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We have a full newsletter for you with a new video, lovely photos, excellent tips, and a number of questions from other members seeking your experience and expertise.
Our daily pet newsletter could use your help. We are short of pet photos and tips. If you have a photogenic pet or advice to share please consider entering one of our tip contests related to pets. Thank you in advance.
ThriftyFun Guides are a great way to find solutions to common problems. Solutions are eligible to win our weekly contests! Do you have a solution for these guides?
Choosing the perfect color paint for your bathroom can be very confusing. You have to consider the existing colors of such things as the tile, fixtures, flooring, cabinets, etc. This page contains bathroom paint color advice.
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Whether you go and cut your own or purchase it pre-cut, finding just the right Christmas tree for you home is an important part of decorating for Christmas. From nobles to classic firs, picking the right tree will bring much holiday cheer to your home. This is a guide about picking a Christmas tree.
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Barbara
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Christine Parker, a financial planner, walks you through the process of creating a budget. Be sure watch the related videos for additional information about... View This Video
By Southernbelleklb from Jefferson, LA
We have many hummingbirds coming to feed throughout the year, and the Anna's remain in our area. They are such graceful birds and must eat throughout the day to replace the energy and strength that they use up during their seemingly endless hunt for nectar.
By Bob35
When you put the folded sheet on the bed, unfold the first fold to the left and place the sheet at the top right side of the bed. Let it hang down about 15 inches over the side of the bed and keep unfolding it down, to the left, down, to the left, and down, etc. until it is completely unfolded. (They probably do this in hospitals, with twin-size hospital beds.) However, with a queen size bed it can be somewhat more difficult to do alone. With two people putting a sheet on a queen bed there would be no running to the other side of the bed to straighten it as it folds out to the full width of the bed. But if you are doing it yourself, you probably will need to at least once even with this method.
I don't bother to fold the bottom (fitted) sheet but just roll it up as it is easy to put on and the wrinkles stretch out once it is on the bed.
By Judy S. from ND
Measure a piece of timber dowel the width of the door. Drill a small hole (1/8") in the centre of each cap and string them together like beads, with knots along the string to keep them separate from each other. A creative person could make a design or picture on the curtain out of different coloured caps.
Affix at the top of the door, with two screw-eyes and hooks for easy removal during the winter months when insects aren't a problem or for cleaning if necessary.
By Mopoke from Huon, Victoria
We always told our girls that Santa Claus brings some of the Christmas presents UNTIL you stop believing in him and then the parents have to bring the presents. That is why some homes have parents bringing the gifts instead of Santa Claus! And when you stop believing, you get underwear (This was told to us by the REAL Santa).
Santa always wraps his presents in paper that mom and dad don't have in the basement. Santa always tracks in snow in and around the fireplace leading to the Christmas tree (baking soda and dad's boots). Daddy always grumbles about the mess the "old man" made! The girls love this and it is always good for the giggles!
Santa always eats some of the cookie and milk we left out and the carrots were always gnawed. He leaves some crumbs scattered around the plate (which Mom would never allow).
Santa often left other indicators that he was at our home. He papered over the door leading into the tree, left sleigh tracks in the front lawn when there was snow one Christmas Eve, writes a note, tapes a crepe paper "web" over the bedroom door so the kids have to "break through" before they can get out of their room, and once he even left his hat behind (we left it out the next year and he left a thank you note).
The Christmas elf also visits our home beginning on the 13th and leaves a small token each of the 12 days of Christmas to help with the suspense leading up to the big day (once he left us tickets to see a play and he always leaves new pjs on the morning of Christmas eve). He also always leaves thank you notes and a new Christmas ornament (theme specific to something meaningful that year) one of the days. He leaves other items like candy treats, socks, and now that the girls are older, makeup, gift certificates, etc. I stock up on these kinds of things right after Christmas at the sales and throughout the year.
We invite the Christmas elf to come when we have finished decorating the Christmas tree by turning off all the lights except the tree and chant Shimbaree-Shimbarah (left over from when our oldest loved Barney!)
We always make sure the girls know the real reason for the season, the birth of Jesus, by continuing to regularly attend our worship and other church events, we give generously to those in need, support our Angel tree and ring the Salvation Army bell once during the season. We attend other holiday events which keep our focus on the "real' meaning of Christmas - not just Santa Claus and receiving gifts.
Merry Christmas to all!
By Diana from Prospect, KY
By coville123
I wanted to share this, I didn't have my camera with me. The garlands I am talking about are the ones that look like shiny small Mardi Gras beads for the Christmas tree.
By Robyn from Tri-Cities, TN
By John P
By Lorraine
By flower
By Deuan from Sathorn, Bangkok
By Gayle from Rochester, NY
By Shannon B.
By Geno
Does anyone have suggestions for reviving the wood floors outside of the expensive alternative of having them professionally refinished. I also don't want to do this myself.
By Kay
By Tiffany from Hattiesburg, MS
By Alun
By Stephanie G.
