Save Gas and Get Exercise - Put an Engine on Your Bike!

Lets face it: gas is just too darn expensive. When gas hit $4.00 a gallon in my town, I decided it was time I did something. No, I couldn't bring the price of gas back down, at least not directly. However one thing I could do was decrease the demand by not using so much of it. I thought, "I should find a much more fuel efficient way of getting around town." I decided that I wanted a Vespa!

However, after a quick price check I no longer wanted a Vespa. At least not if I was going to have to shell out a few thousand dollars for it. New plan. It was time to break out my old bicycle. I started doing a lot of riding for my short trips. However, I forgot how much hard work biking is, especially when hills are involved. Don't get me wrong, I love riding my bike now, but I just wish I could make it a little easier on the legs, and thus allow me to ride further distances. That's when I got the idea to put a small engine on the bike. I don't want to turn it into a motorcycle or anything, but just to give me a little extra power and speed to make it easier to use my bike as a daily commuting vehicle.

I've done some research on the web for methods and full kits to retrofit bicycles with small engines. A company called Golden Eagle Bike Engines appears to be the best of the best. Sort of the Cadillac of motorized bicycles. However, to purchase their kits will run you between $500 and $700, not including the bike. That's still out of my budget. But hey, if you can afford it, a kit from GEBE is the way to go. Currently they have suspended orders for entire kits until the company can meet the high demand (I guess everyone had the same idea, but more money than me), but they are still taking orders for replacement parts. I ordered three individual replacement parts as if I was replacing them on my kit. They never asked what I needed with three random parts, and I never told. For someone like me with a slightly smaller budget but still a lot of technical know-how, this is definitely the way to go. Here is what I am planning: I have purchased from their site the only parts from the kit that I can't make myself. Those parts are:

1. Drive Ring

2. Drive Belt

3. Drive Gear

Everything else can be done by yourself. These parts all together cost me $108, with shipping. In addition, I needed to get an engine. If you or someone you know has an old string trimmer, leaf blower, chain saw or any other lawn tool with a horizontal crank shaft engine, try using that. However, I needed my string trimmer for the lawn, so I went to Lowes and picked up a Troy-Bilt 25 cc string trimmer for $100 (I'm also selling the left over shaft after I remove the engine on eBay to recoup some costs). Just make sure that the engine you use has a centrifugal clutch. If you don't know for sure, try spinning the end of the string trimmer. If it spins freely and you don't hear the engine turn over, then it has a clutch.

Now I have everything I need (plus some parts laying around in the garage) to add this engine to my bike. Total estimated cost: $208 dollars. Estimated mileage: 200 mpg (based on GEBE kit mpg estimates).

I will be working on this project over the next couple of days. I'll update my steps along the way so anyone can follow along, and include pictures as I go. Have a great day.

Lawn Care Tools - Make Your Gardening Chores Easier and Faster

Once you have spent all the money, time and effort on landscaping your yard, your work has only just begun. To properly maintain what you just invested in you'll need to make use of an almost endless possibility of lawn care tools as well as a collection of gardening equipment.

How do you decide which tools make sense for your lawn and garden? Most people pick up items as they go. The very yard that they is receiving the care often presents the caretaker with what tools will be needed. You can save time and money however, if you plan ahead and make a working list of tools and equipment that you anticipate using.

For the lawn care portion of your yard, most of what you are going to need is fairly straight forward. You will most likely have a combination of power tools and hand tools for lawn maintenance and related work. For most, a basic push mower is sufficient. Toro, Lawn Boy, Craftsmen and Snapper are just a few of the brands that offer a range of mowers and other lawn care power tools that will work for any sized lawn. A gas-powered or electric edger should be added to the mix as well. You probably will also want to consider getting a weed wacker to attack some of those hard-to-get-to places.

To take care of your flower bed weeding needs, you'll need to put together another set of tools. Some of what you get for lawn care can be used for the garden as well. But there are specific tools for specific needs. A small garden rake, hoe and hand trowel will be just about enough. Be leery of some of the new fangled easy gardening tools that are advertised. Sure they will probably work in soft soils, but for most yards the tried and true are always the most effective.

Add a spade or garden shovel to your supplies. You will probably be periodically planting new plants or taking out old ones. A good shovel always comes in handy for repair work as well. You might have to dig up a section of your lawn in the event of a broken pipe or sprinkler head, for example. The uses for a sturdy shovel are nearly endless. Toss in a light weight leaf and lawn clipping rake for the detailed cleanups and you are getting closer to having all the bases covered.

Pruning shears and hand shears are also nice tools to keep around. For the nooks and crannies of your yard, hand shears will be a big help. And for the stubborn shrubs, fruit trees and heavy growth plants, pruning shears or even hedge trimmers will come in handy.

These are just a few of the many tools you might consider. The list of potential tools for the care of your lawn and garden is nearly endless. If you thoroughly enjoy working in the yard and view it as a way to decompress from other life stressers, you'll have a ball accumulating all of your tools. An investment in lawn care tools, in this case, is an investment in you.

Walk Behind Lawn Mowers - Choosing the Correct One For Your Lawn

Walk behind lawn mowers are simply machines that you have to stand behind to operate. You must push them along the grass in order for them to cut the grass terrain. The other type of cutter is the sit on mower type, but these are generally highly expensive compared with regular common walk behind models. Unless you have a huge property of half an acre or more, then a walk behind mower will serve you well.

