Most Recent Articles
When Are Kids Ready for Overnight Camp?
Is your child emotionally ready for camp? Is s/he the outdoor type? Should young kids go to camp with older siblings? YMCA offers these tips:
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The Herb of Love
Basil graces the kitchen garden with scents of cinnamon, lemon, clove, licorice and mint. His pedigree is long and stalwart with regal relatives from the mint family.
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Grandma’s Cream Soup
Just what you need on a rainy day; a fresh, homemade bowl of grandma's soup. This should bring back memories.
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Banana Pudding
Two ways to make pudding - warm and cold - plus some optional additions to try out.
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Teaching Self-Reliance and Responsibility
You still in charge, or are you cutting the grass, walking the dog, and whatever because your child won’t, doesn’t have time, or is allergic to helping out?
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Plant Ornam-Edibles This Year!
If you haven’t set aside a specific plot in your garden for edibles, consider integrating edibles into your decorative beds as...
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How to Balance Pride with Humility
So, how do we achieve humility more naturally in a world full of capitalists? While there may be no all-encompassing answer, the following list might help...
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Peach Ice Cream & Pie
Our family loves this recipe! I also like to pour the soften ice cream into a graham cracker crust and top with fresh peaches.
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Grandma’s Apple Recipes
I always wondered where grandma got her recipes. Try out these delicious, timeless classics: Apple Dumplings, Upside-Down Apple Pecan Pie and Apple Maple Crumble Pie
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Mousse de Kahlua
Start up that grill at least one more time before winter sets in. Begin the evening with a classic Mexican cocktail and end with refreshing Mousse de Kahlua.
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Carne Asada
Start up that grill at least one more time before winter sets in. Begin the evening with a classic Mexican cocktail and end with refreshing Mousse de Kahlua.
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Count to 10 in Any Language
Exercise your brain and impress your friends by learning to count to 10 in 10 languages. It's fun. It's easy. And it's smart because our brains...
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What You Didn’t Know About Recycling
17 states don't have to recycle. Why do they get a free pass? The answer may surprise you!
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Secret Summer Fun in Seattle
Can you keep a secret? People who are not from Seattle think it rains all year. We know different. And we know how to cram a summer of fun into...
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Celebrate Mothers in May
Single moms, working moms, stay at home moms, adopted moms, all demonstrate the strength of motherhood and know of the sacrifices...
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Magical Petals of the Calendula
So queenly that Mary Queen of Scots declared her beauty in her rhyme and, “…reigned in her garden most sublime.” Marigolds, or Calendula in its Latin formality, are the unassuming, golden flowers with a pungent odor.
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Portland, Oregon – For Kids of All Ages
Spring break is just around the corner. What are you going to do with your kids for a week? If you have the time and inclination, consider a trip to Portland. Portland is home to a slew of kid-friendly activities — indoors and out — designed for children of all ages.
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Landscaping Design
Winter’s winding down, the soil’s warming up, and the garden calls to us! Is your garden calling out for renovation or redesign as your family grows, your needs shift or your interest in the garden changes?
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World’s Largest Flower Garden
Keukenhof Park, also known as the Garden of Europe, is the world’s largest flower garden with seven million bulbs planted annually.
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Beginnings of Public Education
And so it is also true that no school district is any better than the lowest point of public tolerance. Knowing the “whys” is one thing.
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Health Care & Asset Protection
Learn how to apply for Medicaid without first having to spend down assets.
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Everyone is Irish on March 17
Why Pinch? Pinching on St. Patrick’s Day is apparently an entirely American tradition. It is believed that wearing green makes you...
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Day-cation at the Breweries
Why not start this spring with a brewery tour… or two… or three? Washington State is home to dozens of breweries that are open for tours, offer great samplers, and even indulge in culinary delights.
Read MoreComputer Literacy
If the kids are destined to learn by mere exposure to computers in their daily lives, then facilitating more “screen time” is perhaps unnecessary, and maybe even detrimental.
Read MoreHome Remedies
Living in the Midwest, just across the river from Kentucky, where tobacco was abundant, I remember getting bee stings every summer. My parents always used moist tobacco to soothe my skin and keep it from swelling. Did it work?
