Have you ever tried to get into a hammock but flipped out as soon as you sat down? It’s actually very easy with a little practice! Here’s how to successfully chill out in a hammock!

Check the hammock tension. There should be a decent dip or hang in the hammock––it shouldn’t be too tight and it should appear comfortable to you. Also check that it has been suspended properly (if you have hung it yourself, you should already know this).

Place your hands on one side of the hammock to steady yourself, then sit down. Try to make sure that your butt is in the center of the hammock. Never try lying down in a hammock first––sitting is the best way to get into it.

Quickly swing your legs over the side and up onto the hammock.

Find your center of balance. Depending on your weight and if you’re on a hill, your center of balance won’t always be in the exact middle. Shift your weight left or right to decide.

Lie in the hammock. Most people find that the back or side positions are the most comfortable when lying in a hammock. Stomach sleeping or resting doesn’t tend to be as comfortable but you could try it before assuming it won’t work for you. Most important of all, unless you’re in a taut spreader bar hammock, you should find yourself lying diagonally and not straight. This is important because it lets you lie in the hammock for hours without back discomfort, with plenty of support and space.

Hello, as Spring turns into Summer it is always important to think about proper home care, such as making sure all the rain from the Spring has not created leakage in your basement foundation, or if it has, stopping the leak before it can cause a costly situation.  Using these steps can help save you money and give you peace of mind that you should not suffer a costly repair bill.

1 Waterproof the walls internally. 

Internal waterproofing is a process in which the walls need to be removed and a process of waterproofing from the foundation, windows, and drain runs into a basement sump pump.

SKU: 25420165

2 Waterproof the walls externally.

External waterproofing work is a major job because it requires removing the debris around the external wall foundation, all the way down to the foundation level.

SKU: 050540662

3 Insulate the external walls with the external waterproofing product in at least two layers in order to have the basement completely clean.

 

Don’t let mosquitoes ruin your outdoor events this spring and summer!  Follow these steps to make your own homemade mosquito trap, and enjoy the freedom from mosquitoes all summer long!

Homemade Mosquito Trap Supplies:

• 1-2 liter soda bottle
• a sharp knife
• black paper
• tape
• candy thermometer

Take a 2 liter soda bottle. Cut off the top right below where it starts to narrow for the top, invert and place inside the lower half.

Make a simple sugar syrup.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups cool water
• 1 tsp. active dry yeast

Directions:

Bring 1 cup of the water to a boil.

Dissolve the sugar into the boiling water.

Once the sugar is dissolved completely, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 2 cups cool water, stir well.

Check the temperature of the syrup to make sure it is no hotter than 90 degrees F, if hotter, let cool to 90 degrees F, add 1 tsp. active dry yeast, no need to mix. Put syrup in the bottom part of the bottle, using the cut off neck piece, leave in place.

Be sure to seal the two parts of the bottle with the tape. The fermenting yeast will release carbon dioxide. Put black paper around the bottle since mosquitoes like dark places and carbon dioxide. This mosquito trap will then start working.

TIPS: Put the trap in a dark and humid place for 2 weeks, you’ll see the effect. You’ll have to replace the sugar water + yeast solution every 2 weeks.

Is your house over-cluttered with small items loosely sprawled everywhere?  Are you having trouble seeing the bottom of your junk drawer?  You don’t have to suffer with discord in your home when you could create a special organizational system that involves storing your items in small jars that can be housed underneath your cabinets and save space.

1.  Locate an area in your home for your space saver set. Consider setting up your space saving jars in a laundry room or even the garage cabinets. You will be permanently adding this set to a cabinet so make sure you don’t damage expensive or new cabinetry.

• Find a well-traveled area or an area that is easy to access.
• Make sure the cabinets can support several mounted jars underneath. If the cabinets are damaged or have poor support, consider using a different cabinet.

2. Separate lids from each jar. You will be affixing the lids to the wooden block.

3.  Line wooden block with lids. Before you make it permanent, map out where each lid will go on the block. Make sure you have enough room to screw and unscrew each jar once the lids and system is put in place.  Trace each lid in the place so you can keep your map in place once you begin to glue the lids.

4. Glue lids onto block. Add several dollops of glue to the top of the lid and then hold in place on wooden block.  Allow several hours or overnight to dry. While the glue will most likely hold in place within minutes but you will want to wait in order to ensure the lids don’t come unglued.

5.  Mount wooden block underneath the cabinet. Slather wood or industrial strength glue on the back of the wooden block. Working quickly affix the wooden block underneath the cabinet and hold in place.