There are several types of walk behind lawn mowers. These include:

Push reel mowers

Electric mowers

Cordless mowers

Gas mowers

Push reel mowers are manual mowers that are very quiet and powered by you only. There are no motors or batteries; they are the type of mowers that were originally used decades ago except today models are much better built and work more efficiently. The big plus about a push reel mower is that they cause no pollution. The maximum grass height that a push reel mower is effective on is around 2.5 inches. These types of walk behind lawn mowers were some of the first used to mow lawns.

Electric mowers have to be plugged in to gain the power they need. Therefore they are really only useful on smaller properties as you must be near a power outlet and/or have an extension cable handy. Naturally you will want to avoid running over the cord or tangling yourself up.

Electric mowers also come in a cordless design which costs more but is obviously much more convenient and less dangerous. They run on batteries (usually 1 to 4 12 volt batteries). The battery capacity will determine the power of the cordless mower and how long it lasts on a charge. If you have a large yard then a cordless electronic is not suitable but it is useful for most suburban blocks.

Gas mowers are of course the most common mower nowadays but more and more people are turning toward manual mowers like push reel as they are quiet, don't pollute and don't smell.

Leaf blowers

leaf blowers were built in 1970, while in Japan, made its U.S. debut at the end of the decade. Annual sales in 1990 were about 800,000 in the country. E 'became very popular for its efficiency and effectiveness in ground maintenance. Today, courtyards leaf blower used almost every household cleaning, lawn waste, leaves, etc.

types of leaf blower can be classified according to theirPower sources. In electric leaf blower, an electric motor drives the fan, need a power source provided by an electrical outlet by an extension. However, there are rechargeable battery powered devices are available, more suitable for small areas because of their limited duration. Mixing oil and gasoline-powered leaf blowers operated gas. Two-stroke gasoline engines generally power backpack blowers while the unit rule for wheelshave 4-stroke gasoline engines.

There are three main types of leaf blowers: portable, backpack, bicycle or walk-behind.

The handheld leaf blowers are more popular among homeowners, mainly because of the convenience and size of the laptop. They also offer all the power and capacity of home maintenance easier is required. You can choose between gas or electric powered portable units.

Backpack blowers are more often by professionals,and are usually powered by gas. The dishes that fit a fan in it, is worn on the back of the operator. The engine and fan are placed on the frame backpack with a hose by hand and mouth to direct the airflow. Backpack blowers are generally used, and ideal for large areas.

Walk behind blowers, or cycling are the best for treating larger areas. For example, they may be to blow the leaves from tree branches. This gasThe units are usually preferred by professionals and business users. A pipe is used for vacuum units for absorbing impurities.

The choice of versatility for the purchase of a small tractor

When considering buying a new tractor, what is that drives your decision? Shopping consider when buying a new tractor can be overwhelming. With so many compact tractors on the market, the right choice that meets your needs, leaving a bit 'anxious. But diversity should be an important factor in the production of a tractor purchase.

Analyze your property needs

Analyze your needs, is the first step. You need a big car? You need acompact? Think about the size of your property and you have to do with your tractor. Decide which will work more with your tractor. Mowing is very obvious and probably the most frequently performed work. But what was a hollow, leaf blowing, removing SOD? Maybe you need to pull something dirty? Perhaps a Blade will be a great help for your property. When it is your gardening style, then a farmer, what you need. But finding a machine that will do everything we canProblem. A special machine which could be a task not only to leave with a full stable of equipment extra drag a couple of times a year.

Select versatility

You can get the most versatility of a tractor which has several factories. Many tractors are equipped with systems on the market. A good choice is particularly Ventrac. There are a wide range of services which enable a wide range of tasks outside of work with a tractoragainst multiple machines. Just switch from one connection to another, saving money, time and space.

Select All Season's

Do not sit on your tractor in the shed just purchased more than one season in neutral. Ventrac a tractor or other multi-unit is not sitting around unused. Can be used all year to bring your property to help his best. In spring, a farmer will plant your garden ready in minutes, not hoursStanding behind a traditional tiller. leaf fall cleanup is a breeze .... no rake and no shooting. The reclamation of land for new seed beds, trenches for water lines, or that the new dog invisible fence can be quickly and easily.

Choose more plants

A variety of jobs that can be done with a Ventrac:

· Grave digging
Sod cutting ·
Locked, tracks
° Ground Prep
· Leaf blowing
· Snowstroke
• The removal of soil
· Ventilation roll
Final · Profile
Stump Grinding ·
· Water Removal
· Machining soil

A decision on small tractors that your property needs is not always easily met. Want to be sure that your choice won a wise investment of your money hard. The choice of size, performance and power are important, is a tractor that is much more versatile than just a job, I leave you with a greatFeelings of satisfaction in your purchase decision. Whether cutting, aeration, snow blow, blow leaves, you can dig trenches or soil, the choice of a tractor with more versatility is practically effortless to maintain your property.

How to Flush Out Your Lawn Sprinkler System

Are the spray heads or rotor heads on your lawn sprinkler system constantly sticking up when they should be retracting back down?

Don't worry, this is a common problem and is most likely caused by one of a couple factors. First of all, what is the age of your sprinkler heads? Over time (anywhere from 3 years and beyond) the wear and tear on the risers will cause rough edges which will cause the head to stick up.

The more sandy the soil is, the quicker the risers will wear. The only way to fix this after the head is this damaged is to replace the head. However, there is another option available to prevent this from happening again. That would be to get sprinkler heads with stainless steel risers. They are a little more expensive, but will last much longer.

If you have a system that is pretty new and you are constantly having problems with the heads sticking, you could have dirt in your pipe. The dirt could have entered your system when you were repairing a break, when the pipe was being installed, or it could just be sediment from your well.

