Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
Product Review: Oreck Vacuum with IntellaShield
The good people at Oreck asked me to try their new IntellaShield vacuum and I
agreed to share the results with my readers. I agreed to give the
vacuum a try in my home. Here are my findings and opinions.
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Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Removing Urine Stains
Urine is probably the top ‘worst’ stain of all. While working in nursing homes, I noticed how fast the sheets and other washable fabric seemed to wear. This was due to the washing techniques used to remove urine and feces. In most facilities, anything that can be washed is put through a very hot cycle with a huge amount of bleach. If you have a loved one in a long term care facility, now you know why their clothing ends up looking older before it should!
If you are a parent or caretaker of someone who is incontinent, then you will need to know how to remove urine stains/odor. We all know that babies leak, but there are also children who have issues with bedwetting and older people who have incontinence problems outside of their clothing.
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SIDS:Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Almost every parent is aware of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). If you are not familiar with SIDS, it is when a baby between the ages of 0-12 months dies without any known cause. Even with an autopsy a cause is still unknown at this time.
There are things you can do to reduce the risk of SIDS with your baby. Recently researchers discovered that the use of fans in the room where a baby is sleeping reduces the occurences of SIDS by a whopping 72%! A fan increases ventilation which may reduce the CO2 buildup that can collect around a baby’s face. Try using a fan, even a ceiling fan, on low. It will also give you more peace of mind.
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YOU Thousand9
Hi! It has been a while since I have updated here at Family Resource. You are probably wondering what in the world happened.
Well, yours truly added another little DirtMonkey to the zoo. Yes, crazy as your favorite (I hope I’m your favorite!) blogger is, she has a new baby boy. That brings the count of children up to 5. I have to admit he is a cute little thing.
The past month has been one of recovery from a c-section, taking care of various illness in the other children and myself. These events have led me to decide that a good portion of the first months in 2009 here at the blog should center on health.
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The 2008 ‘10 Worst Toys List’ For Christmas
While checking out my favorite blogs I saw that former Family Resource blogger, Jennifer Chait has posted links to the W.A.T.C.H. 2008 top ten Worst Toy List.
Jennifer states that there are some pretty suspect toys out there this year. For more on her post and for a link to the list, visit her blog, Tree Hugging Family. You will also find tons of green living news, perfect for those of you who are very eco-conscious.
When choosing toys for your children:
Check the age appropriate information. Never buy any toy for a child under 3 with small parts. If your child is older and still mouths items (some special needs children do this) do the same check. Remember, if it can fit into a toilet paper tube, it can fit into your child’s mouth.
You get what you pay for. Sometimes the plastic in low cost toys have chemicals (like lead) that are harmful. If you can afford it, stick with name brands. Even a visit to the thrift store if you are low income will bring better results than brand new, low quality toys.
eBay, Amazon, and Overstock dot com are great places to find holiday deals. Amazon offers used items. Do not be afraid to buy something used if it is in excellent condition. Often these items were not really used, just purchased and not wanted.
Gift cards for kids can be a great idea. Kids get to carry their own credit card’ and choose their gift. If you are buying for a relative’s child, check out all of the really cool decorated gift cards out there. Some are really neat!
Above all, have fun. Do not stress over gifts. The more love you put into your gift, the more important it feels to the child. Years later they will remember the thought, not the toy in the junk box.
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Top Toys For Tots, Christmas 2008
It is almost Thanksgiving, but the media has been saturated with Christmas marketing. This year the onslaught has been a little earlier, probably due to the state of the economy. If the retailers advertise longer, they stand to possibly break even this year. Or so it would seem.
Here are my top picks for young children this Christmas. Look for more post on top gifts according to age, coming soon.
Fisher-Price Elmo Live
Elmo is always poplar with the littlest ones. Red, fuzzy, friendly, and so curious, what’s not to love?
Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Waterproof Digital Camera
Kids love taking pictures. This tough camera is perfect for any kid who is tough on toys. As a mom of small ones, I can verify this toy will save your camera and make your little one happy.
Little Tikes Giddyup N’ Go Pony
No barn? No problem! This guy doesn’t eat, clomp up your hardwood floor, or leave behind little ‘presents’.
Playskool Kota My Triceratops Dinosaur
Much like the Little Tikes pony, this guy doesn’t leave you a pile of dino poo to clean. That is a plus in any era, Jurassic or not.
KidKraft Large Play Kitchen
A wonderful, sturdy kitchen. The appliances are separate, unlike many play kitchens on the market in this price range. Colorful and nicely sized.
