Have you ever wanted to show off to neighbors, friends, or family during the holidays by making your house stand out during Christmas? Well, you can!
Decide what kind of lights you want to decorate with.
Buy Christmas lights. You can find these on sale in November or early December.Walmart is a good place to buy them.
Examine your electrical outlets. Do you have any outside outlets, or a porch light? These will be your source of power for your lights.Use garage outlets if you have them.
Evaluate your front yard and house to determine where you will put your lights. If you have a tree in your yard, you can put lights on it, you can use ice lights on your roof, or you can spiral lights around railings and banisters. Use whatever you have to make your house unique.
Put up your lights. If your goal is to have the best lights on your street, take into account what your neighbors have done, but don't copy what they do. Be creative and have fun with your lights. When you have a small space, make the most of it. Three strands of lights can make a small space impressive if you arrange them the right way. If you have a large space, spread your lights all across your yard.
Remember, there are many options for lighting. You can use all white, colored, motion lights, a reindeer, trees, and Santas.
Nativity scenes are best when lit so consider buying an outdoor floodlight or spotlight to shine on your scene. If you have an evergreen tree in your yard, decorate it. A star adds a nice touch.
A wreath or garland on the door gives your house a nice feel. Don't be shy. Experiment with your options. If you aren't satisfied the first time, take down your lights and rearrange them.
What you don't want your house to look like!
What you don't want your house to look like!
You can add to your house's appearance by putting lights in your windows. Get suction cups with hooks to keep the lights up.
If you put lights up in your windows make sure that they match the other lights.
Have a theme. Use all white lights set up neatly, or have colored motion lights scattered over your bushes. Decide what you want before you begin.
Get great decorating ideas from the best by checking out Christmas light websites like the Tacky Light Tour
Straight lights work better on straight roofs while icicle lights work on slanted roofs.
Putting the Christmas tree by the window makes everything come together.
Remember to turn the lights on.
Don't overload electrical outlets. Read warnings on the lights and outlets. Generally only 3 strands of lights should be used on one outlet.
Don't procrastinate. Put your decorations out at least one week before Christmas. This will give you time to plan everything out.
Use only lights that are safe for outdoor use.
Don't get into a competition with your neighbors, unless it's fun spirited. Remember, Christmas is not about sticking it to the family across the street.
Avoid large decorations and overcrowding. You don't want to cram too much into one space.
Decorate Your Front Yard for Christmas
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Posted by Jane at 2:14 PM 0 comments
Get Paid To Post
Friday, December 12, 2008
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Posted by Jane at 1:06 PM 0 comments
Conserve Water when Doing Dishes
With every meal comes a stack of dirty dishes. There is no need to run the hot water full blast, holding each plate to rinse it under the hot water blast for a minute before placing each plate into the dishwasher. Take a bit of care when washing dishes and cut down on your water use.
Scrape solids (bones, peels, crumbs, and uneaten tidbits) into the trash or (if they are vegetable matter like watermelon rinds) the compost. You can usually use the utensils that were used to eat.
Gather all the dishes together near the sink. Having them all in one stack will save time, and time saved while the water is running is water saved.
Rinse only as necessary. Whether you're washing by hand or in a dishwasher, you may need to do less pre-rinsing than you think. Experiment to find out how little you can get away with. It can also save you some time, not to have to handle each dish several times. Ideally, scrape the large stuff off a dish and place it either in the dishpan or in the dishwasher.
* Know the limits of your dishwasher, if you have one. Some dishwashers will get off most dried-on gunk, especially if you use a good detergent. If you have a dishwasher and it's this type, you may only need to prewash very heavy burnt-on gunk and protein that is cooked to the dish.
Run the shortest dishwasher cycle that will clean dishes satisfactorily. Try the different buttons and cycles on your dishwasher with medium-dirty dishes. Start at the shortest and work up.
Wash full loads. If you're filling a dishwasher, add as many dishes as will fit comfortably and get properly clean. Leaving excess space in each load just means more loads. Don't pack them in to the point where they're not getting enough water to get clean.
Wash dishes by hand by placing a stack at a time into a dishpan and filling it with warm soapy water. Use that water for as many dishes as you can, as long as it's still warm and sudsy. Let them soak for a few minutes to loosen up the gunk. Then, swish them with a brush, dish mop, or dish cloth. Stack the washed dishes aside, but don't let them dry out.
* Don't overdo it on the dish soap, either. Use just enough to keep the water sudsy with whatever amount of grease is on your dishes. Start with just a little and add more if you need to.
Rinse dishes in batches, using warm or cool water. Turn off the water whenever you're not rinsing, and try turning it on only partway.