Read MoreGoing Green With TV
The new models of LCD and Plasma TV are out, and a big feature this year is the...
Read MorePrepare Now, Save Later
Before you know it, the holiday season will be here again - along with the accompanying price tag of gift giving and all that it entails. Savvy savers, take note: snag...
Read MoreZoe & the Swamp Monster
If your children are like mine, sometimes they get in a mood where hiking ranks right up there with walking to school. On days where it takes a little extra incentive to get them to lace up their boots, the Swamp Trail on Tiger Mountain might do the trick.
Read MoreExploration & Inspiration
I have Outdoor Deficit Disorder, and I blame my parents. Trail maps make me giddy. 80% of my wardrobe wicks moisture. I get cranky without endorphins. It’s definitely my parents’ fault.
Read MoreEntrepreneur, Bring on the Newer!
Newer ideas, that is! While usually it’s true you that you can save money by doing things in-house, believe it or not in this economy, it could be costing you more. Businesses – large and small – are clamoring for customers and in an effort to lure them in, are offering...
Read MoreSo What is a Family?
Given that the blog is called Family Talk, I thought that a discussion about the concept of family would be apropos. The definition of a family tends to be a moving target. The family unit that we grew up in is often very different from what children experience today.
Read MoreWhy hire an architect?
Plenty of building projects get built without architects. In fact, most do, and many even illegally. So why hire an architect? Here are some excellent reasons to hire an architect, if you are currently contemplating your next building project.
Read MoreThey Say…
All my life I’ve heard opinions, verdicts and oaths based on the uncontested veracity of ”They say….” Never has “they” been identified. But who would have the temerity to contest those heads nodding up and down in agreement with the unseen oracle “they”?
Read MoreCelery – The Royal Stalk
This rag-topped darling of the veggie set is a family favorite. Even my kitty Killjoy would tickle out the fresh celery bunch from the grocery bag for a quick snack. Celery’s name comes from the Latin word...
Read MoreStuffed Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage has been around since the early days of dirt. It’s always been inexpensive, and wrapped in a plastic bag it lasts 2 or 3 weeks in the fridge. By the way, sauerkraut is a favorite of mine, and now I only eat Bubbies from Whole Foods. Bubbies pickles and horseradish are the best, too.
Read MoreTime for a New Mailbox
Greetings to everyone from us here at American Family Magazine, I trust...
Read MoreBare Root Plants – Budgeting
Beginning in deepest winter, and through very early spring, while plants are...
Read MoreBabysitting Co-ops
Babysitting co-ops are a fun, easy, and inexpensive way to get away for a few hours while leaving your kids in good hands. Essentially, a co-op is just a group of
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Washington: A State of Forward Thinkers
While Washingtonians celebrate recent achievements, few realize it has led the way with a lot of “firsts.” Here is our list.
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Where to Scream for Halloween
Tales of floating ghosts, unsolved murders, the paranormal and places you never knew were haunted; Spooked in Seattle offers all of this and more...
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5 Craigslist Scams You Need to Know
Looking on Craigslist to sell something, buy something or get a job? Don't get scammed! Here are some things to watch for...
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7 Simple Rules to Avoid Colds and Flu
Can you imagine what it would be like to never again get a cold or the flu? Incorporating these 7 simple rules into your life is the first step.
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Fall News to End Your Blues
Summer is out and fall is in! See all the things there are to look forward to in the next coming months.
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Driverless Cars Legal in 3 States
This video will move you, in more ways than one. Watch as Steve Mahan sits in the driver's seat to experience being behind the wheel in a whole new way.
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A Town Where Cell Phones Aren’t Allowed
It's not a tropical island nor a dark corner of the Amazon. It's right here in the USA. No cell phones, no mobile devices, no Wi-Fi allowed for any residence living here...
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Places You Must Visit in San Francisco
A part of San Francisco you never knew. Take a look at some places you need to see on your next visit!
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The Final Season You Won’t Want to Miss
With so many new and returning shows starting this fall it's hard to know which ones to watch. See why fans of The Office will be tuning in each week...
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