It's that time of the year again, a lot of household put up Christmas lights on every part of their house. It can be frustrating when one part of the light set fails to light up. We have this lawn reindeer decoration which consists of three moving reindeers and a sleigh and every year, dh and I had to trouble shoot why one part is not lighting up. This year, I don't want that headache again so I purchased two strings of lights to use on the reindeers if it does not work.

Here are some tips on how to test your Christmas lights (from EHow.com)
- Inspect every string for damage to the insulation on the wire or smashed light sockets.
- Plug each string into an electrical socket individually.
- Replace any bulbs that don't light up.
- Make sure all of the bulbs are firmly fastened in their sockets.
- Check to see if the string has a fuse (it will be at the end nearest the plug); try replacing the fuse if the entire string is out.
- Buy a bulb tester and use it to check any lights you suspect are burned out.
If you plan to replace your Christmas lights, consider getting the ones with LEDs. These use up less energy and are less likely to burn out.

How long can you wear a high-heeled shoe before your feet gets tired and sore? Super high-heels should be outlawed in my opinion. Yes, they make women's legs longer and shapely but they wreak havoc on your feet and back. Podiatrists see a lot of women that have deformed feet because of wearing heels. If you need to wear heels for work, then you should consider wearing sneakers on your way to work and back home. Wear heels only when you are already in the office. Doing this will help save your back and your feet. If you're looking for comfortable shoes, then why not consider Dansko shoes, I own a pair and they last a long time.

I was dropping ECs when I came across a blog owned by a mom where she discussed using Vicks Vaporub when her child had a cold. I remember reading about it on a forwarded email. It says to put it on the heels of the foot and wear a pair of socks overnight. It's supposed to stop the coughing. I did it to my daughter the other night and it worked. There's no harm in trying. :o)

One way of trying to make your home healthy is by keeping the air inside your home clean and free of pollutants. You may not know it but there are a lot of hidden indoor pollutants inside the house. These could be from some furnitures (some wood were treated with chemicals that are now considered toxic), air fresheners (we don't normally think about this but it can cause breathing problems for some people) and cleaning products, among others. In winter, especially in cold climates, people rarely open their windows and the result is stagnant air. Luckily, there are products out there that can help you clean out the air in your home environment. One such company that offers these products is EcoQuest International. They use two cutting edge technology in their air purifiers to clean up indoor pollution. They provide a free evaluation if you are interested. Check out their website for more information.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time to do some clean-up. Hopefully, your guests helped you with the clean-up and washing of your china. If they didn't, my question is "Why not?". LOL Anyway, if you have an oven with grease splatters and burnt drippings, now is the time to clean it.

-If your oven has the 'Self-Cleaning' feature, then you're lucky. This is the easiest way to clean the oven. The way it works is the oven heats up real high and the heat burns out all the dirt and gunk inside. When it's all done, you'll only end up with some ashes on the bottom and sometimes on the sides. Wait till the oven has cooled down before you wipe it clean.

- Use an oven cleaner. You can find this at Walmart or Target and they work pretty good. They now make one that is less toxic and has a lemon scent. Follow the directions on the label.

- You can also use Baking Soda or vinegar BUT you need a lot of elbow grease. I tried the vinegar solution on one small part of the oven and by golly, it was HARD and I do not recommend it.

What time did you go out today? I wasn't able to go out shopping early today, dh hasn't come home from work yet. Good or bad? I guess it's good since I didn't have to spend money shopping. If you got up early just to go get the Black Friday special deals, you are not alone. A lot of people even camped out since last night outside stores like Best Buy just to be one of the first shoppers when the stores open. They want to get the lowest price for electronics like laptops, cameras and stereo speakers. For my father-in-law, he was looking for the best cheap outdoor speakers available out there. They have a swimming pool and these outdoor speakers will be perfect. Instead of lugging out the compact home stereo, he wouldn't have to do that anymore. Everyone wants to save money wherever possible and that includes gifts and presents. Maybe it's not too late to get some Black Friday deals, I'll just have to look for it online.

Brined and Roasted Turkey

I used Emeril Lagasse's recipe and the turkey turned out moist and

delicious. You should try it for your next roast turkey.

Visit my cooking blog for the recipe.

