tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513858381309655192024-03-05T05:29:32.807-08:00What Do I Know?Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-17244734371448679132011-06-28T19:34:00.000-07:002011-06-28T19:34:23.124-07:00It's a 4 ring circus!Every June friends and family say to me, "Am I in the dog house?" "Did we break up?"and the like. <br />
<br />
June is a time of year where all of my weaknesses come crashing together into one big MESS. All of that time I spent procrastinating and being unorganized comes back to haunt me in every space in my life. My classroom is a disaster, the school kids' behavior is a disaster, my own kids' behavior is a disaster, and my own house is a disaster. What with so many disasters in one person's life something has to give...yep it's sanity. During June I barely speak to anyone that doesn't have an immediate and easily resolved need. I have learned that I can handle chaos and disarray in up to 3 rings of my circus, but when you add that fourth ring into the mix I've met my match.<br />
<br />
So sorry to anyone who had an unmet need this June. Next year be sure to get your order in during May! <br />
<br />
Hooray for July!Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-4252148082146486032011-06-20T17:47:00.000-07:002011-06-20T17:47:05.301-07:00Peach Leaf CurlLast fall we started filling our yard with fruit! We bought nearly 20 blueberry bushes and two peach trees. A few weeks ago I went down to have a chat with the peach trees about healthy development and the role of all things living in my yard (You must be hearty to survive around here, but we will surely appreciate you if you can stay alive...). As I was poking around I noticed that some of the leaves looked like they were melting. Hmm.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz91a459uRljxcBUs6WjKezelQKgqOaCE9W7DG6xJxuv2tWmuepIWFGJM5WmhD-ehU6s5wIP2x0SEKJpdSJeGDjMoxAlfz0KQVIr5iM7D0VIH1TNxE5Mj1WZ41lcXPuc7yptmXpXzVlcdw/s1600/peach-leaf-curl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz91a459uRljxcBUs6WjKezelQKgqOaCE9W7DG6xJxuv2tWmuepIWFGJM5WmhD-ehU6s5wIP2x0SEKJpdSJeGDjMoxAlfz0KQVIr5iM7D0VIH1TNxE5Mj1WZ41lcXPuc7yptmXpXzVlcdw/s320/peach-leaf-curl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After a bit of investigation I am sad to announce that both of these young peach trees have <a href="http://www.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/factsheets/leaf_curl_sheet.htm">Leaf Curl</a>.<br />
<br />
Bummer.<br />
<br />
I called our local garden center, where we bought them, and they told me to buy an organic fungicide spray for now. Treat the tree every week or so after removing the worst of the effected leaves and disposing of them in the trash because this fungus can hang around and continue to infect the trees and near by (like my poor neighbor's nectarine and plum) trees. I've pulled off all of the cute and fuzzy little orbs that thought they'd be peaches one day so that the tree can put all of it's efforts into fighting fungus. In the fall, they will need to be treated with another fungicide that can be sprayed on as well.<br />
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They must be strong and hearty, huh? <br />
<br />
Let's hope so.Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-34698451277868709292011-06-17T17:54:00.000-07:002011-06-17T17:54:48.178-07:00Seacoast Science CenterThe <a href="http://www.seacoastsciencecenter.org/">Seacoast Science Center </a>in Rye NH<br />
<br />
If you've never been there, you must go!<br />
<br />
My class goes each day for one week every spring. We are immersed in local science topics! It is a teacher's dream!<br />
<ul><li>Did you know birds don't have a bladder so the pee and poop at the same time?</li>
<li>How about how to assemble the bones of a locally found seal?</li>
<li>I can tell the difference between a dog whelk and a periwinkle. Ever seen a tiny hole bored into a shell? Probably the work of a dog whelk!</li>
<li>Asian Shore Crabs are an aggressive and invasive species.</li>
<li>Poison ivy not only grows it's itchy three leaves close to the ground, it can grow into vines that can choke a tree!</li>
<li>Bittersweet, another invasive plant.</li>
<li>Coniferous forests vs Deciduous forests</li>
<li>Quaker's Rouge is a fuzzy plant in the Lamb's ear family used by Native Americans to line moccasins and Quaker women, not allowed to wear makeup, rubbed it on cheeks causing a reaction on their skin, thus nature's blush! </li>
</ul>This list could go on and on...the SSC is a treasure on our local shores. Please visit them for a hike, some of their exhibits, or just a day digging around the tidepools!Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-86470821708045536332011-06-14T17:59:00.000-07:002011-06-14T17:59:15.906-07:00How hard is it?I've learned that it takes a serious amount of commitment and dedication to keep up a blog...especially one that people are interested in reading! I love to read others' blogs about food, how they live their lives closer to nature and how they are trying to be more self sustainable. I am inspired by them!<br />