Sometimes, the heads can be easily cleaned by stepping down on the riser while the water is on and the head is running. Let it pop back up, then step on it again. Do this a few times, then turn off the system and see if the head is still sticking. What you are doing here is cleaning out the debris from around the wiper seal of the sprinkler head.

Your system's water source has a lot to do with how often your heads get clogged. Irrigation systems on city water do not need to be flushed or cleaned nearly as much as sprinklers tied to well water. Some wells produce fairly clean water, while others have high iron content and other debris which causes the heads to stick and nozzles to clog fairly frequently.

If you have several heads that are always sticking or nozzles getting clogged, then you may want to flush out your whole system. This can be done by removing the nozzles and screens on the spray heads and installing flush caps, then running water through the system. Flush caps come with the spray heads when you first buy them. If you don't have any, this can also be done by removing the head completely and pulling up the swing joint and then flushing. Please note, this is not the same as draining or blowing out your system.

The rotors will have to be flushed in that manner anyway. If your system is older and your heads are not installed on swing joints, then just make sure to dig around the hard PVC riser that the head was attached to, making sure that no dirt can flow back in the pipe while you are flushing.

You may also want to take the sprinkler heads to a water faucet and clean them out. Unscrew the inside of the head from the casing and rinse out both pieces. After you are done flushing the system and cleaning the heads, re-install the heads and run your system for about 10 minutes.

Then turn off the system and make sure all the heads went down. If some are still stuck, they may be beyond fixing and you'll just need to replace them. If you are in sandy soil, I would recommend rotors with stainless steel risers. Stainless steel rotors cost anywhere from 3 to 5 times the cost of normal rotor heads, but may be worth the expense. Spray heads are a lot less expensive and it is more economical to just replace them, rather than purchasing expensive steel risers.

Just as with an automobile, your sprinkler system is going to require routine maintenance to keep it running in good condition. The more that you neglect your irrigation, the more damage will be done and will end up costing you more work and money in the long run. An average system will require about $350 per year on maintenance. So if you neglect your system for 3 years, expect to pay around $1,050 in maintenance costs when finally having it serviced.

The amount I mentioned above is just an average figure that I've calculated from comparing hundreds of maintenance jobs over the years, there are many different factors that could require your maintenance costs to be more or less. Systems with wells & pumps tend to have higher overall maintenance costs than systems tied in with city or reclaimed water.

Things to Do With the Kids

Sometimes during school holidays or on the weekends the kids will be looking for fun and interesting things to do.

Together with other Australian Mums we have compiled a list great activities and things to do with the kids. Have a look today!

1. Meet with friends at a park and play with the kids on the playground. Push them on the swings or catch them on the slides.

2. Go to a local cycle way/bike track and go rollerblading. A great way to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine and exercise.

3. Go ice-skating - rug up in your warm clothes and head to the closest ice-rink.

4. Have a movie afternoon - great for a rainy day. Rent a couple of good kids movies, make some popcorn and snuggle up with blankets and enjoy the movies.

5. Cook some special treats or family favourites like Gingerbread men.

6. Go to an indoor play centre (if the weather's not great outside). Let the kids try out the playground and you can have a coffee with a friend.

7. Try Tenpin Bowling - make sure the bumper bars are up for the littlies.

8. Explore your local wildlife park or the zoo to see all the animals, birds and reptiles.

9. Grab your bike helmets and go for a bike ride.

10. Organise a KidSwap with friends who work. Your kids get to have their friends over for the day to play, and their are lots more participants for games.

11. Browse through your local museum, great to show the kids how things use to be.

12. Try Horse-riding lots of riding centers provide lessons or short rides for younger children.

13. Visit a farm and see all the farm animals, you maybe be able to feed and pat some of the tamer ones.

14. Take a Day trips to a historic towns or a local attractions. Sometimes we never visit the attractions in our local area.

15. Spend the Day at the beach go for a walk and play some games, take the frisbee.

16. Camp Out in the back yard - kids of all ages will love this experience.

17. Have a Picnic or BBQ lunch at the local park - let the kids help pack their favourite lunch and snacks.

18. Do some Gardening with the kids - make a herb garden pot, they are fantastic and useful too!

19. Smile! Get the camera out and let the kids take some photos - download them on the computer and create a slide show.

20. Play dough - buy some or make your own - this will provide hours of fun for you and the kids.

21. Have a Story writing competitions, of help younger children write and illustrate a story.

22. Create a Treasure hunt in the backyard - write out a list of things to find, and let them start hunting.

23. Bury a heap of old dinosaur toys and 'artifacts' in a sectioned off part of the garden and give all the kids little shovels.

24. Blow bubbles, try different shape bubble blowers for lots of fun..

25. Buy some cheap timber photo frames and get the kids to paint and decorate them for their rooms.

26. Paper mache...messy but always fun - create a bowl or a piggy bank.

27. Make masks from paper plates, with stick on ears and eyeholes.

28. Create a masterpiece - let the children express their creativity with Painting.

29. Play lets pretend - play shopkeeper or mum/baby or anything you like.

30. Teach the kids to sew or thread with lacing cards.

31. Have a theme days - make it blue day so everyone wears blue, you eat blue food, use blue paints/materials for craft work, sing blue songs, etc.

32. Have a lazy day where everyone gets to stay in their PJ's and relax.

33. Write and create a play see who is great at drama and acting.

34. Conduct some simple Science experiments.

35. Try your hand at scrap booking, with some coloured paper, kids photos and embellishments.

36. Grocery shopping - take the kids to the Supermarket and let them help you shop, cross of the items on your shopping list. Buy something easy to make for lunch.

