Family Ever After Blog

Family Ever After Blog

Archives for January 2021

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Pest Control Myths You Need To Be Careful About

Nobody would like to have pests in their home unless they’re insane. That’s why almost everyone is seeking ways to eliminate them as soon as they realize an infestation. Pests can cause damages to your home and infect you with serious diseases.

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Unfortunately, it may not be easy to notice their effects for months. That’s why it’s recommended that you hire a professional pest service control like Pointe Pest Control to help you manage these critters. But before you hire these professionals, here are some myths you need to know about pest control.

1. The Best Way To Attract Mice Is Through Cheese

For many years, film-makers have created cartoons that show mice being attracted to cheese. Though they may love this type of food, research indicates that they’re more attracted to sugary foods.

That’s why you need to be careful about where you store your sugar cubes, grapes, and peanut butter. Alternatively, you can use these as bait on mouse traps. Nesting materials like feathers and straw have also been found to be effective mouse traps.

2. Bugs don’t infect clean Homes

Pests can infest even the cleanest of homes, though it may be challenging to discover a pest invasion in a dirty and messy house. Unlike other pests, bugs don’t visit homes based on cleanliness. Instead, they’ll continuously look for shelter, food, and water, as long as there’s an opportunity to break into your house.

A professional pest control company can help you eliminate them and advise you on how to seal possible entry points. Weatherstripping and little caulk can also help you to eliminate bugs. It’s also recommended that you check and seal any holes that may be on your doors and windows.

3. Stinging Insects Will Only Attack You If You Provoke Them

When most kids grow up, they’re taught that bees, wasps, and other stinging insects will only attack if they’re bothered. However, this isn’t true because these insects may descend upon you if they feel that you’ve threatened their colony. This could be as simple as walking under or near their nests.

Therefore, if you find any bee, yellow jacket, or wasps nest next to your home, remove it. It would be safe if you called professionals to take care of it to avoid injuries. Research indicates that stinging insect allergies affect more than 2 million Americans. Therefore, a nest may be a potential danger to your friends, family members, or neighbors.

4. Mosquitoes Only Surface During The Dusk and Dawn

Though this is what most people believe, it can only happen in magical lands with fictitious mosquitoes. The truth is that mosquitoes are active at all hours and may invade at any time if they have available food. Therefore, it’s vital to keep your yard and house clean to prevent your family and friends from being infected by dangerous viruses brought by this pest, such as West Nile, Zika, malaria, and dengue. You may also consider using a mosquito misting and fogging system to also control them.

5. Cats Keep Homes Free From Rats And Mice

Some people keep cats because they think they’ll help them keep rats and mice at bay. Unfortunately, most cats would do the exact opposite. The common Hollywood that depicts cats chasing rodents isn’t true because cats will only go after rats if they feel they want a plaything.

It would also be difficult for your cat to reach mice in burrows or holes within the compound. It would be better to use other pest control methods to eliminate these critters than depend on your cats.

Summing Up

There are a lot of myths that most people believe are facts. Before using any of these methods to control pests, ensure you prove their effectiveness. Using well-researched pest control tips will help you manage pest infestation in your home.

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Puzzle Games On Your Phone Help You Cope With Long Commutes

Your daily commute does not have to be boring. Besides reading a book and catching up on your social media, you can download mobile game apps to pass the time. Some of the top puzzle games you can download include;

Einstein’s Riddle Logic Puzzles

This tick and cross logic puzzle game gives you several clues describing a scenario with several people. Every person has a particular job, owns a unique pet, and loves a different sport, amongst other attributes.

Your role is to apply logical thinking and elimination to solve the riddle using the initial few clues. There are over 5,000 free logic puzzles – no purchase packs available. Every day, you have fifteen unique challenges to solve.

Grid sizes range from 4×4 to 16×9; the larger the grid, the harder the challenge. Even more impressive, this app comes with filters to help experts find hints to the elements they are looking for.

Features

  • Thousands of riddles
  • Daily challenges
  • User-friendly interface
  • Increasing difficulty

Gears Logic Puzzles

Gears Logic Puzzles rules are relatively straightforward – move the light gears and match them with the red gears to rotate everything. Your wisdom and imagination will need to be at play.

There are thousands of levels, some created by other players, to help blow away the stress. You can customize the app with multiple visual themes to choose from – paper, ice, stone, metal, and wood.

You get to play at your own pace, at any time, wherever you are. If the pop-up ads get the better of you, you can purchase the ad-free version.

