Happy nearly new year, bloggy friends! 2017 was the year we finally, finally got to move into our mountain dream home, 6 years after purchasing a 13-acre lot in foreclosure. Parts of the house are really coming together, like our hallway bathroom, kitchen, and guest bedroom. Other rooms may take another 6 years to complete.

Theater? No, I'm pretty sure that giant space with the fancy ceiling and $1,000 of glass doors was always intended to be a storage space for boxes and miscellaneous junk. The plans must have been mislabeled.

One of my favorite rooms in our new house so far is the small bathroom off our hallway. With a curved floor, it's a bit unusual. SN created the countertop himself out of a single piece of alligator juniper. The oversized mirror I ordered from Wayfair, called a Honey Mushroom mirror, really pulled everything together. The blue vessel sink was a $25 clearance find and the Emtek lead crystal doorknobs were marked down to even less. Plus, it happens to have…

With a post title like that, you know this is going to be a good one.

SN and I recently enjoyed a weekend with his family in a Kansas farming town. We stayed with his aunt and uncle, visited the mayor (his grandpa), and marveled in all the small town activities...like...ummm...going for a stroll down a residential street.

While we waited to cross that street, stopping to look both ways more out of habit than necessity, a homeowner ran out to us. He asked if we were lost. I thought he was excited to have someone new to talk to, even if it was only to give directions. SN said we'd better end our stroll, lest the sheriff come question the strangers in town.

When we returned home, I decided to send a little thank you gift to SN's aunt for her hospitality. I found the cutest plate online and was sure she would love it.
Look at this little piggy plate. Isn't it adorable? Wouldn't you be so surprised and happy to receive it in the mail?
I liked the design so much that I order…

Here is a mattress reviews repost from almost 3 years ago, updated for 2017. I was about to add "just in time for your holiday guests," but I'm probably a bit late for that, considering most overnight Christmas visitors will start arriving within the next week. I suppose there's still time to receive a mail-order mattress by then.
Your New Year's guests are going to be so comfy!



Since publishing this blog post of the seemingly endless options and choices in the world of mattresses, SN and I have moved and have ordered two additional Amerisleep beds.
Okay, on to the blog post and updated mattress reviews...
A friend recently purchased a new mattress for her son, who is attending college in New York and relies solely on public transportation. I'd recommended Amerisleep to her, which was perfect because it could be shipped directly to his door, but after discussing it, we decided that investing in an Amerisleep twin mattress might not be the best choice. He would be…

Although it is a favorite of travelers, planning a visit to Europe can be overwhelming. There are simply so many countries in such a relatively small region that it can difficult to prioritize, especially with only a limited number of vacation days available. Throw in the fact that just about every capital and coastline is famous for one reason or another and things get even more difficult. One country that is often overlooked as a first class destination is the Czech Republic – a beautiful Central European nation known for charming towns, medieval castles, and a deep and fascinating history.

Here are some of the best things you can do on a trip to the Czech Republic:

Tour Cesky Krumlov Castle

Ancient castles are among the attractions that make the Czech Republic such an interesting country, and the one in the town of Cesky Krumlov may be the best of the bunch. As a bonus to your castle visit, this entire town is wonderful to explore, full of history and less crowded with tourists tha…

What is Zenmed? The folks at Zenmed recently reached out to me and were extremely helpful in deciding which of their products were best for my specific skin concerns. They're especially popular with rosacea sufferers.

 Here is what I told them and their reply:
Now that I'm in my 30s, my biggest skin problem is dark spots and uneven tone. I just look kind of "blah", if you know what I mean. I also feel like the skin under my eyes is not quite as plump as it used to be, which I think makes me look tired. Although to be fair, I am usually pretty tired. Hooray for idiopathic insomnia!
Our L-Ascorbic Booster Serum will be just right for you. I'll send that along with one of our cleansers, a moisturizer and our glycolic booster to slowly reveal the new, healthy layer underneath.
I checked out the L-Ascorbic Booster Serum details on the Zenmed site, which claimed to soften wrinkles, plump your skin, and minimize dark spots by increasing collagen production. Sounds like exact…