When Yeli Heidecker and her husband, Benjamin, both 32, decided they were going to downsize to a barndominium — a building designed to look like a barn, but with a traditional living space inside — they started looking for the perfect lot.

In early 2024, the couple purchased a two-acre lot in west-central Texas for $45,000 and began construction on the barndominium. Around the same time, they convinced Yeli’s mom, Liliana Villanueva, to move down and live in an RV on the property.

Yeli says Villanueva was experiencing some health issues at the time. And because she is a stay-at-home mom and content creator, Yeli says it would be easy to be around to help her mom. Plus, the idea of having her kids’ grandmother close by sounded amazing, she adds.

But shortly after the couple moved into the barndominium in late 2025, they began considering a more permanent living arrangement for Villanueva, Yeli says.

“We were afraid she was gonna trip and fall and hurt herself or something. We had the bright idea to do a tiny barndo like ours, but we’ll do it ourselves,” Yeli tells CNBC Make It.

Before taking the DIY route, the Heideckers obtained quotes for a small barndominium measuring about 400 square feet. The quotes ranged from $63,000 to $93,000, so they decided the best option was to do it themselves and stick to a $30,000 budget.

On top of that, Yeli and Benjamin decided to surprise Villanueva by building the tiny home while she was in Mexico visiting family for six weeks.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat it, it was chaotic,” Yeli says. “It was definitely hard, but at the same time, it was so incredibly fulfilling and amazing to see all the work we did.”

The couple hired contractors to handle the shell, electrical work and concrete flooring for the barndominium. The rest of the work, including installing the kitchen, painting the house and putting up the walls and drywall, was done mostly by Benjamin, Yeli says, but she helped out when she wasn’t taking care of their four young children.

“It was special because we built this for Abuela,” Yeli says, using the word for grandmother in Spanish. “It was emotional seeing it finished because of all the memories of my husband and I working on it. It feels like it bonded us on a deeper level.”

When Villanueva returned to Texas in November 2025, she moved into the tiny home even though it wasn’t fully finished.

“It was the most beautiful surprise I could have found after getting back from my trip. I am very happy with it,” Villanueva tells CNBC Make It. “I laugh because the house is small, but I have absolutely everything I need. It’s perfect. I love that I’m close to my daughter and my grandchildren. I feel protected and feel safe.”

“As immigrants, when you come here, you’re fighting the American Dream, and while she’s never owned a home on paper, just seeing her have that for herself was very emotional,” Yeli adds.

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom tiny home fits a washer and dryer as well as a full-size oven, stove and refrigerator. The Heideckers created the layout of the home with Villanueva’s specific needs in mind.

As of January, the only remaining task is tiling the bathroom, which Yeli says will happen soon.

Here’s a breakdown of the major expenses for the tiny home, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. All expenses are rounded.

• Trim: $250
• Paint: $350
• Flooring: $600
• AC mini split: $750
• Cabinets: $1,300
• Plumbing: $1,500
• Drywall and lumber: $1,700
• Electricity: $1,775
• Appliances: $2,000
• Insulation: $2,100
• Miscellaneous: $6,500
• Barn shell: $12,500

In total, the home cost $31,325, including a number of miscellaneous expenses, such as power tools, countertops, lighting and faucets.

Because the tiny home is on the same property as the Heideckers’, it doesn’t have separate utility bills. Instead, the couple covers all monthly expenses, such as water, electricity and gas, while Villanueva pays about $100 a month for cable TV.

Since Villanueva moved in, Yeli says the only thing the couple regrets is not making the tiny home a little bigger, specifically in the bedroom. But for the mother and daughter, the best part is being able to live next to each other.

“It’s nice to see my kids being able to have Grandma just there, especially after we lived away from family for a very long time,” Yeli says.

Although the tiny home isn’t officially finished, Yeli and Villanueva say the barndominium and tiny home are their forever homes, respectively.

“I’m doing very well here and have no plans on ever leaving,” Villanueva says. “I have it very good here and get to enjoy it alongside my family.”

