ago as part of a downsizing situation and is now seriously considering taking […]
Summer Project: Organize Your Storage Spaces
As summertime sets in and temperatures continue their steady climb into July, consider tackling some home organization projects that you won’t want to do when your attic or garage offer sweltering conditions. After all, you wouldn’t want to be stuck in a windowless closet, garage or basement when you could be cooling off at the […]
Chicago’s Urban Oasis: Midwestern Beach Trip
I’m so ready for vacation. It’s next to impossible for me to concentrate on running errands, meeting deadlines, and finishing projects when I can feel the mercury rising outside and see the sun finally peeking its overly shy head out from the clouds. Even though it’s still too chilly to unpack a bathing suit, I’m […]
7 Easy Ways to Defend Your Home From Burglaries
I’ve always heard that the best defense is a good offense. This saying applies to more than sports. A few months ago, a series of burglaries on my street motivated me to take a stand. I signed up for a local burglary prevention class and learned a few ways to protect my home. While I […]
Winter Grilling 101
If you love outdoor grilling like I do, don’t let the chill of winter prevent you from enjoying all those savory meats and vegetables you crave. In fact, I find hot and spicy barbecue and hearty cuts of grilled meat to be more satisfying to eat on a cold winter’s night than they are when […]
