Please see my update for Robin on www.heartofwisdom.com/blog.

Kathleen
Robin’s friend in Virginia

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Decluttering for Geeks, by Evan Goer is Part 1 of a 4-part series). Part 1 deals with decluttering computer components; here’s an excerpt:

Typical decluttering books devote at least a chapter or two about why decluttering is a good thing. To save space, I’m going to assume that you’re already at least partly convinced. Here’s the thumbnail argument:

• decluttering will save you time (you can find your stuff quickly)
• decluttering will save you money (you can live in a smaller house, or avoid using external storage)
• decluttering will save your sanity (you won’t be distracted by constant reminders of abandoned projects and rooms that need cleaning)

And here’s the thumbnail of the thumbnail argument. There but for the grace of God go we all.

Okay, so, computers. Most self-respecting geeks go through a phase of building their own computers. It’s fun to build exactly what you want, fun to compare and contrast different components with your fellow system builders, fun to put together a $500 box that outperforms the $2000 machine of the non-geek. You have powers beyond the ken of mortal men!

But like mathematics and women’s gymnastics, system building is a youngster’s game. Although the truly hardcore might stick with this hobby for decades, the typical geek burns out around their 30th birthday. All of a sudden, debugging overheating problems and scouring the internet for updated drivers becomes… less fun. You’ve reached the magical age where time begins to > money. Maybe it’s because you’re making more money, or maybe it’s because you feel the icy hand of death approaching. Either way, you sell out. You buy a Name Brand Computer, possibly a shiny silver one with a fruity logo. At first you feel guilty, dirty even. Then you get over it.

The end result is closets full of old, decaying systems, plus scads of individual components: Pentium II motherboards, PCI sound cards, and cables. Lots and lots of cables…

Read the rest of Part 1 here.

Visit the Heart of Wisdom Homeschool Blog

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2. Organizing Computer Cables
3. No Shelves Solution for Linens
4. Organizing with ZipLock Baggies
5. Organize Household Chores Online

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Grocery store prices are rising! Victoria (my third daughter) has been motivating me take advantage of the online grocery coupons. She calls to  report her outrageous coupons savings.

If you don’t have a daughter calling you, watch this video to see how you reap the savings  of couponing. Barbra Franklin saves for her family and a food pantry for her community

Visit Coupon Junkies at the Homeschool Lounge- A place for members to share coupon codes, online codes, promotional codes, shopping discounts, free-bates, rebates, and free offers.

Visit the Heart of Wisdom Homeschool Blog

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4. Pegboard Organization: Not Just for the Garage
5. Quiver Full Frequently Asked Questions

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Ever think of using your leaf blower to clean the garage, barn, or patio? I “dusted” and “swept” our horse barn and metal storage building with a leaf blower. No more sweeping yucky cobwebs on my head!

We have an old wooden barn for our horses and large metal barn (half enclosed for storage and half open for hay, tractor, etc.)

Since no one has been in the barn for a month it was full of cobwebs. Our horses are in another county being trained and due home this week. I was cleaning and organizing the horse barn and hanging hooks for tack. I was using the broom to clean. Then I had a light bulb moment and grabbed the leaf blower.

It worked so well I used it to “dust”and “sweep” our storage barn. I have a lot of shelves full of boxes. The leaf blower “dusted” all the shelves, the top of my freezer, and swept the floor much faster than a broom. I also wind blasted cabinets where I keep the horse medication and brushes.

Then it was off to the patio to blow away all the dirt our two giant dogs drag in daily. It worked so well I’m keeping the leaf blower inside my laundry room to be nearby for a quick “sweep” of the patio daily.

So what do think. Shall I try blasting the legos in the family room? (JOKING)

Get More Great Ideas Every Tuesday and Wednesday

Every Tuesday and Wednesday hundreds of bloggers post super organizing ideas, cleaning tips, recipes, parenting helps, and more! You can browse and visit the topics you are interested in or join in by posting your tips on your blog. Use the links below.

Tackle it Tuesday is a blog meme to motivate you to tackle a project each week. Tackle It Tuesday is about giving ourselves incentive, deadlines and satisfaction in getting our household tasks done. (It doesn’t even have to be housework… just whatever is on your To Do list.) Go over and read through the encouraging posts.

