3 Signs Your AC Unit Needs Professional Attention

Most people can't get through a summer day without air conditioning. Personally, I like hot weather, but it seems I'm in the minority. Those of you who like and depend on your air conditioning expect instant cooling relief when you walk through your front door. And if you're not feeling that, you quickly realize that something might be wrong - and probably start to panic.

If you’re unsure whether it’s time to call out an HVAC technician Harris County TX, here are three signs that your HVAC unit may be ready to call it quits.

1. It’s Making Strange Sounds - A low humming noise is a perfectly normal sound to come from an AC unit. Anything else, however, is not. While rattling can be easily explained away by something coming loose inside (which may or may not be harmless), clunking and grinding sounds are always going to indicate a serious problem.
      
2. It’s Not Blowing out Cold Air - As obvious as this may seem, it may take some time before you realize that you’re not just experiencing a scorching hot day and, instead, your air conditioning unit simply isn’t performing as it should. Keep an eye on how long your AC has been running; if you’ve had it on for longer than 10 minutes and the air still isn’t chill, you could have a problem on your hands.
     
3. It’s Giving off a Bad Smell - An AC unit should never give off any strong odors, so a clear sign something is wrong is if yours starts to do so. A musty smell could be a sign you have a mold issue, and you must get a professional to clean it otherwise you’re at risk of breathing in poisonous spores. If the smell is pretty foul, it could mean the wires have burned out, in which case you need to get it fixed straight away to avoid a fire hazard.

The most important thing to remember is never try to fix your AC unit yourself. Electrical repairs can be complicated (and dangerous). Stay safe and always call in a professional.

Three Alternatives to Airport Parking

Travel can be expensive, and parking at the airport can add significant expense to your travel costs. You also need to factor in the additional time and exertion to get to the terminal while towing luggage. You'll also be leaving your vehicle in an exposed lot for several days while you're gone, and there is always the risk of damage or theft. That is definitely not the way you want to end your trip!

Consider one of these alternatives:

• Public Transit - If public transit such as buses or trains is available, consider using that to get to your preferred location of departure. Mass transit can be a very economical alternative to airport parking. The local bus or train schedule may not match up perfectly with your flight times, so you will need to factor additional time and effort if you go this route. And if you have a lot of luggage, this may not be the ideal option for you.
   
• Shuttles and Ride Sharing - Shuttles and other transportation services can be a superior choice. A Houston to Galveston shuttle bus can save money and reduce the stress of parking and traveling to and from the terminal. Other choices for ground transportation include taxi and limo services which are available at most airports. Rideshare businesses such as Uber and Lyft may have available drivers nearby. Watch for price surges during busy times of the day such as morning and evening rush hours.
   
• Friendly Chauffeur Option - Having a loved one drop off or pick up is probably the cheapest and most convenient option. You may be obligated to return the favor with a meal, gas money or some other offer. A drop-off or pickup at the terminal is the ultimate in convenience as it saves you the effort of walking to a parking space, especially while schlepping luggage. This is especially helpful if you're someone like me who has yet to figure out how to pack light.

The idea of leaving your car in a public place for a few days might not be appealing. Reduce your stress and stop your worrying. Consider these options to airport parking that offer the benefits of convenience and potential savings.

Get Your Library Card and You Could Win $100

Library cards are some of the handiest things on the planet. With your library card, you have access to so many great things - books, magazines, movies, music, and so much more. Don't have a computer or internet access at home? Visit your local library! Looking for fun activities with new friends? Again, visit your local library!

Best of all, you get access to all these things for free. Just show your library card.

September is Library Card Signup Month, and to help spread the word, the American Library Association is hosting a giveaway. Just post a picture of you and your library card with the hashtag #GetLibraryCarded to Instagram or Twitter, and you could win $100. Don't have a library card? Head on down to your local library and get signed up!

