by Alison Moore Smith | Nov 10, 2009 | Design Your Own House, for Home, for Money
Breathe. Breathe. This is the third time we've built a home and the fourth home we've purchased. Never in my life has it been such an episode. This morning we finally closed on the course of construction loan, but not before feeling utterly beat up and screwed over...
by Alison Moore Smith | Nov 6, 2009 | Design Your Own House, for Home
Our builder is involved in a swimming pool project somewhere in the valley. We are the proud beneficiaries of the topsoil that was removed to make way for the watering hole. Looks like good, dark dirt. Which, of course, doesn't really mean it's great soil, but it was...
by Julie Echols | Nov 6, 2009 | for Mind
During a management class in graduate school, one instructor taught a lesson that has stuck with me. She gave each one of us a kaleidoscope and had us enjoy playing with the patterns and colors. She then asked us to observe how easily and beautifully new...
by Alison Moore Smith | Nov 2, 2009 | Design Your Own House, for Home
Until we moved to Florida in 1991, we'd never heard of an Home Owners Association. Where I come from, you own your own land and use it as you see fit…as long as you comply with city code created by duly elected councils. And for the most part people are respectable...
by Alison Moore Smith | Oct 26, 2009 | for Money
It probably isn't often that you have occasion to purchase bank checks. Most of my financial life is done online, through EFT, or other electronic methods. But last week I needed to get some new checks and I couldn't even remember where to get the best deal. I just...
by Mandi Reading | Oct 25, 2009 | Uncategorized
What just happened? I found myself sitting on top of the kitchen counter waist deep in candy wrappers. Suddenly, the reality of what I had done came crashing down: I raided my kids' Halloween candy bags. All three of them. The only remaining treats at the bottom were...
by Alison Moore Smith | Oct 23, 2009 | for Money
Your mortgage is likely the largest debt you will ever incur. And it seems impossible to tackle. With a new mortgage looming in the next week, we are more aware of this than ever. I will be 75 before it's paid off the “natural” way. And Sam, well, he'll be...
by Alison Moore Smith | Oct 12, 2009 | for Fun, for Mind, Homeschool
Sure, we've got the usual box scratch paper, bins of broken crayons, mismatched sets of colored paper, watercolor sets with black mixed into the yellow, clogged glue bottles, and dried up glue sticks. The usual. But when we really want to do artwork, we get out the...
by Alison Moore Smith | Oct 8, 2009 | Design Your Own House, for Home
After writing about some really cool features for your custom home a few weeks ago, I was reminded that knowing what to avoid is a big part of getting the home you really want. And the truth is, sometimes home designers/builders don't seem to actually live in homes....
by Julie Echols | Oct 8, 2009 | for Love
Reflections of a twice-divorced, LDS single mom. I must admit I feel a bit like Matt Foley “motivational speaker” as I prepare to introduce myself. I may not be living in a “van down by the river,” but being married in the temple (not...
