RedCore 1500 Infrared Space Heater with Built-In Air Purifier and Humidifier Review

Have you ever considered infrared heaters?

Our master bathroom is on one end of the house…the end away from the heating unit.  Because the room is so far from the other end of the house where the heating unit is located, the room is often cool in the winter months requiring supplemental heat.

We currently use an electric small space heater I’d bought for a small office when I’d gotten out of college.  But recently, my husband has mentioned that it might be good to start up a humidifier on that end of the house to help with dry air generated by running the heaters in the winter.  Ironically, today I received a request today to write a paid review for the RedCore 1500 Infrared Space Heater with Built In Air Purifier and Humidifier.

I can see where this could be a space saver as you get a purifier, humidifier, and heater all in one unit!

The cost is currently in the $500 range, but if you had limited space and needed to accomplish all three with one device, I can see how this might be worth considering.

Want to read more?  View more information on infrared heaters at this link: http://www.air-n-water.com/product/1500.htm.

Shout Out to A New Favorite Organizational Pad

My SIL got my this handy notebook for my birthday last year (along with some other things) and it has become one of my favorite productivity tools.  It helps you break down jobs into “to-do”, errands, and contacts.  When you finish one list, you can tear that section out and still keep another list.

My favorite “to do” list-maker to date.  I only use it when I’m super busy and need help organizing my thoughts, but when I do, boy, do I love this pad!  Check them out at www.knockknock.biz (Specifically, the product page link is here.)

They have three pads to choose from…all of them looked useful!

Night Cap

Aw, a few of you checked the posts to see if comments were re-enabled, and you caught a couple!  That’s just sweet at molasses right there.  I’m started to feel somewhat friendly again and able to “entertain a few blog guests”. 

I’ll just be honest.  December required a WHOLE NOEW LEVEL of focus for this Momma Bear.  Man, I don’t even want to summarize that.  It was fun, it was crafty, it was fun…and it was time to stop.  My heart was starting to feel like day old coffee was running in it, and my back spent 2-3 days tempting to lock up on me if I didn’t get me back into some level of normalcy soon.  I’m still working on normalcy, but intense rest has helped.  And a few muscle relaxers, and Naproxen, and doing…well, as little as a mother can do. 

Last night around 1AM, I grabbed a few pair of needed underwear for today out of the whites, threw them in with the darks which were still drying and called it a day.  I still have not folded the darks.  I have fluffed them once with the intention of drying them, but it only buzzes once on “reheat” cycle, which is stupid.  Who answers the laundry on the first beep.  If you do, don’t tell me…I’d have to drop our friendship if I knew that–it would make me feel way to inadequate to continue our journey together.

Speaking of which, my Maytag gas stove also only beeps once at done…which is an even “stupider” idea.  And that deserves the used of the non-word “stupider”.  I am generally in and out and with the dog and answering the door, the phone, watering outside plants, and running after children with scraped knees at the “one beep”.  What kind of kitchen maid do they think buys these things anyway?  I’ve tried the “alternate timer” route.  It actually has three timers…but apparently it chooses nonfunctionality at will…three days later the thing has reached zero, not beeped, and -1000 hours or something.

That leads me to my new Christmas gift I got today.  But first, I told you I got a “large round stone” for Christmas.  I had a winner…Kim L. guessed that one right away.  Yup, my Mom gave me a round baking pizza stone…my second.  With a family of five, one just doesn’t cut it.  I’ll still probably use my square metal ones some, but it’s just nice to have a round pizza when you cook for guests.  I’m THRILLED to have it.  Funny thing is, she thinks I gave it to her years ago.  See there, a good gift just keeps on giving.  She never used it and I kept hinting, ever so subtly (not) that I could use a second one.  Love it.  THAT is a great gift giver.  Totally practical, affordable, and much appreciated.

