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Cover crops are a great option for late fall and early winter. Sometimes called green manures, cover crops help to protect your soil from issues like erosion and becoming too compact during times when it would normally just be sitting around fallow (unused). Better yet a good crop cover will additionally provide extra enrichment to your soil as it protect. Cover crops also keep out excess weeds.
Cool season cover crops are often sown in the fall – fava beans, annual rye grass and crimson clover are some common cover choices. Planting these means you intend to mow or til them NOT harvest in the spring. If you’re looking for a shorter term cover crop, say for warmer months, buckwheat is a good one because it’ll flower in about a month and at that point you can til it over.
One nice benefit of these basic crop covers is that they require little work. After your last crop has been harvested, turn or til your soil, then sprinkle your cover crop seeds over the area, rake slightly to settle the seeds, water, and you’re done. It’s an easy way to protect dormant soil and looks better too.
To learn more:
- More details about cover crops – including some info on interplanting cover crops with vegetables.
- More plants that work as covers plus a rotation chart.
- UC SAREP Cover Crop Database which includes over 5,000 items about cover crops from more than 600 separate sources.
Post from: Blisstree
Many of you commented on how much you’d like to win the giveaway for Think Confident, Be Confident. It seems that no matter where we are in life, we can always use a bit of a boost to help us along when things get us down. I wish I could have given away a copy to each and every one of you!
Alas, we can only have one winner. I used random.org to select our winner, and that person is our 22nd commenter:
Aisling!
The comment this person left was:
I’d love to read this and share with several family members. Who doesn’t need some mentoring in self-confidence?
My thoughts exactly!
For those of you who didn’t win, we’ve still got some awesome contests going on here, so feel free to check them out.
Post from: Blisstree
Think Confident, Be Confident Winner
Christmas, despite being one of the most important Christian holidays, often gets a bad rap for making people stressed out. We bring it on ourselves, don’t we? We just seem to want to do everything: buy the perfect gifts, make homemade cookies, and send cards to everyone on our mailing list. The problem, of course, is that we run out of time.
Perhaps the following tips will help you save time for one of those busy Christmas items, and that’s is the sending of cards. How to cut back? Read on.
Send Only to Those You Don’t See
Do you really need to send a Christmas card to that friend you see every Wednesday or the next door neighbor? Rather than send to your entire list, focus on the people you rarely see. Those are the folks that will cherish an update.
Forget About Cards Entirely
It’s a radical concept, isn’t it? You’d think you’d want to see some…. but once you make up your mind to stop sending cards, you can focus on other great things like giving of your time to a good cause.
Send an E-Greeting
While I’m not a fan of email greeting cards, you could send an electric note to friends telling them you are going green this year and skipping handwritten cards.
Make Some Phone Calls
How about a few phone calls to loved ones in the days before Christmas? There is nothing like hearing the sounds of someone you love on the phone. It makes everyone feel closer together and far less lonely.
Make a Website Greeting
Many people have a website or blog of some sort today. Why not direct your friends and family to the website, and write out a nice thought or note to each one.
There are many ways to cut back on Christmas cards, but most of all, don’t feel guilty about your choice. Send the cards if you are really in the mood and have the time. If you decide not to, do so happily and don’t let guilt ruin your holiday.
Image: sxc.hu.
Post from: Blisstree
Ways to Cut Back on Christmas Cards
You don’t have to give up carbs, but eating the right carbs can make a big difference in achieving your goals.
Registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of the new book Eat Your Way To Happiness, has some tips to share below in “10 Steps for a Carb Makeover.” The tips may help you work with your carb cravings to make better food choices.
If you like the tips, you might want to check out Eat Your Way To Happiness. In the new book, Somer presents easy recipes to add to your daily routine to help energize you, elevate your mood and slim your waistline. Learn more about Somer’s new book at EatYourWaytoHappiness.com. And enjoy the carb makeover tips!