• You may need to hold block in place for several minutes to ensure it remains in place.
• Consider purchasing or picking up a few wooden blocks that measure the width between your cabinet bottom and the countertop. Slide those blocks in place to hold the glued block in place and provide a lengthy dry time.

6. Fill jars with items and screw in place. Once wooden block has completely dried, remove supports and use jar system as needed.

Items You Will Need

SKU: 001280081

SKU: 002440626

With the warmer weather inviting us outside we will need some fun things for the kids to do! I have found a few easy, cheap, and fun things to do outside with the kids. I have personally done these with my 2 nieces and they had so much fun.

*Sidewalk paint

1 cup cornstarch, 1 cup water, and food coloring of your choice

Be sure to make the colors dark because as it dries on the sidewalk it will get much lighter.

*Dr Suess’ OOBLECK (we all laughed so hard with this stuff)

Mix 2 cups of corn starch and 1 cup of water in a bowl. You can add color but I thought that may get a little messy so I did not use color. If you are outside though color may be fun!

This stuff defies Newtons 3^rd law of motion–for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. If you quickly smack it with your hand it immediately turns into a solid, instead of splashing or moving. If you slowly move it reacts like a liquid. Try to do this in a shady area as I noticed in the hot sun it will harden pretty quickly.

*Fuffy Stuff Snow Balls (as if we didn’t get enough of this, but at least you won’t have to shovel this stuff!)

2 boxes of corn starch and 1 can of shaving cream

This is so soft but can still be molded it really is pretty cool! Go outside and have a “snow ball” fight

*Fizzy Explosion Bags

Take a paper towel and tear it into 5×5 inch squares (this is your “time-release” packet)

Put 1 ½ Tbls of baking soda in the center of the square

Fold the sides of the square in toward the middle and then the opposite sides in toward the middle with the baking soda inside

Pour a ½ cup of vinegar and ¼ cup of warm water into your plastic bag

Here is where it can get a little tricky, you will need to put your “time-release” packet you made earlier into the vinegar inside the zip lock bag. This will need to be done in a hurry because you need to get the bag closed before the fizzing gets out of control. You can try to zip the bag closed half way and put in the “time-release” packet to save some time.

You will need to give the bag a shake and then set it on the ground and back up!

The bag will start to puff up and when it cannot contain itself any longer there will be a big POP!!

I sure hope this will encourage you to get out and enjoy the beautiful Spring weather and have some fun while doing it!

**Don’t forget, check out your local Rural King for most of the supplies needed to try these fun activities!

 

 

As Spring begins to transition to Summer we all could benefit from losing some of those extra pounds we may have put on from not doing much over the long winter, and our pets are the same. Sometimes pets start to look a little pudgy around the tummy. Aesthetic issues aside, it could radically reduce their life span. Here are some things you can do.

Part 1:  Dogs

1. Determine if your dog is truly overweight. You should be able to locate your dogs ribs and spine relatively easily—a healthy dog has only a thin layer of fat between the skin and bones
   
2. Talk to your vet about portion size. Because it varies so drastically from dog breed to dog breed, it’s not possible to have a set portion size. Ask your vet how much your pet should be eating, and how often. Stick to his/her advice.
3. Limit snacks and treats between meals. Even if you’re feeding your dog proper portions at meal time, extra treats and people food between meals can quickly lead to an overweight pet.
4. Find healthy substitutes for fatty treats. Many dogs love carrots—consider giving those in lieu of fatty bones when you wish to reward your dog. Rice cakes are another healthy alternative.
5. Stay strong against begging. It may break your heart to hear your dog whining, but remember that your dog is not starving—he’s probably learned that whining will result in a treat and is playing you to get one. Instead, it’s best to break this habit by ignoring begging and whining.
6. Invest in a name-brand diet formula food for your dog. Newman’s Own and AvoDerm are both brands known to have positive effects on your dogs’ weight ^[2]. If your dog has a very serious weight issue, you may want to talk to your vet about a prescription food.
7. Exercise your dog. Just like humans, dogs need exercise to stay fit. Make sure your dog gets at least one long walk a day. If you don’t feel up for a long walk, consider taking your dog to a park and throwing a ball or frisbee for 20 minutes or so. If you cannot take the time, consider paying some kids on your block or hiring a dog walker.
8. Use medication as a last resort. If you’ve done everything and your dog is still not losing weight, consider an Rx like Slentrol. However, this should only be used as a last resort after talking with your vet.

