As someone who has spent most of my life in Texas, there’s almost a thrill in the Wild West’s distaste for following seasonal weather. I’ve gone swimming on Thanksgiving and Easter, worn a t-shirt and watched it snow on Christmas Day. Be ready for anything and you’ll be fine is really how it’s done there,…
Category: SIMPLE HOME LIVING
How to Make a German School Cone
I know and I cannot believe that we are thinking about Back to School again. I am never the one to start these conversations, as you can usually find me at the pool feeding my family sandwiches until 9:00 p.m. the day before The Big Day. As much as it pains me, I think our…
IKEA Erktorp Slipcovers and Other Ways to Fancy Up a Rental
When I first considered moving from Texas to Germany, I pictured us in a chateau with vintage wood beams on the ceiling, an upstairs and downstairs and sprawling backyard. Hey, it could happen. The German housing market continues to humble those of us who flock to her nature and care, but I’m here for the…
How to Make Grocery Store Flowers Look Nice
On Fridays in Dallas, my favorite thing was Markus walking in the door from the grocery store with two drinks for us from the coffee bar, a paper bag filled with supplies for his amazing nachos and a cello wrapped bouquet of flowers poking out of the top. They mean everything and brighten up the…
A Summer Garden Party
Our flat has access to a private garden for tenants. It has a keyed entry and is a pet-free area, which keeps it quiet and the perfect spot for picnics. Ironically, a family of foxes now lives in the garden, but they don’t seem to be as comfortable taking over a picnic. We were so…
The Best Dresses for European Travel
I’ve had so much luck lately finding the best dresses for European travel, and thanks to lots of after school errands to run, plenty of time to test a few on the cobblestone streets here. The sun is out for spring, town is exploding with blooming vines and color and its time for shoulders and…
Estate Sale Shopping Tips
A friend of mine recently started shopping for a home renovation and wanted to know if I would share my estate sale shopping tips. Would I ever! It’s the perfect time of year for a beautiful morning driving around and rummaging for great estate sale finds! For me, there’s nothing quite as exciting as a…
Gifts for Mom from Etsy
I have to be honest that, once I become a Mother myself, I discovered that my favorite gifting holiday is Mother’s Day. There’s something about seeing what my family puts on the breakfast tray for me – from a card made at school to a bauble or handmade coupon for an experience – that really…
Easter Gifts from Amazon That Make It in Time
I try to get an early start on holiday shopping so I can be as intentional and generous as possible. Nothing makes a holiday feel commercial like running around feeling rushed! But life goes on, and it’s always nice to have some leads for Easter gifts on Amazon that will make it in time, whether…
Easter Gifts on Etsy
After a beautiful but gray winter, it’s been a treat to begin to see cello wrapped chocolate molds and bright candy displays in the shop windows for the upcoming Easter season. As I plan our first Easter living in Germany, I’m getting easter basket gifts from Etsy. I love how Etsy celebrates handmade gifts and…