I was surfing online looking for ideas on what to give my dad for Christmas. I came across a website that has a free online self-defense class. I think this is a great idea especially for working women who don't have time to attend an actual class. Watching this video will give you an idea on how to protect yourself if that time comes. There are also self defense products that you can purchase like pepper spray or even a whistle. Just google 'free online self defense class'.

When you are sick (you have a sore throat or chest congestion), it is a good idea to use a new toothbrush in the three stages of your illness, at the start, middle and the end. Germs can form on your toothbrush bristles and make you sick. In my family, we use electric toothbrushes and the heads can get expensive so at the first sign of illness, I give my kids disposable toothbrushes like these.

I was curious if Zeno really works. I've heard about it on TV when it first came out and have read articles about it. The verdict? People said that it does help out in clearing their pimples. Although, they said it does not help much for deep cystic pimples. The cost is a little steep, $159 for one device. It comes with the following:
- 90-Count Treatment Tip
- Leather Case w/ Mirror
- Wall Charger


The Zeno mini shown here costs less, it retails for $89 and comes with 45 treatment tips. I think this is a good investment especially if you have teens. You know how they are, it would seem as if it is the end of the world if they have a pimple or two.

If your breakouts are more than just a couple, then it is a good idea to see a dermatologist. You will be given an acne treatment that hopefully, will clear out your skin.

I always use the exhaust fan every time I use the stove or the oven. It does not matter if I'm only boiling pasta, it is second nature. I thought that these fans are used only for getting rid of food odors. Do you know that these keep your counters free of grease and grime? Turn on your exhaust fan every time you cook, this will keep airborne grease away from your counters and appliances. If you wear eyeglasses like me, wear a baseball cap when frying food. These will help keep grease away from your eyeglasses. I know, it sounds weird but hey, it works. :o)

We all try to find the perfect gift, don't we? Sometimes we don't have an idea on what gift to give and that could mean hours of scouring the mall or the internet. If you know someone who is into western wear and cowboy hats then you need to check out Cavender's Boot City's website. They have the complete western wear and accessories for everyone. They carry popular brands like Wrangler, Lucchese, Ariat and Justin. Visit them at www.cavenders.com

You can make bathroom deodorizers by mixing half a cup of baking soda and scented bath salts. Fill a decorative dish with it and put it on top of the tank or the counter.
You can also use dryer sheets to deodorize your clothes drawers, trash cans and closets. Just leave one sheet under your clothes and it'll smell fresh all the time.

Snow season is coming and you know what that means. It's time to get out those snow shovels, snow blowers and yes, even sleds and toboggans. If your kids are like mine, they love a good snow ball fight. It's fun for the first 5 minutes but then your gloves starts to get wet from the snow. To help prevent this, put on a large sized rubber gloves over your winter gloves. This will keep those gloves dry and warm so you can continue on making snowballs or shovel more snow. My kids also enjoy to ride the sled down the hill and probably would enjoy it more if it has some turbocharger added to make it faster. LOL

It is more important to wear sunglasses during a sunny day in winter. Why? A perfect, winter sunny day is brighter and therefore, more dangerous to the eyes than the same sun in the summer time. This is because of the reflection off the ice and snow. People with lighter eye color (blue and green) are also more sensitive than those with darker eyes.

When my parents purchased a house in Orange County in California, one of their first investment is a home security system. The city that they live in, Rancho Santa Margarita is safe and the crime rate is low so they don't have a problem in that area. The reason they had a security system installed is because they travel a lot and no one is left to house sit. They chose ADT because it is a well-known home security system and our relatives who have it in their home highly recommended it to my dad. They were satisfied with the company and its' services plus the monthly rates are very reasonable. With this service, they went to my parent's home and recommended the system that is right for the house. ADT also have the following guarantees: Money-Back Service Guarantee, Theft Protection Guarantee and Mover’s Security Guarantee. This shows you that ADT stands by their product. It's been a year now since my parents had the security system installed and they love it. He said that their home insurance company gave them a discount because they had the ADT home security system installed. It is so easy to use and my dad said that having peace of mind when it comes to home security is worth it.

If you drink a cup of tea daily, you will strengthen your bones, really. There was a study of a thousand women aged 65 to 76; after they drank one cup of tea a day, they increased their bone density by 5 percent. The researchers said that the high content of fluoride in tea could be the reason why.