<br />
Today I'm also reflecting on emotional exhaustion. Students at the end of a school year have so much to deal with...<br />
<ul><li>the excitement of the upcoming summer</li>
<li>the stress of the upcoming summer (will I have friends? will I have shelter? will I be bored? will I have enough Xbox games to play?)</li>
<li>the crazy interruptions in daily schedules at the end of the year</li>
<li>multiple assessments</li>
<li>finishing up projects, with time constraints,</li>
<li>teacher's excitement of the upcoming summer</li>
<li>teacher's stress of the upcoming summer</li>
<li>seeing the classroom and school being taken apart piece by piece and stuffed into a box or a walmart bag</li>
<li>thinking about missing friends</li>
<li>stressing about the transition to next year's grade</li>
<li>did I return all my library books?</li>
<li>did I pass my math test?</li>
<li>what will my report card look like?</li>
<li>who will sign my year book?</li>
<li>will I get invited to that end of year pool party?</li>
<li> winning Fun Day</li>
<li>owing the cafeteria money</li>
</ul>Holy Crow, no wonder we are exhausted. Tomorrow I will make extra efforts to see a bigger picture for my kids, big ones and small ones!Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-88768493807468809362011-04-28T19:33:00.000-07:002011-04-28T19:33:26.658-07:00Why aren't we all taking this??<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've been on a quest (yes, there are a lot of quests...) to find alternative ways to support my busy 7 year old's attention issues. This has presented itself over the years; in Kindergarten it was "he can't stand still during the pledge", in First grade "he swings his body around all about the room, but it's getting better", and in Second grade (this is the killer) "just think of how much more he <i>could</i> be learning if he were not wandering around the room" OUCH.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My frustration with this is that where does a busy boy (or girl for that matter) get to be themselves? Keeping in mind I teach in a public school, I am at a loss for kids like this. We expect kids to fit into the mold for "Sit at your desk, read, write, calculate. Do some at home. Come back and do it some more tomorrow." There are so many opportunities to teach kids as they move...outside, in a hallway, in the community, in small groups. Yet we don't take advantage of these opportunities nearly enough, in some cases EVER. Tied by so many factors; prescribed curricula, standardized test scores, curriculum maps that must fit teachers into the same mold, meeting after meeting, standards, data. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This was not meant to be a rant actually. I got a bit carried away! I love my job. I love my kid. I so wish I had an educational solution for him and others like him...I'll keep working on it!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But today I learned about the health benefits of<a href="http://www.brighthub.com/health/diet-nutrition/articles/38860.aspx"> HEMP OIL</a>. Are you gasping? In many places it's labeled the perfect oil </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>that contains the most balanced and richest natural single source of essential oils for human consumption. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>There is a long list of health benefits:</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>lower cholesterol</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>increased energy</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>reduced symptoms of arthritis, PMS</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>improved psoriasis</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>healthier hair, skin, nails</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>improved brain function</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>the list goes on and on.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>SO, now, on the door of my fridge I have a large brown bottle of this nutty oil and while I bought it with my 7 year old (and his teacher) in mind, it will bring good health to everyone in our family.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>I'm off to see how clever folks on the internet use this dynamic oil...I'll keep you posted! :)</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><br />
