Friday, January 31, 2020

Random Tid Bits

  1. Isaak school lost a Principal because he had a starter pistol in the main office. This is a school that considers scissors a weapon, and will kick kids out for having them. He had an Interim Principal, for a few months. The old one was fired. Now he has a new one.

  2. All the sudden Isaak doesn't have a Math teacher. He doesn't know what happened. Math is his most challenging subject. One good thing, he has less homework. One bad thing, he has zero consistency.

  3. Travis' coworker sent him a link to the Coronavirus hitting University Nebraska Lincoln. He clicked on the link. It was a big naked man. Click bait. Boy did it get him! I was cracking up.

    He's been freaking out about it. He's like we need to get the boy's masks, and a good spray. Me on the other hand am like, "I think we can wait on the masks", or "Sure honey. Whatever you want."

  4. Mica's hungry all the time! After dinner one night he was complaining about being hungry. I said, "There's brownies to make. Make them." He did. He said, "Mom I think I need a bigger bowl to mix them in." I turned around from doing dishes, and saw him mixing brownie mix in a small salad bowl. I couldn't stop laughing. It's a total Mica thing!


  5. As soon as it warms up, it gets cold and snows again. I'm ready for spring already. What's your favorite season? 


Thursday, January 30, 2020

What You Need to Know About Peptides and Weight Loss



Trying to lose weight can be a challenge, and many people that find exercise and dieting to not work for them turn to other strategies. However, the health community is full of buzzwords and fads promising quick, effortless solutions, which makes the genuine options harder to find. One such strategy, popularized by entrepreneurs like Ryan Smith Lexington KY, is peptide supplements, and from the talk around them you'd think they were a miracle cure. What are peptides, though, and what do they do for weight loss?

Peptides: A Primer

Peptides are short chains of amino acids, much like smaller proteins—about 50 units at most, in contrast to proteins that are hundreds long. Many peptides come from breaking down proteins in food. Because of their size, peptides don't fold up into complex molecular shapes like proteins—this means they can be more easily distributed through the bloodstream and absorbed by cells. Also, many hormones are based on bioactive peptides because of this permeability.

Peptides to Look For

Despite this common structure, peptides differ in how they interact with the body. If you're looking for peptides to help with managing weight, you want supplements containing particular kinds of peptides:
  • Collagen is known as a component of skin and connective tissue, but it also helps curb excess hunger.
  • Creatine can aid metabolism in muscle cells to replenish energy stores; this can give you a boost when working out.
  • Ipamorelin signals the pituitary gland to produce human growth hormone, which stimulates cell regeneration.
Some peptides are still under experimentation to determine how they affect the body; an example is follistatin, which has shown correlation with regulating muscle growth in lab mice.

Are Peptides Enough?

Many swear by peptides in helping lose weight and stay in shape. However, be wary of claims that peptides are an end-all, be-all solution. Managing your health is an ongoing multi-step process that peptides can aid but not fully replace. Exercise, and eating a balanced diet really helps. Also, human bodies vary in how they respond to supplements, so try them out for a short time before committing.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post. I may have been paid, for this post.

Care for a #Gecko

Recently I decided to work with some photos I have, to create some two page spreads. First off to play with InDesign, a program I teach.

I also feel like not very many average people know how to care, for Geckos. At least I didn't. There's a lot of false information out there. We made mistakes! At the pet stores, the workers seem to know very little, in comparison to dogs and cats. There are a lot of things sold there that just isn't the right care strategies, for geckos.

I know it's hard to read in the two page spread on here, so I typed it in below.





A gecko is a great first pet. You don’t have a to worry about people having allergies around them. They can be held, but don’t have to be. It’s super easy to care for them.

Types of Geckos That Make Great Pets

• Crested Gecko

• Day Geckos

• Fat-Tailed Gecko

• Gargoyle Gecko

• Leopard Gecko

• Pictus Gecko

What to Buy Your First Gecko

There are a lot of unnecessary kits and items that stores try to sell first time gecko owners. Be mindful of what your pet really needs.

A Gecko’s Home

Start out with at least a 20 gallon tank. If you buy a gecko as a baby this size of tank may seem huge. Fill the tank up with hides, rocks, and branches then it will not seem so big. A screen top is important to get. If you already have a tank, you can get screen tops separately. The top will keep unwanted bugs out.

Belly Heat

Gecko’s need belly heat, for proper digestion, so heat mats for the bottom of the tank are a must. Only half the tank will need heat mats. The other half will be the cool side of the tank. The mats do not always stay put, so make sure you have some Duct tape to secure them.

On the Floor

The floor of the tank should not include substrate, or sand. Both of these things pet stores try to sell consumers. It’s in the gecko’s nature to lick as they walk sometimes. Any loose flooring can make a gecko impacted. Then you’ will have to go to the Vet.

