Warm Weather Approaches Then Disappears!

Last week was a beautiful week with some nice warm weather days.  While the backyard was still wet, it was not the swamp I had expected.  This allowed my husband to get outside and do some cleaning, which included picking up a lot of small tree branches from our maple tree.  I like the tree and the shade it provides, but the sticks in the yard always worry me because of my kids.

Over the winter we had a water line break which left the garage without water.  Hopefully hubby can take care of this one, but it is not a high priority on the list.  The biggest priorities to fix are all exterior home related.  We had a broken storm drain tile in the front yard and that caused water to backup.  Our gutters would overflow and drip onto the brick in the front of our home.  With freezing during the winter, this caused some brick to break.  Also, our front steps need to be replaced because the brick has failed there too.

Halloween Was a Blast!

This Halloween the kids really had a great time.  My daughter, bought the largest pumpkin she could find.  I think she thought I was capable of carving a masterpiece!  My son got a small pumpkin with inserts, which I thought was an excellent choice.  The inserts basically push right into the pumpkin and all kinds of silly items are available including a funny mouth, mustache and weird ears.  Regardless, the kids had a great time with their pumpkin projects while I had fun baking the pumpkin seeds.

The school parties this Halloween were excellent as well.  My kids had a great time at school playing games and getting a little candy warmup snack for what was to take place that night.  And let me tell you, it is so easy to spot the teachers that love their profession from those that don’t.  Thankfully, both of my children have awesome teachers!

The Race to End Minimum Wage

It seems that some in the political arena have a solution to relieve the high unemployment problems in the United States.  That solution involves ending or temporarily suspending the Federal minimum wage.

Right, wrong or otherwise, it appears that the USA is in a race to the bottom.  Solving the nation’s economic problems were not addressed with President Bush’s tax cuts or President Obama’s massive economic stimulus spending.  And let’s not forget that President Bush did his share of spending too with tax rebates, which many refer to as “Bush Bucks.”

Happy Memorial Day

As many families across the United States get ready to begin a long holiday weekend, it is important that we all thank the many soldiers that have sacrificed to keep the United States of America free and safe.

Many of us have veterans in our families or active soldiers.  Yet there are many incomplete families that have lost loved ones in battle.  Memorial Day is our National Holiday to thank and pay our respects for all that have served our great country.

Despite politicians, our brave soldiers have fought bravely without ever questioning the orders they have received from the President’s office.  And while this post is not about the decisions politicians have made in the past, in regards to war, it does highlight our responsibility to our brave men and women that serve in our Armed Forces.

Bounce House Weather Safety

This time of year is known for spring storms.  Thunderstorms are quite common in many regions throughout the United States.  This is why it is particularly important for parents to be cautious when their kids play outside.

A recent report where four children were hurt in a bounce house highlights the problem with large inflatables.  Because a bounce house is so big and light, it does not take much wind to flip one on its side or even cause one to go into a tumbling spin.  Injuries can be quite severe if the tumbling motion persists for even a brief time.

IX Indoor Amusement Park Family Fun

When it comes to family fun, and cold weather, it’s difficult to find things to do.  Fortunately this time every year the IX Indoor Amusement Park comes to town.  For a family, with young children, it is a great place to visit.

My youngest child is 42″ tall, which allowed him to just make the height limit on most rides.  There was one operator, on the safest ride ironically, that would not let him get on.  But in general, he was able to ride on many more rides this year over last.  Even for those that have smaller children, there are rides available for children of all ages.

Gas Prices Leap Again!

You can tell the warmer weather is just around the corner because our gas stations have raised the price of gasoline around $0.15 this week.  Just today the price of gasoline was raised by a dime.  Oh boy, what a summer we are in for!

The impact of high fuel prices will be felt across all industries or at least that what the economists are saying.  And I can believe that.  The cost of fuel, coupled with dramatically increasing utility fees, is going to be especially difficult for senior citizens and young families.