37. Board games - Monopoly, Scrabble, Hungry Hippos, and more if there are a few kids have a tournament.

38. Card games - from the simple Snap to Go Fish to Canasta for the older ones. Have lollies or chocolates for prizes.

39. Do a Jigsaw, set up a special area and let everyone help - the harder the better.

40. Make a Kite then take it outside on a windy day to fly it.

41. Go fishing or crabbing and try to catch dinner.

42. Catch local transport - take a ferry, train or bus ride around the City.

43. National Parks and Wildlife run some great holiday programs - have a look here - Australia National Parks Links for your closest park.

44. Lots of Local Libraries hold story-telling workshops during school holidays, and then the kids can borrow some new stories to read.

45. Go Swimming head to the local indoor pool or to the beach or river.

46. See the latest Movie at the Cinema, lots of Cinema's offer Special Adult prices during School Holidays.

47. See what's on at the Theatre or a live show - the kids will love you for this.

48. Make some music, play some music instruments or sing along to their favourite tunes.

49. Dress Ups - a family favourite find some outfits and play dress ups.

50. Make Plaster Models and then paint them in your favourite colours.

51. Make a collage - go to the park or beach and collect bark, seaweed etc and make a collage.

52. Bush Walk - head of the beaten path and go for a bush or nature walk.

53. Make a Movie - grab the video camera, write a plot, dress up and film your family as the stars of your very own movie.

54. Feed the Birds or the Ducks - get some stale bread and feed these feathered friends.

55. Make Paper Dolls - make a chain of paperdolls and color them all in different colours.

56. Create a puppet show, use soft toys or make small puppets from socks or wooden spoons and put on your own show.

57. Beading - make some jewellery by threading beads, macaroni or small pieces of cut up straws on to string.

58. Build a giant sandcastle or sand sculpture - lots of fun for the beach or a challenge in the Sandpit.

59. Throw hoops - for small children try and throw a ball into a bucket and move it further away, or for older kids use a netball or basket ball ring.

60. Make juice - choose your favourite fruits and squeeze to make lovely fresh juice.

61. Have a skip-a-thon get the skipping rope out and practise your skipping - who can skip the fastest, the longest, try running in together.

62. Go bird watching at the local park or wetlands make a list of birds you see.

63. Do some leaf rubbings, collect an assortment of leaves and place them under paper then use a crayon/pencil to rub over the top.

64. Color experiments - add flowers or celery to jars of different coloured food dyes. Wait and see what colours they go. Works best with white flowers.

65. Play detectives - get some magnifying glasses and a notebook and go exploring write down what you see.

66. Face Painting is lots of fun and you can practice your skills on their trusting little faces.

67. Have a special morning/afternoon tea in the garden. With milkshakes or hot chocolate for the kids and lots of yummy treats. You could even invite Grandma.

68. Play rock, paper, scissors - have a prize for the best out of 10 games.

69. Do some colouring in - there are some great print outs in our Fun & Games Section.

70. Visit the children's grandparents or another special friend, take a picture or something the children have made.

71. Play computer games with the Kids, find out which ones are their favourites, and which ones you can beat them.

72. Have a game of hide and seek - lots of fun for the little ones.

73. Inside Treasure Hunt - make maps and have the kids follow the maps around the house to locate the prize.

74. Kick the soccer ball, set up some goals and try your luck.

75. Jump in Puddles, great wet weather fun, forget about getting wet and remember the fun of being a kid again.

76. Practise hitting the tennis ball to each other or hit it up in the air and see who can catch it.

77. Play Twister with the Kids - get the game out and start spinning.

78. Put the music on grab the kids and dance around the lounge room.

79. Have a game of t-ball in the backyard or the park.

80. - Laugh, Live, Learn and most of all have Fun!

Why Hire a Personal Shopper?

In today's stressful economic times, people are looking for ways to save money. They are also realizing the value of quality time spent with their family. A better understanding how to leverage personal time and money will assist customers in reducing their overall stress. Using a personal shopper can be a great asset to today's busy consumer.

First, there are two types of personal shopper. The first type is paid by the client to shop. The shopper can go anywhere and buy anything that the client needs. This type of arrangement is only beneficial if the client has plenty of money to spend or is totally brand-loyal. An example of a similar service would be a wedding planner, who handles all of the arrangements, and is paid by the client for their service and connections. In this type of arrangement, the client is responsible for paying for the purchases and the service.

The second type of personal shopper is one affiliated with certain stores or brands. This is the shopper most suited to today's general market. The shopper is paid by the companies themselves, because the shopper directs business and revenues directly to the company. This is increasingly seen in online markets, and is called affiliate marketing. Companies share revenue based on the amount of business that flows from other companies or agents. This arrangement is beneficial to the client in three ways: first, the client is not paying above cost for the services rendered;  second, often the shopper can obtain goods at a lower price due to consistently using select stores and professional affiliations; three, the time and stress saved by using a personal shopper is immeasurable. The only downside is that the client may need to switch brands to accommodate the shopper.

Consider the usual process for grocery shopping. Writing a list is usually the first step for busy consumers, so that important items are not forgotten in the distractions of the grocery store. Then there's the driving to and from the store, the stress and distraction of bringing children if the customer has them, the extra cost of impulse buying, and the frustration of standing behind someone in the express lane that cannot count to twenty! When working with a personal shopper, the only part of the process is list-making. Add the convenience of online shopping and home delivery, and a personal shopper almost becomes a necessity!

