Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home Start on a smaller scale instead and it will be a whole lot easier. For example, instead of starting with the entire house, commit to starting with one room. Follow these 11 steps, and you're well on your way to an organized ...

As a mother of 2 - a 4-year old and an 18-year old, it was important to me that I give my my children all that I have to offer as far as education (I don't have much...a high school diploma and 1 year of college). So, for me, I had to become creative in my efforts to give my children "t ...

Before you know it, the holidays will be upon us. If you're smart, whether you are first considering mystery shopping, or are a seasoned mystery shopper, this year, instead of running up the credit card bills, how about doing your holiday shopping the smart way By getting paid while do ...

Just when you think you know it all, some 17-month old child comes along and teaches you another valuable life lesson. Little Lady lost her favorite ball. There are few things that bring this 17-month-old more joy than playing with her favorite ball. And, of course, we want our daught ...

Without so much as a tap on the brakes, my aunt whizzed through another stop sign. "What are you doing" I shrieked. "That was a stop sign." "Oh," she replied rather offhandedly, "they just put those there so you'll look before you go into an intersection." That was the day I stopped r ...

Moving to a smaller house or apartment in a retirement community almost always involves a certain degree of trauma, both for the elder who's moving and for family members. However, by planning ahead you can reduce the discomfort involved and turn what might well become a nightmare into a ...

Why is it that the older and richer people become, the more conservative they are with their money Have you ever done or know someone who has made an investment that promised a 10% interest or profit per month Everyone wants to make above average profits. It is amazing how many people wi ...

Raising a pre-teen or teenage daughter (or son) is not easy and can cause any parent a lot of stress. Theres so much to worry about dating, drugs, alcohol, sex, school grades, just to name a few. But one crucial element often gets overlooked until it manifests itself in extreme ways ( ...

As the father of a toddler, I am an expert on dirty diapers. I know exactly what to do with them: throw them out! But along comes a New York waste company and a town in California who want me to do something else with my dirty diapers. Like cover my roof with them. Or walk on them. ...

Ever feel overwhelmed by all the papers, notices, artwork, and other items your kids bring home from school Dont be a pack rat!! Well show you how to Trap the R-A-T (RETAIN, ACT, THROW) 1. School flyers: Nearly every day, your child brings home flyers announcing some school activity, ...

The pet food industry, a billion-dollar, unregulated operation, feeds on the garbage that otherwise would wind up in landfills or be transformed into fertilizer. The hidden ingredients in a can of commercial pet food may include road kill and the rendered remains of cats and dogs. The pe ...

A bunch of us in our late 40's and early 50's got together the other night, and after the evening was over I started thinking that many of us born in the 1950's are in a crisis stage. People can't understand why we are so angry and grumpy sometimes. This article discusses some of the iss ...

Looking for a quick and healthy snack for the kids Here are a few tasty ideas that you can surprise them with, or let them make on their own. 1. Bugs On A Log: They'll love it just for the name! Simply spread peanut butter onto celery stalks, and then top with raisins (the bugs). Yummy ...

When pondering whether my neurosis is learned or genetic, I often turn to the family dogs, Frazier (9) and Jake (4), and see the likelihood of a learned origin. My parents' characteristic anxiety has effectively seeped into both dogs' personas. My mother and father are both card-carryin ...

Each area of your home has a symbolic meaning with which you resonate on a subconscious level. Clutter and untidiness within each of these areas causes constriction and inertia in the corresponding aspects of your life. CLUTTER IN THE KITCHEN The kitchen has been called the "heart of ...

Music has the power to calm, sooth, energize and make everyone have fun! Try these ideas at your child's next play date or sleepover for a guaranteed good time. 1. Jamming Art: Turn on some music-upbeat or mellow-you decide. Without looking directly at the paper, draw pictures and desi ...

For any parent, learning that a convicted sex offender lives on the same block, can be a chilling discovery. The thought of it alone, can be disturbing. Most parents can't imagine that someone, who could be so potentially dangerous, may live somewhere on their block or along the pa ...

Ive often thought that in 6 million years, archaeologists will marvel at the devotion the 21st century Earthlings had to their household gods. Excavation will show these deities in virtually every home, obviously objects of devotion, the focal point in a room. The gods were believed with ...

A family memory journal is a fun, easy way to preserve family memories. A couple of years ago I was sorting through a pile of unused journals (many given to me as presents!) and was trying to come up with a way to put them to good use. One day after a family gathering, I sat down and w ...

By the time your teen is in high school, you probably aren't taking as many pictures of them as you used to. I have to keep reminding myself that I only have a couple of years left and no time to waste trying to capture fleeing teenage memories. You might be thinking that I'm really or ...