I’ve wanted to do a plant wall in this bathroom for about two years and it’s finally done! I have been eyeing beautiful plant walls on Pinterest, plotting and planning for this blank wall in our master bathroom. It has artificial and real plants. Here’s how I did it and where I got the plants: Step… Read More Plant wall in the bathroom
The biggest reason I started making baby food is to give my kids the most fresh and nutritious food I could in their first year of life. The second is to save money. And the third is for the environment, because God knows I owe it after putting three babies in diapers! My husband and I have… Read More How to make baby food in 45 minutes a week and save 50 percent
When there’s nothing planned for dinner, my husband can open the fridge and cobble some things together for a delicious meal. I, on the other hand, open the freezer and pray there’s a pizza. I’d say I’m a creative person, but it seems to be lost in the kitchen. It helps me to have a menu… Read More Dinner idea list and menu
I felt like I was pretty well stocked with baby stuff I had from the boys and purchases I made here and there, but now that my due date is knocking at the door, I keep thinking of random things I don’t want to forget. Now that I see how long my list in print, I… Read More Third trimester checklist
We have just a couple weeks left until our baby is due! It’s time to start packing that hospital bag. After my experiences with the boys, I have a good idea of what I will be packing, so I thought I’d share my checklist. My best advice for packing a hospital bag is to pack light, but thoughtfully. Having less… Read More Baby hospital bag checklist
I came across Pottery Barn’s pom pom drape and knew it was something I had to do for my baby girl’s room. Their 96-inch drape has a $109 price tag — for one panel! Ouch. I went to work on making them cheaper. And pinker. Tools Plain white curtains. I bought Ikea’s white Ritva curtains, in the 118-inch length (two… Read More Pom pom curtains and curtain tricks you might not know
About a week ago we had a little birthday party for Adriano. It was really fun — even for Marcello and I! Normally Marcello has a tendency to go overboard on the food, and I have a tendency to go overboard on the decorations. But this time we seemed to have maybe found our balance of simple… Read More Kids birthday party checklist
This list looks long, but I actually pack pretty light. I wasn’t always a careful packer, but after traveling a couple times when I planned outfits in advance, there was no turning back. The key is to choose a color palette and make sure the pieces are all interchangeable. This way you only have to bring… Read More Women’s travel pack checklist
I finally finished painting my entire kitchen — walls, cabinets, and backsplash. It looks like a different kitchen! It was very economical (about $200), but involved some work. It didn’t require much skill or muscle, just patience and time. Take a look. Here’s how I transformed and modernized my kitchen with paint: The salmon wall was first on… Read More How I transformed my kitchen with paint
I’m a moderate minimalist. I don’t want our home to be sparse and bare, rather selective and edited. Living simply doesn’t exactly come easy to me, but I’m learning, and it’s making my family’s life easier. Some positives I’m seeing from living a more minimal life: Less mess to clean up. Saves money not shopping for unneeded… Read More How I simplified and organized my house, room by room
This space, off to the side of our kitchen, is supposed to be a breakfast nook. But as soon as we moved in, our boys began putting their toys here. We didn’t have furniture for a nook, so I followed suit and put my puny little desk in the same space so I could work… Read More Home office and play area in one
When I decided to stay at home with our first son, my husband and I knew money would be tight with only one income, but I was determined to try. Several months before I quit, I examined each and every bill we had and tried to find a way to pay less. My goal was… Read More How I save money to be a stay-at-home mom