</span></span></div>Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-55054418162936520562011-04-24T18:49:00.000-07:002011-04-24T18:49:32.540-07:00My 7 year old knows everything...I wonder how it is for my 7 year old to know everything there is to know already...where is there to go as an obnoxious teenager? :)<br />
<br />
He assures me that when a skunk sprays it hurts the skunk. I can't find any evidence to prove or deny this, can you?Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-39030266236562057922011-04-21T17:39:00.000-07:002011-04-21T17:39:04.250-07:00Whole lotta learnin' going on...Almost an entire month? This is not good, hopefully you all can't possibly think I've learned nothing in a whole month. In fact it's been quite exciting since the beginning of April around here...<br />
<br />
I've learned<br />
*that Mother Nature has a weird sense of April Fools humor<br />
*how to navigate the NH unemployment website<br />
*that sending out resumes and applying for jobs in 2011 is very different than 8-10 years ago. There's no one to talk to, no one to impress with your follow up call or your fancy paper. A lot of times you don't even get to show off your artistic formatting skills because the computer actually pulls pertinent information off your resume and automatically fills the cells it sees fit!<br />
*Discouraged is a dirty word, and an easy one to hang on to<br />
*how to find a broken tooth in the burn pit<br />
*that our on call family practice doctor "is not a dentist", and therefore can offer absolutely no advice on knocked out teeth<br />
*that you should try very hard not to break your tooth on a weekend when there is a regional dental conference in Boston, because it is very, very difficult to find someone to answer your panicked call about said broken tooth. <br />
*that breaking off one's front tooth is not dire, and despite the weird feeling of it and the pain of having a large piece of wood jammed into one's mouth, you can actually wait several days for a dentist to fix it.<br />
*that an accomplished dentist can actually GLUE the bottom half of a tooth back on. I am most surprised about that one!<br />
*that nature and gardening saves a tiny piece of my sanity<br />
*that losing weight is hard<br />
*that I love sweets...a lot<br />
*that losing weight is hard<br />
*that faith is not just the bible and what you learn about in church<br />
And while I already knew this one, I am reminded of how great my kids are and how fast time flies! <br />
<br />
***Don't get distracted, you might miss something really great like that flock of wild turkeys, or that third hug before you run out the door! It's been an interesting month! Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-35693392435227194362011-03-30T19:11:00.000-07:002011-03-30T19:11:24.772-07:00Report Card SeasonDuring report card week, I am met with comments like this..."You look tired today, you don't usually look tired. You OK?"<br />
<br />
It takes me forever to settle into the rhythm of doing report cards, my attention span comes and goes (well, mostly goes actually) and I always wait until the weekend before they are due. Thus, I am indeed tired!<br />
<br />
I did learn today that you can eat an entire 11 WW points plus whoopie pie and still lose weight! I'm starting to learn how to eat in a pretty normal way and continue to lose. Very happy.<br />
<br />
Sleepily yours,<br />
MeAngihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-15105936491871873482011-03-23T16:50:00.000-07:002011-03-23T16:50:37.058-07:00Somerize Yourself!Today I learned a perfectly random piece of information. <br />
<br />
DID YOU KNOW SUZANNE SOMERS HAS HER OWN SWEETENER??<br />
<br />
She sure does. At our local library I found <u>Suzanne Somers' Eat, Cheat, and Melt the Fat Away</u> on the $.50 rack as a joke for my husband (an inside joke, that is). I am a sucker for a recipes so I started to leaf through it...<br />
<br />
In 2001, when the book was published, one could spend $25.00 to begin the process of "<b>Somerizing</b>" oneself! Who Knew? Her book is about the evils of sugar and how you can address changes in your metabolism, and thus lose weight, with different food combinations. There are three stages to her plan...at this point I did stop reading. I've got my plate full of Weight Watcher's tips and tricks for now. <br />
<br />
But not before I found out she crafted her very own <b>SOMERSWEET</b>. "Wow", I thought. "That must not have lasted too long, never even heard of it." Lo and behold <a href="http://www.suzannesomers.com/somersweet/"><b>SomerSweet Online Today!!</b></a><br />
<br />
I am astounded! How many of you knew? Better yet, how many of you have Somerized yourself or your family? Come on, fess up. Please??Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-84218919648077767222011-03-21T18:30:00.000-07:002011-03-21T18:30:04.881-07:00Spring QuestI'm on a quest this year.<br />