I am starting to plan for our family trip next year. My parents will celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary next year in the Philippines and my family will be there, of course. Since a lot of our relatives here in the U.S. are planning to attend this special occasion, I've been doing a lot of research for plane fares and hotel rates. I've had a lot of experience with doing this since I planned and booked our family vacation to Europe last summer. We purchased travel insurance then and plan to do it again for next year's trip. Having a peace of mind is well worth it since this covers medical evacuation, lost baggage, canceled flights and even reimburses you if your airline goes bankrupt. It's going to be a blast and I might even see my friends like Lanie, Carlota and Amy. *wishful thinking*.

To clean the outside parts of the toilet, I use disinfecting wipes. I start from the top and go down. The first part I clean is the toilet handle, then the tank, the seat and the last part is the base. If your toilet has some water marks, you can clean this up using a pumice stone. It will not scratch the porcelain and it really works. I prefer to use those disposable scrub pads to clean the toilet bowl. I find it easier and I don't have to deal with toilet brushes.

One thing I wish we have here in the US is the choice of mobile phones. In the Philippines and other countries, people have hundreds of choices. Here in the US, we are limited to whatever our mobile phone provider offers which isn't much. The phones are also locked so you don't have the option of using it with another provider. Then, there is the problem of traveling with your mobile phone. If you plan to go out of the country, you are stuck with an expensive phone usage rates. When we went to Europe this summer, we looked for unlocked cell phones on EBay. We used this phone all around Europe. We bought a Sim card in Italy and it was very easy to set up. It definitely was cheaper than using the hotel's phone to call back home.

Flu season is here and we all try not to get sick during these times. We all know how hard it is for a household when one person gets sick especially if there are small children. Here are some tips that will help us avoid (hopefully) getting sick and miserable.
- If you need to rub your eyes, you should use your knuckles. Fingertips are more likely to be contaminated with viruses than your knuckles.
- Use hand sanitizers after shaking hands or holding objects like door knobs, hand rails, etc. (I trained my kids to use a hand sanitizer after coming home from school.)
- Always disinfect the phone, remote control, refrigerator door handle and the kitchen faucet since studies have shown that these are the things in the house with the most viruses.
- When using a public restroom, you should turn off the faucet using a paper towel, another one to dry hands and finally, open the door with the same paper towel.
- If you are going on a trip, start taking vitamin C to boost your immune system.

I remember our first furniture purchase, my daughter was only 1 year old then. We chose a sofa set that is comfortable, durable and most of all, affordable. It has been 10 years and I think it's time to redecorate. I've been looking at design magazines to get some decorating ideas and I like the modern and contemporary look. I like the minimalist approach and the simple and uncluttered look. One website that sells contemporary furniture is ERoomService.com. I like this white Manhattan Modern Leather sofa set shown here. It is made of Italian leather which is well-known for its' softness and durability. This website has a lot of different styles of modern furniture to suit everyone's taste and style. For those who like the aesthetics of European furniture, ERoomService.com has a lot of offerings designed by well-known Italian and European designers. For example, this Enter Bedroom Set in Wenge is made by a well-known Italian manufacturer, Doimo Elite. They only offer high-end Italian bedroom furniture. This website not only offer modern furnitures for the living room and bedrooms, they also have other furnitures for the dining room and kids' rooms. They offer these furnitures as a set or as one single item. All purchases are tax-free unless you live in Pennsylvania. To see more of their modern furniture offerings, visit their website at ERoomService.com

Build a 72-hour kit to prepare for an emergency. You should have 3 gallons of water per person, a 3-day supply of non-perishable food like canned goods and dry foods, a manual can opener, a battery-powered or crank radio and flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit and blankets.

We've finished painting the kids' rooms and I am constantly changing and moving things around. My son want his room to have the colors blue and yellow and my daughter's room is a shade of pink. We bought this bedroom set for T's room. It's not very high and is a space saver. This photo was taken the morning after it was assembled. If you look closely, you'll see an arm somewhere. LOL Since he likes the movie Cars, I got

him a Cars bedside lamp. I also bought this laundry hamper for both the kids' rooms. Isn't it cute? I love the shirt appliques on it. I like hampers with three separate bins, it saves me time since I don't have to sort the laundry. The one we have in my closet have separate bags which makes it easier to bring down the stairs.