Christmas is quite possibly the most stressful shopping experience one has. Buying presents for people who are picky, with time and money you may not have is a task most people dread every year. Why not use a personal shopper to simplify things? Instead of wasting all of that time and energy, take the children ice skating or to a fun movie, go on a date with your significant other, or spend quality time with family you may only get to see once a year. Another benefit to using a personal shopper is that they may be able to recommend presents for those hard-to-buy-for relatives.

The holidays are not the only time to use a personal shopper. Shoppers are incredibly useful for remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and important events such as graduations, baby and wedding showers, and promotions. How great would it be to give your list of important events to your shopper and have them remember the dates for you?

Finding the perfect shopper for your needs is important as well. Your relationship is an intimate one, and the person shopping for you should have the utmost honesty and reliability.  They should be friendly and open, and should be able to answer your questions and concerns.  Great personal shoppers are out there, and can be such a benefit to busy consumers. Consider one today!

Pretend Play and Dress Up Encourages Imaginative Play

A child's imagination is something to be encouraged and treasured. Young children learn many skills through imagination, from independent play, interactive play, language and cognitive skills to name a few. Pretend play and dress up are wonderful ways to allow your child to dream and act out all sorts of fun adventures.

There are a wide variety of excellent toys available to enhance their imaginative experiences some of which include; cooking and baking toys, dress-up costumes, gardening toys, housekeeping toys, money and banking sets, spy gadgetry toys, tools and puppets.

Your child probably watches you preparing and cooking meals everyday. There are many cooking and baking toys available that allow your child to have hours of entertainment. Some of the wonderful toys manufactured are; picnic baskets (complete with play bread, cheese, lettuce, hot dog and bun, ketchup, corn on the cob etc.), bakery sets, plastic food sets, a wide variety of tea pot sets, pots and pans, dinnerware sets (complete with plates, utensils, bowls and cups) and coffee sets. It's easy for your child to set up their own little imaginary kitchen with ovens that actually bake cookies, working mini refrigerators, plastic refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, barbecue's and toasters. Little shopping markets complete with plastic store items and cash registers can be purchased, along with gum ball machines and sno-cone machines, the list really is endless.

Dress up play is a favorite among all ages of children, whether it's dressing up in dad's baseball uniform or having fun with mom's closet. There is a great variety of all sorts of different types of costumes, masks and accessories for children to select from. Costumes come in designs such as fireman and police uniforms, doctor and veterinarian uniforms, engineer suits, magic hats with cape and gloves, dresses, waitress outfits, cherubs, devils, witches, ballerina and popular character suits with capes and muscle chests to name a few. Great accessories such as crowns, tiara sets, ninja swords, light sabers, cowboy hats, purses complete with keys and cell phones, doctor and medical kits and magic kits can be found. Dress up play allows your child to use their imagination in a fun way through role play and acting out adventures.

For all the young outdoor landscaping enthusiasts there are wonderful gardening tools and accessories available. Little wheelbarrows are made in plastic and metal designs (tiny metal designs look and work as well as the adult counterparts), both helpful at removing dirt, weeds and gravel around the yard. Metal and plastic gardening pails, watering cans, mini gardening sets (complete with mini rake, shovel and trowels), gardening aprons, gardening totes with seeds (mini rake, shovel, trowel and pail), gardening rakes, shovels and gardening gloves can also be purchased. Other adorable gardening sets include planters, seeds and tiny fairy cottages ready for planting around.

Probably the only time your child will enjoy housekeeping is when they are young. Most children seem to love helping out mom or dad with cleaning and simple household chores. With this said you'll find many housekeeping toys to keep your child busy and entertained for hours on end. Vacuums, cleaning sets (complete with broom, mops, gloves and pails), talking irons and ironing boards, working sewing machines and clothes washers are a few of the items to be found.

An encouraging and fun way to help children understand early on how money works is to have them play with money and banking toys and games. There are a variety of cash registers available complete with play money, fake credit cards, price scanners, price check microphones and readouts offering learning opportunities for several skills from motor skills, mathematical skills and cognitive skills.

Today there are more spy gadgetry toys available than ever before. There are spy listeners (allowing children to listen in on other rooms or to use as stethoscopes), detective sets, mini keyboard transmitters allowing children to send text messages to each other, spy goggles, motion detector sets with infrared sensors, spy cameras available in sunglasses or wristband styles (complete with real film) and walkie talkies. Spy pens come with a variety of options from activated motion alarms, flashlights and magnifying glasses. These toys not only offer hours of entertainment but toys such as the motion detectors and infrared sensors teach children basic electronic skills.

Kids love to do things around the house just like dad or mom, especially anything to do with tools. Complete tool sets for children are available with tool belts, tool chests and tool boxes. Any tool imaginable from saws, levels, planers, wrenches, screw drivers, drills and hammers can be found. Workshops (complete with bins to store tools) with work horses and work benches can provide the base for all your child's building adventures. And for when your child ventures outdoors to do some work there are mini working wheelbarrows, weed trimmers, lawnmowers, rakes, shovels, hoes, chain saws (with sound effects) and leaf blowers to complete the job. Of course you'll want to be sure they always wear their hard hat.

Lastly, another popular part of pretend play is the use of puppets. Puppets can be found in hand puppet, finger puppet, bath puppet, baby puppet, pop-up and marionette designs. Along with puppets there are puppets accessories and wonderful puppet theaters to add to the fun. There is no end to the available puppet designs from cartoon characters, fantasy (fairies, wizards), people and animals (aquatic, birds, bugs, dinosaurs, dogs, farm animals, fish and frogs to name only a few). You and your child can either make a puppet theater or purchase one of the many puppet theaters offered from tabletop theaters, floor standing, doorway and marionette theaters. Pop-up puppets are a fun way to play peek-a-boo with a child or hide and seek. Puppets are a great way to interact and have imaginative play with your child.