Despite how chaotic the process was for the couple to get the tiny house done in such a short amount of time, Yeli says she would do it all over again — and recommends it to others, too.

“It’s definitely worth it if you have aging parents, but even if you don’t have an aging parent, having a special unit for someone, or when you have family coming over, or something like that, it’s nice,” Yeli says.

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In Japan, snacks are called “oyatsu”: light meals eaten between 2 and 4 p.m. to recharge, and they’re especially important for kids. My own childhood favorites still bring back sweet memories.

Children need constant energy for growth and daily activity, though life can get busy and it’s easy to reach for quick, unhealthy snacks. But I see snacking as a chance for “shokuiku,” or food education, while providing key nutrients.

As a nutritionist and a parent, I focus on real, whole foods that minimize added sugar and ultra-processed ingredients. Basic cooking skills and healthy eating are some of the most valuable life skills you can teach.

To make this practical and sustainable, I divide snacks into three everyday categories. Here are the healthy snacks Japanese parents love feeding their kids.

These are ideal for busy parents and widely available in most grocery stores.

Fruits: Fresh or dried options like bananas, grapes, clementines, goji berries, dates, raisins and mango chips are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. They provide both nutrition and energy density. Perfect for growing kids!

Crackers: Look for whole-grain, multigrain or legume-based crackers. I grew up eating Japanese rice crackers flavored with seaweed, sesame, soy or shrimp. They’re easy, satisfying and low in added sugar. Paired with nuts or fruit, crackers can become an emergency mini-meal.

Seaweed: You can usually find single-serve nori snacks in any grocery store. I like cutting dried kombu into small, chewable pieces. Chewing supports jaw development, digestion and mindful eating, while providing minerals and fiber.

Nuts and beans: Nuts and roasted beans are true grab-and-go snacks rich in healthy fats, protein and minerals. I recommend walnuts for omega-3s, almonds for magnesium and vitamin E, and roasted soybeans for protein and isoflavones (a type of polyphenol). Edamame is also a nutrition powerhouse.

Shokuiku translates to “food and nutrition education.” These are my favorite snacks because they teach lifelong nutrition habits and encourage family connection.

Mochi balls (“dango”)

Ingredients

• ¾ cup (100 g) sweet rice flour (mochiko or shiratamako)
• 150 g silken tofu

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix tofu and rice flour. Knead until the texture resembles a soft earlobe.
2. Shape into small balls (about 10 grams each). Press a small indentation in the center if desired.
3. Boil water and gently drop in the dango. Once they float, continue boiling for about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer to ice water for 5 minutes.

Serve with sweet red bean paste (“anko”), maple syrup, sweet soy sauce, soup or even ice cream.

Tofu dumplings

A lower-sodium, lower-fat alternative to frozen dumplings.

Ingredients

• 14 oz firm tofu, drained
• 3 cups chopped cabbage or coleslaw mix
• ½ cup chopped scallions
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp ground roasted sesame (or 2 tbsp tahini)
• ½ tsp sea salt
• Dumpling wrappers

Directions

Mix all filling ingredients by hand. Place about ½ tablespoon of filling on each wrapper, seal with water, and shape. Pan-fry or steam. Imperfect shapes are welcome!

Small rice balls (“onigiri”)

Use brown rice, multigrain rice or legumes wrapped in nori. Add pickles, fish flakes or seaweed in the center for extra flavor and nutrients.

Hummus or guacamole with vegetables

Use store-bought versions or mash avocado with lemon juice and salt. You can also blend tofu, chickpeas and sesame seeds for a protein-rich dip. Kids love operating the blender.

In Japan, “ofukuro no aji” means “mom’s flavor” — the taste that stays with us for life. These snacks emphasize whole grains, fiber and healthy fats.

Baked or steamed sweet potatoes: Eat as-is or mash with cacao powder, matcha, dates, goji berries or nuts. Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants.

Chia and flax pudding: In a jar, combine chia seeds, ground flax seeds, frozen fruit and milk (unsweetened soy milk works well). Shake and refrigerate overnight. Top with fruit, nuts or dark chocolate chips.

