Here are some tips and tricks you can use during your regular day to day activities:

1. To keep your plastic containers from getting stained from tomato based foods, rub the inside with vegetable oil or spray with a little Pam before placing the food in the container.
2. To clean your coffee maker: Pour vinegar into it like when you make coffee but with no filter. Turn the coffee maker on and let it run. Repeat this with a new batch of vinegar until it runs clear of calcium deposits.  Run water through for a few cycles before making your next pot of coffee.
3. For removing ink stains: Ball point pen stains can be removed by using hair spray – let the hair spray dry and wash the item.
4. Use newspaper when you clean your windows instead of paper towels.  You won’t get the usual streaks. 

We have a couple of different methods we use for our security. Neither one is a very good method- but we have what we have. One of our methods of keeping our home secure weighs about 35 pounds and is black, white and brown. She’d love to howl to scare away an intruder. Or maybe wag her tail at the intruder and give him a kiss. So- other than alerting us with her barking she’s not all that effective.

Another method of security that my husband uses is to have a golf club next to his side of the bed. He has been known to tip toe through the house after I heard a noise that scared me. Fortunately there has never been anything or anyone there because I don’t think a golf club would be all that effective.

I guess it’s probably time to invest in a real security system. Now we don’t need a small business security system but if we did- we could get a great deal using ADT to get a system for our business and our home.

For now I think we’ll just look into getting a home security system.  Do you have one?

Is it possible to work from home when you have a toddler in the house?  I know my situation is a little different than most in that both my husband and I work from home.  That does make it a little easier on us because my husband can occasionally keep our toddler occupied while I work.  But, for the most part, most of the taking care of the toddler falls on me.  So, I have come up with a few tips that work for me to be able to get my work done while keeping our toddler happy.

1. Have a schedule, but keep it flexible.  With your schedule you need to make sure to have time for several little breaks.  Stop your work and play with your toddler for 15 minutes or so, giving your undivided attention to your child.
2. Have special toys that your child can play with while you are working.  Only bring these toys out while you are working so your child does not bored with those toys.
3. Give your toddler special jobs to do.  My toddler always opens the mail for me.  She loves to do it and it’s good for fine motor skills.
4. I try to do as much communication as possible through email.  That way if my first chance to respond to someone is at 11pm, that’s okay.  A phone call at that time is not okay. Or use a mass notification system.
5. Do your housework- dishes, laundry, dusting, vacuuming while your toddler is awake.  My toddler loves to help with these jobs.  I give her a dusting cloth and she works right along side of me.  Then when she takes her nap and goes to bed I can get my computer work done.
6. Keep in mind what really matters.  Your clients or your child?  Seems pretty obvious right?  In a few years your child will be off to school and busy with friends most of the time.  So, make sure to get lots of quality time in now, while your child still wants to be with you.