Features

  • Thousands of engaging levels
  • Free play
  • Straightforward gameplay
  • Provides hints
  • Multiple themes to choose from

Quick Logic Puzzles

Expect small logic problems using similar principles as your usual puzzles but are faster to complete and function flawlessly on phone screens. You get 35 free puzzles to get you started. Fives puzzles are grouped and share a background story.

Plus, each puzzle comes with stats for its average completion time, so you can tell how your time compares. You can choose to utilize the daily free puzzle with no ads, nags, or interruptions, or you can purchase a volume of puzzles.

Features

  • Paid app with daily free puzzle
  • Requires internet access
  • Provides hints
  • Undo and Auto-X features

Logic Problems – Classic

If you love solving logical problems, then you should try the Logic Problems – Classic puzzle game. The first ten puzzles are free, with no ads, spyware, or nags. Should you wish to continue playing, there are thirteen more volumes available for purchase. Each volume comes with thirty unique puzzles.

Should you get stuck, you can choose to erase the errors, get a hint, or view a fully-worked out a solution. Though the app works best on larger screens, you can zoom to fit your grid – from phones to tablets.

Features

  • Paid app with first ten free apps
  • Hundreds of levels
  • Provides hints
  • Works best on larger screens
  • Undo and Auto-X features

Conclusion

Anyone who has traveled or sat in traffic for hours can share with you’re the torturous details of the journey. Hopefully, the games we discussed will help make your commute a little more bearable.

 

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Small Space For a Garden? A Tiny Pond Will Do a Job!

You might’ve had big dreams for your garden, a lush haven of plants and features. Reality doesn’t always match fantasies, and now, you’re stuck with a space too small to fulfill your dreams.

A small water feature is your best bet. It’ll make your yard seem more spacious, more luxurious, and full of life. However, digging up a tiny pond inside your garden differs from planting a bush of marigolds or pansies.

Let’s go over the considerations to keep in mind if you take up this task.

Determine the Purpose

Your pond is primarily there for decorative purposes, but the multiple design options can change the aesthetics of your entire yard. Think about the following questions:

  • Do you want it to look natural or to stand out as the central piece? Would you prefer a fountain?
  • Will you use the area for planting?
  • Would you like to have fish in your pond?

The answers restrict the pump and filtration systems you can use to make it work. If you’re unsure about what you want, look into different types of backyard ponds for inspiration before making any decisions.

Choose the Right Spot

The ideal location for a pond has enough natural light. The sun consistently cleans and maintains your water surface, keeping it fresh and free of bacteria.

However, there should be some shade around, especially in hot climates, to prevent sunshine from drying out the water in the summer.

You should also find a level plot of land, avoiding tilted areas if possible. While a bit of an angle won’t make much of a difference, it’s more challenging to DIY the digging if you have to change depths halfway through the process.

Determine the Size

A small garden doesn’t leave enough room for a broad pond, but you can play around with depth depending on which plants and fish you plan on cultivating.

For example, many water plants flourish in shallow areas, while fish require a bit of depth to survive winter. Consider the pipes that run below your yard, too.

Once you choose the size and location, it’s time to break ground. Prepare some clay for lining once you dig it up and you’re already halfway there.

Get the Right Accessories

Filling the hole with water and stopping there leads to missing out on everything a mini-lake has to offer. You’ll find many affordable, easy-to-install extras that make the design much more practical and impressive.

You can go to Aquatic Ponds for a glance at the scope of tools and extras at your disposal. Notable cherries on top include:

  • Pumps to keep the water moving
  • Filtration systems for maintenance and cleanliness
  • Waterfalls for fancy details
  • Nightlights to astonish visitors

A garden pond is much more than a still pool of water. Most of its charm lies in what’s inside and around it, though, so don’t skip this step.

Add Fish and Plants

Finally, if you still have your gardening ambitions, you can plant flowers and bushes around the pond. Alternatively, many fish species thrive in small artificial spaces, breathing life into your backyard.

Do some research about which species from the natural world can survive and flourish in your climate beforehand, though.

Take Away

Instead of remaining frustrated with a garden not big enough to match your aspirations, enjoy your new project.

Adding a water feature to the back yard opens the door to endless possibilities. Embrace the hobby and uncover all the options this tiny pond adds to your gardening repertoire.

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6 Tips to Take Care of Your Pet in Winter

The dropping temperatures and a sparkling white coating over the streets are a source of great joy. However, without a routine adjustment, the colder weather can be harmful to your pets.

Let’s check out the six essential tips for keeping your furry friend happy and toasty in wintertime.

