Mommy Has to Work

What I’ve been up to…

November 18, 2013 By Anne

I have been busy, busy, busy!

In August I signed up to sell Tupperware. My mother-in-law talked me into it. I wasn’t sure how it would go, but there are so many people I meet that want to buy it or they didn’t know anyone that sold it. So I’ve been busy going to events and setting up my tables.

This past Thursday the event was a ladies fashion show and the club house was right on the water!

I have also started a charity group that I hope to make official in a few months. Official meaning signing all those papers for a 501c3. It’s lot of work, so I’m taking it slow to see how it goes. We had our first event this past Saturday. We did a food drive for a local homeless shelter. We brought in 4 shopping carts of food($500) and over $200 in cash donations. Not bad for our first event and only 3 days to do it in! We had two locations set up on Saturday.

We have another event this coming Saturday were we will be having a raffle of donated services/items from local vendors. Then a bake sale in early December.

Plus more Tupperware events coming up and the holidays and school events and everything else! 🙂

I love all that I am doing but at times feel overwhelmed.

What have you been up to lately?

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Servicing a Water Heater: A Job for the Experts

November 17, 2013 By Anne

This is a guest post.

We have all had those days where everything goes wrong. Your car’s check engine light comes on, you burn your dinner and you didn’t receive the raise you were expecting. When your water heater breaks down, you want to call someone you can trust to get the job done in a timely, hassle-free way. One of the easiest ways to do this is look for professional water heater repair in Baltimore.

Call the Experts

Instead of trying to fix your water heater yourself and possibly damaging it further to the point where it is irreparable, call an expert who is specially trained to repair and even improve the equipment in your home. There are technicians who are trained on all major brands of water heaters and therefore know the nuances of the brand itself. Most business are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency services. Out of hours repair can often come at a premium so try to call during working hours if possible.

Replace vs. Repair

By calling an expert, you are given the tools required to decide whether repairing your water heater is the smartest option. Rather than dumping as much money as required to constantly repair an old, malfunctioning water heater, it might be beneficial to purchase a new one. If the repair cost is more than 50% of the cost of a new water heater, it is highly recommended to purchase a new unit. Newer models are also more energy efficient, which means that in the long run, you will be saving money on your bill. If you find that your warranty has expired or does not cover a crucial part that needs to be repaired, this is also a good reason to replace rather than repair.

Services Offered

Experts are also available for other maintenance for your water heater. They are able to do planned maintenance on your unit by checking water lines, replacing damaged water and sewage lines, ensure that your drains are cleaned, and ensure that sump pumps are all in working order. This is very beneficial as regular maintenance to these items in your home decreases the risk of future issues that aren’t an easy fix.

Helpful Purchasing

The experts at Baltimore plumbing services are more than happy to help you make the correct decision when it comes to hot water heaters. By understanding your household size, gas or electric usage, and your average use of water, you are able to easily see the most suitable size of water heater that your household needs. Other options include comfort and efficiency. By keeping in mind that heating is most likely the second largest energy expense to your home, the expert will ensure that you are making the most economically sound decision possible.

By choosing Baltimore plumbing services, you are choosing to use highly trained, professional experts that will get the job done in a timely manner. By using experts, you are ensuring that the life of your water heater will be extended.

Debbie Fletcher is an enthusiastic, experienced writer who has written for a range of difference magazines and news publications. Follow her here: @Debbie_Fletch18

Photo credit: I am I.A.M. / Foter.com / CC BY-NC

Anne

Just Dance 2014 #JustDance2014

November 15, 2013 By Anne

Exercise can get boring. I walk almost everyday and do yoga class once a week. But sometimes it’s nice to spice things up a bit. That’ where Just Dance 2014 comes in!

We have an older version I bought at a yard sale. So I was happy to receive the newest edition, Just Dance 2014. It has a ton of great new music including:

Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke – My favorite!!

Applause by Lady Gaga

That Power by Will.i.am – Great song to dance with multiple players!!

Plus some classics like I will Survive, In the Summetime, The Love Boat theme and so much more. I’m all about that I Will Survive song!!

There are over 40 songs to choose from! You can find something for everyone.

I love to dance and this is such a fun activity to do with my daughter. Of course we sing to the songs too! Below is my daughter trying out the moves. Some of the songs involve multiple dancers which is fun. We each pick a dancer.

Just Dance 2014 has new features too! The World Dance Floor allows you to dance with people all over the world. The On Stage Mode is where you can have back up dancers and sing too. The Just Sweat mode is perfect for sweating off some of those extra holiday calories. You can actually track how many calories you’ve danced off! There are many more fun features to check out as well.

Here is a video of my daughter…our cat Spice wanted to get in on the action too!

This would make a great gift for so many different people on your shopping list this season. It’s rated E 10+. You can buy on Amazon.com or GameStop.com for around $40 depending on what system you are buying for.

I haven’t seen anything inappropriate for my 5 year old daughter even though it says 10+. Maybe some of the lyrics, but we heard them all the time anyway.

Visit the Ubisoft Blog for reviews and all the latest Just Dance news!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Anne

Cheap and Cheerful Home Improvements

November 15, 2013 By Anne

This is a guest post.