Today?  I got my new brick-red four wheel drive, all terrain vehicle my husband pre-ordered for me. Good on gas…runs electric!   How ’bout that?  I found myself singing a song to it today:  “I love everything about you, everything you are, catch a falling star if I asked you, and I couldn’t live a single day without you…”  Okay, okay, so it’s a new vaccum!  You just can’t have any fun with you people.  I LOVE this vaccum.  1.  It is NOT bagless.  Whoever thought of that idea doesn’t vaccum in real life.  2.  It vaccums “60% better than a Dyson”.  I don’t know what level of Dyson that comparison runs with, but at $140 ordered on-line from Wal*Mart, that’s pretty promising.  It only filled up a very small portion of the bag the first use, AND the filter only has to be changed EVERY TWO MONTHS.  Shew.  My last vac?  We had to wash that thing half-way through vac-ing the house AND empty that darned cannister…dust everywhere.  Insane.  The very last thing I want to do while vaccuming is clean dust OUT of my vaccum.  I just can’t believe this marketing idea has worked as long as it has…something in free capitalism has gone wrong, very wrong.

But, my Eureka Boss has set the world aright.  Yes, indeed.   I vaccumed until my cushions of my couch voluntarily I was so excited.  And we aren’t expecting guests or anything.  I even, gasp, vaccummed the stairs…both sets.  And the little carpeted landing.  There is this handy little power brush you can throw onto the house for small spots like that.  Love it.  Now, that part was an “added bonus”, which means that found nowhere ON the vaccum to attach the little power-head, so they got away with calling it an “added bonus”.  I wasn’t so impressed with the lack of “attach-on” quality.  Anyway.

I vaccummed so much that I wore a blister under my ring.  I think it’s because the thing is self propelled, which is great, until you have to pull against the “propell-ism” mechanism (the brush).  I really want to steam the carpets while I’m this far…just as soon as my blister-wanna-be heals. 

I highly recommend this vaccum for the price, Rosie. 

Well, it’s 9:30, and all my kids have miraculously been farmed out unexpectedly.  We ate out Mexican late to celebrate the occasion.  My stomach needs a Tums I’m just realizing.  I highly recommend the Grilled Chicken Durado at the local joint.  A new dish for me, but very much enough for two.  Mmmm.  Soft shell heaven.

We opted for no movie and reading and the fireplace.  Ah.  A quiet house.  It sounds very good.  Total silence except for clicking keys and the rustling of a newspaper.  Aaaaah.    

Is Guitar Hero Right for Us?

I ordered a multitap from ebay a week or so ago for seven bucks.  Instead, I got a mysterious package which turned out to be a wrong shipped order of a cordless Guitar Hero guitar!  Wow.  I spent an hour exploring the mysterious package’s source, finally realizing the connection and called the company.  They told me in cases like that, they tell people to keep it. 

Well, doggies!  THANK YE!

But…we don’t have the game “Guitar Hero” (it wasn’t bundled).  Boy Wonder has played Guitar Hero at friend’s houses for a change of pace and seemed to enjoy it.  We thought we’d check tonight about getting it for him for Christmas as something different.

Having read a review tonight, we’re not sure:

1. We don’t emphasize secular rock, mainly because of offensive words and tone.  Have you listened to the biggest rock station lately?  Geez.   I can’t leave it on in the van with my kids.  
2. A Christian perspective review covering both the fun and addiction of the game, and potentially offensive content makes us wonder if it is a “best” choice for our family.
3. Even if it were appropriate enough for Boy Wonder to “block” at age 11 (and with everything said in the review, I’m not sure it is for long-term exposure), our six-year-old doesn’t need to be listening to “Shout at the Devil”, Ozzie Osborn, or hear “profanities found in R rated movies”, whatever those may be (I’m interested to know more on that),or hear God’s taken in vain throughout the game.   We often make the kids ”mute” Playstation II basketball games that can’t seem to do without that.  
4. Cartoons with female characters who dress in a certain way are the norm, but lingerie and bikinis?  I’ve not seen it, and I doubt he would use those characters anyway, but my daughter would, and TV guests are not required in my home to be shown grace.  They either meet the standard, or they are asked to kindly leave until they can show some respect.

