Gone are the days of wedding-themed disposable cameras being fixtures of the reception table place setting. Now that nearly everyone carries a far better camera in their pocket at all times, the number of photos taken at weddings has grown exponentially. From the wedding procession, to the ceremony, to the first kiss, there are likely to be guests capturing every moment, along with the professional photographer, of course. But should you really be pulling out your phone during the ceremony? Probably not.
5 Steps: Give Tired Furniture a Pick-Me-Up
Over the years, Scott and I have rescued a lot of furniture from flea markets, thrift stores and, yes, even back alleys. Because vintage and antique furniture were traditionally crafted with solid wood (sometimes with a veneer), we’ll first try to repair the condition of the wood. This doesn’t mean that we need to break out the power sander and spend hours going over every surface of our piece until we’re down to the raw wood; rather, we continue to use a simple 5 step “wood refresh” method that will revive our tired furniture and make it look new again.
Spruce up what you already have, and fall in love with your antiques again! Most recently, we purchased four gorgeous Mid-century dining chairs at a flea market. We placed them around our dining table, which is part of an open concept floor plan in our main living space.
Father’s Day Dinner: The Perfect Steak
Dad deserves a special dinner to celebrate Father’s Day, don’t you think? The dad in our house loves a good steak dinner. I don’t make a lot of steaks so it is a treat for everyone. I think that I didn’t make a lot of steaks because I was terrible at making them. I either bought the wrong cut of beef, over-cooked it, or under-cooked it. After much experimentation, this is my foolproof method for a perfectly cooked, juicy, delicious steak.
Father’s Day Bacon Sliders
Moms get brunch, dads get barbecue. That is Mother’s Day vs. Father’s Day in-a-nutshell, right? I’d say it’s presumptuous to assume all dads crave beer and burgers on their special day but then I think of my own papa and—duh!—that’s exactly what he wants. Why mess with it?
Cooking with Kids: DIY Salad Bar with Goldfish
Getting my kids to eat more fruits and vegetables is no easy feat. It can feel like all I do is beg, plead, and manipulate them to try new things and take a few bites of the healthy things that I want them to eat.
Mother’s Day Brunch: 5-Ingredient Jam Rolls
The key to a successful brunch is a simple menu. This Mother’s Day—whether you’re in charge for making the special meal yourself or you’re looking for an easy recipe dad and the kids can tackle—pare down and focus on one fabulous baked good!
To Post or Not to Post: The Etiquette of Sharing Kid Photos Online
Sharing photos of your kids online is a touchy subject. I’m guessing most parents out there have an opinion one way or the other. While I don’t have kids, I do have friends with kids. And I always make sure I know how they feel about photos of their kids being posted. For example, the mom of one of my favorite toddlers posts photos of her son, but only to her private Instagram account. This means that I don’t post photos of him because my account is public, unless I’ve been given permission for a specific photo.
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Cooking with Kids: BBQ Chicken Pizza Pockets
I need to be honest – I love cooking for my family, but not always a huge fan of cooking dinner every night. If your family is anything like my family, then you have a lot going on. School, sports, after-school activities, work, all kinds of things that fill up the spaces on our calendars. It can seem like the only way to feed them dinner is to grab something from a drive-thru or get take-out.
Wedding Thank You Notes 101
It’s finally spring, and you know what that means—it’s wedding season. If you’re part of a happy couple tying the knot this year, you have a lot of planning and organizing on your plate. And once the big day and the honeymoon are over, there’s one last task to wrap up the wedding celebration: sending out the thank you notes.
Master the Quick Healthy Lunch: Farro Salad
We all know that packing a lunch is the wise, grownup thing to do—it’s healthier and more affordable than that meat-stack sandwich from the deli (and really, who has time to wait in line for one of those designer chopped salads). But it’s tricky right?