Blueberries are fading into a sweet August memory. Poetic, huh? My husband and I picked 14 pounds last Saturday with the sun at our backs and two whiney children at our feet. Not so poetic. I flash froze the berries that weren't gobbled up fresh. I never post about HOT! deals, but it's hard to beat the pricetag on those gorgeous blackberries that are ripening as fast as school is approaching. For an invasive species, they sure are delicious. Peaches are also in season right now. Go to Pick Your Own to find an orchard near you. Tomatoes are slowly ripening; the heat we've had recently has definitely helped. There will be a whole lot Keep Reading
Five Reasons I Like Small Houses
image credit As my husband and I prepare to move our family of four out of our three-bedroom, 1,070 square foot home, the comment we often hear is, "Oh, you're looking for a bigger place?" And to be perfectly honest, that is one of the items on our wish list. But there is much to be said for life in a small home. I could easily write a post titled, "Where do you store your stockpile when you are having a hard time just finding a place for your visiting mother-in-law to sleep?" That seemed a bit long-winded, so I decided to focus on the benefits of downsized living instead. Actually, the whole downsizing trend is hot in the real estate market Keep Reading
Day Trip #2: Vancouver, WA
image credit This is the second post in a series of Staycation Day Trips we will be featuring over the next several months. (Go here to catch up on Day Trip #1: Astoria, OR). All day trip destinations will be in Oregon or Washington, less than a 3 hour drive from the greater Portland area. The activities will be fun, frugal, and family-friendly. image credit Last Saturday, when the sun decided to grace us with its presence, my family and I headed north to Vancouver Lake. I have lived just a short jump over the bridge most of my life, and I had never set foot in this park before. How have I missed this spot?! It had shaded grassy areas for Keep Reading
Day Trip #1: Astoria, Oregon
image credit This is the first post in a series of Staycation Day Trips we will be featuring over the next several months. All day trip destinations will be in Oregon or Washington, less than a 3 hour drive from the greater Portland area. The activities will be fun, frugal, and family-friendly. My husband and I love taking day trips from our home base in Gresham, Oregon, exploring this crazy, beautiful backyard called the Pacific NW. I can't get enough of it. If money is tight and vacations have been cut, consider playing tourist in your own state. Day trips are a great way to do this. They hold all the fun without all of the commitment, Keep Reading
Frugal Homemaking for June
Who needs candy when Hood strawberries are in season? As we were out running errands yesterday, I stopped by my favorite farmstand and picked up a half flat of fresh berries. I passed back one pint to my little half-pints. Between the two of them, they polished off the berries in record time. I always feel this surge of motherly pride when my kids happily eat things that are good for them. Now if only I could convince them on the merits of spinach... As you know, Hoods start going bad if you just look at them wrong. Flash freezing or making jam are great ways to preserve those sweet berries. If you are looking for U-Pick fields in Keep Reading
So I Married a Keeper
Last weekend, I was getting ready for a garage sale and Father's Day. It got me thinking about two things: my husband and stuff. My husband is a keeper, in more ways than one. He is a wonderful guy who has a hard time getting rid of, well, just about anything. He straightens bent nails and tucks them away in his toolbox. He saves bread bags and plastic containers. He digs through the trash at work for pop cans. He stops the car to take a closer look at what those FREE signs on the side of the road are offering [Seriously, people, please stop putting those out. The odds are very high that your junk will end up in our garage. Thank you.] Scraps of Keep Reading
Homemaking Your Way: Emily’s Top Ten
This is Emily's final post on our Homemaking Your Way series. Catch up on previous posts here. If you have been following our Homemaking Your Way posts, you know by now how I am wired (weird?). Like many of you, I feel most relaxed and operate best in clean, organized spaces. I originally titled this post as Top Ten Tips, but that didn't really seem to fit as these are just homemaking habits that work well in my own home with my personality. Top Ten Quirks probably would have fit the best. These are just a handful of ways I keep my home running smoothly and my sanity within normal ranges. Maybe some of these will work for you. So here's my Top Keep Reading
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