Posted in Activities, Parenting, Relationships, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Scams: Real Checks, Real Money, Bad News.
Scams Burn
Basically, if you take one of these checks to the bank, it will clear. But, you will be responsible for paying back any of it you spend and face possible jail time if you do not. The letters accompanying the check states you need to deposit the check into your bank account, let it clear, and then mail the company listed in the letter a handling or processing fee.
You would be amazed at how many people actually do this. So many that the Federal Trade Commission was astounded! (At least, the representative I spoke with). Most of the letters and checks are coming from individuals in Canada, so at this time the FTC has been having trouble pursuing the case.
Much like any scam, if you or a loved on gets a check in the mail with a letter asking you to deposit it and send back a small processing fee, get in contact with your postmaster. Do not, under any circumstances, deposit it into your account!
Posted in Arts and Crafts, Finance, Holidays, Smart Buying, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
When Free Samples Aren’t Free
We have all been suckered into clicking on the really amazing ‘free’ offers that pop up online. From a year’s worth of diapers to free computers, it is out there. Who would not want a free year of something or other? I know that I would. In fact, the very first time I saw the diaper scam, I jumped right in and went all through the rigamarole of clicking what seemed like 5 million offers. Page after page of more junk kept popping up.
I kind of figured after the first page I had made a mistake.
So, what do you do when you see a free sample that seems to good to be true? Skip it. Seriously, most of these pages just want your email so they can spam you to death. All the spam filters in the world are not going to catch every single one of the mails you will receive.
Lately some of the freebie scammers have gotten smarter. They do not offer the big deals all the time. You may see a full size bottle of shampoo, a compact disc, or something similar. Not too ostentatious. There are also the ‘poll free offers where you choose your favorite star, singer, or even beverage. Steer clear of any of those! If you are redirected to a large colorful page that asks for your email only, close it!
When searching for free sample offers, stay with websites where the webmaster has either typed a good description or has stated they have used the links themselves. Taking the time to write a good description means that the webmaster has done a bit of research and checked out the free offer themselves most of the time. (Not always, but this is a good sign)
I rarely go for offers that need shipping and handling paid. You can find some offers that are worth it. Before paying for shipping check out the retail value of the product. If an item retails for much more than the shipping and handling fee, it is usually worth the charge, but only if this is something you know you will use.
Have you found something free that really rocked your world? Have horror stories of spam? Share!
Posted in Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Publice Service Murder?
Last night I was watching Criminal Minds. Something one of the characters said struck me pretty hard. I haven’t been able to get this out of my mind. This is a subject I feel very strongly on, but I want to know what you think.
In the show, a young boy had been murdered some twenty years before. A child predator had sexually assaulted him, then stabbed him repeatedly. Later, the same pedophile was making advances towards another boy who grew up to be one of the FBI agents. The Agent had vague memories of the situation. His parents had covered up the entire incident and the Agent had blocked much from his mind.
It turned out that the Agent’s mother had found out about the predator making moves on her child and informed the father of the murdered boy. This all happened about a year after thee unsolved murder. She pointed out the predator, who had also been seen with the murdered boy not long before he had been killed. The boy’s father beat the pedophile to death with a baseball bat.
This ‘crime’ had remained unsolved because no one noticed that the predator disappeared. He had a history of exposing himself to young children and the police in not one, but two states did not readily pursue the case of his murder, even when they found a bit of evidence that would have led straight to his killer. One of the characters, a police officer, asked the FBI Agents if they really wanted to pursue and prosecute someone who had performed a ‘Public Service Murder’.
That has really gotten to me. Though I do not feel we have a right to act as a god and choose who lives or dies, when a crime of this nature has been committed, is it really a crime? Removing from the population a predator such as a pedophile, child molester, child murderer, or any serial killer…should we ardently chase down a suspect? Should a father or mother who kills someone who hurt their child in a manner that will scar the child for life or take away their young life, be prosecuted. In this instance, hypothetically let’s say the parent knows without a doubt who the perpetrator is. There is no doubt whatsoever.
Is it wrong? Is there such a thing as Public Service Murder? Please, offer your thoughts.
Posted in Activities, Exercise, Exercise, Health, Healthy Living, Mental Health, Outdoors, Stress Management, Uncategorized, Weight Management | No Comments »
Sadly, our servers are on the blink
The stockmarket isn’t the only thing to crash this month. Unfortunately, several outages of the FamilyResource servers have left us worse for wear. Many fantastic blog posts were lost, and right now the FamilyResource blog is on hold.
We will be back soon, with a new, secure server so please hang in there!
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
