This is gonna be so much fun!

September 2026 – Reclaiming my Living Room

September 2026 started terrifyingly for me and my family. She is OK now but my mom had a very scary couple of days. She text me one morning that she wasn’t feeling well and not two hours later I got a call from the emergency room that they were life flighting her to another city. My mom never smoked, was never over weight, was always active, always ate pretty well and didn’t drink much either. Regardless she has fought and survived 3 bouts of cancer over the last 25 years, the last one was not even a year ago. The first cancer treatments damaged her heart so she has a pace maker as well. Read More »

Throwing back to how I Covered up an Outdoor Eyesore

Like several things over the last ten years this room divider I made out of a privacy fence panel did not last forever. I really liked it for the years it was there though! I thought it was super cute and solved my problem entirely. With it gone this eyesore is still an eyesore though my Virginia creeper vine has just about covered it up in the summers. I’m planning on recreating my privacy fence divider using lattice and creating a “wall” to the north here beside the door to provide a north wind break in the winter. It will also give my vine something to climb on and cover up. Read More »

August 2026 Fresh dinners out of my Garden and Pickling!

In early August 2026 with my divorce finally completely over and totally official forever I took four days off from my day job. With a consecutive six days off in a row it was my first real vacation since 2018, the year I met my ex husband. Yes, I did go on a couple of “vacations” while we were together but I did nothing I wanted to do and they were both truly terrible experiences for me. Never allow an abuser to take you away from your safety net: your car, your home, your family. I don’t know if I’ll ever trust going anywhere with anyone again or, at least not without my own mode of transportation: I.E. the ability to escape. Read More »

July 2026 – Growing Wildflowers, Vegetables and Loving my Pond!

July 2026 many of you have been asking for pictures of my pond and I’m finally to a point where I can share without being too embarrassed lol It was kind of a disaster for weeks. If you were wondering: NO this L-shaped ditch is not the pond I had envisioned. I, unfortunately, was not here when it was dug and apparently this is what the guy translated when I said, “A kidney shaped pond behind and around my garden.” I was confident I had explained it clearly but obviously our ideas of “kidney shaped” were very different. Read More »

June 2026 – Summer Somehow Flying By

June 2026 the month here that always flies by and we’re all left wondering how its July already and how are we really half way through the year!? Our weather in June was super extreme this year. We did get some rain though it came in with MAJOR storms so I never did have to actually water an acre of baby trees (yet) but early in the month we also actively saw extreme heat as well. Daily I looked out at my temp gauge in the direct sun on my deck and it was over 110 degrees. Read More »

May 2026 – Starting out for me with TREES!

My May 2026 started out with an email on the 7th that I had been waiting on since February. It was time to pick up my 350 tree seedlings! I got the email on a Thursday night at 5:30 and immediately my heart plummeted. Their times for pickup were Mon-Fri 8:30-4:00 so unless I was going to skip out on my day job I would have to get them that very next morning or my little seedlings would be sitting in a box all weekend and I couldn’t let that happen! Not that my boss didn’t know this was coming and would have been totally understanding – I still made it to work on time. Read More »

A little sign my Grandma Painted Forty Years Ago

Flash back to 1986 the year I was born my parents planted five acres of blueberry plants with the plan to open a you-pick blueberry farm. The blueberries are still there purchased and now operated by my brother’s mother-in-law. As a teenager I worked the patch for several years. Forty years ago my Grandparents (who owned this farm before me) had just retired from farming and milking and my Grandma loved to paint. She hand painted dozens of signs for the patch and this is one of the last ones that remains so, of course, I will keep it forever! Read More »

Adding a Filter to Solar Fountains for my Pond

When I planned on getting a pond dug for my wildlife here I knew I would need to keep the water moving or it would be nothing less then a breeding ground for mosquitoes and no one wants that in their back yard! Mosquitoes require standing water to hatch their eggs which usually takes 24-48 hours from start to finish. So, as long as the water is moving, their eggs can’t hatch so, even before I got my pond ready for water, I had already ordered five solar fountains. Read More »

Planting 350 Tree Seedlings on my Back Acreage

On May 7th I got the news that I had been waiting for since February. It was time to pick up my 350 tree seedlings! I got the email on a Thursday night at 5:30 and immediately my heart plummeted. Their times for pickup were Mon-Fri 8:30-4:00 so I would have to get them early that very next morning or my little seedlings would be sitting in a box all weekend and I couldn’t let that happen! (Not that my awesome boss wouldn’t have let me leave work early I hate to do that because our Fridays are our crazy busy days.) Read More »

