Tag Archives: winter

Jul11

How To Make The Most Of Your Family’s First Winter Getaway

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How To Make The Most Of Your Family’s First Winter Getaway

Winter can be magical, especially for those who’ll be experiencing it for the first time. If you’re planning on having your first winter vacation, it’s best to come prepared and also to make all the necessary arrangements beforehand. That said, we’ll be taking a look at tips to help you better prepare your first winter getaway:

The Transportation:

There’s nothing worse than having your trip cancelled before it even began. If you’re planning on going to your snowy destination through a series of air and land transportation, it’s best to purchase the tickets beforehand and don’t leave things to chance. Not only would buying your tickets be cheaper, but it would ensure that you have guaranteed seats.

And, if you’re planning on driving towards your destination, make sure that your car undergoes a tune-up to lessen the risk of it breaking down in the middle of the road. Oftentimes, you can bring your car to the dealership you purchased from like Medina GM Automall (or a similar one in your local area) to provide service to your vehicle. As safety is paramount, you could also consider leasing a vehicle that is more appropriate for the weather to drive to your destination. If you do plan on bringing your car (or renting an RV to serve as your transportation and your accommodation), make sure to bring an ice scraper or shovel, as snow can pile up on and around your vehicle very quickly.

The Accommodation:

As with transportation, the earlier you book your accommodation, the better — especially if you’re planning your vacation during peak seasons. This guarantees you lower prices and that you have a roof over your head. Apart from early booking, it’s just as crucial for you to consider where you’ll be staying. Don’t skimp on accommodation, choose someplace that has excellent amenities and can keep you warm — your family will thank you later, especially after they’ll be experiencing the snow and cold air for the first time. Popular choices would be cabins, condos, and even homes for rent, but you can also rent an RV with good heating. If you are considering renting a home, simply enter a search for “Vacation home rental agency Broken Bow, OK” (or where you are traveling to) to begin exploring your options.

If you find that a wintertime getaway suits your family, you might want to consider more permanent options at your favorite destination. For example, you could research how much is the average timeshare per month in that location so you always have a home away from home ready for you.

The Activities:

There are many activities your family can partake in for your first winter vacation, from simple snowball fights and snowman building to more active activities such as skiing, snowboarding, or even snowmobile riding. If you plan on taking up the latter activities, it’s important that you make a reservation beforehand, and it would be a good idea to hire a guide or trainer to help you and the kids learn how to ski properly or for you to safely and properly use the snowmobiles. If you think skiing would, later on, become something that you or your family would repeatedly enjoy in the future, you might want to consider buying quality ski equipment, such as Nordica women’s skis for your wife or daughter.

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The Clothing and Apparel:

Lastly, you’ll want to invest in winter clothing. The last thing you’d want to happen is for you to freeze or get sick from the cold by not wearing the right winter clothing and apparel. There are many guides out there to help you out in packing up your winter clothing, and all of them would point to one thing: layers. Make sure that you all have many layers to keep your family dry and warm, but just enough that you can still comfortably move and enjoy your winter activities. It’s also important that you don’t skimp out on boots, gloves, and head protection. And, if you plan on skiing, make sure that you also buy or rent skiing or snowboarding goggles.

Your first winter vacation should be just as magical as your kids imagine it and, with these simple tips, you’re one step closer to making that a reality. So make sure that you plan and prepare for your trip to get the most out of it. Enjoy!

Dec26

6 Ways To Warm Your Wintry Walls

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6 Ways To Warm Your Wintry Walls

Houses get cold in the winter. They just do. The onslaught of freezing conditions from rain to snow is enough to make the interior temperatures fall dramatically inside the house. It’s not nice, it’s not comfortable, and we didn’t buy and build houses just to feel like we are outside. Keeping your home warm in the winter is important, and you want to be able to do that with the least amount of money spent at the same time.

