A few years ago, my mother came to visit. Our relationship is complicated, so needless to say, the tension was running high. My husband and I were bickering (about who knows what) and later in the evening, my mother commented on how she couldn’t understand why we were fighting. She mentioned that in her opinion, we lived “The American Dream.” Prior to her saying this, I’d never really viewed my …

When entertaining overnight houseguests, you want them to enjoy themselves, be comfortable and relaxed, and especially feel welcome. You might think you’ve got it all covered. Perhaps, you’ve anticipated their needs, such as remembering their food preferences and/or dietary restrictions, setting out scented soaps, crisp, clean linens and fresh flowers.
What about making an extra effort with planning and additional special finishing touches? It’s your thoughtful attention to detail that …

photo by crystalflickr

If you have young children, creating an activity box is a creative way to keep them from becoming bored during rainy days or times they can’t get outside to play. The box can contain items that you don’t use often, so the activity box creates extra excitement when it’s brought out and becomes a special part of building fun memories.
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