At the Fence

Hello Neighbors! You may have noticed we have done some changing around in the home. From re-decorating to removing clutter and re-organizing. Well, with my back injury, that is definitely improving, some chairs are not quite comfortable. If the chair is too hard, or does not give enough back support, I can not sit real long. So, I visited Cymax and began looking at home office chairs . I do spend a lot of time in front of my computer, so I need a comfortable chair. They do carry ergonomic office chairs which might be a good option as these are designed to give lower back support. Most of them look quite comfortable. I would definitely choose a padded one though as the nerve down the back of my leg acts up when too much pressure is on it. Cymax also carries the ergonomic kneeling stool . I have never tried one of these, and I am not sure how comfortable they would be. Have any of my neighbors tried one? I am open to advice here. I also need a chair that sits relativ

Hi Neighbors! I have a neat little gadget to share! It is called Zip 'n Hang ($12.99). You can hang items on your door without nails, screws, or sticky residue. It hangs on your door with nylon string. When you order it comes with one original and one Jumbo hook. It goes up easily and can be moved without damaging the door. This will hold up to 20 lbs. You can also purchase extra utility hooks, to layer the hooks. The Zip 'n Hang is adjustable, it can be raised or lowered as desired. You could use the Zip 'n Hang to hang a wreath on your front door. Maybe you need extra space to hang some sweaters or jackets on the back of a bedroom door. (I do!) They also have a ironing board hanger that can be used, and a multi-hook hanger. The multi-hook hanger requires 2 Zip 'n Hangs with original hooks. You can hang up to 40 lbs! Use this on your children's door for a backpack. One of my neighbors will win their own Zip 'n Hang. Mandatory Entry:Vis

Hey neighbors! I am going to share one of those stories you usually don't share. As some of you know we travel quite a bit. We usually pull a 32 ft. trailer that we stay in for long periods of time. Normally we move each week to a new spot, but this one time we actually parked in one spot for 6 weeks. Well, about 4 weeks into the stay one of my children yelled out, "Mom the toilet won't go down!". Now anyone who knows anything about travel trailers knows that usually that means you need to use a long stick and push stuff down, or your tank is full and it needs drained. Who needs a plumber? I immediately tried using the pole and instead the bowl kept filling. Next stop, send one of the boys out to pull the drain so the tank will empty! Remember, who needs a plumber ! Next you here me calling out to the boys, "Did you pull the drain yet?" Of course they did, but nothing was happening. Try pulling the gray water too and maybe it will cause the othe

Hi Neighbors! Since my back is doing somewhat better, we have been doing some spring cleaning! You know removing cobwebs, putting away winter clothes, cleaning behind bookshelves and appliances, etc. But...I have also decided we need to declutter our home! With a family of 8, with varying interests, we have a tendency to purchase things that are not really needed. You know the type of things you see on clearance or as a special buy and you are positive you can not live without them. Or because it is such a good buy you buy extra for later and then never use them. 10,001 Ways to Declutter Your Home on a Small Budget is a great help. This book was written by Ed Morrow, Sherrie Bykofsky, and Rita Rosenkranz. I have truly enjoyed reading this book. Even the introduction is interesting. They mention how in America we purchase and acquire things because we can. There is advertising everywhere. From television to park benches to barn roofs. "It has been estimated that the

Hi Neighbors! Beautiful day here At the Fence! I finished some work around the house and thought I would take a quick trip out At the Fence to visit with my neighbors. I have a really neat product that my daughters love! It is a Cocoa Latte Machine ($39.95) I received from Plow and Hearth . My two older daughters are really enjoying using the machine. See they love iced coffees, so they do up their favorite flavors, use the froth button on the machine and serve it over ice. I am sure when the cold weather returns they will be doing hot drinks! This Cocoa Latte machine makes cocoa, coffee and tea, and you can add mixes and syrups. You can make up to 32 ounces of your choice of beverage. (Do not fill past the 32 ounce maximum fill line.) To make the 32 ounces, pour in water or milk and 8 tablespoons of your favorite instant mix. Put the lid on making sure that the lid covers the spout. Plug in the machine and press the on switch. The Drink Maker will begin to mix and hea

Wow neighbors! These are the announcements I like to make. Here are some of the most recent winners: Inching Along Game (Educational Insights)-Steph Stopain-Melanie Lovable Labels-Kerrie Omron Heart Rate Monitor-Donna GeoSafari Talking Electron Microscope-Deborah Reach and Rembrandt-Niecey Joy of Birding-Tanya Core Ball-Andrea Weighted Walking Vest-Tawnda I think this catches all the giveaways up. If I missed listing you with something you won At the Fence, please let me know and I will add another winner's post. Sorry for the confusion being in the hospital and then the pain medication sort of messed things up for awhile. Thanks to all of you great neighbors!

