Mom Knows Everything

Tomorrow is Canada Day and July 4th for my American friends a few days after that. One thing both days have in common is fireworks and since so many people will be setting off fireworks I thought it would be a good idea to give some firework safety tips.

• Purchase your fireworks from a reliable source and keep away from illegal explosives.
• Choose a clear, open area to light them
• Always follow the label directions
• Have an adult present to light them
• Fireworks are meant for outdoor environments only
• Always have water handy when lighting fireworks such as a garden hose. You can also use sand in a bucket if need be to put them out.
• Never make your own fireworks
• Only light one at a time. Never attempt to re-light fireworks that have misfired (duds). Wait 30 minutes and then place them in a bucket of water.
• Never throw/point fireworks at other people
• Don't carry sparklers in your pocket
• The shooter should always wear protective eye glasses or protection for their hands
• Check local by-laws and firebans, people should also pay close attention to the weather conditions.

For more information about firework safety check your National Council on Fireworks Safety.

When it comes to baby showers the traditional way to have one is an all ladies event. The women get together, eat, talk about babies, play games and give presents to the expectant mother. Basically all the men do is hand out discount macanudo cigars and slap each other on the back.

That used to be the way things were done. Now men take a more active role in baby showers. It's more acceptable and even popular to have a baby shower that both women and men are invited to. Sure there still is food, talking about babies, presents, and all the fun things involved in baby showers, but men are invited too. This way it makes the event more fun and it gets the expectant father involved also.

We have all seen the Canada Day cakes that are a type of strawberry shortcake made with strawberries forming the Canadian flag. Cold Stone Creamery put a new twist on it with a special Canada Day ice cream.

The Berry Happy Canada Day Creation is an ice cream celebration in red and white, and features Cake Batter ice cream with yellow cake, whipped topping and strawberries completing the creation.

Why not celebrate Canada Day with this special Berry Happy Canada Day Creation. You can find a Tim Hortons Cold Stone Creamery location near you by clicking this link here www.timhortons.com/coldstone.

It's summer time and that means Tim Horton's Iced Caps. Tim Hortons recently came out with a Frozen Lemonade and my kids love it. I decided that why not make it at home. Not only is it very easy to make it's very inexpensive as well.

To make frozen lemonade all you need is ice cubes, a blender, and lemonade. You can purchase premade lemonade, the frozen variety, or even make it yourself. Simply put ice cubes and lemonade in a blender and blend it to your desired consistency and viola, frozen lemonade at home!

Summer is here and that means going outside and being active. Unfortunately many people get injured doing physical activities and when that happens our daily lives can come to an abrupt halt. Injuries, whether it be from a car accident, work related accident, post-surgery, or simply from falling and tripping can cause pain and limited mobility. When this happens physical therapy can not only be helpful, but also the best remedy there is to help you get back to your daily active life.

When searching for the best physical therapy facilities a great place to start your search is at Fitness Forum Physical Therapy. They can help you find the best place for you and your exact needs whether you are in New York, Massachusetts, or many other numerous locations in the US. So if you are looking for the best physical therapy Delaware has to offer or in your home town then Fitness Forum Physical Therapy can help. They can provide you with information about facilities that will not only provide you with the best therapy, but also therapy education, home exercise programs, and post-rehabilitation programs that will help you get back to your daily life as quick as possible.

When it comes to decorating your bathroom we all first think about the color and then we think about fixtures, but a great and easy way to change the look of your bathroom is with the bathroom mirror. Bathroom mirrors aren't what they used to be when we were kids, now they are considered both functional and a part of the rooms decor. I found this great website that carries a huge selection of mirrors that can fit anyone's style and theme of their bathroom called BathroomMirrorsDirect.com.

If you're looking to redecorate your bathroom then you should consider this website to buy bathroom mirrors. They have a huge selection and great prices to help you make your bathroom stylish and functional.


This post is brought to you by your friends at www.BathroomMirrorsDirect.com.

Being a mother means wiping their tears away, kissing their boo-boos, chasing away monster under their beds, teaching them what's right, and so much more. But, I think the hardest thing about being a mother is watching them grow up. You realize your baby girl is no longer a baby, but a beautiful young women. This makes you proud, but it also makes you a little sad because you realize they don't need you as much anymore. I am very proud of the smart beautiful kind wonderful young women my baby girl turned into, but I am also a little sad she doesn't need me as much. I guess that's something every parent has to deal with and realize that because your child is growing up it means that the wonderful person they turned into is because of what you did as a parent and that makes me happy.

My family has a history of serving and defending our country and because of this I've always had a great respect and affection for veterans. Because of the current economy it's hard to get by and even harder to get ahead. Things like buying a home are just a dream for some, but it's a dream that everyone should be able to achieve. Unfortunately there are many veterans who have a hard time getting a home loan. There's a great place though that can help these men and women who served our country achieve their goals of having a home. Veteran loans are a great way for members of the military to be able to achieve this goal and they offer great VA Home Loan rates.

Having your own home means so much to all of us and even more to members of the military who are serving far away from their loved ones. Dreaming of coming home to their loved ones and having a home that they can call their own is something that helps them get through the hardship. MilitaryVALoan.com can help not only veterans, but also active members of the military get a home loan. If you or any one you know is a current or former member of the military and is looking to buy a home then you should let them know about VA home loans.