For the first time ever (well, maybe the second but I'm not counting that one other time) I have gardens ready and waiting for me to plant this spring. I'm so excited! Last summer Shawn built me 6 beautiful raised beds, three of which I planted in.<br />
This year I want to be ready so I'm reading and reading and planning and planning (for those of you who know me you realize how difficult the planning and planning part of this is for me...) in hopes of being ready with a plan of what to plant and when to plant it.<br />
So far I've learned I lack gardening instincts when it comes to planning...<br />
<br />
Any suggestions?Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-6399404630322323912011-03-15T18:32:00.000-07:002011-03-15T18:32:29.270-07:00Tricks of the trade...Some of this may qualify as too much information and definitely not for Weight Watcher purists...for the bravest (and curiousest) of you carry on! <br />
<br />
I've been a member of Weight Watchers at Work programs 3 times in the last three years...each time I chuckle with other participants about playing the system. Like:<br />
*'bulking up' the week before the program starts<br />
*wearing my winter boots and heaviest clothes on the first weigh in and as little as possible on subsequent weigh ins<br />
*eating and drinking as little as possible on weigh in days<br />
It goes on and on really. None of them show any fidelity to the program or that my eating mentality has reached the level of a true "Life Time Weight Watcher", which is why I keep signing up. <br />
<br />
One time last year I decided to weigh my shoes, normally I just wore whatever I had on for the day because they don't like you to step on the scale with undressed feet. MY SHOES WEIGHED TWO POUNDS!!! I was shocked. You know I carefully chose shoes after that.<br />
<br />
I am now a proud and somewhat obsessed owner of a WW scale. I like to play with it to see how I can effect my weight in ridiculous ways. "How much does this belt weigh?" "How much do I weigh before and after an apple?" Yes, ridiculous I know, but you get the picture. <br />
<br />
Another way some people like to 'play the system' is to be sure to relieve themselves just before weighing in. "Ahhh, small potatoes," I thought. NOT TRUE! I hopped on the scale just as I got out of bed the other day (obsessed), then took care of a little business and hopped back on. FIVE POUND DIFFERENCE! I'm not talking about serious business either, just your average overnight business. Holy crow!<br />
<br />
I love the lessons WW teaches about living in a healthy and real way but I love the little science lessons I'm getting along the way too! Thanks WW!<br />
:)Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-33959435807348884532011-03-11T15:31:00.000-08:002011-03-11T15:31:21.632-08:00Today...Today I am reminded to be thankful for all that we have, even when it doesn't go the way we want it to.<br />
<br />
Thoughts and prayers to everyone effected by the tragedies in Japan.Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-63230154702685921832011-03-09T18:37:00.000-08:002011-03-09T18:38:45.839-08:00Still Recovering from the Shock...OK that was a bit dramatic but let me tell you what I found with that little electrical testing gadget...<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #990000;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #bf9000;">If I run my yogurt maker for 9 hours four times in a month, my bill would increase $.50.</div><div style="color: #bf9000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #bf9000; text-align: center;">If I run my crockpot on low for the same amount of time in a month, my bill would increase $3.50.</div><div style="color: #bf9000; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #bf9000; text-align: center;">If I run my dehydrator for that amount of time, my bill would increase <b style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">$18.00! </span></b><span style="color: red;"> GAAHHHHHH</span>!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I am still planning to test out the other appliances in my house but this finding has sent me cowering into a corner for a little while. I'm so disappointed in my dehydrator. What's a dried fruit lover to do???</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-58375374624619309922011-03-02T18:31:00.000-08:002011-03-02T18:31:48.231-08:00NH SavesToday I started learning about the energy detector I borrowed from work! One part of it is a unit that you can use to calculate the monthly cost of your appliances...very cool. However it involves a lot of numbers, not my favorite. I've been gathering data on items around my kitchen:<br />
the yogurt maker<br />
the crock pot<br />
coffee maker<br />
toaster<br />
dehydrator <br />
<br />