There is truth to that Special K commercial after all! Research have shown that those who have cereal for breakfast every day are less likely to be overweight. Most cereal have fiber and calcium and is less fattening than other breakfast foods. When choosing cereal, stay away from those with a lot of sugar. Opt for a low-sugar cereal and one that is high in fiber.

What do these things have in common? Bakugan and Nintendo Wii Fit? If you are asking what a Bakugan is, then I know that you do not have any school age kids. LOL Aside from being one of the top toys this year, both the Bakugan and Nintendo Wii Fit are impossible to find. Last year, I bought the Nintendo Wii in September and hid it in a big box in the basement. I knew earlier in the year that the kids want that for Christmas. I remember a lot of people were stalking out stores just to get it. This year however, I only decided that I want the Wii Fit a couple of days ago. The Bakugans meanwhile have been always hard to find the whole year. Oh well, I don't mind waiting until after the holidays, who knows, I might get it at a discount along with a bunch of inexpensive MP3 players for my nephews and nieces in the Philippines.

Have a mirror as your lunch buddy. No kidding! I smirked at first when I read this but it does make sense. There was one study done where they found that people who eat with a mirror opposite their seat at the table cut their total food consumption by one third. Seeing yourself in the mirror reminds you of why you want to lose weight which makes you eat less. Interesting.

I've put away the summer sheets and started using flannel bedding. Along with the sheets, I also changed the bed cover to a comforter and duvet. As I was doing this, I noticed a couple of knitted throw from my husband's grandmother. We have not used it for quite some time and is just taking up space. I have some extra comforter plastic bags and put the knitted throw in there along with some baby bedding used by my kids. All these will go in the attic. I am going to keep these since it has a lot of sentimental value. After Thanksgiving, I need to clean up the closet in my son's room. Right now, it's full of clothes that I used when I was still working. I have not used it since then since it's all pant suits and blazers. I definitely need to clear that closet out. I plan to donate those clothes to a charity that gives it away to women who need clothes for job interviews.

If you have wood floors like I do, here are some tips on how to keep it clean.
- Use a soft-bristled broom, a dust mop or a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.
- Do not use water to clean wood floors since it can cause staining. Water will get in between the slats which can cause buckling.
- Do not wax a urethaned floor since this will add a slippery film and will make it harder to clean. You should use a cleaner that is recommended for nonurethaned hardwood floors.
- You should clean juice and wine stains and pet urine immediately. These will be impossible to remove once it penetrates the surface, then the only way to remove it is by sanding and refinishing.

I've done most of my shopping for the ingredients for our Thanksgiving dinner. I like one-stop shopping. I get a headache if I have to go to one store to pick up a couple of things then drive to other stores for more things. I would rather get everything I need from one store. I wish there was a super Target or Walmart nearby, then I'll be a happy camper. I still need to pick up a Honey Baked ham from their store. I don't remember how to get there since my husband drove the last time we went there. I have to use the GPS this time. After that, it's the start of prepping and cooking. Wish me luck!

Here are the three signs that your roast turkey is cooked:
- The thermometer reads 165 degF in the thickest part of the thigh. Use an instant read thermometer and make sure that it does not touch the bone because it will give you a false reading. I use the built-in thermometer probe in my oven and I do not rely on that pop-up thermometer that some companies put on the turkey breast.
- The drumsticks are loose and wiggles easily.
- When you prick the turkey on the underside (so that no one can see the hole), the juices are clear. If the juices has some pink, then it needs more time in the oven.

What is Zrii? It is a nutritional power drink that is gaining popularity. It is endorsed by the Chopra Center for Wellbeing (headed by the popular Deepak Chopra). Zrii was created based on the principles and philosophy of Ayurveda (an ancient Indian system of holistic health and healing). So what is in this drink and what benefit does it give the body? One ingredient of zrii is the Amalaki, which is often called the great rejuvenator. It is a small fruit which grows near the Himalayas in northern India. Other ingredients are ginger, turmeric, jujube and Schizandra. The base of this drink is pomegrenate, pear and grape juice, which gives this drink great flavor. With all these ingredients, you can tell that this drink is full of antioxidants, natural enzymes, bioflavanoids and Polyphenols. All these promote the rejuvenation of cells, boosts the immune system and increases vitality. Unlike other nutritional power drinks, this Zrii does not contain any preservatives. This is the reason why the zrii diet is popular. Unlike other diet drinks, you cannot purchase this in any health food stores. This is only sold through independent sales representatives. As with any weight loss products, always ask your doctor before starting it.

