Need Some Help With Kids and Sugar? Start Here!

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Most kids love sugar. They are always asking for it and as a parent it is difficult to constantly say no. To learn how to better identify it and how much a child can have without it affecting them we found this article. We hope it helps you improve your child’s health!

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From the article:

Let’s start with the good news. Kids are consuming less added sugar than they were in 2000. The bad news is that kids are still getting more sugar ??? 16 percent of total calories ??? than the 5 to 15 percent recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Just what is added sugar? Sugar used as an ingredient in processed foods, such as breads, cakes, soft drinks, jams and ice cream, and sugar eaten separately or added to foods at the table. Examples include white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup, malt syrup, maple syrup, pancake syrup, fructose sweetener, liquid fructose, honey, molasses, anhydrous dextrose, crystal dextrose and dextrin.

The ugly truth is that added sugar means empty calories (no nutrients beyond calories) that put kids at risk of obesity and health problems that can show up as early as adolescence.

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Looking for information on after school snacks? Checkout this article about after school snacks for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kids-and-sugar/MY02029

Looking for Educational Electronic Toys For Your Child? Try These Ideas!

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Kids love toys. Parents love when their child learns something while they are having fun. So educational toys seem like an obvious solution. With electronic toys becoming the norm it’s important to find which electronic educational toys are the best. We found this article that we hope will help you and your child!

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From the article:

We selected the most educational electric toys from the current crop of kids’ electronics, from toddler picks to big kid gadgets

VTech InnoTab

Appropriate for: 4-9 years
Vtech offers another great kids??? tablet that provides endless entertainment and learning activities. The InnoTab comes with interactive reading, learning games, activities and engaging tools that are operated by the device???s 5-inch touchscreen. Unlike the LeapPad, the InnoTab does not come with a built-in camera, which may explain the price difference, but it does come with an MP3 and video player.
Vtech – InnoTab Interactive Learning Tablet, $79

My Own Leaptop

Appropriate for: Ages 2+
Incorporate a kid-friendly laptop into pretend play while allowing your child to explore the alphabet, pretend play, music, animals, and computer literacy with six learning activity stations. This kid-tough device allows parents to personalize play and connect to The LeapFrog Learning Path online to see what their child has been learning.
LeapFrog My Own Leaptop, $19.54

Sesame Street Video Games for PC, Wii, DSi

Appropriate for: Ages 3+
Preschoolers will have fun learning their ABCs with Elmo and counting with Cookie Monster in two brand-new games from Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment that engage kids through the same Sesame Street approach to learning. In Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure, kids head to the zoo with the Big E, Zoe and their animal friends as they explore games based on a variety of literacy skills, including letter identification, letter sounds and word families. In Cookie’s Counting Carnival, kids join Cookie Monster and Big Bird at a fun-filled carnival with gameplay steeped in math skills that include number identification, counting, shapes and pattern recognition.
Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure, $20
Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival, $20

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Looking for information on afternoon snacks? Checkout this article about afternoon snacks for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the toy ideas click here: http://www.parenting.com/gallery/educational-electronic-toys

Do Your Kids Have a Hard Time With Bedtime? Try These Ideas to Make it Go Easier!

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Most kids hate bedtime. They never want the fun to end so they go and go until they just collapse. If your kids make bedtime especially difficult then you’ve come to the right place. We found this article with 8 fun games to try with your kids to make bedtime easier. We hope it helps!

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From the article:

Who says bedtime has to be a struggle? With these eight ideas, you can disguise your get-them-to-sleep agenda in a cloak of fun, squeeze in precious family time (even during the week!), and lead everyone from a relaxing evening to sweet dreams. Just turn the page, and let the hoopla begin!

The Pajama Walk
Fresh air can be invigorating for you at the same time that it’s exhausting for your child; in other words, a perfect before-bedtime combo. Susan Reichert of Euclid, OH, has been walking with her son in the evenings since babyhood, in all but the most frigid conditions. Over the years, Connor has progressed from cooing in his stroller to riding his bike while Mom and Dad walk briskly alongside him. “It’s a great way for my husband and me to talk, and for Connor to get some exercise,” she says. My own family’s nightly strolls were so much a part of our evening that if the hour was late and the walk looked threatened, my youngest would consent to getting completely ready for bed, then being pulled in a blanket-cushioned wagon in her pj’s while we all talked about our day.

