Mother’s Day is this weekend! Yes, that’s our reminder to you that you need to plan something special for Mom. And we have plenty of ideas!

You could do the typical breakfast in bed, or brunch in an overcrowded restaurant. You could send her to the spa (never a bad option) or get her some flowers. Our suggestion this year, however, is to do something unexpected and something that will last for years and years.

Come by the store and let Mom pick out tile for a new kitchen backsplash, or new countertops in the bathroom.

You could finally tear out that old carpet and install hardwood or laminate flooring. Likewise you could replace the carpet with something luxurious and stain resistant.

You could promise to paint that accent wall that Mom has been wanting for years and years.

You could install a flagstone patio and brighten it with container gardens full of Mom’s favorite herbs. Or even just clean off the winter dust and debris and cook Mom an al fresco dinner.

You could power wash the outside of the house, and have the windows professionally cleaned. Window cleaning, we are sure, is not one of your mother’s favorite things to do.

Least of all because our mom’s are super busy, you could make her day by deep cleaning the house, or steam cleaning the carpets, or tackling those chores that she hates.

Whatever you decide to do, we wish your Mom Happy Mother’s Day!

Have you already started making your list of things you’re going to improve in 2012?

Get fit/lose weight, Don’t commit to more than you can handle, Prepare healthy and nutritious meals for the children

Etc., etc., etc…well, best wishes! While you are making a list we encourage you to make some resolutions for your home as well. Now don’t freak out, it’s nothing too overwhelming.

Get rid of clutter! Commit to going through each room in your home to clear out items that you don’t use or need. Donate these items to charity.

Make your home safe! Take time now to test for radon gas. Install carbon monoxide monitors on every bedroom floor. Test fire alarms and remember to replace batteries regularly.

Shrink bills and your carbon footprint! Turn off lights when you leave a room. Only run the washer if you have a full load of laundry. Consider drying some clothes on a line instead of in the dryer. Turn off your air conditioning when you leave your house. Dial down your furnace to 55 degrees at night. Install compact fluorescent lighting and low flow showerheads. Water your yard less.

Work out a plan to keep your house clean! Each day dishes should go into the dishwasher. Hang up clean clothes each night as well. Put dirty clothes straight into the hamper. Weekly, enlist your family to help you. Have one person vacuum, dust and make the beds. Have another person clean all the bathrooms. Then team up to clean the kitchen and take out all the trash.

Get your home ready for entertaining! If one of your personal resolutions is to spend more time with friends and family then do something in your home to make it more “inviting”. Rearrange your furniture into conversational groups. Update a room with a new coat of paint. Add new runners, throw pillows or even plants for a fresh new look.

See, it’s not too overwhelming is it? These are resolutions that you can actually make AND easily keep. Cheers!

This photo shows a beautiful skyline, but it’s the Ferris wheel and carousel in the foreground that capture your eye. Just like this photo, your home needs a few fun elements to add excitement to your décor. Here are some suggestions.

1. Art can add excitement and even whimsy. Do you have a favorite cartoon or literary character? An illustration of that, even in a small print, can add a touch of personality and create an interesting and fun conversation. Look also for artists whose style appeals to your sense of humor.
2. Do you enjoy puzzles? A few used as accessories can offer your guests something to play with while they visit. Look for nice wood versions of three-dimensional puzzles or anything that appeals to you personally. If you have a side table, you could leave a jigsaw puzzle available for anyone to work on while chatting.
3. Any favorite toys from your childhood? Maybe one or two could sit on your fireplace hearth. Chances are your friends may remember playing with the same toys and you can take a nostalgic look at yesterday together.
4. Add a teddy bear or other stuffed animal to the pillows on your guest room bed. It provides a sense of coziness and tells your friends they are welcome.

Don’t get carried away – you don’t want your home to look like a toy store. By placing one or two simple items in several rooms in your home, you can create a sense of whimsy and let your guests know that you don’t take yourself too seriously. So have some fun and make your home more entertaining at the same time!

School vacation can mean traveling, visiting relatives or seeing sights. It may include swimming and other sports, time to play and picnics.

Here’s one fun idea that you can plan no matter what kind of weather you’re facing – a night of camping indoors.

Start with a tent that doesn’t need any posts to set up – no risk to your nice flooring. Bring some houseplants into sight and turn off all the lights.

Candles are too risky for children, but today’s LED lights are made to mimic candles of all sizes.

Have your children pack their own knapsacks with snacks and favorite toys. Add a few surprises for each child, including their own flashlights. Spread out sleeping bags if you have them or a pile of pillows, cushions and blankets will work.

Hotdogs and beans make for good camping fare. You may want to head outside to the grill for smores before bundling back to the tent for scary ghost stories before turning in. One of the best lessons you can teach your children is how to make their own fun rather than relying on movies, television and video games.

Have your children make a plan for the next at-home event. They’re not only developing their imaginations and planning skills, they’re making memories that will last a lifetime.

Making plans for a new addition to your family? With a baby coming you may be thinking of buying a larger home or renovating to prepare.

As you figure out what you need, be sure to think about the right flooring choices. Babies are all about floors. They lay on them, crawl on them, learn to walk on them, play and explore on them. They also fall on them, so your choice is about both comfort and safety.

To begin, figure out a place to provide cushioned flooring. This could be a few area rugs with enough space to support a moving toddler or playtime. Or you may choose to carpet one or several rooms. Be sure to add a good quality pad under either carpeting or rugs to add more cushioning. Today’s stain proof carpets also allow your home to look nice in spite of the new little spill-meister you’ve added to your home.

Harder floors such as wood or laminate can also work well for babies. The smooth surface makes scooting across the floor a lot easier, and there is some research evidence that indicates that spending time on a hard surface maneuvering on their tummies can make babies better prepared for learning later in life.

Whatever flooring decisions you make, you will find that the good of your child is a part of the decision, as it will be part of almost every decision you make from now on until they’re grown. Welcome to parenthood!