10 Steps for a Carb Makeover
by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., Author of Eat Your Way to Happiness
If you are a carb craver, you need to treat yourself with a little kindness. It’s not your fault you can’t keep your fingers out of the cookie jar or the bag of chips. You can’t “will away” those cravings. They are hardwired in your head.
So work with your carb cravings. Make sure each meal contains at least one whole grain. Plan a quality-carb snack at your most craving-prone time of the day (typically midafternoon or late evening). To maximize your mood and minimize your weight, you need to take this quality-carb message seriously. That means tackling the issue with a 10-step plan.
Step #1. Purge the kitchen of all white flour. Open the cupboards and toss the junk. Throw out the obvious: the white rice, the instant mashed potatoes, any cracker or cookie made with anything but 100% whole grain (you are pretty much down to Triscuits and 100% Whole Wheat Fig Newtons), all potato chips, Pop-Tarts, boxes of bread crumbs, Pasta Roni, Hamburger Helper, cans of Chef Boyardi Ravioli, Costco muffins and such. Search the freezer for French fries, hash browns, breakfast foods made from processed grains or other high-calorie/low-quality items like Marie Callender’s frozen pasta entrees or pot pies.
Definitely toss your carb triggers, junk foods that you are powerless to resist. Remember, if you have to drive to the store to get ice cream, you will be much less likely to binge.
Then read labels on the rest. If wheat flour or enriched flour is in the top three ingredients on a label, you are holding a poor-quality carb. Toss it.
Okay, okay, if this cold-turkey approach is a bit over the top, then keep two or three junk carbs and toss the rest. But beware: these items may be “trigger” foods that tempt you to indulge. Also, keep in mind that this is not so much about “giving up” as it is giving to” your health, your mood, and your belly and thighs.
Step #2. Restock the kitchen with the 100% whole grains you like, such as 100% whole-wheat bread, old-fashioned oatmeal, Kashi Autumn Wheat Cereal or GoLean Cereal, Zoom hot cereal or instant brown rice. Experiment with new grains, like barley, millet, amaranth, whole-wheat couscous or bulgur.
If you can’t imagine your spouse or kids loving whole-wheat pasta or whole-wheat tortillas, then choose the next best thing. For example, try Aunt Jemima frozen Pancakes with Whole Grains, or tortillas or pastas made from blends of whole wheat and refined wheat, such as Ronzoni or Barilla whole-wheat blend pastas.
Step #3. Switch to quality carbs in recipes. For example, if a recipe calls for
- white rice: use instant brown or wild rice, bulgur, millet or other whole grains
- flour: use at least half whole-wheat flour
- bread (such as French toast): use whole-grain bread
- potatoes: use sweet potatoes, yams, squash and/or corn
Step #4. Plan snacks and bring grains with you. When packing your lunch and snacks for the day, 
make sandwiches with 100% whole-grain bread, use low-fat cheeses such as Cabot Vermont 50% Reduced Fat Cheese, and include other grains like 100% whole-grain crackers or air-popped popcorn.
Step #5. Create nonfood rewards. Praise yourself with a manicure, flowers, a game of golf on Saturday or a Netflix movie. Follow the “if . . . then” rule: if you steer clear of the junk, then you get the back rub, hour of alone time or bubble bath.
Step #6. Take time. Often we grab food before we even know whether we really want it. That knee-jerk reaction gets us into trouble. Take a 10-minute pause before diving into any snack, from popcorn to leftover doughnuts.
Step #7. Identify the craving. Is it for something crunchy or chewy? Cold, sweet or creamy? Once you have pinpointed exactly what you want, then find a low-calorie food that satisfies that craving. Luckily, the better you eat, the more your cravings for fatty or overly sweet carbs will dwindle.
Step #8. Eat breakfast. As discussed in Chapter 2, eat a nutritious breakfast and you are much more likely to resist junk-food temptations throughout the day.