It’s crucial that you start thinking about warming your home for the winter as early as possible before the season begins. You don’t want to be caught freezing your toes off because you didn’t get that furnace tune up that was on your to-do list and had been from the last month. Heating a house takes a lot of energy – especially if the house is a big one. If you’re not looking after your home energy properly, all you’re going to do is cost yourself some cash. So, let’s look at six ways that you can make sure your walls are warm this winter:

  • Use Your Curtains: You have windows and they allow for sunlight. The sun is free – and it’s hot, even in the winter. Open your curtains in the day to allow the sunlight in for the free warmth. When it gets dark, shut the curtains and keep that extra insulation layer. Make sure there are no gaps, and you won’t have any warm air leaking out.
  • Use Timers: Central heating should be programmed so that you aren’t wasting your energy. Put the heater on the timer so that it’s not burning all day and not costing you money at the same time.
  • Move Your Furniture: If you have a sofa in front of the radiator, move it now. You may feel warm and toasty in your favorite chair, but the sofa and other furniture is blocking all the hot air from heating the room.
  • Layer Up: Adding blinds under the curtains, rugs to the carpet and throws to the furniture is going to add layers to each room, making you warmer than you thought you could be. Lagging the boiler can also help massively.
  • Block Draughts: Make your own draught excluders and replace the rubber sealant around the windows and doors. They’re both easy to install, but you should get them all done before the winter really does set in. Think of it this way: if there are cold air patches coming into your home, then there will be warm air leaking out of the sides, too.
  • Upgrade The Boiler: Sometimes, your actual boiler really needs an upgrade. These can make all the difference to the way your home is heated, and you should be looking into it properly before you spend winter in a freezing house with no hot water or heat.

Getting warm? Not always easy. Assessing and fixing the problems that could occur before they could happen is the key!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec25

Merry Christmas!!

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Merry Christmas!!

Hellooooo all of my beloved readers and friends and a very Merry Christmas to each and every one of you! I am so happy to be able to celebrate the holiday with my family today and I hope that no matter how you spend your day, you have an amazing time doing so. It has been a hell of a few weeks for Lil Red and Christmas day spent with family, presents, and lots of good cheer is just what the doctor ordered! May all of you have a safe and love filled holiday and I will be back with the latest and greatest tomorrow! Much love. -Sarah

Dec17

Bad Weather? Here’s How to Protect Your Home

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Bad Weather? Here’s How to Protect Your Home

If you’ve never experienced the damage bad weather can do to your home, you should consider yourself lucky. Sure, rain may make your living room floor soaked if your windows are leaking and a hard gust of wind may weaken the shingles of your roof – but it’s still nothing at all compared to the floods and hurricanes we’ve experienced over the last decade.

While it’s difficult to prepare your home for that kind of weather unless you live in a bunker, you can still prepare it for cold days and heavy falls of both snow and rain. The spring has yet to arrive for a couple of months and the more you can do for your home now, the better off it will be in case your area should experience a storm anytime soon.

Here is a handful of tips in terms of making sure your home is strong enough to handle the elements. It just makes it a bit easier to put your feet up and relax as the wind howls outside:

First: Seal windows and doors

It’s only logical that the first thing you need to do is to ensure that the storm has no way of entering your home. This means, of course, that you need to make sure that all of your windows and doors are sealed properly. Wind funneling through your home will push upwards and may even lift your roof if it’s strong enough. It’s the kind of water damage your home could definitely do without.

You may want to purchase and install special storm shutters for your windows, for example, or just take a tour around your home to inspects the seals and make sure that there are no cracks to allow the wind in. Have a look here if you’d like to make your own storm shutters, by the way. They will be just as strong as the regular ones you’d buy in the shops as long as you follow the instructions.

Next: Consider steel doors:

You will only need this if you live in an area that often experiences stormy weather, but steel doors can really make a huge difference in terms of safety at home. When you have a steel door as your entry door, you avoid seeing hard winds tearing through those weaker double, French, or sliding doors for your patio. Install special hardware to strengthen the doors where they meet and try bolts that fasten the doors into the framing at the top and the bottom.

Think about the other doors in your house that are connected to the outside world; have a look at garage doors, for example, to avoid seeing the storm damage your vehicle, as well. That being said, your car may still get damaged by severe weather and if that does end up being the case, don’t wait to file your insurance claim for hail damage or any other type of damage that comes from the weather. Your insurance will work with you to make the repairs as cost-effective as possible.

Other points to keep in mind while it’s still quiet before the storm is, of course, to clear out your yard so that no furniture is able to fly off – and have an extra look at your roof. While the damage bad weather can do to your belongings is big enough, it can do even more damage if a roof shingle should hit an animal or a person.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec11

Is Your Home Ready For Winter?

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Is Your Home Ready For Winter?

