Thursday Tips & Tricks-How serious is my sore throat?

I like to see a visual.  It helps me remember better.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-treating grease stains

I use the stain stick first then spray any stain remover.  Sometimes letting it sit for a day or more helps.  I've even done it after washing and drying a shirt I didn't know had a grease stain.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Use Rustoleum and a template for rainy day message

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Jello Worms

Thursday Tips & Tricks-keep pumpkins from molding

Put some of the silica gel (from your old shoe boxes) in your pumpkin to keep it from molding.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-mummies with hot dogs and crescent roll dough

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Grandma's secret to chewy cookies

My grandma made the best cookies.  She taught me that it's all in the cooking of the cookies and taking them out just before they are completely done and then letting them finish cooking when you take them out.  You let them cool a minute or two on the cookie sheet.  They are so soft and chewy.  Even pre-made cookie dough turns out delectable when you use this method.  Thanks Grandma! 

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Cupcake Holder-Brilliant idea!

found on imgfave.com

Thursday Tips & Tricks-moving clothes

My Daughter-in-law actually did this.  Genius.  Especially when moving short distances.  

Note to all my friends an family-NO I am not moving in the foreseeable future.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Rainy Day Pick-me-ups

It's been rainy off and on for days and is supposed to continue.  Here are my favorite things to do on a rainy day:

Watch a movie-even one you've seen many times (like Pride and Prejudice-a classic, but I like the Keira Knightly one best)

Get out your umbrella and go for a walk-see "Hilary Weeks-Dancing in the Rain" post from Sep 13, 2013

Make some soup-my favorite is Green Chile Chicken Soup with Rice

Go to the mall or big Book Store (I love Barnes & Noble and Tattered Cover Books)

Bake something yummy-the eating it is more favorite to me than making, but sometimes it's worth the effort if it's something I love.  I found a no egg chocolate chip cookie recipe that is really good and it doesn't hurt that I can eat the raw cookie dough too.

Watch some funny YouTube videos.  My daughter watches Good Mythical Morning, which is a clean and funny video blog (vlog) that's kind of a radio show/ science kind of thing.

Watch old family videos or go through old albums.

Go cheer up someone else-this is a sure fire way to cheer yourself.  Or be with someone who loves rainy days.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-homemade magnets

I used stickers and some old advertisement magnets.  Some of them I cut out in the exact shape of the character.  My granddaughter loved them.

Pictures and some adhesive would also work.  I've seen some that are cut in the shape of the person in the photo.

Also, I found some round photo magnets in the school locker section.  And then found some inexpensive wooden animals that I just added a magnet to the back.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-simplifying socialism ( an interesting lesson)

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before but had once failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.

The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism. All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.

After the first test, the grades were averaged, and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset, and the students who studied little were happy.

As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less, and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy.

When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F. The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings, and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail, because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no

one will try or want to succeed.

Could not be any simpler than that.

Thursday Tips & Tricks- Answers to Riddles

Here's a tip when figuring out riddles-don't think too hard.

The answer to yesterday's riddle is:

NOTHING

Thursday Tips & Tricks-traveling with toddlers

Finger puppets and a nap...

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Keep lettuce crisp

I have been doing this as long as I can remember.  Maybe I got it from my mom, but I'm not sure.  And it really does help keep the lettuce crisp longer.  It may seem counter-intuitive but when you've dried of the lettuce with a paper towel, put a new, dry one inside a ziploc baggie and it keeps it crisp.  You might think a paper towel that gets damp would wilt it faster, but as long as it's not really wet, I don't even have to change the paper towel to keep the lettuce good for several days.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-to get you motivated

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Brain Game

Did you say the color it was printed in, not what it spells?  Try again.  Does it get easier?

Thursday Tips & Tricks-so you don't get blisters

I've never heard of this stuff, but I need to get some and try it.  I guess you just apply it to where your skin is rubbing (hot spots) or where you usually get blisters and it feels like you're wearing socks.

Thursday Tips & Tricks-remembering names

In her blog article Vivian Giang tells about a Dale Carnegie course she took and shares a great association technique to remembering people's names.  The main point is to REALLY listen to what they are saying so you can associate things with them.  The crazier, the better.  I guess you could associate my name Lisa Phipps with a picture in your mind of me doing flips signing papers to lease an apartment.  But read the article for some other examples.
Read it here:  Work Smart

Thursday Tips & Tricks-Smoreos

Take your toasted marshmallow and put on twisted open Oreo cookie.  Last week I bought Reese's Oreos and we tried it.  It was so so good.  I've also had them with Nutter Butters which is also very good.