Step #9. Keep hunger at bay. Eat small meals and snacks evenly distributed throughout the day. This helps keep serotonin levels (and other nerve chemicals like NPY) in the normal range.
Step #10. Out of sight, out of mind. Put another way, seeing is craving. Watch out for temptations at the mall, restaurants and friends’ houses. It is easy to overdo carbs when most of the ones offered to you are the low-quality ones. For example, studies at the University of Illinois found that people ate 45% more calories when there was a bread basket placed on the table in restaurants than when the waiter came by and offered them a slice from a basket. Ask that the tortilla chips be removed when dining at a Mexican restaurant and you will save yourself 300 unnecessary calories. Avoid the coffee shop with the display of muffins, scones and croissants.
10 Steps for a Carb Makeover: Copyright © 2009 Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Eat Your Way to Happiness
Author Bio
Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Eat Your Way to Happiness, is a registered dietitian and author of several books, including 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet, Food & Mood and Age-Proof Your Body. She is a member of the editorial advisory board of Shape magazine and editor in chief of Nutrition Alert, a newsletter that summarizes the current research from more than 6,000 journals. She appears frequently on NBC’s “Today” and other national television shows.
(Cover Image: Harlequin; daisies via stock.xchng)
Post from: Blisstree
Ask.com, the leading brand for questions and answers online, recently performed their end-of-year recap. They found that people curious about pets asked these 10 most popular pet questions on Ask.com in 2009:
- Why do cats purr?
- How long do dogs stay in heat?
- Why do cats knead?
- How do you potty train a puppy?
- Do fish sleep?
- What do lizards eat?
- Can Guinea Pigs be trained?
- How long do rabbits live?
- Are dogs colorblind?
- Can dogs take aspirin?
I’m going to cover a few of the answers in this post. Why do cats purr? They do it to convey contentment, but a cat that purrs nonstop may be ill or in labor. Purring also shows a friendly social mood, like the human smile!
Are dogs colorblind? Not exactly. According to DogChannel.com, dogs have fewer specialized cells responsible for defining color and detail in daylight than humans. Dogs are probably green-red colorblind, but they may see tints of blues, yellows and gray.
Can dogs take aspirin? Yes, but only under the close supervision of a veterinarian. Aspirin can cause the same gastro upset in dogs as it does in humans, and shouldn’t be given to pregnant dogs.
Are you surprised by any of the popular pet questions?
(Image via flickr/exfordy)
Post from: Blisstree
Are you under the impression that a 24 foot by 24 foot room is actually going to be 24 foot by 24 foot? Do you think a square or rectangular room that’s ten feet across on one side will be ten feet across on the other side? Would you be surprised if a wall that went straight up actually was an inch further in near the top than it was at the bottom? If you think everything is straight, you are in for a surprise when you begin to install your new cabinets or lay your nice square tiles.
Before you begin a remodeling project, take careful measurements and be sure you measure in more than one spot when you are measuring the distance between points. This helps you avoid that, “Oh, no!” moment when you realize the 24 foot by 24 foot garage you are turning into an in law apartment is 24 by 24 in the front corner, but is 24 by 23 in the back corner.
Once you see if the dimensions of the space you are remodeling are off, you will be able to compensate for the difference during planning instead of struggling to fix the problem when you are halfway through the project. For example, the space between a crooked wall and a row of cabinets can be shimmed with increasingly wider pieces of wood so that the final result is a perfectly square set of cabinets topped by a custom cut piece of granite that fits the crooked space perfectly.
Have you ever tried to remodel a crooked room?
Photo: SXC/Wouter Onbekend
Post from: Blisstree
Measure Everything During a Remodel
Over the last few years, watching “The National Dog Show Presented by Purina” on NBC after the Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thanksgiving has become a tradition. While the turkey is cooking, the cranberries are chilling and the pies are baking, we have the TV on so we can see all the beautiful dogs in all shapes as sizes as they strut across the floor in Philadelphia.