Help us spread the word about the value of libraries this September by snapping a picture with your library card and posting it to Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #GetLibraryCarded. You'll be automatically entered in a drawing to win a $100 Visa gift card! Entries can also be submitted by posting as a comment or wall post on the I Love Libraries Facebook page.
Don't forget to cover up any personally identifiable information!
The promotion begins Sunday, September 1 at noon CT and ends Sunday, September 22 at noon CT. Librarians and library lovers are encouraged to participate.
The #GetLibraryCarded Promotion is open to residents of the United States, Washington, D.C., and U.S. Territories. Employees of the American Library Association are not eligible to participate. Official rules (pdf)

Caring For Your Hardwood Floors

Shortly after we moved into this house, we tore out the carpet in the downstairs and replaced it with hardwood floors. I love them, but taking care of them and keeping them clean is a bit different than the carpet I've always had. If you are lucky enough to live in a home with hardwood flooring, you know that proper cleaning is essential. You'll want to take the steps necessary to keep the wood looking its best. Here’s how to properly care for your Provenza old world flooring.

• Daily Dust 
  Don’t blanch at the idea of cleaning your floors daily – a simple, two-minute dusting is all you need. A soft-bristled broom or microfiber cloth will keep the wood free of debris that can build up and make more work for you should you put this task off. My daughter recently got me a robot vacuum, and while I don't run it every day, I do run it more often than I ever managed to run the dust mop, and it really makes a difference.
• Weekly Mop 
  A bucket of warm water and a bit of dish or castile soap is all you need to mop your hardwood floors. Avoid using vinegar, which can dull your floor’s shine throughout the years. An oil-based cleaner is also something to stay away from, as it can be very slippery and dangerous in high-traffic areas.
• Monthly Polish 
  A monthly or even bi-monthly polish is a great way to care for the finish that protects the hardwood. A special polish and flat-surface mop will help even out the floor and fill in tiny scratches and holes. Using area rugs and mats can also help protect the surface and avoid significant wear and tear.
• Bi-Yearly Refinishing 
  Depending on the kind of floors you have, it can also be a good idea to have your hardwood floors sanded and refinished every few years. This will strip the old finish and remove any deep gouges, and replace it with a new, shiny finish. You can also take this opportunity to have the wood stained if you’re looking to experiment with a new color or are remodeling a certain room.

If you commit to caring for your hardwood floors from the very beginning, you will be able to enjoy their classic beauty for many years.

Getting Consistency Out of Your Thermostat

Whether it’s a workspace or your personal residence, being too hot or too cold can interrupt your productivity and comfort levels. Even with a thermostat that is set to your desired temperature, you might find that you feel periods of hot or cold as the weather fluctuates outside. This isn’t your imagination, as there are several things that can influence the efficiency of your heating and air system.

• Dirty Equipment - As the parts and elements of your system get coated with dirt, that dirt can interfere with how well the parts rotate, turn, or interact. Look into getting an HVAC service contract Chicago IL with a local company. Regular maintenance before each major heating and cooling season can help eliminate some of this extra buildup and keep your equipment operating at optimum efficiency.
• Clogged Filters - The air filters in the building can get clogged with dust which can limit the clean airflow out of the system. When it is forced to flow backward into the unit, the trapped air lowers the operating temperature. If this is left unresolved, the unit can freeze and seize up. Ice forming on the coils is a sign that there is a serious issue with airflow.
• Worn Equipment - When your environment experiences extreme highs and lows in temperature, your HVAC unit can see a lot of use. The condensing fan motor is one of the components that is continually exposed to the elements and will wear down over time. Another reason your unit might not be outputting the way your thermostat demands is a refrigerant problem. Over time, a small leak may develop in the evaporator coil, the copper lines, or the air conditioning unit itself. This would mean your unit continually runs but without releasing cool air.

If you want to maintain cool temperatures in summer and heat in winter, taking care of your HVAC unit and components is the place to start. If you aren’t familiar with the different areas that need attention, schedule a maintenance visit with your local professionals.

Before Baby Makes Three

Getting pregnant is a life-changing event that requires thoughtful planning. If you and your husband are considering starting a family, think about life before, during, and after pregnancy and birth. Consider every factor in every stage of the process; pregnancy is only the first step!

