When someone visits your home the first thing they will notice is how it smells. Like I said before I am a sniffer. I sniff everything from a glass, before I drink from it, to the family room to make sure there are no unflattering, lingering scents. There are times when my house picks up the scents of my cooking and I don’t readily notice. So I make it a point to deodorize after cleaning.
There are plenty of commercial product on the market to extinguish offensive smells, but I would rather use ordinary everyday solutions.
If you have an offensive smell …read more

I know this is hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is only six weeks away!  Eeek!  How did that happen?  Instead of pushing it out of our minds, it’s better to embrace it and make preparations for a less stressful and happier time.  Planning is key to things running smoothly.
I remember the year we purchased our first home.  I decided that I should host Christmas dinner.  We had my parents and my husband’s parents over.  I didn’t realize all the work that would go into hosting the meal, opening presents, and family time. 
I learned a lot that day and now I …read more

Here are a few highlights from June at Keeping the Castle.

Free 4th of July Crafts and Recipe Book
Helpful Links for This Week
May Highlights at Keeping the Castle
A Tip for Painting Your Home
The Lowdown on McDonald’s Iced Coffee
What is the Temperature of Your House?
Cucumber Salad Recipe
Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough Recall
Five Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
Cleaning Challenge: Clean Your Coffeemaker
Hamilton Beach Dispensing Blender
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
10 Meals in 10 Minutes
Enjoying the Wildlife Today
Health Benefits of Drinking Tea
Time Saving Laundry Tip
Save Time with Bed Linens
Links I’m Enjoying
The Martha Stewart Blog
Works for Me Wednesday: Bag Organization
Cleaning Challenge: Clutter Patrol
Which articles did you enjoy?
image (c) Karen …read more

I was making coffee today and just realized something – I have never cleaned my coffeemaker.  I’ve only been using the coffee pot for about six months and I don’t drink coffee as regularly as some people, but it certainly is time for a cleaning!
You may be wondering why you should clean your coffee pot, especially when the only thing that goes in it is clean water.  The problem is, the water causes deposits inside the coffee maker.  The deposits can slow the flow of water inside the machine and they can alter the taste of your coffee. 

To clean your …read more

I really enjoy Cadbury Creme Eggs.  It’s a yummy little something that I look forward to each Easter.  I have to say though, I’ve never heard of baking with Cadbury Creme eggs.  Have you?
I have a weakness for sweets.  This Pomegranate Layer Cake at Baking Delights looks yummy.
Last year, my husband and I planted some tomato and pepper plants.  It was nice to have fresh veggies around and it definitely saved on our grocery bill.  Peggy gives us some reasons to start a veggie garden.
I’m all for saving time in the kitchen and making easy recipes.  Noble Pig gives us …read more

I received this in an email and thought I would share it with you all.  It is an article from 1955.

Is your bedroom designed for sleep? That’s the question that Pat Heydlauff, President of Energy by Design, asks.
I never really thought of designing a bedroom for sleep, beyond providing the necessities of a bed, pillows and linen. Pat makes a good point that the bedroom’s primary function is for rest and relaxation. It’s a haven, a retreat from the rest of the home if need be.
She says that designing for sleep should start at the planning stages of a house. The location of the bedroom, relative to the other rooms and spaces, should be considered.
For an existing bedroom, …read more

For several years now, we’ve celebrated Christmas pretty much the same way. Christmas Eve is spent with my in-laws and relatives who come and visit. We have our feast, open gifts, and have family photos taken beside the tree. We pretty much stick around as late as we can, waiting for Christmas Day to arrive, before we all head home. Then we make overseas calls to more family members. This can last anywhere from minutes to at least an hour.
Christmas Day, of course, we wake up very late. We lounge around in our pajamas, having a little bite of breakfast …read more

What is the biggest stress-inducer during Christmas time? Is it too much to do? Too many presents to wrap? Too much food preparation? Not enough time or money?
Apparently, budgeting is one of the biggest stress-inducers at this time of the year. We all like to give and receive presents. Some of us do very well in terms of planning and budgeting. Others just seem to go overboard and find at year’s end that they just spent a tad more than they should.
If you’re one of the latter, follow this link to 51 tips for a stress-free and happy Christmas. Here …read more

Those who have happy homes seldom turn out badly.
– Daniel H. Hill

How about us taking time to laugh today? Have you seen these YouTube videos?
This is “Dad at Comedy Barn”: