FOOD FIGHT!!

The holidays....they can be so peaceful....so nice and then again they can end up in a food fight!   I thought I would compile some funny food fight clips for your enjoyment:




Food Fight #1 

Food Fight #2

Food Fight #3

Food Fight #4

I hope your holiday season turns out exactly how you want it to...and if that is a food fight I hope you got some great ideas!!

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There's no charge for love

Christmas always seems to make me a bit more sentimental so I thought I would share a story I came across about love.  I do not know who the author is but it kind of sums up what Christmas should be about.

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. 
As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls.He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

"Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."
"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."
The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.

"I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called.
Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.

The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight.As the dogs made their way to the fence,the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.

Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up...

"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said,"Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers.
In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.
Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup.
Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy..
"How much?" asked the little boy... "No charge," answered the farmer, "There's no charge for love."

The world is full of people who need someone who understands...

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Is your furnace ready

This time of year.....talk about confusing.  It's 80 degrees during the day and 30 degrees at night?

If you have stacked anything near the furnace clean the area.



In case you have forgotten when you turn your furnace on for the first time....it stinks.  I always turn mine on during the day when I can have the windows and doors open to air out this unavoidable part of turning the furnace on.

Before you turn it on....make sure the pilot light is lit.  I know, it seems like a simple thing but the heating repair guys LOVE this.  It won't start, you call them, minimum $50.00 service charge and they light the pilot light.

Air Filter:  I always suggest to purchase your new air filter in the spring so you have it ready for you in the fall.  (Make sure you keep it sealing in a clean area...I always tape mine up in a garbage bag and store it in a closet inside the house).  Change your filter before you start it up the first time so when you turn it on it doesn't blow any dirt and dust into the house. 

Clean the area around your furnace from dust and other debris that likes to collect there. Check the burners and other areas for dust, rust and possible misalignment.   

Check the vent that releases the CO2 gas is clear of any obstructions.  This is a good time to check your carbon monoxide detector and replace your batteries.   Speaking of batteries remember to change your smoke detector batteries:  good rule of thumb any time the time changes change your batteries.

Have your air ducts cleaned out.  When your air ducts look like the top photo you increase the danger of a fire in your home.

Open the windows and doors on a nice day and turn your furnace on. 

It is good to have your furnace checked by professions every other year at a minimum. 

Call Trujillo's Cleaning Company to have your air ducts cleaned.  

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Holiday stress

There are a lot of reasons to be stressed over the holiday season.  How do we make this holiday season different?

First we need to understand stress and what it does to a person:


Stress kills.  We here that all the time; stress can lead to heart attacks, strokes and some say stress can "cause" cancer.



Stress does cause a physiological reaction with the body, whether it is good stress or bad:

The Body’s Stress Response (Taken from the HelpGuide.org website) "When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action.
Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus – preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand."

Too much stress can cause your body to react in a "not so positive way."  This type of stress can lead to many heath conditions that will far out-weigh the stress.  

So, how can stress be good for you?  Good stress comes from your reaction to whatever is happening.  As the Help Guide states:  when you perceive a threat you body releases hormones as a natural reaction.  What you do with it will determine if it will be bad for you or good for you.  We all need that adrenaline rush or life would be boring but "hanging on" to something that you cannot change can lead to unwanted consequences.

Let's look at a few major stressors that lead to bad stress: 

Loss of job:  

• Will I find another job?  
• How am I going to pay the bills?  
• How will my family/friends "view" me now?
• How am I going to pay for my family's doctor visits?
• Will I find another job that pays me what I need to survive?

The list of reasons to stress goes on and on and unfortunately the best way to relieve this stress is to get another job.  This type of stress can lead to depression which brings on a more medical problems.  

Divorce:  

• What did I do wrong?
• How will I support my family?
• What will my ex-spouse say to my children?
• Will I ever find someone else?
• How will I take care of my children?

This is another type of stress that can lead to depression and cause medical issues.

So what is good stress?  Here are a couple of examples.  

• An almost car crash:  You slide on the ice and are heading towards an object that you are going to hit.  The adrenaline starts pumping.  Your body goes into fight or flight mode.  You are stressed in those few seconds.  You are able to avoid the car crash.  How is this stress good for you?  You learned from it and carry it with you.
• Deadline:  Your boss places a file on your desk at 1:30 PM and it needs to be completed, proofed and approved  by 4:30 PM.  Stress right?  Again, your body reacts to this stress and the adrenaline starts pumping. This adrenaline can actually help you focus and complete the task at hand.  When you have the task completed there is a sense of relief and the "stress" is no longer there.

Life is hard.  Life today may be harder than it was a few years ago.  There is no doubt that we all experience stress.  What we do with it is up to us.  How we handle the stress will determine if it is good or bad.  One of my favorite quotes is by Maya Angelou:

“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.”

