7 top hot-button issues -- and how to solve them.

By Margaret Renkl

in-laws

Love 'em or hate 'em, every mom clashes with her in-laws. Scroll down any message board and you're bound to read hair-raising tales like the ones on Parenting.com's in-law board. As one mom writes, "My MIL comes over once a week to spend time with my son and uses that day to tell me what I am doing wrong -- I'm feeding him too much, he's not ready to walk yet, it's too cold outside, it's too hot outside, it's too windy outside, his feet are cold, his feet are hot. Apparently I'm an idiot and she is Dr. Spock. My husband and I have fought so much over her."

Writes another mom: "Most of the time, we visit my in-laws at their house or at a restaurant, where we pay for their meal (even though I stay home and we are on a limited budget -- they never even pretend to offer). One time my MIL handed me a 'gift' for my daughter and said, 'I'm not sure what this is, but here.' Hey, nice to see you put some thought into

You're reminded this week that you can't make everyone happy all the time. Your challenges begin on April 30 as Mars in Virgo forms a square to the north and south nodes; at this time, you'll need to assess whether you're wasting time on a current project. Then, a lovely conversation offers needed relief on May 3, when Mercury sextiles Venus. Finally, expect your ideas to come into question as Saturn opposes Mercury during a full Moon in Scorpio on May 5.

Use the ancient wisdom of Chinese astrology to overcome obstacles and explore the strengths and challenges of your relationship. Try a free sample Chinese Relationship Analysis today!

Aries
Others may be easing into the week, but something requires your attention urgently on Monday -- and you're ready for it. Read more...

Taurus
Make an ally instead of an enemy on Monday. Read more...

Gemini
You may be kidding on Monday ... but is it crystal clear to others? Read more...

Cancer
It's not like you to show off, but if you've got it,

Let's start at the front of your house or in this case, the incoming power source.

The electric meter that gets read each month by your power company. This determines the amount of Kilo Watt Hours (kWh) your meter runs and this affects the amount you owe each and every month (some months more than others).

What you do not realize unless of course you are in the electrical field is that when an appliance turns on, like your refrigerator an inrush of current is forced to start up the motor feeding the appliance.

This INRUSH of current or the "Reactive Power" is what causes the electricity to go back out from your meter and back to the nearest Power Utility Transformer, whether it's on a pole by your house or a ground mounted transformer in your neighborhood.

In essence what is happening at the speed of light is your appliance is asking the utility companies transformer to allow a little more current to become available for a short amount of time to run the appliance

Roses like this Knockout variety are fun to grow, but do require some care in pruning.

















Roses are a beautiful addition to any garden but they do require some maintenance to keep them looking beautiful. In the south our roses start giving us beautiful color a little earlier so knowing the proper time and way to prune them is key to having a great show of color. Pruning and dead heading your roses is one part of the maintenance that must be done every season. Here are some basic steps to follow for pruning your roses. For the tips and a how-to video see: How to correctly prune your roses

8 Repurposed IKEA's items for your kid's roomNeed inspiration for your kid's room, or maybe you'd just like to come up with the coolest new toy? We've just discovered IKEA Hackers, an amazing site full of creative new uses for IKEA's affordable, well-made products. It's especially useful for designing a kid's bedroom or playroom, as they've got everything from a LACK table turned into a play kitchen to a rainbow bed using duct tape. We've picked 8 of the best kid's furniture IKEA hacks that are guaranteed to get the creative juices flowing!












Castle Bed1. Castle Bed
Your child could literally live in a fairy tale with this KURA bed that is transformed into a castle fit for a knight!
Get the tutorial












Related: 16 ways to save space in your kid's room








BILLY Baby Changing Station2. BILLY Baby Changing Station
Two BILLY shelves create a cosy baby changing station. This design also adds a ton of additional storage space to your nursery.
Get the tutorial






















Bookshelf Dresser3. Bookshelf Dresser
A BEKVAM dresser and IKEA spice racks combine create a cool bookshelf dresser for a kids room.

By Ayn-Monique Klahre

desk with blue wallIn early 2011, interior designer Vanessa de Vargas (Turquoise-LA.com) and design consultant Vanessa Kogevinas (VanessaKogevinas.com) came up with a unique idea for a good deed: to make over a residence at Los Angeles' Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women & Children where women live for up to two years as they move from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Within six months, 30 local designers had transformed one room apiece, working nights and weekends and using donated furnishings to complete the makeovers. "We wanted to inspire these women to move beyond the hardships they've suffered," says de Vargas. Here's a look at some of the character-rich spaces they created, plus some tricks of the trade that could work in your home. Photos by Erika Bierman
Get five pretty ideas for sprucing up your floors.




The Look: Easy Elegance
"I wanted this room to be an oasis, a place that gives a sense of calm." - KRISTINE KAMENSTEIN, DESIGNER, JacksonPaige.com.

habits of organized people















Being truly organized extends far beyond keeping a tidy workspace or home. It's about keeping your life in order, from your schedule to your chores to your thoughts and beyond. Sound like an overwhelming task? Consider the benefits: While getting yourself into a habit of being organized requires an investment of time and energy, once you're in a groove you'll reap huge rewards, including less stress, more efficiency, a sharper mind, and the knowledge that when you want to find something, you'll know exactly where it is. If you're ready to join the ranks of highly organized people, adopt the following eight habits.

1. They keep only what they need.
Ever notice how clean your organized friends' spaces are? There's a reason for that. Organized people don't hoard a bunch of stuff they don't need. They amass only things that they actually use and keep decorative objects to a thoughtful minimum. With fewer things to keep track of or care for, they are surrounded by clean, mind-calming