Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Did You Know About A Benefit Swim?

Did you know about a benefit swim?

I often hear of benefit fun runs-5k runs that raise money for a family in need. This month I found out about a benefit swim. The swim will raise money for a two year old girl with a rare congenital disorder. It is at a local lake where many triathletes train for their outdoor swim. I have been to this lake twice and it is a nice place. I think it is a great idea and I hope they will raise lots of money in the "Swim for Sophia".

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Did You Know About Gas Buddy?

Did you know about Gas Buddy?

I have been using the gasbuddy.com website to find the cheapest gas prices in my area. It is simple to use. Simply log in to the site and type in the zip code or town you want to know gas prices for. It will bring up a list of gas stations, prices and how many hours ago those prices were reported. I have found it very helpful!

Did You Know How to Deal with Obesity?

Did you know how to deal with obesity?

It seems to be such an epidemic these days, starting with young children. I have seen two different shows today (yes, I had the TV on!) dealing with obesity. First, I saw part of a Dr. Oz show in which the question was raised "Is it abuse to raise an obese child?" It was a very emotional and heated discussion.

The other show I saw tonight was The Biggest Loser finale episode. I sometimes have mixed feelings about this show. I think it is good that the contestants are learning to use diet and exercise as the means to become healthy. Many have relied on diet pills like Lipofuze and even surgeries to deal with their obesity. I am glad they are learning what it really takes to become healthy. But that is where I sometimes think it can go overboard. I am not sure how feasible it is to quit your job, your life and train non-stop for nearly half a year. I know that many of these people's lives depend on it, so they make it happen. But for folks at home, training many hours a day is not possible. And we don't have nutritionists and dietitians making our food for us. But my biggest concern about the show is how sometimes I wonder if the winners may lose too much weight than is actually healthy all in the name of winning the money.

At any rate, I do think it is important to deal with obesity and for our society there are a lot of confusing messages for adults and kids alike. I hope that education on health will be a great first stepping stone in dealing with obesity.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Did You Know About Infant Sleep Sacks?

Did you know about infant sleep sacks?

After one MESSY incident involving an infant removing her DIRTY diaper upon awaking from a nap, I was informed about "sleep sacks". The little girl's mom told me to leave her in a onesie (which she was not wearing that day) or that she uses a sleep sack at night. The sleep sack is basically a blanket with arm holes and a zipper. It is a way to keep the baby wrapped up, nearly swaddled.

Since I am a proponent of swaddling, and that is how I always put the baby to sleep, I was interested. Especially since she is getting too big to swaddle with her blanket. I tried to figure out a way to use a sleep sack and came up with the idea of using a king size pillow case. I just slip it up over the baby's legs and she is ready for a nap wrapped up so comfy, and yet not too hot. And when she wakes up, she can still get out of the pillow case allowing her to move around as she wakens. It's a kind of home made "sleep sack".

Did You Know About POS Equipment Rental?

Did you know about POS equipment rentals?

CRS offers more than just pos software. The Point of Sale equipment rentals they offer businesses can be a great way to save money during procedures such as physical inventory accounting. The rentals allow your business to save money while using up to the minute technology. Using the affordable and easy to use internationally recognized branded equipment can be an efficient  method in getting the job done.

While using the rental scanners you can have your information transferred directly to the POS system. These quality Percon barcode scanners eliminate errors resulting from information keypunched in. There are also receipt and label printers available for rental, allowing you to use quality equipment during busy inventory periods. These can be great when out of warranty printers fail.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Did You Know About Four Man Sand Volleyball Tournament?

Did you know about four man sand volleyball tournament?

Tomorrow is my daughter's first year to coach at the four man sand tourney. It is the girls from her high school each coaching a team of four boys. They do pool play and then elimination for the championship. It has been lots of fun in the past and my daughter is really looking forward to her team's attempt tomorrow.

Did You Know About Wedding Shower Gifts?

Did you know about wedding shower gifts?

I've been getting some wedding shower gifts. I like when I stumble upon a good deal and can stock up and have the gifts on hand, ready to give. The last shower gift I had to get though had to be shipped and I decided to go ahead and buy from the registry and have it shipped from there instead of going through trying to find a box and take it to the post office. And since it was for my husband's cousin and his bride to be, I was happy to find something sensible. I am so glad it wasn't a lingerie shower-buying sexy corsets would be a bit embarrassing since I've never met her!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Did You Know Breathing in Helium from Balloons is Not a Good Idea?

