Vacations are supposed to provide an opportunity to relax and be refreshed. Unfortunately, they’re often somewhat stressful. For me, the stress can begin when it’s time to pack. How many shirts will I need? Will I need a bathing suit or sunscreen? I don’t want to forget my toothbrush or any other critical toiletry items. Years ago my … [Read more...] about Simplify Vacation Preparation with a Packing List
Keeping the Home
Frugal Approaches to Cooling Your Home
I’m so glad that the cold winter has passed and we’re finally getting sunshine and warm temperatures! Unfortunately, this means our electric bill is about to rise sharply. In my never-ceasing endeavor to save money, I’m investigating ways to minimize how much we spend on cooling our home. How to save money when cooling your … [Read more...] about Frugal Approaches to Cooling Your Home
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
When I plan menus I always try to include at least one meatless entrée each week. Meat is so expensive, so this saves us a bit of money. It can also increase the variety on our menus! One of the meatless entrées on our summer menu is this tasty, easy-to-prepare Creamy Mushroom Pasta. Ingredients (Adapted from this recipe.) 16 ounces … [Read more...] about Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Using To-Do Lists Effectively
If you’ve read many of my posts, you may have realized that I enjoy making lists. When I have a lot to get done, to-do lists are one of my favorite ways to tackle the tasks before me. I wasn’t very productive during the early months of my pregnancy, so now I have quite a bit to get done. As I’ve been making to-do lists, I’ve realized … [Read more...] about Using To-Do Lists Effectively
Summer Home Maintenance
It’s been about 8 months since my husband and I began taking an orderly approach to maintaining our home. We’ve caught a few problems early and hopefully we’ve preempted a few others! Links to our fall, winter, and spring home maintenance checklists are below: Fall Home Maintenance Winter Home Maintenance Spring Home Maintenance The … [Read more...] about Summer Home Maintenance
Buttermilk Crescent Rolls
My husband and I really enjoy the flavor of Honey Wheat Butterhorns, but it’s nice to have a little variety. This weekend I made some Buttermilk Crescent Rolls for us to try. Ingredients (Adapted from this recipe.) 2 (.25 ounce) packages of instant yeast (4 ½ teaspoons) 3/4 cup warm buttermilk 1/2 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon … [Read more...] about Buttermilk Crescent Rolls
Save Money by Using a Toaster Oven
The humble toaster oven that sits on your kitchen counter could be a great tool to help you save energy and money. Toaster ovens use less wattage than conventional electric ovens and they generally take less time to preheat because of their small size. Additionally, as long as you have a well-insulated toaster oven, it likely will not … [Read more...] about Save Money by Using a Toaster Oven
Safe and Effective Spider Control
I can tolerate spiders outdoors because I know they are part of a balanced ecosystem, but it’s another story when they come indoors. We’ve been seeing quite a few—many of which are large—in our home this spring. Commercially available pesticides are a quick and effective way to kill spiders, but they’re not exactly a safe and healthy … [Read more...] about Safe and Effective Spider Control
