Lilac City Momma

Lynn

Western Theme Party Ideas for Fall Birthdays

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One of my favorite pictures is of my girl from when she was about two years old. She’s dressed in a cowgirl outfit with a bandana around her neck, a hat on a string hanging down her back, her fave cowgirl boots on, and with her hair done up in little blonde pigtails.

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It was Halloween and she’s pictured sitting on a bale of hay. It’s so adorable, it squeezes my heart every time I pull out the photo album. Every time.

There’s just something magical about our kids and their love of horses and their wild west daydreams, which you must know since you’re looking for ways to throw the ultimate western-themed party.

Well, now is a great time to talk to your child and ask them what they love about cowgirls and cowboys and try to plan around what they say.

Here are a few tips to get you started.

Pony Up

First, figure out your budget. If you can afford it, there are companies that will bring you a pony for the children to ride. Nothing’s more memorable than an actual, real live pony.

I’ve seen them start at around $150 for a session and then go up from there. Each child should get a turn, and be sure to take tons of pictures!

If a real live pony doesn’t seem quite right for your shindig, then pick up some hobby horse stick toys. Buy ribbon, sparkly stickers and buttons, so each child can decorate a horse to take home. You may want to sew little loops on the horse heads to make decoration easier.

If you do go for hobby horses, only let the children use them for decorating, pictures, and maybe a quick race. Any longer, and somehow the horses will magically be transformed into whacking sticks. So cheerfully take them away and promise to return them at the end of the party when the children go home.

A third option is to spring for a horse-shaped pinata. Birthday pinatas are not exactly original, but these are kids. They’re new enough to them. Besides, they’re popular for a reason. A paper mache beast that rains candy and toys is always popular.

Dress Up

You can pick up a set of foam or plastic cowboy hats and a pile of bandanas fairly cheap online. Tell parents that their children can wear anything of their own that they have, but you’ll want to make sure to have plenty of accessories on hand so no one feels left out. You can also collect brown paper bags and turn them into vests that the kids can color.

Need a special outfit for the birthday child? Presley Couture carries adorable cowgirl dresses with western-themed Mickey ears. There’s also a unisex cowboy/cowgirl hoodie that’s as cute as can be.

Games

Of course, you can always play pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs with your favorite cowboy music. You can turn any of the old standards into a rootin’ tootin’ good time.

But if you’re feeling ambitious, you can also paint some rocks gold, dump them and some other pebbles, sand and water in a tub, and let the children pan for gold. You can also put a lot of inexpensive, colorful stones in the mix and let the children take home what they find.

Don’t let them think it’s real gold, though. Some people think it’s hilarious to disappoint children. I’ve never seen the appeal myself. Besides, this party’s about them, so no pranking!

Food

This part’s easy. Call your local bakeries, comb online for cowboy/cowgirl themed recipes, and order candy and paperware from party supply stores.

Have fun and good luck!

 

Best Ways to Manage Ants in Your Home

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Do you have an ant infestation? If you’re experiencing an infestation of ants in your home, it’s important to know that there are ways to manage ants and make sure they don’t come in your home as often anymore. If you’re not quite sure what to do about the ants in your home, read this article first to learn more about the problem.


Facts About Ants

There are more than 700 different types of ants in the United States, all with different ways of working and living in different areas. This is one of the reasons that the same method of handling ants may not work with two different types of infestations — it might be a different type of ant.

Ants can also live in colonies of millions of ants. That’s why you can’t just kill whatever ants come into your home; you have to make sure your home is no longer attracting ants. That way, you’ll end up with a better system in place for future infestations.

Most Common Places for Ants to Hide

Where do ants most commonly infest? These three locations are the top ones when it comes to ant concerns.

  • Kitchen

The kitchen is definitely a top location for ants to hide. Ants love the fact that the kitchen has a lot of food, which means they’re going to walk around the kitchen and get into all sorts of food if they can. Plus, there are many shelf-stable products you have in your home that may not be airtight, like cereal and pasta, which can lure ants inside.