Hosted again this year by John O’Hurley and expert analyst David Frei, this year’s show will be a little different: Viewers will now get a chance to participate and vote in their own “Viewers Choice Best in Show!”
Once the remaining seven Best In Show competitors have been selected, the television audience will be able to vote online at dogshow.NBCSports.com or by texting the word “DOG” to 51515 on their cell phones. Viewers will also be encouraged to vote for their favorite group winner throughout the day.
The National Dog Show airs right after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC from noon to 2:00 p.m. in all time zones.
The television broadcast will also be available online after 2 p.m. EST on Hulu.com, a popular online video service that offers hit TV shows, movies and clips.
[images used with permission from National Dog Show]
Post from: Blisstree
The ‘National Dog Show’ on Thanksgiving
Living with diabetes is more than taking insulin or medication. Those who have diabetes or know someone who does knows that living with diabetes is a lifestyle.
Insulin or medications, like metformin or glucophage are not a cures for diabetes, although that is a common belief. Insulin and medications merely manage the disease, allowing the person with diabetes to continue living as normally as possible. Unfortunately, the disease still can cause significant damage to the body, as the sugar levels fluctuate.
People with diabetes who manage to keep their blood glucose (sugar) under strict control have a better chance of avoiding complications. However, avoiding the development of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, is even better. Type 1, what used to be called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, cannot be prevented. But how best to do this? Here are some tips from Dr. Melina Jampolis a board certified internist and the newest addition to the CNN Health team:
Healthy Eating
By eating three servings (48 grams) of whole grains a day, you could decrease your chances of developing diabetes by up to 30%. According to Dr. Melina: “Cereal fiber has been found to be more effective than other types of fiber due to the combination of antioxidants and soluble and insoluble fiber included.”
Replace your junk food. If you enjoy chips, you may enjoy the crunchiness of omega-3 rich nuts, instead. Fruits can be very sweet tasting and are much healthier than snacks made with processed sugar.
Fill up. If you don’t feel hungry, chances are you won’t search for a snack, which is most likely laden with sugar and fat. Vegetables and proteins will keep you fuller than junky meals or ones that have a lot of carbohydrates.
Get Moving
Exercise is an important part of any healthy lifestyle, but is even more important for people with diabetes. However, exercise doesn’t have to be going to the gym and working out – you can find activity that pushes you in many of your every day activites. Dr. Melina asks, “Did you know doing 30 minutes of vacuuming is the equivalent of 15 minutes walking on the treadmill?”
It’s not often we can actually prevent a chronic and life-affecting disease such as type 2 diabetes, but the reality is, it’s often a lifestyle disease. Of course, there are people who develop diabetes and they have none of the traditional risk factors, but this is the exception more than the rule.
It’s time we start taking better care of ourselves, isn’t it?
~~~
Image: MorgueFile.com
Post from: Blisstree
More on National Diabetes Month – Tips
I’m a sucker when it comes to avocados. They are like a treat to me because I don’t always buy them and only use them for special occasions because I don’t want to over do my avocado intake. That, and I don’t trust myself becoming addicted! Avocados can also be quite expensive which is definitely a down fall if you are trying to plan lower budget meals, but you definitely can’t go wrong with the taste!
Image: Avacado Central
I’m having a dinner party this Saturday and looking to go all out. I’m going to go to the farmers market early Saturday morning to get all my ingredients. I’m not too sure what exactly is on the menu as yet but I definitely have come across some good ideas. I never know what to make as a starter. I find dips and chips fill you up before the mail meal already so would like to stay away from that, which is why I thought these avocado and turkey – crostinis sounded delicious! I’m not an exceptional chef or anything so I like to keep it simple, so this recipe looks perfect for me!
