Water Misters on the Back Patio Make Summer Cooler!
Posted byJennifer Brewster on Monday, July 18, 2011
With the 100 degree weather we've been having in Dallas this summer, we've really missed entertaining family and friends out on the back patio...until now! My husband and I installed a water mister system and we're now back to spending time outside. The system was an all-in-one kit that we bought at Lowe's and it was easy to install. Our arbor and patio area is now comfortable, and we can actually stay outside while we're grilling out and enjoying our favorite summertime cocktails!
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First-time home buying tips
Posted byMike Normile on Monday, May 02, 2011
Came across this link today. For you folks interested in purchasing a home, this is a pretty good article to read: http://homebuying.about.com/od/buyingahome/bb/shopping1sttime.htm
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Summer Chicken Marinade
Posted byKeith Wombacher on Wednesday, April 27, 2011
I got so hungry reading the corn on the BBQ post that I decided to share my "World Famous/Secret" recipe with everyone! Normally, I grill a ton of boneless chicken breasts and this year will be no exception, so here it is, Keith's Marinade! This is a 24-hr. marinade, so make sure you do this the day before you grill! You can use as much or as little of the following ingredients, but stir the following; Extra Virgin Olive Oil Honey Cracked black pepper Lemon juice 2 shots of whiskey 2 onions - diced pinch of salt freshly minced parsley Put the chicken into the bowl, seal completely. I even turn the container upside down and let the chicken just soak in the marinade for a while. Fire up the grill and enjoy some of the best chicken you'll ever eat!
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Cleaning Tips for Guys
Posted byJohn O'Connell on Tuesday, April 26, 2011
My wife is in the Army Reserves as a medic and there are times when I find myself dealing with a less-than-tidy home. With three kids, it's tough to find time to clean. I've come up with a pretty simple list for guys to follow to make the house look clean when their wife gets home! She'll be thrilled! 1. Get started - Don't sit there! Even if you have ESPN on, get off the couch! 2. Divide and Conquer - break your home into quadrants (i.e. kitchen, living room, dining room) and complete the task of cleaning each quadrant before moving to the next. 3. Set a time limit - If you say "I've got 45 minutes to get this done," you'll push yourself into a cleaning machine for 45 minutes! Reward yourself with a break if you need to, but you'll be on such a roll, you won't want to stop! 4. Incentives - if you're having the guys over, take pride in your home. If you know you're having company over, it will give you that much more of an incentive to have a clean place. Ok, get cleaning! Hope these tips help! -JR
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Summertime BBQ
Posted byRob McGee on Tuesday, April 26, 2011
As a first-time homeowner, and as a new resident of the great state of Texas, I've been getting more mileage out of my grill than ever before. Chicken, steak, salmon -- even corn-on-the-cob! As a Midwestern boy, this is a dream! I've been grilling on the patio of my Darling home since the ice melted in February, so I thought I would share some tips to make your next BBQ a smash hit! For corn-on-the-cob, make sure you have some aluminum foil, some butter and of course, your corn. Put a tab of corn on the foil (if you have something like veggies in the oven, do this on top of the oven, so the butter melts) and spread the butter on the foil. Then put the corn on and roll it so that the foil completely covers the corn. Then pinch the sides in so the butter doesn't drip out. Put the corn on indirect heat for about ten minutes and enjoy!
