It's easy to introduce mass chaos into your home, if you know how.Step One: Ignore various design flaws in your home for at least eight years. Thanks to the Law of Entropy, ignoring these issues is sure to complicate things immensely down the road.Step Two: Imagine you might be able to do the repairs yourself. Actually attempt a few of them yourself, but leave them … [Read more...]
15 Everyday Ideas to Borrow from the French (and Belgians)
While in Europe, I informally interviewed some relatives about differences between American and French (and Belgian) women. The conversation was intriguing, and we ended up generating clothing styles and eating habits that I can share with you here. By incorporating these simple, practical ideas into our lives, we may end up feeling just a little more … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Enjoy Everyday Fun with Chores
Daily life can be such a drag, so blah. The chores can be tedious. The drive to work, dull. Some days can be reduced to scrub, swipe, fold, wash, rinse, repeat; others, to conquering an overwhelming to-do list or in-box. One way to approach the daily grind is simply to take a deep breath and dig in, applying self-discipline, determination, willpower, and grit. … [Read more...]
7 Keys to a Happier Mother’s Day
Sure, we hope to be honored in some way on Mother's Day. And some of us will. For some of us, Sunday will be a day of extravagant gifts and champagne brunches. Some of us will have creative spouses and industrious children with lots of resources and initiative--we'll have scones and strawberries for breakfast in bed, and chocolate truffles with lunch. Or our … [Read more...]
13 Tips for Finding Free Time for Mom (without multi-tasking!)
Finding free time for mom—at least, for this mom—used to seem impossible. People would suggest multi-tasking as a way to gain time, but multi-tasking simply doesn't work for me. Research reveals the inefficiency of multi-tasking; as quantity of work goes up, something suffers. A 2008 report called "Cramming the Most into Time" on ABC World News with Charles Gibson affirmed … [Read more...]
Five Days of How-To Posts: A blog experiment offering helpful information in bullet-point form
What makes a post popular?On my blog, which is an unfocused mish-mash of ideas that flit through my mind at any given moment, the all-time top posts are as follows: Castile Soap for a Simpler Life (and blemish-free face) Thick and Chewy, Fast and Easy Pizza Dough Overnight Crockpot Steel-Cut OatmealWhat am I doing posting about the perils of my attempts to multi-task?Why … [Read more...]
WFMW Containerize Kids Laundry
Shannon is suggesting a "Greatest Hits" edition of Works For Me Wednesday. While last week's overnight crockpot steel-cut oatmeal instructions were wildly popular, this post was a big hit in its day. It first appeared in February 2007.I’ve never liked doing the laundry–especially for six people–but what aggravated me the most were two particular steps in the process: … [Read more...]
Overnight Crockpot Steel Cut Oatmeal
With only a few seconds of preparation the night before, you can awaken to steamy, creamy, perfectly prepared steel cut oatmeal. It's like you're suddenly transported to a cozy bed-and-breakfast where the hostess bustled around in the kitchen early in the morning in order to serve you this healthy breakfast treat at the moment you're ready. Steel cut oats take a long … [Read more...]
Crepes? Mais, Oui!
Every other week or so I make crepes. My family goes nuts. You'd think I told them we were going to shovel sugar straight from the sugar bowl into our mouths. Of course, that's not too far off reality. Crepes (once filled) are sweet. Crepes are also fattening. Crepes are delicious. In fact, when I'm feeling unappreciated, I simply pull out the eggs and announce a … [Read more...]
