Tackling Fleas & Tapeworm with #SentinelSpectrum

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Krissyar

This post is sponsored by Virbac® SENTINEL® SPECTRUM® and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help create awareness about protection against common parasites found in dogs but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. More information about SENTINEL SPECTRUM. Virbac is not responsible for the content of this article.

We’ve talked recently about protecting your pets from parasites and fleas, keeping them healthy and happy. This time I wanted to focus on 2 of the most common frustrating issues when dealing with your pets – fleas and tapeworms.

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Relationship Between Fleas and Tapeworms
Fleas play a very important role in the reproduction of tapeworms. The adult form of a tapeworm (the dipylidium caninum) live in the small intestines of dogs and cats . The worm is made up of multiple segments – imagine the little toy worms that we used to play with as kids – with detachable parts that we put together , you know the different colors with interlocks – anyway, one by one the segments, full of eggs, are passed in their poo. While warm the segments are active but when they dry up they break open and the eggs are exposed. Flea larva eat the tapeworms segmented eggs (yuck right?!) The flea larva then develops into a flea (carrying that icky tapeworm segments in it). When a cat or dog eat the flea (usually when they are grooming, or biting at their skin to stop the flea from biting) the egg develops into the tapeworm, and well, the whole horrible cycle starts all over again.

Treatment
To treat your dog for tapeworms, you need a good medication that will kill the tapeworm. Of course you also want to control the flea problem as well, because if they have fleas, then of course they are more likely to get reinfected with the tapeworm (vicious cycle of life!)

SENTINEL® SPECTRUM® gives you protection for your best friend for 6 parasites – all in one chew. Fleas, tapeworm, heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm.

Your dog needs year round protection from these pesky parasites – and thats why SENTINEL® SPECTRUM® could be exactly what your dog needs (check with your your veterinarian to see if SENTINEL® SPECTRUM® is right for your dog).

Save money – get your rebate here!

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Afraid you might forget? Sign up to get monthly email/text reminders so you’re pet is always protected!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Virbac® SENTINEL® SPECTRUM®. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Posted in Pets, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Creative Ways to Teach Safety to Your Little One with Dumb Ways Jr

Posted on June 12, 2016 by Krissyar

This post is sponsored by Dumb Ways JR and The Motherhood.

A few years ago Dumb Ways to Die hit the internet by storm – teaching and encouraging safety around trains, train stations and crossings. Entertaining enough to be made into a blockbuster, Dumb Ways to Die gets the point across – with enough blood and gore to make it real.

Fast forward to 2016 – what about the little ones? They need to learn the right behavior early right? Dumb Ways Jr introduces safety in an educational age-appropriate way for the younger audience (ages 3-7 yrs old). Without the blood and gore, Dumb Ways Jr is just as much fun as the original, but more appropriate for little eyes.

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Dumb Ways Jr focuses on 4 counterparts which makes this app so successful (and fun!)

Child- Centered Design:
create and explore different outcomes on different uses of the app
they are making their own ‘destiny’ on the game – directing the pay
Playful exploration and problem solving
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Multi-sensory & multi-modal elements
appeals to a range of senses – gestures, audio, images and animations.

Challenge: 
The app provides an appropriate level of challenge so they can develop a sense of accomplishment. Creating narratives and games using the provided platform, constructing and deconstructing tasks

Humor:
The app aims to appeal to the children’s sense of humor with the engagement of the silly and fun characters.

They do all this is the two great new Apps – Loopy’s Train Set and Boffo’s Breakfast.

Dumb Ways JR Boffo’s Breakfast

In Boffo’s Breakfast, Boffo (the younger version of one of the characters in the original Dumb Ways to Die video) is hungry, and your child playing the app, is his personal chef. They can make him breakfast by chopping and grating ingredients. They can also add messy items like eggs and milk, stir it up, and cook it as well as add seasonings, and then serve their meal to Boffo. The more bizarre and fun the creations, the better!

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The app helps your kids use their imagination – and create endless food mash-ups for Boffo!

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Watch Boffo’s reactions when he bites into the different combinations – weird ingredients, or something spicy – kids think its hilarious when he makes a face! The kids can create fun meals from over 20 different ingredients which teach them about food combos and experiments! They learn kitchen safety while they are cooking as well – watch Boffo get worried when they heat is too high on the stove!

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Download Boffo’s Breakfast on Apple devices here and Google devices here.

Dumb Ways JR Loopy’s Train Set

Following it’s senior, the Dumb Ways Jr follows in the foot steps of Dumb Ways to Die with train safety. Trains are loved by both the young and old, and this app is centered around all things train!

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In Loopy’s Train Set players can choose from 2 modes: drive or build. In the drive mode the kids can interact using onscreen controllers to drive Loopy’s train around an already built track. It helps encourage kids to create their own narrative as passengers board and exit – they can also select the trains speed and they also have more ways to alter the route on the way to their destination.

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In Build mode (which is my son’s favorite) the kids are the makers. They create their own track by connecting and arranging different-shaped pieces of the track. They can add items to make it even more fun like houses, trees, and animals. After they build, they can drive the train along their own personalized track!

Kids learn various aspects of train safety – like how they cannot cross the tracks when the boom gates come down as the train is approaching.

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Download Loopy’s Train Set on an Apple device here and on a Google Android device here.

I was soo excited to download these apps for my son to play – especially since we have a lonngg road-trip coming in the next few weeks. This will be a great way to keep him distracted (maybe I’ll hear less “are we there yet” coming from him)!

 

 

 

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Tips to Improve Your Credit Score

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Krissyar

Trying to improve your credit score can be a bit overwhelming -but it’s possible, you just have to remember that repairing a bad credit score is like trying to lose weight. It takes time, and there’s no quick-fix! The best way to rebuild your credit is to realize it takes time; and that it’s a constant effort.