Lookout Point
Your kids may appreciate a change of bedtime scene, and there’s a good chance you will, too. Get your little guys bathed and dressed in their pajamas, with teeth brushed, and load them into the car with a favorite blanket, stuffed animal, coat (depending on the season), and slippers. Then drive to the widest, highest point within reasonable distance of your home and indulge in a little family parking. Watch the sun go down or the lights of the city come on, look for constellations, snuggle, and wish the rest of the world good night. You may even want to bring along a few good books to read (and a flashlight if it’s already dark).

Toy Scavenger Hunt
At the end of the day, nagging about left-out toys is as tiring as it is ineffective. Instead, do a quick survey of what needs picking up. Then announce a scavenger hunt and arm your kids with baskets or bags. Tell the players — who need only be old enough to walk — which items to search for, calling them out one by one. At the end of the scavenger hunt, players have to put the items away in the correct places (young kids will, of course, need some help). If everyone cooperates, you might provide a little prize, such as an extra story.

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Want to raise an optimistic child? Checkout this article about how to raise an optimistic child for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the games click here: http://www.parenting.com/article/8-fun-games-to-end-bedtime-struggles

Looking to Winterize Your Home? Try These Ideas!

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

It’s important to winterize your home. Most people know this but not really sure what to do to winterize it. We found this article that we hope will help you determine what to do in order to protect your home. We hope it helps!

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From the article:

So you’ve pulled your sweaters out of mothballs and found your mittens at the bottom of the coat closet. But what about your house — is it prepared for the cold months ahead?

You’ll be a lot less comfortable in the coming months if you haven’t girded Home Sweet Home for Old Man Winter.

With the help of several experts, we’ve boiled down your autumn to-do list to 10 easy tips:

Insulate yourself
“Another thing that does cost a little money — but boy, you do get the money back quick — is adding insulation to the existing insulation in the attic,” says Lipford. “Regardless of the climate conditions you live in, in the (U.S.) you need a minimum of 12 inches of insulation in your attic.”

Don’t clutter your brain with R-values or measuring tape, though. Here’s Lipford’s rule of thumb on whether you need to add insulation: “If you go into the attic and you can see the ceiling joists you know you don’t have enough, because a ceiling joist is at most 10 or 11 inches.”

A related tip: If you’re layering insulation atop other insulation, don’t use the kind that has “kraft face” finish (i.e., a paper backing). It acts as a vapor barrier, Lipford explains, and therefore can cause moisture problems in the insulation.

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Looking for more information on getting your home ready for winter? Checkout this article about winterizing your home for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ways click here: http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107899

Looking for Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient? Try These Ideas?

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Everyone likes to save money. Especially around their home which is one of if not the biggest expense in the family budget. We found this article posted by State Farm with 15 different ways to make your home more energy efficient. We hope it helps you save money!

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From the article:

According to EnergyStar.gov ??? a partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy ??? the typical household spends $2,100 each year to heat, cool, and illuminate their homes. But reducing energy bills doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive.

Up to half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. By making some smart changes in your energy usage, you can have a big impact on your utility bills

Replace furnace air filters often. A dirty air filter can make your furnace work harder and use more energy.

Replace the filter every two to three months. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). CFLs can last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and use 75% less energy. LED bulbs are mercury-free and may last three to five times as long as CFLs.

Insulate water heaters and pipes. Covering your water heater with an insulated water heater blanket can help retain heat, so the unit uses less energy to heat hot water. Foam or rubber pipe insulation keeps cold pipes from sweating in the summer and reduces heat loss from hot-water flow in the winter.

Seal doors and windows. Install door sweeps at the bottom of your front and back doors to keep heat from escaping. Remove old window caulk and apply a fresh seal to retain heat in your home.

Clean air ducts. Keep your air ducts clean to improve air flow and reduce stress on your furnace and central air conditioner.