Part 2: Cats

1. Determine if your cat is overweight. You should be able to easily see your cat’s waist when looking at it from the top. You should be able to feel it when running your hands from your cat’s ribs to its hips (it should be indented). Finally, you should be able to feel your cats ribs
   
2. Allow your cat to exercise. If your cat isn’t an outdoor cat, invest in toys and climbing structure to ensure that your cat has incentive to play.  Make your cat work for its food. Consider putting your cats food in a foraging device like a ball with holes, requiring it to play and work before it can eat.
3. Realize that the specifications on the side of food bags are often well above what your cat actually needs. Those specifications are designed for a highly active, unspayed or non-neutered cat, whereas most house cats are relatively inactive and fixed.
4. Transition slowly. For many cats, the food and food dish that they’re used to are signs of security. Place the new food in a bowl next to the old food for a while, then you can remove the old food all together.
5. Talk to your vet. Consider other causes besides overeating for your cat’s obesity, such as diseases or side effects of a drug.

Recommended products:

Hills Science Diet Canine Adult Light 20 Lb Dog Food         SKU 15440082

Hills Science Diet Feline Adult Light 4 Lb   SKU 15440163

With winter finally over I am sure we could all benefit from some daily exercise to burn away some of those extra pounds w might have packed on during a long, cold winter.  Exercising has many benefits, including improved cardiovascular and immune system, brain function, better and more productive sleep, not to mention a boosted mood. But excuses for not exercising often focus on lack of time or lack of funds. By exercising in the comfort of your own bedroom, you can work around both excuses. What’s more, you’ll still get in fantastic shape.

 

Part 1: Preparing your bedroom:

1. Designate a place in your room to exercise. To determine if a space is big enough, try laying down and doing ‘snow angels’. If your arms or legs don’t hit anything, you’re good to go!
   
2. Purchase any exercise equipment you would like to use. While this step isn’t mandatory, different types of exercise equipment can allow you to do more types of workouts in the comfort of your own space. Some good starter items include:  yoga mat, stability ball, small weights, etc

Part 2:  Warming Up:

1. Warm up. Even though you’re not leaving your room, it’s important to do a warm up before doing any type of exercise.
   
2. Stretch. If you stretch your muscles initially, you are less likely to harm them when doing more vigorous exercise.

Part 3:  Finding suitable exercises for small spaces:

1. Tone your abs:  Sit ups will tone your abs and help your heart rate pumping.  If you need to, try putting a heavy object on your feet to make sure your sit ups are precise.
2. Build upper body strength:  You can do this by performing push ups, planks, and lifting weights. Be careful though, that if you decide to lift weights, you don’t hurt yourself, take al appropriate precautions when handling and shifting weights.
3. Jump rope: Jumping rope is no longer exclusive to first graders, and here is why: jump roping for ten minutes burns off as many calories as running an eight minute mile for most people. If you have space in your room, go for it!
4. Tone your legs: Not only does running in place exercise your heart rate, it can also tone your legs if you do it often enough. Additional stretching and lunging can also do the trick.
5. Try yoga: Yoga is a great way to wind down and refresh your mind. It’s also a good, gentle form of exercise that will keep you well toned.

 

Well Spring is finally here, for most of us anyway, and if you are like me that means one thing, pet hair everywhere!  Hair from a beloved animal can be very frustrating when it finds its way into your clothes, carpeting and upholstery. Don’t start avoiding your favorite animal though. This article provides information on how to remove pet hair from almost any surface.

Things you might find handy to getting the job done:

Tack Sponge (12 Pk)  SKU 2450441

Downy Dryer Sheets 80 Ct Cln Breeze  SKU 1331383

How to get the job done:

1. Weigh it down. Soak the palm of your hand. Wipe the pet hair off in a downward motion. The hair will ball up and stick to your damp hand. This works because the hair becomes wet, therefore heavier. This results in it being unable to stick to your pants (or whatever surface you’re dealing with) in response to static electricity.
   