Throwing back to my Beachy Fire Pit that I made for my Yard

Aw you guys look at the barn still standing so beautiful in the background! If you have a low budget, this is a great firepit that you can DIY yourself. I loved this fire pit for years until Lodi moved in and he hated it… Not sure why, maybe it just wasn’t nice or fancy enough for him. He also hated my idea of a blooming no-mow lawn. He got rid of it right away and then, over the years, we spent a lot of money putting in a weedless lawn over top of where it was. Yeah I’m going to be working really hard in replacing all that grass I helped pay for lol. A couple of years ago I did at least build myself a replacement firepit that I also love. Read More »

Paint and Stain Makeover – Jewelry Box my Grandparents’ Made

This little jewelry box has been waiting for me for a long time. Like with so many things I have around here many of them I’ve been keeping for as long as I can remember. Whether using them, living with them or decorating with them because I love them. Or, in this case, because one day I wanted to finish them. My grandparents retired from owning a dairy farm and converted their barn into the wood workshop of their dreams. They were very talented wood workers. They built dressers, hutches, end tables, you name it. They were particular and careful and very good with molding and finishing. Read More »

Throwback: Turning my Grandparents’ Milk Can into an End Table

My Mom and aunt grew up here together with my grandparents’ helping them farm and take care of the cows on their dairy farm. This was one of the last milk cans left from those long ago days. My Mom was needing an end table at the time and I had always planned to do something with it as well as give her this milk can anyway. Now, years later, my mom is using it as a planter but its still with her and I’m sure it always will be. I think it came out really cute! Read More »

My Completed Guest Bedroom – It only took ten years!

It may have taken ten years but the room I designed to be an office is finally my office and this room, the room that was always meant to be a guest bedroom, is finally my guest bedroom. For those who have been following along you know this all started back when I was trying to make a guest bedroom out of the other, much smaller, far less private, room on my main floor. I can be totally dense sometimes but I finally got there in the end! I am so excited with how this room turned out and to show you my finished office soon too! Read More »

Throwing back all the way to my very first Kitchen Reveal

The last post I wrote about my kitchen was back in 2024 when I was doing my “ten years then and now” blog posts but besides that I haven’t given you guys an update on my kitchen since 2019! So, my little kitchen might be in need of a makeover and I do have some new things here to share with you guys. I’ve always found that I like cooking in galley kitchens more than any other design so I was happy that this home was ideal for that as I love to cook. Read More »

I Have a New Tool Room!

This whole reclaiming my house thing has been pretty cool but this worked out better than I could have hoped for. This room was a back hall with an outside door and big closet when Lodi moved in. He needed a gun room to lock because of his arsenal he wanted to start purchasing. With his arrest he is finally gone for good which has left me with this quite unnecessary “room” totally empty. He talked me into swapping the outside door here with the window in the guest bedroom and adding a wall and door to create this space. I really wish I hadn’t done any of that… but it turns out I might be able to get some use of it! Read More »

Rearranging Rooms all the way Back to 2017

So last month I shared a lengthy blog post with you guys about making the room that shares the big stained glass window with my living room into my guest bedroom again. Lodi had emptied the room in anticipation of making it into his studio /den. So the room was empty and I still needed a guest bedroom. We’re going to rewind now all the way back to 2015 when I renovated this home and created that room by enclosing the last of the screened in porch. At the time I designed it specifically to be an office. Read More »

Throwing Back to my first Office from the screened in Porch

I forget that this room was a porch once! Writing these once a month throwback posts, my ten year update posts as well as our current blog posts all at the same time has been really cool for me. We’re currently in the middle of working on this little room yet again. This is where it began and from there its transformed a number of times over the years. I think the current transformation in this room becoming Lodi’s den is the one that’s going to stick though I was so proud of this reveal post. I loved how my office turned out all those years ago! Read More »

Whole House Update – the saga of things snowballing around here

Checks notes: Ok… at this point the snowball effect going on around here has pretty much impacted the whole house lol so I thought I should do a house update with photos and a bit of a recap. It all started with my deciding our television just had to move to a different wall in our living room. (I made the mistake of proclaiming that it just could not go anywhere else in that space and my silly brain took that as a challenge…) I can’t blame it all on that though as I’d been silently just DYING to ditch our guest bedroom and give Lodi a den instead. Read More »