Here’s the link with good info if you are interested in what seemed to be a well-balanced review if you are considering the game for your kids for Christmas:  http://www.ccgr.org/console/guitar-hero-2.html

Now, having said that, I know…I know!  A lot of people play it who probably have no trouble with it and enjoy “classic” guitar players, trying to emmulate them.  I’m sure it is great fun.  I hope you continue to enjoy it!  Guidelines are different for each family.  Rest in that.  I’m not judging you.  I’m writing as a Mom for those with young kids who are evaluating, and in terms of my own exploration, not casting the die for you.  

Something that plays into it for us is, in my home, so far we have only one central TV and one central computer and one gaming system by choice.  We are all forced to compromise time, appropriateness, and choose things everyone can view all at the same time.  While annoying at times, it helps keep us all “sharper” in our choices as a whole than we would be otherwise. 

“They are going to get exposed to it anyway!”  True.  But, it doesn’t have to be the norm in our home.   That’s my answer to that.  If games want my dollar, they need to meet standards for family viewing for now.   Hopefully there will be some good alternatives for younger audiences who just want to enjoy the love of music without the rip roar of everything else they want to “bundle” into the scene.

And, that’s my review, having never seen the game in action.

  

Birthday Tea Cookies Were a Smash

Here’s the recipe: 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened (I needed to melt it, it’s the only moisture)

3/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 C. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375. Mix, (I just piled it all together, but, you can separate it into a gazillion bowls and mix in the flour items and the wet items, do so.) Dough will be VERY stiff (they ain’t kiddin’). Work about a third at a time (to keep from overheating the dough and getting flat cookies).

Roll out to about 1/8″ and cut with cookies cutters.

Cook 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

“Frost and decorate as desired”.

Oh. We desired!

I used the Pampered Chef Decorator Tool to decorate…it worked beautifully!  AND, it was SO MUCH FUN!  You can switch out the tips without having to fool with bags and tips in the end of the bag (those of you who are real cake decorators know very well the hassle I’m talking about!)  Switch icing color or tips as often as you like.  I even tried pink and white swirl, which was pretty, too!  It wasn’t a very technical process.   Just fun.  A “just do it and whatever happens, happens” sort of deal.  I love those projects!

They were all gone in about 15 minutes. 

On a dull Saturday, I plan to get these out again and let my daughter go to town.  I think she’d love it.  The kids were gone yesterday.  I think I enjoyed the morning decorating as much as I have anything in a long time, not to mention an unbelievable sugar high!

FREE: Nordstrom Makeup and “What to Expect While You’re Expecting”

We don’t have a Nordstrom makeup dealer close to here that I know of, but if you do, they are offering a free $30 blush thingyACT 31-SEPT 2 in an apparantly cutey patootie container.  The product is called “Smash Box”…details and coupon link HERE at WISE BREAD.  Check it out!

SAME SITE says you can get a FREE copy of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting“, which I read like a Bible when I was pregnant.  If you don’t have a copy, get on over there!  Let me know how it goes.

Free Nice Handwriting Font from Becky Higgins at Creative Keepsakes

If you love “Becky’s Sketches” from Creative Scrapbookes, sort of an architects rendering of sample pages you can follow using ANY colors, pictures, or themes, you’ll love her handwriting font, available for free at Creative Scrapbook’s website.  Subscribe to the magazine!  It’s great!

Check it out!

Got Joy?

