Gardening is good for the soul. I'm sure of it. It did wonders for my grandma, who planted and flowered and blossomed for most of her life and long after her rounded back and arthritic fingers told her to stop. She just couldn't help herself -- the fruits of the earth brought her such joy that the toll hard labor took on her body was somehow worth every trace of dirt that crumbled beneath her fingertips.

In my own small way, I can't resist either. I'm no lifelong gardener or anything. I'm more of a spur-of-the-moment kind of girl. And I haven't a green thumb on either of my hands. My flowers always seem to die. Because no matter how much I love them at the beginning of the warm season, I end up neglecting them.

I tell my husband every year, "Please remind me not to buy flowers this year." It just seems silly to spend so much money only to toss my dead blooms after they wither and shrivel. So my husband reminds me. And I go right back out and buy more. Like I did today.

I spent about an hour with my little boys shoveling dirt and arranging red and orange and yellow and white flowers in all sorts of pots. It was a priceless hour -- although really it cost me about 60 bucks. It was refreshing and rejuvenating and in a way, healing.

I know the effects of today's flower therapy will fade, just as the flowers themselves will fail to thrive. But I also know I will do it all again next year. Because it's good for my soul. And I just can't resist.

I'm in the market for a new vacuum cleaner. Mine is 11 years old -- it was a wedding gift -- and although it still picks up the dirt and sand and grime that often litters my carpet as a result of two busy little boys, it's been through the ringer. Maybe that's because all I do is vacuum, or so my 5-year-old Joey thinks. He was asked in preschool one day to talk about his daddy's job and his mommy's job. He told his teachers that his daddy "plays the keyboard" which is true but while he meant a computer keyboard, his teachers conjured up the image of a musician and wanted to invite Joey's daddy to join the class for a jam session. And Joey said that his mommy "vacuums." Of all the things I do in a day -- as a mostly stay-at-home-mom -- Joey seems to think vacuuming sums me up. I think this justifies the purchase of a new vacuum cleaner.

There's a pink vacuum cleaner on the market, and I think it's just what I need. Made by Oreck Corporation -- a company that intends to offer the finest products for a cleaner, healthier home -- this vacuum also benefits the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by donating $50 for each consumer who tries for 30 days this special edition Clean for the Cure product. This hypo-allergenic vacuum weighs just eight pounds and comes with an eight-year guarantee and eight free annual tune-ups. And you can't beat the pink color and pink breast cancer ribbon displayed prominently on this product that can tidy up the messiest of messes while helping to power the fight against breast cancer. I'm sold.