My daughter and I go for a walk through our neighborhood almost every day. There are many things I love about our neighborhood, including the way many of our neighbors show their pride in our country and their support of our troops by flying the U.S. flag. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that many of my neighbors fly their flags in manners that … [Read more...] about Flag Code Primer for U.S. Households
Keeping the Home
Summer 2016 Menu
As I did this spring, I’ve focused on easy-to-prepare meals while planning my family’s menu for this summer. We’ll probably stick with this menu until I give birth in July and then rely on freezer meals for a time. There are a lot of great meals here, so hopefully we’ll be ready to return to it by August! I’ve described my menu planning … [Read more...] about Summer 2016 Menu
The Best Freezer Meals
Today we are going to answer another question from a reader. It’s timely for me that we examine her question because I’m trying to prepare freezer meals to use after I give birth later this summer. Sharon asked the following: “Hi, I have some friends that are having some health issues and would like to do some cooking for them. I am … [Read more...] about The Best Freezer Meals
Tips for Preparing Great Burgers
Hamburgers are one of my absolute favorite foods. For the most part, I’ve been content eating a wide variety of burgers prepared at restaurants, barbecues, and here at home. I’ve been paying more attention recently and I’ve noticed that there is great variation in the quality of burgers I eat. Some are moist and flavorful, while others … [Read more...] about Tips for Preparing Great Burgers
5 Reasons We Should Listen to Music in Our Homes
A few days ago I began playing some music after my daughter got up from nap. When I did this, it really struck me that playing music has an impact on the aura or feeling in my home. In general, my home seems like a more pleasant, peaceful, and joy-filled place when we’re listening to music. I read up on the topic and learned that music … [Read more...] about 5 Reasons We Should Listen to Music in Our Homes
Easy Ways to Open and Serve Hard-to-Cut Fruits
My toddler ate fresh pineapple for the first time a couple of weeks ago and she loved it! I found pineapples on sale this week, so I purchased one and now it is sitting on my kitchen counter waiting for me to work up the initiative to slice it. I have to work up the initiative because I’ve always found cutting into a pineapple to be a … [Read more...] about Easy Ways to Open and Serve Hard-to-Cut Fruits
Is Rinse Aid in Your Dishwasher Really Beneficial?
Dishwasher rinse aid is a relatively new concept to me. I don’t recall seeing or hearing about rinse aid products when I was a child, nor do I recall there being a special spot in the dishwasher where you were supposed to deposit one of these products. I’ve ignored the rinse aid reservoirs in the dishwashers I’ve had access to during my … [Read more...] about Is Rinse Aid in Your Dishwasher Really Beneficial?
Things to Consider When Buying New Appliances
We recently bought appliances for our newly purchased house. We knew when we first looked at the house that we would need to provide our own fridge, washer, and dryer, but we soon learned that it would be best to replace all of the kitchen appliances. We did a lot of research before making our appliance purchases. I’m so glad we did … [Read more...] about Things to Consider When Buying New Appliances