Ingredients:
- 1 French baguette
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 2 ripe fresh Hass Avocados
- 2 lemon cut in half
- 8. oz sliced turkey cut into 1-inch strips
- cherry or pear tomatoes, cut into small wedges
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a serrated knife cut baguette diagonally into thin slices. Lightly spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray and place on baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. You can store these at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
2. Cut each avocado into wedges and peel or cut off skin. Cut into large pieces and squeeze lemon juice over avocado to prevent browning.
3. Place a strip of turkey on top of crostini and top with a few pieces of avocado and tomato.
*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.
Recipe from Avocadocentral.
Post from: Blisstree
I am an avid reader and that includes magazines. My problem is that I don’t like to store my unread magazines with those that I have already finished reading. It was becoming a problem until I found this project that I am going to share with you today. It is a plain old magazine holder that I dressed up a little bit to make it look pretty.
Kathy Zengolewicz
Here is what you will need to start:
- A light blue, or any color of paint for use on wood (I used black)
- Envirotex Spray Sealer
- A can of gloss spray, any brand
- A flat ¾ inch brush
- A foam plate
- <Painter's tape
- A 5/8 inch round foam pouncer brush (at any craft store)
- A stencil of your choice (I found a free rose stencil online)
- Scrap paper
- Unfinished wooden magazine holder (at any craft store)
Using a ¾ inch flat brush paint the inside of the magazine holder any color and let it dry completely. Using black, paint the outside and edge of the magazine holder and let it dry. Using the painter’s tape to hold the stencil in place, use the pouncer brush dipped in the black paint and dab it lightly on the scrap paper to remove any excess paint before stamping over the opening in the stencil.
Make sure to clean your stencil after each use and alternate the position on the magazine holder if you will be doing more than one stencil. Repeat using the stencil on the rest of the holder and let it dry.
This makes a really cute addition to your desk or on a lamp table in your living room. Remember to coordinate the colors of your project to the room where you will be using the magazine holder.
I hope you enjoyed making this project as much as I enjoyed showing you how.
Post from: Blisstree
According to the National Turkey Federation, over 690 million pounds of turkey were consumed in the U.S. during Thanksgiving last year. That leaves a lot of leftovers. If you are looking for something unique to do with your turkey leftovers, check out these Green Chile Turkey Enchiladas — a much better alternative to a cold turkey sandwich.
Image: Thyme on the Creek
Dedric McGhee, executive chef of Thyme on the Creek, the in-house restaurant at the Millennium Harvest House Hotel in Boulder, CO offers this fabulous recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2-4 ounce cans of chopped green chiles
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/3 tsp oregano
- 1/3 tsp coriander powder
- 1 1/2 cups shredded turkey
- 2 cups cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses
- 1 pack corn tortillas
- 1 pint sour cream
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Salsa
Directions:
- Add the butter to a warm sauté pan.
- Add onions and sauté until translucent.
- Add garlic and cook until it becomes aromatic.
- Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour both cans of green chiles into pan.
- Add cumin, oregano, coriander, chicken broth and a little salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 5 minutes at low heat.
- Place turkey in a mixing bowl. Add 1/3 cup of the green chile mix, 1/3 cup of sour cream, 1/3 of the cheese mixture and salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Grease a 13×9 baking dish.
- Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling in each tortilla and roll up. Place the rolled tortillas in the baking dish seam-side down. Continue to add rolled tortillas until the top layer is filled.
- Pour the rest of the green chile on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with sour cream, green onions and salsa.
Post from: Blisstree
This summer, Campbell’s Kids Soup came out with a new delicious and healthy flavor — Campbell’s SpongeBob soup. If you have had problems getting your kids to eat healthy foods, you won’t with this soup. What kid can resist SpongeBob?!
Image: Campbell's
This chicken noodle soup offers great taste and fun shapes. Additionally, Campbell Soup Company has reduced the sodium in all of their kids soups to meet government criteria for “healthy” foods — controlled for fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and containing a positive nutrient source such as good source of vitamin A.
