What a long, strange winter it's been so far. It goes from unseasonably warm to blizzards up north and from unseasonably cold to baking summer temps in Florida. And craziness everywhere in between. Maybe it's the weather, but I've already started my spring cleaning. Problem is: the kids   don't want to go outside in any of this weather. And it's hard to accomplish anything with the little ones underfoot all day. So, what to do with the youngsters when it's too 'weird' to go out?

I have a fail-safe strategy. First, settle them into a room you're not working on. Keeping them there is  easy: just threaten to make them help with the chores if they don't stay put. Then find something for them to do that will keep them occupied for a while. Art projects. Games. Toys. Whatever will keep them out from under your feet.

As you're vacuuming, dusting and cleaning out closets, they'll be laughing and playing and staying out of your way. Fair warning: the hardest chore might be resisting the urge to abandon your cleaning and join in the fun.

Housewarming parties are some of my favorite social gatherings. You always get to meet lots of new people, see a new neighborhood and, of course, take the grand tour of your friends' new home. And it's customary to bring a gift (my favorite part!) whether it's something to help furnish the new house or a little treat to enjoy during the party.

My friends recently moved from a small one bedroom apartment into a two-story, three bedroom house.  They held an open house-style party so people could come and go throughout the day. I was on the welcoming committee, helping to restock refreshments and placing gifts in their proper places, etc., while the happy couple gave their tours. It was a busy day with all their friends bringing food and gifts and laughter into the new home.

At the end of the day, we all collapsed on their new couch and marveled at the turnout, talking about how lucky they are to have such great friends and neighbors. It's no wonder they call it a housewarming: the good company, good food, good wine and good wishes for the future left all of us feeling, well, warm inside.

Your "Warm Up Their Homes" Gift Guru,
Linda

Scientists have confirmed what my equestrian friends have known for a long, long time: your horse knows when you're happy and when you're mad or sad. Not surprising since horses have a lot of the same facial expressions as human beings. Why wouldn't they be able to read those expressions as well as (or better than!) humans?

“Horses may have adapted an ancestral ability for reading emotional cues in other horses to respond appropriately to human facial expressions during their co-evolution. Alternatively, individual horses may have learned to interpret human expressions during their own lifetime,” said Karen McComb, one of the study's authors.

Seems that when you're angry, your horse will look at you out of its left eye and its heart rate will accelerate. According to researchers, this might be a survival mechanism - a warning to the horse that it could be in for a rough day. This tracks with what my friends say: that their horses pick up on the tiniest change in their moods. In fact, one of my friends claims her horse knows her moods better than she knows her own!

So next time you're getting ready to ride, take a close look at your horse first. It might know how you're feeling before you do!

Your "Saddle Up!" Gift Guru,
Linda

George Clooney might be one of Hollywood's biggest "dreamboat" stars, but when it comes to pitching woo, his acting is better than his real-life pitch. Just ask his fiancée, Amal.

In fact, when Clooney staged an elaborate proposal scenario, she almost missed the whole thing. Here's how Clooney tells the story to People magazine:

 "I've got it all set up, timed out and the song (his aunt Rosemary Clooney's song "Why Shouldn't I") is coming and she gets up to go wash the dishes, which she's never done. And I'm like, 'What are you doing?' and she comes back in. And finally I said, 'Ya know, I blew out the candle' and I said, 'I think the lighter's in the box behind you.' And she reaches around and she pulls out the box and I've got just the ring sitting in there and she pulls it out and she looks at it and she's like, 'It's a ring' – like as if somebody had left it there some other time." 

 It took Amal a full 25 minutes to figure out that Clooney was proposing marriage. In fact, he had to drop to one knee and say, "Look, I hope the answer is yes, but I need an answer I'm 52 and I could throw out my hip pretty soon."

Not exactly the most romantic proposal in the world, but you have to admit, it was sincere. And hilarious.

Your "Say, 'I Do' Soon" Gift Guru,
Linda