It's time to look forward to the New Year and make a fresh start with your finances, personal development, weight, and everything else. Brian and Jami talk about the remarkable effectiveness of setting goals--and actually writing them down. Of course, it's not always that easy to change. Brian tells about the time he thought a handheld PDA was going to keep track of their checkbook. And Jami recalls the diet where she could eat all the papaya and mango she wanted, and that was it. They discuss how to prepare real food for healthy weight loss and how habits really hold the power of long-term change.

Episode 19 - Use Goals To Make This Year Your Best

Join Jami Boys of the website An Oregon Cottage and her husband Brian (always a co-conspirator in DIY projects and videos) as they discuss cooking simple, real foods, growing food and flowers, and tackling easy home improvement and decor projects - the kind everyone can do. You'll hear the things that went well, as well as things that didn't go according to plan (that you just have to laugh about).

Never ones to get hung up on perfection or abilities, they believe everyone can make a house a home and live a simple handmade life. Whatever level you want to create things,  whether it’s full-throttle make everything from scratch or just dipping your toes into cooking or creating a warm home environment, you’ll find something here you can use - and have fun doing it.

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Meal planning not only saved us money and helped us to eat much more healthy food, but it saved Jami's sanity. When you know what you're going to have for dinner in advance you don't get that sinking feeling at 5 PM each day wondering what you'll come up with. Plus, your shopping will be streamlined and your family will quit bugging you with questions about what's for dinner. Jami shares her best menu planning tips and lots of free resources to get you started.  Then we both talk about the one supply every home remodeler needs: audiobooks.

Make Menu Planning Easy - SHL Ep. 10

Moving to the country is a dream for a lot of people. We've done it and we can say that there are a lot of positives. But there are some negatives too. It's not for everybody. Find out the 7 pros and 7 cons (in our opinion) of moving rurally.

7 Pros AND Cons of Moving Rurally - Simple Homemade Life Ep. 7

We talk about the big problems you can run into when you start doing major remodeling work. At the time they can be very discouraging and seem like they're going to shut down your project. But we've found ways to solve all of them. Plus, Jami talks about getting new lighting fixtures that look like they're old.

SHL Episode 6 - 7 Things That Might Derail Your Old Home Renovation--And How To Fix Them

Learn why soaker hoses in your garden not only save water but also promote healthier growth. It's because they drip or finely spray water at the base of your garden plants, allowing it to soak down to the roots. But what do you do if you have three 6 foot beds and a 50 foot soaker? You cut it up and put it back together again. Jami and Brian also share about their faux marble countertop and metal table top projects.

SHL Episode 5 - How To Cut Up Soaker Hoses For Garden Watering

We share what we've learned about harvesting and reusing old wood from our 1920s farmhouse. Reclaimed wood has a few drawbacks, but these are more than made up for by how cool it looks, the reduction in waste, and how much money you can save. Jami talks about what she did for the beds outside the garden and Brian shares his inspiration for the Garden Gate Arbor he made for less than $100.

Episode 19 - Use Goals To Make This Year Your Best

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