Home Improvement

Termites invite themselves into your home, but you may not know it. If they go unnoticed for a long time, they can cause tremendous damage. When your home inspector conducts his inspection, a home inspection engineer should thoroughly check for evidence of termites. Your mortgage lender may ask for a clear termite certificate.

Some homes are at greater risk of termite problems. For example, slab on grade homes with radiant floor heating are a natural breeding ground for termites. If you own a home with radiant floor heating, a wise maintenance procedure is to periodically have inspections done by a competent and qualified exterminator.

As cold weather arrives, the mice and rats start searching for more comfortable places to live than outside in those harsh winter environments. If your home is close to their summer homes you're at risk for rodent invasion.ct now to defend your home from the rodent onslaught, and minimize the threats to your family's health that rat and mouse infestation brings to your home.

Check the foundation for any openings large enough for a mouse or rat to fit through. Plug all that you find. The best materials for this purpose are metal, or concrete, that completely closes the hole. Wood works if you make the plug thick enough. Just remember that mice and rats can chew through wood. The more solid the closure looks, the more motivation for the rodent to look for entry elsewhere.

Instructing a Child

Are you having difficult time to make your child follow your instruction? It is a normal behavior for children. But you can still make them do what you ask them without necessarily blowing your top. here are effective steps to gain compliance from your child. These are guarantees to prevent frustration, anger and resentment. Stop and decide what you want your child to do.

Get the child’s attention. Move closer to him or call him to come to you. make direct eye contact.Consistency in child behavior modification comprises the key to successfully instructing your child in right from wrong while correcting them. The key to child behavior modification is in keeping little misbehavior and poor conduct from later on becoming larger misbehavior and less desirable behaviors.

Tell him what to do directly and firmly. Don’t ask, though you may offer a choice if you wish. Don’t end your instruction with “ OK”? Don’t let him sidetrack you with whining, excuses, or arguing. Restate your instructions one more time if necessary then watch to make sure he begins. Praise him when he does the task quickly and well. You find a good job with those dishes. If he doesn’t begin doing what you said or doesn’t finish, say: “ What did i tell you to do?”

Simple ways to be a happier mom

Ask a mom if she’s happier now that she has a child, and she’ll usually say yes. But psychologists who study happiness often report a different picture. Being the mom of a young child (especially one under 3) is rewarding, but also a real strain on your mood. Moment to moment, you may be exhausted, frustrated, sometimes angry. In fact, on their list of pleasurable activities, moms rank childcare lower than eating, exercising, or watching TV. And kid care rates only slightly higher than housework, working, or ! Kids do bring joy. They bring transcendent moments that outweigh all the hard work. It’s just that children do not increase your average daily enjoyment.

The happiness paradox one reason for the discrepancy between moms and experts: selective memory. When psychologists ask moms in a general way if they like spending time with their kids, the overwhelming majority say they do because they’re thinking of fun activities like reading a book or playing in the park. When they’re specifically asked to describe their actual daily routine, they remember the hours they spent struggling to get their child dressed or ready for bed. Maybe, though, the cold calculus of psychological science is missing the intensity of joy that time spent with your child can bring. There are little spent with your child can bring. There are little moments that moments can overcome your daily frustrations. Happiness is more than just that smiley feeling. It’s also feeling a connection to something larger than yourself. When people are in service to something bigger, they describe their lives as filled with meaning. It’s not the smiley face, but when it’s all over, you realize happier mom, then, is to value what you do to. The next step is to find ways to make it more enjoyable.

Admit when you’re stressed ironically, once you stop expecting motherhood to feel warm and fuzzy all the time, life as a mom gets easier. It’s okay to feel frustrated, angry, or irritable sometimes. You’re not a bad parent. It’s not even a experience. It’s just normal.

Get enough sleep most of us know that money can’t buy happiness, but who knew that a good night’s sleep just might? So how can you sneak in that extra hour or two? One mom says her husband takes over on the weekends so she can sleep in. It makes a big difference in the way she feels. And she’s more willing to do something active, like take he daughter to the park. If she’s tired, the most she can do is sit there and read to her.

Table Toppers

The table is the most important thing to decorate. A table centerpiece is to the party's food, as a husband is to a wife on a chilly night it makes everything warm and cozy. Flowers have been tried and tested for this job, but there are other options aside from fragrant blooms when deciding on your table decor. There are those that add extra lighting. Others you'd find everywhere but the table. And there are other that serve a dual purpose as appetizer and party trimming. When putting together your centerpiece, remember these tips. make sure your guests can see each other above or through your decor, and don't forget to leave space for the food. MOOD LIGHTING You may already be using candles for mood lighting, but how about putting them front and center instead of scattered all around? With a pretty tray of non-flammable metal or glass as a base, group together at least five candles of similar shape and color. Play around with varying heights and widths to make it more eye catching. Check for possible sources of wind when positioning your candles, so you can avoid"dashing around with a lighter all night." By keeping candles away from an open window or the breeze of a fun, they'll stay lit and burn longer. TABLE BAUBLES Assorted Christmas balls, whether of glass or plastic, make for a colorful and fun centerpiece when piled generously into fluted bowls, cake stands, and baskets. Scatte a few stray balls around the base of your main arrangement. That a mix of glossy and matte surfaces work well together; rough surfaces balance out smooth ones, making for more interesting decor. You can do this by mixing shiny and matte balls, and putting them in a roughly woven basket. Another accent he likes throwing in the mix feathers. PRETTY TASTY try using fresh fruits and vegetables as decor elements suggests. A bowlful of shiny red or green apples looks festive when perched atop a table. You can go monochromatic and stick to one color for a more sophisticated look, or you can mix things up. Play around with other colorful fruits and vegetables, like lemons and limes, orange, and bunches of green herbs. Don't limit yourself to bowl and vases. Interesting containers even a shiny silver colander can make for fun conversation pieces. And if you thought sweets were just for dessert, think again. Perch delectable sweets on vases of dufferent heights to lead the eye on an adventurous tour, up and down, and across a dynamic spread of colorful treats. Candies are innately colorful and come in a rainbow of hues. You'll find colors to match the rest of your decor with ease. By using colorful edibles, your guests can grab a treat before and after the meal, or tear off a bunch of herbs for a fresh and fast seasoning for their dinner entree.

FEEDING THE FIRE

When it comes to brain health, it's not only the foods you eat, but when you eat them that matters. the brain is an organ with high energy needs, so it requires a steady source of fuel for optimal performance that means regularly spaced meals and snacks. Skipping meals and eating at irregular times robs the brain of much needed energy and can affect short term brain functions such as memory, concentration and mood. One of the most important meals when it comes to brain function is breakfast. The morning meal is an ideal time to stock up on important nutrients that supply the brain with much needed energy after the overnight fast. It's not surprising that numerous studies have shown that people who eat breakfast are better able throughout the day compared to those who skip the first meal of the day.