• Arrival and Newborn Baby - The practical questions need to be discussed before you actually bring a child into the world - before you even get pregnant. Pregnancy is just the beginning, and then the real work begins. Can you afford to raise a child? Is there space in your home, your schedule, and your life for a newborn? 
• These answers are not always easy when you’re being completely honest with yourself, but they’re worth asking. Your life is no longer your own when you become a parent, so are you willing to put aside your free time and your sleep patterns? The benefits are definitely worth it, but are you willing to make the sacrifices?
• Getting Pregnant - Before finding a birthing center San Antonio, you need to talk to your doctor about the possibility of pregnancy. Other preexisting medical conditions might play a role in your ability to get pregnant or carry a baby to term, or you might simply have concerns to address. Speak to your GP before deciding to go off birth control, or perhaps schedule a special discussion appointment and bring your husband along. Knowledge is power!
• Pregnancy - Your body will go through massive changes once you’ve conceived, so stay up-to-date on milestones and what you should be feeling during each trimester. Do research on everything: How big baby will be at specific times; what side effects you should be feeling; and what changes you can expect physically and mentally.
• Your OBGYN is the best person to discuss these with, but in the meantime, it can be fun to see progress on your own with pregnancy apps. 

Having a baby is one of the most personal choices that you can make, but making an informed decision is never a waste of time. Consider every aspect of parenthood and decide if it’s something that you and your husband are truly ready for.

Camp Outreach 2019

For the past 5 years, I've been spending a week every summer serving at Camp Outreach. Here's a video of pictures taken this year. I even show up a time or two.



Camp Outreach is a missionary camp focused on improving the lives of those living in the inner-city neighborhood of Stingtown Indianapolis and working on the hearts of those young and old who volunteer to serve in the community. 2019 was a great year for Camp and we can't wait for next year!

How To Avoid Carpet Cleaning Conundrums

Have your kids been running through the house tracking mud and dirt across the carpet? Do you have pets that maybe did not have the cleanest paws when coming back from a trip outdoors? Have you simply just lived in your house for more than a year? Then it is probably time for you to get look into carpet cleaning College Station. But do not just call anyone to do the job. A few factors go into finding the company who can do the job right.

Why Not Clean Them Yourself?
You can rent carpet cleaning machines to do it yourself. This, however, means that you need to move the heavy, cumbersome machine around your house, moving furniture and trying to get the carpets cleaned and free from stains. They usually do not clean as effectively or dry as well as the professional machines.

Look for Companies With Licensed Technicians
Make sure the company you use has licensed technicians who know what they are doing. You also want to find companies that have the experience and trust needed to get your carpets cleaned right.

Decide Which Process You Want
Carpet cleaning is not all the same process. Wet carpet cleaning takes a significant time to dry. Dry treatments allow you to walk on your carpets immediately after treatment. Other treatments use “green” cleaning products. All will work, but you will want to research them to find what works best for your family.

Find Reviews
Ask your neighbors, family, and friends about who they use to clean their carpets. Also consider going further and looking on service review sites and the company’s site to see what other customers have said about their experience.

When it comes to carpet cleaning, do not just go with the cheapest service. Do your research and find the one that works best for your needs and your family.

3 Steps to Achieving a Minimalist Bathroom

Your bathroom sees constant foot traffic. Juggling a full-time job, kids, pets, and a laundry list of to-dos (of which, "laundry" is one) can see you whooshing from bed to bath and out the door. However, a bathroom should be a place where you can pause and enjoy a bit of relaxation. Going for a minimalist bathroom (if going minimalist everywhere else seems insurmountable) can help lend order and organization to an otherwise hectic day.

Here are 3 steps to achieving a minimalist bathroom:

1. Go Linear - Clean lines are refreshing to the eye in the midst of chaos. Most likely, your bathroom already came with these: countertop, cabinetry, the tile work lining your floors and shower walls. However, you can add or subtract lines to make for a more visually appealing space. Consider frameless shower doors West Palm Beach for your next home improvement project; unfettering your shower doors can lend a floating glass effect and because your eye can travel across the panes completely unimpeded, can make the barrier appear invisible and your bathroom seem larger.
    
2. Clear the Counters - Clutter can cause road bumps in your daily life. Allow yourself to be greeted by a sleek bathroom vanity by turning your personal care products into stowaways. By keeping only the essentials in the open (toothbrushes, hand soap, etc.), you have a blank workspace that is both inviting and easy to wipe down and clean. Invest in organizers or re-purpose containers for "his and her" baskets and bath time caddies for the kids; keep these stashed below deck and you can bask in a tidy, functional bathroom during every visit.
    
3. Re-Think Light - Lighting is worth re-tooling because of its impact on the overall ambiance. Consider whether traditional wall sconces and vanity bulbs could be replaced by overhead recessed lighting or an interesting globe chandelier. Decide what would be most flattering or soothing and watch the language of your bathroom change.