Lean on , trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.  In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plan your paths.  (Proverbs 3:5-6 Amplified Version)

I copied much of this by hand into my day planner today.  (Didn’t that sound organized…as if I use one regularly, but I thought the idea might rub off on me if I had enough good quotes waiting for me there. )

Here’s the quote from Seven Things That Steal Your Joy (Joyce Meyers), Chapter 4: ”Excessive Reasoning” (Buy the book!  Emphasis added, mine):  

There is the mind of the flesh, which is wrong thinking based on your thoughts and reasoning.  And there is the mind of the Spirit, which is right thinking based on the Word of God and the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit.  Confusion, frustration, and anxiety are the products of operating in the mind of the flesh.  Joy is the product of the Spirit and of following the leading of the Spirit in prayer and fellowship with God. 

If you operate in the mind of the Spirit you can have “the peace of God” which passeth all understanding, and you can have “joy unspeakable’ and be “full of glory” right in the middle of terrible trials and tribulations. 

The peace which passeth all understanding and joy unspeakable are types of peace and joy that don’t make any sense.  In other words, when you have these types of peace and joy within, you are happy without having any particular reason to be happy.  You are happy just because you know that God is and that He is able to direct and make straight and plain your paths in an exceedingly, abundantly, above-all-you-can-ask-or-think way. 

You don’t have to try to change yourself or anyone else–and that makes you happy.  You don’t have to worry about tomorrow–and that makes you happy.  You don’t have to worry about yesterday–and that makes you happy.  You don’t have to know how to do everything–and that makes you happy. 

All you need to do is know the One who knows. 

Trying to figure things out will only wear you out.  But if you trust God for the answers you can enter His rest.

  

A few posts ago I listed another quote of hers on joy about not overthinking our problems.  Now, she discusses joy.  I’ve read this about four times this week and plan to keep reading it until I’m only “allowing” things into my home and life that are of God.  Quibbering, bickering, picking, and poking don’t seem to be on His “LIST”…out they go!  We are bringing things into my life and home that bring His peace and joy.  It’s amazing how new my mind feels already, just to know that it’s not all just “normal childhood stuff” or “part of it”…no, that’s fleshly living, and it’s wearing me out.  Overworking wears me out.  Lack of priority wears me out.  It doesn’t have to be this way.  It won’t.  I’ve had it with that.

Identify things that are exhausting you from “mind in the flesh”, fire them, and hire the word of God.  That’s what I plan to do. 

Keep Your Eyes (More) Pure Using youTube

The scriptures tell us to be thoughtful in the way that we live, not as unwise, but wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  That means that we are to know that we live in precarious times…we need to watch our step, and yet try to make a difference where we can, both at the same time.

As a bit of a retraction (am I allowed that?), due to some conversations and input, I am no longer boycotting youTube as a whole… only their ads.  I hope you’ll stick with me and read why without thinking me fickle.   

First, I need to answer some questions and give some tips as to how to use youTube to avoid those “visual land mines” where we know they exist:  

1.   Use the “My Favorites” and “Subscriptions” tools.  When you use the “subscribe” feature, you can subscribe to trusted author’s videos whom you’ve enjoyed in the past.  When they put out something new, just check your 
“subscriptions” tab and see all the new stuff they’ve put out since you visited last.  This keeps you from wandering arounnd where you perhaps should not be quite as much.   I currently have more in My Subscrotions to watch than I’d ever have time to watch. 

2.  Use the Search Feature… to selectively choose topics you are interested in rather than giving your mind room to wander, explore, and be entertained filtering through whatever has been published today.  I bookmark videos my kids are allowed to watch.  My kids are not allowed to free surf on youTube. 

3.   Watch for “visual land mines”!   If you are a Christian, hopefully you’ve addressed this issue already, I don’t know how guys do it, but don’t be unwise to Satan’s schemes.  Know that MANY people, men and women are getting addicted to internet pornography…there is an appeal innate in us that is drawn to what seems forbidden and “out there”.   Do not just randomly just explore “what’s out there”just to “see what’s out there.  Trust me, if it CAN happen…it’s out there to see.  Curiosity killed the cat.   Don’t research in the name of ministry.  There are minister porn addiction stories coming out every day due to that excuse. 