When my head is clear I'll do some of the very basic calculations and see what damage I'm doing when these things are running. What do you think will be the biggest surprise?Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-25848608567241852202011-02-28T17:02:00.000-08:002011-02-28T17:02:48.179-08:00What's it called when you mix two great things?<div style="color: #38761d; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pepperidge Farms has given my picky eater something to smile about! </b></span></div><br />
Imagine this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvYTQeGzEVn85PqSSnMXU5T0yBTOTUb8v8ykqugnT92g9L66_RMSEm1bhpgWB99lq668i_-le6Uk1AXclrPTaA887Kul207dVd0gGjL660PiKGeqQRDTWRw1iaeuli36CWpseoBQ1hn37/s1600/deliflat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvYTQeGzEVn85PqSSnMXU5T0yBTOTUb8v8ykqugnT92g9L66_RMSEm1bhpgWB99lq668i_-le6Uk1AXclrPTaA887Kul207dVd0gGjL660PiKGeqQRDTWRw1iaeuli36CWpseoBQ1hn37/s320/deliflat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Plus this<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiY3B0wFGZfxOnivSBKRzN2IJ5otdp5QeaOXkgatRt1N8QOSa4ksw26JXYdKVV365VEaN2i505L45vIPHSsu2wFMr13Zyt__9CNEfHcPwoSunHcANeXCgO4IlRqUqjkYgz093KahHu85B4/s1600/goldfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiY3B0wFGZfxOnivSBKRzN2IJ5otdp5QeaOXkgatRt1N8QOSa4ksw26JXYdKVV365VEaN2i505L45vIPHSsu2wFMr13Zyt__9CNEfHcPwoSunHcANeXCgO4IlRqUqjkYgz093KahHu85B4/s320/goldfish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My youngest found them on a corner shelf at the end of an aisle at Hannaford today. GOLDFISH SANDWICH BREAD! They come in whole wheat and white and they look exactly like these smiling goldfish! I looked them up on the internet (Pepperidge Farm's site and I googled around for a bit) and came up with nothing. Are they new? <br />
<br />
I realize that giving in to kids' whims in the grocery store is a bad habit which is why we don't have "gummies" in our cabinet very often. BUT if this will get him to eat a sandwich with a smile on his face? No question, I'm buying it! Now I'm off to search for PF coupons so I can afford them! Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-25548549013485651612011-02-27T17:37:00.000-08:002011-02-27T17:37:54.520-08:00Ants update...Well, the vinegar spray seems to work! Love it. However I'm just sending them away from my counters and to somewhere else right? So I've added another layer...Ortho makes a liquid ant poison. It's sick but I get a tiny bit of satisfaction when I see those little buggers lined up for a sip. <br />
<br />
Hopefully this added to my more natural approach will finish them off before the snow melts and and the mice come in...oof. That's for another day of learning!Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-16676423306816914122011-02-23T18:13:00.000-08:002011-02-23T18:13:05.660-08:00Ants, Ants, Ants...In Winter??It's not even spring yet we are battling ants already. YUCK! I've been digging around the internet. My least favorite find was "likely infestation" or "nest in the house". My favorite (in relative terms) was at ehow.com. Here's the meat of it...I'll let you know!<br />
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<ol id="intelliTxt"><li id="jsArticleStep1"> Mix 2 cups of vinegar with half a bucket of warm water. Pour some of your vinegar solution into a spray bottle.<br />
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<li id="jsArticleStep2"> Soak a clean cloth in the diluted vinegar solution, then squeeze out the excess. Use the vinegar-dampened cloth to wipe down <a class="iAs" href="http://www.ehow.com/how_6752550_rid-house-ants-winter.html#" style="background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; padding-left: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; text-decoration: underline ! important;" target="_blank">kitchen countertops</a>, the inside and outside of kitchen cabinets and the exterior of your kitchen appliances. If ants have been spotted in any other rooms of the house, wipe down hard-surfaced and non-upholstered furniture in the infested rooms, as well as hardwood or tile floors, with the vinegar solution to repel ants.<br />
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<li id="jsArticleStep3"> <div class="caption" id="nointelliTXT" style="width: 120px;">Clean your floor with an ingredient that also repels ants: vinegar.</div><div class="stepNumber">Mop your floor with the remaining vinegar solution. Vinegar's smell dissipates as soon as the vinegar dries.</div><span class="image"> <div style="display: none;"> <div id="jsArticleStepImageCredit3"> <div class="ThinboxImageCaption" id="nointelliTXT"> <span data-copy="mop head image by green308 from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>">mop head image by green308 from <a href="http://www.fotolia.com/">Fotolia.com</a></span> </div></div></div></span> </li>