The days are getting shorter, the nights longer, and winter is officially among us. The temperatures are dropping and you don’t have to be an expert to know that you have to get yourself ready for the cold. As a person, you bring out the winter coats and sweaters, swapping sandals for boots and wrapping up in scarves and fluffy hats. Preparing yourself for the cold is easy, but you need to think about how you’re preparing your house for the battering of the wind and rain that’s bound to happen. There are a lot of things that you could be doing to make sure that your home is as ready as possible for the season.

Getting your house ready is not just about keeping the cold out of the house. It’s about making sure that you’re not paying out damages because your house hasn’t managed to stand up under the freezing conditions. So, with all of that in mind, you need to consider what you should be doing to get your house ready for the cold months and how to ensure that it doesn’t become damaged in the process:

Clear Your Gutters:

Rain and wind whip up leaves and debris, blocking the gutters and causing a sloppy mess to clog the drains. With the freezing temperatures, you end up with frozen water behind the gunk in the gutters. This causes a blockage, the gutter to crack, and an overflow issue that could turn into icicles over the side of the house. The problem with this, is that if they break up and fall, it could cause a lot of damage for cars – and people.

Clearing the gutters is one option, however years of neglect can cause overgrowth which can be too difficult to clear on your own. Another option would be to look into Saint Petersburg Gutters replacement (or a similar service in your area) in order to have a fresh set of drains ready for the winter months for years to come. Whichever option you decide on going with, it’s one of the most essential tasks on your to-do list if you don’t want leaks in the roof and the walls of the home. Speaking of the roof – it is a good idea to give it a once over while tending to the gutters to site any roofing repair that might need complete before the cold weather.

Check Your Boiler:

One of the worst things that could happen to your house during the winter is the loss of heating. Over the winter, the last thing that you need is to have freezing cold kids and be able to see your breath in the house. The one thing that you need to do is get your boiler serviced before the cold really does set in. If you think a repair is needed – don’t wait to call because the closer it gets to winter, the more full the schedule will be. You can find an expert to help by entering a search for “boiler repair gateshead” or in your local area. Making sure that your engineer is able to check over your boiler is important, and they will be able to catch any issues before your boiler breaks down and you lose your heating or hot water in a sudden breakdown. You might also want to look into how to apply for a boiler grant if something like this is offered in your local area. These grants were made to replace outdated boilers with energy efficient models so it is definitely worth seeing if you are eligible.

Watch The Foundation:

Did you know that the cold has a huge effect on the foundation of your house? Fixing a foundation crack is only easy if you can find the crack and know what caused it in the first place. Soil heaves and contracts when the ground freezes and melts, and this is called a frost heave cycle. It’s also the cycle that has a negative impact on your home’s foundation. They are dangerous and can be incredibly expensive to repair. The damage can and does occur before freezing point, too, and if you don’t take care of the foundation, you risk huge damage to the rest of the house.

Sweep The Chimney:

Not everyone has one, but if you have a chimney that you need to maintain, it’s time to call in the professionals. Chimney fires are caused by unclean chimneys that haven’t been looked after. You could severely underestimate the severity of a chimney fire, forgetting to clear out the chimney altogether. They do occur frequently, though, so think about bringing in the professionals now and get it cleared so that you don’t end up with a house fire to end all house fires.

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Sweep that chimney!

Insulate Your House:

You invested in a proper winter coat, with scarf, gloves, and a hat for yourself. The thing that you have to do next is ensure that you’ve insulated your house well. Most of the heat in the home is lost through the roof and this means that insulating the loft is the best thing that you could do for your home. Cavity wall insulation is the next thing that you can invest in, and if you are really wanting to invest in some insulation, think about providing your house with extra carpet offcuts, rugs, and curtains! Any way that you can insulate the house should be done, and you should do it early so that you don’t end up with a house that is losing energy.

Hug Your Pipes:

Speaking of insulation, have you invested in pipe insulation yet? These look like pool noodles covered in electrical tape and they are the best thing that you can put around your pipes to make sure that there isn’t any freezing water in the pipes that could cause them to burst. It’s not just a way that you could flood your home, it’s also a way to have a very expensive repair bill when you have to replace your entire plumbing system. Go around your pipes and insulate them well, removing any vegetation as this can also cause damage to the pipe systems.