4.  Report!  (Why take the time?)  Why?  That helps them filter “live!”  There is no way they alone can filter alone all the bulk.  Don’t look for it, or click on it, but if you find it by accident, report it.  

————————————–
So, why did I just give you tips to use youTube when I said I was boycotting youTube?  HA!  I’m just that fickle!  No…because I realized my main trouble with youTube right now is with their ads…other things are just internet responsibilty we are going to have to learn. 

Today at my church, there was a strong message that we, as Christians, need to be known for “what we are for…not so much for what we are against”.  Definitely!!!  That’s the kind of person I want to be–more concerned about people’s salvation than destracted and Satan’s diversions.  We can get so wound up in reactivity, “issues”, and “social concerns” that we have no time to win the lost!  Satan still wins!  But, oh, church!  Let’s not react to reactions.  Let’s respond in the obedient character and nature of Christ:  full of both grace and truth.

Maggie

Rob “Rounds Me Out” on youTube/mySpace

Rob over at eministrynotes.compresented “the other side of the coin” on the youTube issue  as we talked a bit by email this morning.   I respect the work Rob and his team does to try to make the web a tool we can use for ministry and discipleship.  But first things first: congrats go to www.eministynotes.com

Outreach Magazine has put together their Top 20 Web Sites for Church Communicators for 2007 where…you’ll find 20 killer sites that can inspire you, save you time and help you do your job right. In short, they make your life easier. Isn’t the Web a wonderful thing?  I’m kinda partial to number 14 [www.eministrynotes.com]  –Rob

So, the esteemed Rob’s point on this subject was the we can choose to be light in the dark, just as we can be with a presence at myspace and other social networking type avenues out there. 

While youTube may not be the best service to host and share my baptism videos or home family videos, there is still room for Christians to post things there to attempt to bring light.   I hope we CAN make a difference in the ads seen there.  I think we can! 

End result?  Let’s keep our avenues open for ministry, and decide when those same avenues may not be appropriate for families.   While it may not sound like both can co-exist, they can.  It’s hard to know where to draw the line.  For instance, our church youth group put up a myspace slideshow last week on their “new spot”.  The first middle ad on that spot for that day, in between Compassion International type ads we COULD choose was this main banner THEY chose for us…

( I can’t upload it at the moment.  Showed Tyra Banks in a strapless bikini with the question:  “Is Tyra Banks fat?” )

I chose to not put up with that kind of advertising I have no control over on my own website.  But, that is a risk we are taking to try to engage in the culture of our youth, myspace is so much a part of their culture today.  I hate to think my son is almost near the age of having to address it at all, and pray we can build other platforms that respect our values more.  Lord, help!

Back to youTube:  in researching today, I found that youTube DOES post a code of conduct to help keep lewdness and “shock value videos” down so that the heinous things I mentioned yesterday can be checked.  Here are the guides :  (http://www.youtube.com/t/community_guidelines).   ALSO, there is also a way to flag a video as inappropriate.   I did not click on the video to do so.  Just avoided it and got disgusted.  We NEED to stay involved and keep that stuff pushed back from mainstream.

It’s hard to walk on both sides of the fence depending on goals and mission, but that’s what each of us must do.  Thanks so much Rob, for “rounding me out”, and thanks for inviting me also to respond to your web ministry post on the subject when you get it up presenting the “family point of view”.  When that goes up, I’ll invite you to go check it out.

Walk Strong!

~Maggie 

Why I Am BoyCotting YouTube Ads

This picture brought to you in response to comments in the last post.  Some of you clicked over and just didn’t see anything.  To get here, I simply clicked the “Video” tab from my user login area at youTube.  

You just imagine my shock when an ad like this was seen next to a video of my kids, or next to a baptism service of a friend of mine!  

