We've been constantly tweaking our house plan design so it can perfectly fit our family's needs in the smallest possible square footage. We've been thinking "outside of the box" and incorporating convertible living spaces (like the Japanese) and many of the ideas from A Pattern Language, which many consider the "Architect's Bible" of building design books. It is very difficult to think of so many things at once, but we have figured out a pretty good design (we think!) so far.
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This post is directed to all the brides-to-be out there. Let me tell you from experience that it is just plain silly for a bride to buy her own bridal lingerie. At my bridal shower, about 50% of the gifts included lingerie of some type. Even if it is something you wouldn't dream of wearing (this looks like something my Grandma would wear!), you can always exchange it at the store for something to your liking.
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I think the way the American corporate system is set up is fundamentally wrong. We spend the most productive and healthy years of our lives slaving away at jobs we don't enjoy, in the hopes of retiring one day. When we reach retirement age, many people are having health problems or just don't feel up to doing all the things they planned on doing when they retired.
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Our local chamber of commerce hosts a yearly event that is beneficial to locals and tourists alike. The first Friday and Saturday in August, you can find hundreds of yard sales in and around our small town. People looking for a good deal on anything from Callaway golf clubs to baby gear will drive from miles around to check out the loot.
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We've started mowing down some of the tall grass and brush on our land so we can see where the best places to build are. There seem to be many possibilities, but we need to spend more time there to see the sun patterns throughout the day and find the shady areas.

Since we're not planning on having central heat or air conditioning, we are more concerned with keeping the place cool in the summer than heating in the winter. Our winters are not too bad here, but the summers are pretty intense.
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There are many ways to save money while still throwing a memorable party celebration. First of all, handmade party invitations are the way to go. Even children can assist with painting or stamping original invitations that will intrigue invitees much more than the store-bought fare.
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If there were a restaurant in your town offering meals as low as 25 cents, don't you think it would be a popular place? People jump at the fast food chains with dollar menu items, yet if they did a bit of math they would realize that much cheaper meals could be had in the comfort of their own homes. In addition to being cheaper and more rewarding, it turns out that home cooking can be an effective fat burner as well.
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There are many methods of detoxifying your body, but the most simple way is to take a supplement like Orovo detox. Research has shown that in addition to losing weight, the test subjects had decreased acne, reduced wrinkles, and increased energy levels and overall feelings of well being.
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