Imaginative play is an important part of play. Role playing and dress up allow children to experiment with the different roles of the people they observe. The toys and accessories that surround your child will let them identify with different characters and try out various domestic roles. Imaginary play helps children to adjust more easily to the challenges of our everyday world.

Advantages of Buying a Battery Powered Lawn Mower

If you have a yard to take care of you will need a mower to cut your grass. You have some choices in this matter and you might consider a battery powered lawn mower for the task.

The DC powered lawn mower is the push mower of the future according to some. Of course one obvious advantage they have over the average gasoline mower is the fact that they don't use gas. Aside from the fact that buying gas for your mower multiple times each week during the summer can add up quickly, a electric powered mower can save you from making any trips at all. Anyone who has ever gone outside to mow the yard only to find that they're out of gas and need to make a quick trip to the gas station can appreciate this advantage.

Another great characteristic of battery powered mowers is the fact that they're environmentally friendly. Unlike electric mowers, push lawn mowers that use battery power don't require an outlet nor do they have a long cord. This makes the DC powered mower much safer since those cords can be very difficult to avoid running over when mowing.

Last but not least, the price. Not only is a battery powered mower typically cheaper than a standard gas mower, but it also saves you money in the long run since you won't have to continually buy gas for it. Even extra or replacement batteries are relatively inexpensive, usually around fifty dollars each.

Most fans and critics of these types of mowers cite just one major flaw. The battery doesn't usually last for more than an hour when in use. So, if you have a very large lawn, a battery powered lawn mower may not the best choice for you. For owners of medium-sized lawns, if you're considering a DC powered push mower, purchasing an extra battery could be just the solution you need.

However, with newer battery powered lawn mowers the batteries seem to be lasting longer so this may not be a issue now. Check the paperwork with the mower and it should tell you how long the battery will last between charges. A lot depends on how tall and thick the grass is.

Be Green With a Lawn Sweeper

With all the "green" buzz words going around these days, why not take a look in your own garage?

Think about the hundreds of people in your neighborhood alone who fire up their weed eaters, lawn tractors, or leaf blowers each day during the summer. In some cities, leaf blowers have even been outlawed because of their loud noise. Since this started happening however, most leaf blower companies have started making models which are much quieter and run at extremely less decibels. But still, think of all that pollution going into the air just in your neighborhood, now take that times millions! While leaf blowers are nice and help move all the leaves into a nice pile, you still have to pick them up somehow and bag them. Why not combine the two steps into one with a lawn sweeper? Better yet, why not start using a push lawn sweeper and be a little greener these days?

Push lawn sweepers are pieces of lawn equipment which sweep your yard. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and for any budget. A simple push yard sweeper, like the Precision Products 26-Inch Push Lawn Sweeper, can be found for around $100. Yard or leaf sweepers combine two steps into one by sweeping the leaves up into a hamper or hopper which can easily be dumped into a garden or trash bag. Hopper sizes range from a few cubic feet up to 30 gallons for the bigger tow-behind sweepers. Although with the tow-behind sweepers your still using gasoline to pull it behind a lawn tractor or ATV.

Push or human power lawn sweepers work the same way as the tow-behind models. A series of small brushes spin on an axle (usually the wheel axle) and sweep the leaves up into a hopper. These tools work great for smaller lawns that have a lot of trees and can be pushed around the yard in no time!

How to find the perfect Christmas gift for people on your list

As Christmas approaches, now is a good time to start thinking, preparing and shopping for gifts. Shopping for a gift for a man should not be difficult if you plan ahead.

Buy a gift for a man, a lot of fun, when you consider what can or will really need. The first thing to do is make a list of preferences. If he likes sports, has a favorite team? You can adjust the height of the sports memorabilia that now, and I controlif you really want the same. Another thing to think about what kind of hobbies he enjoys. If you spend much time at work, it has to do and little time for a hobby that had for years, then the extension of a way for him to enjoy his hobby again a worthy gift.

Another thing when shopping for a gift for a man is what he wants to think. Men are so busy working and projects around the house that they forget about themselves. If youconsider what they want maybe you should take your time. Try to think of his needs and desires, not from your point of view, but from her. What kind of things he had before he lost his life so busy? These are the things he does regularly, most amusing and how they can work in a great gift? Looking for a gift for a man to his base desires smile every time.

After his thoughts and will be happy to try to imagine what he could use or needs. Try to be only the viewneeds when planning a Christmas present as needed. He spends every weekend doing yard work and the like, then spend the next season, rather than raking leaves on a leaf blower motor can be a perfect gift could be. Try a fun gift for those who use or even save time or effort to consider.

Buying a Christmas gift for a man may take more effort, but very pleasant for you and him. Thinking time is based on his preferences giftsOne way to ensure they will be happy when he opened his gift. The experiment, the things we want to check is deposited and the wishes of other ideas he recognizes something special and you are good to listen. Given what can contribute to seek gifts to help him, completed tasks are easier and more free time for the things that really loves, is required.

The advantages of buying a battery mower

If you need to grow a garden, a lawn mower to keep grass cut. You have to examine some of the decisions in this area and could be a lawnmower battery for the job.