Upgrade your thermostat. A programmable thermostat can save you over $100 a year on your energy bill.

Install low-flow toilets and showerheads. Toilets consume up to 40% of a home’s average water use. Using low-flow toilets can save more than 9,000 gallons of water a year. A low-flow showerhead only uses 1.5 gallons per minute while most conventional showerheads use 5 gallons per minute.

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Looking for ways to save money? Checkout this article with money saving ideas for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ways click here: http://learningcenter.statefarm.com/residence/maintenance/15-ways-to-make-your-home-more-energy-efficient/

Putting Your House on the Market and Wondering if You Should Replace Lighting Fixtures? Find Out Here!

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Putting your home on the market can be stressful. Not knowing what you should focus on around your home can almost be as stressful. If you’re wondering if you should replace the light fixtures in your home you should read this article originally published in the New York Times and then decide. Hope it helps!

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From the article:

Q. Should I replace my outdated ceiling light fixtures before listing my home for sale?

A. ???When preparing a new listing for marketing, one of the first things I look at is the light fixtures,??? said Rado Varchola, a senior vice president at Nest Seekers International real estate in Manhattan. ???In most cases, it could have a negative impact if the fixtures are dated.???

Ideally, ceiling-mounted fixtures should have a clean, streamlined look, Mr. Varchola said, so buyers do not focus on the wrong things. Dusty fixtures, track lighting and ceiling fans are all generally undesirable, he said, because they reflect choices from earlier decades.

In newly constructed apartment buildings, the main living spaces often do not have electrical wiring for ceiling fixtures.

???They usually only put them in the kitchens and the bathrooms,??? Mr. Varchola said, ???not the bedrooms and living rooms.???

Either way, he added, it???s not the best place to make a big design statement.

Ceiling fixtures can be an asset if you choose ones that are simple and unobtrusive, said Tori Golub, a New York interior designer.

???Ceiling fixtures are great for changing the atmosphere of your space,??? she said. ???But they should be sort of innocuous, blend in with the surroundings and not scream of any particular style.???

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Looking to improve the look of your home but don’t have a lot of time? Checkout this article with information on how to improve home on weekends for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/garden/should-i-replace-outdated-ceiling-lighting-fixtures.html?ref=realestate&_r=1&

Have a Lot of Home Equity? Not Sure What You Can Do With It? Get Ideas Here!

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Home equity. We all strive for it but depending upon your long term goals you may or may not have a better use for the money then just letting it sit. We found this article with four different uses that might get your wheels spinning on better uses for the money. We hope it helps!

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From the article:

Home equity loans can put you well into the black, financially speaking, provided you don’t use the lending strategy as a stepping stone to even more debt.

Home equity money is yours to use as you wish, but most home owners focus on several economic priorities when they cash in on home equity loans.

1. Transform many bills into one
Debt consolidation is by far how most home owners use home equity loans. It can also be the riskiest way to use the home equity loans.
If you’ve racked up bank credit card debt, retail credit debt and other debts, home equity loans can pay them all off leaving you with one monthly bill that’s likely smaller than the others combined. It’s also a good chance the interest rate will be half what you were paying on just one credit card. The rate on home equity loans is cheaper because, unlike credit cards, the debt is secured by your home. Additional debt-cost savings are available because with the consolidation you’ll likely pay off your debt sooner. Along the way you’ll get to deduct the interest, up to the legal limits allowed for home equity loans.

Aside from the savings of home equity loans, a single monthly bill can also improve your cash flow, leaving you with more disposable income to save or invest. And over time, the single monthly payment also improves your credit profile, revealing to lenders that you are a less risky borrower who isn’t over burdened by debt.
However, the need for home equity loans could indicate a credit habit the home equity fix might only exacerbate. Homeowners should consider how to prevent themselves from scoring more credit before securing home equity loans.

Don’t just pay off your old debts, cut up all but one card for emergencies and consider debt counseling to learn how to budget your income.
Be sure to write a letter to your creditors telling them to close your accounts so you can’t get at them and your credit report doesn’t show you’ve got unused credit you can still tap.

