Fledging at the Green-and-white Hummingbird Cam at Machu Picchu Inkaterra

How To Keep Cozy When The Temperature Falls

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Once December arrives, it's a no brainer the weather will get chilly  and stay that way for what will seem like forever.

It will most likely get even colder as we get into the heart of the Winter months.

It's already started here ~
having our water heater go out isn't helping, 
but that's another story for another day

Chilly weather, you know what that means - it's time to get prepared for lots of frosted windshields and icy sidewalks.

Fortunately, this also means it's the season of bundling up and staying cozy inside. I have some helpful tips and hacks for ensuring you a warm cuddly hibernation and light on battling ice, snow and those darn freezing temperatures.

On that thought, I've searched and come up with several brilliant ways to help keep the warm in and the cold out, using things you probably already have laying around your home.  I've even included a few ways to help with some issues you very well may encounter with your auto.

Were you aware:

For your home ~

Placing a couple sheets of tinfoil placed down the back of a radiator will reflect heat back into a room rather than letting it uselessly escape through the walls of a house.

Spritz your home's windows with a little water and line them with bubble wrap, bubbles facing the glass. The water makes them adhere and they will act as insulation help keeping the warmth in and cold out.

If you use an electric blanket, you most likely still have it on as you get up. Before you turn it off, you can use it to warm up the clothes you are changing into. 

You can make a door draft blocker with a pair of old tights or nylons, 2 cardboard gift wrap tubes and a pair of scissors. 1. Cut one leg off the tights/nylons  2. Cover both wrapping paper tubes with the legging  3. Cut excess off of the wrapping paper tubes  4. Tuck the ends of the legging into the tubes  5. Slide under the door so there is a tube on each side

Your outlets can actually leak heat from your home.  Outlet Plate insulation are so inexpensive and really easy to install. Just unscrew the plate, put the piece of insulation over the outlets, and then screw the plate back on. 

Be sure to reverse your ceiling fan to have it run on low clockwise. By doing this once in a while, it will push the warm air that rises back down to you.

When you're done cooking/baking with the oven, leave the door ajar while it cools to take advantage of the heat left inside.

For your car~

To de-ice a frozen car door lock, place a few drops of hand sanitizer on the key and insert it.  I have to laugh, years ago, before there was hand sanitizer, we used to carry the car key in our mouths on the way to the car to warm it up so the key would be warm when inserted! LOL Now this was in Kodiak Alaska, mind you! LOL

Old knee socks make great overnight cozies for your windshield wipers.

If your cars headlight covers are dingy, clean them with toothpaste. It will remove the oxidation so they will be nice and bright when on so you'll be able to see well.

Cover your cars side mirrors with zip lock bags and close them as much as possible to keep ice and frost at bay.

If possible, park facing east so the sun can melt the frost or ice off your car for you.   

Well, I hope some of these are new to you and help out this season.
By all means, stay safe and healthy ♥

Happy Birthday TY!!!

My December baby is a baby no more!

The years are flying by,

we've made it through another one,

even with more medical diagnosis.

You are a trooper.

You became an uncle again!

The highlight of the year!

LB is so lucky to have you as an uncle

and so is Izzy.

You're a fantastic Uncle Bear ♥

I am proud to call you my son

and

only wish you all the very best in life.

I love you with all my heart

♥♥♥♥

Omega-3 Chewable Treats for Dogs by Zesty Paws - Review

I was anxious to try Omega-3 Bites by Zesty Paws.

With 3 dogs, a 10 year old Chihuahua, 4 year old Corgi/Dobie mix and an American Staffordshire Terrier, they each have their own skin/health issues and was hoping these supplements would help out with some.

 My Chi has seasonal allergies which leave her skin dry and itchy, not to mention leaving her coat lackluster even in the off season. She has the onset of Cushings and is on a low protein diet, so I was glad to see that protein was low on the list. She will eat just about anything, but with a few missing teeth from age sometimes it's little difficult. But she  

loved these soft, chewable "treats".

The Corgi/Dobie mix is picky with a capital P.

We are all about keeping our pets as healthy as possible.

When trying supplements with her in the past they have to practically be wrapped in a pound of cheese and 
then she will still find them and spit them out!

They always act excited for a treat.....even if they don't know what it is. 

Noses have been turned up before :/

In the winter the Amstaff gets dry skin (don't we all).

Being our larger dog I'm always concerned with heart issues. She isn't a large breed by any means, it's just in my past experiences, as the larger dog ages it seems the heart is the first to cause health issues.

 These nourishing all natural supplements which not only contain healthy Omega-3's, but also include Vitamin E, Flaxseed Oil, and other essential oils that provide not only skin and coat improvement but aids in digestion and cardiovascular health seemed the perfect all around supplement for all 3 of my dogs.
    

The taste test

Yep, Kate never met a food she didn't like! LOL

Even miss Picky liked them!

Last but not least, 

the Amstaff wasn't going to be the odd girl out ;)

Oh boy did they want more! 

Look at Bella, she's licking her chops!!

A bit of live action :)

 

So as you can see, these are an easy way of getting healthy omegas and others into your pets.
Another aspect I really love is that they are made in the U.S.A., that really means a lot in this day and age.
They DO NOT contain any corn, soy or wheat - allergy triggers in some dogs.

I've already noticed a subtle skin and change for the better in their skin and coats. Anxious to keep using these to see the full benefits.

I believe Omega Bites by Zesty Paws are tail waggin' delish as proved by my best friends! 
You can find them here 

Paint 'em Pretty ~ Christmas Time?

Still running crazy mad here per usual ~ non-stop Dr./Specialists appointments, procedures, hydroscans, xrays, ultrasounds, a whole gamut of medical testing being done, (not to mention M's infusions) ~ for 3 weeks straight straight every day it's been sitting in medical offices.

Thank goodness we had a sunshine visit from Izzy.

Not sure what it is about sitting in those lobbies that drain you so much. We can always count on her to bring our spirits back up and smiles in our hearts when we've been dragged through the mud er Drs. How can we not re-energize with that sweet face?

Can't wait until her baby brother gets big enough to stay at Camp Grammy too!

But I digress....

I squeezed in a few minutes over a few days, yes I said a few days! Couldn't get my nails done all in one sitting this time! Did I mention how crazy it's been around here? LOL

I dug up a color I haven't used in years and believe it or not it was still good! Nice and creamy thick. It went on so smoothly I couldn't believe it!

2 coats of Bronzeberry (479A) by Wet 'n' Wild

Then with a toothpick I made The Star of Bethlehem on my accent nail. Yes, it is snowing there also ;) I used Snow Me White by Sinful Colors, topping off with Seche Vite.  

Two more days of Drs. appointments then we're done. 

But then it's Christmas Eve and Christmas ~ 

Good grief ~ yay?

Vintage Christmas Images