Rhonda Gales, Author at Mother 2 Mother Blog

Sunday’s Best Linkup – #67

April 9, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 5 Comments

Welcome to Week 67 of Mother 2 Mother’s Sunday’s Best Linkup. We are continuing our Spring Has Arrived theme this week. We’re looking for crafts, recipes, party ideas, decorating inspiration, gift ideas, love stories and anything else you would like to post relating to Easter.

We also welcome other recipes, crafts, DIY, home makeover, gardening tips, SEO & blogging information, sewing projects, patio and deck makeovers, front porch makeover ideas, organization tips, ideas for backyard parties and makeovers and more. Blow the dust off your old posts and link those too. They’re great for inspiration.

Don’t have posts that fit into the theme, link up whatever post you would like to share. We would love to have parenting tips, DIY projects, homesteading, homeschooling, makeovers, cocktails, and your posts on family and life. Your linkups and giveaways are welcome here too. Anything goes, as long as it’s family friendly and you may linkup as many posts as you would like. Be sure to tell your friends they will want to join the festivities too.

Each week your hosts will select their favorite post and it will be featured the following week. An image from your post will be used on my blog the following week with a link back to your blog. Be sure to check back to see if you’re a Sunday’s Best featured blogger. All Featured Bloggers will have their posts Pinned to the Sunday’s Best Pinterest Board.

The Reader’s Choice post(s) will be determined by the post(s) with the most clicks. We will be adding the winner to our Sunday’s Best featured bloggers.

All posts linking to Sunday’s Best will be promoted on Twitter.

In addition to the reader’s and hosts selections, a post for our monthly themes will be selected and featured each week as well.

If you are interested in becoming a Sunday’s Best host, please contact me for details at rhonda@mother2motherblog.com or email one of our other hosts.

Your Hosts Are:

Rhonda – Mother 2 Mother Kim U. – Pinterested Parent Kim M. – Life In A House of Testosterone

Here’s the rules, please connect with us on social media before you leave or subscribe to/follow our blogs:

Mother 2 Mother: Please subscribe to my blog on the right, like my Facebook Page, follow me on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, BlogLovin or before you leave.

The Pinterested Parent: Please like Kim’s Facebook Page, follow her on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Bloglovin before you leave.

Life In A House of Testosterone: Please like Kim’s Facebook Page, follow her on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Bloglovin, or Instagram before you leave.

Last, please help us grow by placing our button on your sidebar. If you are selected as a Featured Blogger please let your readers and followers know. They may want to join the party too! For those who have a Link Party list/directory, please add us. I appreciate your help in promoting the linkup with Re-tweets and shares. Now lets party!

The Sunday’s Best Posts are:

I selected DIY Fire Truck Triptych Tutorial from Eat Drink and Save Money

Easy Gorgonzola Potatoes from Oh-My Creative

and

Repurposed Flower Tool Box Planter from The Summery Umbrella

The Post With The Most Clicks:

Chicken Caesar Salad Croissant Sandwich from Home Cooking Memories

The Favorite Theme Posts

Spring Has Arrived

Spring Cleaning The Bathroom from Clean and Scentsible

Congratulations to our featured bloggers! All of the posts were great, and I appreciate each of you linking up. We have so many great posts that it gets difficult to choose a featured blogger. I would like to invite all of you back to linkup your post(s) again, it could be selected next week. While you’re here take a minute to visit these great blogs. It’s a great way to meet and connect with new bloggers. Be sure to PIN or share any posts that you like, we all appreciate a little love. Be sure to connect on social media.

An InLinkz Link-up

Filed Under: Sunday's Best Linkup Tagged With: blog hop, linky party, social networking

Preparing For Smoke and Water Damage In Your Home

April 8, 2016 by Rhonda Gales Leave a Comment

Have you encountered smoke and water damage in your home? If you have encountered either, you know the stress and work that it takes to get everything cleaned up, right? Unfortunately, I have experienced both. My basement flooding because the Sump Pump malfunctioned and my entire house receiving smoke damage because my son-in-law left a pan on the stove and fall asleep.

First, the smoke damage. Thank goodness it was just smoke and not a fire. It only took us a short period of time to clear the house of smoke, but the smell lingered. So, I eventually called in a professional to rid my house of smoke and to clean the carpet, drapes and furniture.

