Top Spring Cleaning Chores

Spring Cleaning at one time involved a complete top to bottom cleaning of every square inch of a home. To complete the process families would often spend an entire week removing, cleaning, and replacing everything in the home to create that spring-fresh feeling. Today's spring cleaning may not be as involved, but there are a few tasks that need to be performed seasonally in your home. Here are the top chores that need to be done this spring.

Storing Seasonal Clothing - When warmer spring weather arrives, it's time to pack away sweaters, coats, and other cold weather clothing. Storing seasonal clothing is easy to do safely if you follow a few simple rules. Making sure that the storage containers and areas follow the rules of clean, cool, dark, and dry will keep clothing in good shape for next winter.

Check Appliances - We expect our appliances to perform whenever we need them, but sometimes their care can be neglected. Each spring take the time to inspect your major appliances for wear and tear. The coils of the refrigerator should be vacuumed, and the drain pan should be cleaned out. Accumulated lint needs to be cleaned from the dryer vents. Clean out accumulated gunk from your oven and refrigerator. Clean dishwashers, disposals, and washing machines. Heating and cooling units need maintenance as well.

Clutter Control - Spring is the perfect time to remove clutter and excess from the home. Try the 4 container clutter method to help figure out items that need to be kept, sold, given away, or trashed. If paper clutter is one of your problems, find out how to reduce paper piles around the home.

Garage Storage - It may be a little daunting, but chances are your garage could use some attention this spring. Whether you need to organize a garage cleanup day or just need to remove a few items to be used in a garage sale, it makes sense to pay a little attention to your garage this spring. Try some new organizational tools or techniques to store sports equipment, Christmas decorations, or whatever your family hides in your garage space.

Outdoor Areas - Spring is a great time to get the outdoors ready for entertaining. Clean the patio and outdoor furniture. Do some basic landscaping repairs on the lawn, shrubbery, and plants. The exterior doors and windows of the home may need some attention. Check for fence and exterior repairs. Lawn maintenance or pest prevention may need to be performed as well. With a little effort this spring, outdoor areas will be ready to entertain throughout the summer. Adopted by http://housekeeping.about.com

Be Red Cross Ready (ARC Month)

Make A Plan

Getting a kit is just the first step in preparing for a disaster. You need to have a plan in place, so you know what to do with that kit and how to stay safe during an emergency. Planning ahead will help you have the best possible response to a disaster and therefore, speed up the recovery time for you and your family.

Make a plan based on your household’s unique needs and the types of disasters that are likely to occur in your community.

Talk - Discuss with your family what disasters or emergencies might happen in your community. Talk about why it is important to plan and work together as a team if an emergency occurs.

Plan - Choose two places where household members will meet after a disaster: one outside of your home and another outside of your neighborhood. Determine two ways to get out of each room in your home and two ways to evacuate your community. If you have pets, don’t forget to include them in your plan.

Develop a communication plan - Include an out-of-town emergency contact. During a disaster it may be easier to call long distance. It is important that every member of the household know the name and number of the emergency contact. Download and print an emergency contact card for each member of your household.

Learn - Know what the disaster warning signals are in your community and what to do or where to go when you hear them. Find out what the emergency plans are for your workplaces and schools. Adults should learn how to turn off utilities such as gas, water and electricity; and know how to properly use a fire extinguisher. Make sure everyone in your household knows how to call for emergency help.

Tell - Everyone in your household should know where emergency information and supplies are stored. Keep information updated and supplies well-stocked.
Practice - Review your plan and practice evacuation drills (from your home and your neighborhood) at least two times a year.

Your basic Disaster Supplies Kit should include:

• Water, Food, Flashlight(s) with extra batteries, A family first aid kit
• Medications, A radio with extra batteries, Tools, Clothing
• Personal items, Sanitary supplies, Money (cash),Contact information
• Pet supplies, A map, - Adopted by http://www.redcross-indy.org
  

Recipe Of The Month:Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies!

For the softest cookies ever you should try this twist on an old stand-by!
Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter


• 1/4 cup white sugar


• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar


• 1 tsp. vanilla


• 2 eggs beaten


• 2 1/2 cups un-sifted flour


• 1 tsp. baking soda


• 1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding 1 pkg.


• (12 oz.) chocolate chips
  

Preparation:

Cream butter and then add both sugars until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine dry pudding mix with above ingredients until smooth and creamy. Mix together flour and baking soda; add gradually. Mix chocolate chips into dough. The batter should be stiff. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 2 or 3 minutes before removing. They will be very soft. Note: 1 (16 ounce) package of M&M’s can be substituted for the chocolate chips.

How To Get Your Dog To Stop Digging

Step outside and you know that spring is in the air. And if your dog is not already an outside dog that is exactly what he is likely to want to do more of – be outside.