I realize that this quote does not work for all situations as there are some stessors out there that just can't be helped.  Use this for the stress that happens in your life that you can change either the stress or your attitude towards it.

Now let's add the holidays to it:

• Not enough money to buy presents
• Family coming to your house to celebrate the holidays
• Traveling to celebrate the holidays
• Gas prices as they always go up during the holidays (as if they weren't high enough already)

This list goes on and on.  Stress and Depression are among the highest medical issues that we have during the holiday season.  

Pay attention to your emotions this holiday season and stay healthy.

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What is clean?

We all clean but what is clean anyway?  There are some that clean the surface; vacuum, dust, hide the clutter.  There are some that do this plus wash the windows and base boards. There are some that even go to the extent of hiring a cleaning crew. 

But what is beneath the surface when we clean?



I have pets....and I don't care how often I clean, what products I use the truth of the matter is I have pets and they will always be there.  

There meaning this:

• Their hair on the furniture
• Their hair in the carpet
• Their hair in the furnace ducts
• Their "accidents" on the carpet

Let's face it...they are everywhere....but we love them so we tolerate them being everywhere.  

We can usually get rid of the "odor" they leave with their accidents...or at least we can cover them up.  We can vacuum the floors and the furniture and get rid of most of the pet hair they leave behind.  We can place blankets down on our furniture so they collect most of the hair.  We can do a lot to rid our home of a little of them.

I want to talk about their little messes.  URINE. To me it means: U R IN trouble...meaning I am in trouble.  You can do all of the tricks you have learned over the internet; boiling hot water, pet spray, vinegar (which honestly smells worse) and the all room sprays...but let's be honest....it is ALWAYS there.  

We can call the professionals to come in.  Be careful about who you choose to do this job.  Most will promise you to eliminate the problem with this or that.  The truth...most do not use the right cleaning compound to eliminate the problem because once the pet smells their urine (or that of another pet) they think it's okay to "go" there.  

No matter what they leave....they are worth it

Urine is an acid base.  Most carpet cleaners clean with alkaline.  This is kind of like cleaning cooking grease with oil.  To do it correctly it is a two step process:  The first step is spray a pairing agent that will deter the pet from "going" there again.  It is your first line of attack.  The carpet is then cleaned. The second step is to remove the urine stain.   






I know the commercials say that their steam cleaners are as good as the professionals but let's be honest....they are not.  They are "okay" for small jobs but there is no way they can suck up all the water that is put into the carpet. They also cannot have the water as hot as you would need.  So they put lukewarm water into the carpet and bring suck up only half...hmmm what else do you think doesn't come up?

Don't be fooled.  I was and have a carpet cleaner "just as good as the professionals" sitting in my garage.  If you have a urine problem call a professional!

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The hidden danger in your home

It's that time....holidays.  Accidents, Accidents, Accidents. On the road and in the home accidents seem to be part of the holiday season.  
In this blog I want to focus on accidents in the home: According to safety at home EVERY MINUTE 17 children are admitted into emergency rooms for unintentional accidents.  


The type of accidents that happen are:

• Most common:  We love lighting candles during the holidays and this simple joy will cause more than 15,000 homes to be effected.  This results in 166 deaths, 13,000 injuries and costs $450 million dollars in property damage.  NFPA (June 2010).
• Decorating for the holiday season account for about 5,800 injuries sustained from falls.  This is an average of two-three EVERY HOUR emergency room visits.  CDC Fall-Related Injuries During the Holiday Season (2004).
• The all too common Christmas Tree fires: Result in about 14 deaths per year, 26 injuries per year and 250 home structure damage with 13.8 million dollars in property damage. NFPA Home Christmas Tree and Holiday Light Fires (2009)

Why does this happen and what can we do to lower these accidents?  

picture provided by freechristmaswallpapers.net

• If you leave your home and it smells good.....check your candles.  Even if you KNOW you blew them out.  Check again. 
• Never leave candles burning while you sleep.
• Never leave candles burning within the reach of a small child no matter how many times you have talked to them about candles.  Children love pretty things.
• If you have a real Christmas tree make sure it doesn't dry out.  I love real Christmas trees but I want my tree up sooner than the real one will live.  Remember...if you have an artificial tree a fire can still start so take precautions.  Try to find a place to put your tree that is not next to curtains, couches, chairs or anything else that would fuel that fire.
• We all love a crackling fire.  Make sure your chimney is cleaned out, you have the proper cover for your fireplace and nothing is too close to the fireplace to catch fire. 
• If you are climbing a ladder to decorate your home....never do it alone.  (No your partner cannot be in the house).  Always have someone with you OUTSIDE while decorating.  
• Check your smoke detectors!!  If you read the blog about time change (if not click HERE) you have changed your batteries but not all batteries are created equal. Even if you buy GREAT batteries there are some that don't have the "juice" it should so before the tree goes up....check your smoke detectors again.  As long as your tree is up check them daily as you never know when that bad battery will lose its juice.