The DC powered mower push mower is the future for some. Course may have obvious advantage over the average gasoline mower is that it does not use gas. Apart from the fact that gas can buy for your lawn mower a few times a week during the summer to increase rapidly, amowers electric motor can be saved from any trip at all. Who has never gone out to mow the yard, only to discover that they are out of gas and needed to make a detour to the gas station, can appreciate this advantage.

Another feature of the large lawn mower battery is that they are environmentally friendly. Unlike electric lawnmowers, tractors, push the battery power using the power does not even need a long cable. This makes the DC powered lawnmower verysafer, as these strings can be very difficult to avoid driving in the cut.

Last but not least, price. Not just a lawn mower battery is typically less expensive than a standard gas mower, but also saves money in the long run because you should not buy gas constant for them. Even extra batteries or replacement is relatively inexpensive, usually around fifty dollars.

Most fans and critics of this type of vulnerability mower only a great call. The battery is notusually last more than an hour when in use. So if you have a very large lawn, a lawn mower battery might not be the best choice for you. For owners of medium-sized lawns, if you're considering a powered push mower continues to buy an additional battery may be just the solution you need.

However, while the new battery mower batteries seem to last longer, so this is not a problem now. Check the documentation with the mower and it should tell you how long the batterywill last between charges. Much depends on how big, the grass is.

The Useful Attachments of a Skid Loader

Imagine life without machines and inventions we use today. Life would be so primitive. The work would be very difficult, is the production and work activity is much less the needs of daily life. However, man is always looking for a permanent change. Due to explore the human spirit and zeal, there has been growth and progress. Our interest in improving helped us make progress in all aspects of life. endless search has opened the way and opened our world what we are and whatwe have today. Developing technology has improved our lives. He made my job easier, production increased and manual labor is not needed.

Machinery and equipment are our partners in our business to do. They help us in our work easier. One of the machines, which are very useful in business, in our family, community and the construction companies are Skid Loader. This type of heavy equipment to help dig holes, pick up objects with any kind of weights reachsome materials are transferred from one place to another. These tasks require a lot of strength, effort and time, if there are machines to do it for us. A pad is still useful for its ability to fix anything from his front. The various Skid Steer attachments so carrying out tasks that are very useful for us all.

One of the services we have good use for the bucket skid. It is used to lift heavy objects and lighttheir transfer from one place to another. It can be used lift rocks, soil, fertilizer and other materials, particularly in faming and construction. Has the ability to do a certain amount of material to keep it without spilling. It also has special features, such as cutting, helping to dig holes.

Another tool that can be mounted using a utility like this is a triad. It is useful in building a house, do the ditches and the removal of large logs. In the construction sector, is very usefulremoval and lifting heavy objects. There is archaeological excavation on land and in building a particular structure used. In addition to the various devices can be connected, is a fork. It may be in agricultural areas where they are used piles of hay is required. Can help, crowbars and serve as a great rake. Its mechanism is unclear and collect things.

These are just some of the tools that are very important to us. The skid maneuver alone account for a largehelp us much. Fulfill the various tasks you can do to make a program very useful in our work. The various parts can be attached to the hard work can be completed for us. It can be in almost all the local producers would not be found any problems you encounter when buying them. This is an economical device that has a lot of features.

Aerobic Exercises Around Home

The Benefits Of Aerobic Exercise are well known to all of us...better circulation, more stamina, resistance to infection, more energy, better attitude, etc. But what if you're too busy with work and household duties to find the 2 hours per week? What if you can't afford the equipment or gym membership? This article is for you! We're going to take common household chores that you have to do, anyway, and transform them into an aerobic fitness exercise program. Ready...Set...Go!

Fitness Exercise Schedule: The key to an aerobics workout is to get your heart rate elevated at least 20 minutes, with warm-up and cool-down time of 5 minutes on either side of the workout. In order for the household activities to have aerobic value, then, they must keep your body in constant motion for 30 minutes. This requires some planning but there really are enough household duties to get the job done. In fact, if you develop the habit of doing these things aerobically you may actually gain extra time because of the much faster pace. Plan your aerobic exercises (chores) so you're doing them for 30 minutes, 3-4 days per week. To make it more fun and easier to keep active you can play some upbeat music while you're doing you're housework aerobics.

Indoor Aerobics: It's probably harder to get good aerobic exercise on foul weather days, so these exercises can help you even if you have time for the regular jog.

1. Jog Away is putting things away at a fast pace, but it requires a certain amount of messiness to get full aerobic value. If you have kids, this won't be a problem.

2. Vacuum-er-cise requires all furniture be moved and a plan of action (where plugs are) before you start because you're going to vacuum all the floors in 30 minutes, using long, strenuous movements.

3. Dust-er-cise requires all surfaces be ready for dusting before you start or things could get broken.

4. Tub aerobics can take 30 minutes if you include shower walls and faucets and dry all surfaces with a towel afterward. If it doesn't take long enough, add in the sink and toilet...it couldn't hurt.

5. Hard Floor Fever is a great workout. Move all furniture, place broom, mop water, mop and drying towel within easy reach before starting. Then, sweep, mop and dry floor without stopping. The hand drying is great exercise and removes any residual dirt.

6. Window Workout requires that you adjust all blinds/curtains, move articles out of the way and strategically place drying towels before beginning. If you've got as many windows as we do, this could be more than one workout.

Outdoor Aerobics: Just like indoor aerobics, only the weather is nice. As an added benefit, once you get conditioned for this, you'll save lots of money on car washes, mowers, trimmers and leaf blowers.

1. Window Workout: Same as indoor, except please only do this with windows you can reach while standing on the ground. Ladder aerobics produces too many personal injury claims. Also...don't use the hose or a squeegee...this is supposed to be exercise.

