Preparing Your Home for Your Vacation

Things to consider regarding your home when going on a vacation:

- Use timers on lights and radios/tv's... Leave blinds open just the slightest to allow the light to shine out.

- Have a neighbor park in your driveway to give the illusion that someone is home.

- Coordinate with a neighbor to make sure your trash cans get out and then get pulled back in if the trash collection happens while you're away. Trash cans left at the curb or not put out on trash day are a dead giveaway that nobody's home.

- Have someone bring in mail, water plants, and care for your pets.

- Turn down the ringer on your phone and the volume on your answering machine.

- Pack your car with the garage door closed. Don't advertise to just anyone driving by that you're planning on leaving your home unoccupied.

- For added security, unplug your garage door opener (after you've gotten your car out of the garage and closed the door again, of course).

- Shut off valves to your washing machine and to toilets and sinks. It's added insurance you won't come home to a flood!

- Open doors to rooms/closets so your house will smell less stuffy when you come home. Don't leave windows open, however.

- Clean out your fridge. Get rid of anything that will be past its usefulness when you get home. Take the garbage all the way out of the house and into the cans that will go out on trash day (see #3).

- Make a plan for your first meal or two after you return. Use shelf-stable items or frozen foods, but have a plan so you don't have to rush to the store first thing the next morning to grab something for breakfast.
- Turn down your thermostat to save energy while you're gone.

- DO NOT announce your absence to your Facebook page, your Twitter, or on your blog. You never know who reads your post, and you don't know who you can trust. Save your posting for after you're home. Better safe than sorry!

What did I miss?? Any other ideas??

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Susan Powell's Missing Poster

She could have been my sister, your sister, your friend. In reality, she is the sister of a friend of mine, and it breaks my heart what her family is going through. Please share this missing poster wherever you can. Participate in the social media blitz to increase awareness of her missing case. Twitter #findsusan.



If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

We Will Never Forget

Let us pause for a moment today and reflect on the events that shook our nation eight years ago... Below is a post I wrote on my family blog and I felt I should share it here as well. Take time today to REMEMBER.

Should we really call this day a "holiday?" When I think of the word "holiday," memories of fun days out of school, presents, parades, and joyful celebrations come to mind.

No, today is not a holiday. Today is a day of remembrance. Today is a day that is forever etched in our hearts. A day like no other; one that has left a deep and painful scar. Most days we can ignore it. It's in the back of our memories, filed away with unpleasant things like a painful trip to the dentist or losing a job. We just don't think about them on a daily basis. Why would we? They are not something we like to dwell on. Those memories hurt.

At the same time, September 11th is painful in ways a trip to the dentist or losing a job never could be. The pain is deeper, much more personal. It hurts alongside our deep sense of patriotism. We take our freedoms for granted. September 11th reminds us that we should never take those precious freedoms for granted. We are a country who found ourselves united in common horror at the events that unfolded that day. How could this happen in the land of the free, the home of the brave? What kind of people would do this to our country? To the thousands of people who went to work that day as if it was a day like any other? Today I think of their families. The thousands upon thousands of tears that have been shed; the hole in their hearts because of missing loved ones who should not have lost their lives in such a way.

We try really hard not to dwell on the events of September 11th, 2001 because our hearts grieve. We may not know someone personally who lost their life, but we are each deeply effected. Today I am going to let my guard down and let the pain in. Today I am going to shed a tear as I remember the events of September 11th, 2001 as if it were yesterday. Today I am going to remember the shock, the horror, and the devastation I felt as I realized the panic that the Americans of New York were experiencing. Today I will be especially grateful for the service men & women who willingly risk their lives for the freedoms I take for granted every single day. Today I will resolve to not bury the painful memories of September 11th so deeply in my heart. Today I will hug my children a little tighter, be a little kinder, and remember that we live in a great country - the greatest in the world - one that was forever changed seven years ago. I will teach my children to value the land in which they live. To honor the memory of those whose lives were so viciously ripped from them by the horrific events of September 11th, 2001.