Tip #1: Ensure Shelter

Ideally, your animal companion should stay inside at least from December to March. Take them out for walks and playtime, but don’t leave them outside when the temperatures drop.

Your pet might prefer to spend time outdoors, though, especially if you have a big garden. Introducing sufficient shelter space is your go-to solution.

For example, the best outdoor cat house will be big enough for comfortable movement but small enough to maintain body heat. The same goes for pups.

Tip #2: Consider the Food-Activity Ratio

Like people, animals aren’t as active when it’s cold outside. So, you might need to adjust their food intake to ensure adequate nutrition.

The changes can go both ways. You might have a puppy who loves snow and going out several times a day. In this case, up their intake to make up for the energy loss.

On the other hand, some pets avoid going out during the winter months. So, they should consume fewer calories. If you’re worried your animal isn’t getting enough activity, you could:

  • Spread meals around the house
  • Throw snacks for them to catch down the hall
  • Introduce mobile food-dispensing toys

Mixing it up a bit can help with their motivation to eat and move.

Tip #3: Check Their Paws

Tails, ears, and legs are the areas of dogs’ and cats’ bodies most susceptible to frostbite. You can’t do much for ears and tails except for keeping the walks short and during daylight hours. However, putting on boots provides some welcome warmth.

Plus, both these animals lick their paws. If they stepped into a harmful chemical such as a deicer, they could get sick after touching it. If footwear isn’t an option, at least wipe the paws with a warm towel when you come back home.

Tip #4: Don’t Bathe Them as Often

Bathing dries out the skin in people and pets alike. While you can mitigate the effects with moisturizer, your companion doesn’t get to enjoy the same luxury.

Don’t cut out baths altogether, but reduce their frequency to help them avoid dry skin discomfort. You could explore alternative cleaning methods or find a shampoo with extra moisturizing features to balance cleanliness and comfort.

Tip #5: Keep Them Leashed

Even if your regular outings don’t include a leash, in wintertime, they should. For one, your dog could run out in the snow, and it’ll be much harder to locate it. Plus, snowfall can disguise recognizable scents that a pet would typically use to find its way home.

Additionally, make sure that your microchips and collar are up-to-date if they do run away so they could more quickly and easily return to safety.

Tip #6: Remove Hazards

Finally, the snowfall is home to many potential hazards for animals. Clean up spills and shovel snow from your backyard. When you take your dog or cat outside, keep an eye out for antifreeze, rough terrain, and hidden debris on the ground.

It might make walks mentally straining, but it’s worth avoiding the health risks that come with these outdoor threats.

Safety First

As long as you keep these tips in mind and apply them for every walk, bath, and feeding session, your pet will be happy and healthy once the snow melts.

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4 Things You Should Do Before 40

Even though there’s no exact age when everybody feels like they suddenly become a grown-up, 40 seems to be an age that most people consider you should start to have your life together. At age 40, you should have already established a job, attained life skills like how to balance your checkbook, and hopefully know how to look after your hygiene.

However, in addition to these basic accomplishments that you should have ticked off by 40, you should also make sure that you have mastered these things too.

Write a Will

Even though you may not want to believe that anything can happen to you, the truth is that things can come up. If you don’t leave an estate plan, then you’ll be leaving everything you own in the hands of the courts. A common misconception is that your assets will go to your next of kin. Unfortunately, this isn’t always automatically guaranteed. An estate plan is essential for ensuring that what you own goes to the people you want it to.

Establish a Sleep Schedule

When you’re younger, it’s normal to have a busy social life and find yourself less susceptible to fatigue after a long night out. However, the older that you get, the more critical that sleep becomes. It’s important that you establish a regular sleep schedule to get your body functioning as it should be. Exhaustion doesn’t just wear on your mental health but also on your immune system. Ideally, you should go to bed as early as possible and wake up as early as possible.

Learn How To Small Talk

It’s not unusual to find yourself in your younger years struggling to find a way to fill dead air when meeting people you don’t know. However, making small talk is one of the best life skills you can develop. You never know who you can meet along the way, and knowing how to put yourself outside of your comfort zone is a fantastic skill to have. If you’re not sure how to get started, try asking questions.

Stay Active

Finding a way to stay active will keep your body lean and healthy. Research shows that people who exercise regularly are less likely to develop age-related diseases and even depression. Being active doesn’t necessarily need to mean going to the gym and lifting barbells, either. Staying active can be as simple as walking briskly for 30 minutes a day. The idea is to get your blood pumping and your muscles moving. Since your muscle mass starts to diminish as you get older, you should keep your body as strong as possible. Not to mention, exercise is also a great way to make new friends.