My Ground Turkey Chili Recipe, a Petite Take on my Original

My calico bean chili recipe is a lovely, rich and saucy take on chili that I totally love. Its more like a stew and has all the warmth, pork and veggies you could ask for on a cold winter day and is totally ideal for dunking grilled cheese. However, I find myself making this take on that recipe a little more often as its lighter by using ground turkey, has a lot less ingredients, is a much smaller portion and takes quite a bit less time and work to make. Which works a lot better for me now as I’m only cooking for one and no matter how good a recipe is I really can only eat it so many days in a row lol. Read More »

My Ground Pork and Turkey Smash Burgers

I’ve been wanting to make a smash burger ever since I saw dozens of recipe videos that went viral. My favorite idea (which oddly I haven’t even tried yet) is spreading your raw ground meat onto a tortilla then cooking it meat side down “smashed” on a flat top until its done. Then you fold it in half around all of your favorite toppings and eat it like a taco. Smash burgers are much simpler, basically just ground meat that’s cooked on a flat top and smashed as they cook generally on top of finely sliced onions. Read More »

My Homemade Stock – Bone Broth Made SO Easy with Boiling Bags

It was over five years ago when I came out with my first ever food recipe here on the blog which was how I make homemade stock. Well, in the years since, I’ve found some short cuts that have made it SO much easier I had to share them here. First, I keep a gallon size zip lock bag in my freezer to catch all of my vegetable scraps and egg shells. Of course you don’t have to make this with anything else besides chicken but I love that I’m not wasting even egg shells as they’re an awesome source of calcium! Read More »

My Smoked Gouda Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta

I make this wonderful shrimp dish whenever I think I deserve to be spoiled. I don’t consider myself a “fancy” cook by any means – I’m definitely more about simple comfort food. But I think this recipe comes across as fancy even though it is really quick and easy to make. The lightness from the spinach and fresh tomatoes really cuts through the richness even though its wonderfully buttery and cheesy all the way through. Read More »

Aunt Sharon’s Lasagna with my Twist

My aunt Sharon’s lasagna recipe is one of those full proof crowd favorites that I’ve reached for often for any potluck or dinner party. Like any lasagna recipe it is a bit labor intensive and this one also has you making the tomato sauce from scratch. It is VERY worth it though! My aunt’s base recipe uses ground beef and the only vegetable added was onion. My version includes more veggies and I never have ground beef on hand so… Read More »

My Fresh Egg Bake, a light and easy meal for any time

For me any time of the day is a good time for breakfast! My got-to is a cheese omelet, the eggs whipped up with salt, pepper and parsley and cooked around a slice of American cheese. My mom’s go-to while I was growing up was two scrambled eggs and a slice of buttered toast. I know a lot of people add milk or something to their eggs but we never have. (Actually that’s why a lot of omelets turn into scrambled eggs.) I got into making breakfast burritos and egg muffins to keep in the freezer for easy meals but my lazy side was too much for making muffins. So, I started making egg bakes! Read More »

Cutting Down and Painting a Stool to fit a small Desk

I’m not sure why or when I ordered this little stool off of Amazon but its been floating around my house for years. As stools go its pretty basic and I’m not real fond of the “natural” wood color its trying to pull off. Its never really had a home but when I put my desk in my new guest bedroom it needed a stool. Unfortunately though it was a few inches too high. Fortunately though I know how to cut things. Read More »

Throwback to a cute little desk I picked up for $5 and updated

Goodness this post takes me back. This was before I got rid of that horrible wood stove in the middle of my kitchen and replaced it with a pellet stove. Conveniently the very spot I was filling in with this little desk was perfect for my new stove. I liked having a surface here on the other side of the sink though and this desk did that just fine. She isn’t with me anymore but I got years out of her for only $5 from a garage sale! Read More »

Throwing back to when I scored a Rocking Chair at an Estate Sale

Not everything is built to last and I haven’t been totally surprised that I don’t always still have the pieces from these throw back posts. That’s not the case with this big old rocking chair though. I’ve really grown to love it over the years and its currently back upstairs in my master bedroom where it feels like it belongs. Its sturdy. It was absolutely built to last and I love how handsome it became with the coat of sleek black paint I gave it. Read More »

