Looking for Some Cheap Winter Family Fun? Checkout These Ideas!

It can be hard to come up with fun family activities in the dead of winter. Especially activities that are free or almost free. We found this article with 100 different activities. We hope that you find some you and your family will enjoy!

—————-
If you need Lafayette condos vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
—————-

From the article:

Winter brings with it snow, hot chocolate, fires and CABIN FEVER!

In an effort to direct all the pent up energy my children have, I made a list of 100 free or inexpensive activities for us to do. I hope they inspire you to spend quality time together as a family.

  • Nerf dart gun war!!
  • Work a 1000 piece puzzle.
  • Cook Snickerdoodle cookies.
  • Play a classic board game (Sorry, Clue, Chutes & Ladders, Candyland, Monopoly just to name a few).
  • Pillow fight!!!
  • Build a snowman. Think creatively. It can be 6 inches tall, look kind of like Jobba the Hut, or be have a red scarf.
  • Watch a movie marathon. Anne of Green Gables, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, 80s movies, Little House on the Prairie, Lord of the Rings, Disney Princesses, or Toy Story would all make great movie marathons on a dreary winter day.
  • Play shadow puppets in a dark room with a lamp or flashlight. Then make stick puppets from your shadows.
  • Read aloud a classic children’s book.
  • Color in a coloring book. Our local dollar store has seasonal coloring books.
  • Build a house with Lincoln Logs.
  • Snowball fight!!!
  • Cook chocolate chip pancakes for supper.
  • Attend a free children’s craft/building clinic at Lowe’s or Home Depot.

————–
Looking for educational electronic toys? Checkout this article on educational electronic toys for busy parents article that could be of interest to you.
————–

For all the ideas click here: http://stephaniesmommybrain.blogspot.com/2011/02/100-free-or-cheap-family-activities-for.html

Do Your Kids Have a Hard Time With Patience? Learn How to Teach it to Them Here!

In a society that is filled with “I want it and I want it now” it can be difficult to teach the practice of patience. It’s hard for adults sometimes so it’s no wonder that it’s difficult for kids to master. If you’re kids have a hard time with patience then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve found an article about teaching kids patience that we hope will help your child learn this virtue that seems to be fading.

—————-
If you need Lafayette condos vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
—————-

From the article:

Little ones are impatient by nature. They have short attention spans. This is natural. One way to teach patience to kids is by distracting them for short periods of time, if they are demanding attention. Be sure to come back when you say you will. Your return to attending to them will reinforce the patient behavior.

When my daughter was young she was impatient at bedtime and wanted me to sit with her. Because of my own responsibilities I could not do this. To help increase her ability to be patient, I would come back to check on her every 10 minutes or so until she fell asleep. Often she would be asleep on the first check in.

Stories can help little ones be patient. You can use their dolls or stuffed animals, or toy soldiers to make up storylines about patience. This type of teaching by example can be very effective.

Some parents use the television to keep a child quiet. This may be effective to get the child to leave you alone, but does not instill the true quality of patience. This virtue comes from inside out and not from outside in.

———————
Looking to teach your kids fire safety? Then checkout this article about teaching kids fire safety that could be of interest to you.
———————

Click here to read all the tips: http://www.education.com/reference/article/teaching-kids-patience/

Learn How to Prepare Your Home For Winter Here!

4399719294_1a3b2928d4_oMaintaining your home and doing things to avoid damage to your home is very important. Depending upon where you live preparing your home for winter is vitally important. If you’re not sure what to do then you’ve come to the right place. We hope this article will help you prepare your home for winter!

——————–
If you need Lafayette condos vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
——————–

From the article:

Give your home a once-over and tend to winter preparation tasks and repairs before the year???s first frost. ???Getting the exterior of the home ready for the cold winds, snow and ice is critical for keeping Old Man Winter out and keeping it warm and toasty inside,??? says Reggie Marston, president of Residential Equity Management Home Inspections in Springfield, VA. By being proactive, you???ll lower your energy bills, increase the efficiency and lifespan of your home???s components, and make your property safer.

Windows and Doors

  • Check all the weatherstripping around windows and doorframes for leaks to prevent heat loss. Replace weatherstripping, if necessary.
  • Replace all screen doors with storm doors.
  • Replace all window screens with storm windows.
  • Examine wooden window frames for signs of rot or decay. Repair or replace framing to maintain structural integrity.
  • Check for drafts around windows and doors. Caulk inside and out, where necessary, to keep heat from escaping.
  • Inspect windows for cracks, broken glass, or gaps. Repair or replace, if needed.

——————–
Need to fix things around your home but don’t want to spend a lot of money? Checkout this article about cheap house fixes for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
——————–

For all the ways click here: http://www.bobvila.com/articles/502-winter-preparation-checklist/

Homeowner’s Insurance and Mold

Mold 2Mold is something that nobody wants in their home. Sometimes it gets in though without us realizing or after a flood. Whatever the reason that the mold is there it’s important to get rid of it. If you have it though you’re probably wondering if it’s covered with your homeowner’s insurance. We found this article to answer just this question!

======================
If you need a Lafayette condos vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
======================

From the article:

Mold strikes fear into the hearts of those who???ve heard horror stories about toxic mold, expensive mold remediation, and denied home owners insurance claims. Yet mold can be found anywhere, including in most homes. It???s usually harmless.

Mold and home owners insurance
Most basic home owners insurance policies exclude coverage of damage caused by mold, fungi, and bacteria, says Mark Ferguson, property claim specialist with General Casualty Insurance in Sun Prairie, Wis. Yet that doesn???t mean a mold claim will be denied automatically.

In most cases, if mold results from a sudden and accidental covered peril, such as a pipe bursting, the cost of remediation should be covered, says Ferguson. That???s because technically the pipe burst is the reason for the claim, not the mold itself. Claims are more likely to be rejected if mold is caused by neglected home maintenance: long-term exposure to humidity, or repeated water leaks and seepage.

It???s hard to put a precise dollar figure on mold damage because most insurers don???t separate mold claims from water-damage claims, says Claire Wilkinson of the Insurance Information Institute. About 22% of all home owners insurance claims result from ???water damage and freezing,??? a category that includes mold remediation, according to the III. A 2003 white paper on mold from the III put the cost of the average mold claim between $15,000 and $30,000, at least five times the average non-mold home owners claim at that time.

After a rush of mold claims in the early 2000s, most states adopted limitations on mold coverage. Amounts vary, but a typical home owners policy might cover between $1,000 and $10,000 in mold remediation and repair, says Celia Santana of Personal Risk Management Solutions in New York. Most policies won???t cover mold related to flood damage. For that, home owners need separate flood insurance, which averages $540 per year through the National Flood Insurance Program.

——————–
Have more questions about mold? Checkout this article about mold for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
——————–

Read the entire article here: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/home-insurance/homeowners-insurance-mold-covered/#ixzz2al89GsMw