Being ready for winter with cute boots and a new thick coat is one thing, but you have a house to prepare, too. Get warm, get the right people, and make your house the coziest ever this winter.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec10

Oh, Christmas Tree

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Oh, Christmas Tree

Hiiii! With the holidays right around the corner, I thought that I would share with all of you what my family Christmas tree looks like. Fortunately for me, I get to see it year round, because we never take our tree down. In fact, my family has gotten into the habit of putting other holiday themed decor on it like Easter eggs and Happy Harvest gear for fall. So, don’t be surprised if you see some ornaments that don’t quite belong! Haha, take a look:

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As you can see, we have a very large collection of ornaments on the Mushenheim family tree! My dad loves travel themed ornaments and I always try and get him one on every vacation we go on or any trips that I take by myself. Most of my siblings have followed suit on that tradition, so my dad has ornaments from all of our travels. So fun!

Other than the vacation ornaments, many of the ones that are on our tree date back to decor from both sets of my grandparents and from when my siblings and I were little. I think that, despite it being a little quirky, all of us like having the tree up at home, because it’s just one of our “things”. And, it’s nice to feel some holiday cheer no matter what the season is. 🙂

Do you have any travel themed ornaments on your tree? Do you have a favorite ornament in your collection? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov27

Winter Guest Bloggers?!

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Winter Guest Bloggers?!

Howdy! For some of us, winter weather is already in full swing and, for others, it will be arriving soon enough. Some of the lucky ones, though, don’t experience the cold at all! No matter what the situation is in your neck of the woods, Lil Red wants to feature your winter themed posts on the ol’ blog. From favorite recipes and frosty makeup looks to bundled up OOTDs and holiday shopping tips, I want it all! If you are interested in guest blogging on my page for some winter fun, please shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com ! Much love. -Sarah

Nov25

Four Paws First: Winter Dog Care Tips

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Four Paws First: Winter Dog Care Tips

The winter months can be a magical time of frosty early mornings or cozy sunset walks with your canine companion. But, just as the colder temperatures and extreme weather conditions can take their toll on us, they can also take a toll on our pets. Learn how to combat the conditions and keep your four pawed friend happy and safe this winter:

Adjust Their Diet:

When the temperature drops, you may need to adjust the amount and type of food that you offer. It could be that dogs who are outdoors and being active will require richer food, while animals that become reluctant to exercise outdoors may need less food in order for you to manage their weight. Look up care tips for the particular breed and age of dog, like German Shepherd puppy care, to adjust the food mix to your particular dog and nourish them right.

Keep Them Active:

For some dogs, nothing puts them off from exploring, while others can be very resistant to going outdoors when it gets colder – much like some humans! If your canine companion is less keen on venturing out, make sure that you can keep then active indoors. Provide lots of dog toys to keep them busy and consider setting up an obstacle course if you have the space to keep their bodies and minds active.

Prepare Them For Walks:

When you do go out, bear in mind that bad weather conditions such as fog and the darker early mornings and evenings can reduce visibility. First, make sure that you have good verbal command of your dog and that you can recall them easily. Check to ensure that their microchip details are up to date in case they do get lost. Look for reflective collars or attached LED lights to collars and coats to make them more visible to drivers. And, make sure that you have a winter dog coat if needed, especially if you own a short haired breed such as a greyhound – they will really need the extra warmth.

Keep Up With The Grooming:

Don’t let winter be an excuse to get lax with your animal grooming! Make sure that you are still regularly brushing out the coats of longer haired breeds and using a mild dog shampoo to get out any mud and dirt that becomes matted into their coat during walks. Inspect your dogs paws regularly too, especially if the weather turns icy. A lot of the gritting agents used to stop the ground icing can be damaging on delicate paws, and you may need to use a protective paw balm in icy weather to prevent sores and cracks from forming. If your dog has a longer coat, check that the hairs between their paw pads aren’t trapping little balls of ice and damaging them.

Beware Of Food Hazards:

With your pet in the house more and lots of festive food around, there can be dangers, as most dogs are opportunists when it comes to sneaking a snack! Chocolate can be a particular hazard, as it’s as enticing to canines as it is to humans and yet it contains a compound called theobromine which is toxic to them and can cause their kidneys to fail – this substance is present in the highest concentration in dark chocolate. Foods like avocado can cause an upset tummy, corn on the cob can block their intestines, cooked bones (say from a roast bird) could splinter and perforate their insides, or anything sugar-free containing Xylitol can cause hypoglycemia in dogs. All of these must be stored safely away from curious noses.