Design your bathroom to be a reprieve in your day. Using these ideas, you can achieve a space that will feel like a breath of fresh air.

Next Level Breakfast Recipes

I'm more of a yogurt and granola type, but when Jeffrey sent me this video I couldn't help but enjoy it. I think most of these would be a bit sweet for me, but I love the creativity. It does help that he's using Prairie Farms flavored milks.


Do you have any favorite cereal/milk mixtures?

3 Ways To Keep Outside Activities Safe

While outside activities can take place at any time of the year, they are more common during the summer months. It's a good idea to prepare your yard, your family members and your activities in advance in order to keep your family safe.


Protect From Ticks and Mosquitoes
This is a big one, because not only are these little critters annoying, they can also carry serious diseases. There are many ways that you can protect your family and your yard from ticks and mosquitoes, and the diseases they can bring, even some which are organic mosquito control methods. These can be applied to your yard as a whole or to you and your family. Some of the ones you can put in your yard will be easier to use, especially if you would rather not chase the children around with sprays or lotions.

Dress Appropriately
Whether you are engaging in summer or winter outdoor activities, you will want to dress for both the activity and the weather. This means swimsuits and sunblock for summer swimming and heavy coats and boots for building snowmen. Wearing too many heavy layers in the summer can result in heat stroke or heat exhaustion, so can not finding enough shade or water on a hot day.

Have the Right Gear
A big factor in safety is the gear designed to protect you from falls, slips, and bumps. This means well-fitting helmets for riding bikes or scooters, safety tethers for wakeboards and surfing or even GPS locators for skiing. You can find lists of recommended gear, safety or otherwise, for each activity online to know what to pack and what to look for.

When you protect your family from ticks and mosquitoes, dress appropriately for the weather and activity, and have the right safety gear, you can spend more of your time having fun and less time taking care of injuries. With a little research, you can find the best protection for almost any activity you want to do with your family.

Three Tips for Staying Organized During Pregnancy

If you're a woman who's experiencing her first pregnancy, you might experience what many women affectionately call "pregnancy brain" where you forget a lot. There are so many pressing matters to take care of during your pregnancy, and you don't want to accidentally forget to take care of some of the most important tasks. Here are some tips to help you make sure everything is taken care of.

1. Write everything down.
   If you're someone who loves to use a planner or a pretty notepad, carry it in your purse at all times. Just like you wouldn't go anywhere without your car keys, don't go anywhere without your planner. If you prefer to go the digital route, that's totally fine as well. You can opt to use your digital planner or calendar to write down all of your important tasks. There are some apps that will allow you to sync portions of your calendar with your partner or anyone else who's relying on you for certain responsibilities.
    
2. Make time for breaks.
   If you know that a visit to your licensed birth center tampa bay will leave you wanting a nap afterward, don't schedule anything for a few hours after that appointment. Don't overschedule yourself. You'll only end up feeling extremely stressed out, which isn't good for you or your baby. Instead, make time for breaks. It's also great to consider how you feel at any given moment. If you're cleaning the kitchen and feel a bit winded, take a break for a twenty minutes to sit down and take a few deep breaths.
    
3. Work until something is done.
   Even though this tip might seem like the opposite of taking breaks, it's not. Don't be afraid to live your life as a pregnant woman. Yes, it's important to take breaks and be mindful of your health. However, it's okay to still work hard and get things done. If you were already lifting weights and exercising before you got pregnant, don't stop now. With the right recommendations from your birthing professionals, you'll be just fine. Granted, if you run into complications and need to be on bed rest, this is not optional. If you've been cleared by your doctor to move forward, it's okay to work until you've completed a task.

In all honesty, I think these tips could be applied by anyone - whether you're pregnant or not. It's a tough job getting and keeping organized, and any help is welcome.

Or Just Get a Cat

I saw this on Good Morning America this morning - apparently Cow Cuddling is a thing. For only $75 per hour, you too can hug a cow.

"Cows lie down much more than horses," she said. "They get very quiet and soft. Just sitting with them makes people go quiet too."

Hey, my cat gets quiet and soft too. I can sit quietly with her - and it doesn't cost me $75 per hour.

How about you? Wanna cuddle a cow? Or does it make more sense to just cuddle your cat? Or your dog?