I wish I had known about Aer Industries and their products. They serve the industry professionals with a wide range of commercial equipment. This includes restoring water damaged indoor environments to safe and dry conditions. Furthermore, they are also master distributors of B-Ari®, BluDri®, Soleaire® and Abatement® products. They offer a wide range of air movers, dehumidifiers and scrubbers for smoke removal, drying carpet and more. In addition, they sell equipment that the average home owner would appreciate having on hand just in case of an emergency.

I certainly could have used an Air Scrubber to remove smoke from my house. Professionals use air scrubbers. Additionally, there’s a dry and a wet scrubber that is used according to the situation. Wet Scrubbers are used for smoke and/or dust and Dry scrubbers are used to remove odors and acidic gases in the air. This would be a great Christmas or birthday gift for the man of the house or a family member.

Now, lets move on to flooding basements. Having a Dehumidifier is essential if you are a contractor or if your basement is prone to flooding. Basement flooding can be an issue if you live in a flood prone area; however, flooding can happen even if you don’t live in a flood zone. Many home owners make the mistake of thinking that they won’t experience flooding because they don’t live in a flood zone. There are times when sump pumps malfunction or an area receives excessive rainfall.

Dehumidifiers can come in handy in helping to dry carpet or a flooded area in your home. Pipes can burst in kitchens and baths causing flooding. So, basements are not the only areas in the home to flood. I was checking out the Super Monsoon Dehumidifier. It states when maximum air ventilation is needed look no further. The prices are reasonable. Be sure to check out the colors being offered for the equipment too. Who said industrial work can’t be pretty. Watching a colorful machine working to restore your home to its original beauty is a great way to bring a little happiness into your life. They also have a professional series if you or your husband make a living doing cleanup as well as financial assistance. To put the icing on the cake, shipment is free in the Continental USA.

Moisture in your home can be harmful, so we need to take flooding issues seriously. High moisture content causes the musty odor in basements or other parts of buildings. Excess moisture encourages the growth of mold and mildew, which in turn causes a musty smell too. Mold is not healthy and can be costly to get rid of.

Take my word for it, dehumidifiers, air movers and scrubbers can come in handy during an emergency. Being unprepared for a disaster can be stressful, frightening, depressing and expensive. Head over to Aer Industries and check out how they can assist you with your smoke and water damage tools.

Note: I have received compensation for this post; however, all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Life-Thoughts Tagged With: home cleanup, home disasters, home insurance

Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Xtreme Circus Review

April 7, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 2 Comments

Elephants, Tigers, Acrobats, and Bikers performed at the Ringling Brothers-Barnum & Bailey Xtreme Circus at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. It was an evening spent eating junk food, watching clowns, jugglers and other entertainers perform before the big show. Than we would sit in awe of the Ring Master and all the other performers for the Greatest Show On Earth.

First, we ate dinner at the Green Turtle prior to the show. Nothing fancy, the adults had wings and the kids pizza and fries. From there we entered the venue for the preshow activities. They had jugglers, clowns, and an area set up where the children could try on various costumes. After 15 – 20 minutes we moved to our seats. We had great seats about 10 rows from the floor. We were high enough where those standing didn’t really affect our view of the show, but low enough where we had an incredible view of the ring.

Take plenty of money because outside snacks and drinks are not allowed. Security will search you and your bags at all entrances. I slipped money into my pockets and carried my camera. I just left my purse in the trunk. However, it’s nothing unusual. I actually don’t know many places that allow outside food in their venues.

Inside the Big Top, they are sold before the show and during intermission. Outside the Big Top they are sold until everyone vacates the premises. The kids wanted cotton candy before the show started. Count it, $14.00 per bag. It does come with an adorable circus hat that can be kept as a souvenir. I also saw bags being sold without the hat at the concession stands outside the arena. Lemonade is $12.00 per drink. They also offered Italian Ice in adorable elephants cups for $14.00 – $15.00 depending on the size.

Our show started at 7:30 p.m. It lasted approximately 3 hours. It was about 2 1/2 hours for the actual show and about 30 minutes for an intermission. We enjoyed all aspects of the show. Personally, I could have done without the clowns, but what’s a circus without clowns. I was a little afraid that the 4 year old would become bored, but that didn’t happen.

The performers were able to engage the audience through music and/or their acts. There were plenty of Oohs and Awes. The audience clapped along with the Ringmaster and the band was quite good. I even participated in the clapping and the Awes. The lions were beautiful, but there were no flaming hoops to jump through. I did enjoy the Mermaids. I’m fascinated by Mermaids and my granddaughter’s favorite princess is Ariel.

