Get Rid of Fleas in Your Home and on Your Dog

Tips to Naturally Get Rid of Fleas in Your Home and on Your Dog

I was told this first tip by an owner of an only natural pet store.
Recommended before going on a trip so you won't come back to a flea infested home.

1) Wash your dog with a natural flea soap. Leave soap on dog for ten to fifteen minutes. This will help suffocate fleas. When time is up, water down dog's coat well to drown fleas. (You can also wash your dog with regular liquid soap.)

2) After drying your dog thoroughly wash their collar with soap and water. When worn, the collar gets warm which helps eggs hatch under it.

3) Now take dog outside. Sprinkle baking soda on ALL carpets where dog has access (unless you or a family member has allergies then ask your doctor about doing this). Keep children out of these areas. Do not be stingy with the baking soda. Sweep baking soda into carpet with a broom. Leave on for six hours. If you do this in the summer and your kids are home take them on an outing. While you're out the fleas will suffocate from the baking soda. Vacuum up carpet after the allotted time. In the summer months I do this routine once a month. I find it does keep down on fleas. If you do not want to use baking soda, vacuum frequently all areas where the dog walks and sleeps. To limit fleas in carpet keep dog on wooden or tile floors.

4) Frequently wash dog bedding, soft dog toys, area rugs, and human bedding if dog sleeps on beds.
Wash dog every two weeks unless dog has dry skin problems.

A veterinarian once told me if fleas do not have any live humans or animals to feed on they will die after seven days. Here is a tip from this same veterinarian: For houses with central heat- In the beginning of summer turn your heat way up. Leave home (no adults, kids or animals in hot house.) This will get flea eggs hatching. Come home in evening, turn off heat and vacuum up fleas and their eggs. (NEVER leave home with a space heater on!)

Last note: From the natural pet store I have gotten both Brewers Yeast, and Brewers Yeast plus Garlic to give to my dogs to rid fleas the natural way. Both only worked so so, and one of my dog's tummy did not like the yeast. Though a chlorinated pool is not very natural, my Labrador did have less fleas it seemed by playing in the pool. Also note, if you give your dog the type of flea medicine where you dab it on their back and your dog swims A LOT, my Veterinarian says it will wash off after so much swim time. So keep that in mind.

Science Day: Grow a tree from a pit

Science Day: Show your child how a pit can make a tree. Buy an avocado. After eating it save the pit. Wash pit and put toothpick in the middle of it. Put pit in a glass of water. After about a month when pit grows a root plant it in coffee tin filled with potted soil. Don't bother rising out tin. A little coffee in the soil is fine. Keep soil moist, but not soaking. When plant is too big for tin plant in backyard.

2 Tips for Coffee

2 Tips for Coffee
1- To make the flavor of your vanilla or hazelnut coffee even better add cinnamon. If you use a coffee maker put one teaspoon of cinnamon in ground coffee beans.
2- When you’re done with your coffee grounds add them to your compost, or put them around roses, lemon and orange trees. Sprinkle some around your Hydrangea bush to make pink flowers turn blue.

Living with a Messy Child Tips

Help 4 Living with a Messy Child

1)Here is a tip to get your young child to clean up their room: Make a game of it. Time them to see how fast they can put away their books in their bookcase. And how long it takes to pick up their clothes from the floor to the hamper. If you have more than one child you can have a timed competition. But make sure it is a win-win situation for both kids. Both children afterwards get 15 minutes extra on the computer or they can make cookies with you.

2)If two kids share a bedroom and one is driving the other batty with their mess you can divide things in half in the room. Each child can have their own shelf on the bookcase. Their own area in the closet and their own drawers. With the top of a dresser do not divide it in half by using masking tape. My cousin did this with me and it ruined the antique dresser. Use a string or ribbon on top.

3)It is hard to get teenagers to clean their room. If they are basically well behaved and that is their only problem you might not want to make a big issue of it. But this is what you can do: Close the door so you do not have to look at the mess. And set ground rules like, no food can be left on the floor for the ants to get; glasses or liquids also can not be on the floor in case they to tip over; the child needs to have a clear path to the closet, window, dresser, and door; dirty clothes piled on the ground will not cleaned; they need to open the window for fresh air sometimes or have a plugged in air freshener, especially if they have an animal in the room (Caged animals need to have their cages cleaned once a week. The smell of a stinky cage can drive you out of a room. Also, the smell can drift out in the hallway if there is a crack under the door.)

4)Remember just because your child is messy as a kid or teenager does not mean they will be messy as an adult. I was messy as a kid and I am not anymore. I also had a teenage brother who lived in room that looked like he lived in disaster area, plus, his room smelled to high heaven. In his twenties when he got married his wife would have none of that.

Movie Review: Road to Morocco.

Movie Title: Road to Morocco. Comedy. Rated- Family movie. This is my favorite of the “Road Trip” movies with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.
Two stowaways Jeff (Bing Crosby) and Orville (Bob Hope) survive a ship freight wreak on the high seas. They end up in North Africa on a wooden raft. Jeff and Orville head for Morocco on a camel that finds them. Once there Jeff sells Hope as a slave for food. Orville is sold to a beautiful princess (Dorothy Lamour). She wants to marry Orville because of a prophecy that foretold her first husband would die. Orville has no idea about the death prophecy. He naively thinks the princess is captivated by his good looks and charming personality. Hope and Crosby try doing their infamous patty-cake routine to get out of trouble. Road to Morocco is lots of fun.

Book Review: Alfred’s Nose

“Alfred’s Nose,” by Vivienne Flesher. If your child likes dogs check out this book. The pictures in this book are photographs of a real dog. Alfred the dog doesn’t like his nose so he tries to disguise it. The photos of Alfred with nose masks should make your child giggle. It’s a cute, easy to read book.