Air dry, if possible. This is not about saving water so much as saving energy and time. Washing dishes by hand, you can stack them in a dish drainer. A tray underneath will keep the water from dripping all over the counter. In a dishwasher, choose the air dry cycle and leave the door cracked open a bit after the cycle runs if necessary.
Don't dawdle. If the water is running, move right along. Turn it off as soon as you're done with that step. Besides, who wants to hang around washing dishes?
If somebody in your household tends to leave the water running, start by reminding them not to. If you can do it without provoking an argument, turn the water off for them a few times. They'll get the point.
Consider installing a flow restricting aerator in the sink where you do dishes. Available at most hardware stores and plumbing supply stores, these simple and inexpensive devices screw right into the faucet and limit the maximum flow of water. If you know someone who can't seem to stop running the water at full blast, you can still make full blast flow less water.
Dishwashers can use a moderate amount of water, since they recirculate water once it's pumped in. Don't run a longer cycle than you need.
Maintain your dishwasher. While keeping it in good repair may not save water directly, it will clean better on the same amount of water and save you time and rinsing.
Get the dishes clean first and save water second. It isn't extra water if it's necessary to ensure health or hygiene.
Posted by Jane at 12:33 PM 1 comments
1-800 Flowers
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
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Posted by Jane at 8:00 PM 0 comments
Cope With a Tragedy
In a world of wars, terrorist attacks, bomb threats and school/college shootings, every individual must be prepared to handle a large-scale tragedy. The initial panic, anxiety, fear and depression that touch those who are involved in tragedies like the Virginia Tech massacre can seem overwhelming. The truth is that, with time, everyone can overcome the physical and emotional effects of a tragedy.
Get yourself out of immediate danger if instructed to do so. Explicitly follow all directions from law enforcement officials. Barricade yourself behind a locked door rather than trying to run away. You will eventually be rescued, even in a hostage situation.
Don't play the hero. Police and SWAT agents are trained to defend you. By trying to help when you have little or no training, you may be making their job difficult.
Let your family and friends know you're okay. If an event is an item of local or national attention, chances are they'll be in a state of panic until they know your whereabouts. A text message may work even when telephone circuits are overloaded.
Evaluate yourself. How are you feeling? Are you remembering to breathe? Are you hurt? Is your heart beating regularly? If you had to escape a horrible situation, you may be injured and not even realize it.
Avoid talking to the news media. Many people rush at this opportunity for 15 seconds of fame, but being grilled about a traumatizing situation you just experienced can cause you to feel more anxiety than necessary.
Seek medical assistance if you need it. If you feel you're having a panic attack or are in pain, go to the hospital. If you wait, a more serious problem could ensue.
Communicate with your friends. Share your thoughts about the situation. Avoid rehashing the details; instead, focus on how happy you are to be alive and well. Remind them why you are such good friends with them. Remember to stay positive. Hug frequently and don't be afraid to cry together if you are sharing a loss together.
Grieve. Allow yourself to go through the stages of the grieving process. You may be in shock at first. Don't put yourself in harm's way during this phase. You may also get angry. Take it out on a pillow or punching bag. Assuming you're not hiding from a crazed gunman, yell at the top of your lungs and stamp your feet. You may also weep uncontrollably. Let yourself sob and shake for a few minutes. Don't be afraid to show how you're really feeling.
Ask why. Question the supernatural forces. If you believe in God, ask why something like this would be permitted. If you don't, ask the sky, ask the universe, or ask yourself. It may help you begin to piece together the puzzle.
Write. Keep a journal for a few days or weeks. Document your loss. This is where you can describe in detail about the horrible incident. Write prose, poems, letters, or anything.
Take advantage of local resources. In a crisis situation, you may be provided with free counseling, advice, or even a simple shoulder and box of tissues. All these services may be at your disposal. Use them as often as you can until you feel comfortable. Talking to a stranger about a tragedy may seem strange to you, but it may be beneficial to get an objective point of view.
Return to your routine. If it is safe to do so, go back to work/school/home in a few hours/days (depending on the severity of the situation). Sitting around grieving and thinking is fine for a while, but eventually you'll have to get back to life as it was before tragedy struck.
Not all of the above steps apply in each situation.
Not everything mentioned will help every person cope with a tragedy, so choose what works best for you.
Repeatedly asking "Why?" can lead to obsessive thinking patterns. Sometimes life is random. Even if you can discern an answer, the pain of loss is not erased simply by understanding the tragic event. Time and compassion from others helps.
Posted by Jane at 5:15 PM 0 comments