2. Sweep-er-cise is good for at least a couple workouts by the time you count porch, deck, driveway, garage and sidewalks. Just make sure to do it quickly enough to keep your heart rate up. You can pick up the debris after the workout.

3. Whack aerobics is done on all the weeds you used to use that string trimmer for. You'll have to buy a new gardening tool called an idiot stick. Basically, you swing it one-handed at the weeds until they're at the desired level.

4. Car Wash Workout requires the hose, bucket, towels, wax and buffer all be ready before you start. Make sure and jog in place while you're rinsing...otherwise your heart rate will drop.

5. Mowin' Madness is usually good for a few workouts. Do not use a power mower for aerobics...I can't afford the legal fees. Use a push mower!

6. Rake-a-robics is usually possible a few months a year.

7. Shovel-cise can be done occasionally if you have a yard, more often if you live in the snow belt.

Personal Workout: I know the language I used made these activities seem silly but the concept of using chores as a fitness workout seriously works. Five years ago I was diagnosed with diabetes. Most of my life, I avoided physical labor by using power tools, like everyone else. When we bought our 20 acres for our home, I planned on getting bigger power tools. Fortunately, we couldn't afford to do that. I even had to do all the clearing and a lot of the construction to save money. After the heavy labor required for the tree and shrub clearing, hand digging and landscaping and building 700 square feet of decking, I had the best blood tests since diabetes began. Since then, I could have paid to have the 2 acres around my house fire-cleared, but I'm doing it myself. It's wonderful exercise. Yes, I use a leaf blower and a chain saw, but I move all the wood by hand...several tons of it. Not bad for a reformed city-boy. My point is this...you can save money and get a great workout around the house if you just change the way you approach housework.

Which Lawn Tractor Tires Are Right for You?

For people with big lawns, the grass seems to grow at supernatural speed, so lawnmowers see a lot of use. Lawn tires are an essential component of all mowers, so you need to make sure you select the right ones and maintain them properly. This will save you time, energy, and most importantly, money.

Picking out tires for your car isn't always an easy matter: you have to consider the size, the tread, the brand, the cost. It is just as complicated when you need to replace lawn tractor tires. Do you need tires for tractors, riding or garden mowers, specialty turf tires, or just new lawn mower tubes? Before you buy your lawn mower tires, keep the following things in mind:

o First, what type of turf are you going to be working on primarily? Is it a relatively flat, small lawn or is it bumpier, rugged terrain? This will help you determine the type of lawn mower tire that you need. Also, if you want to minimize damage to your lawn, you can buy turf saver tires. These range in cost from $20 to $120.

o What size tire do you need? You have to make sure the tire is compatible with the model of lawn mower that you own.

o Check online for both product and price information before you buy mower tires. You can find sites that will guide you through the selection process.

o Check into discount tires. Quality can vary, so make sure you see the tires before you purchase them. Discount tires can be found easily online.

Once you've selected the right tire for your mower or tractor, it's time to take care of them so you won't end up replacing them too often. Properly maintaining your tires can help prolong their life by up to fifty percent, according to Goodyear tire experts. Here are some things you should do for your lawn mower tires:

o Take a few minutes each week to check the tire pressure and inflate the tires if necessary.

o Rotate your tires periodically. This helps even out wear.

o Check the tires to see if the wear bar is showing. This will tell you that you need to replace the tires.

o Properly store your mower for the winter months.

Garden tractor tires, riding mower tires, and lawn tractor tires can be expensive to purchase, but if you take proper care of them, they will last a long time and increase the efficiency of your mower. Having a beautiful lawn is as easy as taking a few minutes each week to care for your mower.

Give Something Different With a Unique Wedding Shower Gift

Wedding shower gifts can be as unique as the recipient. The shower organizer should consider the personality, style and interests of the bride when planning the party. With a wedding shower theme that fits the unique qualities of the bride, shower guests will be prompted to use their imaginations to brainstorm creative gift ideas.

Love of the Outdoors

For the outdoorsy bride-to-be, organize an adventurous shower activity such as mountain biking, rock climbing or camping. Unique wedding shower gifts could include items such as a cozy tent, a sleeping bag for two, and a book on romantic outdoor getaways.

Culinary Gifts

If the bride lacks confidence in her cooking skills, why not organize her shower around a culinary theme. The shower activity may include a cooking demonstration or wine tasting event. All attendees would be asked to bring three of their favorite personal recipes, written on cards; the cards would then be presented to the bride in a special recipe box or book. Guests could bring shower gifts such as live herb-garden starts, a serving tray for breakfast in bed or a picnic basket for two.

New Homeowner Gifts

For the couple about to move into their first home, organize a home improvement shower. Gifts could include tool sets, books on household repairs or decorating tips, and lawn tools such as rakes, hoes and leaf blowers.

Honeymoon Gifts

Is the couple about to embark on a tropical honeymoon? Organize a luau shower, with leis, grass-skirted tables and inflatable palm trees. Shower gifts might include scuba lessons, snorkeling equipment, his and hers beach towels, or a gift certificate for a couples massage at their honeymoon resort.

Artistic Gifts

Don't leave the happy couple staring at blank walls. Organize a shower where each guest brings a piece of art to decorate the newlywed home. The gifts do not necessarily need to be expensive; guests can acquire unique items from local Saturday markets or craft fairs. Shower guests may even wish to contribute a special painting or framed photograph of their own creation. Along with filling their home, the wedding shower gifts will hold special significance to the newlyweds as it will remind them of close friends and family members.