May is for Mothers!

Since May is the month for mothers, we are devoting our blog entries to moms. We will give tips for moms at all stages of life--new moms, moms of toddlers, step-moms and grandmothers. Every child every day brings new experiences and new challenges. If prepared, these changes will be easier to handle.

FIRST-TIME MOMS

This is perhaps the most difficult of all stages, since these moms are brand new at this. They are facing the unexpected. They are being trusted with a new life, yet have no idea exactly what lies ahead.

Here are some tips for new moms:
• Other moms are great resources for you. Ask away!
• But... don't listen to everything everybody tells you. You can get conflicting or incorrect information. You are different, your circumstances are unique. Take what is useful and discard the rest.
• Your physician is your ultimate resource. They know more about you and your pregnancy than any of your friends.
• Read up and attend classes.
• Find a support group if you have any special needs such as multiple births or illness.
• Whatever your due date is, have the nursery done at least a month before that. You never know if that little one will come early.
• Don't buy every new gadget that's out there before the baby comes. Start with the basics and add as needed.
• Do not buy used equipment without checking for recalls. Is saving a few dollars worth your child's life?
• Cook several meals ahead of time and place them in your freezer. You won't have the time or energy to cook when you get home from the hospital.
• Discourage visitors your first few days home. You will need the time to bond with your child and get some well-needed rest.
• Start childproofing early. Babies surprise you with their progress!

There are too many topics to cover in one short blog entry. Check out the Gerber site for more information and advice from the pros.

It's Springtime--Time for New Beginnings!

It’s springtime. The snow is finally receding, and perhaps even gone for the season. You are hopeful for those long summer days and lazy evenings. But if you are a homeowner, spring also brings responsibilities. There are many chores that need to be done around the house to keep it in tip-top shape.

Appliances:

• Uncover your air conditioning unit. Have it serviced and checked. Change the air filter on the furnace if this is not part of the service.
• Defrost your freezers. Toss any old food.
• Clean your refrigerators, including the coils outside, and vacuuming underneath. Toss any old food.
• Clean out your dryer vent all the way to the outside. Make sure the vent is properly covered on the outside of the house. You want air flow, but need to keep critters out.
• Clean your oven/stove thoroughly. This includes lifting the top and moving the unit away from the wall to vacuum.
• Drain your water heater. Is the water rust-colored? This may indicate damage on the inside.
• Open your dishwasher and scrub the inside, including gaskets and drain. Remove any large food particles or debris that have accumulated. Then place a cup of vinegar on the top shelf and run the (empty) dishwasher on the hottest cycle possible to sanitize.
• Run vinegar through your coffee maker to sanitize it.
• Empty your toaster/toaster oven of crumbs and wash thoroughly.

Don't spend your summer making repairs on your home that could have been prevented with careful maintenance.

It's Spring! A Time for New Beginnings!

It’s springtime. The snow is finally receding, and perhaps even gone for the season. You are hopeful for those long summer days and lazy evenings. But if you are a homeowner, spring also brings responsibilities. There are many chores that need to be done around the house to keep it in tip-top shape.

We continue our April series with general home maintenance:

General home maintenance:
• Replace burnt out light bulbs.
• Launder winter clothing or take in for dry cleaning.
• Take fur coats to cleaners for summer storage.
• Clean leather boots and winter boots for storage.
• Go through hats/mittens and discard any mismatched items.
• Take wool sweaters in for cleaning. Launder washable sweaters.
• Pack away winter clothing and pull out spring/summer clothes.
• Have your carpets/floors cleaned.

Next week: Appliances

It's Springtime! A Time for New Beginnings!

It’s springtime. The snow is finally receding, and perhaps even gone for the season. You are hopeful for those long summer days and lazy evenings. But if you are a homeowner, spring also brings responsibilities. There are many chores that need to be done around the house to keep it in tip-top shape.

We continue our April series with the yard and garden:

• Clear garden beds of leaves, protective layers from the fall. Remove cones from roses/plants.
• Clean branches and other debris from your yard.
• Cut down plants that weren’t trimmed in the fall. Check gardening resources before trimming or digging up any plants so they aren’t damaged.
• Pull out your rain barrels and place them under your downspouts.
• Dethatch and aerate your lawn to encourage growth.
• Prepare vegetable beds for planting.
• Bring in your lawnmower for servicing.
• Re-seal your deck. Check for loose and warped boards. Repair as necessary.