Omega-3 fish pockets: Use canned sardines, mackerel or wild salmon. Drain, add lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, and season with spices. Serve in whole-grain pita with cucumber and tomato.

Chia pancakes: Combine whole wheat or buckwheat flour with chia and flax seeds. Add berries, dark chocolate chips, or a drizzle of maple syrup. Kids can help flip the pancakes, making them both a snack and an interactive cooking experience.

Keep in mind that every child has different needs, so always consult with a doctor or nutritionist before making any drastic dietary changes.

Michiko Tomioka, MBA, RDN is a certified nutritionist and longevity expert. Born and raised Nara, Japan, her approach focuses on a plant-based diet. She has worked in nutritional roles at substance recovery centers, charter schools and food banks. Follow her on Instagram @michian_rd.

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Building a healthy romantic relationship takes time and intention. Over time, meaningful experiences, personal disclosures and authentic conversations create closeness and intimacy.

To genuinely know someone, you must understand what matters to them — their likes and dislikes, passions, limits — and respecting those traits even when they differ from your own.

In fact, many strong couples come to appreciate differences, recognizing that a person’s history, quirks and tendencies are what make them unique. Here are eight phrases couples who are truly close use when talking about each other, and they should be relationship goals for all of us.

Your partner’s mistakes aren’t yours to carry, and their successes aren’t yours to claim. They are their own person living alongside you, not an extension of you.

Similar phrases:

• “She’s always been like that.”
• “I know that’s one of his favorite things to do.”

When you really understand your partner, you’re not likely to be taken aback by what they say or do. If friends are shocked by a comment or action they make, you might just smile and shrug. 

Similar phrases: 

• “Oh yeah, that’s my mate alright!”
• “That’s totally her style.”

Everyone has their own quirks, odd habits or routine preferences, from how they drink coffee to how they fold their towels. These are little things that no one else probably knows about them. But if you really know your partner, you notice those details and often find affection in them.

Similar phrases:

• “They sneeze like a train!”
• “His hiccups are kind of adorable.”

Deep knowledge builds trust. When you know your partner, you trust them to act authentically and responsibly, whether you’re together or apart.

Similar phrases:

• “She can be a little intense, but I trust her to make good choices.”
• “I know they’ll be respectful.” 

Intimacy means understanding your partner’s fundamental ideas, beliefs and principles. Even when you disagree, you can acknowledge what truly matters to them without dismissing or demeaning it.

Similar phrases:

• “I know this is really important to them.”
• “He’s very passionate about politics.”

Knowing someone deeply means understanding their fears, vulnerabilities and emotional triggers. When those struggles surface, you respond with empathy rather than judgment or defensiveness.

Similar phrases:

• “I know this is painful for them.”
• “I see her struggle and want to support her through it.”

Knowing your partner means accepting that you can’t — and shouldn’t — try to change who they are, even if it’s something you really dislike about them. True growth only happens if they choose it.

Similar phrases:

• “They’ll change only if they want to.”
• “I accept that we see this differently, even if I don’t like it.” 

Even in long-term relationships, there’s always more to learn. When couples truly know each other, discovering something new feels like an opportunity to grow, not a threat.

Similar phrases:

• “I never realized they felt that way.”
• “Even though we’ve been married for years, I’m still learning new things about him.”

Here are a few ways to start:

• Ask open-ended questions with genuine curiosity.
• Practice seeing situations from their perspective.
• Speak with respect during difficult conversations.
• Use physical touch, like hugging or holding hands, to bond.
• Show presence by putting down your phone, making eye contact and prioritizing time together.

The answer to real intimacy is simple: You have to understand and choose each other, every day.

Dr. Cortney S. Warren, PhD, is a board-certified psychologist and author of the new book “Letting Go of Your Ex.” She specializes in romantic relationships, addictive behavior, and honesty. She received her clinical training at Harvard Medical School after earning her doctorate in clinical psychology from Texas A&M University. Follow her on Instagram @DrCortneyWarren or Twitter @DrCortneyWarren.

