Love It, Use It, or Lose It – My Own Guidelines for Purging

posted by Andrea | 05/24/2013 | 16 comments
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Due to the nature of my blog and my business, I’m often asked how I consciously decide what to purge, what to keep, how long to keep it, etc. — and unfortunately, there are no hard-and-fast rules for exactly what you should and should not purge (wouldn’t that be nice though!)

So today, I’m sharing a few simple guidelines I use in my own life to help me decide when (and when not) to purge.

A Random Acts of Kindness Challenge

posted by Andrea | 05/23/2013 | 21 comments
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I’m excited to share today’s post with you — because it’s a guest post I requested from a loyal reader.

Dallas, from Day-by-Day Masterpiece, has taken a one-year challenge to perform random acts of kindness each week. I think this idea is awesome… and today, Dalas is sharing a few really simple (and free) random acts of kindness we can all do in the coming week.

Nora @ 18 Months

posted by Andrea | 05/22/2013 | 23 comments
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There are SO many things I could share about Nora since her 15 month update — I’m not even sure where to begin. Yes, she has grown inches and gained pounds, but it’s simply amazing how much she has learned these past 3 months.

She’s a little girl now — and I love it!

My Favorite Strawberry Pie

posted by Andrea | 05/21/2013 | 24 comments
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If given a choice between any dessert and strawberry pie, I will probably choose the strawberry pie every time… I love strawberry pie!

My recipe for strawberry pie is so quick, so simple, and so delicious. If you’ve ever been intimidated by making homemade pie, this is a fabulous recipe to experiment with — it’s almost impossible to ruin.

How I Changed My Most Productive Time of Day

posted by Andrea | 05/20/2013 | 19 comments
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Over the past 12 months, I’ve been on a mission to change my most productive time of day from the early morning hours to later in the evening.

For those of you who are night owls, this concept might seem ridiculous. However, for those of you who (like me) are early birds, you understand all too well the difficulty of accomplishing anything productive after 9:00pm. Keep reading to learn how (and why) I made the switch!

Half-Way In: Our No-Spending Challenge

posted by Andrea | 05/17/2013 | 15 comments
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Dave and I are half-way through our month-long no-spending challenge, and honestly, it’s harder than I expected it to be! Even though I rarely step foot in a shopping mall, it’s amazing how many opportunities there are to spend money each day.

Today, I’m sharing an update…

Our Favorite Farmhouse Paint Colors

posted by Andrea | 05/16/2013 | 18 comments
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Dave and I closed on our first house 7 years ago this month — and we’ve been painting like crazy ever since.

Painting isn’t necessarily my most favorite activity, but I do enjoy it for the most part — and that’s good because we’ve gone through over 40 GALLONS of paint since we’ve moved into our farmhouse! Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite colors!

A Tale of Ten Strollers + Our Favorites

posted by Andrea | 05/15/2013 | 20 comments
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True story: Over the past 2 years, we have owned TEN different strollers! Yes, you read that correctly –10!

I’ve been buying and selling strollers on a mission to find the ones we really love, and today I’m sharing our favorites with you.

REALLY Simple 2-Hour Meat Marinade

posted by Andrea | 05/14/2013 | 7 comments
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I love marinating meat for the grill but I hate that it often requires a full 24 hours of advance preparation. So about a month ago, I tried a 2-hour marinade — and we were so impressed that I made it again the next week (with a few of my personal adjustments).

I’ve used this marinade a handful of times with fabulous results each time, and I just LOVE that you can whip it up later in the day and still have great-tasting, juicy meat in time for dinner.

Bubbles of Opportunity

posted by Andrea | 05/13/2013 | 7 comments
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You all know that I’m a huge fan of focus, hard work, drive, and determination… right? Yes, it’s true. Those are all virtues I admire in others and try to exude myself.

However, there have been times when I was too focused on one goal or opportunity that I missed a bunch of other “bubbles of opportunity” passing me by… can you relate?

Happy Mother’s Day

posted by Andrea | 05/11/2013 | 6 comments
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To the Mothers who are, the Mothers who were, the Mothers who will be, and the Mothers who wish they could be…

Happy Mother’s Day

Pruning… in the Garden and in our Home

posted by Andrea | 05/10/2013 | 5 comments
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Thanks to the last 2 weeks of gloriously sunny skies, we’ve been doing lots of yard work.

One of the first projects on my to-do list was pruning — everything! And as I pruned, I started thinking how pruning our garden is very similar to purging our home — not always glamorous or fun, but SO worth the effort.

7 Things I Wouldn’t Buy on Craigslist

posted by Andrea | 05/9/2013 | 34 comments
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You all know how much I love Craigslist… right? Well since Dave and I are taking a “no-spending challenge” for the month of May, I’ve been banned from shopping Craigslist.

So instead, I thought it would be fun (and hopefully funny) to share some of the things I probably won’t buy on Craigslist :)

How to Make Homemade Bubbles

posted by Andrea | 05/8/2013 | 17 comments
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Thanks to a recent gift from one of her aunts, Nora now LOVES bubbles. However, after a few days of intense bubble blowing, we were running low on our supply.

I found a really simple recipe for homemade bubbles that should keep us fully stocked throughout the spring and summer months! Thank goodness :)

Muffin Tin Pizzas

posted by Andrea | 05/7/2013 | 12 comments
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If you’re looking for a recipe that’s easy, that can be individually customized for each person in your family, that your kids will want to help with, that only requires washing a muffin tin, and that allows you to have dinner on the table in about 25 minutes, you’ve come to the right place.

Keep reading for my super simple, super delicious muffin tin pizza recipe!

3 Simple Concepts to Simplify Your Life

posted by Andrea | 05/6/2013 | 27 comments
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Today I’m sharing an overly-simple message that I KNOW you already know.

You’ve heard it 100 times before, but maybe today will be the day you take action. Maybe today will be the day it makes sense. Maybe today, this message will be just the reminder you need to start simplifying your life!

Don’t Forget the Big Picture

posted by Andrea | 05/3/2013 | 82 comments
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“Don’t forget the big picture…” I repeat this phrase whenever I feel overwhelmed with my job as a Mother (so usually around 50 times a day!)

Today, I’m sharing how “big picture thinking” can help me (and you) push through some of the more challenging times of life.

A Few of My Favorite Things {May 2013}

posted by Andrea | 05/2/2013 | 8 comments
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It’s time for another of my monthly “Favorite Things” posts — and I’ve got lots more to share.

Everything from kitchen gadgets, gardening tools, kids toys, craft items, and more!

Expired: Homemaking eBook Sale

posted by Andrea | 05/1/2013 | 3 comments
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I’ve been sharing lots of eBook deals lately, but that’s because ebooks are a fabulously frugal (and clutter-free) way to read.

If you’re new to eBooks, or if you’d like to quickly build your virtual library, then keep reading! Today, I’m sharing a special deal on 97 ebooks (plue over $140 in bonus gifts) for less than $30!