Don't you wish you get an extra hour or two during the holidays? This Thanksgiving, here are some things that you can do to save time.

- Do not heat the broth before adding it to the stuffing. It makes a tiny difference what temperature the broth is at since this and the stuffing go in the oven together.
- Keep the stuffing and the turkey separate. The bird will cook much faster and you will not have the risk of food poisoning from undercooked stuffing (because of the uncooked turkey juices). If you like to serve your stuffing inside the turkey, cook the stuffing separately and scoop some of it in the cavity just before serving.
- Do not sew up the turkey neck. Just tuck the extra skin under the body or if you have the pins, use it to keep it in place.
- Keep the skins on the potatoes. This adds fiber, texture and color to your mashed potatoes.

If you watch the Oprah show, then you've probably heard of the Acai Berry. One of her guests, Dr. Perricone, a well-known dermatologist listed the Acai Berry as one of his Top 10 Super Foods. It is the product of a palm tree only found in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. This acai berry is purple in color and was found to have powerful antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. How does Acai (which is pronounced ah-sigh-ee) taste? They say that it tastes like a mixture of berry and chocolate which sounds good to me. This berry which looks like the blueberrry as you can see in the photo, has been said to carry antioxidants which is ten times more than those of the grapes and two times than blueberries. Since the Acai berry is rich in antioxidants, amino acids, fatty acids, it can also help in weight loss by increasing metabolism and energy. This berry also contains a lot of fiber which we know is good for weight loss and over all health. That's why the acai berry diet is gaining popularity among people who want to lose weight. The minerals found in the Acai berry helps the efficient burning of body fat. As of now, there are no known side effects with this type of diet.

You're going away for Thanksgiving to visit family for a couple of days, who will water the plants? If you answered 'No one' then here's a tip. First, you should thoroughly water the plants. In your bath tub or sink, place a towel at the bottom and fill with water (about 2 inches). Place the plants in the tub or sink and it will soak up the water. This tip is only for trips lasting up to a week. If you will be away for a longer time, bring your plants to your friends house along with an apple pie. :o)

My daughter is turning 10 years old next year so I think she will be considered a 'tween'. She is starting to take an interest in music. Before our summer trip to Europe this year, she asked for an MP3 player at the end of the school year when she gets her report card. It's not a matter of 'IF she gets an A' since she is an exceptionally bright student. When she received her MP3 player, she transferred her music files from her computer. Now, every time there is a new song that she likes on the radio, she asks me to get it for her. Instead of getting the CD we go online and download it. It is easier this way plus it saves space since she doesn't have many CD to organize. Usually, the music previews available in some websites are just a minute or two of the song. Sometimes, when she's not familiar with the title, it can get frustrating looking for the right song. There is a music website called the musicSHOP where you can preview the entire song before you buy it. I think this is great, no more guessing game for us. They have all the latest music tracks available plus specially selected CD. What makes them different too, is that they have giveaways like signed music memorabilia and other cool prizes. It is pretty easy to find the song you are looking for since you can search by artist or music genre. When you shop for music at this website, you will save time and money since it will list all the sites online plus you get to see the lowest price available. This is definitely the way to go when shopping for music online.

Turkey Thanksgiving day is next week and it's time to roast that Turkey. Are you still using a disposable roasting pan? Why? There are a lot of affordable roasting pans and in my opinion, every kitchen should have one. You can use it for roasting meat and vegetables too. So what do you look for in a roasting pan?
- Choose a pan with sturdy handles which are big enough for your oven mitts.
- One with a removable roasting rack so it is easy to make gravy.
- The sides should at least be 3 inches high.
- It should have curved corners. This will allow you to get into the roasting pan without breaking apart what you're cooking.
- You also need to consider the size of your oven. There should be at least two inches clearance on all the sides of the pan.
- Choose a pan that has the same thickness all around.