I remember that day... I was on my way to work. I worked as nanny about an hour's drive from my house. My 3 year old daughter was sitting in the back seat and we were about halfway there when I turned on the radio. I was at a stoplight waiting to turn left. When the light turned green, I had a hard time putting my foot on the gas pedal. It felt like a bad dream. I was waiting for someone to come on the radio and say that it wasn't really happening. How could it be happening? We lived in the United States of America. Things like that didn't happen here, did they?

Once I got to the home where I worked, we sat glued to the television for hours. No one left the house that day. We tried to explain what was happening to our little girls, but they were oblivious, happy in their ignorance to what was going on on the other side of the country. For days it felt like I was walking around in a terrible nightmare. It hadn't really happened like that, had it?

What occurred in the days that followed was our country's way of coping with the shock and devastation. Thousands of American flags were everywhere. We had one hanging from our front porch, one in the back window of our car, and one hanging inside the front window of our house. Stores were selling out of American flags faster than they could get them in. Yet, as the weeks and months passed, American flags seemed to fade from the forefront. We buried our painful memories of that day and put the flags away. We didn't want to remember. It hurt too much.

Eight years have passed since that day. Eight years. It's hard to believe it's been that long. At the same time, it feels like an eternity ago. So much has changed. And so much hasn't. Today I challenge everyone reading this to hang an American flag. Remember. Hang a flag outside of your home. On your car window. Even on your blog. Anywhere to show that you remember. You remember how precious our freedoms are. You remember the everyday heroes that are our American soldiers that fight for and defend our treasured freedoms all over the world. You say, to the world,

"We will never forget."

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Ant Killer w/o Chemicals

Along the same lines as the Weed Killer post I did recently, I wanted to share a way to kill off those nasty teeny little ants that seem to come out of the woodwork (literally!) this time of year withOUT the use of harsh and dangerous chemicals.

If you sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal where you see the ants trailing, they will take it back with them and eat it. Their bodies can't digest it and they die. (Okay, so a little inhumane for the ants, but no worse than a chemical ant poison.) You get an ant killer without the risk of harming children, pets, etc that you get when you use harsh chemicals.

I had a family member's dog recently get into an ant poison stash that was seemingly impossible for her to reach. (I understand something in the ant poison smells attractive to dogs.) Poor doggy got really sick, has been to see the vet twice, but will be okay. Still on the mend nearly a week later. Could easily have killed her.

Don't risk it. Try this simple solution first. I've used it and it worked great!

Our Week "Off"

So, we took a week off from television and the internet/computer last week. I appreciate that I haven't lost my wonderful readers in that time! At least, I hope I haven't. :) Here are a few things I learned about myself and my family during that week:

1. I like the quiet of the TV not being on.
2. I store a lot of my recipes on my computer. :(
3. I still love to read. (I read four of the Anne of Green Gables books in 6 days!)
4. My kids will not shrivel up and die without television, much to their surprise (but not mine).
5. My kids have a lot of great toys and we have a fabulous collection of board games.
6. A little television/internet is a good thing when it comes to the news/weather report -- it would have been nice not to be so surprised by the foot of snow we got on Wednesday morning. Yikes!
7. I really did spend more time on the computer than I was aware of. Not any more! (I got SO much done this past week!)
8. My kids play with each other more without the TV on. And most of the time, they get along!
9. The more time that went by without the television or computer, the easier it got.
10. I really like the option of turning on the television and/or computer every once in a while (I gotta be honest!) - but my time using each "modern convenience" will be significantly less than it was before this past week "off."

We decided as a family that we would take Sundays off permanently from TV and the computer/internet. I challenge anyone who wants to re-prioritize their time to consider taking a few days "off." It will really make a difference!

Snow Bacteria???

When I originally told some family members about my Snow Ice Cream post, they were quick to point out that snow has harmful, disgusting bacteria in it and the idea of making ice cream out of it was gross!!

I did some research and learned a little bit about the relationship between bacteria and snow. Fascinating information...