Hi neighbors! Beautiful day here today in Chicago. Yes, we are back again! While I am here, thought I would tell you about a local company here called Restruction General Contractors . With all the rain lately, one of my neighbors might just need their help. RGC was founded in 1971 under the name of Scott Brite Inc. It did not become RGC until February 3, 2009. RGC was begun by the Weitzman family in response to the growing desire of families in the Chicago area who had need of property repair (due to fire, flood, and wind damage), restoration, remodeling and maintenance needs. They wanted to make these available to the community through a one trusted provider. RGC does approximately 500 renovations a year. When asked if they do small remodeling jobs, the reply I received was a big YES, as that is often how they start a relationship with their clients. They have a 5 person management staff and 5 Project Managers, who each have a five man crew. They also have hundreds of tr

Hi neighbors! I love visiting with all of you At the Fence, and today I have have a really great pair of sunglasses to share with you. They are from J. L. Childs Outfitters and are called Dragon Tail Sunglasses ($99 on sale for $75). The Dragon Tail Sunglasses are designed for extreme sport enthusiasts. From snowboarding, skiing, windsurfing, even motorcyclists can use these sunglasses. These sunglasses come with a 100% money back guarantee. J. L. Childs donates 10% of each purchase to the World Wildlife Fund. This is a view of the cushioning. I am actually sharing these glasses with my son. I use them as sunglasses, and he uses them for sports and other activities. I love that you can remove the arms and attach the elasticized band when you are more active. There is a soft cushion on the back of the glasses for comfort and to prevent anything from getting in your eyes, this is also removable. There is a small button you push to release the arms, and the padding you push

Hi Neighbors, I am starting to feel so much better. Began very slow treadmill workouts. Between that and the change in diet, I am beginning to lose some weight. Yeah! Anyway, here is a great way to interest your children in working out, and there is a program for you too! My Trainer Fitness is a program that has exercises laid out for you on laminated cards. It is like receiving training from your own personal instructor. The cards can be placed in a 3 ring binder or attached together with a Carabiner. The My Trainer Fitness For Kids is recommended for ages 9-14.The workouts were created by Le Aura Alderson and Robyn Holland. The first cards introduce you to some different terms such as drills, cardio, endurance, plyometrics, etc. Location:You need an area approx. 25 meters or 25 paces in length. You should if possible have a timer or stopwatch, however you can do these workouts without one. As far as food and water go, remember to drink lots of water before, during and

Good day Neighbors! It is so beautiful outside today, and I am so glad you chose to stop by At the Fence. I have another great item from Educational Insights. They are called SMENS ($24.99). They are made from 100% recycled newspapers and biodegradable plastic. There are 10 SMENS that each come in a gourmet scent. The tube that each pen comes in is made from biodegradable plastic. SMENS are guaranteed to keep their scent for two years. The 10 scents include: Pink Lemonade Black Licorice Creamsicle Banana Fo Fana Aloha Caramel Corn Red Licorice Mocha Ninja Berry Passion Fruit They are really nicely scented. I am having my daughters keep them in the tubes when they are not in use. These will be great for school! They are recommended for ages 6-14. Once again these would make a great gift idea for a teacher! Or you could give them as a gift with a journal. My 10 year old loves writing and getting to use pens with gourmet scents only makes the writing more enjoyable. One

Hey neighbors! I am centering on the home, through decor, appliances, etc. Things to help you Spruce up for Summer. And I have a really great Candle and Shade to share with you. The scent is a very summer fragrance! I received the Heritage Sliced Watermelon. My whole family loves the fragrance. We could really smell it all over. Gold Canyon C andles have two wicks and it burns the candle more evenly. I really believe the Gold Canyon Candles are more fragrant and it lasts longer than most candles. All you have to do is remove the cover and the fragrance fills the room. I also received a gorgeous shade. It is the Scrolling Shade ! It is a beautiful white shade with scroll work on it, that looks like vines. The shade will fit the 26, 16, and 8 oz. candle. It comes with a stainless steel adapter for the Bella. For my neighbors not familiar with Gold Canyon, they are more than just candles. Gold Canyon has Body and Bath products. They are called the Emerge Total R

Guest post written by Cassandra Mathers Last time I was home a few weeks ago to visit my parents, it rained the whole weekend. But my mom and I braved it for a lunch out and a day out shopping anyway. The thing was though that her umbrella looked so pitiful that I tried to convince her to let me buy her a new one just as a treat. But she wouldn't, so I'm shopping for one to give her anyway. If I hand it to her, she can't turn it down, right? I thought I would be able to find some really cute umbrellas online, so that's where I started my search. As I was looking, I ran across some http://www.get.wildblue.com and even though I wasn't looking for them, I checked them out and ordered one of them for my home internet service. My mom's a pretty cheery person and loves bright colors, so I thought that it would be important to find her an umbrella that reflects that. So I picked out this really pretty floral pattern that I'm pretty sure she's going to love. Pl

Hello Neighbors! I just have to share this with my neighbors At the Fence. I wish I could invite everyone of you into my house to see this. I was approached by Murals Your Way and offered the chance to try one of their products. When you visit their site and see all the available choices you will be amazed! It took me awhile to decide. I chose one called Golden Times (EM4001), and I wanted it for my bedroom. I chose a 4x6 ($254) as it was going above a dresser and bookshelf. Well, after ordering there is a short wait. Approx. 8-10 business days. The picture above is the full mural. I apologize for the items on the top of the dresser. It came in while we were in Chicago and I injured my back. Anyway, while dealing with that and trying to lower my blood sugar it took a little time to actually get it up. So, one day this past week my two sons decided to help me apply this to the wall. First we made sure to remove any nails and make sure the wall was clean and dry.