Works for Me Wednesday is a “blog carnival” (explained here). You will find TONS of super organizing ideas, and home improvement tips on Works for Me Wednesday. Join in. Post a tip you’ve learned on any topic–anything that has “worked for you” in making your life easier.

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 My last post was about a neighbor problem. I thought this an appropriate time to  address forgiveness.

 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.—Eph 3:17-19

The fruit in our life is directly proportional to the grace one has received and given.

The root of bitterness can crush the Spirit’s root and stunt the fruit of the Spirit. The root sits just under the surface–easily overlooked–sucking the nourishment from the tree.

The foundation of Christianity is a based on forgiveness. As we grow in our faith it is easy to overlook this basic and forget how forgiveness impacts us daily. A doctor from Stanford University reports,

“The practice of forgiveness has been shown to reduce anger, hurt depression, and stress and leads to greater feelings of hope, peace, compassion and self confidence. Practicing forgiveness leads to healthy relationships as well as physical health. It also influences our attitude which opens the heart to kindness, beauty, and love.”

1. Receiving Forgiveness from God

We can strive to stay away from temptation and try to be good but there are always areas that remain sinful. We may harbor bitterness, lose tempers, or make hurtful comments to others. It is hard to accept failures and sometimes harder to confess them. But God calls us to confess and repent to receive His forgiveness. True repentance involves regret, mourning, and commitment not to continue in the sin.

God hates sin, but He loves the sinner, so much that He paid the price for sin Himself. Once the sin is covered by the Blood of Christ, it is blotted out! God doesn’t keep a record of our sins. Our forgiveness is total and complete.“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25).

Faith and forgiveness are like hand and glove; they fit together perfectly. God tells us how we can be forgiven; we just ask with faith. First must have a repentant heart, stop the sin, and ask for God’s forgiveness.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1John 1:9.

God doesn’t withhold the opportunity for forgiveness from anyone.

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Psalms 86:5

2. Self-Forgiveness

Once we receive forgiveness from God we also need to learn to forgive ourselves. If God doesn’t hold a sin against us why beat ourselves up over it? We all make mistakes. We walk in the flesh and we walk in the Spirit. When we walk in our flesh we sin. Once we repent and ask forgiveness we must forgive our self and go on.

There is nothing we can do to change the past, but we can affect our future. Harboring regret and negative emotions will make us bitter and resentful. We need to resist dwelling on things we can’t take back and accept God’s forgiveness.

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8.

God wants you to know that there is nothing you can do to make him love you any more today, and nothing you can do that will make him love you any less. He just loves you.

If you’ve never known the joy of simply living in God’s acceptance instead of trying to earn it, your most exciting days in Christ are ahead of you. People who learn to live out of a genuine
love relationship with the God of the universe will live in more power, more joy and more righteousness than anyone motivated by fear of his judgment.–Wayne Jacobson in He Loves Me

3. Forgiving Others

Are you bitter? Do you hold ought against another? Are you harboring resentment against someone from your past? Does the memory of the hurt and pain overwhelm you again and again? Does anxiety erode your mind as events plays over and over? If you cannot forget, have you forgiven?

When someone hurts us we never recover until we forgive. Unforgiveness causes deep pain and leads to hideous bondage resulting in bitterness, rage, anger, and with malice (Ephesians 4:31). Choosing unforgiveness is a life of bitterness and torment leading to a life of bondage to addictions and compulsive behaviors in hope of alleviating continuous emotional stress. It is agonizing and growing turbulence raging below the surface.

I recently found things I thought I had dealt with and let go. But during a weak time the pain and anger surfaced. I recognized I needed to forgive again.

Forgiveness is a choice–a spiritual decision–not to hold a sin against a person any longer. It is not based on what is deserved, but on grace. A tremendous release occurs when we are able to forgive. We must forgive others before requesting forgiveness from God. (Matthew 6:14-15).

Forgiving does not mean you can’t say something was wrong. You can encourage a compassionate willingness to forgive, yet retain the vigor of conviction that all people must be fully accountable of their behavior.