Recently, I had an opportunity to try the SpongeBob soup as well as their Double Noodle soup. If you are looking for a hearty, healthy meal (for adults or kids), these soups really do the trick. Even though they are low in fat and the sodium has been reduced, these soups are as yummy as can be.
Campbell’s Condensed Kids Soups come in kid-friendly varieties that include Disney Princess soup, Shrek soup, Goldfish Pasta soup and many more. All the varieties contain 110 calories or less, 3g of fat or less, 0g trans fat, 480mg sodium, and are a good source of vitamin A (per one cup serving prepared). Plus, none of the soups contain added MSG, preservatives or artificial flavors. They are available in 10.5 oz cans at most supermarkets and are priced between $1.38 and $1.69. You can learn more about Campbell soups at campbellsoup.com.
This week, we are giving you an opportunity to win Campbell’s Kids Soups and much more. Our giveaway pack includes:
- A lunch tote
- A kid-friendly juice bottle
- Samples of Campbell’s Kids soup — Chicken & Stars, Double Noodle , Chicken NoodleO’s
- V8 V-Fusion (Strawberry Banana and Pomegranate Blueberry) — 48 oz. bottles
Image: Campbell's
The V8 V-Fusion juices are delicious. These juices combines colorful vegetables such as purple carrots, yellow tomatoes and red beets with fruits like strawberries, mangoes or exotic berries. Each 8-ounce glass of V8 V-Fusion 100% juice delivers a full serving of vegetables and a full serving of fruit (½ cup of vegetables and ½ cup of fruit) and contains powerful antioxidants A, C and E. Plus, it has no added sugar. Suggested retail price for a 46-ounce bottle is $3.99; suggested retail price for a 12-ounce bottle is $1.59.
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment here answering the question, “What’s your favorite soup?”
Your comment will automatically enter you into the contest, which ends on Friday, November 27, 2009 at 11:59pm. We select one winner to receive the giveaway pack.
Post from: Blisstree
Giveaway: Campbell’s Kids Soup Lunch Pack
Are your children aware that a New Hampshire woman, Sarah Josepha Hale, was responsible for Thanksgiving becoming a national holiday?
Image: sxc.hu
Yes, the first Thanksgiving, from which this holiday of thankfulness originated, took place in Plymouth, MA.
However, it wasn’t celebrated nationally until Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of “Godey’s Lady’s Book,” decided that Thanksgiving should become a national holiday. She initiated a campaign to have a day in late fall set aside for us to give thanks for our harvests and many blessings.
From 1846 to 1863, she wrote letters to presidents, governors, and any influential people she could think of. Many editorials appeared in her magazine, urging the recognition of this celebration as a holiday.
Finally President Abraham Lincoln listened to Mrs. Hale. He decided that a day of thanksgiving in autumn also might help create harmony in the nation midst the Civil War.
In 1863, he declared Thanksgiving Day would be the last Thursday in November. In 1941, Congress passed a resolution which changed Thanksgiving from the last Thursday in November to the fourth Thursday of that month. Since then, the fourth Thursday, which sometimes is the last one, has officially been Thanksgiving.
Post from: Blisstree
Thanksgiving Becomes a National Holiday
Providing winter plant protection is necessary for some perennial plants and some climates, but not others. To figure out if your personal garden plants need winter protection first check in your garden books for a hardiness zone – or look at an online hardiness zone map. Then look up the recommended zones of the plants in your garden.
IF the hardiness level of a perennial plant you’re growing falls below your local hardiness zone, you will need to protect that plant for the winter. If you don’t protect your plants they could be pushed out of the soil during winter. You can protect your plants by mulching with a good layer (a few inches) of shredded oak leaves, straw, and even evergreen limbs from pruning or a discarded Christmas tree or wreath. Make sure to mulch after the ground freezes and then you can either re-work the mulch into your soil come spring or remove it.
