by Chrysula Winegar | Jan 11, 2010 | for Mind, for Money
We are commanded to work. We are commanded to learn. We are commanded to be prepared. We are commanded to nurture and raise our children. How do we balance everything we have and want to do? In this new Mormon Momma column, The Juggling Act, I am excited to explore...
by Alison Moore Smith | Jan 11, 2010 | Design Your Own House, for Home, for Love
Last August my dad turned 80. He still lives at home. In fact, he runs a college dorm. Not long after my mom died in 2003—after nearly 47 years of marriage—my dad opened their home to his college grandkids and their friends. I thought it was a sure sign of dementia!...
by Alison Moore Smith | Jan 11, 2010 | Design Your Own House, for Home
When the winter weather starts getting to me, I start fantasizing about spring. High on my list is being able to enjoy my family in the backyard, with a beautiful landscape and play area for the kids—and the entire neighborhood. Planning a fun backyard always includes...
by Alison Moore Smith | Jan 10, 2010 | Design Your Own House, for Home
This evening we got a call from E-Z Block. They are making the lightweight concrete panels that will form the structure for our home. And the have a bunch of our money—half the cost of the first set of panels. The entire build has been waiting on them since the...
by Alison Moore Smith | Jan 9, 2010 | Contest, Design Your Own House, for Home
Our first dream home featured Delta faucets in all the bathrooms. After living there for five years, we did not have a single problem with any of them. We were very pleased with the quality and so they are certainly top-contenders for the bathroom fixtures in our new...
by Alison Moore Smith | Jan 8, 2010 | Contest, Design Your Own House, for Home
If you're looking for great advice from a home construction expert, look no further than Todd Fratzel of the Home Construction & Improvement blog. Todd is the principal engineer for a large design-build firm and his expertise is oozing from his posts. He writes...
by Alison Moore Smith | Jan 7, 2010 | Design Your Own House, for Home
For years Sam and I have toyed with the idea of getting a greenhouse. We really like the idea. At least in theory. Kind of how we like the idea of having horses and goats and chickens and those cool little mini-cows. And when we bought the mansion, we thought we'd use...
by Alison Moore Smith | Jan 6, 2010 | Design Your Own House, for Home
With the basement poured, we're waiting on the concrete panels. They should arrive next Wednesday. In the meantime, we're on the lookout for honest, quality subcontractors and suppliers in the Utah County area, who would like to bid for remaining work on the house....
by Alison Moore Smith | Jan 4, 2010 | Design Your Own House, for Home
Today the concrete basement floors were poured! Few things are more exciting to two little boys that a cement mixer shooting rocks and goo out of a tube. So we bundled up in our snow gear and headed to the building site. And we watched the amazing concrete crew in...
by Alison Moore Smith | Jan 2, 2010 | Design Your Own House, for Home
My first reaction when I think of wind chimes is to plug my ears. They have always seemed loud, irritating, and annoying, nothing but a distraction. Much to my chagrin, when we moved to the rental house, we found a set of aluminum wind chimes permanently affixed to...
