I recently retired after teaching school for over thirty years. Through those years, when I worked full-time and raised children, I thought to myself, "If only I could stay at home. My house would be neat and clean. I could plan home-cooked meals and grocery shop frugally. The laundry would always be caught up. When my family comes home, I'll be free to enjoy them for the evening."<< MORE >>

It’s a pretty safe bet you’ll be decorating Easter eggs before too long. However, you don’t have to be satisfied with simply dyeing the eggs. Try these Easter egg decorating ideas to make your eggs as individual as the people you’re decorating them for.<< MORE >>

Gardening is a fantastic activity in many ways. It’s a great form of exercise, stress reliever, creative outlet, and just plain old good fun. Studies have shown that regular exposure to nature and fresh air is good for us. Not only will you feel energized and refreshed after a gardening session, but you’ll also feel a great sense of achievement. << MORE >>

Some of you may be having turkey for Easter dinner. Even if you're not, here are some recipes using turkey for a one-pot Dutch oven meal, plus some ways to use the turkey leftovers including Parmesan Turkey Slices, and Strawberry Vinaigrette Turkey Salad.<< MORE >>

Why is it hard for us to say no when we are asked to take on commitments that are more than we can handle? The answer lies at the core of our being. God designed us to be helpers. However, when we take this to the extreme by saying yes to every person who asks for our help, we end up overbooked and overwhelmed.<< MORE >>

The narcissus is a flower that belongs to the daffodil family. It is a beautiful flower that comes in numerous colors in the wild such as; white with an orange center, white with a yellow center the most attractive color is all yellow with the center a deep yellow and the petals a lighter yellow color. It is a very common Easter flower. The best part of this flower is you can create a beautiful crepe paper narcissus arrangement for Easter in any color you would like!<< MORE >>

Boundaries define the limits we need to set in our lives to protect what is most important to us. I look at boundaries as part of the foundation that holds our lives in place. Without boundaries, everything can, and will happen. Our lives can slowly unravel, and before we know it, our lives are nothing like what we envisioned them to be. Boundaries establish clear lines and they keep life from becoming blurry or fuzzy.<< MORE >>

Clutter can cause a lot of problems and stress in our lives. But as mothers, we are busy, and can easily get behind on organizing our homes. Here are some tips to help you stay on top of things and have a relatively clutter-free home.<< MORE >>

Many women now are concerned about the chemicals in commercial cleaners, and desire to use healthy, natural products. What's nice is that we can make many of these products at home with ingredients we already have on hand. Here are some suggestions for natural cleaners.<< MORE >>

Parenting teens supplement addresses abusive teen relationships, peer pressure, cliques, frugal teens, talking back.<< MORE >>

Which of the following situations send you over the edge? You ask your child to do something three times and he is still not listening. Your four year old is having a complete melt down over something you see as insignificant. You've had a long day and your teenager won't stop arguing with you. As moms, we all have a patience meter. The gauge goes up and down depending on our mood, our personality, and our triggers. If there is one thing that moms wish they had more of, its patience (and time, of course). Just like there are time management skills you can learn, there are also patience management skills. << MORE >>

Every year, when school starts, homes throughout the city seem to quieten. That is, except early in the morning during the "beat-the-schedule" chaos. But once the traffic thins, the school bus pulls away and the working members of the family leave for their place of employment, the tranquility is sublime.<< MORE >>

There’s only so much you can do to find information about your ancestors from using old family records, newspapers, and such. Sometimes you have to search elsewhere, particularly if you’ve run into a road block. Finding information on your family ancestors online is one way to get past those road blocks and get back on track. << MORE >>

Here are some easy ways to stay organized and keep a clutter-free life.<< MORE >>

Here are a few tips from a 1919 Modern Prisilla. I cannot vouch as to whether they work or not. I haven't tried them. But I thought they were interesting to read.<< MORE >>

Here are articles on gardening to relieve stress, spring cleaning the garden, designing gardens, fragrant flowers, and flower arrangement. Maybe thinking about our spring gardening will get our minds off all the snow that won't seem to go away! << MORE >>

The metamorphosis of the caterpillar to butterfly has symbolized rebirth for ages, everlasting life and being born again through Christ, which makes these Easy Kids Bible Story Crafts ideal for Sunday School, homeschoolers or other groups looking for kids Bible crafts or other Bible lessons. This craft could accompany a story such as the wonderful picture book classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (this book also has beautiful collage pictures that can inspire other projects). << MORE >>

Here are three main dish casserole ideas for Sunday dinner or any week-night dinner. They include Quick Dinner from Frozen Ingredients, Beefy Cabbage Casserole, and Rotini with Pork Meatballs.<< MORE >>

Here is everything you need for a fun St. Patrick's Day celebration. Get rid of the winter blahs with these party tips, crafts, recipes, and decorations.<< MORE >>

A couple of days ago I dropped my first-born off at college, 7 hours away from home. As we were getting his dorm room set up, you could tell he was processing some fear and stress he was feeling. He was asking a lot of questions, trying to make sure he knew what was necessary to survive on his own. One particular question struck me. He said, "I know what my schedule is, and when I am supposed to go to class. I know when I am going to study, but how do I know what to study?"<< MORE >>

American parents and parents around the world are busy! They spend hours in the car shuttling their kids to school and activities, they serve on the PTA, they participate in sports and other activities, they have demanding careers, and they try to maintain a social life and play dates with other children when possible. With all of these activities, why are our children unhappy?<< MORE >>

Olympic athletes who are gliding down ski slopes, spending hours on the ice and training in biting temperatures know firsthand how harsh winter elements can do more than put a damper on your looks -- it can also affect the health of hair and skin. ... << MORE >>

When most people think of simplifying, the first thing they think of is getting rid of clutter around the home or office. Cleaning out closets and drawers is definitely a part of simplifying, but true simplification goes far deeper than that. Clutter is much more than old magazines, outdated clothes, and kitchen gadgets you never use. Certainly those things are clutter, but from now on, think of clutter as any possession, habit, thought pattern, attitude or activity that fits into one of these three categories... << MORE >>

How to cultivate your inner beauty and feel good about yourself. ... << MORE >>

As much as some moms and dads would like to think so, there simply aren’t any perfect parents. And, try as you might like, it’s nearly impossible to be a good parent without training and discipline. Limits are one form of discipline and it’s helpful to know the importance of setting limits for preschoolers.<< MORE >>