Next week: General Home Maintenance

It's Springtime--A Time for New Begninnings!

It’s springtime. The snow is finally receding, and perhaps even gone for the season. You are hopeful for those long summer days and lazy evenings. But if you are a homeowner, spring also brings responsibilities. There are many chores that need to be done around the house to keep it in tip-top shape.

Let’s start outside the home:

• Clean out gutters from leaves. Keep them clean during the spring when seeds and buds start to fall. Consider investing in leaf guards for your gutters, especially if you have a lot of trees in your yard.
• Make sure downspouts are clear and free to drain.
• Check your roof and flashings for damage. Alternate freeze/thaw cycles over the winter can cause water to build up under shingles.
• Make an appointment to have your sprinkler system turned on for the year.
• Make an appointment to have your swimming pool cleaned and checked for damage.
• Power wash your siding, patio, deck, garage floor, etc.—anything that is dirty and dingy from the winter.
• Wash the winter grime from your windows.
• Check bicycles and sporting equipment. Does anything need replacement or repair?
• Check brick walkways/driveways and concrete sidewalks for cracks and bulging. Repair as needed.
• Have your asphalt drive seal-coated. A good company will also check for cracks/holes, etc. and repair as necessary.

Next week: Your yard and garden

March 12 is Genealogy Day

Tips for Conducting Searches

Gathering and finding information can be a daunting task. When you start going back on your family tree, there are families with eight, nine, ten children, and sometimes more. Sons may marry someone with the same name as a sister. Brothers may marry sisters from another family. After a while, you begin wondering who your family members really are. Here are some search tips to help you keep your facts straight:

• Talk with as many family members as possible to get any hints or facts than you can.


• Compare what you learned from family members with what you find on the internet.


• Look at old family photographs and identify the people and their relationship to you.


• Consider your source on the internet--is it an historically reliable site?


• Even Ancestry.com contains errors--it's all in how the handwriting is determined.


• Connect with others who are researching the same family members.


• Print out and compare any historical documents that you can.


• Use additional sources such as cemetery, church and school records.


• Document sources for your information in case you have to check facts at a later date.


• Use the library for access to archives


• Research your family's coat of arms to identify its origin


• Find whatever free sites you can for conducting your search, as it can be extensive!

Finally--have fun! Who knows what or who you may find at the top of your family tree. We're still looking for that princess my husband's uncle told stories about. Is he royalty?

March 12 is Genealogy Day

March 12 is Genealogy Day

Organizing Your Family Photos--part 2

As stated last week, you will amass a large amount of photos while conducting your research. Here are some more helpful tips for storing them safely.

Archival products--There are products made specifically for storing photos. They are acid-free to prevent fading and wear. This includes plastic pages, boxes and even markers and stickers for scrapbook use. They are available at retailers such as The Container Store and online companies like Creative Memories. Before using anything for photos, verify that it is archival and acid-free.

Plastic pocket pages--These come in a variety of sizes to fit all your photo needs. Older photos are different sizes, depending on their age, so you may need a variety of pocket pages. Place only one photo (or two back-to-back) in each pocket. These pages can be kept in binders.
Keep negatives separate--Never store your negatives with your photos. This will not only keep your photos safe, it will give you a back-up should something happen to the photos. Negatives should be stored in a cool, dark place with low humidity.

Identify people/place-- When storing your photos, mark the names of any people in the photos, along with the place and date. Never write on the backs of the photos. Instead, purchase pocket pages that have a white strip specifically for documenting this information. Future generations will appreciate this.

Storage products--There are several ways to permanently store your photos. First, there are photo albums and plastic pocket pages. As mentioned above, they come in a variety of sizes so you can keep different sized photos in one album. Second--photo boxes. These are easier to use, as photos can be dropped into the box and separated with dividers. You can identify photos by writing on the dividers. However, they only accommodate photos up to 4"x6". Third, there are traditional scrapbooks. While these are beautiful works of art in themselves, they are also the most time-consuming. It can take hours to do just a few pages. Fourth, there are digitized scrapbooks which take digital photos of any size and arrange them to create bound books. No matter what you use, make sure all your products are acid-free.

Categorize your photos--Just like you categorize and separate your documents, do the same with your photos. Separate by event, family member, year, etc. Whatever works best for you.

Taking the time now to organize your photos and files will save you and your family hours of stress later.