Being outside provides all sorts of opportunities for your dog to explore and to get into mischief! If you have a yard full of open holes, you are no doubt wondering how to get your dog to stop digging. I’m sure your poor lawn and your bulbs that are beginning to come up could use a break. Well, the good news is that it's really not that difficult of a process.

The first thing you have to remember though is that your dog isn't doing this on purpose, although it may feel that way. So, no matter what, make sure you don't hit your dog. It's been a studied fact, that hitting a dog will have more of a negative effect than a positive effect.

Use A Dog's Sense of Smell Against Him

There could be a few different reasons why the dog is digging. It could be that he smells something that he really likes. Even if that isn't the case, don't you think if the dog smelled something he didn't like, it would be a possible motivation to stop digging? You betcha! Dogs are different. Notice what kind of smells your particular dog isn't a fan of. For example, some dogs don't like mouthwash. If that's the case with your dog, dabble a little mouthwash around the lawn. If your dog hates the smell of mouthwash as much as mine does, his curiosity of digging will depreciate.

Sabotage The Holes

A great way to prevent further digging in a hole is to sabotage it. Don't worry. I'm not talking about dynamite, or anything like. Next time your dog takes a poop, put some of it in the hole. It's a known fact that dogs hate having poop on their feet. (I guess they are not any different than us humans).-http://www.howtotrainmydog.net

Slash The Cost of Your Vet Bill!

Everyone these days is trying to save money. So we wanted to pass along to you information about a great place we have found that really can save you some money on your pets annual wellness care.

FACE (Foundation Against Companion-Animal Euthanasia) is low cost spay/neuter clinic that also has a wellness clinic which offers the basic annual shots and check-ups for your cat or dog. It is located at 1505 Massachusetts Ave. Their number is 638-3223. Their website is http://www.facespayneuter.org/.

Example of Savings - A veterinary clinic in Greenwood charges $67 for the dog distemper & rabies combo & $69 for the cat distemper & rabies combo. FACE charges $26 for either combo! That is a savings worth barking about!

Love and Happiness

Let’s examine the relationship between Love and Happiness. Will love bring you happiness? This is not a question to be taken lightly, but one which requires a great deal of reflection on your part. I can honestly say, however, that the moments you spend pondering this query will be time well spent.

Love is a very powerful emotion, which can bring about feelings of happiness yet at times, can cause pain and sorrow as well. Still, one of the most famous quotations on the subject comes from Saint Augustine, “’Tis better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.” A bit corny perhaps, but quite astute!

The precursor to experiencing healthy, loving relationships with others is to have the ability to love yourself first and foremost. It is particularly important to be able to love yourself and realize that you alone are a truly unique individual. There is no one else alive that is exactly like you. Once you begin to appreciate that for the very essence of what it means, it will be easier to experience love and happiness.

Once you are comfortable with who you are, it is time to venture out and find meaningful relationships with others. Building lasting friendships and finding a significant other or possible soul mate can significantly add to your own life’s happiness. However, it is important to ultimately understand that you alone are responsible for your own happiness. Once you depend on, or expect someone or something else to make you happy, you are setting yourself up for a major disappointment.

These days, there are endless venues for meeting, interacting with, and getting to know people both online and off. All of which may contribute to love and happiness. Gone are the days of the shallow singles bars where the deepest of conversations began with the all important question, “Hey, what’s your sign?”

You can meet others in a variety of places and settings from your local Church, to classes or seminars offered by your local Community College, to the latest "Speed Dating" events that are held all across the Country, where you can meet many different people in one evening and decide right on the spot, who you would like to get to know better. Adopted From http://www.happiness.com/web/

March Madness Comes But Once A Year!

Are you ready for March Madness? Each spring the country goes crazy for college basketball. Find free, printable 2009 March Madness brackets for the Men's NCAA championship games on line. Just do a search for “March Madness” and you will find several sites that have printable brackets available. Check out the initial team match-ups which were done on Sunday, March 15, 2009. Get involved, make your picks and secure bragging rights when your team goes all the way. Good luck!

Save the Dates

Mark your calendar with these important NCAA Basketball tournament events. It all starts on the always interesting and controversial Selection Sunday, and builds up to the final game in April.

The moment of truth has arrived? Who made it in? Who was snubbed? Follow the games. Join in the fun!

• Round 1: 3/19/ 2009 & 3/20/2009


• Round 2: 3/21/2009 & 3/22/2009


• Regionals: 3/26/2009 through 3/29/2009 in Glendale, Boston, Memphis and Indianapolis


• Semifinals: 4/4/2009 - Detroit


• National Championship: 4/6/2009-Detroit - Adopted From www.associatedcontent.com
  
  

Supermarket Tricks to Watch Out For!