Every homeowner likes to find new ways of improving their home, whether it’s the addition of one of the latest must-have gadgets, a new pair of curtains that aims to brighten up the room or slapping a fresh lick of paint on the walls to turn a tired room into a place you can relax in. The problem is, a lot of home improvement projects tend to cost substantial amounts of money, especially when it’s adding a new set of furniture or changing the style of flooring.

Some improvements, however, can be relatively inexpensive but immensely effective at the same time. For instance, a lot of people favour the minimalist look in their living rooms with the addition of a number of standout items that attract the eye, making it look fresh and stylish. Some might cost a fair amount of money, but others can be made yourselves using some creativity, a few of your existing items being refurbished or with a couple of purchases from interior design stores or www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk that allow you to make your own items to add a truly unique feel to your home.

An example in this instance would be to make your own glass coasters. Sure, you could buy your own without spending a great deal of money, but they won’t really mean anything to you. The items in your home should have significance, making you smile every time you look at them and making you glad to be home or in that room in particular, and customized coasters can do that. Each time you go to have a drink you can look down at a picture of your loved one or child, your family, a picture of your friends or your favourite picture from your recent holiday. It’s the little things that often make the biggest impact after all.

Maybe you’re on the lookout for something that will standout. You’ve already bought your furniture, but you’re not overly attached to your existing range of cushions. Printable cotton sheets can be the ideal solution, allowing you to print off your own images onto the cotton so you can truly customize your cushions and even wash them.

Everyone likes to display their favourite moments whether they’re somewhere prominent or somewhere subtle. The best way, of course, is to display them in a stylish way in the kind of picture frame that stands out, or helps your image to. When you put a picture on display or up on a wall, you do so to draw the eye of the person in the room and, if that’s you, you want to be reminded of that special occasion or person, and if it’s a guest you want it to make them feel at home or create a conversation. Magnetic photo frames are great for this, especially when they give you the chance to decorate the frame to your own style because you can just update the frames if you decide to decorate the room – so they never go out of fashion.

Debbie Fletcher is an enthusiastic, experienced writer who has written for a range of difference magazines and news publications. Follow her here: @Debbie_Fletch18

Anne

Traditional Home Design the American Way

November 13, 2013 By Anne

This is a guest post.

Traditional home design appeals strongly to a wide range of home owners as it creates a distinctive housing element by combining three vital interior design factors: timeless, refined, and beautiful. When going for the traditional home design, one must keep in mind that this particular style takes its roots from the same origins as the country style. Both these interior design ideas are characterized by a concoction of décor and furnishing elements from past periods of home design.

If you are smitten by the traditional home design and would like to give your seemingly chaotic interior a more classic look, here are some important factors that you need to keep in mind in order for your home to achieve that traditional style.

Classic Means Consistent

Consistency in décor and furnishing is one of the characteristics of a traditional home style. This simply means that the pieces used for decorating a home to achieve a traditional look should always be classic, comforting, and are in harmony with the overall look of the interior As such, every décor and furniture should match and create a unified look. As for furniture pieces, they should be placed in pairs mostly within the center of every room because strong symmetry in space is what the classic style favors.

In a traditional home style in America, there are certain pieces that help a home achieve the classic look. For instance, windows and candles on each side of the fireplace are common in traditional style homes. Moreover, great value, high quality Residential mailboxes, tampa are also mostly present outside the home.

Neutral Colors Matter

For most traditional homes, the colors used are most often in a neutral or mid-range palette to give the interior a homey ambiance. The use of black and white as main colors is common in most classic homes in America, whether they were built in Tampa or in California. In addition to black and white, other neutral colors such as gray, taupe, beige, and ivory are also commonly used as a base color for the interior décor.

This, however, does not limit home dwellers to center their designs on mid-range colors only. For a traditional home style, most home owners used light colors for their walls and ceiling, but infuse little pops of bold colors into their upholstery and furnishing. For example, when the walls and ceilings are painted in taupe, the upholstery and other furnishings may come in shades of blue and green. What one should keep in mind when adding bold colors to the overall color scheme of the home design is to make sure to avoid neon colors and keep the look of the home understated yet comforting.

Furniture Pieces and Other Furnishings

In traditional homes, wood furniture are the dominant pieces used to achieve a classic look because they are of great value and can last longer than most contemporary furniture. These furniture pieces should be characterized by a good mix of curved and straight lines.

Wood furniture that is finished with light and dark stains adds a formal, no-nonsense look to any room. You should be able to find one that you like from catalogs of online furniture stores. As for other home décor, mirrors, framed classic art prints, china, books, and lamps are often used to add a definitive look to the living room and bedrooms. When using these accessories, each object should be paired in order to give each room a sense of balance and symmetry.

On the whole, traditional home style is most favored by home dwellers because it is one of those home designs that are often easy to execute to make a new or old house achieve a comforting and laidback ambiance.

Debbie Fletcher is an enthusiastic, experienced writer who has written for a range of difference magazines and news publications. Follow her here: @Debbie_Fletch18

Photo credit: coco+kelley / Foter.com / CC BY-NC