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Comment by Rob McGee  at 4/26/2011 2:19:00 PM 
That should say "put a dab of butter on the foil"
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How to have a Staycation with your kids on Spring Break by Pam Molnar
Posted byGrace Wood on Thursday, March 03, 2011
Many families this year will have to forgo their Spring Break vacation due to our current economy. Having the kids off from school and home for 9 long days usually means too much TV and video games and fighting among the siblings. The way to avoid this is to plan a Staycation. A Staycation is a vacation you take in your own area. The Urban Dictionary defines it as "A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer." You visit sites and local establishments and then sleep in your own bed. Just think of all the people that take a vacation to your area and how you are lucky enough to have it all right in your backyard. INSTRUCTIONS: #1: Visit the local museums. We are in the suburbs of a larger city and yet, our town and county have several smaller museums that we drive past every week. Many of these museums have local history. Local industry attractions such as a quarry often have tours, too. Contact your local chamber of commerce for more information. #2: Fitness activities. Living in the Midwest, our weather is too cool for outdoor activities during spring break. We need to rely on local health clubs for indoor pools and activities like rock climbing. If the weather is okay, take the dog for a walk at the dog park and look for signs of spring. Many warmer areas have hiking and biking trails to explore at this time of year. Check out the national parks in your area. (See Link below) Why not bring a picnic lunch, too? #3: The local movie theater or bowling alley is a great place to hang out on a rainy day. You can also window shop at the mall. Have the kids bring a friend and take them all out for pizza afterward. #4: The local library and park districts often offer classes and activities when the schools are on spring break. Check out their websites for fun things to do or just browse the library for a good book. #5: Try out a new restaurant in town or try a cuisine you have never had. Take a step away from the burger joint and go somewhere that serves fondue, sushi or hibachi style. How about getting up early and having breakfast or Sunday Brunch? #6: Have a dinner and a movie night at home. Take time as a family to shop for and cook a new recipe or an old favorite for dinner and then rent a movie that everyone will enjoy. Top it off with a fun dessert! #7: Stay home and play board games, work on a craft, make cookies or look at pictures in a photo album and have everyone reminisce. Let the kids have friends over for the day or for a sleep over. You can either have each kid have their friend over at the same time or stretch it out over several days. Having your kids invite their friends over gives you the opportunity to get to know their friends better. #8: Like any vacation, take lots of pictures and do as few chores as possible. What kind of vacation includes dusting? Buy local souvenirs or t-shirts. Stay up late and save the diet until your staycation is over. After all, this is supposed to be a fun week off! Read more: How to have a Staycation with your kids on Spring Break | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5991681_staycation-kids-spring-break.html#ixzz1FYPAnKXX
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Kitchen Cleaning Tips
Posted byEmily Price on Friday, November 05, 2010
Kitchen Cleaning Tips By Linda Larsen, About.com Guide Cleaning up the kitchen is part of cooking. Not only is it easier to cook and bake in a clean kitchen, but clean surfaces and storage containers will keep your family healthier and safer. Take some time to learn these easy tips and preventative measures and before you know it your kitchen will be automatically cleaner and less cluttered. Make cleaning second nature and you'll save time and money. General Tips • Have a place for everything. It's much easier to use a utensil or appliance, clean it and put it away when it has a home. I use foil as an example in my kitchen. I have a special drawer that is used just for foil, plastic wrap and parchment paper. Those items are always easy to find, and are put away after each use because they have a special home. • Don't mix ammonia and bleach because it will create toxic fumes. • Identify spots in your kitchen that accumulate clutter and take a few minutes every day to clear those spots and place objects in their correct homes. • Try to end each day with a clean, empty kitchen sink. Run the dishwasher before you go to bed and unload it first thing in the morning. • A sponge is actually a great way to spread germs. I prefer using paper towels, discarding them after cleaning each surface, to totally prevent cross-contamination.