Throwback to free Wicker chairs I gave a bold red makeover

My throwback this month was my score of these adorable little wicker chairs. I enjoyed them for several years after this makeover but, unfortunately, they didn’t last forever. It was my fault at least a little for leaving them outside one winter – wicker in northern Minnesota just isn’t going to make it for very long. I loved them when I had them though! They were surprisingly comfortable and I think they turned out so cute! Read More »

Throwing back to When I Refinished my Grandma’s Step Stool

I guess it was bound to happen with my going back with these throwback posts… But this one really makes me feel all kinds of bummed out as I no longer have Grandma’s old Cosco stool. It eventually broke down on me after I don’t even know how many years of working in this kitchen. It was a crappy day to say the least. I held on to it fully broken for months before finally parting with it. I’ll be the first to say that I never save anything for good. I’ll use the fancy stuff, the important stuff, the sentimental stuff every single day because stashing it away and “safe” somewhere makes no sense to me. But I miss this old stool, she worked hard for me for many years and always made me think of my Grandma. Read More »

Throwback to my Refinishing two Sweet Country End Tables!

A couple of end tables that turned out far better than I ever could have hoped… As far as before and afters goes I think this might be my proudest moment. I’m not sure what these end tables screamed before I refinished them but it wasn’t great. Maybe 70s basement? All they were missing was the wood paneling element… Honestly I wasn’t sure what was going to be under that orange stain (and years upon years of living) but as soon as I started sanding I was blown away. The solid wood tops on these were just absolutely GORGEOUS. Read More »

To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #525)

Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #525. It seems silly to say that our first frost came out of nowhere seeing as we live in northern MN. But it really did! We’re back to beautiful 60s and even into the 70s for highs now though so I’m not complaining. My garden is pretty much done but I left the green tomatoes and they still look ok so I’m hoping to get at least a few more ripe ones before I have to pick them all. Now, on to the party! Read More »

To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #524)

Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #524. Things are cooling down here as we head into fall. I’m checking on my squash just about daily trying to figure out when I’m supposed to pick them lol I have two butternuts and five acorn squash I’m excited about. I’ve never grown squash before and didn’t realize they were going to take over my entire garden. I love it though! Definitely growing them again next year. Now, on to the party! Read More »

To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #523)

Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #523. Whew it cooled down a lot here at night right down into the 40s for the next few days. Hopefully we still get some warm weather before everything turns on us. My mom is doing better after her ordeal but is still super weak and recovering. Makes my heart hurt! But she’s OK thank goodness. Now, on to the party! Read More »

To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #522)

Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #522. After that scare last week we’ve given my mom marching orders to take it easy. She’s doing just fine now though but I’m still recovering lol Every time my phone rings I’m already running for my car before realizing that everything is OK now. I’ve made about 25 quarts of refrigerator pickles and my garden shows no signs of slowing down yet even though our weather has really cooled off. Now, on to the party! Read More »

To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #521)

Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #521. My poor mom was air lifted to a much bigger hospital last week. She had a kidney infection that went from 0 to sepsis in all of just a couple of hours. Her heart couldn’t take it but her pacemaker didn’t go off like it should have. So they had to shock her twice. She’s ok now though it was terrifyingly touch and go for a few days. Oof. I feel like I could sleep for a week. Thank god she’s ok. Now, on to the party! Read More »

To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #520)

Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #520. Its already cooling off here at night down into the 40s but the daily heat is still summer-like for us. Its been really beautiful actually but we are still so far short on rain its just tragic. I’m so excited to report that I have several Acorn and Butternut Squash growing in my garden! I’ve never grown squash before so I can’t wait to try them. Now, on to the party! Read More »

OMG Pumpkins everywhere! Hometalk Fall Decor Inspiration board

Hometalk Fall Decor Inspiration board! Summer is absolutely my favorite time of the year – you will NEVER hear me complaining about the heat lol But I honestly think that’s a fact simply because fall and spring are such short seasons here in northern MN. Fall for us could truly last all of three weeks like our spring did this year! And that’s just depressing lol because that means we’re settling into at least four months of some serious cold and snow. Read More »

Hometalk’s Outdoor Projects I Can’t Wait to Build! Do it Yourself!

Inspiration Board of the Outdoor projects on Hometalk that I’ve been drooling over! I received a comment on my outdoor bench saying, “You’re SO crafty, that’s amazing!” And I admittedly got a bit offended, eventually I just laughed about it but I’m not sure how I can build a wrap around bench for my deck and still be called “crafty”. I could’t help but think that if I was a guy she certainly wouldn’t have looked at that bench and called him crafty! I am a builder at heart and I spend most of my time building things in my head or drooling over outdoor projects like these: Read More »

Let’s build some swings! Pinterest Do It Yourself Inspiration Board!

