Organize Your Stockpile by Becoming a Shelf Life Expert

I’m always on the look out for good stock up opportunities. When something goes on sale, can be “purchased” for free with coupons, or is on a deep clearance, I instantly calculate how much of that item should come home with me. It is important to know how much, logically, you should stockpile of a particular item or category of items. For example: how many jars of peanut butter should be in your pantry  right now until the next great low price? How many boxes of pasta, packages of toilet paper or bottles of shampoo? it all depends on the … Continue reading

Frugal and Free Homeschooling {part 1}

Many have pushed aside the idea of homeschooling due to a lack of finances.  Many make the decision to stop homeschooling because of a difficult financial time.  Hearts that feel the impact of failing make decisions that cause them to retreat and not go forward. You are not a failure.  If you are experiencing a hard time or you feel you can not afford to homeschool, do not feel shame.  Many more struggle behind those happy Facebook status updates and expensive looking science experiments on blogs. A few years ago, I was in a financial situation that I feared would … Continue reading

Getting Ready for Hurricane Sandy: Essentials to Have on Hand

Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the US East Coast today, and it’s likely to move inland, sweeping up toward Canada over the next 72 hours. There’s a huge population in the storm’s path. While many have been evacuated, others will be riding out the storm at home. What should you have in your home to prepare? Store enough water for at least 72 hours, as you may be without potable water for that long. If you don’t have stored water on hand, place tap water into temporary containers such as lined bins and bottles. Check to make sure that … Continue reading

Staying Safe During Hurricane Sandy

The wind is howling outside, the rain is pouring down in sheets, trees are whipping around, and during this brief time when the power has been restored, I wanted to reach out to everyone who may be in the path of this “Frankenstorm,” as it is being called. We too are in its path, and have prepared as well as we could. Whether you have to evacuate or shelter in place, it is important to keep your health and safety in mind. I’ve witnessed some who prioritize comfort and entertainment over health and safety, and this is never a good … Continue reading

Get Ready for Story@Home 2013!

Have you heard of the Story@Home conference? The very first one was held in March of 2012. It seems to have done well enough to become an annual event. Story@Home 2013 will happen in February of 2013. Are you going to attend? The Story@Home conference, as you may have guessed from the name, is all about story. The conference gives genealogists a lot of good information about how to incorporate family history into their genealogy research. The conference is going to be hosted by FamilySearch, one of the most popular genealogy websites. They hosted the first Story@Home conference. FamilySearch, as … Continue reading

It Is Never Too Late To Work From Home

No matter how long you have been in your current job outside of the home, it is never too late to make the switch to working from home. Perhaps you are ready for a career change and want to try something new. You may have always dreamed of having a different career, and now might be the right time to explore it. If you are over fifty and you are thinking of making the switch to working from home, go for it. Do not let anyone talk you out of it because of how far you have come in your … Continue reading

Homecoming, Halloween, Toy Catalogs, and More!

This Special Needs Week in Review blog just so happens to fall on the very last day of September. A wide variety of subjects hit the blog this week. There are blogs about homecoming rumors, Halloween activities for kids with special needs, a new drug, a new toy guide, and some concern about “clustering”. Arbaclofen May Help Symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome Arbaclofen, (also called STX209), has been approved to treat one of the symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome. It helps with social withdrawal. There is potential that this drug might also help people who have an autism spectrum disorder … Continue reading

The Internet and Homeschooling, part 2

Homeschool parents are finding ways to use the internet to enhance the schooling aspect of homeschooling. The mystery of lesson planning is solved by a quick search. Frugal homeschoolers can save their budget with free printables and unit studies ready to download. Students who bore easily with textbooks can take a break playing online educational games. YouTube helps many frustrated students who need tutoring in just about any subject. Adventurous homeschoolers can be whisked away on virtual field trips. Many art museums, zoos, and historical locations offer an online peek children will enjoy. Consider looking up a country you are … Continue reading

Documenting the American Dream

Summer is primetime for moving. What’s more, with the record-low interest rates currently being offered on home loans, an increasing amount of renters are taking the leap into home ownership. Purchasing a home for the first time is a major milestone in a person’s life and warrants thorough documentation. If you are a scrapbooker, then this new chapter in your life is especially momentous as you can use it to create a memory book you will treasure forever. Crafting a new home-themed scrapbook is not as challenging as it may sound. Actually, if you document the process from start to … Continue reading

Channelling the Home Gurus

Every once in a while, while I am taking care of my home, I think of those home gurus and all of their advice. Some of it is very good: “Only surround yourself with the things that add meaning to your life,” and some of it is bad: “Bathrooms should be cleaned three times a day.” Ack, really? Still those home gurus have done a lot to help us with turning our houses into homes. Which home guru do you most relate to? Peter Walsh Super clutter organizer Peter Walsh wants people to “live rich and full lives without drowning … Continue reading