You can also try a cold frame for plant protection, although it’ll cost more than mulch. You can actually make your own cold frame though which will cut costs considerably. Learn more about cold frames.
[image via stock.xchng]
Post from: Blisstree
Should you provide winter plant protection?
The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) recently tested about 250 toys and children’s accessories from local Bay Area and San Diego retailers, including Target, WalMart, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning, Sears, Walgreens and other stores this fall and then had said toys tested for lead (pdf). Although lead has been banned from toys here in the US, seven of the toys were found to contain high levels of lead including a seemingly innocent, Mattel Barbie bicycle accessory set and a Disney “Tinker Bell” necklace set.
While the bike accessories and necklace contained the most lead, the CHE also found levels of lead in violation of the new federal law in a Dora the Explorer game set, two children’s shoes, a child’s poncho, and a child’s belt.
Obviously there hasn’t been enough of a crackdown on some major toy companies.
The California Attorney General has notified the retailers and the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of the lead-tainted products but even so, Michael Green, Executive Director of CEH, notes, “When parents shop for toys this year, they need to know that there are still some lead problems on store shelves.”
A full report of the results from all the CEH tests and more testing by other groups will be published by Healthy Toys on December 2. Of course if you don’t want to wait, you can still shop smartly for safer toys. Read the following for tips…
[image via stock.xchng]
Post from: Blisstree
Lead found in common holiday toys
And immaculate houses are out. Yup, according to Letting is Slide, the new trend is that moms have decided that the laundry can reach the rafters and the dust bunnies can run wild. They’d rather help the kids with their homework, do a craft with them and then head to the park. They’re not saying they want to live in filth and ick. Just that they don’t feel like they’re failures if there are dishes in the sink and they didn’t wipe down the baseboard trim.
I have to admit, I do agree that caring for children is more important than housework. And I don’t have an immaculate house. As I mentioned in yesterday’s eyeball post, when you have kids and pets, you simply can’t have things as tidy as when there were none. However, I also don’t know if I’m ready to throw in the towel and say things are clean enough instead of trying to squeeze in one more wipe down of the stairs. (If you live anywhere near a quarry, prepare for a dusty, dusty life…) Instead, I try combining the two. We sit and tell a story, with each person adding a sentence as we match socks. We race to see who can put away their toys fastest. We sing and mop.
What about you? Do you think we should let go of the guilt and not worry about keeping our homes tidy?
Photo: Morguefile
Post from: Blisstree
Kids are tricky when it comes to figuring out what they will eat and what they won’t eat. One reason so many of us call our children picky or finicky eaters. How many of you have a picky eater?
Tonight I decided to introduce my children to a new meal, I’ve come across a few tips for you:
IMG: Elizabeth Ferree
Tips to Introducing New Foods:
1. Make sure it isn’t too spicy. Tonight I made chili with actual fresh chilis in it, apparently it made it a bit too spicy for my kids. They could not eat it.
2. Be prepared. Be prepared that your kids may not take to the new meal. You may want to have a side dish or a second meal just in case this one isn’t approved by your kids.
3. Leave Your feelings at the door. When it comes to kids they will be completely honest with you. If your kids don’t like the way it tastes they will either make a face, try to hide the food or simply tell you. Oh and if it looks nasty or like something that came from a dog they will let you know.
Post from: Blisstree
Introducing New Foods to Your Kids
Arizona author Robin Reynolds has put together a book titled Life to the Max: Maxims for A Great Life by a Dog named Max, based on philosophy she’s learned from her dog Max.
Reynolds’ inspiration to write the award-winning book was provided by the family dog, an Airedale Terrier rescue named Max. The book follow’s Max as he and his family deal with issues of abandonment, rescue, friendship, adoption, love, illness, aging and loss.
Reynolds has provided some cute “long-term investment” tips for dealing with the recent economic turmoil:
~ Capitalize on the bond market. If you’re looking for a great investment with a high return rate, rescue a dog. There is nothing like the unconditional love and acceptance of a canine companion. This is one bond that will appreciate on a daily basis.
