Last week we looked at dozens of ways we can conserve water in the home. Water conservation outside the home is just as important. In fact, given how much water is used in yards, it may be even more important! Water use outside the home is so critical because urban lawn watering is the single largest demand on the majority of municipal … [Read more...] about Ways to Conserve Water Outside the Home
Overcoming the Anxieties of Motherhood
It wasn’t until I saw a second line appear on a home pregnancy test that I began to understand just how much anxiety is associated with motherhood. At first it was concerns about the possibility of miscarriage, preterm labor, or stillbirth. These concerns soon gave way to fears about SIDS and apprehension about whether or not to sleep … [Read more...] about Overcoming the Anxieties of Motherhood
How to Spend Less Time Shopping for Groceries
I’ve always enjoyed grocery shopping. It’s not an activity that I want to rush through; however, I have a daughter who accompanies me to the store and a busy schedule, so I can rarely grocery shop at a leisurely pace. If you need to get into the store, shop, and get out quickly, then you may benefit from these strategies that can help you … [Read more...] about How to Spend Less Time Shopping for Groceries
Ways to Conserve Water in the Home
Most of us in the U.S. are easily able to access clean water. We simply turn on a faucet and it’s there. Until we face drought conditions, we typically don’t give thought to how water is a scarce, precious resource. Only 1% of the world’s water is freshwater that is accessible for human use; global demand for this water increases by … [Read more...] about Ways to Conserve Water in the Home
Tropical Red Beans and Rice
Tropical may not be the first word that comes to your mind when you think of red beans and rice. Stick with me, though, because you just might enjoy this super easy and affordable recipe! I usually eat dinner leftovers for lunch, but on occasion we eat a lot for dinner and the next day I have to improvise. This month, as I’ve been … [Read more...] about Tropical Red Beans and Rice
The Importance of Grandparents
My husband and I live far from both of our families. This isn’t ideal for a number of reasons, especially now that we have a child. We’re having to come up with creative ways to help our daughter get to know her relatives, especially her grandparents. Caring, attentive grandparents are incredibly valuable to children. In fact, they can … [Read more...] about The Importance of Grandparents
Sloppy Joe Pasta
Sloppy joes typically include a bun of some sort. Somehow, as I struggled to come up with a month’s worth of easy-to-prepare, inexpensive dairy- and soy-free meals, I came up with the idea to create a sloppy joe pasta dish. I was unsure how it would turn out, but it ended up being great! In fact, my husband asked me to include it on future … [Read more...] about Sloppy Joe Pasta
It’s no joke…laughter is good for you!
I love it when my husband and I get to laughing about something. It just feels so good! If you’ve laughed—really laughed—recently, then you know the positive, happy feeling I’m talking about. It turns out that laughter has many incredible benefits beyond the temporary feeling of elation that it provides. Check out these benefits of … [Read more...] about It’s no joke…laughter is good for you!