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Wooden Thomas Train Recall

Posted on Thursday 14 June 2007 at 1:16 PM in Staying Healthy - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Link

Looks like they are recalling a lot of the red ones.  My son went through a big Thomas phase...he's not so much into them anymore.  It says from January 2005 through June 2007.  We moved here in 2004, and I don't believe we've bought any since we've been here in Indiana...so I think we're ok. 

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07212.html

Saving Electricity

Posted on Thursday 14 June 2007 at 7:23 AM in Staying Healthy - 1 Comments - Post Comment - Link

I need to really work on cutting down our electric bill.  Back when we lived in Michigan (my more frugal days) my average electric bill during the summer was around $10 each month. My electric bills are MUCH more than that here.  But even doing everything I know to bring down our electric bills...they are still so much higher than I think they should be. 

Hubby agrees and last night we ordered a little device called a Kill A Watt from Amazon.  We will plug it into the wall, then plug the item we're checking into it.  The device will tell us how much electricity that item is using.  I believe this will identify the electricity hogs in our home...and hopefully we'll be able to do something about it.

We really don't realize how many things we have around the house that are continuously using electricity, even if it is just a little. Microwave, clock radios, VCRs etc. are always showing their little displays. We now have cordless phones that need to be plugged into the wall. We have all sorts of gadgets that have batteries than need charging like cell phones etc. It all adds up.

Here are some things that I've done to help reduce our electric bill:

Turn off lights and unplug unneeded appliances and electronics. Use natural light as much as possible. Our old house had poor lighting so we spent a lot of time outside in the summer...which isn't a bad thing anyway!

Consider replacing electric appliances with non-electric versions like can openers, knives, popcorn poppers. I won't part with my crockpot though!

Invest in flourescent bulbs. They take less wattage and you should see an immediate difference in your electric bills. These bulbs also last longer than regular bulbs.  But remember, these bulbs contain mercury.  There are issues on how to dispose of them safely...and issues if they get broken.

I try to use the clothes line when the weather is nice, even during the winter.  We have a gas dryer...but it still uses electricity.

Keep all your appliances (fridge, washer, dryer, freezer etc.) and light fixtures clean and maintained. They will run more efficiently if they are maintained properly.

BBQ more often instead of cooking indoors.  I'm even considering trying to make one of those solar cookers!

Use your landscape to help you save money on your electric bills. Strategically planting trees and strubs around your house can help cool it in the summer and keep it warm in the winter.

Then there are little things...and the pennies really do add up. Wash your dishes by hand instead of running the dishwasher. After brewing a pot of coffee, store the coffee in a caraff and turn the coffee maker off. Turn your computer off when it isn't being used.  Spend more time outside.

Once our little Kill A Watt device comes in, I'll give you the run down after hubby tests everything.  In the mean time, I'd love to hear some of the things you all do to save on your electricity bill.

Bye Bye Coffee....

Posted on Tuesday 17 April 2007 at 2:20 PM in Staying Healthy - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link

...well...maybe.

I'm trying to get back to a healthy, natural diet.  I'm trying.  I'm trying to drink less coffee and more tea and water.  I drink a LOT of coffee.  I keep forgetting that my body doesn't like doing anything cold turkey...especially stopping coffee.  I had a horrible headache and hubby finally figured out that it was because I didn't have any coffee.  Yikes...don't want to repeat that. 

So...here is the plan:  I'm gradually decreasing the coffee for a cuppa green tea instead.  Green tea actually has caffine in it, but it's all around a much better choice than coffee.  I was supposed to start today...but maybe I'll start tomorrow. 

At least I'm drinking more water.  I'm almost to the amount I need each day.  I posted about it here. I'm at about 48 ounces and I need to be at about 65 ounces each day.  I'm determined to get healthy!  Even if I have to keep starting again tomorrow.

Recall: LISTERINE® AGENT COOL BLUE

Posted on Friday 13 April 2007 at 8:23 AM in Staying Healthy - 1 Comments - Post Comment - Link


There is a recall on this stuff...all of it after "the Company determined that the preservative system is not adequate against certain microorganisms."  Even though the risk of illness in healthy individuals following use of this product is very low, they are recommending everyone get rid of the stuff.  Too bad, Boo liked using it.  To get your refund, you have to peel the back label off and mail it back to the company with the form they provide on their website.

You can find out more here:  http://www.agentcoolblue.com/

If thing keep going the way they are we won't be able to keep up with all the recalls!!

Losing Weight - Drinking Water

Posted on Friday 26 January 2007 at 3:40 PM in Staying Healthy - 4 Comments - Post Comment - Link

First I have to admit that I'm not overweight.  But I'm definately not where I should be.  And when it gets to the point where the clothes aren't fitting so well I need to make a decision.  I either need to hit the re-sale shops and buy bigger sizes...again...or lose some weight to make the ones I have fit better.  I can't afford the first, so I'm going with the latter.



One of the first things I know that I need to do is drink more water.  A nutritionist friend told me that we should take our weight and divide it in half, and that is the number in ounces of water that we need.  For example if you weigh 100 lbs. (lol!) you would divide that in half...50...and your body would need 50 ounces of water a day.  If you aren't used to drinking water, that can be quite a lot.  It's best to work up to that amount.  Yes, you'll be making more trips to the little girls room, but your body WILL adjust.  The internet is so handy because with a little searching you can find all sorts of information on the health benefits of drinking plenty of water.  It's so interesting!  Like everyday your body must replace about 2 1/2 quarts of water.  And you can drink more than 4,000 glasses of tap water for the price of a six-pack of pop (or soda for you non-northerners! ). 

So I'm increasing my water intake in addition to some other things which I'll ramble about another time.  I find that it helps to have cold water in the fridge.  I also like lots of lemon in my water (lemon is a great mini-detox!)  One thing that I don't have is a scale to keep track of my progress.  It's not necessarily a bad thing though...I tend to obsess about the scale.  I'll know when the clothes are loose and I'm feeling better that I'm on track.  That's all for now...I'm off to the little girls room.