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When I was in college, in between my English and creative writing classes, I would race a few blocks downtown to volunteer at an animal shelter on the east side of Manhattan. 

Getting lost in books and spending time with shelter dogs were the twin pillars that held together the chaos of my twenties, and what kept me sane and motivated day after day. The north star of my career has been telling stories about animals in need. 

My first job out of college was working for a dog photographer. I followed him around New York City, and then the country, and then the world, helping to carry camera equipment and making notes of all the dogs we met that day. I didn’t make good money, but I loved it. 

After seven years, I was unexpectedly let go.

It was the eve of my 30th birthday, and I was suddenly without a job. I had two options: I could find another position, or I could try to make it on my own. The choice, for me, was simple. I had to at least try to make a name for myself, doing what I loved most, which was helping dogs.

This upheaval all coincided with me moving into a new apartment with my now-fiancé, Jacob, and our special needs rescue dog, Simon. 

This apartment was special because after living in seven New York City apartments, I had a backyard for the first time. I had fostered some dogs over the years, but with a big yard and a rare dog-loving landlord, I decided it was a great time to really lean into it again.

We welcomed our first foster, a Heeler mix named Ken, a few months after moving into the new apartment. On our way to pick him up, I handed Jacob my phone and asked him to take a video of me. I had an Instagram audience of about 50,000 followers, where I posted videos about my dog. 

But I decided that I wanted to highlight the process of fostering, every step of the way. I wanted to show people exactly how it was done, so it wouldn’t be so intimidating for people who might want to try it themselves.

I spoke to the camera and explained what we were doing in the sweltering subway tunnels, my excitement and nervousness bubbling off me. We recorded the entire thing: Ken coming off the transport van, bringing him back to our apartment, and introducing him to Simon. 

Afterwards, I edited the clips together and posted it to Instagram and TikTok. Miraculously, for whatever reason, people loved it. The video blew up. On TikTok it got 257,000 views, 27,000 likes, and over 500 comments. 

I was in shock by how people responded to it, and the immediate emotional connection these strangers on the internet felt with Ken. So I continued: a video of us giving Ken a bath, a video of Ken playing with Simon, a video of Ken chasing bubbles I blew for him in the backyard. And, finally, a video of Ken getting adopted by his new mom.

Over the week that we had Ken, my audience grew. People wanted to see his journey, and the process of fostering a dog in New York City. But, more than anything, I think people wanted to see a happy, feel-good story play out in front of their eyes, to feel a piece of magic that happens when a dog is loved for the very first time.

After that first foster, I decided to focus on fostering primarily medical and behavioral cases. Simon has struggled with idiopathic epilepsy his entire life, and my experience caring for him completely shifted the way I interacted with the world and the level of patience I have.

Plus, most rescues and shelters cover all costs associated with fostering: supplies, food, and any medical procedures a dog might need, so the only thing I needed to sacrifice was my time and heart.

I wanted to tell the stories of the dogs who would otherwise be forgotten and show the world how incredible they are. 

Since Ken, I have fostered nearly 30 difficult medical cases and found them all loving homes. I’ve raised over half a million dollars for animal welfare organizations. I’ve worked with brands like Toyota, Chewy, The Farmer’s Dog, and Williams Sonoma. I’ve grown my audience to over two million followers across platforms. 

And, my greatest dream came true. I wrote a memoir called “Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About,” and it will be published in the spring.

I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have made a career doing exactly what I’ve always dreamed of: helping dogs and telling stories. I have more freedom, I make more money, and I’m making a bigger impact. 

My biggest advice for people who hope to make their passion their full-time job is to start small. Before I went out on my own, I did freelance content creation for a year and a half. I reached out to every dog brand I could think of and asked if they needed help creating content or managing their social media.

My biggest client was Adopt a Pet and Kinship, where I got to travel to shelters and highlight adoptable dogs. It wasn’t until it became unsustainable to work full time and do content creation that I actually stopped those jobs. But the connections I made absolutely helped forge my way as an independent creator.