Instead of sand or substrate, use paper towels, floor tile, non adhesive shelf paper, or cork tiles. Tiles, cork and shelf paper wipe up easily. Paper towels are inexpensive to replace.

Hide and Seek

Geckos like to hide, so get them three to four hide structures. You can make your own hides if you’d like to. They even like to lay under rocks and logs. There should be a hide in the cool area of the tank, and in the warm area of the tank. When they shed, they do best with a moist hide.

For a moist hide, lay damp paper towels in a mason jar, or in a plastic container that has a hole cut out of it. Make sure you sand down, or burn the edges of the plastic opening. Freshly cut edges can be sharp.


Keep it Cozy

A temperature | humidity gauge is important. A gecko’s tank should be kept around 92 degrees, on the warm side of the tank. Remember they are cold blooded animals.

Light

It is a rumor that geckos need an orange light at night. Orange bulbs are sold in gecko kits at the pet stores. Do not buy into this. An orange bulb is hard on gecko’s eyes, and will actually over time blind them

They do however need light during the daytime; if they are not in a well lit up area.

Food and Water Dishes

Your gecko will need a few flat food dishes, or you could repurpose throw away lids to be feeding dishes. Your gecko will need a dish for water, food, and calcium with vitamin D3.

What do Geckos Eat?

• Mealworms

• Crickets

• Dubia Roaches

• Superworms

• Hornworms

• Silkworms

• Wax Worms

• Locusts

Their staple diet should be Mealworms, Crickets, and Dubia Roaches. It is best to vary their diet.

It is best to feed their food (bugs and worms) veggies, for a few days before feeding it to your gecko. This is called, “Gut loading” their food. It is also great to shake the bugs and worms in calcium with vitamin D3 powder before feedings. Geckos like their food alive.

Traits of Geckos

Nocturnal

Geckos are nocturnal. They do very well with no lights on at all. When you sleep, they party and play.

Geckos sleep during the day. Often times they lay flat on their belly, with their legs in a sprawl. This way of laying is called “Splooting”, or “Sploot”.

To Be Held, or Not to Be Held

Geckos are good around people. Usually they only like twenty minutes of human interaction a day. The timing varies, from each individual gecko. Not all geckos are the same. They do like to climb up on your shoulder. Be careful to not let them fall.

You can pet a gecko. They love the top of their head, back, and tummy rubbed.

Clean

A gecko’s tank should be cleaned once every other week. They typically go to the bathroom in one spot. Check that spot to keep it clean. Change their water daily.

Geckos can have a shallow warm bath. Do watch them the whole time they are in there. They can not swim. Bathing does help when they are having problems going to the bathroom, and helps their skin when they are about to shed.

Be Careful

• Do not ever pick geckos up by their tail. They can loose their tail. It will grow back. It is not desirable to have a gecko loose their tail.

• Do not hold a gecko on their back. Gecko’s can not breathe if they are on their back.

• Do not put more than one gecko in a tank. They are solitary animals.

• Do not have loose substrate, or sand in their tank. This could lead to digestive impaction.

• Do not use red light. This could lead to blindness.

• Do not remove their shed. They will do that on their own. You can assist them with putting them in a moist hide, or by giving them a shallow bath.

Enjoy Your Pet

The most important thing is to enjoy spending time with your pet. Geckos are super fun to watch!

If you are serious about buying a gecko for the first time: 

Download this this sheet. It will help you with your gecko's care.



Wednesday, January 29, 2020

5 Ways to Stop Your Pets from Damaging Power Cords and Cables

Pets can be your great friends. They help you live stress-free at home and also keep you fit. But you need to keep them safe. One of the grossly overlooked aspects of pet safety is the problems due to electrical cables and components. Chewing wires could cause shocks and injuries to the animal. At times it could even lead to electrocution. Moreover, replacing damaged parts could be a daunting and expensive task too. Imagine that television wire or cable of your coffee maker is cut off; you feel irritated and at times, angry too. So pet-proofing household is essential. Little efforts could make the day happy and safe both for you and your pet.

1. Train your pet to avoid the cords:

Every time your dog goes near the cable, you should give it something interesting to do, like a Kong toy filled with peanut butter. You can also spray water from a bottle to distract and interrupt it. Another option is to have electronic collars. It is similar to training your dogs to avoid furniture or crossing a busy road. You can create a command so that the pup leaves chewing. You can give some rewards for dropping the wire. If you consistently bring the animals to the same spot or room in the house, they will understand that the place is meant for them. So you can safeguard the pet spot from cords and wires.



