Paint. I love the stuff! With $20 you can completely transform your surroundings.When I was young, I was lucky that my mom would allow me to paint my bedroom walls. When I was in high school I painted all four walls of my bedroom a bright yellow and adorned one of the walls with a …
Sparkle On! How to Add Glitter to a Bottle
I love sparkles! I was given this great gift of a SPARKLING bottle of sparkling wine for the holidays from a friend that works for One Hope Wine. This is a company that is making a difference. Half of all profits from the sale of their wine is donated to a specific cause. When you have a chance …
Time to Unplug and Get Outdoors!
Yesterday was a busy day! Amidst all of the regular business of the weekend – playing catch up with everything that gets postponed during the week – I was busy helping my stepdaughter pack for science camp. She is one excited and nervous sixth grader! She loves the outdoors. Like most children, she can very …
Give a Heart – Sugar Cookies
If my children are reading my blog, they will see what they are getting in the mail this week for Valentine’s day. I really enjoy decorating cookies, and sugar cookies pack and travel well. The two kids at home have already dug into theirs – hardly waiting for me to finish decorating them. One especially …
Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon
Salmon is one of the fish we eat a lot of in our home. It can be a bit more expensive than other fish, so I look for it on sale, or buy it in large pieces from Costco. When I get the large pieces, I portion it out and freeze some for later. I …
Maryann’s Minestrone Soup Recipe
Soup is said to warm the body and soul. For a cold winter night night, Maryann’s Minestrone is a family favorite. Actually regardless of the weather, this is one of the kids’ most requested dinners.They love it! Maryann is my husband’s late mother, and her minestrone recipe has always been a family favorite. It is …
Owning a Little Bit of Italy
Well maybe we don’t actually own a little bit of Italy, but we did just receive three cans of olive oil from our adopted tree from the Le Marche region of Italy. Is that not cool or what?! A family member gave us the gift of a Nudo olive tree adoption for our wedding. That …
The Power of the Vision Board
Years ago I put together a vision board. That was the year Oprah was proclaiming the power of visualizing your aspirations. Like all of you I had my dreams and goals; wishes and plans. So I scoured the house for a perfect “something” to start my board with. I didn’t want to put it off …
A Photo Opportunity (Memoir Monday)
Looking around the silent room I was very pleased, yet very nervous. This was my classroom. I was a teacher, and in a few short minutes my students would arrive through the door. With great anticipation I surveyed the room. The classroom was sparkling with color. “Welcome to second grade,” read a large banner. The …
What words do you find uplifting during challenging times?
I received a chain email the other day – honestly I have not seen one in a very long time. This one was not met with my delete button; I happily forwarded it to friends. Why? Not because it was promising riches if I did, and not because it promised an eternity of bad luck …