Fixing Common Issues in Modern Swimming Pools

Statistics indicate that the United States is home to some 10.5 million swimming pools reserved for private, household use and about 310,000 public swimming pools. People like swimming in pools as compared to other bodies of waters, including streams, lakes, and rivers because the environment is controlled and many times safer. Plus, swimmers can actually see through pools' crystal-clear water, something that they don't get the chance to do when in rivers, ponds, lakes, or streams. Maintaining modern pools takes a little bit of know-how and elbow grease. Check out these common problems with modern pools, as well as how to fix them. 

Green, Dark, Slippery Spots

In most cases, when your pool is faced with green, dark, or slippery spots - including patches that exhibit all three of these characteristics - algae growth is most likely to blame. Get your hands on some calcium hypochlorite and sprinkle a small handful of the calcium hypochlorite crystals directly onto the spots.

Keep in mind that calcium hypochlorite also works for taking algae spots off of wooden decks.

Eyes Hurting While in the Pool? 

Humans obviously don't often open their eyes underwater. As such, when people do allow a body of water to come directly in contact with their eyeballs, they experience weird, one-of-a-kind sensations and are also susceptible to pain or discomfort.

If your eyes are hurting while swimming, it's most likely that the potential hydrogen level of the pool's water, also known as the pH level, is not where it's supposed to be. Put chlorine in the pool until it measures at a pH level of precisely 7.8. Also, the chlorine residual should range between 0.4 and 0.6 parts per million.

Experiencing Green Water?

If your pool's water is green, you might have to break out the elbow grease and shock, pump, brush, and filter the pool.

Although you have to treat Pool heaters Pittsburgh with care in order for them to work well and last very long, they're worth it. Make sure your chemicals are right and you'll be good to go.

Small-Budget Kitchen Improvements

I think the kitchen is the most important room in the house. That was one of the main selling points for this house and one of the biggest reasons we chose it. Obviously, there were other reasons, but knowing that the kitchen was good just the way it was and that we wouldn't have to (eventually) remodel the whole thing was a big plus.

Of course, if your kitchen is less than ideal, there are some things you can do to update it. Without spending a fortune.

• Decorate - it may seem that your kitchen has enough stuff in it with all the appliances and other items necessary for preparing food, so you may not think about adding more stuff in the form of decor. Start with a few decorations and things that make you happy and see how it boosts your mood. 
• Even something as simple as a nice clock can make a bold statement in your kitchen, while also being functional. PenduLux clocks are a great choice thanks to a wide selection of handmade items to choose from.
• Your kitchen is supposed to be a happy place. If it no longer feels like that, changing the color on the walls may be the perfect antidote. The cheeriness of a new color will rub off on you and make you smile every time you see it. Like the way we changed our kitchen walls from blue to green shortly after we moved in. The green still makes me happy.
• You use dish towels and cloths every day, so why not make them more fun? Buy kitchen linens in bright colors and patterns to help boost your mood and creativity. Even when you're not using them, they'll add a cheery splash of color draped over your drainer or hanging from your oven door.
• Change up Cabinetry - whether or not you have the funds for a full kitchen renovation, making changes to existing cabinetry can be a cheaper option.
• If the bones of your kitchen cabinets are still viable, give them a good cleaning and a fresh paint job. Sometimes a different shade makes a huge change.
• Replace hardware. Even something as simple as a hinge can make your cabinets look instantly more updated.
• If you have the space, tear out a small section of cabinetry and replace it with open shelving. Open shelves can be a lovely spot for displaying hard-to-store things like cake platters.

Kitchen improvements don’t have to be dramatic to create an impact in your home. Invest in the changes to your kitchen that make you happiest.

The most important tip of all is to fill your kitchen with the people you love.
Grandchildren make the best kitchen decoration!

Summer Reading

 

Do you have a plan for your summer reading? I signed up for the summer reading program at the local library, which starts June 1st, but as far as I can tell, it's just about keeping track of how much time I spend reading and then entering to win prizes. I like winning stuff, but I'm horrible at keeping track of my reading time. I just read. Whenever I can squeeze in some time. And I pretty much just read whatever catches my eye - though I am determined to finish Stephen King's Dark Tower series this year (just 2 books to go, and I'm enjoying it just as much this time as I did the first time through).

The main difference between my summer reading and my rest-of-the-year reading is that I need some 'real' books for summer so I can read them outside in the sunshine. The Kindle doesn't do so well in bright sunshine, but for any other time, I like it a lot more than I thought I would.