2. Provide healthy activities for your pet:

The best way to keep your pets out of trouble is to keep them engaged. Involve all the members of the family to play with it. You should take them for walks and introduce them to the people in the neighborhood. You should buy doggy board games or canine puzzles to keep their minds active. If they get bored due to one toy, then it is time for a new one. In due course, you can rotate the toys. You should take them to pet shops and let them meet and make friends too.

Regular engagement your pet could stop them from getting bored, and they, in turn, will stop over-chewing. Involve the pets in your daily chores. They will be happy and excited to experience a new atmosphere. So you can take them even when you have to go to a car wash shop.

3. Fix the cords:

Animals love to hunt and find their prey. It is their intrinsic nature. Loosely hanging and dangling wires attract them a lot. They tend to jump higher to reach and pull it. You should fix them on the wall and could also make cable drawings too. It also serves as a way to decorate your home. You can stick the cables using adhesive cord clips in matching or contrasting colors. You can use spiral cable wraps. With these, you can bundle adjacent wires and prevents them from getting tangled. The wrapping material is made of hard plastic like PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which the pet animal cannot chew.



4. Block your pet's access to cords:

You can put long cables and adapters in a basket or tray and push then inside the cupboard. You can hide the electrical wires at the back of the furniture so that they are not easily visible. Similarly, lamp cords and printer wires, etc. could be stapled under the table. You can have power strip and keep them and electronic items like phones inside the table drawer. You can have rain gutter storage where the excess cables could be placed. You could conceal routers in decorative boxes. In this age of IoT (internet of things) devices, you could go wireless too. Just like us, the concept: out of sight, out of mind, works for the pet animals also.

5. Make cords unappealing:

You can get paintable cables and fix them to the wall or furniture. You can paint them with the same color as that of the wall so that the pets cannot distinguish them. Small cords, especially the vertical ones, can be put inside a hollow rod and fixed. These disguising techniques can deter the animal from chewing the cord. One could also use repulsive sprays on the cables. Flavors like bitter apple, paprika, and pepper can keep the pets away from the wire. You also get unscented sprays in the market and online shops.


Pets have an inherent urge to chew and suck objects. It is their way of exploring the world. A dental activity like getting a new tooth could increase the chewing time. They chew more when they get bored. It is also a form of stress-buster and pacifier. But you should be careful that the chewing habit does not become obsessive and destructive. The reasons could be many like metabolic issues, over-grooming, etc. It is your responsibility to take care of the pet and provide proper medication. You should also teach children to become friendly and compassionate towards animals. Please refrain from inhuman activities like caging them for long periods or using duct tapes to hold their mouths closed.

Disclaimer: This is a guest post.

Keeping the Kids Healthy During the Winter: Common Diseases and How to Counter Them

Winter is in full flow now, although it’s going to get a lot colder real soon! The onset of winter usually proves to be a tough time for seniors and young children in particular, as they are the most vulnerable to diseases which the cold usually brings with it.

To keep children safe from the many threats of winter, it’s important to be aware of them first. Read on as we discuss some of the most common diseases that affect children in the UK every year during the colder months, and how to prevent them.

Common Cold

The common cold virus is just far too common during the winter for comfort! Given that young children have weak, underdeveloped immune systems, the virus often finds them to be easy, recurring hosts. Protect your child from the common cold with the following tips:
  • Wash the hands of toddlers in warm water frequently
  • Teach the importance of doing so before every snack and not just meals to slightly older children
  • Always use disposable tissues for runny noses; fabric just reinfects the child continuously
  • Keep the indoor temperatures high - heat helps in both prevention and healing
  • Prevent exposing toddlers and infants to cold weather
Norovirus

One of the rare bugs that affect our digestive systems during winter would be the norovirus. Aside from the same measures we mentioned above, there’s not much else one can do to prevent the infection.

It’s highly infectious, very common in all parts of the UK, and in the case of young children, the disease can take a turn for the worse. Common symptoms of a norovirus infections are as follows:
  • Vomiting
  • Stomach pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Low – mid level fever
  • Pain in the muscles
  • Weakness
Back in the day, when Isaak was sick.


Healthy adults will get over it in a week or less, but young children might need hospital care. If you notice signs of dehydration in your child, don’t wait around for too long.

Raynaud’s Disease

Now, Raynaud’s Disease is not as much of a disease as it is a genetic condition. Everyone gets cold hands and feet from time to time during the winter, but children and even adults with Raynaud’s phenomenon will actually feel pain once the blood vessels in their hands and feet begin to shrink from the cold.