  • Bathroom

Where the kitchen draws in ants because of food, the bathroom draws in ants because of water. Even a small drop of water can be enough for an ant to investigate more of the bathroom. Because bathrooms tend to have so much water, it’s common for small droplets to start forming all around the bathroom, making it hard to keep ants out.

  • Basement

The basement is a less-common but still important location to address. Most commonly, ants get into the basement by burrowing around your home, finding a crack in your foundation wall, and coming in through the crack. Because you probably don’t spend a lot of time in your basement, ants can infest the basement for a long time before you notice and stop them.

Methods of Preventing Ants From Coming Inside

How do you prevent ants from coming inside your home? For the most part, it’s about making sure there’s nothing that ants want in your home and reducing the opportunities ants have to come inside. Here are some of the best ways to make sure ants don’t come inside your home:

  • Seal Cracks and Holes in Walls and Doors
  • Fix Your Leaky Pipes and Faucets
  • Seal Food in Airtight Containers
  • Wipe Down Kitchen Counters After Using Them
  • Use Vinegar Wherever You See Ants Regularly
  • Empty Your Trash Regularly
  • Stack Firewood at Least 20 Feet Away From the Home
  • Repair Cracked Pavement and Foundations

These range in difficulty and intensity, for sure. When you’re preventing ants from coming inside your home, you will probably want to start out with the less-difficult ones and move onto the more-difficult ones. If you see any underlying problems, like issues with your home’s pavement or foundations, you’ll want to talk to an expert before moving forward.

Conclusion

No one wants to deal with ants in their home, but sometimes you do end up with an infestation. This is definitely nothing to worry about; many people struggle with ant infestations every year, often through no fault of their own. However, it is something you should tackle as soon as you can. With this knowledge, you can manage your ant problems much more easily.

Tips For Accurate Home Renovation Budgeting

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Creating a budget for your home renovation can be one of the most complicated parts of the process as a whole, and it’s crucial that you get it right.

Whether you’re renovating for your own pleasure, to flip a quick purchase, or to start listing your family home, making sure you have the money to do the job right is vital.

Take some time for research now, and check out a quick look into some helpful tips for accurate home renovation budgeting.

Set a firm total for the budget

Before you start itemizing everything you need done during your renovation, you should focus on setting a firm ceiling for your budgeting efforts. For instance, you can renovate up to four rooms for under $50,000 if your budgeting skills are honed and refined.

The total of your budget needs to be firm for obvious reasons. The cost of a renovation can easily soar out of control without strict direction for the process.

Decide on what you really need

Take the time to sit down and consider what is most important about your upcoming renovations. The most important changes should be prioritized in the budgeting process to assure the funding is available.

If the decision making comes down to two different aspects of the renovation, consider cost versus value to help make the decision making process clearer.

Consider cost versus value for each project

Even if you’re doing the renovations on a home you plan to inhabit for a while, there’s equity to be gained from the improvements.

If you’re faced with a situation where you have to trim something from your plans, consider the cost of the project versus the amount of equity you’ll gain in the property once the job is complete. The situation anc choice will become much clearer once you’ve done the math.

Properly vet the professionals doing the work

Before you make a final decision on a contractor, you should take the time to do some research. Call and meet with at least three different contractors to gain an accurate feel for the industry.

You’ll learn what you really want and how to achieve it by experiencing more than one way of getting the job done. Don’t sell yourself short, and don’t skip this step in the budgeting process.

Research various materials needed for the renovation

Some materials used in renovating your home don’t have to be the most expensive offer on the floor to do the job in a reliable and long lasting way.

Filed Under: DIY

What Do I Need To Know Before Power Washing My Home?

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Pressure washing a house comes with many benefits – from improving your property’s visual appearance and adding curb appeal, to keeping your home in good condition and lowering the chance of future repairs. If you’re considering a pressure wash for your home, there are a couple things you should know before moving forward.