Eatable Arts Project- Pancake Face

Eatable art: Pancake faces. This is great as a child's birthday breakfast.
What you need as food: Pancakes. Chocolate chips. Whip cream. Strawberries cut in half. Blueberries. Eatable cupcake sprinkles, both colored and brown. Long red and black licorice.

Make a batch of pancakes. Now make a face on them. Blueberries or chocolate chips can be used for eyes. A strawberry cut up in half can be the nose. Either cut up strawberries or a piece of red licorice can be used as the mouth. Brown sprinkles can be used as freckles and/or hair. Colored sprinkles, black licorice or whip cream can be used as hair as well. Spray the whip cream in a pile to form a head bun. Or spray whip cream around your pancake’s eyes to make glasses. Make ears out of licorce. It's fun to create a pancake to resemble a person. Children like it when parents join in the fun. So make a pancake face too!

Movie Review: The Emperor's New Groove.

Movie Title: The Emperor's New Groove. Animation. By Disney. Rated G.
As an adult I find it hard to sit through animation films, but this one was fast paced enough for me. Plus, it was really amusing. The story takes place in South America hundreds of years ago. Emperor Kuzco (voice by David Spade) selfishly plans to tear down a family's home on top of a hill to make a grand home for himself. But before he can, his royal advisor turns him into a lama. The advisor wants to be rule Kuzco's kingdom. A kind man named Pacha (voice by John Goodman) journeys with Kuzco back to his palace. They look for a potion to turn Kuzco back into a human so he can regain his throne. Davis Spade does a great voice over job as the annoying emperor.

Book Review: There’s Nothing to do on Mars

“There’s Nothing to do on Mars,” by Chris Gall. If your little boy, or girl, likes things about outer space they might like this book. This picture book is about a boy named Davey who moves to Mars with his family. At first he’s bored with life there. But he goes out exploring with his robot dog and finds there are some very interesting things happening on Mars. The pictures are not your average cutesy type. They are a sort-of comic book style.

Arts and crafts: Make a turtle

Turtle.
What you need: Nontoxic paint, brush, little cup of water, paper plate, green construction paper, scissors, and glue stick.
1-Flatten paper plate.
Paint the back of the plate green. This will be the turtle's shell. Some kids like to be creative so if they want to paint spots on the turtle’s back that's fine.
2-Let paper plate dry.
With the green construction paper cut out four turtle claws and a head.
Paint eyes and even a nose or mouth on head.
3- When plate is dry glue on claws and head to the turtle shell. Remember to glue them from underneath.

Alternative: Here's a twist. Instead of gluing on the claws and head use round, metal paper fasteners. This way the turtle can move, and hide his head and claws.

Home Tip: Home Fire Escape Plan

Create a home fire escape plan for your family. Make sure all your doors and windows can be opened. Open up windows that have been painted shut. Have a family meeting to tell all family members what the fire escape plan is. Have a place where you meet after the escape, like your front driveway. Practice the escape and time it. If you have a two story house you might want to check out fire ladders at a home safety store. If you can't find one look online or call your local fire department to find out where to purchase one. Also, you can purchase window stickers to let others know you have animals inside your home in case of a fire or a disaster.

Remember to have WORKING fire detectors in all rooms and hallways. Check batteries every six months.

Family Dog Tip- Rattlesnakes and your Dog

I talked to a veterinarian recently about rattlesnakes. He said the bigger the snake the worse the bite is, depending on the last time the snake has bit. If the snake has just used its venom on a meal than it will have less venom right after this. He said a big dog in good health can take a bite better than a tiny dog or an older dog. He also said the worst time to get a rattlesnake bite is right after hibernation when these snakes have lots of venom stored up. He does not take his dog hiking in the woods until mid season because of this.

Movie Review: Mrs. Doubtfire

Movie Title: Mrs. Doubtfire. Comedy. Rated PG-13. A free spirited father (Robin Williams) has been granted very little access to his kids by the court. His corporate ex-wife disapproves of the fact that he doesn't have a steady job like her. To gain more access to his children the father applies for a job as their nanny. But he has to disguise himself so his ex-wife doesn't recognize him. With the help from a makeup artist and some frumpy dresses he becomes Mrs. Doubtfire, a sweet no-nonsense matron. This is a very funny movie. If you've never seen it before you're in for a treat. The scene with the homemade face mask is quite amusing. This is one of Robin Williams best kid films.

Tea Cup Plant for a Mother's Day Gift

Simple Arts and Craft project for Mother’s Day.

Buy a pretty tea cup and saucer at a garage sale, estate sale, or low cost department store. Then buy a small cactus or rose plant. Plant in tea cup and viola it's now a cute gift.

For Father’s Day instead of using a tea cup, buy a ceramic mug. Buy a tiny ivy plant. Plant ivy in mug and now it's ready to be placed on dad’s desk at his office.

Picture Book Review: Teddy Bears at the Seaside

“Teddy Bears at the Seaside,” by Susanna Gretz and Alison Sage. Like the title suggests this picture book is about bears that go to the seaside. Five bears and their dog go to the beach. This is beary easy nighttime read. Each bear is a different color so you can teach your preschooler about colors.

Movie Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Movie Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Rated PG. Great film for middle school kids and up. This is the tale of an adolescent boy trying to fit into middle school. He dumps his best friend from grade school because he thinks he’s un-cool. This friend ends up popular. The situation about the melted cheese sticking to the ground is gross but funny. The annoying older brother in the film might make your child’s older brother seem like an angel. This amusing film is based on a book.