For my birthday last summer, my sister Megan introduced me to the magazine Real Simple. She'd noticed that I had been getting Better Homes and Gardens and thought that I might like this one better. I asked her what was so special about it and she just said that on top of the layout just being fantastic that it has some wonderful ideas for everyday life. MY GOSH, was she right! Every month it is a special treat when I open the mailbox and inside is my new issue! The November issue helped me to have a less stressed and highly entertaining Thanksgiving, and the December issue has been helping me with decoration ideas and such for Christmas.
There are a few items of the magazine that I especially like:
Tried and true beauty ideas: Pretty much they take products and rate them. Almost like a Consumer Reports. They also include tips on things you might be doing wrong. For instance, did you know that you shouldn't apply conditioner to your whole head? They suggest starting from your ears and working the conditioner into the ends of your hair, as ends are what really need the conditioner. This saves you from having oily-looking hair on the top of your head and also keeps you from having to wash as often. I tried this, and it's awesome!
New uses for old things: Did you know that packing peanuts in the bottom of a flower pot makes it so you don't have to use as much potting soil and still allows for proper drainage? And that old rubber bands tied around an egg and then dipped into Easter egg dye make for tie-dyed eggs? They also have suggestions for paper clips, felt circles, etc.
Month-specific Simple lists: Did you know that August is the best time to buy a computer? Did you know that 55% of women in their 60s describe themselves as very happy versus 40% of women in their 20s?
Anyway, the whole reason for this post is that I have been rather stressed of late due to the holidays, kids, etc. You know, the usual. However, when I got my January issue of Real Simple in the mail on Saturday, I just had to smile. The whole issue is about making lists; whether they are to-do lists or not-to-do lists. They have ideas on where to make lists and how to make lists. There is a list on how to return anything. There is a list on 15 ways to get more fit. A list for making your clothes last longer. The best part is that most of this issue, while being informative, is also incredibly funny! There is an article on famous people's (fictional) lists:
Genghis Khan:
Pillage
Plunder.
Have shirt taken in.
Pillage
Pillage
Seven o'clock parent-teacher meeting
Plunder
Pillage
Fred Astaire:
Wash ceiling
Take cravat-tying lessons
Find something new to twirl (am tired of canes and umbrellas)
etc.
If you ever read Real Simple, make sure you read it from cover to cover, as the very last page is often what gets me through the month. The whole page consists of punch-out cards that directly relate to what was in the issue. January has cards that should be punched out and placed in various rooms of the house. The card for the office has important dates to remember. The card for the fridge has six simple recipe substitutions (I am always looking those up!). The card for the laundry room has stain-removal strategies. The card for by the telephone has methods for how to get a human on the line for places such as amazon.com, Walmart.com, Citibank, etc.
So, there you have it. A magazine full of well-written articles, tips, tricks, and ideas. If there is a better magazine out there, I haven't seen it. Try it, you'll like it.
Gramps has always been a big fan of trains, so he and Matthew were right at home with each other.
On their last day we went up to Savannah. We had lunch in Forsythe Park, right across from this fountain. It was a beautiful day.
Grammy and Gramps had so much fun with Josh going down the slide. It was fun for me to watch as well!
