March 20 marked the beginning of the spring season.

Even though Omaha is has been toiling under clouds, wind and rain this week, homeowners are eager to get outside again and get cracking on home projects. Whether you've got a few tasks leftover from before the snow came, or you're just looking forward to throwing on some shorts and trimming up some foliage, we're sure you've got a list (even if it's a short one) of projects you want to tackle. 

Just in case you missed a few things, we've done some research and gathered three essential projects for the spring season. We sourced some of these tips from HGTV's great article on spring projects. 

1. Get some compacted soil and fill those low spots around your foundation.

With spring rain

When the forecast for the weekend is 6 degrees like it is this weekend, wintertime temperatures deserve to be called "ice cold." 

As homeowners, we know that temperatures cold enough to bring ice are also cold enough to, ironically, thaw out all those old myths about ice melt. 

Top-5 Ice Melt Myths

We talked with Sun Valley Landscaping's Annie Forsyth about these myths. Over the next few minutes we'll uncover five of these myths, as well as give you a quick guide to some of the top-rated ice melts at Home Depot. 

Myth #1: Wind chill affects the freeze-thaw cycle of ice melt and salt. 

This one was pretty easy. Annie pointed out that only the actual temperature, not the wind-chill temperature, will affect the freeze-thaw cycle of ice

In case you missed it, earlier this month the Federal Reserve decided to raise the interest rate by 0.25%. 

What does that mean? Great question. Banks lend money to each other every day at the Federal Reserve's predetermined rate. Now, that rate has been bumped up a notch. It's a good sign, because it means they feel confident enough in the economy's strength that they don't have to lend money with rock-bottom interest rates.

Without getting too complex, raising the rate also makes sure that inflation stays in check and the cost of daily life doesn't get out of control.

But the important question for homeowners is how that increased percentage will affect everyday things like mortgages, auto loans and credit card rates. To find the answers,

Don't you just love that wintry scent of pine or fir filling every corner of your living room? 

The aroma of your tannenbaum is one of the trademark characteristics of Christmas.

Sadly, though, Christmas trees have also been the source of heartbreak over the years: home-destroying fires, in some cases, have been caused by heat, trees and bad luck.The American Christmas Tree Association (yes, there is such a thing) estimates that yuletide trees cost $13 million annually in property damage.

So, in an effort to keep you safe, happy and Christmasy as your tree dries out, we've created a list of three different safety tips based on information we found from the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA).

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

Is it the stockings above the fire, the endless array of candy canes? 

Or maybe you're more of a Santa fan and you love setting out cookies and milk every year, taking your kids to see Santa and cozying up to your significant other for a night of old timey Christmas movies. 

Or may your favorites are more of a heavenly bent and you love the candlelight service at your church on Christmas Eve. 

We became curious about where these traditions came from, so we did some digging and found some very interesting holiday lore. So sit back, relax, grab your moose mug and fill it up with egg nog. 

Three Christmas Traditions and How They (Supposedly) Started

Why stockings, and why over the fireplace?

Every year, one giant Christmas tree has the honor of gracing the cavernous expanse of Dunham's Union Station. 

This year, the beautiful old train station is home to a 40-foot Colorado blue spruce that grew up on the not-so-mean streets of Ralston. Resident Rita Guenette took care of the tree for 40 years as it grew from a $1.49 seedling in 1975 to the proud patriarch of Union Station's Christmas celebration in 2015. 

Rita talked with the Omaha Herald a few weeks ago when the tree was transported to the station. She said she remembers her kids running and hopping over the tree when it was a seedling. 

“I fertilized it every year and it grew really nice," she told the Herald.

Too Big For His Britches? Not Quite...

A photo of the day of

You scoff at the thought of welcoming an artificial tree into your home. It's lifeless, papery needles are like little slivers of yuletide tomfoolery, you say. 

You'd rather pack up the family Clark Griswold-style and head to the forest belting "O, Tannenbaum" at the top of your merry lungs. 

You want to feel the weathered handle of an axe in your hands and the jolt the old girl gives you the moment it sinks its stubborn blade into the backside of an Eastern Red cedar. Or, you prefer the high-pitched wail of a chainsaw thrashing it's way through the sweet-smelling pine that will soon grace your home. 

You sir or ma'am, are a Christmas lumberjack, born and bred for the moment when that deep green beauty of a tree makes its graceful fall onto

Mortgage points can be a confusing topic. 

Some people say you should pay for them. Some say you shouldn't.  Some people don't even really know what they are. So, to clear up the confusion, we went to an expert. Mortgage Specialist Jason Hellman from Dundee Banking spoke with us recently about the Great Points Debate. His answers are fantastic and informative. Enjoy!

When talking about mortgages, what does the word “points” mean?

“Points” is mortgage industry jargon for pre-paid interest charged as a fee at closing. Historically, “one point” was charged by lenders to close a loan.  One point is one percent of the loan amount.  This practice has changed over time.  In most markets, the norm has transitioned from one-point to no-points as a

This week's post comes courtesy of Ashly Neneman and Annie Forsyth at Sun Valley Landscaping on Harrison St. Enjoy!

Fall  is  often  one  of  the  busiest  times  of  the  year  for  many  homeowners  and   therefore,  lawn  care  is  not  always  a  top  priority.  What  many  homeowners  aren’t   aware  of  is  how  important  this  season  is  for  the  health  of  your  lawn.  The  proactive   steps  you  take  during  the  Fall  will  help  bring  back  a  blossoming  lawn in the spring. 

Ashly Neneman, Business Development Director at Sun Valley

The team at Sun Valley Landscaping has identified the top five to-do list items for all homeowners this October and early November to prepare for the winter season: 

Sprinkler

We help you find you dream home, but that doesn't mean that somewhere down the road your dreams will get bigger and you'll want to add on or renovate parts of your beautiful house. 

This weekend we did some research to find five of the best home-improvement websites on the Internet. We found some great sources of information, ideas and dream-making. If you've got some favorites of your own, let us know in the comments section!

1. Retro Renovation

Yep, you guessed it. Retro Renovation is a site dedicated to renovations of the retro kind. RR specializes in mid-century modern designs as well as the wood-heavy, olive green fads of the 60's and 70's. Granted, not everyone loves the retro look. For those who do, Retro Renovation is your