April Showers and May Flowers

You know the old saying that “April showers bring May flowers.” The month of May brings a lot of other fun stuff, too, including: May Day, Star Wars Day (“May the Fourth be with you!”), Cinco de Mayo, and Mother’s Day - just to mention a few. On top of that, the whole month of May is National Home Improvement month!

10 Steps to Take Before You Start Your Remodeling Project

Just because May is National Home Improvement Month doesn’t mean your remodeling projects will automatically take care of themselves! Often, it’s the steps you take before the physical remodeling begin that make your remodeling successful.

So what can you ...

April Fools pranks are not a uniquely American tradition - but in other countries they have their own character. In France, for instance, the victim of a prank on the first day of April is referred to as a "poisson d'avril," or “April fish” (Referring to a young fish that is easily caught.) Many French pranks include a fish or at least a vague reference to one within the joke being played.

As much as you may enjoy practical jokes, there are certain times when you simply don’t want to be fooled - and that includes when you’re choosing a remodeler.

Your home is too important an investment to trust to just anyone. So how can you make sure you select the remodeler who is ri...

With March here, it may not quite be time to start planting your garden, but it’s a great time to “plant seeds” for a home remodeling project.

That’s because a successful home remodeling project doesn’t happen overnight. It requires thought, planning, and preparation. Doing your homework now means that when it’s time to actually start your project, you’ll be better prepared when the hammers and saws actually come out.

Where do you begin? It helps to prioritize your needs. A simple chart like the one you see here can help you identify your home renovation needs according to things that are “Must-haves”, “Nice-to-haves”, and &ldqu...

Leap Year Traditions

Every four years February presents us with an extra day—and this is one of those years. But in addition to giving us an extra day, Leap Year has also given us some rather interesting traditions.

In 1288 the unmarried Queen Margaret of Scotland is rumored to have enacted a law that allowed women to propose to men on leap-year day. But—as a “fair warning” to the man—the woman had to wear a red petticoat.

In fifth-century Ireland, the legend is that a nun asked St. Patrick to grant women permission to propose to men after single women complained about suitors who were too shy to propose. Supposedly, he agreed and allowed proposals every leap day.

W...

New Years Resolutions for Your Home

New Years Resolutions are still a big part of our post-holiday culture. Unfortunately, according to Forbes.com even though 40 percent of Americans make resolutions, only 8 percent keep them! Of course the most popular resolutions tend to focus on losing weight and getting fit. No wonder only 8 percent of the population keeps those kind of resolutions!

Maybe it’s time for a resolution you’ll actually keep. The holidays aren’t just about eating—they’re about getting together with friends and family. And while that’s wonderful, there’s nothing like a full house to bring out the areas of your home that need a little help...

About Santa’s “Naughty or Nice” List

A big part of the holiday season seems to revolve around the “Jolly Old Elf” we call Santa Claus. The legend of Santa can be traced back to the 3rd century where he was admired for his kindness and became the subject of a variety of legends.

He first became popular in American culture around December of 1773. But where did that famous list come from?

It really didn’t appear until 1934 when it was mentioned in the song, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." And since that time, parents have used Santa’s list to inspire appropriate behavior from their children!

What One Thing Would You Ask Santa For in a New Kitchen?

Santa&r...

Tantalizing Thanksgiving Trivia Questions

If you dread those awkward moments around the Thanksgiving dinner table when the conversation drags, here are a few trivia questions that can get things going again.

• How long have Americans celebrated Thanksgiving? This is a trick question. Although the tradition extends back to the days of the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, Thanksgiving didn’t become a national holiday until President Lincoln declared it such in 1863.

• According to Pilgrim etiquette, which fork should be used for turkey? The Pilgrims didn’t use forks! The instrument was introduced by Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts 10 years after the first Thanksgiving and didn&...

For many of us, the first thing we think about when we see the calendar turn to October is Halloween. The grocery stores have had Halloween candy for sale since August. Big box stores have had candy and costumes on display for almost that long. But Halloween isn’t until the end of the month.

There’s lots of other good stuff that happens before then. People living in the northern part of the US generally see the first frost and get to watch the leaves starting to turn. If you live in the south, the temperatures have begun to be bearable (and the snowbirds haven’t arrived, yet!). All across the country, Starbucks offers pumpkin lattes. And baseball fans settle in for the World...

September is National Preparedness Month - a month when all of us are reminded to make simple plans that can have a huge impact if we’re faced with natural disasters. This year, ready.gov will focus on a different theme each week:

• Week 1: September 1-5th - Flood
• Week 2: September 6-12th - Wildfire
• Week 3: September 13-19th - Hurricane
• Week 4: September 14-26th - Power Outage

And while nobody likes to think about emergencies, a small amount of preparation can mean the difference between safety and disaster. Click here for more information about how to prepare your home and family to stay safe in difficult times.

Home Remodeling: Are You Ready For Some Football (or ...