Simple Romantic Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Of all the things you could do for a loved one, the gift of your time will probably be the most cherished. Here are five simple, easy-to-implement ideas that will help you stay within your budget and bring a smile to someone special.

Candlelit Dinner at Home

Put the kids to bed early and have a candlelit dinner in the privacy of your own home. Make it extra special by getting dressed up and using your fine china – even if you’re serving Chinese take-out.

Dessert and Coffee (or Wine)

If you really want to go out but don’t want to splurge on an expensive meal, just have coffee and dessert at your favorite restaurant.

Quality Time

Spend some time together at a local park, museum, or coffee shop, where you can often find live entertainment. Or visit some antique shops and stroll down memory lane of another era.

Skip the Roses

A dozen roses on Valentine’s Day are outrageously expensive; plus they don’t have a very long shelf life. On the other hand, mixed bouquets are very beautiful and last much longer. Another romantic touch is to give a single rose with a card, romantic movie, CD, or love letter.

Love Letters

In this day of texting and emails, nothing is more romantic than a sincere love letter from the heart – and hand. That means taking a pen to paper and scribbling out your innermost thoughts about your loved one and how much you cherish him or her.

Chilly Dog Tips

Without a doubt, this winter season is one of the worst the nation has seen in many years. Our furry canine friends are also feeling the cold bite of Mother Nature and need some tender, loving, cold-weather care using some of these tips: 

• Provide a proper, insulated shelter for your dog if he is kept outside. It should be large enough for the dog to turn around in, but small enough to retain his body heat when inside. Provide lots of dry bedding and immediately replace it if it becomes damp or wet. It also helps prevent moisture from building if the doghouse is slightly elevated off the ground.
• Use nonmetal water and food bowls if feeding outside so your pup’s tongue doesn’t stick to the dish. You can keep water from freezing by adding a de-icer heating element which can be found at most pet and hardware stores.
• Dogs are attracted to the sweet smell and taste of antifreeze so keep containers sealed and spills cleaned up. Even just a smidgeon can be lethal. Consider keeping an antifreeze antidote on hand or using animal-friendly antifreeze.
• Regularly check your pet’s paws for cracks, cuts, and abrasions that may need to be treated with antiseptic wash and antibiotic cream. Cold winter sidewalks and roads can be painful to their sensitive pads, especially if snow removal products have been used. Keep the hair around paw pads trimmed, which will help keep snow and ice from accumulating between the toes. You may even want to consider putting snazzy little dog boots on Fido when going for a walk.
• Frequently check your pet’s ears, tail, and feet for signs of frostbite, which may appear red or gray on the skin. If you suspect frostbite, wrap the area (or dog) in towels or blankets and contact your veterinarian for further instructions.
• During the winter months, a food adjustment may be in order. Indoor dogs tend to be more sedentary this time of year and may need less food. On the other hand, hardy outdoor breeds could probably use some extra vittles as they are burning more calories and fat to keep warm.

Finally, don’t ever leave your best friend alone in the car or truck. When the engine is not running, the vehicle can hold in the cold air just like a refrigerator. If dogs aren’t allowed where you are going, he’ll be much happier waiting for you at home.

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Copyright 2009 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved.

10 Timely Tips for Working Moms

The NannyPro.com site has a lot of resourceful articles for working moms. Their latest one, 10 Working Moms Secrets for Getting Out ofthe House on Time, has several great tips to help make the mornings go a bit smoother.

I recently started back to work full-time and was already doing the first two recommendations, which is getting up before everyone else, as well as making sure clothes and accessories were picked out the night before. In addition, the article offers several other tips that I will be implementing the first of the week. A couple that really resonated were packing a car tote with necessities and packing lunches the night before.

I also liked the one about unpacking backpacks as soon as we get home. Although school doesn’t start for a few more weeks that is something we will start doing right off the bat.

What are some of your morning strategies for getting out of the door on time?

Other Uses for Dawn Dishwashing Liquid

Widely known for its degreasing capabilities, blue Dawn dishwashing liquid has a multitude of other uses in and around the house. And its inexpensive price tag makes it even more attractive! Here are some great ways to use Dawn:

Jewelry Cleaner: Put a couple of drops in a cup of very warm water. Whisk the solution around with your finger to suds up and then drop your diamond ring (or other gemstone) in to soak for approximately 30 minutes. Gently scrub the ring (or other jewelry) with an old toothbrush to loosen dirt and rinse under warm water. Dry on a soft towel and you will have a bright, sparkly gemstone.

Stain Pretreatment: Dab a drop or two of Dawn on a greasy stain that’s on a piece of clothing. If you have a HE (high energy) machine, wipe off the excess soap before placing the garment in the washer to keep it from getting too sudsy. I think you will be surprised at how well this pretreatment solution works!

Kills Fleas: Many veterinarians recommend bathing dogs using Dawn to get rid of fleas, including young pups that are too young for flea medications. You may want to use a conditioning rinse afterwards to keep Fido’s skin from drying out. You can also wash their bedding with Dawn to help get rid of the pesky varmints that may be hiding there.

Ice Pack: Pour a cup of Dawn dishwashing liquid into a plastic baggie, seal it and place in the freezer to be used on boo-boos as an ice pack. Not only does it last longer than a regular bag of ice, but it also refreezes so that it be re-used multiple times.