First, decide what areas of the home’s exterior you’re going to clean. Next, find the power washer that can best suits your needs. Different pressure washers work differently. For example, certain equipment operates with multiple pumps, each delivering a different result. The function of a pump is to control the water pressure, and they’re powered by either gas or electricity. Gas pressure washers typically generate more power, but electric pressure washers don’t require as much maintenance.

Some other things to keep in mind are the PSI, or pounds of pressure per square inch, and GPM, gallons of water per minute. The level of PSI and GPM varies from machine to machine, which may persuade you to try one piece of equipment over another, depending on your needs for your project. It is recommended that you estimate how much power you’ll need from the unit, such as light, medium, heavy or extra-heavy power. These sizes have a PSI ranging anywhere from 2,000 to over 3,300 lbs. You don’t want the pressure washer to cause damage to your home, so thoroughly research before deciding on a piece of equipment.

Best Practices For Pressure Washing

Once you have the right machinery for your project, you’re ready to begin. In order to avoid any damage, cover any sensitive or vulnerable areas with plastic drop cloths to avoid damage.

To accommodate the pressure of the jets, prepare the area before spraying. It’s a good idea to disinfect any areas covered in mold or mildew.

If you would like to learn more about power washing specific areas, check out our infographic which illustrates the items around the house that can and can’t be power washed.

Author Bio: Debisree Saha is Senior Marketing Strategist at SIMPSON, a leading manufacturer of electric and gas pressure washers. She has 10 years of experience in the industry and focuses on marketing strategy and execution.

 

Simpson Cleaning is a residential and commercial manufacturer of pressure washers.

Filed Under: DIY

Losing The Baby Weight: 4 Things New Moms Should Know About Probiotic Supplements

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Losing baby weight is a big concern for moms, which is understandable. Your body just went through a beautiful transformation, but now, it might look and feel a little different.

Gaining weight during pregnancy is extremely important for pregnancy for many reasons and protects both the mother and the baby. But after giving birth, losing baby weight can be a slow process, and for most moms, it takes a ton of hard work.

If you’re looking to lose the baby weight, probiotic supplements may be able to help you on your journey. Keep reading below to find our four things new moms should know about probiotic supplements.

Probiotic supplements can help balance out your gut biome

The bacteria in your gut biome plays an important role in your ability to lose weight. There are the “good” probiotic bacteria, which helps eliminate waste and break down food, but it can be thrown off balance.

When this happens, it can be beneficial to take probiotic supplements, to reintroduce more of those “good” bacteria back into your gut and help you on your weight loss journey. If your diet changed during or after pregnancy, it’s very possible the bacteria in your gut biome was thrown into disarray.

Also, if you took certain medications, such as antibiotics, your healthy gut bacteria may have been destroyed.

Probiotic supplements can help with many gastrointestinal issues

It’s very common for new mothers to experience gastrointestinal issues. Stress can have a big impact on your digestive system, and gas is very common during pregnancy.

Not only that, but it’s also common for pregnant women and new moms to have issues with “number two.” Certain strains of probiotics, and certain probiotic supplements, can help address these issues. Probiotic supplements are shown to help eliminate gas and ease other digestive issues.

Probiotic supplements contain specific strains of probiotic bacteria

A big perk of choosing probiotic supplements is that you get to choose specific strains. There are certain strains of probiotic bacteria which can help with weight loss, but that’s not all. Some strains help with bloat, bulge, gas, and many other digestive issues.

When you’re looking to use probiotics for weight loss, choosing the right strain will play a big role in your outcome.

Not all probiotic supplements are created equal

When choosing a probiotic supplement, it’s important to choose one that is going to deliver on its promises. Looking at the label can tell you a lot.

For example, you can see how many strains are in the supplement, and what other ingredients are present. If you’re looking to burn off that baby weight, it’s important to pick a probiotic supplement designed for weight loss, like ProbioSlim Weight Loss Essentials from Force factor.

Not only does this supplement from Force Factor contain LactoSpore, but it also contains other compounds which help you burn fat. ProbioSlim Weight Loss Essentials even contains vitamins and electrolytes, to help support your body during the weight loss process.