<li id="jsArticleStep4"> Spray ants seen in your home with the vinegar spray in the bottle. Keep the spray bottle handy in the kitchen or other areas where ants are prevalent.<br />
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<li id="jsArticleStep5"> <div class="stepNumber">Place <a class="StrongLink" href="http://www.ehow.com/pets-and-animals/">pet</a> food bowls inside shallow cake pans. Fill the cake pans halfway with water. This creates a protective moat that drowns ants as they attempt to get to your dog or cat's food.</div></li>
<li id="jsArticleStep6"> <span class="image"> <div style="display: none;"> <div id="jsArticleStepImageCredit6"> <div class="ThinboxImageCaption" id="nointelliTXT"> <span data-copy="bottles of ground cinnamon & allspice. oregano image by L. Shat from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>">bottles of ground cinnamon & allspice. oregano image by L. Shat from <a href="http://www.fotolia.com/">Fotolia.com</a></span> </div></div></div><div class="caption" id="nointelliTXT" style="width: 120px;">Ground cinnamon is one spice that repels ants in your home.</div></span> Sprinkle cinnamon along the back of your <a class="iAs" href="http://www.ehow.com/how_6752550_rid-house-ants-winter.html#" style="background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; padding-left: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; text-decoration: underline ! important;" target="_blank">countertops</a> to repel ants from trying to get to the sugar bowl or other food items. The cinnamon repels the ants, while giving your kitchen a pleasant fragrance.<br />
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</ol>Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-76404071699869318672011-02-21T18:26:00.000-08:002011-02-21T18:26:35.837-08:00Side effectsThis weekend I learned about the symptoms of pneumonia....<br />
<ul><li> <a href="http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/tc/coughs-topic-overview">Cough</a>, often producing <a href="http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/mucus">mucus</a> (sputum) from the <a href="http://www.webmd.com/lung/picture-of-the-lungs">lungs</a>. Mucus may be rusty or green or tinged with blood.</li>
<li> <a href="http://children.webmd.com/tc/fever-age-4-and-older-topic-overview">Fever</a>, which may be less common in older adults.</li>
<li>Shaking, "<a href="http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/picture-of-the-teeth">teeth</a>-chattering" chills (one time only or many times).</li>
<li>Fast, often shallow, breathing and the feeling of being short of breath.</li>
<li>Chest wall pain that is often made worse by coughing or breathing in.</li>
<li>Fast heartbeat.</li>
<li>Feeling very tired (<a href="http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/weakness-and-fatigue-topic-overview">fatigue</a>) or feeling very weak (malaise).</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-nausea-vomiting">Nausea</a> and vomiting.</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-diarrhea">Diarrhea</a></li>
</ul>I learned what would keep my kids busy in the waiting room of an ER for several hours while Shawn learned what it means to wait and wait some more.<br />
<ul><li>DVD player</li>
<li>snacks</li>
<li>not the book Farmyard Tales</li>
</ul>Later that day I learned that one of the side effects of an allergic reaction to Azithromycin is having hives. Great. Now I'm waiting to learn about the side effects of augmentin.<br />
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I am now a wealth of medical knowledge. Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-64081248788587475802011-02-21T18:17:00.000-08:002011-02-21T18:17:32.932-08:00Reevaluation!As with all good New Year's Resolutions one must reevaluate in February...clearly a daily post is not in my realm of possibilities! I'll plug away at it, stick with me! :)Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-4348009366014504812011-02-17T16:25:00.000-08:002011-02-17T16:25:13.978-08:00Coolest glasses ever!We were having basketball photos taken the other night and I watched one of the photographers get kids into the just right frame of mind to have their photo taken. She was amazing! Great attitude, knew just what to say to get it right. As she looks to the image on her digital camera she lifts two separate lenses of her glasses up to her eyes and they snap together so she can see the image clearly, as she looks back to her audience of one she separates them and they continue to just hang around her neck! Effortless and she always knows where they are. I was intrigued!