Ivy says: One of the most frequent questions I get is “How do you get your kids to help clean?” Short on the heels of that question is “How do you get kids to do a good job when cleaning?” Now, my kids aren’t the best cleaning helpers EVER, but they do help and they …
Heather says: I admit it, I’m hopeless. There is a fundraiser tomorrow evening that I would love to attend. However, I’m having a fashion dilemma and I need your help. The event is to raise money for Dress for Success. I’m a fan of the idea. So what’s the problem? The theme of the event …
Ivy says: For many, keeping up with laundry is their Achilles’ heel when it comes to housekeeping. I know that it sure is mine. It seems that whenever I manage to get caught up, there’s a new giant pile lurking somewhere 5 seconds afterward. So I share with you some of the strategies I’ve picked …
Heather says: Here on the East Coast Sunday afternoon is rolling quickly toward Sunday night. Friday was filled with aspirations for Monday morning. This is the week I’ll start back at the gym. This is the week I’ll get the laundry / food budget / bills under control. Take a moment and think of what …
Ivy says: Getting your house back in shape absolutely requires that you clean the bathroom. Let me tell you, you could have mounds of laundry piled everywhere and a spotless bathroom and I totally wouldn’t think you’re gross. But make me use a dirty bathroom and I’ll take pictures and post them here on Home …
Heather says: What’s fearless about a lemon meringue pie? Well, I’m not a baker, I don’t have enough experience baking to feel comfortable experimenting with predictable results. Last night I grabbed a recipe from Alton Brown. Tell me, do you know a geek that doesn’t love a little Alton? I changed it up a little, just …
Ivy says: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from people wondering, “Where do you start when your house is a mess?” Yes, sometimes it is very overwhelming when pretty much everywhere is a disaster. I ask people: “What bothers you the most? Start there.” Now, the answer does differ some, but largely …
Heather says: Sometimes a chronic condition can become a self-feeding demon. Early this spring I had to quit taking the medication that had kept my allergies at bay for several years. For some reason neither my doctor nor I thought to find an immediate replacement. I didn’t notice the downhill spiral I had entered. I …
Ivy says: I took the kids and one of my dogs for a walk on the greeway earlier today, and we came back with a few hitchhikers. Ticks. I found, like, 5 on my daughter and one on my dog. Strange that she’d rack up more ticks than my dog, but whatever. I immediately thought …
Dear Home Ec 101, I would like to know if it is possible to freeze cooked rice. I would like to cook a bigger batch and freeze single servings. Cooking a single serving for lunch just takes too much time, but I really don’t like the quicker cooking alternatives. Also, we frequently have stir fry with …