One of the easiest ways to save money is to watch out for the sneaky supermarket tricks stores use to get you to spend more than you need to. For example:

The "Handwritten Sign" Trick - Supermarkets have come to realize that shoppers frequently assume that anything with a handwritten sign on it must be on sale. Stores use this to their advantage by placing handwritten signs on things that are not on sale. Often these are items that the store is actually trying to get rid of. Just be careful and always double check the handwritten sign price with the shelf price.

The "Warehouse/Overstock Look" Trick - This is becoming more common. Grocery stores will pile boxes of a particular product still in their shipping containers in the middle of the aisle or at the front of the store to give the appearance that there was no more room in storage to hold this particular product. We often assume that the product is on sale (especially when it has a handwritten sign on it) when it is not!

The "Save When You Buy In Bulk - Not" Trick - Supermarkets have learned that consumers expect the bulk sized version of a product to be priced more cheaply than the smaller sized version. It’s exactly for this reason that they frequently price the bulk size version more expensively than the smaller alternative.

The "Every Variety of This Product is On Sale But One" Trick - A store will place a particular item on sale - lets say microwave popcorn. Every variety of that popcorn will have a red sales sticker on it - every variety except for one. Seeing all the red sales stickers you just assume that all the popcorn is on sale and you leave the store thinking you got a deal when you actually didn’t.

Supermarkets are devising ever more clever ways to separate you from your money. You're best bet is to pay careful attention to the price of everything you place in your grocery cart. – www.paylessforfood.com

Bust Boredom with Kid Crafts

Have you ever heard those familiar words, "I'm bored," coming from the mouth of your child? If so, then kid crafts are the answer. Provide the kids with craft materials and boredom will be a thing of the past. Read on for ideas about kid crafts.

Kid crafts essential materials include paper, crayons, safe scissors, and glue. Paper for kid crafts can include construction paper, plain typing paper, card stock of various colors, and many other options. Even junk mail and old magazines can make interesting art projects. Crayons are nice for younger children, but the stores are now filled with other options, such as washable dry-erase markers, watercolor pencils, and gel pens. Kid crafts supplies can run into money, but even on a budget there are many possibilities.

Other materials kids can craft with include recycled junk and found objects. By recycled junk, I'm referring to empty cereal boxes, toothpaste boxes, cardboard from packaging, plastic
If you let kids craft with tin cans, however, you need to make sure the open edge of the can doesn't have any sharp edges. Simply file these off or squeeze them flat with a pair of pliers.

Found objects include leaves, twigs, rocks, snake skins, and other natural item a child might find. Perhaps there is a sheep farm nearby. If so, wool scraps can often be found stuck to the barbed wire fences. Any or all of these items can be used in kid crafts.

One of the most fun and popular kid crafts is making a collage. Kids can glue anything down when making a collage. Use heavy paper for the background, and then let the creativity begin! For an extra challenge, a collage can be built around a theme, like food, animals, or babies. Old magazines can be searched for just the right pictures, which can be cut out and glued to the background. The older child might wish to cut out details from magazine pictures and reassemble them in new and interesting ways. They might cut out interesting words and headlines and add them as well.

Younger kid crafts can include collages made of glued down pasta, beans, Popsicle sticks, leaves, and many other materials. Don't forget about glitter, too. If the budget allows only a few kid crafts splurges, remember that kids of all ages, particularly girls, really enjoy crafting artwork that includes glitter. But whether your kids are boys or girls, young or older, suggest some kid crafts the next time your kids are bored! Adopted From http://www.helium.com

Ask Mike Your Mortgage Questions: WHAT IS FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS TAX CREDIT - $8000.00?

On Tuesday, February 17th, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed, authorizing an $8,000 federal tax credit for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a home on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. The following questions and answers (FAQ's) are designed to provide you with general guidance regarding the segment of the Act that deals with the new Tax Credit:

Who is eligible to claim the $8,000 tax credit?

First-Time homebuyers purchasing any type of owner-occupied home are eligible for the "tax credit". To qualify, a home must be purchased on or after January 1,2009 and before December 1, 2009. The purchase date is considered the closing date.

What is the definition of a "first-time home-buyer?

"The new law defines "first-time home-buyer" as a buyer who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to purchase.

Do I have to repay the tax credit?

No. If the taxpayer lives in the home as their principal residence for a minimum of three years, there is no repayment. If the taxpayer fails to live in the property for the three year period, the entire amount of the tax credit is recaptured upon sale of the property.

If the home is modestly priced, is the tax credit still $8,000?

Generally, for home buyers purchasing a home priced less than $80,000 the tax credit is equal to 10% of the purchase home price. Therefore, a first-time home buyer purchasing a home for $65,000 would receive a $6,500 tax credit.

Please call Mike at 317-437-5182 for the details.

If you have a mortgage that is at a 6.00% or higher interest rate it might be time for you to refinance. Please contact Mike for a free analysis. Most customers are saving over $100 per month by reducing their interest rates!