You Can’t Always Fix Everything

It’s a frequent miscommunication, one written about many times: one spouse just wants to vent their frustrations, and the other hears it as “please fix my problem.” It’s most common that the women are former and the men latter, but I’ve heard of the situation reversed; it all depends on personality. Jon and I can sometimes fall into this trap as well. It starts off very sweet: Jon would like to be able to solve my problems for me. That’s something we’d all like to do for the people that we love. But because that’s impossible, it’s important that we … Continue reading

Tips For Securing A Mortgage

Getting a mortgage is not as easy as you might think. There are many things that could come between you and the financing that you need for your new home. I have collected information about some common mistakes that can hurt your chances of getting a mortgage so that you can avoid them. One thing that can hurt your chances of getting a mortgage is applying for other credit around the same time as the mortgage, such as a car loan or a new credit card. Also, job hopping makes lenders hesitant to approve a mortgage because they can not … Continue reading

Mr. Fix-It: Tips for Men

It’s an old cliché, but as with all clichés there is some truth to it. Men are problem-solvers by nature. When confronted with a problem whether it is physical, mental or emotional – they want to repair the damage and make it better. In fact, most men are more likely to try a repair themselves before asking or calling for assistance from a professional. In one key area, their own fitness and health, men attempt the same whether they have the knowledge or the skills to meet their goals. It can be frustrating, because while men have a lot of … Continue reading

Special Needs Podcast Roundup – Week of October 4, 2011

Be sure to check out the weekly Special Needs Podcast Roundup each and every week to stay up to date with the latest episodes of podcasts that discuss issues that are relevant to parents of kids who have special needs. You can find new episodes of your favorite podcasts, as well as some that may be brand new to you. The Coffee Klatch has an episode that was released on October 2, 2011. This episode is called “Dr. Art Bonde – Is it ADHD/Dyslexia or a vision problem”. Dr. Bonde is has been an optomitrist for over 40 years. The … Continue reading

How Can I Take Care of a Quilt?

Whether your quilt has been passed down for generations or picked up at a country store, you should handle it with care. Here are some tips on how you can take care of a quilt. Mr Golden Sun Sunlight or even strong artificial light can fade a quilt over a number of months, let alone years. While you don’t have to live in the dark, you do want to try to keep your quilt out of direct sunlight and away from bright overhead lights or lamps. Getting it Clean Delicate quilts and be destroyed by efforts to get them clean. … Continue reading

The Law of Attraction, Cozies and Cats: An Interview with Author Jennie Bentley

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about how I wish I knew any authors who featured cats in their work so I could interview them for the Pets Blog. Well, in yet another display of the Law of Attraction at work, wouldn’t you know my wish was granted this past Sunday when I was on a panel at the Southern Festival of books with Bente Gallagher who writes as Jennie Bentley? Her first mystery in her DIY Home Renovation Mystery series is called Fatal Fixer Upper and it’s due out November 4th. In the process of talking about her book … Continue reading

Three Fun Ways to Prepare Your Marriage to Survive an Economic Depression

Last night while I was watching Mad Money, Jim Cramer said something which helped to slightly ease my worries about another Great Depression. He said we’re likely not heading into one. However, the key word was “likely.” Even he’s not 100 percent sure where we’re headed yet. That’s why my mind was only slightly eased. But as Cramer offered money and investing advice, I got to thinking about a couple of things. One was the movie Life is Beautiful. I loved how the main character found a way to make a game out of living in a concentration camp. The … Continue reading

Biking from Alaska to Argentina: A Homeschooling Road Trip

If it wasn’t for a comment Nancy Sathre-Vogel left on one of my Pets articles I never would have known about the extraordinary undertaking she and her husband plan to make with their two boys and dog: a bicycle trip from Alaska to Argentina. (I for sure had to interview her about that!) Along the way she and her husband will be homeschooling their boys. I thought it would make an intriguing interview to post here. Courtney Mroch: On your website, you have a box encouraging teachers and homeschoolers to contact you for a “unique, dynamic way to help [their] … Continue reading

Running a Pet Care Business: Chatting with Marlene Richardson, Former Pet Care Professional

Marlene Richardson with her pooch Zeus. Photo provided by Ms. Richardson and used with her permission. Meet Marlene “Marly” Richardson, a neighbor of mine. We met because we both walk our dogs. One day we got to talking about our pets (she has four others in addition to Zeus: Tipsy, a free-roaming house rabbit; Pip the guinea pig; and two doves, Cisco and Cecilia) and our love for animals. Somehow my being a Pets Blogger came up and she mentioned how she’d been a pet sitter. I thought, “How interesting. That’d make a neat blog.” So I asked if she’d … Continue reading

Decorating Your Front Door

Spring has sprung in our neighborhood. I know this because Mrs. Malagday’s gigantic floral wreaths are hanging from her front doors. Mrs. Malagday is a lovely woman who lives in a huge home with a double door entrance a few streets down from us. My daughter and I pass her “mansion” on our way to the neighborhood park. Yesterday, we noticed that she had placed the massive wreaths up and also added a potted plant to her front stoop. It made me hang my head and wonder what people must think of our front door and porch area—-all I have … Continue reading