Anti-Static Spray

1/4 cup commercial liquid fabric softener
1/4 cup ammonia
2 cups water

Mix ingredients and store in a spray bottle. Spray liberally on the rug, your shoes, chair, desktop, or file cabinet, but do not spray directly onto your computer system.

Now that we are into cold weather, I have figured out some other ways to keep warmer without turning up the heat.  One evening, as I was preparing to remove my apron, I noticed that I was immediately cold when I took it off.   My apron is one that goes down to my knees and ties at the neck and waist.  Though it may look a bit tacky, I have started wearing it during the day, even when I'm not in the kitchen, because it really does help hold in the body heat.

Our fingers often get cold while using the computer, so we keep a pair of fingerless gloves near the computer.

I also wear thermal underwear to keep warm, along with several layers on the top half of me.  It is not uncommon to find me with 3 layers on the top half, PLUS my apron!  I usually have 3 layers of socks on too.  (trouser socks, short white socks like what you'd wear with tennis shoes, plus a pair of fuzzy slipper socks)

We keep lots of blankets in the family room so that we can snuggle under them when we are just sitting around.  We have a leather chair that usually gets a blanket thrown over it before someone sits down because the leather can be quite cool too.

We also close the vents in the 2 bedrooms during the day and close the doors unless we are going to be in there for any length of time.  I actually keep the vent closed in the master bedroom all night long.  It helps to keep the heat in the other part of the house where we are going to be.

In the winter, we will take a break from school work when we are too cold so we can dance on the DDR to warm up.  I also try to stay busy so that I'm not just sitting still and constantly getting cold.  I will do physical work like wash the walls or the cabinets because that warms me up quickly.

To freshen up the air in your house during those dry, winter months, use an old pan.  Add water and a couple of drops of eucalyptus essential oil.  Put it on the stove on low heat for a while.  The eucalyptus will clean the air.

Dd likes to do things to make her bedroom look more "girlie."  Here is a photo of some decorations for her ceiling.  The big, round things are something we learned to make at Family Night at the local library.  They are made out of construction paper.  Very cheap and very easy!  (We have made these on several occasions because they look so pretty and colorful.)

Dd has been busily working to de-clutter her room before Christmas.  Here is a before shot:

After:

At our gifts in a jar class last week, I served The Happy Housewife's Fudge Recipe.  The fudge was devoured in a matter of minutes!  It was really good.  For those of you who may be hypoglycemic like me, I found that this recipe did not cause my head to immediately start spinning because it was so rich.  I think the difference may have been that this recipe calls for powdered sugar, whereas, the other fudge I've eaten uses regular sugar.

~~ Stacy ~~