If there’s a difference between what you were paying each month on all your debts and the home equity loan’s payment, save it and learn to use cash where possible.
Do not take on additional debt while the home equity loan is still outstanding.

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Looking to remodel your kitchen? Checkout this article with kitchen remodel ideas for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the uses click here: http://www.realtor.com/home-finance/home-equity/4-great-uses-of-home-equity-loan.aspx

Learn How to Prepare Your Home For Winter Here!

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Maintaining your home and doing things to avoid damage to your home is very important. Depending upon where you live preparing your home for winter is vitally important. If you’re not sure what to do then you’ve come to the right place. We hope this article will help you prepare your home for winter!

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If you need Lafayette condos vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
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From the article:

Give your home a once-over and tend to winter preparation tasks and repairs before the year???s first frost. ???Getting the exterior of the home ready for the cold winds, snow and ice is critical for keeping Old Man Winter out and keeping it warm and toasty inside,??? says Reggie Marston, president of Residential Equity Management Home Inspections in Springfield, VA. By being proactive, you???ll lower your energy bills, increase the efficiency and lifespan of your home???s components, and make your property safer.

Windows and Doors

Check all the weatherstripping around windows and doorframes for leaks to prevent heat loss. Replace weatherstripping, if necessary.

Replace all screen doors with storm doors.

Replace all window screens with storm windows.

Examine wooden window frames for signs of rot or decay. Repair or replace framing to maintain structural integrity.

Check for drafts around windows and doors. Caulk inside and out, where necessary, to keep heat from escaping.

Inspect windows for cracks, broken glass, or gaps. Repair or replace, if needed.

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Need to fix things around your home but don’t want to spend a lot of money? Checkout this article about cheap house fixes for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ways click here: http://www.bobvila.com/articles/502-winter-preparation-checklist/

Think Your Home Might Have a Water Leak? Find Out How to Find Out Here!

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Water leaks can be tricky. Not only can they be difficult to fix they can be even more difficult to find in the first place. We found this article that describes six different ways to find a water leak. Hopefully it will help you find the water leak in your home should you get one!

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From the article:

In most cases the water line running to your home is “metered” for accountability and billing purposes. A leak on your line can be very costly. Yet, even a very small leak can be found through trying a few simple techniques and can save you from a nasty surprise from your local utility company. If you have been notified that you have a leak, here are a few steps you can do before calling a plumber. The more you do, the less it will cost you in the long run!

Check the toilet for leaks by removing the top off the tank and listening very closely. If you hear any hissing at all, try to locate where it is coming from. If you locate the area where the leak is coming from, assess it and determine if you can fix it. If you can’t, then call a plumber.

If nothing is noticeable, add some food coloring and put a couple of drops in the tank (not the bowl). Wait several minutes and if you have coloring in the bowl, you have a leak in the flapper at the bottom of the tank that is allowing water to seep through. At this point you can assess if you want to do the repair yourself, or call a plumber.

If you have more toilets, go ahead and repeat the process with each toilet to make sure you don’t have more than one problem.

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Looking for ways that your home talks to you? Checkout this article about how your home talks for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ways click here: http://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Water-Leak-in-Your-House

Looking for Sneaky Storage Ideas? Start Here!

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Storage. If your home is like most people’s home then there isn’t enough of it. Depending on the size of your home you have to get pretty creative with storage solutions. If you could use a little help in that department then you’ve come to the right place. We found this article that we hope will give you some ideas on how to increase the amount of storage in your home!

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If you need Lafayette townhomes dryer vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
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From the article:

A built-in tub surround typically provides enough space to house tilt-out storage for extra cleaning sponges, shampoo, and soap. Stash your favorite bubbles here, so the kids (and guests) don???t get to them.

No one would ever expect a wall safe to look like an electrical outlet. This hidden mini vault is big enough to secure valuables such as rings, credit cards, and cash.

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Looking for storage ideas in the laundry room? Checkout this article with storage solutions laundry room for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ideas click here: http://www.bobvila.com/use-every-inch/12281-11-sneaky-storage-ideas/slideshows#!1