2. Barely dampen a clean, regular kitchen sponge. Use a sponge mop if you’re removing pet hair from a low-pile carpet, in which case the floor should be thoroughly vacuumed first. Rub the fabric, upholstery, or carpet with the sponge. The fur should roll up into clumps that you can pick off by hand.
3. Put on a latex glove. Rub the surface with it on. The pet hair should stick to your glove. This also works with rubber gloves or cloth gardening gloves with a rubber coating on the palm. A rubber bristle push broom can work in the same way on floors. Dampen the glove or rubber section of the glove for increased effectiveness.
4. Inflate a balloon. Rub it across the surface that has pet hair on it. The static on the balloon’s surface will attract the hair (and works on yours, too!), which you can collect and then re-use the balloon to get more hair.
5. Rub velcro curlers on the surface to catch the hair. If the curler has a metal inner form, it can be bent to reach corners.
6. Apply fabric softener. A fabric softener sheet that normally goes in the dryer can be used to pick up pet hair. You can also mist the surface with a mixture of fabric softener and water to “prep” the area before removing the pet hair using any of the other methods.
7. Consider preventive measures. Place your clothing in an area isolated from your pets or groom them regularly to reduce the amount of loose hair on them. You should also vacuum carpets and furniture regularly, and wash the throw rugs and linens that the pets have contact with.
8. You can use sellotape to peel off some fur. Just wrap some around your hand with the sticky, adhesive part sticking out and tap it on the fur-covered areas.
9. Use a rubber broom. This is effectively for especially stubborn pet hair that sticks to a surface. The bristles work with static electricity and the hair jumps onto the brush.

Vinegar has been used for 10,000 years. It just might be the world’s oldest ingredient!

Vinegar has a ridiculous amount of uses. You can use it as a fabric softener, flea repellent, a disinfectant, polisher, deodorizer, and many more things. White distilled vinegar is a popular household cleanser. It is effective for killing most mold, bacteria, and germs, due to its level of acidity. Cleaning with white distilled vinegar is a smart way to avoid using harsh chemicals. You’ll also be glad to know that it is environmentally friendly and very economical.

 

Did you know that once vinegar dries it has no scent? So even if you don’t like the smell, it will go away after it dries. Personally, my favorite use for vinegar is as a fabric softener.  Just replace your regular fabric softener with a half cup of vinegar for a medium load of laundry. It will help prevent lint from sticking to clothes.  Also if you happen to buy new laundry soap, and it disagrees with someone in your house holds sensitive skin, just add it to the last rinse cycle. My mom had to do that for my little brother, he’s a red-head with super sensitive skin. Seriously the skin around his mouth breaks out if he eats spaghetti!

 

When I moved into a new house that the previous tenants had smoked in we used a vinegar and hot water mixture to scrub the walls to help remove the grim and scent. It worked wonders!

 

When we adopted a new kitten that had fleas we used vinegar to kill the fleas already on her while we waited for the Frontline to kick in to kill the eggs and prevent new fleas from getting on her. For that situation  we used a mixture that was 1 cup water, ¾ cup vinegar, 2 tablespoons Dawn Blue Dish Soap.

 

You can polish car chrome with full-strength white distilled vinegar on a soft cloth. Polish brass and copper with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar. Rub it on with a clean cloth until dry and shiny. You can make your car extra shiny by adding a few drops of white distilled vinegar to your bucket of water.

 

Click the link below to view vinegar on our website!

http://www.ruralking.com/national-vinegar-company-white-vinegar-1-gallon-50-grain.html

Spring is finally right around the corner and to me nothing says Spring like getting your car taken care of after a long, brutal winter.  Did you know that there are particles in your antifreeze that can lead to clogs in your cooling system?  This clogging can lead to overheating which can ultimately damage your engine.  It is recommended that you flush your system at least every few years and I cannot think of a better time than the beginning of Spring.

Recommended Items:

Prestone Anti-freeze Gallon SKU 6060044

Wedco 4 Gallon Oil Drain Pan W76  SKU 4560054

Part 1: Tee Attachment and Flush Preparation

1. Check the engine to make sure it is no longer hot. Loosen the radiator cap to release any pressure still left, and then re-tighten.
2. Place a pan or bucket under the radiator plug beneath the car to catch the old antifreeze. Elevating the car on ramps may help the process.
3. Splice the “Flush Tee” to the heater inlet hose. The heater inlet hose usually runs between the firewall and the top of the radiator. This may be done using a clamp and a couple of screws.

Part 2: Attach the Coupler and Back Washing

1. Remove the cap covering the tee as well as the radiator cap. Attach a coupler to the flushing tee to prevent backwash.  The black part should attach to the tee and the yellow part should attach to a garden hose. On cars with no radiator cap (or reservoir cap), flush by disconnecting the upper radiator hose.
2. Flush with tap water until it runs clear. A cleaning solution may have also been provided in the antifreeze flush kit.

Part 3: Refill

1. Mix antifreeze according to what your climate needs, somewhere between a 50% and 70% mix.
2. Pour the amount you measured into your radiator, reservoir or thermostat opening. Some leakage of water and diluted antifreeze will come out of the tee.
3. Recap the tee and tighten the clamp by hand. Replace your radiator cap and run your car for 10 minutes after it reaches its running temperature.
4. Allow your engine to cool again and check antifreeze levels. Add more as needed.