Bluish or whitish fingers, tingling/cold/numb/painful extremities are all symptoms of Raynaud’s disease. Those with the disease will suffer most as children, although the condition can become less bothersome as they grow up. Some of the common, effective methods for preventing Raynaud’s flare ups would be as follows:
  • Keep the child in weather controlled, significantly warm temperatures as much as possible
  • Make sure that they are wearing gloves and socks at all times
  • If they can’t keep their body temperature high even after that, consult a doctor

Handling Emergencies

Never ignore the symptoms of a disease, whether it’s your child, or yourself. Even if you don’t have the funds for covering unforeseen medical costs immediately, or to invest in a new boiler for keeping the house warm and healthy, there are options out there. Whatever your reasons, new payday loan lenders like BingoLoans offer clear, transparent platforms with instant approvals online. Just be sure to make the repayments on time to keep the costs from spiralling out of control.

Emergencies seldom announce themselves and, alongside children, adults may also experience diseases more frequently as the mercury begins to dip. Heart attacks and debilitating pain in the joints are common emergencies that may make themselves apparent at any time. Awareness, preparation and timely actions are the keys to keeping everyone fit and safe.

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

WW: Room {Linky}

I've been fairly busy.


Our old loveseat that we had, for cough 17 or so years was ready to retire. We heard a snap, when one of us sat on it. It had stains that I washed out many, many times. The velcro was coming off, so the cushion wouldn't stay put. We gutted it! Nothing in our house is every easy. Most people would just throw it on the side of some dumpster, somewhere. Travis wanted the pieces. I only cared to get the furniture tacks.

Good-bye Loveseat:

Sure enough it was a piece of wood that snapped.

Pay attention to the green shelves. I repainted them!


Hello Chairs:

I really wanted another loveseat. We are a family that loves shows and movies. Laying down is well...awesome! 

BUT we had a horrible time finding what we wanted. Travis wanted to be able to sit in whatever we bought. I'd find things online, but he couldn't sit in them. I finally saw our seats at The World Market. It was the Bohemian Style I was looking for, we both liked them, and they were 50% off. The sucky thing, they weren't a loveseat. I'm going to have to find a way of making poufs or footstools. We're already missing laying down. 

We were going to place the chairs next to each other, but changed our minds. Here's the chair Travis designed, next to one of the other chairs. I repainted the green shelves. 



I found a pillow that has sections just like Travis' chair.



Here's a better look at the shelves I painted:

Lots of stripes like the chairs have. Last coat of varnish! 


Travis put in the loveseats's furniture tacks. It sounds easier than it was. That wood was hard! He had to pre drill holes, to get them in. 



Then his sculpture went on top.


Here's the other side of the living room. 

The leather couch has furniture tacks too! We got an off white pillow that has the same pattern as the red one. The other bohemian case is new too. 

See the Cheez-It trunk in the back? I got that filled with products to review a long time ago. It's such a cool trunk. I love Cheez-Its, but I'm thinking about repurposing that. I want to have a board cut bigger than the trunk, add the red fabric from Travis' chair (he had extra), stuff it with batting from the loveseat, and screw the board on up through the bottom of the top. I'd have to add sliders, or wheels on the bottom. 


Sunny approves! The kids prefer to lay on the couch. 


Do you like ottoman's, or poufs better? 

If you're like me, and have no idea what a pouf is, here they are:


Poufs look cozier, but some ottomans can store things. Whatever I end up with I'll probably make it. Poufs and ottomans are just as much as the chairs! The Cheez-It trunk gets repurposed, for Travis' chair.


Sunday, January 26, 2020

Guarana Berry Seed Powder Review

We had a delicious smoothie this morning: 

  • Guarana Berry Seed Powder
  • Frozen garden strawberries
  • Frozen garden mulberries
  • Frozen garden raspberries 
  • Banana
  • Water 
  • Ice 


About Guarana Berry Seed Powder:

It is US Department of Agriculture 100% Certified Organic. I feel better about consuming things that are certified organic. I can't help but to think allergies, asthma and other respiratory illnesses are getting worse for people because of all the sprays farmers use.

Alovitox gets the powder from farmers in the Brazilian Rainforest. 

There is no artificial colors. The US is bad with all their artificial colors. Colors are so strong here in comparison to the UK.



It came in an 8 ounce bag. The bag was pretty full; in comparison to other packaging, for other products I've gotten.


It’s a natural energy booster, caffeine. A wonderful pick me up for the morning. It's hard to tell if it did boost our alertness. I think it's difficult to measure how awake you feel. I'll take their word, for it. 

Where to get Guarana Berry Seed Powder:

You can pick it up at Walmart $16.99. It shipped super fast! You can get it here: https://www.walmart.com/…/USDA-100-Certified-Orga…/106386747

Do you add anything to your smoothies?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free in exchanged for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Disclaimer

The opinions on this blog are my personal take on products and topics relating to motherhood. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me.

I am not compensated to provide opinions on a variety of topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. If I claim to show knowledge of certain topic or product I will only endorse products or services that I feel, based on my expertise, are worthy of such endorsement.

If you have any questions about this blog, or want to get in contact with me please email me at: anapeladay@gmail.com