I have been an online shopper for more than a decade now so I have seen a lot of shopping websites, both good and bad. While looking for washing machine reviews online, I came across this website called ShopWiki.com. From the name itself, it gave me an idea that this website is not just your regular run-of-the-mill shopping site and I was pleasantly surprised! Just looking at their washing machine information page, you can tell that this company are not just focused on giving you the link to a website that sells the product you want. They are also into giving you information to help you choose the right product. They list the advantages and disadvantages of the different washer types. It also lists the important features you need to consider in your purchase. This website has the information on all the products that you are interested in buying online. For homeowners, ShopWiki has an extensive buying guide for housewares and home maintenance. This website is definitely the first one you need to go to before others. It is a one stop shopping information. Unlike other shopping sites where they only lists featured websites, ShopWiki gives you all the sites that has the product you are looking for. So instead of searching Google and waste a lot of time going through each and every site listed, use ShopWiki.com and make it easier for you.

As I wrote in my mommy blog, everyone was/is sick and of course there are still germs floating around the house. These past few weeks, I've been going around the house disinfecting door knobs, faucet handles, remote controls, toys, keyboards, and almost everything else. I've been using these Lysol wipes a lot. I find it very handy, in fact I have it almost every room and in my car. I also have my kids use a hand sanitizer everytime they come home from school.
It is so hard to have sick kids in the household so I aways take precautions to try to prevent this from happening.

How do you store your wine? Do you have it standing up on your counter or is it in the basement? Here are some tips for storing wine although some of these tips are for the die-hard wine lover.

- Unopened wine bottles needed to be stored somewhere dark since direct sunlight and fluorescent light. The UV rays "cause wine to be 'light struck' picking an unpleasant smell". Incandescent lights are much preferable. That is why dark bottles are better since it protects the wine a little bit. If it is not possible to keep it entirely out of the light, wrap it in a cloth or put the bottle inside a box.

- You need to store wine bottles with cork sideways or whichever way as long as the wine touches the cork. The reason for this is that if the cork dries out, this cause air to get to the wine leaving it with an awful taste. Store it with the label facing up so when you pick up the wine, you will see if there are any sediments that may have formed inside. It is advisable to get some Wine Racks to store your wine bottles. You can check out these wine racks from The Vine Store. They have different kinds and styles of wine racks to suit every taste. These range from the regular and very simple wood wine racks to a hanging metal wine rack that looks like artwork. Since not all wine bottle sizes are the same, they also have wine racks for big sized wine bottles. They also have wine charms, corkscrews, bags and more. Remember to choose a wine rack that will hold enough wine bottles that you have in your collection.

- Do not move the wine. Store it so you don't need to move the bottle in order to reach another bottle. Why? Because even vibrations from motors, generators or heavy traffic can affect the wine in a negative way.

-You should keep the humidity at around 70%. This will keep the cork from drying out and it will minimize evaporation. Do not store it in a place with over 70% because it can encourage mold.

- Do not store wine with anything that has a strong smell. If it is a corked wine, the smell will go in through the cork and you might end up with garlicky wine. uggh! Make sure you have good ventilation, this will prevent musty odors from getting into the wine.

- Not all wines are to be stored forever, especially cheap ones. Red wine can be stored between 2 and 10 years to mature. 'The length of time depends on the type and the balance of its sugar, acid and tannins'. White wines can be stored for 2 to 3 years. So my advice is, drink it ASAP!

I've been known to scrub my pots and pans to death until it's shiny. I don't like seeing cooked on grease on the sides of any cookware, that's the only time I exhibit symptoms of OCD. :o) Here are some tips that can help you keep your cookware clean:


ANODIZED ALUMINUM
Boil a mixture of 2 tbsps cream of tartar and 1 quart water and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. If you have scorch marks on the exterior, apply the solution with a sponge.


CAST IRON
Use coarse salt and vegetable oil if you have food particles that are stuck on it. Make a paste using the salt and oil and scrub. Rinse with hot water. I have a short hard-bristle round brush that I use solely for my cast iron pan. After each use, I turn on the hot water and scrub the pan well. Do not use any soap. Dry the pan and wipe a thin layer of cooking oil before storing.


COPPER
Wash it with soap and water. To polish the copper part, rub a slice of lemon that have been dipped in salt. Or coat the copper with a thin layer of ketchup (!) and let sit for 5 to 30 minutes and rinse. The acids from ketchup or lemon will remove the tarnish. (That's the main reason why I don't have any copper pans, it's too much work to clean.)