But what has me thinking about summer reading is this Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge. It looks pretty interesting and a good way to expand your reading horizons - especially good if you tend to read a lot of the same type of books, or books by the same author. I'm not sure if the intent is to check off every prompt on the list, or if you're just supposed to use them as a nudge to try something new.

Me, I'll probably use them as a nudge to try something new. Or I'll approach it from the backside and see how the books I'm already reading anyway fit into the checklist. I'm guessing that it doesn't really matter too much. As long as you're reading.

But, of course, I can't imagine not reading.

The Whole Thing Makes Me Sick

Somehow I got on this email list. I pretty much disagree with everything they send out, or at least the ones I actually read. (I tend to just delete most of the emails) But I do occasionally read them, just to see what they're trying to say. This one I pretty much read with my mouth hanging open. There is just no part of my brain that understands the rabid need so many women have to defend their 'right' to kill their unborn children. How did we even get to such a place?

Their argument is that taking away this right to 'manage how many children we have and when we have them' is an outright war on women; it's 'not about abortion' but an attack on a woman's right to choose. Seems to me they've been waging a war on their own babies for years - and that seems far worse on every level. Why don't they exercise that right to choose in a timely manner - before there's another life involved? You want to choose 'when and how many children to have' (which sounds an awful lot like they're using abortion as a birth control method, doesn't it?) then choose. You have every right to choose. But choosing should not involve murder. Stop abdicating your responsibility to choose until 'Oops!' there's a baby you just don't want, and if you kill her before she's born you can go on with your life as if nothing ever happened...

And maybe that's what boggles my mind most of all. Why do these women who so desperately want to 'control their own bodies' only seem to be fighting for the right to kill their babies, while ignoring all the points where they really should be making those choices - don't be having sex with random guys, use birth control... Perhaps if we take baby killing off the table, they'll fight harder for the right to make the choices they should be making.

Anyway, here's the email. All emphasis is theirs.

Dear Anna,

Most women who have abortions are already moms.¹ Being able to manage how many children we have and when we have them has been nothing short of revolutionary — not just for women and mothers, but for our country as a whole. It has helped to narrow the gender pay gap, improved the health of women and their families, and led women toward access to increased economic and political power.

Following on the heels of Georgia², Alabama just passed the nation’s most restrictive reproductive healthcare bill that, if allowed to go forward by the courts, would impose criminal penalties on any doctor who performs an abortion, even in the cases of rape and incest. As moms, we know the lifesaving importance of access to reproductive healthcare for ourselves, and we cannot even begin to imagine the horror of a high schooler who has been raped learning that terminating her pregnancy is a criminal action. Despite these horrors, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey immediately signed the bill into law.³

* Join MomsRising in telling every governor that they must protect access to safe abortions and resist the attack on a woman’s right to decide when and how many children to have — or whether to have children at all — which is nothing short of a war on all of us, including mothers and our daughters.

Across the land, other states like Missouri and Louisiana are considering bills designed to provoke the reversal of Roe versus Wade, which protects a woman’s right to choose under the U.S. Constitution. (In good news, some states like New York are passing protections of a woman’s right to choose in response to the bans.)⁴ Ultimately, it’s up to governors to sign them into law. Signing such anti-choice laws signals a governor’s active participation in the war on women that wants to take away our bodily autonomy and our ability to make our own family planning decisions.

This coordinated effort to take away choice and deny reproductive health care involves states with some of the worst health outcomes for women, including high maternal and infant mortality rates.⁵ Politicians who say they value life should advocate for policies to solve the public health crises that are killing women and newborns, not dismantle women’s health care.

Governors must protect women, moms, and families, and stand firm against the attack on a woman’s right to choose, which is nothing short of a war on women.

Make no mistake, this war on mothers and women is not about reducing abortions. If the goal of those who are passing such severely restrictive laws was to avoid abortion, then they'd be passing access to free birth control, which is proven to lower abortion rates,⁶ not setting lifetime imprisonment laws for doctors who help women in need. What's really happening is a direct attack on women and moms having bodily autonomy, economic freedom, and sovereignty in our lives.

Twenty-five million women — that’s one in three women of reproductive age – now live in states in which abortion under any circumstances could be outlawed if the Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade.⁷ And this war on women, mothers, and our daughters particularly harms women in low-income families and communities of color, who face more barriers accessing reproductive healthcare.