Well now that spring has FINALLY arrived, my dreaming has turned to swings! Let’s build some! These are some of my favorites I’ve found on Pinterest and stashed away for a later time because, seriously, who doesn’t want to swing away a beautiful summer day? Contrary to popular belief, I do NOT feel that swings are for kids in any way. Many of these are very grown up swings for us “adults” lol Read More »

Nooks and Getaway Places: Pinterest Inspiration Board

Nooks, crannies, special getaway places, some of my favorite escapes via Pinterest Inspiration board. It has been a very difficult few weeks here at Grandma’s House, tailing the end of a very, very hard year. I will tell you guys why and what’s been going on when I’m able to get my feet back under me again. To say the least though I have found myself on Pinterest, looking longingly at getaway places and nooks that promise quiet and PEACE. Read More »

Inspiration Board: Six more Summer Projects I can’t wait to build!

Six more summer projects I can’t wait to build for us outside and out on our deck! Some DIYs and things just have to wait for some nice weather not only for us to enjoy them but for us to build them as well. Currently I’m sitting here in late October and we have a winter storm warning 🙁 So, hears to dreaming about next summer and all the things to look forward to building. I posted earlier this year a few summer projects I just can’t wait to build but I’ve seen so many build projects on Pinterest I had to share a few more that I can’t wait to build next summer! Read More »

Inspiration Board: Gorgeous Bedrooms to swoon over!

I spend a certain amount of time on Pinterest gazing with my mouth open at some of the gorgeous bedrooms people have. As far as Inspiration Boards go I’ve published quite a few over the years but I think this one might take the cake. I am absolutely in awe of a few of these. Considering how much time we spend in our bedrooms (albeit it is with our eyes closed) I am a firm believer that they are a VERY important part of our homes. From gorgeous colour palettes to hardwood bedroom furniture options, there’s always amazing bedrooms to look at when you are scrolling through Pinterest. In fact, the inspiration doesn’t stop coming the moment you type in beautiful bedrooms into Google! So, without further adieu here’s some gorgeous bedrooms via Pinterest!! Read More »

File Your Taxes Like a Pro: Reporting Rental Income

Even seasoned real estate investors can run into problems when dealing with rental income tax. If you fail to report all deductions on your return or fail to accurately report all of your rental income, you will be audited and could face penalties. By documenting all of your rental income and expenses correctly and by understanding how depreciation works, you have the opportunity to file your taxes like a professional. Read More »

Why Window Wells Matter for Basement Drainage and Home Protection

Basement windows are often treated as a minor architectural detail, but the area around them can play an important role in protecting a home from water intrusion. A window well does more than create space around a below-grade window. When designed and maintained properly, it helps manage surface water, protects the window opening, and reduces the chance that moisture will collect against the basement wall. Read More »

A Practical Guide to Making Screen Time Work for the Whole Family

Screens are part of family life now: they help us keep in touch, learn new skills, manage appointments and unwind. The trouble usually starts when everyone has a different idea of what “enough” screen time means. Instead of treating every device as a problem, families can set a few clear expectations, choose online activities thoughtfully and make room for offline routines that feel just as appealing. Read More »

The Trim Looked Fine. Then It Crumbled: What DIYers Should Know About Hidden Termite Damage

It can happen halfway through an otherwise ordinary weekend project. You pry away a piece of baseboard because you are replacing flooring. You remove window trim before painting. Maybe you open a wall to deal with an old plumbing line. The surface looks tired but solid—until a screwdriver sinks farther than expected or a piece of wood breaks apart in your hand. Read More »

Why Every Household Should Have a Moving Day Plan

Moving day consists of many activities that take place at once from packing boxes and securing your furniture to doing the final inspection and arranging for transport. If there is no plan, a well-prepared family might still encounter problems with late delivery of some items or getting stressed out. The moving day plan provides a schedule of actions to everyone so that the family can be organized during the process. Read More »

What an AI Image Editor Rescues From a Before Photo Taken in a Garage

The after photo always turns out better than the before photo, and it has nothing to do with the piece looking better. The after gets taken deliberately. The chair is in the room it now lives in, the light is decent because you waited for it, the floor is clear, and you took six shots and picked one. You knew this photo mattered because you had just spent three weekends on it. Read More »