You are wrong about "no ants ". In most instances, they are benign and probably beneficial. It does depend on the type of ant and the population. I never recommend the broadcasting of DE as an appropriate control of ants or anything else. As a matter of fact, you may very well end up with more ants than you started with. Indiscriminate use of DE can harm the natural populations of predator arthropods and other beneficial creatures that inhabit the soil. That's the last thing you want to do. Is your product a horticultural/food grade or something sold for pool filtering? Pool filter stuff is useless for controlling pests and can be dangerous to broadcast in your garden. I am curious, where did you get the idea that no ants should be allowed in the yard? Ants may take advantage of honeydew-producing insects, but few species move them around or increase their numbers. They are attracted to the sugary excrement, but so what? If you seem to have an abundance of ants, I suggest that you concentrate on pest control (aphid, whitefly) by strongish sprays of water, insecticidal soap. If you have a problem with fire ants, there are organic bait products available. Trying to eliminate every ant will almost certainly result in an imbalance in the garden....to the advantage of pests.

Lynn we are in a very similar place about our house - it's too big for us at this stage of our lives. We use most of the square footage in some way - because it's there - but could easily manage with half ! Our youngest will be graduating from college next May and HOPEFULLY will be employed and able to support himself but who knows? Our older son works for the forest service but those gov't jobs are shakey, to say the least, so we always want to have a place where they can land if needed. So.... we keep the big old house - for now. Stuff? I reached a saturation point many years ago and continually work to pare down. But it's back to that big house thing again - I'm not going to live in empty rooms so there's still far more STUFF than I actually need. When my mom died and I helped my dad move into an apartment, tons of family stuff came my way. Eleven years later when my dad died, the rest of it came to me. We've all talked about this before - the pull of family items and how hard it is to get rid of some things. But it has to be done so over the years I've pared down to the things that have the most meaning and passed the rest on in one way or another. I have dreams (nightmares?) about moving into a small home and having boxes and furniture stacked everywhere because I didn't sort and get rid of enough before moving!! Gifts? I could write a book. Christmas at my in-laws used to make me physically ill with the insane buying and giving of cr@p. It doesn't matter to me a bit how much time is put into the shopping and wrapping, or what the item is. When someone (namely my MIL) is purchasing *stuff* because of a date on a calendar and is obsessed with getting the same # of packages for each person, because that's "just what you do for Xmas" I want no part of it. We'd been married only a short time when I told my DH that I was opting out. He was totally on board. It was a sore spot with everyone in his family for many years but we held firm. We just stopped buying. Our kids would get everything they needed and some of what they wanted all through the year at a time when it made sense to get the item, not an enormous pile o' stuff, all on one day, much of it to be returned, exchanged or donated. And that returning/exchanging all fell to me, of course. A few years of that and we started just donating everything, in the boxes, tags still on. Give me a quiet day, with my family cooking together, laughing and going for a long walk...... THAT'S the gift I want.

Laurie, Thank you so much for your warm compliment about my house. As far as the paint...we used Benjamin Moore throughout. I remember the white was called "Linen White" which is on BM's website. There are actually two beige colors used in the greatroom. "#1031" is written on top of the lighter beige paint can. When I looked at BM's website it shows "Carlisle Cream" for that number but looks very lavendar on my computer. Not like the real paint at all. I wish I could help you with the name of the darker beige we used but the store kind of tweaked that color for us. It was BM's Moorecraft SPEC paint and on the top of that can is written "MC #47" if that helps. bristlingacres, Thank you too for your compliment. All of our interior doors are stained with white trim. They are knotty alder. I'm posting one pic of the stairwell door which shows color and trim pretty good. I got some samples yesterday of Hunter Douglas woven wood shades. They seem very light. I can see through them easily and they come in a host of patterns. I downloaded a picture (sorry it REALLY tiny) and a darker color than I would choose. What does everyone think of this option??? Do you think I would need cloth curtains on the sides like in this picture?

I think it's wrong for him to make such a drastic financial decision without your vote too. i think it's wrong for him to make such a life changing decision without you feeling comfortable with it. I think him being a clean freak and not putting his foot down on her disgusting habits is absolutely disrespectful towards you.. especially since you are the one cleaning it up. If he is the absolute love of your life and you think you can't live without him, then i would suggest (and maybe this is crazy) getting a house with a connected inlaw suite situation and putting her in it!Maybe then you can have "family time" when it is right for you. i know i will get criticized on that one.. ok it does sound crazy lol..but this child doesn't seem too concerned with anyone else, does she? Kids aren't stupid. They know what they're doing.If you can afford it, get her counseling and keep her busy with summer programs. In the long run, kids like a little discipline and order, whether they realize it or not. You've got to start all over with this girl and decide to make her new upbringing a project you both agree to or.. well.. RUN!!! The only reason i'm not starting my input out with "RUN!!!" is because i live with my boyfriend and he is the sweetest, warmest, kindest boyfriend ever. However, when his girls disrespect me he puts his foot down because he knows i'm taking on alot. They are over every other weekend and the only reason i am taking on this situation (not wanting kids AT ALL)is because he deserves my love and attention. He is all the things most women crave in a boyfriend and i love him dearly. We have a great relationship, so i put up with life being not what i planned on. Having said that, if we were to break up, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I WOULD DATE SOMEONE WHO HAD KIDS, unless they were adults and out of the house and normal and excessively kind to me. i stopped mid way through your story and said a prayer for you.. and i'm not even religious. If he can't make this situation easier for you, and you still want to see him, then do so, from the luxury of your own clean, dreamy place. If he can't compromise, let him clean up his own mess. We've got to stop supporting men who can't support the things we hold dear.