STAINLESS STEEL
Wash it with hot and soapy water. Sometimes it will get splotchy so rub using a soft cloth moistened with white vinegar, then rinse.


NON-STICK
Wash in hot and soapy water using a soft sponge. If there are any burned bits that are tough to clean, put the pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes. The burned-on mess should come off easily.

Not enough time in a day? Use the 'rule of two' to become a more efficient time manager. Pick two most important tasks for the day and focus on it. You'll become more productive this way.

I have received Christmas cards every year from companies we have an account with. Given that it's a mass mailing of cards, it is still nice to get one since not a lot of companies do that these days. One or two cards that we received are made from recycled paper which I think is pretty cool. This shows that the company is ecologically concious which is a plus nowadays. One website that offers Corporate Christmas Cards is ChristmasCardsDirect.com. This site has one of the most selections of Christmas cards available and they also offer environmentally friendly cards. For businesses with international clientele, they have international Christmas cards that is appropriate for every culture.This is important since not everyone celebrates Christmas. This site also has different kinds of personal Christmas cards. If you prefer to send a photo card, you only need to upload your photo and choose the card design you like. They have the Christmas photo postcard and the photo holder cards. This website was also featured in an article at Marketwire.com. ChristmasCardsDirect.com made a charitable donation to 'Operation Christmas Tree'. They donated 5,000 Christmas cards to our soldiers stationed abroad for this holiday season. For your Christmas card needs, visit their website and you will get their 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. They will give you a prompt refund if for any reason you are not satisfied.

Put an ice cube in a plastic bag and rub ice on the gum until it freezes and hardens. Shatter the gum and then pick or scrape it off. If there are any residue, use the vacuum. This will also work on your upholstery.

I looked at the calendar this morning and I cannot believe my eyes. Thanksgiving is two weeks away! *shriek* I am seriously starting to panic. You see, this year, since my in-laws decided to leave for Florida earlier (as in Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving), we will be celebrating Thanksgiving on a Sunday. Ugh! I know, weird. Anyway, it's about being 'together' anyway so it does not really matter if it's a couple of days earlier. Plus, I'm not one to 'ruffle feathers' if you know what I mean. This will be the fourth year we will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner. As usual, I will cook roast Turkey plus all the traditional sides and stuffing. All these delicious food would want you to just take some Orovo pills the day after.

Better late than never! Here are my top EC droppers for last month. Thank you for dropping your EC cards on my blog. :o) Starting this month, I will display the 125x125 card of the blog that made perfect drops for the previous month.

Chica & Pumuckl Definitely Maybe Simply Shiny Random Thoughts My Whole New World More Than Sew So Paperkraft Mira's Web Journal Fish Hook and More Show Me Your Interest

Cutting boards, usually the plastic ones, get food stains from carrots or other colored vegetables. You can clean these stains by using a lemon and salt. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze onto the cutting board, add some salt and rub. Let it sit for about 20 minutes then rinse.

If you have a cutting board that is made of wood, apply mineral oil after cleaning. Wait for two hours and apply another layer.

You can keep the cutting board from moving around when you're chopping veggies or meat by putting a rubber band around each end.

My husband and I started our own family traditions when we started our family. We always pick up a tree from the Christmas tree farm, fill up everyone's Christmas stockings with funny and silly gifts and for the kids, make sure they write a letter to Santa Claus. I usually send the letters to a post office somewhere in Alaska and I inserted a stamped self-addressed envelope with a letter supposedly from the big man himself. This year, I may not have to do all that work. I saw this website where I can choose from different online sites that offer services like sending a Santa Good List Certificate, phone calls from Santa and Letters From Santa. They already have all the information about each site so you don't have to do all the work. The holidays being hectic, I'm glad that I'll get one task checked off.

Here's one way to get those sit-ups everyone needs. When you get out of a chair, don't use your arms, instead, let your abs and legs do the work.

Here are some stain-fighting tools to use for laundry. In this list, I only have detergent, 'Shout' and Clorox in my laundry room, and of course, cornstarch in the kitchen. So far, I've only had to deal with food and oil stains.