The elephants have been a part of the show for 145 years. Sadly, they will no longer be a part of the show after May 2016. Fortunately, the elephants will retire to a conservation center in Florida. The company hasn’t said how it will rebrand their shows once the stars, the elephants, retire.

The tightrope walkers and bikers were amazing. I loved the camels. It was an amazing 3 hours. Most importantly, it was nice to converse with my 8 year old grandson about the acts. We ended the evening with the kids having their faces painted. Count it, $14.00 each. Additionally, another $30.00 to park in the Verizon Center garage. But the evening was so worth it. Finally, I’m happy that I would create an evening that the children will always remember.

Filed Under: Life-Thoughts Tagged With: circus, family activities, family fun

Inspirational Quote – Dolly Parton

April 5, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 2 Comments

Filed Under: Life-Thoughts Tagged With: inspirational quotes, motivational quotes, quotes

Values Help Develop Kid’s Self-Confidence

April 4, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 1 Comment

First, parents play a vital role in grooming and developing a child’s personality and self-esteem. Do you want to be the proud parents of a child who is full of self-confidence? Furthermore, do you want your child to walk with their head held high? Here are some things you can do that will in turn help boost your child’s self-confidence:

Do Not Let Any Negative Thoughts, Emotions and Limitations Pull you Down – Negative thoughts undermine your confidence. Do not let your true capabilities be overshadowed by inhibitions of the mind and heart. Furthermore, exercise self-control and learn to maintain your calm. Also learn to stay composed in panic situations. So keep brainwashing yourself. Filter out the negative thoughts and keep going.
Positive Thinking Breeds Positivity – Back your positive thoughts by positive actions. Even when you are on the lowest ebb, let the light of positivity shine through. Your children will see it.
Face your fears and overcome any hurdles that come your way – Feed your self-esteem by challenging yourself and facing your biggest fears. Doing things which seemed unattainable in the past, can contribute significantly in raising your self-confidence. You will soon believe that you will be able to cross hurdles and obstacles that would normally deter your progress.
Replace bad habits with healthy habits – You need to correct your inner flaws and short comings to feel confident from within. It is very easy to get into bad habits, but hard to get over them. Indulging in healthy habits will help you emerge as a confident individual. Anything that makes you feel good about yourself, will ultimately lead to higher self-esteem. Teach these healthy habits to your children.
Be Grateful for Whatever You Have and Live a Meaningful Life – It is very easy to be ungrateful. Focus on the good in your life. Happiness and true bliss can be found in the small things in life. This is where our individual perceptions come into play. If you envy other people, you will be ungrateful for your blessings. This keeps you in a constant state of restlessness because you always feel the other person is better off than you. Until you are truly content and satisfied at heart, you will continue to seek ways to make you happy. Being happy with who you are. It will lead to living healthier and a more productive life. It will also teach your children to happy with who they are, and to be grateful for the little things in life.
Emerge from failure as a stronger, experienced individual – If at first you don’t succeed; try, try, try again. Do not let failure overpower you to a point where your reasoning and logic is clouded. Impaired reasoning leaves you confused and demoralized. Accept your failure, pick up the broken pieces and get on with life. You can always try again. Your children will see that failure is a part of life.
Raise your intellectual standards – Be consistent in searching general knowledge and awareness. Being knowledgeable makes a person more confident. Personal growth is a continuous process. Stay updated with current national and international events. Become a participant on various topics such as politics, business and sports. Try learning new things on a daily basis and keep your child updated too.
Engage in philanthropic activities – Teach your children to think about society. They need to learn to empathize with the people who are not a fortunate as them. Be an example by being an active part of it. Children need to learn to spread happiness around them. Spreading happiness will make others feel good about themselves as well as others. It also makes them forget about the negativities that surround us. It enhances our confidence level too.

Finally, be an example for your children. They will follow in your foot steps, and remember you may not see immediate changes in your child/children. Building confidence is a life time endeavor.

I want to thank James Smith for this amazing guest post! You may also like: Teaching Children Responsibility

About the author: James Smith is a survivalist, who loves to write about survival skills and techniques. Currently, he is working for Teotwawki Supplies, offering a complete range of survival and emergency kits. Follow him on twitter @jamessmith1609.

