I grew up in the South, to a dad from South Arkansas and a mom from North Minnesota. That makes me the strange mix of redneck squirrel-mulligan-eater and ja-sure-ya-betcha Scandinavian farm girl. My last name, Hartley, was solidly English. The only time it ever caused me problems was between-countries in Central America. “Ana ElisaBET!” was what I answered to when…
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Why make your home a smart home? Because you can monitor your home’s security, keep your home energy-efficient even when you are away, and perform simple tasks without leaving your toddler’s side. My husband, David, adds that it’s for “ease of use and convenience in your home.” He is all about technology; I am a reluctant semi-convert. I was not…
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As I admitted in my post on my own laminate dresser transformation, I’m not naturally very crafty. But I’ve been finding so much inspiration lately from others who have been refinishing their old furniture. Not only am I working on a project in my own home, but I also had to share some of my favorite re-makes from other websites….
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“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12, NIV Those words from Paul should be my life’s theme verse. Not because…
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If you read my bilingual baby post, you know that we are attempting to raise Baby J in a bilingual home. (Even though my husband and I are both native English speakers, and I am only an intermediate Spanish speaker.) How successful we will be remains to be seen! The most important element of our strategy will be me persevering in speaking…
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