Or it could be off. I honestly don’t keep track like I used to. Since we installed a new programmable thermostat, I hardly think about heating and cooling anymore. It’s also another small step toward making our home greener and trimming our energy bills. Here’s the bottom line: the average household can save about $180 … Read more

We’re back with the fireplace update mentioned in yesterday’s post about removing our old, not-baby-safe wood stove. This is just the beginning of the fireplace makeover—the very first of many steps. We plan to tackle the project in stages, so for now we wanted a quick, low-cost improvement that looks good in the short term … Read more

So… the living room. First it looked like this: Then it looked like this: Then it looked like this: And now it looks like this: Although the salmon-pink walls, orange-brown brick, and dark wood trim and paneling aren’t the long-term vision for this room (our ideas keep changing), it already feels much more like home. … Read more

When we bought our house, two major problems needed immediate attention: The first-floor furnace was ancient and so poorly maintained we weren’t sure it would run. The 32-year-old roof was at the end of its life and had a hole that leaked into the attic whenever it rained. Luckily we knew about both issues before … Read more

You know we love making ornaments, so we’re sharing the ones we made this year. If you’re someone who always wants to bake all the cookies and craft all the ornaments, these are for you. These turned out to be the easiest grandparent gifts ever: a child’s masterpiece paired with a simple, personal ornament. They’re … Read more

For everyone who asked for more details about our recent family vacation, here’s a full recap. We spent a week in Destin, Florida this summer. Since our family skippped a traditional beach week and we were already visiting Atlanta for a conference, we happily accepted the Bowers’ invitation to join them on the Florida panhandle. … Read more

Maybe we should rename this site WCL (Wire Chair Love), because guess who found four fantastic vintage wire kitchen chairs for $15 each? This girl. (*points to self, notices peanut butter on thumb, licks it off while smiling at the new chairs*) Picture the scene: we wandered into our favorite local thrift store (Love of … Read more

Notice anything different when you peek into the office from the dining room? Hint: check out the window area. We picked up these bamboo shades at Home Depot for $22 each — they’re 35″ shades labeled Miranda — hoping they would finish the office windows and complement the thick wooden desktop and jute rug. We’ve … Read more

Every year we like to pop in before everyone sets aside their keyboards for the holidays to share our Christmas card and a few warm words of thanks. So here it is: We had several ideas for this year’s card — Clara gift-wrapping Burger, Clara riding her bike with a tiny tree while Burger ran … Read more

It’s time for Secret Santa: Revealed — which makes me smile because I can picture a deep-voiced announcer introducing the show after a late-night program. Since many of you asked for the Secret Santa details (and I couldn’t wait to share who I had and to learn who had me), here’s the recap: I had… … Read more