That’s what I’ve seen in the last two weeks.  This is only one of several intoxicating ads I’ve seen. 

I can overlook a lot, but it’s stretching the limits of reasonable taste in my opinion.  As I said, the straw has just dropped for me.  Don’t mean to cramp anyone else’s style.

I can no longer  send the youTube video link itself to friends and family for them to share with others.

Yes, I could embed it in my blog (therefore eliminating their ads), but I don’t always want to send my blog with it.  I just want to share a video. 

I can no longer share any ministry video ideas with praise team members.  

I can no loner email links this to male family members in good conscience.  To be honest, I don’t even want to send it to female friends.

It’s poor taste for home computing.   I’m sick of these visual “lures” to poor thinking.

As if that isn’t enough: tonight on this screen shown, a guy is also exposing himself (fortunately, the resolution is so low you’ll probably not be too offended).  

Further, the video title above that lewdness is ”Get the F*** Out”.

There are ways you can tag a video post inappropriate.  And, we know live video has it’s down side.  But, my point is:  there are NOT ways to tag an advertisement as inappropriate.  We need to try to voice our preferences so that those of us who WANT to use youTube and only see our subscriptions or whatever can do so without being bombarded with the visual land mines.

  

Radiant Floor Heating

My brother-and-law and sister-in-law renovated their house last year.  They wanted to lay down some tile in their kitchen and were insisting on putting down radiant floor heating–heating elements that go under the tile between the base and flooring.  I’ll be honest, I thought it sounded extravagant at the time.  But, having walked on cold tile since?  I’m starting to consider it’s use for us if we lay tile next.  Our Master Bath is the coldest room in the house, so I can see where it might help us out there.  Do you know anyone who has used it?  

For me, the main negative to tile itself, while more flexible than tile of the past (less likely to break),  is that things dropped still tend to break more easily than on linoleum (which has some give to it).  Not that I drop a lot of things [ahem].  Anybody have any reports on that?

If we invest in tile, there will be the consideration of radiant floor heating.   And, that is my segue to a paid review.  I’ve not used the product myself, but review based on information on Warmup Inc.’s website.  

I feel a bit of a Paul Harvey voice coming on.  Hopefully you consider it a “fair” review:

Warmup Inc., is the leading company in England of radiant floor heating products (with a  a US branch also).  

Heat is controlled by wall “timer thermostat”. (More info here for heating large areas; >118 sq ft).Radiant heating  ”warms what needs to be warmed” (your feet) while leaving your head, cool.  (I have to say that my bare feet are rather cooler than my head sitting here typing.  They have a point.  I don’t need my head warmer.)  

The whole room is heated by warming the floor.  Space heaters and radiators don’t tend to mix well with kids, that’s for sure.  

They claim floors can actually be used as the sole heating source  in well-insulated rooms (not in older properties or rooms with poor insulation). 

It is easy enough to install yourself, if you are a do-it-yourself-er (with a licensed electrician doing the electrical connections for you, of course).

The one concern I had from the information given is that my brother-in-law installed wire GRIDS to transduct heat, whereas the picture here shows a single .12″ dual core heating element wound in a path.  I wonder if running a single strand is less reliable in terms of breakage than using a grid?  ( Design/Specs/Claims).

Well, thanks for indulging me a quick review for something I’m already interested in researching.  I will donate the money to our kids school, which was robbed (of heaters) last week.  Be sure to let me know what you’ve heard, and be sure to visit Warmup Inc for more info!

Snowy Day!!!

1.  Hubby, Me, and Both with the FLU 

This is my third day of the flu.  I’m starting to feel flush again.  I just took some Tylenol.  I should feel happy soon.

(Glad you stopped by for a great read now, aren’t you?)

I take some consolation that I feel like Meg Ryan in “You’ve Got Mail”.  She was cute with the flu.  (Thinking of my last reflection in the mirror…not happening.)

