Blast! Northern Italy Lures Us Back Into Its Web of Wine, Warmth and Watercraft! :)

Blast it all, Italy. Just when we thought we were too "mature" and "well-traveled" to find you at all interesting anymore... ...you raised an eyebrow and showed us why you’ve still got it!😆 Having traveled through Italy three or four times, I figured we were “over it.” This 5th was supposed to only be because we had to pick up our car lease in Milan. (Much less expensive than renting a car for several months,…

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Backyard Kitchen: 5 Genius Must-haves You’ll Kick Yourself for Forgetting!

Don't let yourself get distracted by all the fancy ideas you can include in a backyard kitchen! Focus on these 5 basics first—and then you can add on with the bonus options if you can! Today we're sharing the 5 must-have elements for all outdoor kitchens, plus 5 bonus elements! When we did a total overhaul of our backyard, adding a backyard kitchen was on The List! But did we really need one? And we…

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What Is a Drop Zone In a House? (15+ Genius Tips for Your Home Entry & Exit!)

Wondering what is a drop zone in a house, whether you need one and how to create it? You're in the right place! :) Matt and I specialize in designing drop zones of ALL kinds! Everyone needs a designated drop zone!  Yes, EVERYONE! Why? Because we all go into our homes (and leave it) carrying ITEMS! Items we bring in. Items we need to take out with us. Items we forget we need to take…

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Murphy Bed Cabinet: The Genius Space-saving Hack for Your Guest Room!

Today we're sharing how and why we utilized a queen murphy bed cabinet in our multi-purpose room, how it works, & how it gives us a 3-in-1 "guest room"! Our house has four bedrooms—three upstairs (plus one large bonus room we've often toyed with remodeling into another bedroom or two) and one downstairs. The prior owners used this downstairs bedroom as an office. We've also seen neighbors with the same layout use this room as…

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Living in the Scottish Highlands for 3 Months (Almost Unintentionally)!

How’d we end up living in the Scottish Highlands for 3 months? Long story short: we needed to be in the UK for 3 months, so... ...we considered splitting it 1 month in England, 1 month in Scotland, 1 month in Ireland...or something like that. However, there’s something to be said for picking one country and really enjoying it! (Also, especially while you're working full-time remotely AND you're living with kids, not having to move…

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Seville, Spain: Here’s the #1 (Only) Thing You Need to Do!

Before I got married and had kids and became the pillar of maturity I am today…😉 (mwahaha) …living in Sevilla was one of my favorite life experiences! Note: I used the English name “Seville” in the title so English-speakers searching online will find it. However—just like when you have a good friend who introduced himself as “Juan”, you wouldn’t start calling him “John”—the rest of the time I will be referring to my friend Sevilla…

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What To Do In Marrakesh, Morocco: 21 Unforgettable Experiences for You to Try!

Looking for what to do in Marrakesh (and outside of it in the rest of Morocco)? We're sharing our 21 favorites and they don't include all the regular touristy lists (you can find that elsewhere, we don't like to reinvent any wheels😉). I'd been to Morocco before (including the quiet "Blue City" of Chefchaouen in the north)... ...and I knew I wanted to take my daughters there, but to the south! The perfect opportunity came…

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HertzHell: The #1 Scam to AVOID! (Hertz Car Rental Reviews)

This is our PSA to the world! 🤗 We hope to make this world a better place by saving YOU, dear readers, from having the hellish experience SO MANY PEOPLE have had! If you’re reading this and proceed with a Hertz car rental for yourself or your family, you have no excuse if it happens because you have now been officially notified!⚠️ We did attempt to contact Hertz a number of times and as mentioned…

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Sleep Better At Night: 3 Instant Ways To “Design” It Tonight!

I'm not just into living well in my home during the day; I'm also into how to sleep better at night! As I get older and fix more and more of my past health issues, I've grown to love reading about easy ways to help my quality of life. Some list things like vitamins or supplements to take, exercises or meditations you can do, but... ...getting a good night's sleep is on EVERY SINGLE LIST!…

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Guest Bedroom Ideas: The #1 Ultimate Guide (From Decor to Office Combos)!

Looking for smart new guest bedroom ideas? We've created The Ultimate Guide to putting together your guest bedroom, from small guest bedrooms to decor and paint to office/guestroom combos...and how to make yours a reality! We'll also answer popular questions such as "What makes a good guest bedroom?" "How do you layout a small guest bedroom?" "How do you stage a guest bedroom?" "What furniture should you have in a guest bedroom?" "What to put…

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