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Fall Date Ideas

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***UPDATED 8/30/24*** Jay and I try and take time to do something fun every week, whether be a lunch date, hike in the park, or shopping at Goodwill. Yes, I said Goodwill, we both like finding a good deal. When it comes to the Fall season, there can be some unique things to do. Here are a few of our favorite things to do and we hope you can take time with your loved one to reconnect and just have fun together.  The Pumpkin Patch - Typically we go to the pumpkin patch with our grandson but we have gone alone and had a great time. We have a favorite place called Snead's Farm and it's an awesome place to hang out. Find your favorite pumpkin patch.  Take a Drive to the Mountains - this is always a favorite thing to do for Jay and myself. Looking at the changing leaves is just a beautiful sight. You can't say there's no God when you look at His handiwork in creation. Skyline Drive Go for a Hike - This is a great time to talk and get some exercise. Sometimes it's hard ...

De-skunking Our Dog and Home

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***UPDATED 9/2/23*** Recently my dog had an encounter with a skunk. YES, a skunk. He went out for his 5 a.m. morning pee break and came back in before we knew he was sprayed by a skunk and headed directly to our grandson's room, luckily our grandson wasn't in there and rubbed his face all over his bed. Not knowing that my husband was dealing with this, he decided to wake me up after he had already given him his first bath. We bathed him 3 times that morning and took him to the groomers mid-afternoon.  For the second bath, I did a little research on what to bathe him in and found a homemade solution from The Prairie Homestead , which worked a bit but didn't do the trick that I would have liked. Here's the recipe if you are interested in DIY: 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide  (this is the kind you find in the first aid section of your average grocery store. It’s very cheap.) 1/4 cup baking soda 1-2 drops of liquid dish soap  (optional) 2-3 drops of lemon essential oil...

Senior Discounts, Perks and More

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****UPDATED 9/2/23**** If you happen to be in our age bracket of 50+, you will love this blog post. It's all about DISCOUNTS!! Who doesn't love discounts? There are many perks to getting older and we are here to help you find them. I remember the first time someone offered me a senior discount and was highly offended. I'm sure it was because of my prematurely gray hair. The young cashier asked me if I qualify for a senior discount and I said absolutely NOT! I happen to be in my 40's, thank you very much! Now that I can actually receive discounts, I'm happy to say YES, thank you very much! Senior Discounts: What You Should Know As of 2023, many businesses have done away with their senior discounts, but the following companies still slash prices for older adults, as well as veterans, and low-income individuals. For many companies on this list, the specific senior discounts vary by location, so be sure to check with your local stores to confirm discount availability. S...

Skittles Candy Coated Popcorn Recipe Review

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***UPDATED 9/2/23***   I always like to try to make recipes with popcorn. I found this recipe that I thought would be fun and taste great. The recipe was found here at  Penny Pinchin Mom . Skittles Candy Coated Popcorn Ingredients: 4 cups of popcorn (plain, unsalted) 4 oz. butter or margarine 1/2 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup of Skittles® (use one flavor for each batch) Waxed paper Instr uctions or better yet what I did: 1. Separated candies by color. 2. Popped the popcorn and placed it in a bowl, set aside. 3. Put a sheet of waxed paper on the counter. 4. Melted butter with brown sugar on the stove on low heat. Stirred frequently to avoid scorching. 5. Pour in Skittles® candies. Stir until melted (you need to mash them down to help them dissolve). 6. Pour the hot candy mixture over the top of the popcorn & use a spatula to fold in the mixture until the popcorn is well covered. DO THIS QUICKLY! 7. Put the popcorn on waxed paper and spread thinly to allow it to cool. My rev...

Wondering What To Do With All Those Zucchinis?

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****UDPATED 7/12/24**** I have a small garden and zucchini is part of that garden. I’m not sure what happened but when it started producing I only harvested 2 zucchinis. Then all of a sudden it started popping out a bunch and I’m thankful.  Did you know zucchini grows about 2” a day? Zucchini plants produce a lot of fruit and what do you do with them all? Here are some suggestions along with several of my favorite recipes. Bake Bread - I adore zucchini bread. It’s moist, sweet, and freezes well. Try this recipe: Zucchini Bread  from Dash of Sanity.  Serve It as a Side Dish - Baked Parmesan Zucchini from Damn Delicious  are crispy and super delicious.  Make Cupcakes - Sweet and delectable, especially with the caramel icing YUMM!! Zucchini Cupcakes  from Taste of Home.  Use It in Place of Pasta - Fun and a great alternative to pasta ITALIAN ZUCCHINI NOODLES RECIPE WITH GARLIC AND TOMATO   from Best Recipe Box.          ...

10 Morning Habits to Start Off Your Day

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***UPDATED 7/12/24*** I have a morning routine and if I deviate from that routine, my day is all out of sorts. Also, if you are someone that deals with depression and/or anxiety, a routine could make a noticeable difference in your mental health. Any therapist will tell you the many benefits of starting your day this way. When we make a morning routine part of our day, we develop habits that soon feel second nature. So let's talk about some of the things you might want to add to your morning routine. Everyone's morning routine will be different, so the suggestions on this list are meant to be a starting point and happen to be my morning routine. Experiment with what works for you, and remember the key is consistency. 1. Put off checking your phone.  This is a hard one because we all seem to be addicted to our cell phones or tablets. Plus the information we see first thing in the morning can cause stress. Why not delay this action a bit? It's better to maintain a general lev...

Product Review Sensitivity Toothpaste Comparison - Sensodyne Pronamel vs Sensitive from Dollar Tree

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Everyone uses toothpaste of some kind (at least I hope so) and most people have a preference. I thought, what would it hurt to try the Dollar Tree brand of sensitive toothpaste and if it worked I would save a few dollars a month on toothpaste.  I bought the Sensitive Extreme (SE) from the Dollar Tree and the Sensodyne Pronamel Repair (SPR) from Walmart. Here are my thoughts: Consistency : the SE toothpaste was a little runny in consistency compared to SPR. Taste : the SE tasted funky and not like a toothpaste should taste. The SPR has a pleasant minty taste. Whitens : I’m not so sure SE whitens like it states, I only used it for a couple of weeks. And did not notice a difference. I believe SPR keeps my teeth a bit whiter than if I use a toothpaste without whitener. Sensitivity : My sensitivity to cold came back in a day or two after using SE where as the SPR helps with the sensitivity issue. Price : Obviously the SE toothpaste is $1 and the SPR runs around $6.  Is it w...