4. Receiving Forgiveness from Others

Receiving forgiveness from others is much harder than receiving forgiveness from God. God is faithful to forgive. People can go either way. The sin natures does not like to forgive and forget.

If you have a repentant heart and ask someone for forgiveness you have done your part. The forgiveness act is up to them.

5. What do you do if someone won’t forgive you?

Have you sincerely apologized? Do you have to keep asking for forgiveness? Do you need to beg? What if they say they forgive you but continue to bring up the problem or the sin? What if you get angry because they didn’t forgive you? This can be a serious cycle resulting in a vicious circle of bitterness. Here are the steps to take:

1. Forgive them for not forgiving you. Pray that God will open their eyes and their heart. They will reap what is sown (bitterness and unforgiveness). If you have truly forgiven them you don’t want them to reap these things. Pray for them.
2. Be patient. It is natural, human to get mad and resentful when you try to mend differences and the other person won’t respond. This may be something you will have to give to God daily.
3. Let it go. Don’t continue to apologize, as long as you have done so sincerely. Don’t play it over in your head, it only stirs up anger. Find it in you to demonstrate love, concern, and the desire to improve the relationship.
4. Focus on God’s perfect forgiveness. Psalm 103:12 says It is possible for the Lord to look at us without seeing our sins because when he forgave us, he removed our sins as far as the east is from the west“

For More on Forgiveness

In a recent radio broadcast, Nancy Leigh DeMoss said, “People who are not forbearing, who are not forgiving, generally become hard and cold. They often become depressed and even physically sick. There are many physical ailments today that doctors will tell you are affected by our unwillingness to forgive.” You can listen to the full broadcast at Forgiveness: Setting Your Captives Free.

Also see Nancy’s excellent book Choosing Forgiveness: Your Journey to Freedom

This post is from my Heart of Wisdom blog  archive.

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Putting up a new mesh fence around our home works for me (at least for now) . We have 20 acres completely fenced, but because of the angry neighbor have to tighten the play area for the dogs and children.

Our neighbor doesn’t like the dogs barking. About a month ago he began shooting at our dogs. We have two Great Pyrenees. They don’t bark a lot but they do bark at squirrels, rabbits, badgers, deer, foxes and other things that run in our yard frequently. This is the drawing I made to mark off the area for the new fence:

Click image for better view

When the shooting first started DH and I discussed it and decided the best course of action would be to talk. So I went over and gave the guy our phone number and said please call us if our dogs bother you. We never met him before this. He was civil and agreed. DH went over another day to touch base and make sure he was happy. We don’t want an angry man with a gun nearby. We began tying up the dogs near the house (out of the neighbor’s vision and range).

All was quiet until last weekend. My children and hubby were in the pool and both dogs were tied in our yard but barking because the neighbor had company in his pool. Out of the blue we heard screaming “Shut those *%$#@ dogs up and shots were fired. We sent the kids in the house.

Dh and I decided we needed to report him to the police. I went to get the phone and by the time I got got back the guy drove up on a motorcycle in our driveway screaming and yelling and waving his arms like a mad man to shut our dogs up because he can’t enjoy 5 minutes of quiet. I believe he was drunk. It was 11 am. He was so wild I called 911.

If he would have called as I had asked I would have taken the dogs in the house.

He was gone by the time police arrived. The dogs never barked once while the police were here (they bark at people who shoot at them). We had a trespass warning issued (so he can’t return). BUT the police said he could shoot and we couldn’t do anything about it. He told the police he was shooting into the ground.

Once the police left, he marched up and down the fence line with a rifle shooting every few minutes. We can only hope nothing sets him off again. What if a bullet goes into my window and shoots my children? I pray for safety daily.

Tightening the area my dogs and children play in works for me for now. I also have a tripod set up on my front porch to video tape any shots fired into my property (as a deterrent). Here are photos of the new fence and front gates.

We chose mesh because we will be getting goats soon.

Hard to believe anyone would risk hurting these guys:

Get a Gun?

By now you are wondering why we don’t get a gun. The only thing worse that an angry drunk with a gun would be a menopausal protective mother with a gun. It just wouldn’t be a good witness to shoot my neighbor. We will lay low and pray. God has a way of working these things out.