~ Create your own stimulus package. If you feel like you can’t afford to adopt a dog, volunteer to foster a pet or work at a shelter. The stimulation you receive from playing with a furry friend will take your mind off your shrinking 401K. In fact, your pet will never mention it!
~ Invest in creature comforts. It doesn’t have to be something you bought from the store. Without much coaching, your dog will cuddle next to you and lick your face. Just petting your dog can lower your blood pressure. You won’t get that from Dow Jones!
~ Get easy credit. Your dog already thinks you’re the greatest person in the world. Just give him a little attention and you’ll be very rich indeed. He’ll even let you win at Monopoly!
~ Profit from the fallout. If you act fast, you can get a great pet right now. With so many abandoned animals, shelters are full of healthy, adoptable pets from purebreds to mixed breeds. There is nothing more rewarding than giving a dog or cat a second chance at life.
~ Abandon bad investment strategies, not your dog. Even with all the recent publicity, pets are still being left in foreclosed homes at an alarming rate. You may be scared by all the financial upheaval, but just imagine how scared a dog must be to be left in an empty house. As Max would say, “Worrying about it won’t change anything. Trust that you’ll get through it.” Instead of running away, take your dog for a run. It will take your mind off it for a while and it will ease the stress for both of you. And that’s something you can bank on!
Life to the Max: Maxims for A Great Life by a Dog named Max can be purchased at Amazon.com for $24.95, and would be a perfect Christmas gift for the pet lover in your life!
[image: amazon]
Post from: Blisstree
Have you seen the super-friendly cat in Texas that climbed and climbed and climbed all over a police officer who’s apparently making a traffic stop? You know I don’t post videos often, but this one is very much worth watching.
I couldn’t stop laughing at this over-friendly feline. And I was very impressed with the way the officer handled the situation. If it were me though, I would have stopped to pet the attention-starved cat! However, I do think the police officer showed a great deal of patience and restraint.
Please leave a comment with your reaction to this Associated Press video that I found over at Paw Print Post.
Do you think the police officer handled the situation well? Can you imagine what the people in the stopped auto were thinking? Should the owners allow that particular cat to roam freely?
Post from: Blisstree
Cat Climbs Police Officer – Repeatedly
If you’re wondering what’s wrong with the US Preventive Services Task Force, you’re probably not alone. The task force, composed of 16 health care experts that reviewed medical data, announced earlier this week that women ages 40-49 should perhaps not bother getting a mammogram (CNN: “Task force opposes routine mammograms for women age 40-49″).
Their reasoning is essentially that it doesn’t save enough lives and causes anxiety over false positives and unnecessary biopsies. Only 15% of women in their 40s are diagnosed with breast cancer via mammograms. Isn’t that enough?
Today, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius commented on the controversy stirred by the task force. She told women to keep doing what they’ve been doing for years and to talk with their doctors about the decision to have a mammogram. Sebelius also noted that the task force doesn’t set federal policy, but that insurance companies often look to them for guidance. However, she indicated that she doubts any health insurance companies will change their guidelines as result of the task force findings (CNN: “U.S. health chief: No change on mammogram policy”).
Has the damage been done though? Will women in their 40s take the task force’s new policy to heart and stop having mammograms? I’m personally rather amazed that the US Preventive Services Task Force would make such a striking recommendation against mammograms, which detect the most common cancer women face. Plus, none of the experts on the panel are oncologists! I would not be surprised if they reversed their opinion.
By the way, if you feel you need a mammogram and you’re under the age that it’s covered by your insurance company, don’t give up. There’s a difference between preventative and diagnostic mammograms. If you have special concerns, your mammogram may be covered with a diagnostic code.
How do you feel about getting a mammogram before age 50?
(Image via WikiMedia Commons)
Post from: Blisstree
Mammogram Policy to Stay the Same