Bubbles: When it comes to making a homemade bubble mixture, Dawn is the best choice for long-lasting bubbles. Click here to read how to “Bubble Away Boredom” and mix up the right solution.

I figure that if Dawn works so well in these areas, it must do a great job on pots and pans! What are some other ways that you use Dawn dishwashing liquid?

Bubble Away Boredom

Nights are longer and the weather is warmer – and the kids are getting antsy. Alas, summer must be here heralding cries of “I’m bored,” “There is nothing to do,” or “Do we have to go there?” Time to break out the dish soap and conjure up batches of bubble solution! 

You can do this by taking 2/3 cup of dish soap (Dawn or Joy seem to work better than most brands); 1 tablespoon of glycerin (available at most grocery and drug stores); and 1 gallon of water. Mix the solution together and let the fun begin!

Look for interesting “wands” the kids can blow through such as a funnel or large slotted spoon. Metal coat hangers and floral wire can be molded into fun shapes. The green mesh baskets that strawberries come in or Styrofoam cups with a hole cut out of the bottom are also handy. Half the fun will be searching for items that can be used as bubble wands.

Create bubble “art” by adding a few drops of food coloring to the solution and having the kids catch the bubbles on a sheet of paper; let it dry and wah-la! (Note: this is definitely an outdoor activity because the coloring may cause stains.)

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© Charlene Davis. All rights reserved.

Tips for Using Magazine Perfume Samples

Women’s magazines have been featuring perfume samplers tucked in between their glossy pages for decades as an unobtrusive way to entice buyers to try their products. Not only are these fragrant little sheets a great way to “window shop” while sitting in your PJs, they can also be used in a myriad of other ways:

• Open them up and tuck them in your suitcase to dispel musty odors while keeping clothes and lingerie smelling pretty
• Sample the perfume by rubbing the sampler on your skin and then save your favorites to refer to later as a “wishlist”
• Tuck them into dresser drawers (especially lingerie)
• Forego pricey car fresheners and stash a sampler under the car seat
• Place one in your purse for fragrance on-the-go
• Store them in shoes – especially those stinky sneakers and high-top boots
• Slip one inside of a pillowcase for sweet-smelling dreams
• If you put seasonal clothes in storage, tuck one inside the box before closing it up
• Perfume samplers even make fragrant bookmarks!

You can also pick up perfume sample sheets in your favorite department store by asking the clerk to spray select fragrances on individual cards that you can take home and reuse. Or if you prefer, you can to use your own personal fragrance by simply spritzing your perfume on a piece of tissue paper or index card.

Five Low-Carb Breakfast Ideas

For quite some time my doctor has encouraged me to adopt a low-carb lifestyle which I have resisted until recently. Lunch and dinner have been relatively easy to manage with low-carb alternatives; however, breakfast is somewhat of a challenge because of the morning rush activities. There really isn’t enough time to whip up a veggie frittata or Eggs Florentine. Besides, I would be the only one eating any of those since the rest of my family are dedicated cereal crunchers. So here are five quick and easy low-carb breakfast ideas I have come up with:

Fruits: If your low-carb diet plan allows fruits (mine does in limited quantities), try spooning some cottage cheese over a slice of cantaloupe. This is so yummy! You can also mix a spoonful of berries with plain Greek yogurt (fewer carbs than traditional yogurt) or one of the low-carb yogurts such as DANNON® Light & Fit®. 

Egg Sandwich: This requires a little pre-planning because you will need to boil or scramble your eggs the night before. Then, in the morning toast one or two slices of low-carb, multi-grain bread and layer thinly sliced hard boiled eggs over one slice. Or spoon on some scrambled eggs that have been reheated a few seconds in the microwave. Add a slice of cheese and either cover with the second slice of bread or eat open-face style.

Ham and Cheese Roll-ups: Take a slice of deli-style ham and layer a slice of cheese over top. Then just roll up and eat 2 or 3 of these for a fast, super easy breakfast. You can also spoon some cottage cheese or pre-cooked scrambled eggs over the cheese slice before rolling up. For lunch, I also like to wrap the ham and cheese in a lettuce leaf and add a dribble of peanut sauce.

Vegetable Frittata: Okay, I know I said there wasn’t enough time to whip up a frittata in the mornings, and that’s true. Unless you do it on a weekend morning or some other convenient time. Then you can cut the frittata into wedges, freeze each one individually and reheat in the microwave on a busy morning before rushing out of the door. Check out these easy instructions on how to Make a Frittata at About.com. 

Low-Carb Cereal: For die-hard cereal lover fans, there are several low-carb cereals at the supermarket that are actually quite tasty such as Kellogg's® Special K® ProteinPlus cereal. They even have a $1-off coupon!  Pour some yummilicious almond or soy milk over a bowl and enjoy.

Other ideas for eating a low-carb breakfast on the run are precooked packages of bacon or sausage which only take a few seconds to heat in the microwave; cheese sticks; hard-boiled eggs; or frozen multi-grain muffins or pancakes that can be easily thawed and heated. 

A protein shake or smoothie is another low-carb breakfast option that can be easily made with a cup of almond or soy milk, a scoop of protein powder, and some frozen fruit such as bananas, strawberries, or blueberries. After combining the ingredients, give them a whirl in the blender and drink it on your way to work.