Works for Me Wednesday is a “blog carnival” (explained here). Be sure to check out lots of great tips on Works for Me Wednesday.

Related:

1. Miniature Horse Driving School
2. Puppies Meet the Miniature Horses
3. Miniature Horses on the Porch!

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Have you started thinking of your July 4th menu? We always have the same BBQ chicken, hot dogs, macaroni salad and watermelon. I’m going to start a new tradition with this yummy dish for dessert.

The farmers’ market has peaches and raspberries and I found this yummy recipe in the The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. You can substitute blackberries and blueberries.

Peach and Raspberry Crisp

10 to 12 large peaches
1 orange, zested
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups plus 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pint raspberries
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 10 by 15 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish.

Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them in cold water. Peel the peaches and slice them into thick wedges and place them into a large bowl. Add the orange zest, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the raspberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid, add 1 more tablespoon of flour. Pour the peaches into the baking dish and gently smooth the top.
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Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, oatmeal, and the cold, diced butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is pea-sized and the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly on top of the peaches and raspberries. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator and reheat in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until warm.

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Optional: Top with vanilla ice cream.

Tackle it Tuesday is a blog meme to motivate you to tackle a project each week. Go over and read through the encouraging posts.

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It’s Menu Plan Monday and I thought I’d share a quick and easy summer lunch (or appetizer) with you. We have bruschetta and/or cheese bread once a week.This week Kroger had Italian bread on sale for $1.00 so we’ve had it several times this week. I bought a jar of bruschetta at Sam’s but it’s easy to make if you prefer homemade.

Traditional bruschetta is made by toasting the bread first, drizzle with olive oil, rubbing with garlic and then topping with the tomato mixture. When I make it for lunch, I make it like this:

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Italian bread or baguette French bread
• Mozzarella cheese (ball is best but shredded will do)
• Bruschetta (premade in a jar or homemade)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Butter
• Salt

Slice Italian bread and brush with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or butter each slice) and arrange on a cookie sheet. Top each slice with a spoon of bruschetta and a slice of Mozzarella cheese. Place in 350 degree F oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese has melted. Salt to taste. Children that don’t like tomatoes eat bread with cheese only. Quick, easy, nutritious, and delicious.

Martha Stewart has some fancier bruschetta recipes that look tasty. I’m going to try it with artichoke next time. Yum.

Spending a few minutes making a plan organizes the week, helps you save time and money. MPM is usually hosted by I’m an Organizing Junkie, but this week MPM is being hosted by Laura of Heavenly Homemakers

• Monday: London Broil*, Greek Salad, mashed potatoes
• Tuesday: BBQ Chicken legs, potato salad, green beans
• Wednesday: Leftover London Broil*, egg noodles, spinach
• Thursday: Tacos
• Friday: Meatloaf, baked potatoes, kale, Challa Bread
• Saturday, July 4th BBQ: flank steak, hot dogs, chicken, corn on the cob, macaroni salad, watermelon, Peach and Raspberry Crisp
• Sunday: Leftover BBQ

* I get the London Broil precooked at Sam’s. We get two meals out of it. Dh loves it!

Have you read this?

Invest 15 Minutes to Save Three Hours Each Week! Menu Planning Made Simple

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I began this list when and found out I was pregnant in 2001 and two of my daughters were pregnant. (I was 46; this was my eleventh pregnancy and ninth child). Someone recently asked my for my favorite pregnancy links and I thought it would be useful here. Read the rest of this entry »

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Today we drove our miniature horses and saddle broke Bubbles. We drove all three minis (individually rotating in two carts). The photos show us in one area but we had a ball in the fields, pastures, and woods (over 40 acres) for several hours. Works for me!

It was a great family day. We walked, trotted, galloped, and backed with each easily. David (8) and Christopher (7) both drove solo for the first time today.

David and Bubbles (background: Dale the trainer and Tobby the smallest mini.)

Christopher and Comanche

Saddle Breaking Bubbles: Green on Green

Today was Bubbles first day with a saddle. Green on green. David (8) has only had a dozen riding lessons so I was apprehensive but it went beautifully. Bubbles was a perfect gentleman. Isn’t the western saddle too cute?