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5NFnA8vSjXI-YsckJmZfsSf_r939-x_RpULWATKIOp3hdvQ9PxbuHg86S_Gaydblah0S1_6y01jH8JwsG20pDVKopIC5zAACsNCCh0r6EjqzbaYQkyvibtsjAYAPbxU_iJCimVQJl8MR/s1600/Clic-Tortoisethn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5NFnA8vSjXI-YsckJmZfsSf_r939-x_RpULWATKIOp3hdvQ9PxbuHg86S_Gaydblah0S1_6y01jH8JwsG20pDVKopIC5zAACsNCCh0r6EjqzbaYQkyvibtsjAYAPbxU_iJCimVQJl8MR/s1600/Clic-Tortoisethn.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Here's a picture I found online. It seems they are sold as <a href="http://www.speert.com/reading-glasses-products.cfm?SubCategory=Clic%20Magnetic%20Glasses">Click Reading Glasses </a>. Very functional and all the rage! If you get some let me know how you like them!Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-23359438879077328962011-02-17T03:38:00.000-08:002011-02-17T03:38:52.293-08:00It can be done!Today I learned that you can maintain your weight even if the week includes an indulgent Valentine's Dinner at the Sunset Hill House! Yahoo, the WW scale remained the same this week. <br />
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Dinner and our night out was delicious and fun and rejuvenating! Well worth it.<br />
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:)<br />
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On to a lower scale number next week!Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-78222013878967698512011-02-14T16:22:00.000-08:002011-02-14T16:22:53.513-08:00Self Control = Success?<a href="http://www.nhpr.org/kids-self-control-factors-future-success">Here's an article</a> that makes me cringe a bit as an unorganized and often attention lacking mom. I heard it on the radio today...all about how if your preschooler shows quality self control when he is little he's sure to be successful, whereas your less than controlled little one has a higher chance of being tossed into the slammer. Ahhhh! <br />
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Now, I realize these are generalizations and studies blah blah blah but don't they know the internal anxiety they cause when these scientists toss out such serious consequences via the radio waves? <br />
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You know I'll be reading it, and surfing the studies for a while. At least until something more interesting comes along and I'd rather do that....What??Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-53929452817365760572011-02-10T18:40:00.000-08:002011-02-10T18:40:08.805-08:00Ummmm...When I started this I thought for certain I could find something enlightening about each and every day...Is it possible I'm not looking hard enough? Could I be forgetting before I get home? Do I have to dig deeper?<br />
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Do you learn something everyday? Or are you reminded often? Do you reflect on life around you? Do look for something new about other people?<br />
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As I'm writing this I remember a conversation..."No matter where you work someone thinks they work harder than everyone else." Is that for real? Who has time to fret over that? Maybe you have learned this where you work...Clearly I don't get out enough! :)Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-16975835834594194372011-02-08T18:17:00.000-08:002011-02-08T18:17:40.000-08:00Valentine FunCooper and I learned, together, how to build a Rocket Valentine for his friends. We found it at <a href="http://www.familyfun.com/">Family Fun</a> which is a great site if you are looking for ideas with your children. It's fun to learn together...sometimes I forget that!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_V60Y8MshyphenhyphenVFbz0qdZM8FbiI5Vb4GfVjuyGw2Hfz37vz0yJ5IkHthQu-WXOgpA1H1qdI_YSCxap-Q04iwIQdMlxhXNHLy-bB-91lNT9Pzm7cLwB4eRxvsysgBhHBx4ZgDgxPZHhz-q_O/s1600/blast-off-rocket-valentines-day-craft-photo-260-FF0203VALENA07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_V60Y8MshyphenhyphenVFbz0qdZM8FbiI5Vb4GfVjuyGw2Hfz37vz0yJ5IkHthQu-WXOgpA1H1qdI_YSCxap-Q04iwIQdMlxhXNHLy-bB-91lNT9Pzm7cLwB4eRxvsysgBhHBx4ZgDgxPZHhz-q_O/s1600/blast-off-rocket-valentines-day-craft-photo-260-FF0203VALENA07.jpg" /></a></div>Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551385838130965519.post-53307576264848216892011-02-06T18:26:00.000-08:002011-02-06T18:27:29.704-08:00RomanceShawn proposed to me at the Sunset Hill House in Sugar Hill on Valentine's Day. This year we will celebrate our 10 year anniversary!<br />
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As a facebook fan, they are offering a Valentine's Dinner next weekend. Shhhh, I'm going to surprise him!<br />
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Check them out at <a href="http://www.sunsethillhouse.com/">www.sunsethillhouse.com</a><br />
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<3Angihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06272109918357746125noreply@blogger.com0