Providing your dog with the best care year round, especially during the winter months, will keep them happy, healthy, and around for many more Christmases to come!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov16

First Snow OOTD

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First Snow OOTD

Hi! This past weekend, Ohio treated us to some snow. Although we’re barely in the middle of November, it is full fledged winter temps here and I’m already fed up. But, despite the many things in life that we can control, the weather is not one of them so we all just have to keep on truckin’ – myself included!

When it comes to dressing for the winter, I prefer to layer as opposed to walking around with a huge coat on. I love faux fur, cold weather accessories, and boots and, when worn properly, a well layered outfit can be just as warm as a puffer jacket. Take a look at how I style for the cold months ahead and let’s discuss:

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Who? What? Wear?

Now, I’m sure that for some of you, this outfit looks nowhere near warm enough for a blustery winter day. But, keep in mind, that I have enjoyed spending my free time at a cold skating rink for over a decade and the winter weather really doesn’t phase me any more. So, this OOTD was just right for me to be comfortable outside for the amount of time that I was in and out of different places throughout the day. If I had gone on a hike or something like that, though, trust and believe that I would have bundled up a little better!

Anyways, I like this look because it offers a really unique shape while still looking chic. The fairly tight fitting jacket and sweater along with the jeans and boots look nice and crisp while the kimono that balloons out underneath adds an unexpected element to the look, and I love that. The floppy hat also mimics the shape of the kimono, which adds cohesiveness to the OOTD and keeps my pretty lil’ noggin warm. :*)

Winter accessories are a definite must in any good OOTD during the cold months, so don’t be afraid to go a bit crazy with them. Had it been colder the day that my boyfriend took these pics, I would have opted for a scarf, too. But, the hat and driving gloves did the job just fine. Also, do remember that jewelry is important in the drab winter, as well. With bleak weather and grey days a little pop of bling goes a long way. I love black and gold together, so I went with a long chained pendant from Urban Outfitters to complete my look.

Although winter is a time to be bundled up, it can still look oh so chic so style never has to be sacrificed… Thank gawd! 😀

How do you stay warm in the winter? What is winter weather like where you live? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov6

How To Turn Your Home Into A Winter Paradise

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How To Turn Your Home Into A Winter Paradise

We all love spending time at home when the nights draw closer and darker and enjoying a good book or TV series. If you are ready for the winter, it might be time to prepare your home for it, as well. You need to create that warm atmosphere that makes a difference in your life and creates a good mood for a chat with your friends and family members on long winter nights. Below, you will find a few tips on how you can transform your home for the winter:

New Sofa Cover and Throws:

One of the ways that you can make your home more comfortable is by soft furnishing. If your old sofa needs attention but you can’t afford to buy a new one, you can change the cushions and add new patterns through creative designs. Get some personalized sofa throws and cushions to make your seat and your TV watching position even more comfortable and to transform your home to feel warmer and more inviting.

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So comfy cozy!

Drought Excluders:

If you feel the cold already, chances are that you will need new windows or secondary glazing. After all, you don’t want to spend all of your holiday money on heating your house. If you currently can’t change your doors and windows, get some drought excluders and secondary glazing units, so you can keep the warmth inside and stay nice and toasty even on the coldest nights.

A Fluffy Rug:

If you have hard flooring in your living room, you can make it feel warmer if you get some fluffy area rugs that feel comfortable to walk on. You only have to spend a bit of money and your home will feel much more cozy as a result. Make sure that you match the color of your interior design and get an easy to care for rug instead of one that is hard to wash and vacuum.

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Make sure the rug is nice and plush!

Getting Your Heating Checked:

If you are planning on spending more time at home this winter, you need to make sure that your heating and air conditioning system is up for the task. Get it checked before the winter, or make sure that you get in touch with a professional as soon as you notice a problem. If need be, you can always get a hold of an after hours ac repair service in your area to quickly diagnose the problem and fix it before it escalates into a breakdown.

Energy Efficient Fireplace:

There is nothing nicer than curling up in front of the fireplace on cold nights. The good news, is that you can get energy efficient models these days that imitate the look of real flames, without the danger that comes with them. You can get it installed by a professional in just one day, and you will enjoy your nights in the living room for many years to come.

If you are looking forward to the nights in during this winter, prepare your home for the challenges and create the look of a winter paradise.