Filed Under: Parenting Tips Tagged With: parenting advice, parenting skills, self-confidence, self-esteem

5 Amazing Gifts From Your Garden

April 4, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 2 Comments

Garden gift ideas don’t have to be purchased. You can make amazing gifts from your flower and/or kitchen garden? Second, family and friends appreciate homemade and handmade gifts. Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on gift ideas from your backyard garden.

Making gifts has become the norm in my house. I know my family and friends appreciate them and I save money by not having to purchase retail. Next, when I’m planning my summer and fall gardens, I always add extra flowers and gourds to ensure that I have enough for myself, family and friends.

So, here’s a list of my favorite garden items for gift giving and uses:

Dried Flowers – Plant plenty of roses, herbs, Hydrangeas, coneflowers, and wildflowers. Anything that can be used in crafts, to make potpourri, or sachets bags.

Pressed Flowers – Pansies, daisies, violets, ferns, roses, daffodils, cosmos, poppies, gladiolus, and verbenas make great pressed flowers. They are beautiful on cards, bookmarkers and in crafts. Additionally, make sure the colors are bright and vibrant when you pick them. Most importantly, they should also be dry when you pick them.

Dried and Fresh Herbs – Oregano, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme and Marjoram make the best dried herbs. Find a cute decorative jar, pint size jelly canning jars, put a decorative label on with the name of the herb, and tie a pretty ribbon. Grow fresh herbs in Mason Jars, tin buckets, chalk painted clay bowls, tea cups or anything imaginative. Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, and Chives make great gifts.

Gourd Birdhouses – Grow bottle gourds and make decorative birdhouses for family and friends. You can paint sunflowers on them, paint them in your family and/or friends favorite colors. Be creative. These make the perfect house for Purple Martins, Red-headed Woodpecker, Bluebirds, Tufted titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, and Northern Flicker.

Sunflowers – Last, sunflowers make beautiful flower arranges. Cut a few and place them in a mason jar, tall metal vase, a boot and any other creative container. You can also dry them for floral arrangements and use the seeds to roast or feed the birds. Squirrels love to eat the sunflower heads.

Finally, get your children involved in planting flowers and gourds. They will love painting and turning them into birdhouses. Also, they can also remove the seeds from the sunflowers and roast them or save the seed to feed the birds during the winter months. As a result, make sure you plant plenty of everything. You’ll want items for garden gift ideas and you will want to keep a few items for yourself.

You may also Holiday Gift Ideas for Bird Lovers.

Filed Under: Flower Gardens, Nature-Gardening Tagged With: backyard garden tips, garden gifts, gardening tips

Sunday’s Best Linkup – #66

April 2, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 7 Comments

Welcome to Week 66 of Mother 2 Mother’s Sunday’s Best Linkup. We are continuing our Spring Has Arrived theme this week. We’re looking for crafts, recipes, party ideas, decorating inspiration, gift ideas, love stories and anything else you would like to post relating to Easter.

The Sunday’s Best Posts are:

I selected Indian Pickled Potato and Belle Peppers from Cookilicious

Kim M. selected Bacon, Onion & Spinach Naan Pizza from Live From Julie’s House

Kim U selected Menopause Pie From Marilyn’s Treats

The Post With The Most Clicks:

Chicken Casserole from Silver Foodie

Easy recipes, chicken recipes,

The Favorite Theme Posts

Spring Has Arrived

Have a Bunch of Carrots for Spring Roundup from Reviews, Chews & How Tos

An InLinkz Link-up

Filed Under: Sunday's Best Linkup Tagged With: blog hop, linky party, social networking

Easy Kitchen and Bath Upgrades

March 29, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 2 Comments

Have you been dreaming of updating your kitchen and or bathroom? You can find everything you need at Plumb Tile. It’s an online store that sells various Brands and has a large selection of everything imaginable for bathroom and kitchen upgrades. This site sells products from Moen to Watermark in the latest styles and finishes. You will certainly find products to fit every need and budget.

I upgraded two bathrooms and my kitchen. I spent months running here, there and everywhere checking out items and prices. Save yourself a few trips and head to this site.

Small touches can made a big impact. Here’s a few ideas to consider for your upgrades:

Faucets, towel racks, and your toilet paper holder
Lighting
Mirrors
Shower head
Flooring
Counter and shower tile
Sinks
Shelving

A fresh coat of paint, changing the faucets and sink, towel racks, lighting, mirror and the shower head can change the look of your bath. If the budget allows add tile and a new tub. Plumb Tile has awesome bathroom selections from faucets and accessories to bidets and other luxury items. The large Sunflower Rainfall Showerhead with 108 Spray Nozzles below should be at the top of your list to check out. It’s the perfect eye opener. My upgraded master bath became one of my favorite rooms in the house. At the top of my upgrade favorites is the rainfall shower head. What a way to refresh each morning.