Lawmakers should not be attacking women, who are half their constituents. Instead, they should be supporting us by passing paid family/medical leave like every other industrialized nation has done, access to health care including birth control, affordable childcare, equal pay, fair treatment of immigrant families, and an end to the mass incarceration that tears too many families apart — and not a rollback of our rights.

Women are the foundations of families, communities, and the economy. Tell governors to protect women and stand firm against the attack on a woman’s right to choose.

Please forward this email to everyone you know who believes in a woman’s equal right to freedom and her own autonomy, and ask them to sign too.

In solidarity,

- Kristin, Monifa, Gloria, Donna, Elyssa, Felicia, Sili, Tina, Casey, Maggie, and the entire MomsRising/MamásConPoder team

So, apparently, lawmakers should not be attacking women. but women should be allowed to attack the most vulnerable and helpless, killing them with impunity. And they have the nerve to talk about horrors.

Please note, I removed all the links. If you want to support this nonsense, you'll have to look up your own links.

Why Choose an Architect

Oftentimes when you're planning to build a home for your family, your builder will give you a choice of 5 or 6 home designs. You pick one of those, and they build it. If you happen to know a bit about home design, you may be able to tweak the plans a bit to get something that works a little better for your family. Otherwise, your house is built according to the plan, and odds are there are several houses in the neighborhood that are just like yours.

If you'd like something a bit more unique, consider hiring an architect. Here are ten reasons an architect can benefit your new build:

1. Dreams - Architectural design services include trained professionals that can make your dream design into reality.
2. Investment - Your home is often your largest investment, so why not make sure you get what you want in your new build.
3. Weather - A local architect understands weather conditions your home needs to be prepared to protect you from.
4. Original - Working with a design team can let you create an original residence that includes unique areas such as hidden rooms.
5. Green - Earth-friendly architects can help you create a home that is energy efficient and eco-friendly.
6. Value - Working with an architect can assure you are creating a house that is the best value for your dollar.
7. Costs - Construction costs are lower than they have been for several years, so why not take advantage of the savings?
8. Property - If you have an unusual property, an architect can help you design a home that highlights the strengths of the land.
9. Resale - The resale value of a home designed by an architect is often much higher than standard stick-homes.
10. You - You are worth the extra time and effort it takes to find an architect to make your dream dwelling come to life.

If you want someone to help you build the home you visualize, choose an architect. You can be sure he or she will be familiar with the latest technology, roofing fabrics, and building materials. With a trusted design team in place, your dream residence can become a reality.

Had to Share

Shortly after posting that last post on whether to buy wooden or vinyl horse jumps, I came across this video on Facebook. It seemed almost too coincidental, so I just had to share.


Is that wood or vinyl?

When It Comes to Jumping

Whether you keep your own horses at home, have a small training or boarding facility, or run a facility that hosts multiple horse shows a year you want to make smart choices with all your purchases. When adding horse jumps the first question you may have is whether you should invest in wood or vinyl. There are several reasons why wood horse jumps are the best choice.


Training
While some horses are chronic overachievers, many are, like many humans, a little lazy. Using vinyl horse jumps teaches your horse that he doesn't need to respect the jump because it will come down easily at the lightest touch. A few times of this and he will quickly learn he doesn't need to be particularly careful with what he does with his legs when jumping. Hanging his knees or not tucking up tightly has no consequences. These bad habits are more than frustrating, they can prove dangerous as he continues to get more sloppy with his front end, or when he faces a more solidly built fence.

Durability
Another reason you should consider wood horse jumps rather than vinyl is that wood fences are made to last. Wood fences just look good. While vinyl fences may look nice when brand new, they quickly show signs of wear. If damaged, they cannot be repaired but must be replaced. Wood fences are much tougher than vinyl, but even if they are damaged, they can often be repaired. If they start to look a little worn, a fresh coat of paint can have them looking just like new.

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I just finished a very lovely book - The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley - in which the young girl at the center of the story learns to ride a pony (after never being out of the city or even the room her family lived in), and she works really hard to be able to jump. There's a lot more to the story, but the relationship between the girl and the pony was really special. I never really thought about whether they were jumping wood or vinyl, though because the story was set during WWII, I'm thinking it was probably wood - with a few logs and then a couple stone walls thrown in for good measure.