garden

Spring Break – Getting My Garden In

Jana / April 20, 2018

This past week, we’ve been on Spring Break. I’ve been watching Facebook posts of all our friends traveling to warm places or cruises. While I love warm places, I haven’t had a single incident of FOMO. Instead, I’ve been catching up with everything that’s been put off outside because of nearly a month a rain. We had a storm system…

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Writing

5 Reasons You Should Live In A Small Town

live in a small town
Jana / April 17, 2018

Last Summer, we moved to a town of 1600 souls. I chose for us to live in a small town. There is one grocery store, one drug store, one coffee shop and one tavern. Everything but the tavern is closed by 9 pm. It’s at least an hour drive to any city of consequence. In the past, I’ve lived in…

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cooking

Dreaming of Summer Jam Making

making jam at home
Jana / April 9, 2018

While the chickens are getting settled in their new digs and the garden will soon be turning green, I’m looking forward to summer produce. I know it’s barely April, but June will bring some of the tastiest strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries I’ve eaten ever. You just cannot go back to grocery store berries after that. Just can’t. I have to…

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DIY

Reviving Old Floors – Peel and Stick Vinyl Flooring

Jana / April 4, 2018

Last summer, I finally got the keys to our new house. Yay! But before we could move in, something had to be done about the floors. There are wood floors in every room. I love this about the house! Unfortunately, only the kitchen and bathrooms had floors that had been replaced or refinished. The rest were in pretty sad shape.…

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Chickens, Writing

Backyard Chickens – Week 5

backyard chicken adolescents
Jana / March 29, 2018

We’ve got adolescents! Our backyard chickens have become teenagers. Those little chicks that fit quite happily into an old guinea pig cage? They’re huge! And rapidly growing out of their enlarged brooder. They’re feathering out and looking a little rough around the edges as the feathers grow in, as young teens do. In fact, their heads are still a touch…

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Writing

Personal Organization

personal organization tools to enjoy life
Jana / March 23, 2018

Every spring my entire life goes a little off the rails. Working full time with 2 kids, 4 chickens, a cat, and a dog is can be frantic at times. From February to the middle of April, I’m working from 8 am until 8 pm and all those balls I’m trying to juggle come crashing down. My favorite line is…

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family

Easter Basket Ideas Teens & Tweens Will Love Year after Year

Easter basket with candy
Jana / March 16, 2018

Creating Easter Baskets for Teens or Tweens is difficult. They too old for stuffed bunnies and cute baby toys. In fact, they often act as though they are already world-weary and bored with everything but their phone. At the same time, they still want to be kids. They still want to believe in the Easter Bunny (even though they know…

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Chickens

Backyard Chickens – Week 3

4 week old chick
Jana / March 14, 2018

This post contains affiliate links. This means that by clicking on the link and purchasing an item, I may receive compensation at NO additional cost to you. Thank you for your support. It’s been about three weeks since we got our chicks and started on our Backyard Chicken adventure. They are growing fast! I’m guessing that the chicks were at least one week…

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DIY

New House – DIY List

blue house at HedgeToad Cottage
Jana / March 9, 2018

Since moving to the new house, I’ve talked about “the list”. It’s a list of all the projects for the house. The top picture is where I started. The bottom is from last fall… The list continues. I put “The List” is in year categories, because some of the projects are very large and expensive. Year 5 is planned to…

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family, Frugal Living

Clam Digging: A Family Adventure in the Pacific Northwest

Jana / March 4, 2018

Clam digging is a beloved activity in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), offering a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the outdoors while learning something new. And when it comes to digging for Razor clams with kids? It’s hands-down one of the best family activities around! It’s fun, educational, and a perfect blend of adventure for all ages—the ultimate trifecta for family fun.…

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