One of my three little blessings told a lie.  In fact, my child told a series of lies over a couple of days before confessing, under threat of further negative consequences (I won’t go into further details; just use your imagine, then multiply by two).  It all started when the child took something without permission (a bunch of candy-she was authorized to take a few pieces).  Although that was bad enough, when we asked the child about it, there was complete (convincing) denial (imagine that!).

My husband and I saw the lying as an even greater offense than the first.  We tried to get our young lawbreaker to understand an important lesson: if you develop a reputation as a thief and liar, then no one will trust you, nor will they believe what you say-even when you decide to tell the truth.   While we recognize that all kids and adults lie to varying degrees, we want to help our young ones to learn the value of truthfulness and integrity, and practice living by those standards.

As the days get longer, there's nothing like barbequing and entertaining friends on your deck. But before you pass out those invitations, make sure your deck has weathered the winter and is ready for its seasonal duty.

The abuse a deck surface takes from the weather, foot traffic, barbeques, and food and drink spills can create both surface and structural problems.

Gardens are a source of beauty. They are also a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Something as simple as hearing songbirds in the morning can help you start your day on the right note.

While your neighbors spend the season trying to grow a uniform lawn, why not elicit their envy by creating your very own Garden of Eden? A little pruning and some wildlife-friendly additions will make your garden stand out for neighbors as well as native birds and butterflies.

Hmong American Partnership (HAP) along with federal, state, and local government agencies and national organizations celebrated the 13th annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) March 6–12, 2011.

During NCPW, groups nationwide shared tips and information that help consumers protect their privacy, manage money and debt, avoid identity theft, and avoid frauds and scams.  Unfortunately, this year an estimated 4 million households nationwide are expected to face the risk of foreclosure. Millions of homeowners will try to reduce their mortgage payments with a loan modification. The scammers know this.

This past weekend my husband and I benefited from some sound marriage advice (Hold on before you go spreading rumors about our troubled relationship and impending divorce.). We attended our church’s quarterly Marriage Enrichment Seminar. Its purpose was to help strengthen marriages by equipping couples with practical tools that help make their relationships’ foundation stronger. The discussion was centered on communication and finance—two issues in marriage that are often cited as top reasons for divorce. The good news is that if you work on the goal of having more effective communication, improvements in your financial situation will most likely follow. One key lies in learning to speak your spouse’s language.

It’s almost that time of year to put away those snow boots and tights and pull out those espadrilles and shorts and we have a few tips to help you bring Spring in with style. The trends to look out for this spring season are nautical, neutrals, and patterns. These looks are easy to incorporate into your closet and can be achieved by any person no matter your shape or size.

The nautical look gives you reminisce of a day on the yacht, highlighting the colors of the American flag. This look can be achieved with horizontal stripes, big buttons and navy. Neutrals can be picked up with nude and pastel colored blouses, skirts, and dresses in flowy materials. The look can also be achieved with shoes. In neutrals you are guaranteed to feel flirty and feminine. Patterns can cover a wide range of looks, the bigger the print, the better.