In a nutshell:

• in order for snow to form, it must have something to "hang on to"
• most of the time, snow latches on to bacteria in the atmosphere when it is forming
  
• this bacteria is in no way harmful to people -- not at all
• we eat things covered in bacteria all the time
• not all bacteria are harmful/bad/gross

To learn more, read the full article, "Bacteria, Eating Snow, and Climate Change."

That said, you should still avoid dirty and/or yellow snow. :P I like the idea of putting out a bucket to catch fresh snow in when it is snowing -- and use that snow for your ice cream.

So go out and make some Snow Ice Cream before the snow is gone! :)

Removing Adhesive Labels from Plastic and Wood

1. Peel off as much of the label as you can.
2. With warm, soapy water, wash and scrub the outside of the plastic jar. Soak it if necessary until you can get all the paper of the label off. Use a washcloth and scrub till the only thing left is the sticky adhesive underneath.
3. Use a dry washcloth and pour a little bit of mineral oil onto it. Rub over the sticky adhesive until it is all gone. It may take a bit of rubbing, but be patient and it will come off.
   
4. Wash with warm, soapy water again to remove the mineral oil and dry with a soft towel.
   

I swear, you would've never guessed it had a label on it to begin with!

Mineral oil can also work to remove stickers from wood. Just peel off as much of the label as you can, and skip step #2. It will take quite a bit of rubbing with a soft cloth, but it will come off and be good as new without damaging your wood.

Presidential Inauguration

Today, it doesn't matter who I voted for. It doesn't matter what my "political affiliation" is. Today I am proud to be an American. Today I salute President Barack Obama and look forward with hope and faith in the future of our new president.

Click here to view video of President Obama being sworn in.

Click here to read President Obama's Inaugural address.

Click here to view a slideshow of Presidential Inauguration photos.

God Bless America!!

Homemade "Febreeze" Fabric Refresher

2 cups liquid fabric softener
2 cups baking soda
4 cups hot water

Purchase a large spray bottle. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water; allow to cool completely. Put fabric softener in it and fill the spray bottle. Spray it lightly on furniture, curtains, carpets and bedding for a nice fresh scent.

Yahoo Web Beacons - Yikes!

I belong to a few Yahoo groups (FreeCycle, Clever Homemaker, Sunbeams Group, etc) and this was posted on the Clever Homemaker Yahoo group... I thought I'd pass it along. It kind of freaks me out that this is legal! Geez, Yahoo!! Makes me wanna "opt out" of being involved with anything Yahoo-related! Do yourself a favor and take the time to "opt out" of this disturbing practice of Yahoo's of following you around the web using "web beacons."

"As part of our continuing efforts to serve our list-members we will pass along any general Yahoo Groups-related announcements that are of relevance to all of you such as the one below:

Yahoo is Tracking Group Members

If you belong to ANY Yahoo Group - be aware that Yahoo is now using "Web Beacons" to track every Yahoo Group USER/MEMBER. It's similar to cookies, but allows Yahoo to record every website and every group you visit, even when you're not connected to Yahoo. Look at their updated privacy statement at http://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/details.html

About half-way down the page, in the section on *cookies*, you will see a link that says *WEB BEACONS*.

Click on the phrase "Web Beacons." On the page that opens, on the left find a box entitled "Opt-Out."

In that section find "opt-out of interest-matched advertising" link that will let you "opt-out" of their snooping. Click it and then click the opt-out button on the next page.

Note that Yahoo's invasion of your privacy - and your ability to opt-out of it - is not user-specific. It is MACHINE specific. That means you will have to opt-out on every computer (and browser) you use.

Please forward this to your other groups. You might complain, too, but I'm not sure if anyone is listening. I remember when they signed all users up to get spam and we had to opt out of that a few years ago--- and probably still do.

