helpful hints
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Make Your Own Homemade Peanut Butter, Salmonella (hopefully) not included
Salmonella found in peanut butter/almond butter/ cashew butter! Eek! There’s a long list here, and it’s not just at Trader Joe’s and it’s not just non-organic. I pulled out our peanut butter from Costco and found it on the list. We’ve already eaten half a container, but I called my local Costco and they said…
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Shopping: Nomorerack
These days there are multiple sites where you sign up to be a member (usually free) and then get daily deals emailed to you. Nomorerack is one of those close-out sites with lots of bargains. The site sent me a gift card and I used it to check it out. Membership here is also free;…
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One Simple Rule for Shopping at the Warehouse Store
Today I went to Costco, and it was packed. Like Christmas packed. I don’t know why– it was 1 o’clock on a Friday. The cashier said it was like that yesterday, too. Don’t people have to work? Where was everyone coming from? Anyway, I love Costco, because lots of things cost less in bulk. Even…
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The Library and Me: A Fomite’s Tale
At ALA, someone from the organization interviewed me and asked what libraries mean to me. I told him lots of things. How I won several consecutive years of the library’s summer reading contest as a kid. How heavily my family uses the library (not just for reading, they also sponsor lots of activities, like jewelry…
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Your Household Tip of the Day: Easy Off to Clean the Shower
The house we rent has a white fiberglass shower pan. It gets dirty. Like, so dirty I am not going to take a photo of it to show you. It is also difficult to clean, because it has grooves radiating out from the drain like spokes. Gunk gets stuck. Even Cadillac has a hard time…
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All About Towels
I am staring at a big basket of unfolded towels that’s been sitting here for two days and thinking about whether or not I should fold them. In the early days of our relationship, Cadillac would refold all the towels after I folded them. The way I fold them, he said, they didn’t fit as…
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Think Before You Buy: Vinegar in the Cleaning Aisle
I like to use green cleaning products whenever I can, because I’m sensitive to regular cleaning products. Cleaning with vinegar has been around since…forever. I remember watching an old episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 (yep,very very old) when Sara Snow came on and demonstrated to Kate, the OCD germophobe, how to use vinegar…
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Just Say No: School Pictures Edition
I am that super-annoying mom who always has to do shit differently. Why can’t I just shut my trap and go with the rest of the sheep, er, flow? I’m against trophies, unless you actually place. (I was all set to argue against soccer trophies, except that my daughter’s team was actually in first place,…
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Parenting Vlog Question: Dealing with Kids’ Tantrums– and Your Own Tantrums
My first vlog question, courtesy of reader Lizzie Ann! How do you keep a 2-year-old from pitching a fit when she doesn’t get what she wants…more importantly, how do I keep myself from pitching a fit when I don’t get what I want?
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Tips for Making Safe Donations to Charities
My good friend Adriane works as a Consumer Fraud Specialist at the National Telemarketing Victim Call Center. The other day, she was telling me about how charities misuse funds. I asked her to write an article with some tips on avoiding bad charities. Here it is! ‘Tis the Season to Give Back: A Guide To…
MARGARET DILLOWAY 