Cleaning Secret Weapon

*UPDATED 1-30-14: Bar Keepers Friend chose Sezen Your Life as their featured blog on 1-29-14!  Post by Bar Keepers Friend I’m so happy right now, my dishwasher is sparkling clean.  Does anyone else get utter joy and complete satisfaction from a task like this?  I love the feeling of accomplishment, especially when it involves restoring something I had …

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It’s Chili Season

On cold winter days, nothing beats coming home to a warm hearty meal; and few things are easier than throwing it all in a pot.  This is my husband’s family chili recipe.  Just brown the meat and add everything to the slow cooker.  It’s an easy one to doctor-up to suit your group, add a …

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Best Times of 2013

Happy New Year! 2014 is going to be wonderful, can’t you just feel it?  I’m so excited to see what’s in store for us these next 12 months.  2013 was great, and here are some of my favorite moments.  Many of these were taken with my phone, so please excuse the quality. I kicked off …

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Activity Tracker Comparison: Fitbit Force versus Jawbone UP

A new year means new resolutions, and for many of us these include having healthier lifestyles.  If you’re looking to assess where you are now and have some accountability for going forward, an activity tracker is a great tool.  There are several on the market. In this review I’ll be comparing two of the major …

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New Uses for Old Holiday Cards

I wouldn’t classify myself as a pack rat, and I’m far from a hoarder.  However, I do have a tendency to keep things. Especially if I’m under the impression that they could be used for something else, if they are pretty, or too sentimental to just throw away. Christmas cards (and other greeting cards) fall …

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Fudge Pie

We did things a bit backwards this year.  For Thanksgiving dessert my husband requested cake (Coconut Cake to be precise), and for his birthday a few days ago I made his favorite, Fudge Pie.  His grandmother always made this for the holidays.  Now for special occasions, or when we just need a touch of home, …

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Children’s Christmas Tree

Merry Christmas! I absolutely love this season.  It’s such a wonderful time of celebration for the birth of our Savior.  I love the music, excitement, family, friends, great food; I even love the snow. Every year after Thanksgiving I look forward to decorating the house.  This year’s a little different, however.  With a toddler running …

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Linda P’s Coconut Cake

My husband had a carry-in at work a couple of weeks ago.  Later that afternoon I received an email from him; the subject line: THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!!! The body of the message was the following recipe simply called Coconut Cake.  Rather than pie, my husband asked if we could have the cake on Thanksgiving.  Thank …

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Fun and Easy Ways to Keep in Touch

Living 1,307 miles away from our closest family members can make staying in touch a bit of a challenge.  Growing up, my husband and I were blessed to be very close to family and grandparents.  Those relationships greatly influenced our childhoods and who we are today.  One of our biggest desires is for family to …

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No Minivans

This summer we found ourselves in the market to replace our 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander.  It’s been a great SUV, and I’d recommend it in a heartbeat.  But the miles were starting to add up, several things were needing maintenance, and we were looking for more cargo space and passenger room. My husband has a separate vehicle …

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