I also upgraded my kitchen. Again, small touches can make a big impact. Along with a fresh coat of paint I upgraded:

Lighting
Sink
Faucet
Switch covers
Appliances
Tile for my floor and counter

Plumb Tile has a nice selection of kitchen sinks. I found my dream sink while browsing the site. This farm house sink is on my wish list.

I love this sink. It’s unique, most farmhouse sinks don’t have two compartments. It reminds me of my grandparents farmette when I was growing up. I’m also loving the faucet and sprayer.

Last but not least, Plumb Tile offers free shipping and a Price Matching policy. If you see a competitor with a lower price, they will try to meet or beat the price. This site is worthy of a visit, head over and check it out.

Filed Under: Life-Thoughts Tagged With: bathroom products, bathroom upgrades, home improvement, kitchen products

Sunday’s Best Linkup – #65

March 26, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 1 Comment

Welcome to Week 65 of Mother 2 Mother’s Sunday’s Best Linkup. We are starting our Spring Has Arrived theme this week. We’re looking for crafts, recipes, party ideas, decorating inspiration, gift ideas, love stories and anything else you would like to post relating to Easter.

The Sunday’s Best Posts are:

I selected Baseball Bookends from Virginias Sweet Pea

Kim M. selected Espresso Crepes from Gold Lining Girl

The Post With The Most Clicks:

One Pan Chicken Bake from Growing Up Gabel

The Favorite Theme Posts

The Bunny Trail

Easter Peeps Bunny Bags from Nap Time Creations

Sweet Easter Popcorn from Grandma Ideas

Easy Bunny Cupcakes from Sunny Sweet Days

and

Easter Bunny Cookies from Of Mice and Ramen

An InLinkz Link-up

Filed Under: Sunday's Best Linkup Tagged With: blog hop, linky party, social networking

Tips On Buying the Best Coffee Maker

March 21, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 2 Comments

If you are a big fan of coffee, it is certain that your morning starts with a cup of coffee. Many of us understand the meaning of quality coffee. Even if we grab a cup of coffee from the nearest café. But, what if you want to buy a coffee maker for your home. There are some facts that you should consider before buying a coffee maker. Keep one thing in mind, though, everyone looks for different traits in a coffee machine. Different features attract people differently. That’s why I am going to explain some “must know” facts so that you can buy a desired as well as a great coffee maker.

The Cost of the Machine

If you are a coffee fanatic and you have money to spend, then there is no doubt that you can have any kind of coffee maker. In some cases, the expensive coffee machine is a good choice. If you do not have much money to spend on a coffee maker, then go for a reasonably priced machine. Some brands are very popular and have different models. You can research information about those brands on the internet. Select the model that fulfils your budget. If you want to learn more about the cost factor, then check out www.CoffeeMakersList.com. It is a great resource for finding great models.

The Popularity of the Machine

Before buying a coffee maker, check out the different types of makers that are available. Go for the best coffee maker brand for that particular type of coffee maker. Also, explore the different models for that brand. Be sure to thoroughly research the model you have selected. Selecting a coffee maker should include cost, design, and the material. Furthermore, do not forget to read reviews on different websites and forums about the model you are interested in. Asking reviewers/users questions about a particular coffee maker can help a lot.

Easy to Use

Some people believe that the more buttons and controls a machine has, the more superb the machine is. But that is not the true. Unfortunately, controls can be confusing. If you are good mechanically, then you will be happy to have a coffee maker with great control options. Otherwise, do not purchase a coffee machine which is full of different buttons. The best coffee maker is one that makes you happy and is easy to use.

Filed Under: Life-Thoughts Tagged With: coffee makers, home appliances, kitchen products

Preparing For Smoke and Water Damage In Your Home

Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Xtreme Circus Review

Inspirational Quote – Dolly Parton

Values Help Develop Kid’s Self-Confidence

5 Amazing Gifts From Your Garden

So, here’s a list of my favorite garden items for gift giving and uses:

Easy Kitchen and Bath Upgrades

Tips On Buying the Best Coffee Maker

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