Oil solvents (like K2r and Carbona, available at drugstores) are dry-cleaning fluids and can be used on dry fabrics that have greasy, oily stains.

Combination solvents (like Shout and Spray 'n Wash) attack grease, oil, and many food and makeup stains.

Digestants (a.k.a. enzyme treatments, like Biz, Axion, Era Plus, and Wisk) eat away at protein stains, like those from blood or grass.

Absorbents, like cornstarch and talcum powder, sop up grease and oil.

Bleaches fade the color of stains. They can be store-bought (Clorox is made with chlorine and is strong; Snowy is synthetic and therefore gentler) or mixed at home from ammonia (diluted with two parts water) or white vinegar or lemon juice (diluted with one part water). Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to make sure the bleach goes only on the stain. (And never mix chlorine bleach and ammonia.)

Detergent or soap mixes with water to attack lots of stains.

Glycerin is a syrupy solvent that is especially good for ballpoint-pen stains.

What do you want for Christmas? That's what I always hear my husband ask me every year. You see, I'm not a fan of surprises, boring, I know. That's how I am so he asks me every single time. If money is no object, then I'd definitely want the tag watch shown here. I like it because it is unusual. You don't see women wearing pink watches often. I also like the design, with the mother-of-pearl dial and the diamond bezel. You wouldn't even notice at first that it is a chronograph watch. TheWatchery.com has a lot of choices if you are looking for Tag Heuer watches. They have both men's and women's luxury watches. They always have a promotion going on. Right now, for example, they have a special Election super sale where you can get anywhere from, 5 to 50% off ALL watches. There is no need to enter a coupon code, it will automatically give you the discount on checkout. This promotion is good until November 11th. This website always have a giveaway where you get a FREE WATCH or 80% off the manufacturer's suggested retail price every time you purchase a watch for regular price, just look for the free watch icon. If you are looking for a different luxury watch, they also carry other name brand luxury watches. Go visit TheWatchery.com to see all the beautiful choices.

How do you clean your shower curtains? I usually have one of those Scotch sponges in each bathroom and I scrub the plastic liner after each shower. This will keep the soap scum from drying out and getting hard. You can also wash the plastic and cloth curtains in the washing machine. Put it in Gentle Wash and use warm water with an all-purpose detergent. With plastic shower curtains, add some soft items like socks to absorb some of the force during the spin cycle. This will prevent it from ripping. Air dry the plastic curtains. For the cloth shower curtains, follow the care labels.

I wrote about getting daily calls from a certain number in Delaware. It went on for a week or so. The phone would ring, I wait for the answering machine to pick up and then...nothing. There was no message left. This went on every day at about the same time. I don't know why I did not think of Call Blocking. This service is offered by my phone company and is part of my plan. Duh! Anyway, I remembered it and I blocked this number. I used the reverse phone lookup for this. If you live far north you now have this reverse phone number look up Canada. This is very helpful to find out who these annoying phone callers are.

This morning, my 4 year old decided he wanted to cook 'yellow eggs' for breakfast by himself. I was in the basement getting some drinks and crackers for their school snack so I didn't see him get the eggs from the fridge. Well, you know the rest of the story, he dropped an egg on the floor. Have you tried cleaning up spilled egg from the floor with a paper towel? It is difficult and yes, I am using Bounty towels. LOL I read online that the best way to clean up spilled egg is to use salt (iodized not kosher). Put a handful of salt on the mess, leave for two minutes or more and then wipe up with a paper towel.

Photo credit: Flicker here

Yes, you read that right, the holidays are just around the corner. Thanksgiving is three weeks away and Christmas in not far behind. I've already started my gift list and as usual, it's hard to think of a gift to give my dad. I used to give him shirts, sweaters and some kind of clothing and I'm sure he's probably expecting the same so I want to throw him a curve ball this year. He is an avid outsdoorman so I am thinking of giving him something that he can use when he goes on one of those trips with his friends. I saw this All Terrain Binoculars by Nikon and from it's description, I know that my dad will enjoy using it. As luck would have it, there is a Nikon ATB Promotion going on. When you purchase one of the Trailblazer, Action Extreme or Prostaff binocular, you get a $25 NikonProGear.com gift card. For Monarch ATB binoculars, you get a $50 Nikon ProGear gift card. This promo is good until the last day of the year.