Dear Abby's New Year's Resolutions

(copied from today's Dear Abby column)

DEAR READERS: Rise and shine, everyone! Welcome to a brand-new year. Today is our chance for a new beginning, the day we discard destructive habits for healthy new ones. With that in mind, I'm printing Dear Abby's oft-requested list of New Year's resolutions -- adapted by my mother from the original credo of Al-Anon.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will live through this day only. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once. I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will be happy. I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me. If my mind fills with clouds, I will chase them away and fill it with sunshine.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things that I can correct and accept those I cannot.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I'll not speak ill of others. I'll improve my appearance, speak softly, and not interrupt when someone else is talking. Just for today, I'll refrain from improving anybody but myself.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will do something positive to improve my health. If I'm a smoker, I'll quit. If I'm overweight, I'll eat healthily -- if only just for today. And not only that, I'll get off the couch and take a brisk walk, even if it's only around the block.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibility for my own actions.

Oprah's Meaningful & Inexpensive Gift Ideas

I am not a huge Oprah fan, but today I watched her show because it was "How to Have the Thriftiest Holiday Ever!" I'm not one to pass up thrifty holiday ideas!

For the next 48 hours, you can download a CD worth of holiday songs from artists like Josh Groban (a personal fave of mine), Aretha Franklin, and Harry Connick Jr (another favorite) for FREE from the Oprah website HERE. From the same page you can download a CD cover for it! Cool, huh?

Also on her show she talked about an idea I simply LOVE. From her website: "Oprah has received many gifts over the years, but she says the gift that means the most to her is one that cost the least. 'A few years ago at my 50th Happy Birthday luncheon, my friends wrote me heartfelt notes that they then placed inside this silver box,' Oprah says. 'The words from your heart mean more to people than anything you can buy.' The tradition was carried on at Oprah's Legends Ball, when some of the younger women—like Alicia Keys, Debbie Allen and Halle Berry—wrote letters to Oprah. The letters were turned into a book, a keepsake that became the inspiration behind this thrifty idea: gratitude boxes." For more information on Gratitude Boxes and ideas on ways to use them, go to the Oprah website HERE. You can even download notecards with the sayings: "What I Love About You...", "Thank you for..." and "My Holiday Wish For You..." What a clever and thoughtful idea!!

And don't forget, you only have 48 hours to download your FREE HOLIDAY MUSIC CD!!

Stuffing Christmas Packages

Save all the scraps from your wrapping paper and put them through your shredder. Use this as cushioning/filler for packages you send out to loved ones through the mail. :)

Hair Spray Isn't Just For Your Hair!

I found a new blog that I simply LOVE. Check out Life Hackery's 18 Hair-Raising Uses for Hair Spray!

Among them...

• Preservative for Cut Flowers

• Means of Self-Defense

• Ink Remover

Check it out!!

Thanksgiving Garland

I got the idea for this from The High-Heeled Mama when she was featured on Tip Junkie. I took the idea and made it my own, however. :)

The kids and I made it an afternoon project. We went out and tried to find a non-crunchy maple leaf -- not a simple task in late November! But we found one that was good-sized and brought it inside. Then we took yellow, orange, and red construction paper and a black crayon. We took the paper off the black crayon and did a crayon rubbing of the maple leaf on each sheet of construction paper and cut them out. We did a total of ten leaves, two for each person in our family. Then I used a Sharpie to write our names on them. I stapled them to a bit of ribbon and hung them on the wall. Easy!

Every morning and every evening until Thanksgiving we'll be writing something we're grateful for on our leaves. (As you can see in the picture, Spencer [age 2] is thankful for buses!) Next year I'm going to make our garland on November 1st and make 5 or more leaves for each person and do this for the whole month leading up to Thanksgiving!

Another idea is to tape the "leaves" on an outline of a tree & branches drawn on a piece of posterboard. That would be cute too! :)

Mormon Mommy Blogs

I just added a button on my sidebar to Mormon Mommy Blogs, an awesome list of blogs. I've requested that they add me to their listings... Go check 'em out!!

Vote!!

Still having a hard time deciding who to vote for? You're not alone...

The website OnTheIssues.org outlines where the different candidates stand on the major issues, including their voting record on those issues. It makes for some interesting reading - and just might give those of us still undecided a way to become convinced of one candidate over another. It even has sections for candidates running for office at the state level.

And (as if you could possibly forget), DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!