Did you know breathing in helium from balloons is not a good idea?

I was taught as a kid not to do this and it was equated as drug use in our home. I still believe this today, though not everyone I live with sees it so acutely. It became a situation last night at a church sponsored youth event. When the event was over, the teens scrambled to get at the balloons which had been decorations. I could not believe it when I saw many of them trying to suck in the helium for a joke (to make their voices sound higher.) While most everyone else there seemed to think it was harmless, I will say that I went pretty ballistic trying to make sure the kids did not follow through with drug-using-like behavior. Since not everyone agreed with me, I came home and looked up more information.

I did find that most people, including doctors, say that a breath or two from a helium balloon won't usually cause harmful side effects. Those in the medical community and many in the educational setting will admit that it is not a good idea. Breathing in helium replaces oxygen and can cause dizziness to the point of passing out. Not only that, it is not a good pattern to set as it mimics inhalant behavior.

So, while I may be the only prude left in this era, I have found support that breathing in helium is at least "not a good idea..."

Did You Know About Document Management Software?

Did you know about document management software?

I really had not heard about it before, but then when I found out about document management software from Dokmee.net I took a quick look to check it out. It seems to be perfect for folks who need to manage documents with their clients and/or employees. It allows you to keep everything contained without the mess and confusion of a filing cabinet. You can allow restricted access to those whom you wish, even implementing different levels to different users. It sounds perfect for those who work remotely, travel or have clients that need access to documents. There is a free 30 day trial for those who are interested.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Did You Know About Target's Five Cent Discount for Reusable Bags?

Did you know about Target's five cent discount for reusable bags?

The last time I shopped at Target, I remembered to take in my reusable bags. And when I checked out, I got five cents off for every bag that I used! I had not had that before, at least I hadn't noticed. Once when we visited in the Boston area, I got a discount for using reusable bags but hadn't had it happen down here. It may only be five cents, but it's a good idea. And when you load up seven bags of groceries, that an 35 cent savings!

Did You Know Where to Find Life Insurance at Wholesale Prices?

Did you know where to find life insurance at Wholesale prices?

It seems that people are having a harder and harder time finding insurance to fit their needs and their budget. Finding and comparing insurance quotes seems like a good idea. It is nice to be able to find quotes from many carriers in one stop. And maybe it can make the task a bit easier.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Did You Know a Good Egg Substitute?

Did you know a good egg substitute?

I've used this egg substitute a number of times, all with good results. Most folks know about using oil or applesauce as an egg substitute, but this one seems to add something just a little different. Maybe it makes the baked good heartier or fuller somehow. My daughter even used it in some cookies for a friend and those cookies got rave reviews!*

2T ground flax seed + 3T water=1 egg
whisk together til a little frothy

*we did have one egg so she used it plus the sub for one egg

Did You Know About Some Fun Ways to Stay Healthy and Young at Heart?

Did you know about some fun ways to stay healthy and young at heart?

There are some 5k runs coming up that promise to be lots of fun. There is one that starts in front of Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros. It circles around and ends inside the park. Each participant gets two free Astros tickets!

I also read about the upcoming 10k toga run. I have not heard of this before and it just might be interesting to see all these folks out running in a toga!

Having fun and staying healthy seems to be the best way to stay young; probably better than botox, human growth hormone or  anti-aging serums. I say get out there and find something fun to do!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Did You Know A Fun Substitute for Chocolate Chips?

Did you know a fun substitute for chocolate chips?

My daughter wanted a big cookie for her birthday yesterday (she doesn't like cake) but I did not have chocolate chips. I did however have chocolate kisses left from a dinner the night before. I told her I could chop those up for chunks or just make a deep dish cookie and leave the kisses whole. She liked that idea! So I used a deep dish round stone baker and filled it with the cookie dough using the kisses as giant chocolate chips. I had to cook it about 30 minutes but it turned out great!

A friend of mine said she buys the holiday kisses when they go on clearance and chops them up and freezes them to use as chocolate chunks. Seems like the perfect substitute!

Did You Know How to Get Rid of Dark Undereye Circles?

Did you know how to get rid of dark undereye circles?

I keep  hearing ads telling how to remove dark circles from under the eyes. At this point, I need a good tip! I'm tired. It's been a busy couple of weeks with little time to catch up on rest. Hopefully now I will be able to get a good night's sleep. Maybe that can help get rid of these dark circles!