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Beer Bread (very easy & good)
Posted byRyan Just on Thursday, March 11, 2010
Mix: 1 beer 3 tbs sugar 3 cups of self rising flour Bake at 350 for 1 hour. (best to bake in stoneware type bread or thicker metal bread pan) Best served warm and lightly buttered
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High/Hard to reach Return Air Vent
Posted byMichael Cleveland on Friday, March 05, 2010
We have a return vent in the ceiling over the stairs. It is over the first landing going up and means you need an extension ladder to reach it. To keep from damaging the floors bringing in sliding the extension ladder buy one of the folding, ratcheting, extension ladders. They are light and only a fraction of the length making it easy to bring in and out. Also, as proof that duct-tape fixes anything...take your ripped wash towels and wrap them on the top ends of the ladder and tape them on with duct tape. This keeps the pain on your wall where it belongs. :)
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COLOR SELECTION WHEN SHOPPING
Posted byL DE MATTEI on Thursday, March 04, 2010
STORE DETAILED PHOTOS OF YOUR HOUSE ON YOUR SMART PHONE AND WHEN YOU'RE OUT SHOPPING, YOU CAN REFER TO THEM WHEN NEEDED. WHEN SHOPPING FOR SOMEONE THAT IS NOT WITH YOU, TAKE A PHOTO AND EMAIL IT TO THEM AND ASK THEM TO CALL YOU WITH THEIR SELECTION
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DRYER LINT FILTER CLEANING
Posted byL DE MATTEI on Thursday, March 04, 2010
SIMPLE BUT EASY: A USED DRYER SOFTENER SHEET WORKS GREAT FOR CLEANING THE LINT FILTER AND WHEN YOU SEE IT COME OUT OF THE LOAD, IT REMINDS YOU TO USE IT. THEN SAVE BOUTIQUE STYLE TISSUE BOXES WHEN THEY ARE EMPTY AND USE THOSE TO HOLD THE DIRTY SHEETS.
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DRYER LINT SOLUTION
Posted byL De Mattei on Thursday, March 04, 2010
SIMPLE BUT EASY: A USED DRYER SOFTENER SHEET WORKS GREAT FOR CLEANING THE LINT FILTER AND WHEN YOU SEE IT COME OUT OF THE LOAD, IT REMINDS YOU TO USE IT. THEN SAVEE BOUTIQUE STYLE TISSUE BOXES
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Lights! Action!
Posted byAmy Ray on Thursday, February 25, 2010
Here's a fantastic idea that is easy and affordable to do to create some attention getting detail in a room. I actually did my own custom switch plates by taking ordinary ones and covering it in stucco. Then, I painted the two in my kitchen plus stenciled some delicate leaves and vines around the plates to add more zing! http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20346391,00.html?partner=yes&xid=myyahoo-feed-022510-TOH-standout-switch-plates-maincontent-1
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Vacuuming made easy!
Posted byDominique Essig on Monday, February 22, 2010
I know that it is silly, but my husband and I have a Roomba (the automated vacum). I have to say that it really does make life easy. We have a dog, and the Roomba does a good job of vacuuming and pick up that unwanted dog hair. Plus people think that it is pretty cool. It always seems to be a hot topic at our dinner parties!
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My little recipe - Just take a look
Posted byJohn Chandler on Sunday, February 21, 2010
I am not sure where to start but I encourage you to take a look and then try my lasagna recipe. It has over 3500+ review and over 120 people have posted pictures of the recipe. Just look at the reviews. The main thing is it VERY yummy. Hope you enjoy. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Worlds-Best-Lasagna/Detail.aspx
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Caring for Wood Floors the Easy Way!
Posted byDonna Gray on Sunday, February 21, 2010
I've always said that the right tools make any job easier. Our beautiful Darling wood floors don't have to be hard to care for...I bought a Hoover LiNX Windtunnel battery-powered light-weight vacuum to replace my broom and a Shark Steam Mop for cleaning. There are no more flying dust particles and with the Steam Mop you never have to put chemicals on your floor. My floors look awesome and I am free to rock on my back porch!!
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Take your time finding the right window coverings!
Posted byJenny Harr on Sunday, February 21, 2010
Moving into our new home was an exciting time and exhausting to say the least! There were so many things to think about, how/when to move, getting new furniture, decorating, and selecting window coverings. I didn't want to rush into selecting just any blinds/shutters/shades, so I found these wonderful temporary paper shades at a local hardware store. They worked wonderfully! This minimal cost alternative allowed me to take my time to find just the perfect style window coverings for our beautiful Darling Home.
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throw pillows
Posted byMary Anne Payne on Sunday, February 21, 2010
last year i needed a little change without spending an arm and a leg. i saw throw pillows on sale at target for $7 each. bought 3 of the colrs that were in my 15 yr old dust ruffle, and what a difference it made and for less than $25. changed the look of my blah master bed room.
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Light Candles More :-)!