I’m not sneezing and sniffling all day today…a great improvement.  Thank you TamaFlu.  (My mother didn’t know what that was…I strongly suggest you Google it and find out if you truly have the flu.  And for those of you who don’t know your sicknesses, stomach upset and/or a sore throat or congestion and a cold do NOT mean you have the flu.)

2.  Snow!  Finally! 

It snowed today.  Less than an inch, I’d say.  It’s so pretty to watch.  Ya’ll know I’ve been praying for snow for several weeks now…as have my kids.  No sledding, but, enough for all three kids to be home from school. And to want to play in the snow.  (Did I mention that I have the flu?)  I went outside in sock feet and no coat to catch a few pics of them, just because I am such a great mom.

3.  My Great Productivity! (and/or Lack Therof) 

I cannot make myself do much productive right now on a normal day, and this is definately not a good therapy program.  Or perhaps it is.  A person can only be so unproductive before they just have to get something done.  perhaps I’ll get there.

4.  FILE DOWNLOAD MANIA (world’s greatest sick day activity)

• free file extractor
• free legal scrabooking papers, elements 

I downloaded 1000 files yesterday.  Yup.  If you have a lot of files that need unzipping (extracting) at one time, I highly recommend Unzip Them All, a multi-file extractor.  Made my work a ton easier, faster…happy girl.  (By work, I  use the term very loosely…as in, clicking…a lot [something I found I could do while my head was pounding...as I sneezed...a lot...and my nose dripped...endlessly {I'll stop here...I'm running out of paranthetical choices}]). 

Anyway, I got lots of freebie scrapbooking stuff to play with for my own personal use, legally. >>> Happy Girl.  Lots of good sites out there.  (A lot of alphabet tiles come one alpha per each letter, per cap, lower case, number…that’s 82 files per each alphabet.  That’s a lot of files).

5.  Virus Protection (aka:  the fear of downloading files) 

I’ve had a lot of questions about the safety of these files.  Most of these women really want to make money from sales of their designed lots for sale on the site, so my guess is, they are not going to be downrated sending us a viral file.  Others are just addicted to the hobby and love the praise.  Which leads me to good virus software to help check incoming files. 

AVG was a free online antivirus program I used for years.  They decided to go all paid this January.  Avast!  is the new FREE kid on the block.  They offer a free daily updating online viral service that is faster than AVG, doesn’t hang up my email quite to the extent AVG did, and overall, I’ve been well pleased. 

6.  The flu makes me extremely hungry.  FOUR snacks since I started writing.  Geez!  (Two Lindt Chocolate Truffles [my fav!]–my son’s left over peanut butter and jelly “pile of a mess”, left-over mac and cheese cup….oyster crackers, and apple jacks).  I think that was FIVE snacks.  Gosh.

7.  Fish‘s Proverbs Challenge Gets My Living Room Cleaned! 

Personally, I’m wading through Psalms this year, totally blown away every time I sit and soak. 

But, when I heard Fish‘s goal to hit Proverbs, I decided to add that (as God led) also.  Twice now this year, I’ve utilized devotions with the kids in Proverbs when they’ve stopped listening and started acting foolish.   Winter (“Huh?  What?  Did you say something ?  I didn’t hear you!” to everything I seem to say!!!)  We are together so much I think they block the sound of my voice altogether.  I don’t blame them.  I want to do the same. 

But, God calls people who don’t listen and don’t act “wisely” –don’t do what teachers tell them, don’t seek good direction and counsel, don’t listen to parents–he calls them:   foolish, idiots, and ”bent on hell”.  (The Message).  The kids were astounded at the “harsh language” as they called it.   They had trouble even reading it out loud because we don’t use those words in my home.  Yet, I pointed out to them that when they acted as they had been several times today, they were playing the role.  I think it hit home some with my 10 yr. old.  We’ll see!  (It’s a long term investment, it’s a long-term investment, it’s a …)

Afterwards, they cleaned the living room in 5 minutes flat…and I’ve been fighting the war of strewn stuff all week, to little avail!  Thank you, Lord!