A few minutes a day could save your life or the life of a loved one.  We love the holidays and we get excited about all that is included with the holidays.  Let's get excited about being safe along with your holiday traditions.

Please share your holiday safety tips....you never know if something you do can save someone else from disaster. 

Now we all know about these dangers, whether we are conscious of these dangers or not. What we may not realize or completely understand are the dangers of our dryers.  Dryer vent fires kill people every year and cost millions of dollars in damages.

Dryer vents if not properly and regularly cleaned are just a fire waiting for a spark.

Your dryer heats up so the spark is possible.




You may have a problem if:

• It takes more than one cycle to dry your clothes
• Your laundry room is hotter than it should be
• You "smell" your dryer running
• You have the wrong extension from your dryer to the wall

Safety Tips:

• Have a professional come and check/clean your vents
• Never run the dryer when you are not home

Please watch this video to understand the dangers of your dryer and the importance of having your dryer vents cleaned regularly. 

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Holiday Company

Preparing for company:

I don't know about you but having company over causes stress.  Is the house "clean" enough.  Will they open the drawer I threw everything in from the counter?  And let's not talk about the "other" room that I have been throwing stuff in since this summer that I didn't want to find a place for.

Family can be your toughest critic.  The holiday's...It's a stressful time.

When you have pets....lets double, no triple, that stress.  

Dog hair......everywhere
Cat hair.......everywhere
and any accidents they may have had......who knows could be anywhere.

I consider myself a clean person....a bit cluttered at times....but clean.  I cannot help but have dog and cat hair.....I have dogs and cats.  I cannot help that one of my little "angels" have an accident.....I have dogs and cats.

Okay so let's break this down.

Your company for the holidays actually sit on the furniture.  Your company for the holidays actually sit on the carpet to play with the kids and/or pets.

First take a deep breath and together we will get through this.  (hopefully before your family comes a knocking).

We have time even if your family is coming for Thanksgiving which is (oops) NINE days away.

Here's the plan. Call to get your carpets and/or upholstery professionally done.  Always have this done at least three days before the big event.  While you have them on the phone ask if they clean tile.  

Now......how many rooms need to be cleaned? (You may have to quit your job, just kidding).





Okay we have these rooms as MUST HAVE CLEAN:

• Living Room
• Kitchen
• Dining Room
• Guest Bath
• Master Bath (because the one time you don't want anyone in there will be the time two bathrooms are needed)
• Sitting area(s)

These rooms should be cleaned but only if we have enough time and energy.

• Everything else

Since we are all busy; job, kids, pets, spouses, etc. we are going to have to tackle this a little bit every day.  This is the best way because you won't give up a full day off to do it.

Clean the one you use the least FIRST.  This should be the cleanest and since you don't use it chances are it won't get messy quickly.

If you are cooking a meal, clean the kitchen last.

Any rooms that do not have carpet....clean while your carpets are being cleaned.

Okay so on the MUST HAVE CLEAN list you have two rooms, maybe three, left:  It's not so overwhelming now is it.  Clean one room a day.  

Tackle the rooms that should be cleaned but you have put off.  Trust me once you get started and get them cleaned you will enjoy the holidays much more.  

Your carpet guy is here.  While he's doing the carpet you clean the rooms that don't have carpet.  Hopefully he does tile also so you don't have to.  You have to be there anyway so why not use the time.

Your house is clean.  Your carpets are clean.  Your Upholstery is clean.  Now open a bottle of wine, call you family to cancel because you want to enjoy your clean home.

If you are in the Pueblo County area I highly suggest Trujillo's cleaning company (Formally Trujillo's Steam King) for your carpets, upholstery AND tile. 

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America the Beautiful: History of Veterans Day

Click HERE and come back and read.

We live in a world that either supports the war or hates the war. People choose sides. People talk about their views on the war.  

I want to talk about the SOLDIER not the war.  I want to talk about their sacrifice.  

You can hate the war but still support the soldier who risks their life for you. No matter which side you support...support the Soldier!  

My challenge to you is this:  Each and every time you see a Soldier tell them "thank you."  If you understand their sacrifice you will appreciate what they stand for.  

Today is Veteran's Day.  There have been many sacrifices for your right to have whatever opinion you may have.

The following is taken directly from:  United States Department of Veterans Affairs

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"
The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.
The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, with these words:

• Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and

• Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and

• Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

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