Bubbles is a Class B miniature, larger than our other minis and can handle David’s 60 lbs. Tobby and Comanche are much smaller and will only be used for driving (only very small children, that weigh 40 pounds or less should ride a class A mini).

” There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man. ” ~Winston Churchill

Works for Me Wednesday is a “blog carnival” (explained here). Be sure to check out lots of great tips on Works for Me Wednesday.

Related:

1. Miniature Horse Driving School
2. Puppies Meet the Miniature Horses
3. Miniature Horses on the Porch!

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Organizing Plastic Containers and Lids

After countless times of reorganizing my plastic containers, I had a light bulb moment. My 7 and 8 year-old boys were playing with their Legos. If they can can build fancy jets and boats with Legos, why can’t they can sort the plastic bowls and lids?

I put them to work. They actually enjoyed the chore. It kept them busy for almost an hour, taught them organizational skills, and gave me extra time to organize my pantry. We used baskets to store the lids, one for round and one for square/rectangular. The containers and lids nest in each other and can be stored in less space.

Children can help you trim your chore time. Even young children can sort and put away silverware, dust, taking clothes out of the dryer, pick up toys, feed pets, etc. Older children can vacuum, load and unload the dishwasher, mop, clean mirrors, take out the trash, and so much more.

Don’t underestimate their skill level and ability. You may need to lower your standards and provide lots of encouragement but this may be a small price for increased time with your family. When mom has more time, the whole family benefits.

Have You Seen the New Homeschool Toolbar?

Have all your favorite homeschool blogs and links right on top of your browser without digging through bookmarks! It even has a quick and easy To Do list. Read about the SUPER cool Homeschool Toolbar here.

Tackle it Tuesday is a blog meme to motivate you to tackle a project each week. Go over and read through the encouraging posts.

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Here are photos from Outrigger Island VBS mainly 1st and 2nd grades. Bible study, games, crafts, snacks, and music. We loved it. The children ask to play the music CD daily.

Catch a Wave (our themes for the five days)

1. God is Real
2. Jesus is the Son of God
3. Jesus is the Only Way
4. The Bible is God’s Word
5. My Actions Show What I believe

Games

Music

Island Crafts

Island Snacks

Super Music

Outside with the Fire Department

A LOT of children

Keeping with the island theme I posted about sailing on the HOW Blog. See “Allowing God to Chart Your Course”

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We had an above-ground pool installed this week in our back yard. Works for me.

Now it’s time to landscape!

Works for Me Wednesday is a “blog carnival” (explained here). Be sure to check out lots of great tips on Works for Me Wednesday.

Works for Me Wednesday Posts:

• Splinter Removal and other Elmer’s Glue Uses
  

• Too Much Stuff

• Yummy Oatmeal Toppings

• Dutch Baby Oven Pancakes

• Mr Clean Magic Eraser

• Vinegar the Wonder Household Cleaner

• Make Your Own Cleaning Wipes

• 10 Minutes to a Sparkling Clean Bathroom

• Get Rid of Refrigerator Clutter

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This week we will be busy at our church with Outrigger Island Vacation Bible School . I’m teaching first grade. Based on Psalm 86:11, the goal of this tropical adventure theme is to help kids develop faith in God and His Word.

Here are my boys singing about being unshakable in a world of shifting sands.

Just in case you can’t pick them out here are David and Christopher.

VBS Motto:

Know the Truth!
Speak the Truth!
Live the Truth!

Keeping with the island theme I posted about sailing on the HOW Blog. See “Allowing God to Chart Your Course”

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Gaits are the different ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training. The “natural” gaits are walk, trot, canter, and gallop (in increasing order of speed)

The walk is a four-beat gait, the horse will always have one foot raised and the other three feet on the ground, save for a brief moment when weight is being transferred from one foot to another.

The trot is a two beat diagonal gait of the horse where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time.

The canter is a controlled, three-beat gait that usually is a bit faster than the average trot, but slower than the gallop. Listening to a horse canter, one can usually hear the three beats as though a drum had been struck three times in succession.

