Category: Family

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Deep in the heart of Texas

Some friends of mine are thinking of moving to the big state of Texas.  Both of them are from the North but since the economy has declined, their jobs are in jeopardy of downsizing.  They have recently been looking for different jobs all over the country.  One of the most important areas to check out besides securing employment is securing a place to live.  They have been concentrating on Dallas real estate.  The husband is much more concerned about the available of Dallas homes for sale than his wife.

In my spare time I have helped them search as well for not only jobs but for Dallas homes for sale.  They are some- what picky about what kind of home them want.  the biggest attraction for them is having a large backyard and central air conditioning.  I do not think that any home in the state of Texas comes without central air conditioning.  That state can be so hot that it is nearly unbearable to anyone not used to it.  My friends will definitely will have some adjusting to do because they are used to 20 below winters and 70 degree summers.

 

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Nearly a short circuit

Yesterday, I had two sets of fuses trip in my house. I was very surprised! I have a brand new house and couldn’t have imagined that I could overload the circuit in two different areas of the house at two different times. One was totally unexplained but the other I guess was caused by the small little vacuum I was using. And when I say small vacuum, I really mean like a supped –up dust buster.

This has never happened before and I really was unsure of what to do. I decided to call up my better half and ask. He said I needed to go to the electrical box. I did and again to my surprise every room was neatly labeled in the box. How convenient I thought to myself. So I just flipped the switch back over to the “on” position and I was back in business. Later that evening when I came home to find the same thing had happened but in the kitchen, I knew just what to do! I repeated the same steps and it was like magic. I felt quite self- sufficient and figured a day is never wasted when you learn something new!

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Redecorating

Currently, I am thinking about redecorating my kitchen.  I am considering a lodge/ mountainous theme with pinecones, deer and moose.  I absolutely fell in love with this theme ever since I saw it on the internet. 

The best part of this theme is that it will be easy to transfer it over to the adjoining living room.  I plan on slowly adding pieces of this theme to my house.  The accessories I have seen with this theme are very expensive; otherwise you end up with what I consider “cheesy” merchandise.  Adding these pieces slowly will give me a greater appreciation for everything once it all comes together.

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Daily deals

Everyday there is an opportunity to make, take or change and existing offer.  Offers come in all shapes and forms.  From personal to professional offers there is one probably available to you right now.

Today’s offer is going to be a chance to make multiple people happy for Valentine’s Day.  I am going to check out the website www.offers.comto see what I can find for Valentine specials.  Valentine’s Day is the perfect way to not only make a person’s day a little more special but another opportunity to show the people in your life how much you care about them.  Holidays in general appear to be notorious for this.  Valentine’s Day in particular is no different with all of the chocolates, flowers and stuffed animals offered for purchase.

I was in a large department store yesterday and could not believe that they had stuffed animals available for $40.  I had to take  a double look.  In my opinion, this is an absolute waste of money.  That stuffed animal will be appreciated for about a week and then will be added to the summer lawn sale pile.  What a shame.  Personally, I think giving a card is the best way to show the Valentine’s in your life you care.  A $5 card is much cheaper than a $40 stuffed animal and will not end up at a yard sale come spring time.

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Clothing Growth Spurt

A couple of week ago I assisted one of my best friends with babysitting her God daughter.  Her God daughter is just a year old and boy, is she cute as a button.  Her name is Bella and she barely has any hair.  Her ears are pierced and stick out slightly.  I think this is what makes her so adorable.

Bella’s mother has a major fetish for clothing.  Ever since her daughter was born Bella’s mom has bought her every new piece of girls clothing that has come on the market.  She is one lucky little girl.  I only hope that one day she will grow up to appreciate all of the new and expensive accessories her parents have bought her.

I am amazed at how designer’s have adapted women’s clothing into mini baby versions.  Some have most definitely gone over the top.  One example is mini skirts and certain styles of dresses.  I think they have almost become to “sexy” for a little girl to wear.  What are these designer’s trying to prove?  These are little girls and babies.  We need to be protecting them instead of exploiting them.

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Cold Snap

The weather across the Northeast is going to be turning extremely bitter in the next few weeks.  Canada is going to be sending a large cold front South and placing the residents of the Northeast into a freeze.  Generally weather in the Northeast is cold in the month of January. However, it is not always this cold. 

Frigid is a great way to explain the weather condition that these poor residents will be facing shortly.  People need to keep an eye on their pipes and walkways.  Frozen pipes can be a big headache but slipping on the front porch can pose more than just a headache.  The best place pets and people during these frigid weeks is indoors by the fireplace.

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A Thanksgiving Treat

The Author of this post is Solomon Dejesus

While I knew that Thanksgiving was going to be great, what I didn’t know was that I was going to be heading out and about for Thanksgiving. Thankfully I didn’t have to go very far and my in-laws house was not the stop that we would be making. For the first time ever my wife and I had been invited to our friends home for Thanksgiving and their house was located close by to ours which meant that I would not miss a minute of the action on the football field.

When we reached our friends home we could already smell the aroma of turkey wafting out of the open window before we even got into the home. We knew that the meal was going to be great, but we were not sure how great of a meal we were going to be in for until we sat down at the table. When her husband carved the turkey we could see how juicy the breast meat was with the juices pouring out of it. Then taking the first bite we were in heaven as we could think about nothing other than the wonderful meal we were sharing.

As we headed home that night my wife reminded me that that we needed to disarm the system when we got home. That is when I remembered that before we left the house she had set the Home Security Systems to ensure the house would be safe when we arrived home.

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Fun Family Time

Guest post written by Vince Walton

College football season is coming to an end, and I must say that I am a little disappointed about that fact. My son and I have really enjoyed watching a good amount of the games together. We both went to the University of North Carolina together and we’ve kept up with every UNC game this season. We’ve had a chance to go to a few of the games together, and we’ve gotten together at the house to watch all of the broadcasted games. It’s nice having that bond with my son. We are both very proud of our alma mater and it’s safe to say that we are both lifelong Tar Heel fans.

While watching the last couple games together, I’ve noticed that I need a new pair of hearing aids. I’ve been looking at new Hearing Aid technology online, and I believe it’s finally time for an upgrade. I need to be making sure I catch all the calls when watching the games on TV. I’m glad my son and I have these games to share together. It’s great to have been a part of the same university!

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Flowering ideas

Spring cannot come soon enough!  One of my favorite times of year is the spring time.  During this time I always visit at least one flower show.  While I am there I usually see multiple kinds of window box planters.  Multiple businesses are always on hand at these shows to assist the visitors with window box ideas. 

Usually when I attend these flower shows I bring at least one friend with me and we make a day of the trip.  None of my friends are as garden savvy as I am but I can most times convince them to have at least one pot of flowers on their porch for the season.  Maybe this year I will be able to convince them to have a couple of window boxes.

Window boxes can contain numerous kinds of plants.  They can be window flower boxes or garden window boxes.  I have made several window flower boxes but I have yet to make a vegetable window box.  I think this year I just may try planting a few vegetables in a window box.

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Seasonal Decorating and Ham

Wow! Where has the year gone?  It is time to decorate for Christmas already.  I feel like it was just Easter.  The funny thing is both holidays often serve ham.  Ham makes an economical dinner for the family.

Whether it is a shoulder ham or a spiral ham both taste great!  If I had to choose one I would pick the spiral ham.  I like how it literally falls off of the bone in a spiral pattern.  This makes it easier to serve in my opinion.  When serving, it is important to have a great topping.  My favorite is a sauce that has a hint of mustard.  One other thing that is important not to forget; the cherries on top!