My kids and I have been covered with itchy mosquito bites these last few weeks. These bites are an unpleasant effect of spending so much time outside this spring. I’m typically concerned about mosquito bites because they cause discomfort, but the reality is that they’re also a potential health treat. Twelve of the 200 types of mosquitos that … [Read more...] about Mosquito Repellents: What Products are Safe and Effective?
June 2023 Dinner Menu
I’m not sure what happened to the month of May. It seems like it just began, but now it has passed and we’re starting June! Our temperatures (highs in the 90s) leave no doubt that summer is beginning. We’re anticipating an uneventful month. We will have a very brief visit from a family member midmonth, but otherwise things should be … [Read more...] about June 2023 Dinner Menu
11 Tips for a Successful Garage Sale
We had a garage sale earlier this spring. The sale was more successful than I imagined it would be! We started with a driveway full of furniture items, clothing, toys, housewares, etc. and ended with a single box of items that didn’t sell. We owe a lot of our success to my parents. We strategically planned to have the sale while they … [Read more...] about 11 Tips for a Successful Garage Sale
Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken
I looked through several old cookbooks as we were preparing for a garage sale several weeks ago. I did end up parting with a few of the books, but I kept many of them because they contain recipes I still want to try! One recipe I wanted to try was this recipe for Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken. The cookbook (the 2023 edition of Taste of … [Read more...] about Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken
May 2023 Dinner Menu
The end of our April was busy! We had family in town. They helped us do a garage sale, which ended up being much more successful than any of us imagined it would be! We also visited a history museum and were able to get outside and enjoy the spring weather several times. Things should slow down a bit for us this month. We’ll continue on … [Read more...] about May 2023 Dinner Menu
Chicken Tortilla Bake
One of our local grocery stores sometimes has deals where if you buy X item, you get Y item free. If I need to purchase X item, I always get the Y item, even if I don't have an immediate need for it. I’m not going to turn down free food! Because of one of these deals, last month I got a free bag of corn tortillas. I didn’t have anything … [Read more...] about Chicken Tortilla Bake
April 2023 Dinner Menu
Spring is in full swing around here. Flowers are blooming, thunderstorms are booming, and the temperatures are zooming high! With a new month beginning, it’s time for a new menu (you can see previous menus here). Unfortunately, I’m still without an air fryer, which is a tool I usually use multiple times each week. My air fryer was among … [Read more...] about April 2023 Dinner Menu
How to Line Dry Clothes Indoors
The other night, as my husband stepped around a drying rack that I had set up in our bedroom, he noted that he hopes we one day live in a house where I have a place to hang my clothes to dry where they won’t be in his way. This brought to mind how, when we were first married, he was surprised that I air-dry my clothes instead of using the … [Read more...] about How to Line Dry Clothes Indoors