The gallop is very much like the canter, except that it is faster, more ground-covering, and the three-beat canter changes to a four-beat gait. It is the fastest gait of the horse, averaging about 25 to 30 miles per hour (40 to 50 km/h), and in the wild is used when the animal needs to flee from predators or simply cover short distances quickly.

Info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Here is a great summer tip that may save a few tears at your house. My six-year-old needed a splinter removed but did not want me to remove it with tweezers or a needle. I came up with the brainstorm to try duct tape. The first two tries didn’t work. The third time I applied the tape and removed it and the splinter came out. Since then I read that Elmer’s glue helps remove splinters.

Yesterday I got a splinter. I tried the Elmer’s glue and it worked. Pour a drop of Elmer’s glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the glue when you peel it off!

Trivia: Elmer the Bull (Elmer’s glue mascot) is Elsie the Cow’s (Borden’s mascot) husband. No kidding. There are no animal products in Elmer’s Glue.

More Uses for Elmer’s Glue

Unique uses for Elmer’s Glue from Associated Content.

Teach children to write their names by using a crayon to write the child’s name on a piece of paper, then trace over the letters using Elmer’s Glue-All. When the glue becomes dry, children can use their fingers to trace over the letters of their name. This makes it easier for them to understand the shapes of the letters.

Prevent broken shoelaces from fraying by simply dipping the end of the shoelace into the glue.

Seal plants by using Elmer’s Glue-All to seal all ends of pruned stems and branches. This protects against insects and excessive moisture loss.

Fix small holes in walls by filling the small nail holes with a drop of glue before painting the walls.

Tighten a screw hole by soaking a cotton ball in glue, stuffing the cotton ball into the hole, and letting it dry for 24 hours. Now, you’ll be able to use you a screwdriver to put a new screw in the hole.

Are You Missing Out?

Have you checked out Works for Me Wednesday? If not, you are really missing out. Each week there are HUNDREDS of super tips to make your life easier. WFMW is a “blog carnival” (explained here). Just click on the WFMW Link then scroll down to the names in Mr Linky’s list. When you visit leave a quick comment to encourage more helpful posts each week.

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• Devotional for the Disorganized

• Get Rid of Cord Clutter With a Recharging Station

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1. Reheat Pizza

Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove; set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

2. Easy Deviled Eggs

Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal bag and mash yolks till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing roughly; cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done - easy clean up.

3. Expanding Frosting

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

4. Reheating Breads

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

5. Newspaper Weeds Away

Start putting in your plants; work the nutrients into your soil. Wet newspapers and put layers around the plants overlapping as you go; cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic; they will not get through wet newspapers.

6. Picking Up Broken Glass

Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can’t see easily.

7. No More Mosquitoes

Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

8. Squirrel Away!

To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant and the squirrels won’t come near it.

9. Flexible Vacuum

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

10. Reducing Static Cling

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and — ta da! — static is gone.

11. Unsticky Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

12. Foggy Windshield?

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

13. Reopening Envelopes

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

14. Smoother Legs With Conditioner

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It’s a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It’s also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn’t like when you tried it in your hair…

15. Goodbye Fruit Flies

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2″with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

16. Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it “home,” can’t digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works & you don’t have to worry about pets or small children being harmed!

17. Info About Clothes Dryers: May Save Your Life!

The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load of clothes.) He took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material - I’m sure you know what your dryer’s lint filter looks like.

WELL…the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn’t go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh and that’s what burns out the heating unit. You can’t SEE the film, but it’s there. It’s what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free - that nice fragrance, too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box? Well, this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen.

This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire & potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (& keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!

I received these super tips via email. Source unknown.

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Two weeks ago my miniature horses started driving school. Today my sons and I began our training. The trainer, Dale, put his horse, Smurf (the black horse), with Comanche for awhile and then Toby. We rode like the wind! I had a blast. It was even better than riding for me.

Here is a video of my first solo with Toby (the child’s voice in the background is my grandson, Jordan, telling us to go faster).

My son, Danny, and Dale the trainer.

Jordan, Danny’s son.

Christopher and David with Dale

Smurf and Comanche. Comanche is too small to drive with Smurf, b