At the Fence

As the colder weather closes in, you might not be planning to use your backyard as often as in the summer. There could still be time to fit in a few more BBQs, but you won't be able to enjoy the space forever. As you get it ready for fall and winter, make sure you turn your attention to your outdoor furniture. Even though it's designed to live outside, you still need to care for it if you want it to stay in good condition. There are several things you might need to do, depending on what your furniture is made of. It could need cleaning, varnishing, covering, or even putting away inside. Make sure you keep your outdoor furniture in good condition with these tips. Photo source link Cleaning How you tackle the job of cleaning your outdoor furniture will depend on the material. Some materials are more delicate, so you don't want to be too harsh with them. If you're washing metal furniture, or perhaps items made from resin, you can use a quality power washer . P

Hi there, my name's Random Dog. I'm kind of all dogs; the joint consciousness of all of your furry friends. Let's call me Rover. Maybe I look like this: Or perhaps something a bit less scary? Credit Or, most likely, you imagine me as a dog from your life. Just know I absolutely, and with total authority, speak for all dogs. Now, this whole "being domesticated" thing has gone pretty well for us dogs. There's still a little wolf left in us all - show me a squirrel, and I'll show you just how much wolf DNA I've still got. I can totally take it. I won't just bark at it and then look confused. No rat with a fluffy tail is going to beat me (unless I get distracted, or you have food, or the sun is in my eyes or something). But I digress. So the domestic thing: it's good. You give us food, which we somehow have to sit for because this pleases you. Why is your call; we assume there's a reason? Can you let us in on that sometim

Hey neighbors! I was given the opportunity to review a really cute board book for infants and toddlers.  A simple and sweet little book to share with your young one. called Baby, Baby! by Diane Stortz.  The book is illustrated by Ailie Busby. ($7.99) Colorful pictures of babies to hold your little one's attention.  Each page has a few words, or a short sentence to read to your child.  At the end of the book is a mirror so your baby can see themselves.  The last couple pages discuss how God loves your little one, with a Bible verse from the NKJV on the last page. This would make a great little gift for a toddler or even to put in a gift basket for an expectant mom.  Board books are great for toddlers to carry around and have read to them.  If you are interested in purchasing a copy, go here:  http://tinyurl.com/zglnavk One neighbor will be able to win a copy of Baby, Baby! in this giveaway! “Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Co

Hey neighbors! My family has recently been  reviewing The Cat of Bubastes by Heirloom Audio Productions !  If you are a regular reader, you know that we have reviewed other Heirloom Audio Productions audio dramas over the past couple of years.  They are so entertaining and riveting!  Best of all is they teach Christian values and morals.  Be sure to look at the other reviews we have done when you have completed reading this one... such as With Lee in Virginia, The Dragon and the Raven, and In Freedom's Cause.  And yes, all of them are great! I highly recommend to everyone, the audio programs we have from Heirloom Audio Productions.  Heirloom Audio Productions creates quality audio dramas with many known actors and actresses who give the characters voices. and bring them to life  Brian Blessed, Anthony Daniels, Elizabeth Counsell and John Rhys-Davies are just a few of the names of the actors and actresses of this Christian audio drama.  The CD set is dramatized and truly hol

Hey neighbors! A dear friend of ours, Abbie, is a Lilla Rose consultant.  She offered us the opportunity to try out one of the Lilla Rose hair accessories.  We chose a pair of the hair sticks.  Not only are they beautiful, they are well made and look great! My younger daughter would enjoy these whimsical ladybugs. Lilla Rose is set up so individuals can have their own business, at their own convenience.  A Lilla Rose consultant can do book parties, online parties, in home parties, or just sell to individuals.  It is so easy to get started.  There is one plan that starts at $50.  You can find out more about the business opportunity HERE .  And the hair accessories are pretty reasonably priced, so they sell themselves! She did a roll in this one. Mercy loves wearing hair sticks, so I partially chose these for her.  The sticks are $8 for a single stick or $15 for a pair..  We chose the Heart set.  The hearts on the top of the stick have a beautiful etched

While weight loss is constantly seen as a source of aggravation, frustration and helplessness - it also works. Whether you have just hit on the right diet plan or found an exercise regime that is making your figure more slender, things do begin to change. No one is saying that it's easy or doesn't require a huge amount of sacrifice - but the rewards are always going to be worth it.   It's not a quick process, though - which is a good thing. Most of us know that crash dieting doesn't work and pounds lost will still be regained, sometimes with interest. So the fact it's taking awhile is a good thing; and you know it should take awhile longer before you reach your goal. There's just one problem: your clothes don't fit you anymore. When clothes become too loose, they can begin to look ridiculous. You can give the appearance of a child dressed up after raiding their parents’ closets rather than a functioning adult, a look most of us try to avoid. At th