Every day looks different for me: Some days I’m picking up a dog from the shelter and scrubbing feces off of them, some days I’m doing a photoshoot with my previous foster dogs for Oscar de la Renta, and some days I’m sitting in a coffee shop, hoping to meet my writing deadline on time.

What has become most apparent to me, through every foster dog and every journey I document, is that dogs are one of the greatest human connectors that we have. 

They represent life, love, loss, joy, sadness, and living each day in the moment. They ground us, motivate us, and when you tell their stories, people can’t help but listen. Never in a million years did I think that telling my stories could turn into a career. But as I sit in my Brooklyn apartment with my rescue dog snoring at my feet, I am eternally grateful that it did.

Isabel Klee is a dog owner, writer and content creator. She shares her experiences rehabilitating foster dogs on social media @SimonSits. She lives Brooklyn with her fiancé, Jacob and her rescue dog, Simon. She is the author of the upcoming memoir ”Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About.”

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has some advice, and he says that nearly everyone would benefit by following it: Get an AI tutor.

“I have a personal [artificial intelligence] tutor with me all of the time. And I think that feeling should be universal,” Huang told journalist Cleo Abram’s YouTube interview show “Huge Conversations,” in an episode that aired last month.

That’s a virtual tutor powered by AI, not a human who can teach you how to use AI more effectively. “If there’s one thing I would encourage everybody to do, [it’s] to go get yourself an AI tutor right away,” said Huang, whose company makes computer chips that have helped power recent AI tech advances.

Huang’s preferred tutor is Perplexity’s AI-powered search engine, which he called a “really helpful” tool in an interview with the Bipartisan Policy Center last year. He uses it daily to learn about a multitude of subjects, including digital biology, he added. The search engine, like many other generative AI tools, offers users both free and paid subscription options.

Other AI platforms are designed to act more specifically as tutors, like free tutoring service Sizzle and Khan Academy’s Khanmigo AI tutor, which costs $4 per month.

DON’T MISS: How to use AI to be more productive and successful at work

″[AI programs can] teach you things — anything you like — help you program, help you write, help you analyze, help you think, help you reason,” Huang told Abram. “All of those things [are] going to really make you feel empowered and I think that’s going to be our future.”

AI tools come with caveats. They still frequently make factual errors, and experts say you should only use them to help your work — not to do your work for you. Huang uses his favorite AI tools to write the first drafts of his own work, he said at a Wired event last year.

He’s hopeful, however, that within the next 10 years, the technology will help most people learn more easily and quickly in nearly every kind of daily setting, he told Abram.

“I think that [in] the next decade, intelligence — not for everything, but for some things — would basically become superhuman,” said Huang, adding: “We’re going to become superhumans — not because we have super[powers]. We’re going to become superhumans because we have super AIs.”

Huang does have a vested interest in preaching AI’s value, and the technology’s growing popularity could be a double-edged sword. Roughly 75% of Americans worry that the tech will eventually result in fewer jobs for humans, according to an August 2024 Gallup survey. AI could automate roughly half of all human “work activities” by 2030 at the earliest, according to a 2023 study from consulting group McKinsey.

AI will indeed help employees do their jobs more efficiently, but it’ll be a temporary boon, current Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman wrote in his 2023 book “The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century’s Greatest Dilemma.”

“They will make us smarter and more efficient for a time, and will unlock enormous amounts of economic growth, but they are fundamentally labor replacing,” he wrote, adding that AI’s spread “will be hugely destabilizing for hundreds of millions who will, at the very least, need to re-skill and transition to new types of work.”

Perhaps predictably, Huang disagrees. As Nvidia’s CEO, he’s surrounded by thousands of smart employees, “and yet it never one day caused me to think, all of a sudden, ‘I’m no longer necessary,’” he said. It “actually empowers me and gives me the confidence to go tackle more and more ambitious things.”

The same logic applies to AI, he said: “Suppose now everybody is surrounded by these super AIs that are very good at specific things … What would that make you feel? Well, it’s going to empower you. It’s going to make you feel confident.”

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