Search Results for: blog keeping out the bugs

Keeping the Dust Away

Throughout the years I have oftentimes heard moms say that the upkeep of their home isn’t as important as spending time with their children. While I would certainly never argue against that, I do think there still needs to be some balance. After all, if you don’t want to create health problems for your children, you will at least do something about the dust. Those who are quick to pride themselves on quality time with the children, over the inch of dust covering their furniture don’t really impress me. Dust isn’t just unpleasant to look at. It is bad for … Continue reading →

Keeping Out the Bugs

In my last blog I talked about preventing bedbugs. There has been a lot in the news about the increase with infestations. So while I am already on the talk of bugs, I thought I would share my opinion on a product we have used the past two years…Ortho Home Defense Max. Like most people, I hate bugs. There are certain ones that I especially would like to ask God about…such as centipedes. Was it really necessary to create them? I have heard the defense. These squiggly little creatures help us by eating other bugs. In all honesty, I think … Continue reading →

Preventing Bedbugs

I have never had bedbugs, nor have I ever known someone personally who has had them (at least I don’t think so). But the recent news surrounding their infestations in homes and hotel rooms certainly has me concerned. I am thinking ahead to when my family will travel to Texas to witness our son’s graduation from the Air Force. We will need to spend several nights in a hotel and already I have the heebie-jeebies. I am happy to tell you that there is actually a bedbug registry in which you can check your hotel to see if there have … Continue reading →

Bugged Out

There’s a nasty four-letter word being used ad nauseam at my daughter’s elementary school. L-I-C-E! Just looking at the word makes my head itch. Thankfully, thankfully, thankfully, on-my-knees-with-gratitude, thankfully, my daughter passed the all-school scalp check and was sent home with a two-page letter from the city health department rather than a head full of nits. Unfortunately, more than a dozen other kids at the school were not as fortunate. Still, it’s not like the lice-free kids should be bragging about their good luck because thanks to a new school policy, which was recently instituted by the American Academy of … Continue reading →

Students Walk Out Due to Roaches and Rats

Schools are buildings like any other structure created. They get water leaks and damage and wear and tear just like any other location. Unfortunately, they too get spiders, mice, and bugs (including roaches). It cannot be expected that schools stay exempt from these things just because they are a school. However, it can be expected that school administrators and official do all that they can to keep the school well kept and as free from these things as possible. This includes annual repairs and upkeep, spraying for insects, and clean conditions. Our school, like many other buildings, has been known … Continue reading →

Gross, Dust Mites!

A little dust never hurt anyone. Have you heard someone say that or perhaps you have uttered those same words? The problem with this line of thinking is that we are forgetting something very important. Dust isn’t just an unpleasant part of a home, or a nuisance to take care of. It is a microscopic bug. Doesn’t that just crawl under your skin? Puts things in a new perspective, doesn’t it? Dust mites can be found throughout the home. And not just in the dusty corners of your room, but they can live in your mattress, carpet and furniture. What … Continue reading →

Preventing West Nile Virus

Every day we are faced with the challenge of protecting our homes and families from pests. Every year I battle ants, spiders and bees. Right now, it is prime mosquito season here in Utah. We are luckier than most places because it’s such a dry climate but that doesn’t mean we are immune. Mosquitoes can carry West Nile Virus so it’s important to protect your family. In most cases the infection is mild, but one in five people develop severe symptoms. Most of us take the usual precautions. Bug spray, citronella candles outside, wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants … Continue reading →

The Dirtiest Thing in Your House

What do you think is the dirtiest thing in your house? Do you believe it’s the grease-spattered wall behind your stove? Or perhaps you are thinking like most, that it must be your bathroom. Perhaps the toilet seat, especially if you have boys that tend to miss the inside. Well according to a microbiologist, it could be your toothbrush. In fact, you might even be brushing your teeth not just with toothpaste and water but what is inside your toilet. Ewwww. This depends on your setup. If your bathroom sink is right next to the toilet and you keep your … Continue reading →

Homes for Bees: Creating a Bee-eautiful Garden

This summer, I’m teaching kids about pollinators. I love pollinators. So do you, even though you may not realize it. A third of what you eat is a product of a pollinator. Fruits and many things that we call vegetables were pollinated by a bee, a butterfly, or another creature that fertilized the flower and allowed that fruit to grow. If you have a garden at home, you need pollinators too. Even if you don’t have a garden, there’s a whole world out there that needs pollinating! Pollinator populations are dropping rapidly, since urban development has taken away wild sources … Continue reading →

Our Fears Are Situational

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It seems that every day I learn or discover something new about myself. Being a single mother has helped me grow in ways I never imagined. One huge thing I’ve learned is that fear is situational and what you are afraid of will change depending on where you are in your life. For instance, I’ve always been afraid of spiders, now that I am a single mother, I am the person who has to deal with the spiders. I can’t scream and run into the other room waiting for someone to kill it, I have to kill it. I have … Continue reading →