Photo source: Unsplash.com As the holiday season starts creeping up on us again, it’s time to start thinking about making a Christmas gift list. Funnily enough, something that is intended to spark so much joy can also sometimes bring a lot of stress! So instead of focusing on the big gifts you might be buying this year (which are usually much more tailored to the person) we’re going to take a look at some of the affordable fun and gifts that will put spirit into the holidays. Secret Sisters And Stocking Fillers These types of gifts should be silly, fun and cute. For the kids, you can include brightly colored stationary that they can use for school and cute post-it notes and paper clips to keep them organized. For girls add in some pretty hair bands, hair ties , and lip balm. And for boys, you can go for shoe polish, hair gel and phone credit. For tasty treats don’t forget those all-important classic Christmas gold chocolate coins! Secret Sisters is always a tricky one as you’re

Hey neighbors! How many of you pay to have a manicure or pedicure?  How much do you put out per year on your nails?  What if you could save by doing it yourself at home?  Well, Utilyze has a really nice manicure and pedicure set available on Amazon.  Wait until I tell you all about it. The set arrives in a nice white zippered carry case.  When you open it up you will find everything you need to give yourself beautiful nails.  Well, you will have to add your own nail color.  First you have the handheld machine itself.  The plug is separate and attaches at the end to power your unit.  The nice thing is you have buttons to adjust to the speed you desire.  Ever had one that went too fast or too slow?  Well with the progressive 10 speed motor, you can get a speed you like.  Next are the seven different attachments.  Each attachment is for a specific purpose. Attachments: Sapphire Callus Sander - Removes calluses on feet and hands, also can shape nails Felt Polishing Con

Fall is, without a doubt, my favorite season. The flavors, colors, weather, and of course the scents of fall are all amazing. M has been doing a lot of fall decorating in the house the past week or so, and one way we've been doing this is with fall-scented candles. Root Candles sent us two of their most popular scents, the Cinnamon Spice and Pumpkin Spice, and we immediately fell in love with the wonderful fragrances. Root Candles offers natural beeswax candles, available in a variety of sizes and scents. The Cinnamon Spice candle is the essence of fall baking scents. Cinnamon is blended with clove, sugar, caramel and vanilla. The resulting scent is like all the best autumnal baked goods in one delicious fragrance! The Pumpkin Spice candle combines clove, ginger and pumpkin puree with hints of brown sugar, vanilla creme, and musk. When you light this candle, the room will soon smell like you have a homemade pumpkin pie in the oven! If you're like me, you hav

Some of us function best in the mornings. Others take a couple of hours to warm up. If you’re not a morning person, there are ways you can boost your energy levels and alter your mindset. Here are some hints to help you start every day with a spring in your step. Image credit https://pixabay.com/en/morning-sunrise-sun-sky-skies-855067/ Get to bed and get up earlier Do you constantly find yourself nodding off on the sofa? Do you hit snooze a million times before reluctantly dragging your tired body out of bed? If so, it’s time to rethink your daily routine. If you’re falling asleep watching TV, you’re clearly tired, and your body needs a rest. Try going to bed earlier. If you’re getting more sleep, the mornings won’t be such a struggle. Once you get used to going to bed earlier, it will become second nature. If you’re on the go from first, you can get a lot more accomplished. You can start work earlier, get through your to-do list or make time for social activities or hob

Having access to fresh, clean flowing water in our homes is a luxury not many of us tend to consider. After all, the technology has existed since the 18th century , and most people in the western world have had access to it for over 100 years. Add hot flowing water into that equation, and it's safe to say we have it pretty good with this system. However, as with all forms of technology, it is prone to breaking down on us occasionally. Issues with household plumbing make up a large majority of the average homeowner's maintenance issues. Read on to find out the most common ones and how you can help prevent them. Image source The dripping faucet We've all had to deal with a dripping faucet at some point. As well as being annoying (that dripping sound can get very tedious) a dripping faucet can be very expensive . It can, in fact, cause you a lot more money than you might think. A particularly severe faucet leak can mean you lose up to 30 gallons of water per day, costing