The winner of the VeggieTales Live! Sing Yourself Silly Giveaway is Misty! Congratulations Misty. I will be in contact with you shortly for your address.

As a mother I hate using harsh chemicals in my home and anywhere my kids are so when it comes to cleaning I like to use natural products and one of my favorite one is baking soda. Baking soda, such as my favorite brand Arm & Hammer, can be used for many things other than baking.

Nursery

• Clean and Deodorize Toys
• Deodorize Diaper Pails
• Soothe Baby’s Bottom

Playroom

• Deodorize lunch boxes
• Remove crayon marks from wall
• Build exploding volcanoes

Beauty

• Exfoliate face and body
• Remove hair product buildup
• Use as a natural deodorant

Not only is baking soda a great natural alternative, but it's cheap! You can get a box for only $1!

There is only a few more days to enter my current contest VeggieTales Live! Sing Yourself Silly Giveaway to win a copy of the latest VeggieTales DVD. Contest closes midnight June19 AST. Be sure to enter today to win a copy!

Father's Day is coming up very soon and whether the father in your life is an accountant, a fireman, or works dump truck jobs here is a great Father's Day gift idea that he will love to get from his children.

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam has a great Father's Day coupon book you can print off for your little one to give to their father for Father's Day. This is a PDF document and all you need to do is click the link to take you to it and print it off.

Their website also has a lot of great and useful information so check it out while your there.

This time of year rhubarb is at it's peak and I recently showed a friend of mine how to make strawberry rhubarb pie. It's a quick and easy recipe that makes a delicious pie.


Pastry -

1 cup shortening plus 3 tablespoons
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
6 to 8 tablespoons cold water

Cut in shortening with flour and salt. When crumbly like oatmeal add water tablespoon at a time. Form ball and roll out on floured surface.

Filling -

4 cups chopped rhubarb in 1 inch/2.5 cm pieces
2 cups quartered strawberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour

Toss together and pour into pie shell. Cover with top pie shell and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn heat down to 350 degrees and bake until crust is golden brown (55 to 70 minutes). Cover edges of crust with tinfoil if they get too brown.

Life can be stressful at times. There is always so much to do and so little time to do it in. Yesterday was my day off. Well if you call a day where I still had to do house work, yard work, keep my sisters daughter after school, take care of my family, and have dinner guests a day off. In actuality yesterday was the only day where I didn't have to leave the house to run errands, go to meetings, or dentist appointments so it kind of was a day off. This week has been a busy week and will continue to be a busy week so I decided it was time to de-stress myself. I decided to get done what I needed to get done and worry about motor home repairs, answering emails, and any extra work that needed to be done at a later date and took a couple of hours off for me. It was wonderful and I feel much less frazzled.

Remember to take a little you time for yourself every once in a while whether that means taking a walk, watching a movie, reading a book, or even taking a nap. We all have so much stress in our lives it's good every once in a while to just relax and take it easy.

Summer vacation is almost upon. A lot of families take their family vacation by car. Making sure your car is in good working order before taking a car trip is a must and since it's National Tire Safety Week (June 5-11, 2011) here are some great tire tips from tire expert and Michelin subjective test driver, Sarah K. Robinson to help you have a smooth, and most importantly safe, ride this summer travel season.

• Check you tire pressure – Check your tire pressure at least once a month and before and after a long trip. Tires can lose 1-2 psi per month.
• Examine your treads – Always make sure your tires have at least 2/32” of tread depth (the penny trick). Examine the wear patterns; the wear patterns can tell you whether your tires are over or under inflated and if your alignment is off.
• Avoid hydroplaning – Simple adjustments to driving including reducing your speed and avoiding wet spots, especially standing water can reduce your risk of hydroplaning.
• Rotate – Tires should be rotated every 6,000-8,000 miles.
• Keep deepest treads in the rear – Make sure when replacing just two tires that you put the two tires with the deepest treads on the rear axle regardless, whether you have front-wheel, rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.

Be sure to enter my current contest VeggieTales Live! Sing Yourself Silly Giveaway to win a copy of the latest VeggieTales DVD. Contest closes midnight June19 AST.

If you are looking for some Father's Day ideas then check out the section on Home Made Simple by Procter & Gamble. They have gift ideas and wrapping ideas to help make the father in your life Father's Day even more special.

Canker sores hurt. They're not fun, and they make eating hard. I recently had some dental work done and ended up with some canker sores on the gums around my dental work. I went to my dentist to see what I could do about them and she gave me a great tip about how to get rid of and help heal canker sores.

Canker sores can take up to 3 weeks to totally heal and for most canker sores rinsing your mouth out with salt water is usually a good treatment, but with severe canker sores sometime you need a little more help. A 50:50 ratio combination of children's liquid allergy medication Benadryl and Petpto Bismol dabbed on the canker sore before you eat and go to bed helps to not only heal the sore, but also helps with the pain of the sore.

I've been using it for a few days now and my canker sore feels so much better! I made a little bottle of it with 15ml of each and use a Qtip to put it on. It truly worked for me and I would suggest it to anyone who has a canker sore. Give it a try!