Keeping the Castle

April 30th, 2007

Marshmallows are No Longer Free at My House

How do you get a 3-year old to help with putting away toys?
My son will do it for 5 minutes, if I’m helping him. But the other day, I figured out a way to get him to clean up by himself, while I prepare dinner.

Mini-marshmallows.
The little boy has a special fondness for the soft little […]

By Maricar -- 3 comments

April 28th, 2007

Frugal Living Tips (4-28-07)

I’ve been blog-hopping once again, this time for money-saving tips. I’m highlight my favorites from the following blogs:
* If you can’t afford a new outfit then find affordable accessories to make an old outfit feel new. (at Frugal Glam)
* Purchase gas during the work week. Try not to wait until the weekend, which seems like […]

By Maricar -- 0 comments

April 26th, 2007

Yummy Picks from Around the Web

I’ve been surfing my favorite food and cooking blogs lately. And there are some really yummy recipes available. Here’s some worth checking out (and trying!). I’ve picked these for the ease of preparation and number of ingredients as well.
* The Accidental Hedonist’s Orange and Onion Salad; and Onion/Spinach Polenta
* Petit salé aux lentilles (Cured Pork […]

By Maricar -- 0 comments

April 25th, 2007

AeroGarden Now at Linens N’ Things

I get email newsletters from one of my favorite stores, Linens N’Things, and it’s always fun to see what’s new. This week, I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that they now carry the AeroGarden by AeroGrow International. I blogged about it last year here. It’s an automated mini-garden for the kitchen, built using […]

By Maricar -- 2 comments

April 24th, 2007

Decorating for Book Lovers

My home is one of those where you’ll find books everywhere. Every room has some books in it. My husband and I love to read. In fact, I’ve just finished Sophie Kinsella’s latest book, Shopaholic & Baby (aff), and am on Hope Diamond (aff) by Richard Kurin.
Decorating and organizing my home has to take these […]

By Maricar -- 2 comments

April 23rd, 2007

Fitting a Modern Kitchen into a Cozy Space

When I think of modern kitchens, expansive spaces come to mind. This article at HometownAnnapolis.com reminded that it ain’t necessarily so.

To prove that century-old homes can hide very modern, beautifully designed and appointed kitchens created for 21st century lifestyles, the Historic Annapolis Foundation has planned a public tour of new kitchens, most of them in […]

By Maricar -- 0 comments

April 23rd, 2007

Allergy-Free Baking, Part 2 (Namaste Spice/Carrot Cake)

Baking from mixes definitely has its pros and cons. I like the ease of it, no measuring, no buying separate ingredients. What I don’t like is that I can’t customize it if I don’t quite like how it turns out.
As I wrote previously, the cake I made this weekend for my son’s birthday party was […]

By Maricar -- 6 comments

April 20th, 2007

Allergy-Free Baking

Birthdays mean birthday cakes. Even for the milk-, egg- and wheat-allergic.
My sons are both allergic to these ingredients. Before I found out about the alternatives available at our local Foods for Living store, I’ve tired myself out trying a lot of cake recipes. I’ve had several failures and one success. So I’m grateful for the […]

By Maricar -- 2 comments