Posted byPamela Ortiz on Saturday, February 20, 2010
...we all tend to forget about this - but light them! ...makes the house so peaceful and cozy...and always adds a great scent :-)!!! ...always makes it relaxing!!!
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Keep your wooden door beautiful
Posted byLeslie Gray on Saturday, February 20, 2010
The way to keep that beautiful solid wood door looking great forever. Oil it at least monthly with Old English Lemon oil inside and out. If your door gets direct sun perhaps more often is best.
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Landscape Prep
Posted byJ. Rasch on Saturday, February 20, 2010
With the recent frequent bouts of snow and cold I was reminded of something that is very important each year to prepare your landscape trees and shrubs for the winter (as well as a better spring growing season). Each year it is important to trim (or crop tightly) large shrubs like Wax Myrtles and Nellie Steven's Hollys. This year my large shrubs survived the heavy snow and ice when many others that were not trimmed back in the fall suffered severe branch damage and loss. In the spring (prior to heavy budding) the trimming will help form the shrub to the shape you desire!
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Enchilada Casserole
Posted byLucille Ray on Friday, February 19, 2010
Enchiladas are yummy but time consuming. I've found a great way to enjoy enchiladas with less time in the kitchen. Just take the basic ingredients (cooked and seasoned beef, onions, enchilada sauce, cheese and tortillas) and layer in a baking dish (2 3/8"H x 9.25"W x 13"D). Yup, layer like you're making lasagna. Rub oil of choice inside the baking dish, put your first layer of tortillas and build up. Your top layer should be tortillas and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the top has a nice golden color . . . about 35 minutes. Enjoy!
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Tag sale finds . . .
Posted byD Tomasi on Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The economy is tight but I don't have to deprive myself. I inject found objects/furnishings bought at yard and tag sales to bring some life back into a room. I use my bargain treasure as a focal point and add to it as the mood strikes me. In the end, I always find myself with a room that is satisfyingly delicious! Go out and have fun hunting for that special something to add to your home. Ready. Set. Go!
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Scented Candles
Posted byJo Duran on Wednesday, September 16, 2009
There is nothing better than the smell of pumpkin and spice in the fall. I buy lots of scented candles and place them throughout the house. The key is to choose scents that compliment each other such as pumpkin, cinnamon, spiced apple and vanilla. My absolute favorite scent is Harvest which is made by Yankee Candle Company. I always light my candles about an hour before I expect guests to arrive so the house smells wonderful by the time they arrive.
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Comment by Mary Blair  at 9/28/2009 8:26:00 AM 
I love the smell of Fall also. Apple Pies and cookies in the oven. Candles are great too, but I just the real thing. Besides, I'm trying to fatten up my husband!
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Don't Forget The Patio
Posted byLucille H. Shelton on Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Fall is a great time to enjoy your patio. I love curling up on a lounge chair with a cup of coffee and a good book on a crisp morning. Update the pillows and cushions on your patio furniture to more fall colors. Place fall scented candles in lanterns on tables. I also change out my summer plants and flowers to croatans and mums.
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Pesky Pet Hair
Posted byMaggie Bammer on Sunday, September 13, 2009
Cooler weather means pets spend more time indoors, which means more pet hair. Thanks to Pledge our lives have gotten a little easier. The Pledge Fabric Sweeper is a great tool for quickly and easily removing pet hair from fabric and upholstery. I use mine almost daily! It’s so much easier than breaking out the vacuum, and it’s great for when guests want to stop by on short notice.
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Make It Cozy
Posted byDianna DiGiammatteo on Sunday, September 13, 2009
I use small desk lamps and floor lamps that give off soft light to help create a feeling of coziness in my home during the colder months. And you can update the color of your lamps shades to red or pumpkin to bring more fall color into your home. Candles in colored vases also create the same affect.
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Warm Colors
Posted byMilly Stafford on Saturday, September 12, 2009
I add touches of warm fall colors in red, orange, and yellow shades to my home in the form of pillows, blankets, rugs and flowers. Accessories are an easy and inexpensive way to keep your home current with the season.
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Comment by Rolex replica rolex  at 10/16/2010 11:02:00 PM 
nice article. keep post like this...
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