   

The Swivel Sweeper, Dryer Balls and Other Marvels

Today has been a day of forced rest.  I took a nap.  I’ve not had a nap in weeks.  I cleaned the shower.  It’s just sort of that time.  I think nothing will make me feel rested until my house is in order again.  Yet, I really don’t want to clean, and refuse to do so…I am, in effect, on a strike of sorts (except that, of course, I still have to do the work.  Just don’t tell “me” that I’m doing it, K?  Ruins the whole thing.)

Therefore, whereby, such that it is…Misty and I decided (or I decided and informed her), that housework is much more bearable if you pretend you aren’t doing it.  I know.  Stick with me for a moment.  Say,  you do laundry in the middle of the night and get caught up…technically, non productive, non-existent time.  And you wake up, to WHALLA–clean laundry room.  Yeah.  It really does feel like a miracle.  Yes, you’ll be tired and exhausted, but…having the laundry done, you can take a nap or go to bed early and caught up the next day.  Yes, I know there is enough to do to never be “caught up”, but you really have to work with the whole mind game for it to work.  And it does.

I only do dishes these days minutes before heading out the door while I’m giving directions to the kids.  Technically, I couldn’t do anything else during that time anyway…again, thus making the chore disappear into non-sustantial time zone.  Thus, it does not feel like an inconvenience.

Laundry should follow this same cycle…it should not be noticed in the daily log of events, though it lurks there in the subconscious, peeking it’s ugly head into the mental picture frame (clothes on floor of laundry room, do boys have clean pants and socks for tomorrow?  etc.)  Throw in a load just before flying out the door somewhere (3-4 minute scramble), put the clothes in the dryer just before heading out or while cooking supper (so that the event stay inconsequential, not demanding it’s own “chore slot”).  If the clothes wrinkle, there is simple remedy, the “fluff-re-fluff” cycle.  It is on my dryer.  And God knows if it’s there, it needs to be used.  It works well.  I also recommend the QVC “dryer balls” my mother got me for Christmas.  My sheets no longer choke the boys pants into knots.  Everything is dry in half the time…for real.  And I thought all home QVC gadgets were worthless.  Judgmental streak, I know.

Now, as to vacuumming, you’d need one of these babies: The Swivel Sweeper.  Yes.  It’s all true, everything you’ve seen and heard on TV.  It’s a miracle.  I love it.  Used my Mom’s…BEGGED for one for Christmas.  My husband said he’d never live it down if he got me a “broom” for Christmas.  But, you don’t understand, this is no ordinary broom.  This is a magic broom.  Forget vacuuming for the crumbs and strays…hardwood, linoleum, stairs…I can sweep in 1/4 the time.  It sucks it all up into the sweeper.  It doesn’t actually vacuum, but it gets all the cracks, against the baseboard, under chairs without moving them.  I LOVE it.  Check out the video infomercial on the site…it runs automatically when you click the link:  The Swivel Sweeper.  It’s worth it.  Seriously, you can go around toys, messes.  A great in between-er…and as little as I get to floors, whew.  Good stuff.

Okay, so…there’s how to not do housework and enjoy life!

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So, I figured out what it would cost for one year, two year, and three year subscriptions, and what the savings to me would be, and if I REALLY wanted to commit to a 3 yr. subscription.  What if something better comes out? 

On a whim, I did a search on the internet at the magazine’s website to see what the current subscription rate to newbie subscribers is:  $5.00 a year cheaper and a better deal per issue than even the 3 deal super saver deal!

 What?

Instead of $19.99, it was $14.99 a year.  I hate being taken advantage of.  Moral:  always double check your prices, even when the ad seems to come from the company itself.  Apparently a marketing company is making a mint off of trying to recruit repeat subscribers.