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Pay Your Bills on Time – Easiest and most effective way to improve your credit. If you can’t pay, don’t just ignore it. Call and make arrangements to avoid going in collections and having it reported on your credit.credit

Don’t close unused credit cards as a short-term strategy to raise your scores – unless you can’t keep your hands off a no balance card and you have to spend; avoid cancelling cards that you’ve paid off. Creditors like to see you have some self-control and you can have credit it but not use it. 

Pay off Debt – whether its a doctor’s bill, credit card, or cable bill, if its a bill or collections within the last 3 years take care of it. Bad debt takes 7 years to fall off so paying off your collections and debt is the best way to improve your credit over the long term.

No Credit Cards? Get One. If you have bad credit and no credit cards you need to get one! Don’t go crazy, but this will help your efforts in improving your credit score quite a bit. Try these best credit cards if you have bad credit.

Keep balances low on credit cards and other ‘revolving credit’ – pretty much only buy what you can pay for in cash while you are trying to improve your credit rating. Credit card debt piles up quick, and this can make your sink hole sink you even quicker. Start with your lowest balance and pay as much as you can afford on that one (while paying minimums on your other cards) until it’s paid off. Then work on the next lowest, and so forth. The snowball effect can definitely help improve your credit score.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What Can I Clean with a Degreaser Besides My Oven??

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Krissyar

I’ve had many people ask me why I buy a separate cleaner just for de-greasing – and what I actually use it for besides my oven. You’d be surprised where this ‘kitchen’ cleaner can be used – and how convenient it can be. It’s not just for ovens anymore!

Kitchen:
Counter tops. Refrigerators.
Greasy stoves. Sinks.
Range hoods. Floors.

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Bathroom:
Toilets. Tub & tile.
Soap scum. Shower curtains.
Garbage cans. Shower stalls.

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Laundry:
Grease stains. Blood stains.
Ink stains. Grass stains.
Pet stains. Oil stains.

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Outdoor:
Patio:
Grills. Garden Equipment.
Furniture. Coolers.
Deck Wash. Awnings/Mats.

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Garage:
Auto parts. Lawn equipment.
Tires. Sports gear.
Boats. Filters.

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Recreation:
RV’s. Boats.
ATV’s. Camping gear.
Helmets. Sports equipment.

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Check out other Mean Green products such as mildew destroyer, orange champ, and anti-bacterial multi-surface cleaners.

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Posted in Cleaning & Organizing | Leave a comment

Four Steps to Finding the Best Tablet

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Krissyar

The huge boom in tablet sales has evolved from Apple dominating the market with the iPad to practically every electronics company producing them. While this does mean that there is more variety and selection, it also makes it harder to decide which one to buy and how to identify the lesser quality gadgets. If you are buying one for the first time, you might find it very different than buying a laptop or a desktop computer. Even if you have bought and used similar electronics before, it can still be difficult to decide which one of the many models available on the shelves and online is the best one for you and which will work the best. This quick guide will help you decide which device to buy, one that will work perfectly for your needs.

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1. Identify Your Needs
Not all machines are made the same, so the only way that you can decide what you should be looking for is to find what you need from yours. Making a list that you can use as a reference when browsing retail websites is one ideal method. Will you be needing a smaller tablet for easier transport or increased storage space for photos and videos? There are plenty of quizzes and flowcharts online, such as this one from SelectSmart, which can help you identify which make and model you should buy, or even if you would be better off with a laptop or desktop computer. It will even make some suggestions for you. Just ensure that the quiz you choose is up to date so you don’t miss out on the more recent models.
2. Read Reviews
You should have a few options to consider now. The next step is to check out some reliable online reviews to find out how well these devices work and if they have met the needs of other users. Both professional reviews from tech websites and customer reviews from Amazon and other retail websites will be useful. The former gives a more technical overview from knowledgeable technology writers while the latter will provide honest reviews from users. Check out some tech reviews from PC Mag to start you off and keep your objective eyes open.
3. Select Your Hardware
By now, you have probably started browsing tablets for sale from DailySale and other retailers. Look carefully at all of the specs at the devices you are considering. The hardware and software you choose will be the most important decision in buying your device. You need to ensure that the one you choose is up to date, as it can cost extra money to upgrade. It should also have all of the software you will be requiring on a regular basis. For instance, if you will be using your tablet to catch up on work, then you need to ensure it includes the latest version of Microsoft Word. If you want to play games and watch movies, you will need a decent graphics card and sound card, a strong wireless internet signal, and long battery life. It is also worth considering what additional accessories you will need, such as a case or stylus, as the cost of these will need to be added to your total budget.
4. Find the Best Value
Now that have reduced your choices down to a few options, it is time to decide if they are good value for money and make the most of your budget. There are plenty of budget tablets available which contain only the basic functions. These are ideal if you only need to check your e-mail and update a few documents on the move. Previous years’ models and second hand devices are also cheaper options that can still work for some people’s needs. However, you need to ensure that the cheaper price tag does not mean that you will be getting a device that does not work properly or will break and need replacing within just a few months. Buying second hand unit can also be risky, as there may be a defect that the seller will not tell you about.
The opposite can happen as well. Some of the more expensive machines contain the same features and hardware as the slightly cheaper options. These could also be luxuries you won’t need often and aren’t worth the higher price. Be sure to compare prices and not go straight for the cheapest or the most expensive available option right away.

Deciding on the right tablet for the best price can take a little time and effort, but it doesn’t have to be too complicated. Following these steps, taking all of your needs into consideration, and spending a little time browsing can help you find the best device for you without the headache of repairs or replacements.

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